SOX (Crawford) vs Yankems (Rodon) 9/15 1:35PM

[Brock Beauchamp]

Trying a new thing here. The game thread will exist in the Red Sox forum for the day and I will move it to the game thread forum tomorrow morning.

[Jasonbay44]

I like this idea. It’s hard to tell if game thread interactions are down due to the new format or if we’re all just losing interest in a pretty mediocre Red Sox team. I’ll try and follow the game today but I’m more interested in the NFL today for betting/fantasy reasons.

[Brock Beauchamp]

57 minutes ago, Jasonbay44 said:

I like this idea. It’s hard to tell if game thread interactions are down due to the new format or if we’re all just losing interest in a pretty mediocre Red Sox team. I’ll try and follow the game today but I’m more interested in the NFL today for betting/fantasy reasons.

I think it’s the mediocrity. The same thing is happening on our Cubs site; the Cubs and Sox have had very similar seasons. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I like Penrod in relief. 

His name isn't Rotationrod.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Go SOX!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1. Duran
2. Romy
3. Devers
4. O'Neill
5. Wong
6. Masa
7. Story
8. Jansen
9. Rafaela

 

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Cora admits that Bello was trying to hit Judge yesterday. Cole denies he intentionally hit Devers.

One's a truth teller; the other is a liar.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Cora, who supposedly believes in a strong defense, weakens the SOX defense just to have one more RH bat in the line-up. Does Jansen's RH bat make this worthwhile?

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Nice escape by Crawford. 

[Maxbialystock]

1 hour ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I think it’s the mediocrity. The same thing is happening on our Cubs site; the Cubs and Sox have had very similar seasons. 

Perhaps.  However, I've been a Sox fan since 1949 and still believe the John Henry era is the best era in Red Sox history. 

I hasten to add the Cubs were nothing until they hired Theo Epstein away from the Sox.  Both teams are flirting with .500 ball, but the Cubs continue to outdraw the Sox, 36,347 to 32,783.   Interestingly, the Cubs payroll is 7th in MLB and the Sox payroll is 11th--$230M vs $190M.  

[Maxbialystock]

Back to the game.  To me Rodon's repertoire looks a ton better than Crawford's,  Hence no hits in 3 innings for the Sox and 3 hits in 2 innings for the Yankees.  

Interestingly, the Sox have K'd only once and the Yankees 4 times. 

Torres homers for Yankees run #2.  

[notin]

16 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Cora, who supposedly believes in a strong defense, weakens the SOX defense just to have one more RH bat in the line-up. Does Jansen's RH bat make this worthwhile?

Sometimes I think Cora manages this team like he’s trying to show Breslow how much he doesn’t like this roster…

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I wonder if Homer Crawford is approaching the record of percentage of HR's given up based on innings pitched. Based on a minimum of 100 innings.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

If the SOX can come back and win this one, it will definitely be a miracle sanctioned by the Vatican. 

[Maxbialystock]

All 4 Yankees runs were scored off of 3 hits--1 double and 2 dingers--and all 3 hits were off Crawford's fastball.  

So my question is, "why are the Sox (Jansen, Bailey, whoever) continuing to call for more fastballs from Crawford?"  

I hasten to add that one characteristic almost universal among Sox pitchers is that none of them has a good fastball.  

 

[Maxbialystock]

32 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Cora, who supposedly believes in a strong defense, weakens the SOX defense just to have one more RH bat in the line-up. Does Jansen's RH bat make this worthwhile?

There have exactly zero Sox managers who believed (or believes) that a strong defense is the key to winning.  Bats first, gloves second, with some exceptions for SS and CF.   

The Sox this season have been notoriously bad against lefty starters, so of course Cora wants to optimize righty bats.  Was that a 2 run dinger by a righty bat I just saw?

I like Wong a lot, but I believe most think Jansen is the better defensive catcher.  Thus Wong at 1b instead of Casas, a lefty bat. 

[vegasbob]

38 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Cora, who supposedly believes in a strong defense, weakens the SOX defense just to have one more RH bat in the line-up. Does Jansen's RH bat make this worthwhile?

No, but it does sit LH'er Casas which could be a plus for the moment

[Maxbialystock]

Terrific at bat--9 pitches--by O'Neill when he got the 2 run dinger, which was off a 98 mph fastball above the strike zone.  Rodon is pitching tough.  He even has a pretty good changeup.  

Crawford, on the other hand, is lucky to have given up just 4 runs.  He stinks today.  

[Jasonbay44]

Tyler O’Neill is a very odd player. I think we should make an attempt to retain him. If he stays healthy he very well could flirt with 40-45 homers. Health is main issue though and always has been 

[Maxbialystock]

Story makes a difference in the field--yet again.  

Didn't he have 3 hits yesterday?  

[Maxbialystock]

As soon as I insult Crawford in every way imaginable, he pitches a clean 4th inning. 

[vegasbob]

If you like HR's buy a season ticket to Crawfish started games and you won't be disappointed.    It is one thing to be a little off but another thing to lead a league in certain categories.  

We tend to discount W-L records as being not indicative of  a pitcher's true worth or ability.  But one indisputable fact is that an "L"  means that pitcher was responsible for the run scored that  put his team behind, from which they never recovered to tie or take the lead.

Crawford's 14 losses ( soon to be 15) and the 33 Hr's in 31 starts cannot be fully overlooked as a less than stellar season.     

A  loss in the BP is worse because it generally means that  the pitcher came in with the score tied or his team ahead and let the opponent recover and win, usually after the 5th/6th inning 

 

[Maxbialystock]

That home plate ump has screwed Rodon repeatedly.  

[vegasbob]

5 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Story makes a difference in the field--yet again.  

Didn't he have 3 hits yesterday?  

He had 4 hits, if you count running into Devers on that pop-up. 

[Maxbialystock]

5 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

He had 4 hits, if you count running into Devers on that pop-up. 

A hit!  A palpable hit!  😃

[Maxbialystock]

Crawford walked Judge, but at least he tried.  He has 3 pitches close to the zone and 2 (#1 and #5) could have been called strikes.  92 pitches, 58 strikes.  

I think Crawford threw too many fastballs early in the game, which I blame on Bailey.  He has a lousy fastball and should use it sparingly.  

[Oscars]

The 2024 Red Sox have mastered how not to score a run after a lead off double 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

35 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

He had 4 hits, if you count running into Devers on that pop-up. 

Amazing that Story wasn't injured. 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

3 minutes ago, Oscars said:

The 2024 Red Sox have mastered how not to score a run after a lead off double 

They were also very good at that last season. It must be something they practice.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Amazing that Story wasn't injured. 

 

2 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Amazing that Story wasn't injured. 

If Story was just an average defensive SS, I'd really go off on him.