jacksonianmarch

The sox pen lacks a leader and hence they lack confidence. They are in full on meltdown mode. They're undermanned and now overworked. They need to limp into the break and get some rest then hope reinforcements are on the way

There were a massive amount of pitchers who flamed out in the minors back then due to injury. Also, those guys never threw with the velocity of today's players.

We didn't use a starter in game 2. Our "bulk" guy gave us 4 shutout innings. Boone clearly wanted to avoid 40% of our rotation on that makeshift turf. German returns this week. Who the hell knows if he will be any good, but if he can locate his dynamite stuff, we will be rolling again. Thankfully, we have such a nice cushion that we have some wiggle room to keep playing the pen arm game

Only 3 yanks on the squad. I’m entirely fine with that. The less the better. I’d rather nobody. The AS game is a waste of time IMO

It’s been proven that most pitchers fade beyond 100 pitches and also fade the third time they face a lineup. Continuing with ERod, who was being his usual wild and uneconomical self, would have led to disaster as well

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/06/bosox-owner-john-henry-were-not-going-to-be-looking-to-add-a-lot-of-payroll-at-deadline.html I know in the article, they cite the Sox being over the final threshold already, but I think they’re wrong.

It is the entire team, and it isn’t. The lineup over the past two games were nails, but the defense of Chavis killed them. The starter today was passable, the starter yesterday was abysmal. Yesterday, the mop up men sucked. Today, the bridge and “closer” blew it. I don’t think you need to tweak your offense at all.

Like i said before, though, the drop from 33 to 43 cost the Sox about $550K in draft budget. Dropping from 18 to 28 will cost them over $1 mil. It’s easy to cross the final line when you’re picking very late. It’s much harder to do it when you’re looking to be picking in the middle of the pack. But then again, it needs to be weighed against the Sox chances. If Kennedy thinks the Sox can make a run, then you take this year over next and make the acquisitions.

There is a massive gap in talent and performance. Can it be made up by guys having career season type second halves? Maybe. We’ve demolished the AL and have run up a 107 win pace with no contribution from an MVP (Stanton), a two years running top ten CY starter (Sevy), and our best reliever from last year (Betances). We are going to be getting better with no roster adds if these guys can make it back

DD already has. He’s destroyed the farm. It’s 30th in baseball and just graduated it’s top prospect. Casas is the only guy with actual promise and he’s in A ball. The rest is a group of 3 tool prospects or two pitch prospects who project as flawed big leaguers at best. That ship has already sailed. If DD thinks he’s got a team that can recover enough to make the playoffs and make some noise after that, then he has to make additions. That’s the question, though. Does DD think this team has the will to win, or does he think he’s best to keep his flawed kids for the offseason when he can adjust and add for an entire year?

And you may need to contend with the Yankees in the relief market. With Stroman down, Bumgarner sucking and Scherzer's team back in the race, the only pitcher theoretically on the market is Boyd. The Tigers asking price is enormous, so he isn't moving at least to the Bronx. The rumor is the Yanks are looking at Smith as a contingency to add to the pen. If you cannot get a starter, have a dynamite lockdown pen that runs 5 guys deep

That's the thing. The Yanks aren't afraid of the sox pen. Just work the starters and try to scratch across some runs, get them out before the 6th and rake vs the overmatched pen. DD doesn't need just a closer. He needs 2 high end relievers. That pen is shot in effectiveness and confidence

What a two game set. Man, the Sox pen is abysmal

Disagree on the air or whatever. I watched the first four innings. Neither starter had life on their fastball. Both of their sliders had a loop to them. They were more slurves than sliders, and slurves are far easier to recognize and lay off of. Both Tanaka and Porcello’s 2 seamers were wild or lacked the typical down and in movement to a RHH. Both of them came out flat and the hitters were ready. If it was the lighting, the pitchers would have the advantage. The ball wasnt “jumping” out of the stadium either. Every ball struck was center cut. In YS or Fenway, there may have been a few more dingers or wall balls. Maybe it was the jet lag? Maybe the two starters took in the sights more than adhered to a routine. Either way, I doubt we see a Yanks-Sox game over there again. Today we are avoiding our old lefties on makeshift turf. I am worried about this field for safety issues. Hastily built fields usually lead to injuries and seeing Voit and Bogey go down doesn’t sway me from that position. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks rest Judge and Sanchez today just to avoid injury

The second wild card does change the game a bit. It essentially removes your designated ace from double duty in the ALDS provided you win. Since the added wild card in 2012, only 1 wild card team has won a WS (the giants in 2014) and only one other WC team made the World Series (Royals in 2014). The added wild card has actually created the disadvantage that was intended.

Your squad is at the end of their window. There are no saviors in the minors. You’ve signed everyone to long term deals except Betts and no way DD sells low on him. He is going to try and improve the squad for sure. He’s gonna try to add in the offseason.

Porcello only got one out

I’d start Happ. He’s already on full rest. We’ve at least clinched a split and if Happ can stay on the fringes, then we can get a good outing out of him. I think the plan was a pen day, which is stupid IMO. I don’t like CC on the feaux artificial turf.

They all had multiple days rest with another day off for travel home. My guess is all are available tomorrow.

Well, time for work. Don’t want to be labeled a troll if I can’t post and the Sox win

I’d be shocked if Wright comes back for the 4th. His knuckles was just begging to be hit. He’s lucky he ran into Sanchez twice who cannot hit the pitch

Green will be out. Probably gonna go with Tarpley

Something is in the air

Unreal start. Nobody can locate

Boone blew it. What a loser