7/19 SOX @ Dodgers 10:10PM ET

[Oscars]

Sox 0 for 11 with RISP

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Sox 0 for 11 with RISP

 

And 1-1 with the runner at home plate.

[moonslav59]

Snake bite game.

 

Missed opportunities.

 

O'Neill's lack of hustle. (I also thought he did not run all out on the double down the line.)

 

The pen is hurting without Martin and Slaten.

 

Gotta bunch our hits better.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just was informed that Freeman is 19-37 with the bases loaded.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Snake bite game.

 

Missed opportunities.

 

O'Neill's lack of hustle. (I also thought he did not run all out on the double down the line.)

 

The pen is hurting without Martin and Slaten.

 

Gotta bunch our hits better.

 

O'Neill has the most misleading OPS in MLB.

And not having Martin and Slaten definitely hurt, but this is a fragile team, so we shouldn't be surprised.

[moonslav59]

O'Neill has the most misleading OPS in MLB.

And not having Martin and Slaten definitely hurt, but this is a fragile team, so we shouldn't be surprised.

 

I disagree on O'Neill. He's streaky.

 

While his BAbip is .341, that is lower than Duran, Abreu, Wong, Ref and DHam's.

 

His Hard Hit% is 48.1 (3rd best on team)

 

He will get hot, again- maybe twice.

[notin]

O'Neill has the most misleading OPS in MLB.

And not having Martin and Slaten definitely hurt, but this is a fragile team, so we shouldn't be surprised.

 

Also that’s what happens when you manage for the save…

[Bellhorn04]

Also that’s what happens when you manage for the save…

 

What does that mean, exactly?

[Maxbialystock]

What does that mean, exactly?

 

The inscrutable notin.

 

While I agree the Sox hitting, especially with RISP, wasn't so hot, I remain amazed that no one has mentioned Bernardino as having had any effect on the game outcome. In fact, I don't think his name is in this game thread.

 

The simple fact is that all by himself Bernardino killed us. Pivetta went 6 scoreless and Kelly would have gone 1.1 scoreless if Bernardino hadn't been absolutely terrible. He's done this before--sabotaged a winning effort--but he usually does it by allowing the previous Sox pitcher's to score runs. This time the grand slam cost him 3 runs and jacked up his ERA to a very misleading 2.53. His WHIP, 1.28, is a better indicator of why he hasn't been that useful this season.

 

Yes, O'Neill got caught napping, not only not getting back to 1b quickly enough, but also going most of the way to 2b on an easy fly to short LF. But, had he been safe at 1b, the Sox would still have had 2 outs with little likelihood they would bring him home.

 

To me the real message on this game is that the Sox are tough, but still need some help in the form of one or more good arms (SP or RP) and maybe a good righty bat or two.

[moonslav59]

I just hope a tough loss like this, to a very good team, does not derail the momentum this team has established.

[notin]

What does that mean, exactly?

 

Their best hitters are up, but our best reliever isn’t in the game.

 

The game was on the line in the 8th inning. Where was Jansen? Waiting for the ninth inning to shut down Pages, Rojas and Lux?

Edited July 20, 2024 by notin

[Bellhorn04]

I just hope a tough loss like this, to a very good team, does not derail the momentum this team has established.

 

There's no such thing as momentum other than the way Earl Weaver described it.

[Bellhorn04]

Their best hitters are up, but our best reliever isn’t in the game.

 

The game was on the line in the 8th inning. Where was Jansen? Waiting for the ninth inning to shut down Pages, Rojas and Lux?

 

Maybe so.

 

Looks like Cora put a lot of faith in Bernardino in the L on L matchups.

[Bellhorn04]

That was the first HR Bernardino gave up this year.

[moonslav59]

There's no such thing as momentum other than the way Earl Weaver described it.

 

It's one thing I go against what studies show.

[moonslav59]

That was the first HR Bernardino gave up this year.

 

Hard to blame the loss on one pitch.

[Bellhorn04]

It's one thing I go against what studies show.

 

Well, the Yankees had one of the most crushing and embarrassing losses imaginable in their previous game, and they had a nice relaxing 6-1 win last night.

[moonslav59]

Well, the Yankees had one of the most crushing and embarrassing losses imaginable in their previous game, and they had a nice relaxing 6-1 win last night.

 

1 game might not mean they have changed the momentum, just as our loss last night, may not change ours.

[Bellhorn04]

1 game might not mean they have changed the momentum, just as our loss last night, may not change ours.

 

Maybe we should just confine this to the question of whether one bad loss can stop a team's momentum. I say no. You obviously think it can.

[illinoisredsox]

Maybe we should just confine this to the question of whether one bad loss can stop a team's momentum. I say no. You obviously think it can.

 

It can, but whether a particular loss does that will only be known after the fact.

 

In this case, should the Sox pre-ASB mo turn, was it this loss or was it the ASB?

[moonslav59]

Maybe we should just confine this to the question of whether one bad loss can stop a team's momentum. I say no. You obviously think it can.

 

I said I hope it is not a momentum stopper. It will take 2-3 more losses in the next 3-4 games for me to think the momentum has swung. If that happens, I suppose it might mean last night's loss was the start of a momentum change, but we would not know if it might have swung, even if we had won 1-0.

 

I do not think one game, alone determines momentum in MLB. Other sports, maybe.

