Red Sox (Houck) at Houston (Kikuchi): 8/19/24, 8:10pm

[mvp 78]

I liked how Brock titled the past few Game Threads and it seemed to help with the MOJO.

 

Houck went 6IP, 1ER, 4H, 3BB, 1K two starts ago vs HOU.

 

The last time Kikuchi (LHP) faced the Sox, he was still with TOR. On 6/17: 4IP, 5ER, 7H, 0BB, 7K, 4HR.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I liked how Brock titled the past few Game Threads and it seemed to help with the MOJO.

 

That title format came around organically at Twins Daily as users just kinda settled into a rhythm and started copying one another. I like how informative it is so I stole it for the other sites.

[mvp 78]

For me, it's just more ways I can mess something up in the title of a post! I needed to put MLB.com on a second screen to make sure I got it right.

[Brock Beauchamp]

For me, it's just more ways I can mess something up in the title of a post! I needed to put MLB.com on a second screen to make sure I got it right.

 

A big upgrade with the new software (hopefully coming this Sunday evening?) is that you can copy and paste screencaps right into posts. You can also embed tweets, videos, etc. just by pasting a URL. This is what game threads look like on other sites (when I'm not feeling up to typing an introduction, which I do sometimes).

 

Twins (Matthews) vs Padres (King): 8/19/24, 8:40pm - Archived Game Threads - Twins Daily

TWINSDAILY.COM

[Dipre]

Houck better not f*** this up.

[Maxbialystock]

For me, it's just more ways I can mess something up in the title of a post! I needed to put MLB.com on a second screen to make sure I got it right.

 

If you ain't got 2 screens, you ain't.

[Maxbialystock]

I was unbelievably impressed with how well the Sox did in Baltimore. The Orioles, 73-52, are tied with the Yankees for the best record in the American League--as well as tied with the Dodgers for the second best record in MLB and just a tad behind the Phillies @ 73-51. And the Sox split 4 tough games despite going into the series with a pitching staff in disarray and ranked 18th in ERA before the series and 19th afterward.

 

Three--Pivetta, Bello, and Crawford-- of the starters against Baltimore were adequate or better. Criswell, the nonstarter-starter in game 2, was awful (3.1 IP, 6 ER) in game 2, but got the win because the Sox scored 12 freaking runs. And Houck, starting tonight, has the highest WAR (3.3--2d best is Crawford's 1.6) and most quality starts, 17.

 

So I would argue the rotation is viable, but the bullpen is not. So I cannot resist pointing out, yet again, that the rotation, which Breslow did his level best to destroy (by dumping Sale and bringing in Giolito), is doing way better than the bullpen, which should have been easier to fix.

 

FWIW, the three best Sox bullpen WAR's belong to Jansen (1.7), Kelly (1.2), and Booser (1.0), all of whom were Soxers before Breslow arrived.

[Maxbialystock]

Also FWIW, I find it easier and easier to root like crazy for the 2024 Sox. They are now a whopping 3.5 games behind 3d wild card team Kansas City and another game behind #2 Minnesota. So clearly a lot of work to be done, which at almost every turn will be sabotaged by a truly awful bullpen.

 

How awful is Breslow's bullpen? Smith, our first baseman recently DFA'd, had a WAR of +0.1 as a Sox pitcher.

[gojohn99]

I did not think the 2024 Red Sox would be this entertaining, I figured we would be in the basement of the AL East.

 

Also FWIW, I find it easier and easier to root like crazy for the 2024 Sox. They are now a whopping 3.5 games behind 3d wild card team Kansas City and another game behind #2 Minnesota. So clearly a lot of work to be done, which at almost every turn will be sabotaged by a truly awful bullpen.

 

How awful is Breslow's bullpen? Smith, our first baseman recently DFA'd, had a WAR of +0.1 as a Sox pitcher.

Edited August 19, 2024 by gojohn99

[mvp 78]

A big upgrade with the new software (hopefully coming this Sunday evening?) is that you can copy and paste screencaps right into posts. You can also embed tweets, videos, etc. just by pasting a URL. This is what game threads look like on other sites (when I'm not feeling up to typing an introduction, which I do sometimes).

 

Twins (Matthews) vs Padres (King): 8/19/24, 8:40pm - Archived Game Threads - Twins Daily

TWINSDAILY.COM

 

I guess that looks better.

[mvp 78]

If you ain't got 2 screens, you ain't.

 

This job isn't busy enough for a third. Back when I first joined the board, that job needed all 3.

[mvp 78]

Houck better not f*** this up.

 

I'm surprised it wasn't this team that gave you a heart attack.

[mvp 78]

Also FWIW, I find it easier and easier to root like crazy for the 2024 Sox. They are now a whopping 3.5 games behind 3d wild card team Kansas City and another game behind #2 Minnesota. So clearly a lot of work to be done, which at almost every turn will be sabotaged by a truly awful bullpen.

 

How awful is Breslow's bullpen? Smith, our first baseman recently DFA'd, had a WAR of +0.1 as a Sox pitcher.

