Red Sox (Crochet) at Reds (Abbott): 3/26/26, 4:10pm

[mvp 78]

Good game. Crochet didn't look dominant at times, but I guess that will come with the territory if he's trying to pitch more to contact. 

Sox had ample opportunity to score before the 9th. They just couldn't plate many runs. We'll see if that's an ongoing theme. 

Defense seemed fine except for the weird hop that ate up Durbin. 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

The new ABS system looks like an instant winner.  Well done MLB - don't get to say that very often.

Was it just me, or was the k zone not on the screen at the start of the game? 

Also, the new score bug is awful. Really big and still hard to read for certain things like velo/pitch type.

[mvp 78]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

We're slow starters.  

I would have been on yesterday, but needed a sick day. I would have been even more crabby than normal if I was on. I'll power through it today.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

The new ABS system looks like an instant winner.  Well done MLB - don't get to say that very often.

I cannot wait for the added Check the CHECK challenge next year.

They're trying it out in the minors, with the official angle 45 degrees from top of the barrel to the knob -- videos show the dotted line extending from a righty bat basically parallel to the first base foul line. It will make pitchers go ballistic and supposedly they will be immediately ejected if they throw a fit...

... because mark my words: the Check challenge will change baseball and add offense, which is a good thing. I saw Mookie get banged last night on a literal check swing with his bat at a 90 degree angle from his biggest supporter...

Baseball needs to accept this, because pitchers on every single team now throw 100 mph, which humans cannot hit unless they start swings early. It's time for batters -- with the best hand-eye coordination in the world -- to get rewarded for split-second pitch recognition that stops their bats at offspeed pitches.

[drewski6]

10 hours ago, Maxbialystock said:

Me, I would bat Contreras and Durbin 8th and 9th.  

Well sir, I may not agree with you, but I certainly respect you coming in hot after a break.

[drewski6]

25 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I would have been on yesterday, but needed a sick day. I would have been even more crabby than normal if I was on. I'll power through it today.

TY for your sacrifice

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Well sir, I may not agree with you, but I certainly respect you coming in hot after a break.

Maximum Pressure from Max.  

[drewski6]

More good than bad, especially against a lefty starter.  Mayer has done everything we've asked him to do since last offseason.  Most of our offense is going to come from Roman and Duran, and Im increasingly confident that its going to be a lot of offense from those 2.  To summarize my thoughts on yesterdays big debate on Duran and Anthony batting order wise....

I think Anthony is going to have significantly more singles, walks, and homeruns
I think Duran is going to have significantly more doubles, triples, and total extra base hits

I think Anthony will have a .900ish OPS, Duran will prob be around .850 (but .900 vs righties).  I love Anthony at lead-off, and I think Duran will have enough extra base hits to be fine in the 3 hole even if he doesnt hit as many dingers as a prototypical third hitter.

I dont hate Story hitting between them because he has some speed to help avoid double plays, plus Im not as scared of a K in the 2 spot as I am a ground ball. When Roman is on first and Duran is on deck, I prefer a K over a grounder there. And Story was jsut under 30-30 last year, so thats "toolsy".  Im not married to it, and Im not a "everybody needs a set role" kind of guy, so Im also fine with just putting the hottest righty bat between Anthony and Duran.

Im thinking the double plays, and LOB is going to be an ongoing issue.  And going against the grain here, I dont believe the issue is solved by looking strictly at OPS ( I think this is a rare situation when OPS isnt among the most telling stats) and I dont think its looking strictly at HRs either.  I think its total extra base hits.  Doubles avoid double plays.  Doubles drive in runners from first (most of the time).  Singles and walks, thats how you leave guys on base.  So just need to make sure the extra base hitters come up in key spots and thats why Im a big fan of Anthony, hottest righty hitter, Duran at 1-2-3.  Plus more at-bats for Anthony, and hes like a pros pro.  Kind of weird how our 2 best non pitchers (fight me if you disagree) - we have Anthony who is like the most mature 21 year old IVe seen in a while and Duran who is like the least mature 30 year old Ive seen in a while (and I personally love him for it).  But it will take both to win the division and I think they are both going to have great seasons.

[mvp 78]

12 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

TY for your sacrifice

Would have had to give myself warnings if I posted yesterday. 😷

[mvp 78]

Duran's career high OPS is 834. Not sure he's going to repeat that. 

[mvp 78]

Durbin grounded into 10 double plays last season. Not sure I'm going to worry about that over the course of 162 games. I think OBP is more important for the 2 hole. 

[drewski6]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

Would have had to give myself warnings if I posted yesterday. 😷

Well personally I was looking to rib you because ..... guess you cant guess the only greater Boston area college that made the frozen four tournament.....And it wasnt BC, BU, Northeastern, or Harvard.