[notin]

Maybe so.

 

Looks like Cora put a lot of faith in Bernardino in the L on L matchups.

 

Apparently. But I hate to see managers resting their best pitchers while lesser pitchers cough up leads.

 

And the notion that Ohtani and Freeman are run-of-the-mill left-handed hitters who can be neutralized by any southpaw will probably burn you more often than not…

[Bellhorn04]

Apparently. But I hate to see managers resting their best pitchers while lesser pitchers cough up leads.

 

And the notion that Ohtani and Freeman are run-of-the-mill left-handed hitters who can be neutralized by any southpaw will probably burn you more often than not…

 

I think Cora realizes that.

[Maxbialystock]

Apparently. But I hate to see managers resting their best pitchers while lesser pitchers cough up leads.

 

And the notion that Ohtani and Freeman are run-of-the-mill left-handed hitters who can be neutralized by any southpaw will probably burn you more often than not…

 

I don't particularly like Bernardino because of other games I've watching him pitch in.

 

But it did in fact make sense to send him in against Ohtani and Freeman. Ohtani's OPS is .875 vs lefties and 1.119 vs. righties. Freeman's OPS vs lefties is .753 and .966 vs righties.

[moonslav59]

Apparently. But I hate to see managers resting their best pitchers while lesser pitchers cough up leads.

 

And the notion that Ohtani and Freeman are run-of-the-mill left-handed hitters who can be neutralized by any southpaw will probably burn you more often than not…

 

It was a tough call, but I certainly see the point in wanting jansen vs the meat of the order with men on base.

 

OPS Against 2024...

 

vs LHBs:

.533 Jansen

.599 Slaten (IL)

.620 Martin (IL)

.618 Bernardino

.653 Booser & Anderson

.661 Kelly

 

vs RHBs:

.393 Kelly

.507 Jansen

.545 Slaten

.597 Wink

.634 Weissert

.694 Anderson

 

[vegasbob]

Just was informed that Freeman is 19-37 with the bases loaded.

 

But there is no such thing as clutch, Splendid . It is random chance that Freeman hits well with the bases loaded. Probably due to the pitcher being tired and not wanting to walk him, so he grooves him a hittable pitch.

[vegasbob]

I disagree on O'Neill. He's streaky.

 

While his BAbip is .341, that is lower than Duran, Abreu, Wong, Ref and DHam's.

 

His Hard Hit% is 48.1 (3rd best on team)

 

He will get hot, again- maybe twice.

 

Be sure to give me a heads up when he does get hot. Hopefully for another team, but he won't bring much in a trade. Subtract his April numbers and where are you with this RH hitting stud muffin ?

[vegasbob]

The inscrutable notin.

 

While I agree the Sox hitting, especially with RISP, wasn't so hot, I remain amazed that no one has mentioned Bernardino as having had any effect on the game outcome. In fact, I don't think his name is in this game thread.

 

The simple fact is that all by himself Bernardino killed us. Pivetta went 6 scoreless and Kelly would have gone 1.1 scoreless if Bernardino hadn't been absolutely terrible. He's done this before--sabotaged a winning effort--but he usually does it by allowing the previous Sox pitcher's to score runs. This time the grand slam cost him 3 runs and jacked up his ERA to a very misleading 2.53. His WHIP, 1.28, is a better indicator of why he hasn't been that useful this season.

 

Yes, O'Neill got caught napping, not only not getting back to 1b quickly enough, but also going most of the way to 2b on an easy fly to short LF. But, had he been safe at 1b, the Sox would still have had 2 outs with little likelihood they would bring him home.

 

To me the real message on this game is that the Sox are tough, but still need some help in the form of one or more good arms (SP or RP) and maybe a good righty bat or two.

 

No question Bernardino did not get his job done, getting a LH bat out. But the game outcome would have been no different had Freeman struck a single. 2 runs score, Sox done.

[moonslav59]

I don't particularly like Bernardino because of other games I've watching him pitch in.

 

But it did in fact make sense to send him in against Ohtani and Freeman. Ohtani's OPS is .875 vs lefties and 1.119 vs. righties. Freeman's OPS vs lefties is .753 and .966 vs righties.

 

Bernardino has been fantastic in the vast majority of his games in 2024 and 2023.

 

2024: 34 Games

28 games with no ERs allowed

4 games 1 ER allowed in 1 IP or 1.1 IP (one as an opener)

2 really bad games (2 ER in 0.2 IP on 7/6, and last night's game 3 ER in 0 IP)

Take away those two bad games:

31.1 IP

23 Hits

28Ks/13 BB

4 ER (1.44 ERA)

3 of 14 Inherited runs allowed to score (23% is 9% better than league avg 32% and team's 33%)

 

2023: 55 games

42 games with 0 ER

11 games with 1 ER

1 game with 2 ERs

1 game with 5ER

Take away just 2 bad games:

49 IP

41 Hits

56Ks/15 BB

11 ERs (2.02 ER)

4 of 30 Inherited runner scored (13% was second only to Martin & better than Jansen's 17%)

 

Total:

4 really bad games in 83 games

9 games with 1 ER allowed

70 games not allowing an ER. (7 out of 44 IR scored at under 16%)

2.94 ERA with Sox

 

Edited July 20, 2024 by moonslav59

[d-money]

Gotta bounce back tonight.