Red Sox (Crochet) vs Astros (Javier): 8/11/25, 8:10pm

[vegasbob]

Interesting to watch Ort shutting them down

[Nineintime]

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

It was actually his second start 

I knew that I was implying that his second start off the extended layoff is much different than his first.  Sometimes extended breaks make sense and other times the break in the routine can come back to haunt you

[Duran Is The Man]

so glad Brezlow traded Devers for Hicks. brilliant move.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

Interesting to watch Ort shutting them down

Ort and Indy was a pretty funny TV show.

[FredLynn]

Just now, Duran Is The Man said:

so glad Brezlow traded Devers for Hicks. brilliant move.

I’d have traded Devers for a bag of used golf balls

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

6 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Now Watch May shut them down tomorrow.

Baseball is funny that way 

Baseball isn't that funny.

[Nineintime]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Baseball isn't that funny.

May is going to get rolled.  He’s not the guy he once was at all.  The Dodgers knew this and Breslow made the deal to appease the masses.  He’s washed 

[vegasbob]

Abreu not contributing much lately

[FredLynn]

Toro ties it with  baseball’s first five run HR

[vegasbob]

So Toro is the stud we thought he was

[Maxbialystock]

9 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Max, you should use your eyes instead of nerdy offensive stats. Nineintime is correct; the offensive flow of this team during the season has been very inconsistent.

Nothing "nerdy" about total runs scored.  And what the the heck is offensive flow if it means something different from how many runs were scored in each and every game?  Do you seriously expect the Sox to score at least 4 runs and no more 6 runs in every game?  

But my real point is that it's nonsense to claim players need to be kept in a certain spot in the batting order.   Moving from one defensive position to another is a much bigger deal, and some players do a lot of that.

Lineups are the only tool the manager has to find the best matchups against opposing starters--like starting lefty bats vs righty starters and vice versa.   There are times when I think specific players really do prefer to be high in the order--and that takes some chutzpah--and others who thrive near the bottom. 

Nothing changes in a hitter's routine--before, during, and after an at bat--when he changes spots in the batting order.  I think maybe the leadoff guy gets the most pressure, but guess what?  In most games he only leads off once.  

 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Toro has hit the ball harder than any Sox tonight.

[Nineintime]

Just now, FredLynn said:

Toro ties it with  baseball’s first five run HR

Why does he run like his knees are tied together ?

[vegasbob]

Let's  watch Rafaela steal 3rd down 4

[FredLynn]

Just now, Nineintime said:

Why does he run like his knees are tied together ?

He’s been taking running lessons from Masa

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just now, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Toro has hit the ball harder than any Sox tonight.

Maybe someone poured some gas in the lawnmower.

[Nineintime]

1 minute ago, Maxbialystock said:

Nothing "nerdy" about total runs scored.  And what the the heck is offensive flow if it means something different from how many runs were scored in each and every game?  Do you seriously expect the Sox to score at least 4 runs and no more 6 runs in every game?  

But my real point is that it's nonsense to claim players need to be kept in a certain spot in the batting order.   Moving from one defensive position to another is a much bigger deal, and some players do a lot of that.

Lineups are the only tool the manager has to find the best matchups against opposing starters--like starting lefty bats vs righty starters and vice versa.   There are times when I think specific players really do prefer to be high in the order--and that takes some chutzpah--and others who thrive near the bottom. 

Nothing changes in a hitter's routine--before, during, and after an at bat--when he changes spots in the batting order.  I think maybe the leadoff guy gets the most pressure, but guess what?  In most games he only leads off once.  

 

Who hits in front and behind you makes a big difference.  If that is never established then the continuity of the lineup is compromised.  The best teams in all of baseball have consistent line ups that can’t be argued. 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Say it ain't so,Joe. Leave that guy in the game.

[Jasonbay44]

This game got really interesting 

[Nineintime]

3 minutes ago, Jasonbay44 said:

This game got really interesting 

Roman doesn’t get cheated.  His approach is way beyond his years.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

4 minutes ago, Jasonbay44 said:

This game got really interesting 

There's no clock in baseball. Well, at least, there never used to be.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Great shutdown inning.

[Maxbialystock]

20 minutes ago, Nineintime said:

Who hits in front and behind you makes a big difference.  If that is never established then the continuity of the lineup is compromised.  The best teams in all of baseball have consistent line ups that can’t be argued. 

That works when you have reliable hitters in the key spots.  This season the Sox lineup has been unbelievably inconsistent because Bregman was on the IL, Devers went to the Giants, Anthony showed up in June, Duran has been up, down and now up again,  Story and Rafaela have been up and down, and we just saw Yoshida pinch hit for Narvaez so Wong is back behind the plate.   I forgot to mention that THE GREAT CASAS lasted one month and stunk anyway.  Mayer was supposed to be a sure thing, but only his fielding has been and now he has yet another injury, possibly season-ending.  

And, by the way, tonight's rotten lineup has scored 6 runs, which are as much a surprise to me as they are to you.  

By the way, you do have a point about that 2d spot, which is where Devers thrived with the Sox, especially when Bregman batted 3d.  When Devers went to the Giants, however, they had no one remotely as good as Bregman to bat after Devers.  His OPS with the Sox was over .900 and with the Giants is .758.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Romy demonstrates how important making contact is.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I didn't realize that Romy was a base stealer. Now I know why.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Nice play by the best all-around 3rd baseman in MLB.

[Maxbialystock]

19 minutes ago, Nineintime said:

Roman doesn’t get cheated.  His approach is way beyond his years.  

He can be fooled, but you are dead right about how good he is.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The truth of the matter is the Sox aren't weakened by that much when Duran plays CF.

[Jasonbay44]

Great work by Whitlock tonight 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

3 minutes ago, Jasonbay44 said:

Great work by Whitlock tonight 

Definitely.