Red Sox (Tolle) vs Athletics (Barnett): 9/10/25, 3:35pm

[moonslav59]

I know this happens to every team to some extent, and maybe I just notice it more when it happens to us. I player misses a chance to break the game open with an RBI hit, and makes and out, but the next time up, with nobody on they got the hit.

1st inning: Duran DBLs and Bregman, Lowe and Story make outs. 3rd Inning: Sogard on 2B w 2 outs, Duran Ks. 4th inning: nobody on Bregman DBLs. (Story does drive him in with a DBL.)

4th innings: 2 on and Duran grounds out. Bregman grounds into FC (Wong out at plate)

9th inning: Ref on 2B with 1 out: Duran and Lowe make outs sandwiched around an IBB to Breggie.

This time it was Duran multiple times and a couple others once, but it seems like this is our MO way too often.

[notin]

32 minutes ago, d-money said:

 I know we won the series but again each game counts.  This is a terrible L

The Sox weren’t going to finish up 16-0.  I’d rather lose to Oakland than NY…

[iortiz]

2 hours ago, notin said:

Skilled defender.  Fast baserunner.  And no obviously better replacement below him.

The injury to Mayer is another factor…

I think Campbell can hit way better and can run fast too. His defense is decent to me, but at this point it’s good enough. 

[mvp 78]

12 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I know this happens to every team to some extent, and maybe I just notice it more when it happens to us. I player misses a chance to break the game open with an RBI hit, and makes and out, but the next time up, with nobody on they got the hit.

1st inning: Duran DBLs and Bregman, Lowe and Story make outs. 3rd Inning: Sogard on 2B w 2 outs, Duran Ks. 4th inning: nobody on Bregman DBLs. (Story does drive him in with a DBL.)

4th innings: 2 on and Duran grounds out. Bregman grounds into FC (Wong out at plate)

9th inning: Ref on 2B with 1 out: Duran and Lowe make outs sandwiched around an IBB to Breggie.

This time it was Duran multiple times and a couple others once, but it seems like this is our MO way too often.

They should have sent Duran on the flyball in the 1st. It would have been a risky play, but I think Duran's speed forces a quick, inaccurate throw. I think IFers are typically more accurate when fielding and throwing the ball home than OF plays at the plate. 

[mvp 78]

16 hours ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I've got Pinky Higgins at #1.

A couple of years before my time. The managers of my childhood didn't leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings. I'd have Joe Morgan ranked towards the top somewhere. 

[Randy Red Sox]

16 hours ago, Cameron Tran said:

Tolle needs to work on that cutter bad. get him and crochet in the lab together

Tolle needs to develop a plus pitch that has separation from his FB or he will never been more than a reliever.

[Bellhorn04]

12 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

I know this happens to every team to some extent, and maybe I just notice it more when it happens to us. I player misses a chance to break the game open with an RBI hit, and makes and out, but the next time up, with nobody on they got the hit.

1st inning: Duran DBLs and Bregman, Lowe and Story make outs. 3rd Inning: Sogard on 2B w 2 outs, Duran Ks. 4th inning: nobody on Bregman DBLs. (Story does drive him in with a DBL.)

4th innings: 2 on and Duran grounds out. Bregman grounds into FC (Wong out at plate)

9th inning: Ref on 2B with 1 out: Duran and Lowe make outs sandwiched around an IBB to Breggie.

This time it was Duran multiple times and a couple others once, but it seems like this is our MO way too often.

Sounds like a nice way of saying we choke too much.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They should have sent Duran on the flyball in the 1st. It would have been a risky play, but I think Duran's speed forces a quick, inaccurate throw. I think IFers are typically more accurate when fielding and throwing the ball home than OF plays at the plate. 

I agree. You gotta think Duran's speed in on the OF'er's mind as he prepares to make the play.

[moonslav59]

11 hours ago, iortiz said:

I think Campbell can hit way better and can run fast too. His defense is decent to me, but at this point it’s good enough. 

His defense is "decent" where? (Please, don't say 2B.)

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, Randy Red Sox said:

Tolle needs to develop a plus pitch that has separation from his FB or he will never been more than a reliever.

It's the difference between his first start (secondary pitches were working) and his last two (secondaries weren't working). 

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Sounds like a nice way of saying we choke too much.

I'm not sure if we do this more than other teams, or if I just don't notice when they do it.

Of course, we've had some big innings, so this does not happen all the time.

Also, I might be hypersensitive towards bad things that happen. Consider this:

.749 is our team OPS in 2025 (.254 BA)

Better:

.760 RISP (.253 BA)

.769 Men on Base (.260 BA)

About the same:

.743 High Leverage (.252)

Lower:

.705 2 outs RISP (.231)

.672 Late & Close (.230) This one is the killer, to me.

[mvp 78]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

His defense is "decent" where? (Please, don't say 2B.)

Marietta, GA.

[moonslav59]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Marietta, GA.

Good one!

To me, it's LF or DH or with another team.

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm not sure if we do this more than other teams, or if I just don't notice when they do it.

Of course, we've had some big innings, so this does not happen all the time.

Also, I might be hypersensitive towards bad things that happen. Consider this:

.749 is our team OPS in 2025 (.254 BA)

Better:

.760 RISP (.253 BA)

.769 Men on Base (.260 BA)

About the same:

.743 High Leverage (.252)

Lower:

.705 2 outs RISP (.231)

.672 Late & Close (.230) This one is the killer, to me.

MLB Late & Close is 676.  A lot of those ABs are against tough relievers.

[moonslav59]

10 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

MLB Late & Close is 676.  A lot of those ABs are against tough relievers.

Good point. Every stat is "relative." I'm usually the one pointing that out!

Thanks.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

MLB Late & Close is 676.  A lot of those ABs are against tough relievers.

Nice discovery of a secondary correlation

[drewski6]

50 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Good point. Every stat is "relative." I'm usually the one pointing that out!

Thanks.

Doesnt dismiss your whole point.

[moonslav59]

Just now, drewski6 said:

Doesnt dismiss your whole point.

No, but if we are doing close to the norm, it may not be as bad as it seems.

Of course, a top 3-5 OPS team should also be top 3-5 OPS Late & Close, and we are not. 

Yes, it is still an issue. I'm one that believes "clutch" is not a repeatable skill, so I'm not sure what can be done about it.