[drewski6]

Just now, drewski6 said:

Well personally I was looking to rib you because ..... guess you cant guess the only greater Boston area college that made the frozen four tournament.....And it wasnt BC, BU, Northeastern, or Harvard.

Hint: my roomate was on the team in 2003.

[drewski6]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Duran's career high OPS is 834. Not sure he's going to repeat that. 

It will depend a lot on the % of his at-bats that re against lefties and what he does with those at-bats.

[mvp 78]

I think the idea is for this offense to look more like MIL's. 

MIL 2025: 97 GDP (23rd)

BOS 2025: 99 GDP (21st)

[drewski6]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Durbin grounded into 10 double plays last season. Not sure I'm going to worry about that over the course of 162 games. I think OBP is more important for the 2 hole. 

Durbin has some speed to help avoid the double play also.  I dont hate either in the 2 hole and am fine with "whichever is hotter"

[Old Red]

25 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Maximum Pressure from Max.  

That only Max can do, and will do.

[moonslav59]

I think there is a good chance Durbin ends up in the second slot.

[mvp 78]

19 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

It will depend a lot on the % of his at-bats that re against lefties and what he does with those at-bats.

Who are they platooning him for against LHP? 

[moonslav59]

37 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

It will depend a lot on the % of his at-bats that re against lefties and what he does with those at-bats.

He doesn't seem to be getting much better vs LHPs, unlike Abreu, who saw a nice uptick, recently.

Duran OPS v LHPs:

.438 (28 PAs) '21

.449 (42) '22

.422 (49) '23

.665 (230) '24 (.319 OBP was career best)

.600 (209) '25 (.260 OBP)

 

[moonslav59]

21 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Who are they platooning him for against LHP? 

They are not. Drew was talkig about how his final numbers will be affected by how well or poorly he does vs LHPs.

[mvp 78]

30 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

They are not. Drew was talkig about how his final numbers will be affected by how well or poorly he does vs LHPs.

He specifically said "% of at bats vs LHP" so that would make me believe that there would be an increase towards RHP. 

[Maxbialystock]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

Good game. Crochet didn't look dominant at times, but I guess that will come with the territory if he's trying to pitch more to contact. 

Sox had ample opportunity to score before the 9th. They just couldn't plate many runs. We'll see if that's an ongoing theme. 

Defense seemed fine except for the weird hop that ate up Durbin. 

If he only had a changeup. A good changeup is almost unhittable.   Crochet relies heavily on the heater and on his command and his confidence/determination.  He is far and away the best player Breslow has signed.  

Good appraisal of the defense which had not occurred to me until I read your post.  

Two youngest Sox had 5 hits between them and Mayer scored all three Sox runs.  

I was not at all impressed with the three infielders Breslow brought in from the neither regions.  

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

If he only had a changeup. A good changeup is almost unhittable.   Crochet relies heavily on the heater and on his command and his confidence/determination.  He is far and away the best player Breslow has signed.  

Good appraisal of the defense which had not occurred to me until I read your post.  

Two youngest Sox had 5 hits between them and Mayer scored all three Sox runs.  

I was not at all impressed with the three infielders Breslow brought in from the neither regions.  

He has thrown a change in the past, just not very often. He really uses his sweeper as the change of pace pitch. 

[Duran Is The Man]

2 hours ago, Bellhorn04 said:

The new ABS system looks like an instant winner.  Well done MLB - don't get to say that very often.

i watched a zillion AAA games last year so i knew what was coming. i have the idea that MLB umps were worried that the ABS would make them look bad, but from my perspective, the ABS has given me a whole new respect for umps working behind the plate. usually, when a call is missed, it's by a fraction of inch. and i don't think any less of them for that.

[Duran Is The Man]

.

[Duran Is The Man]

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[drewski6]

29 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He specifically said "% of at bats vs LHP" so that would make me believe that there would be an increase towards RHP. 

Drop him down in batting order vs lefty, occasional day off vs lefty...Little things so his % of at-bats vs lefties is ~20% vs ~28% if they jsut left him hitting third every day.  ALso, bringing him to pinch hit vs righties if he starts a game on bench.  And sure , someone may emerge as a platoon partner if its like June and hes really struggling against lefties.

[moonslav59]

37 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He specifically said "% of at bats vs LHP" so that would make me believe that there would be an increase towards RHP. 

..."and what he does with them."

[moonslav59]

8 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Drop him down in batting order vs lefty, occasional day off vs lefty...Little things so his % of at-bats vs lefties is ~20% vs ~28% if they jsut left him hitting third every day.  ALso, bringing him to pinch hit vs righties if he starts a game on bench.  And sure , someone may emerge as a platoon partner if its like June and hes really struggling against lefties.

I'd bat Duran 6th vs most LH'd SP'ers. I would not platoon him, unless he really sucks, and even then, we don't really have anyone. When he "rests" it should be vs a lefty, but it would likely be LHB Masa that plays.