Maxbialystock

Definitely Earl.

6 IP very unlikely because had 100 pitches in 5 IP .

Thanks.

I'm sorry to admit I think your thesis--more starters--is extravagant but right on. 😀

Rafaela on 10 day IL and Abreu not playing today. Anthony is a good steady rightfielder, but nowhere near Abreu. Speaking of Anthony, this is his second straight game in which he looked at 3 strikes in one at bat for a K. Just looked at 2 more strikes and then grounded out to--wait for it--the freaking catcher on a 5 foot grounder.

One more time--a huge play by Rutschman picking off a leadoff double by the Orioles. Catchers don't pick off runners at 2b very often. I don't remember the last time I saw it.

Well reasoned, well stated. I would add that you kind of need to start a season with 8 viable starters.

I don't troll. But I can over-react. My goodness gracious I cannot remember a catcher picking off a baserunner at 2b who had not really drifted that far away. Huge, huge play by Rutschman because that was a leadoff double in a close game.

When I get into a game and/or season, I definitely can go ape. So guilty as charged. I cannot remember a Sox season with more highs and lows than this one--nor one more difficult to characterize. The defense has been better than usual and definitely helped the pitching staff, which, despite that 16-1 loss and some others, has the 4th best ERA in MLB. Pitching is the primary engine for this season and the result of Breslow's constant search for and acquisition of arms. The singular exception was of course Chris Sale who in his last season with the Sox, 2023, was just recovering from Tommy John in 2020 and subsequent issues. Breslow was so convinced that he was through he even paid Sale's first season salary with the Braves, which is the same season when Sale won the Cy Young in the NL. Unlike all winning Sox teams of the past, this one doesn't hit all that well. Or didn't--the team OPS's for April, May, and June were .666, .736, and .689 and their won-loss record on June 30 was 37-47. In July and August the Sox OPS's were .765 and .791 and on August 31 the Sox were 75-63. The improvement was, I think, thanks to some stalwarts and some weird spit--like Gaspar replacing irreplaceable Contreras at 1b and outhitting and outfielding him. Like Story and Anthony coming back from eons on the IL and having September OPS's of .941 and .842. The two highest WAR's on this team unsurprisingly belong to two gold gloves, Abreu and Rafaela, who are also ranked 1 and 2 on the Sox in total bases. Or how about Breslow dumping superstud Bregman--who got that $175M contract with the Cubs--and going with bargain basement Durbin? Bregman's WAR is 4.7 and Durbin's is 3.5. Journeyman White just replaced the irreplaceable Rafaela in CF, where White has fielded adequately while chalking up an OPS of .867. These Sox are headed for the playoffs for the 2d straight year and the lion's share of the credit for bringing in almost all of the pitching staff plus Contreras, Durbin, Mead (still on IL), Rutschman, Gasper, Kiner-Falefa, Jones, Monasterio, and White. All but Mead have contributed. When and if Contreras, Rafaela, Crochet, Mead, and/or Houck make it back, Travis--also brought in by Breslow to replace Cora--will have a pretty good team to manage in the postseason. He will need one because the Yankees have the best pitching in MLB.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Fred exemplifies the wrong in all of us.

All's well that ends well. Nope. Even a shutout needs to be critiqued.

Great phrase, "typical crap." Someone needs to tell him that when you're the team's MVP and your team has a good lead in late innings you should approach walls cautiously.

You are our seer of seers. 😃

Indeed.

I never turn the sound on. What's he saying?

Gaspar has been terrific at 1b.

Does "managing the zone" mean don't swing at anything?

She has a point, especially if Gray can go one more inning,.

Everybody is saying that. Even Crochet.

Gray hasn't pitched against the Orioles this season. He's just had a good rest after pitching 30 innings in August with an ERA of 2.40. In his last 2 games, however, he gave up 6 ER in 11 IP against Miami and San Francisco. His lifetime ERA over 15 seasons is 3.53. This year it's 2.82.

Here are the starters' ERA's for the last 7 days-- Suarez 4.35 Bennett 2.25 Tolle 6.35 Sandoval 6.75 faux starter Bello 9.82 I'm not saying I'm right or prescient or whatever, just that I'm nervous. I watched almost every pitch by Sandoval last night and consider his 7 shutout IP slightly miraculous even though the Orioles did not hit a lot of balls hard. Baz, on the other hand, hit a lot of corners plus he had that nasty splitter.

Agree. Plus right now I see no need to bring anyone up. I'd love to see Arias of course.

Here are the August ERA's for the 5 starters-- Gray 2.40 Tolle 3.00 Bennett 4.50 Sandoval 4.85 Suarez 5.70 Sure looks like the rotation is the problem. Early's gone but also on the IL. Crochet's absence hurts a lot and he might relieve this season or might not. Houck and/or Crawford might make it back. And don't forget Paez. He's healthy and opposing teams are clamoring for his return. And this just in on Suarez--maybe he's inspirational. The Sox won 5 of 7 games started in July and August when his ERA's were 4.76 and 5.70. In 1 of his 2 losses he went 5 IP giving up 1 run to the Jays who scored 6 runs in the game.

August ERA's for those 8 relievers-- Gamboa 0.00 Olds 0.00 Miller 0.79 Whitlock 1.80 Chapman 2.00 Bello 3.15 Burgos 5.84