Red Sox (Bello) vs Orioles (Enns): 8/27/25, 6:35pm

[Brandon Glick]

Well, this has been a mighty successful road trip thus far, no? Two more against Baltimore before a favorable six-game homestand (Pirates, Guardians).

[Maxbialystock]

An astounding road trip--primarily because of Sox pitching.  

Sox have the edge tonight with Bello, but it would be nice if they could hit the Orioles lefty starter Enns.  

I don't see Ref on the roster, so expect to see this lineup--

Anthony  DH

Bregman 3B

Story  SS

Gonzalez  2B

Lowe  1B

Narvaez  C

Rafaela  CF

Duran  LF

Garcia RF

At some point I think Cora is going to want to give Bregman, Story, Rafaela, and Duran a day off.  Hamilton can step in for Bregman and Story, Duran for Rafaela, and Anthony for Duran.  

Injury report says Ref is due back today or tomorrow.  If it's today, I make him DH, Anthony LF, and Duran gets the day off.  

Injury report says Abreu is due back in September and with luck early September.  He has right calf tightness.  So I guess Garcia gets to stick around until then.  

 

 

 

 

 

[mvp 78]

Masa instead of Duran maybe? Duran has been awful vs LHP this year. 

[Maxbialystock]

16 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Masa instead of Duran maybe? Duran has been awful vs LHP this year. 

Masa's OPS vs lefties is .596.  Duran's is .568.  But I would be fine with Masa.  

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Masa's OPS vs lefties is .596.  Duran's is .568.  But I would be fine with Masa.  

In a discussion to get Duran a day off, seems to make sense to do it against a lefty regardless if Refsnyder is back.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

There's two embarrassments to MLB at Yankem Park this afternoon. The RF fence and the Washington Nationals.

[Maxbialystock]

2 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

In a discussion to get Duran a day off, seems to make sense to do it against a lefty regardless if Refsnyder is back.

Duran and Yoshida both in. Garcia is out.  Can't complain about that.  Hamilton for Gonzalez is a huge surprise and suggests Gonzalez is becoming a backup.  Looks like Garcia doesn't have much stock either.  

[Maxbialystock]

Writ large I think Cora might be thinking of getting the best defensive players out there to support the excellent pitching.  Thus is he starting lefty bats against a lefty starter.  It helps that Hamilton recently has been hitting and Lowe already is a hitter but not so much vs lefties.  

  

[mvp 78]

19 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Writ large I think Cora might be thinking of getting the best defensive players out there to support the excellent pitching.  Thus is he starting lefty bats against a lefty starter.  It helps that Hamilton recently has been hitting and Lowe already is a hitter but not so much vs lefties.  

Enns has a reverse split this season.

vs RHB 665

vs LHB 1004

He had a reverse split in AAA too. 

[Maxbialystock]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Enns has a reverse split this season.

vs RHB 665

vs LHB 1004

He had a reverse split in AAA too. 

Is that cool or what?  😄

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

That was Romanized.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

He's safe. The chUMP needs a service dog.

[Maxbialystock]

Enns was pitching Anthony low, but with a 3-1 count threw a fast ball 6" to a foot above the bottom.  Great swing by Anthony who was looking for a ball to hit. 

I don't think Rafaela's big problem is swinging at bad pitches.  I think he's having trouble hitting a round ball with a round bat squarely.  He swung at the 2d and 4th pitches, both near the center of the strike zone, and missed the first and popped the 2d up to the catcher.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

5 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Enns was pitching Anthony low, but with a 3-1 count threw a fast ball 6" to a foot above the bottom.  Great swing by Anthony who was looking for a ball to hit. 

I don't think Rafaela's big problem is swinging at bad pitches.  I think he's having trouble hitting a round ball with a round bat squarely.  He swung at the 2d and 4th pitches, both near the center of the strike zone, and missed the first and popped the 2d up to the catcher.  

The best defensive CF I ever saw played for the O's and he, like Rafaela, was a below average hitter. His name was Paul Blair.

[Maxbialystock]

All 3 Orioles batters hit the ball hard.  Finally Bello throws some breaking ball for the K and 3d out.

 

[Maxbialystock]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

The best defensive CF I ever saw played for the O's and he, like Rafaela, was a below average hitter. His name was Paul Blair.

I remember him well.  

[Maxbialystock]

Pretty rotten top of the 2d.  Heck, the top of the 1st wasn't so great except for that terrific dinger by Anthony.  

[illinoisredsox]

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

In a discussion to get Duran a day off, seems to make sense to do it against a lefty regardless if Refsnyder is back.

 

5 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

In a discussion to get Duran a day off, seems to make sense to do it against a lefty regardless if Refsnyder is back.

 

3 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

Writ large I think Cora might be thinking of getting the best defensive players out there to support the excellent pitching.  Thus is he starting lefty bats against a lefty starter.  It helps that Hamilton recently has been hitting and Lowe already is a hitter but not so much vs lefties.  

  

Lefty opener will go 3 innings max.  Bulk guy is right handed, hence the lefty lineup for one time through the order.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

5 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

I remember him well.  

He played a shallow CF, so few balls dropped in front of him. He went back on fly balls better than any outfielder I'd ever seen.

[moonslav59]

With platoon guy Abreu on the IL, this would have been a day to give Duran a breather and RHB Jh Garcia another shot, but watch Duran go off, tonight!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

The ground caused the fumble. That should be called a catch.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

He played a shallow CF, so few balls dropped in front of him. He went back on fly balls better than any outfielder I'd ever seen.

exactly, and he had to go back pretty often, because he was so shallow.

[FredLynn]

Rafaela has to make that play. Hit him in a bad spot I guess-the glove

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

exactly, and he had to go back pretty often, because he was so shallow.

8 GG's and 4 WS. Another case of how defense is completely ignored by the HOF voters.

[Maxbialystock]

Enns is pretty much mowing the Sox down.  Here's hoping the next guy doesn't.  

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

3 minutes ago, FredLynn said:

Rafaela has to make that play. Hit him in a bad spot I guess-the glove

Why do you double down on being baseball stupid?

[FredLynn]

4 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Why do you double down on being baseball stupid?

Just doing my best to imitate you as the foremost baseball moron here!

Ill never start making it personal but I feel free to respond when someone else (YOU) starts it.

[Nineintime]

25 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Enns was pitching Anthony low, but with a 3-1 count threw a fast ball 6" to a foot above the bottom.  Great swing by Anthony who was looking for a ball to hit. 

I don't think Rafaela's big problem is swinging at bad pitches.  I think he's having trouble hitting a round ball with a round bat squarely.  He swung at the 2d and 4th pitches, both near the center of the strike zone, and missed the first and popped the 2d up to the catcher.  

 

19 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

The best defensive CF I ever saw played for the O's and he, like Rafaela, was a below average hitter. His name was Paul Blair.

Andrew Jones by far true best ever.  10 gold gloves, insane reads and amazing closing speeds 

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

8 GG's and 4 WS. Another case of how defense is completely ignored by the HOF voters.

Marl Belanger played 18 seasons and also won 8 GGs.

His career .580 OPS did not stop him from receiving MVP votes in 3 seasons.

The O's won the WS in 1970 with Belanger batting .562.

[d-money]

These last 29 games are pretty much playoff games. Need to win. Gotta win witj the Yankees and mariners winning.