 

They probably won't get it done this year, but I've been happy enough with the season in comparison to the nonsense we've seen in recent years. Having a strong farm and signs of life from young guys on the MLB squad makes me feel much more positive about where the org is at.

[Jasonbay44]

They probably won't get it done this year, but I've been happy enough with the season in comparison to the nonsense we've seen in recent years. Having a strong farm and signs of life from young guys on the MLB squad makes me feel much more positive about where the org is at.

 

Agreed. At least the team has a solid core offensively and is fun to watch. Duran, Devers, Rafaela, Casas, Abreu and Hamilton have all been fun to watch when healthy and with Durans breakout and all these young guys producing, I’m actually pretty excited about the future of the team.

 

They do really need to start developing some pitchers though, both starters and relievers. Or at the very least sign/trade for some.

[mvp 78]

How many people had Hamilton as a potential positive going into this season? I think most of the talk was wondering why he was on the 40 man. Dude figured it out and now seems to be an MLBer going forward at least as a bench guy somewhere. That’s pretty amazing for what he was projected to be not long ago.

[Maxbialystock]

Agreed. At least the team has a solid core offensively and is fun to watch. Duran, Devers, Rafaela, Casas, Abreu and Hamilton have all been fun to watch when healthy and with Durans breakout and all these young guys producing, I’m actually pretty excited about the future of the team.

 

They do really need to start developing some pitchers though, both starters and relievers. Or at the very least sign/trade for some.

 

moonslav's OP on this year's offseason explores that in some detail.

[Jasonbay44]

How many people had Hamilton as a potential positive going into this season? I think most of the talk was wondering why he was on the 40 man. Dude figured it out and now seems to be an MLBer going forward at least as a bench guy somewhere. That’s pretty amazing for what he was projected to be not long ago.

 

I honestly didn’t have much opinion on him and he was mainly an afterthought. He is a fun player to watch though and I’m glad he’s around as at least bench depth

[Jasonbay44]

Duran hits the first pitch of the game for a bomb. Good start

[Jasonbay44]

Does NESN not have announcers for this game?

[vegasbob]

How about the Houston infield thoroughly soaked to the point of mud to slow down the Sox speed. Really ought to be some standards on field prep

[vegasbob]

I honestly didn’t have much opinion on him and he was mainly an afterthought. He is a fun player to watch though and I’m glad he’s around as at least bench depth

 

Two players losing ground in my Pantheon of Red Sox heroes ( LOL) : Tyler O'Neill and Romy Gonzalez. Both failed in a rare 1st inning rally by the Sox led by my man Duran

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

How about the Houston infield thoroughly soaked to the point of mud to slow down the Sox speed. Really ought to be some standards on field prep

 

They've been known to cheat.

[FredLynn]

Does NESN not have announcers for this game?

 

They’re back

[Maxbialystock]

Two players losing ground in my Pantheon of Red Sox heroes ( LOL) : Tyler O'Neill and Romy Gonzalez. Both failed in a rare 1st inning rally by the Sox led by my man Duran

 

Allow me to point out that Duran is not from this planet. He's not Mork from Ork, but he does have a problem with his use of the vernacular.

[vegasbob]

Allow me to point out that Duran is not from this planet. He's not Mork from Ork, but he does have a problem with his use of the vernacular.

 

I'm with him, Fuk'em. I'm having it tattooed right above my #9 on my left cheek. TSW would have said the same and probably did

[Maxbialystock]

Here's a question for our experts. Duran has a DWAR of +1.9, largely because he is really fast and has finally gotten a handle on taking the best routes to fly balls and line drives.

 

So why in the wide, wide world of sports would everyone--and I mean everyone--on talksox want Duran to play left field instead of centerfield?

 

And please don't mention Rafaela for CF because this year his best position for the team is SS because he has way more range than anyone else and a pretty good arm.

 

It's also clear that Cora wants both players playing in every single game. They've both played in 121, and next most is Devers with 110.

[Maxbialystock]

They've been known to cheat.

 

So have the Sox.

[Jasonbay44]

Here's a question for our experts. Duran has a DWAR of +1.9, largely because he is really fast and has finally gotten a handle on taking the best routes to fly balls and line drives.

 

So why in the wide, wide world of sports would everyone--and I mean everyone--on talksox want Duran to play left field instead of centerfield?

 

And please don't mention Rafaela for CF because this year his best position for the team is SS because he has way more range than anyone else and a pretty good arm.

 

It's also clear that Cora wants both players playing in every single game. They've both played in 121, and next most is Devers with 110.

 

Who is actively clamoring for Duran to be in left right now?

[Maxbialystock]

Two good innings for Houck so far.

 

Gotta feel a little sympathy for Kikuchi, whose infield has committed 2 errors--thus the one unearned run.

[Maxbialystock]

I'm with him, Fuk'em. I'm having it tattooed right above my #9 on my left cheek. TSW would have said the same and probably did

 

His situation was different. He arrived in Boston like a whirlwind and was a fan fav--and TSW responded with waving his cap, etc. Then came a slump or two, and Mr Sensitive with perfect hearing as well as eyesight heard some pretty nasty catcalls. It was then and only then he he stopped waving the cap--and stayed that way forever.