Maxbialystock

Not sure I would go with Jansen to hit for Yoshida. Sure enough, here comes a righty reliefer to replace lefty Ferguson.

Duran comes through with a terrific single off a low pitch.

Sox lineup has 4 hits in 6 innings. Astros had 5 hits (and 4 runs) in just the top of the 7th inning.

Kelly gets lucky. Cutter right down the middle turns into a miraculous GIDP.

The bullpen stinks yet again. Houck deserves better. So does Cora. So does SPLENDIDSPLINTER.

Oh my goodness, it happened again! Sox have a man on 3b with 2 outs and Devers coming to bat, lefty vs righty. Plus of course he's the best hitter in MLB and will not be denied. Do the Astros wisely give him an intentional BB? Of course not. They simply strike him out--as impossible as that seems to some contributors to talksox.

Bello will be back for his regular turn Monday. Criswell should have masked, but in fact nobody does these days. Plus Houck, of course, is on the anti-vac bus. O'Neill has a leg infection? How do you get one of those?

He was right. 2020 was a nonseason. But thanks for the info.

Those 6 IP and 0 ER do not count because I overlooked them.

Sox have been better on the road all season long: 34-24 vs 27-28. What's neat is that, following a horrible start to the post-ASG season when the Sox went 2-7 against the Dodgers, Rockies, and Yankees, they have now gone 6-3 while winning series vs the Mariners, Rangers, and Royals. And, just as you say, the pitching--rotation and bullpen--has nosedived since the ASG and is now ranked 16th in MLB in team ERA. Plus you have to tack on a bunch of unearned runs, which I believe the Sox have more of than anyone else. For maybe the first two months the Sox team ERA was 1st in MLB. On the other hand--as you also point out--the no-names in the lineup (except Devers and Duran, both on the AL All-Star team) have blossomed to the degree that the Sox are 4th in MLB in runs scored and tied for 1st in team OPS. We are already at the point where every game seems to count more than all the games before. We are in August and moonslav keeps reminding us how our near competitors did that day/night. And I keep reminding everyone that the AL East still has easily the best W-L record of the 6 MLB divisions. That gives the Twins and the Royals an edge on us. FWIW, these are the WAR's and ERA's of the 13 pitchers on the current roster: Houck, 2.6 and 3.09; Crawford, 1.6 and 4.11; Kelly, 1.4 and 2.49; Jansen, 1.3 and 2.95; Pivetta, 1.2 and 4.44; Booser, 1.0 and 2.77; Bernardino, 1.0 and 3.03 Winckowski, 0.6 and 3.44 Martin, 0.4 and 3.29 Bello, 0.1 and 5.16 Criswell, 0.0 and 4.02 Garcia, 0.0 and 6.00 Paxton, -0.1 and 4.35. What's misleading about the above is that Houck and Crawford have both been terrible since the ASG: Houck, 3 starts, 17 IP, 13 ER; Crawford, 3 starts, 13.2 IP, 16 ER. Pivetta was awful his first post-ASG game, 2.2 IP and 7 ER, but decent in his next two: 6.2 IP and 3 ER; 4.2 IP and 2 ER. Bello has been decent since the ASG: 5 IP, 3 ER; 6.1 IP, 2 ER; 4.2 IP, 3 ER. So has Paxton: 4.1 IP, 3 ER; 6.0 IP, 2 ER. Winck and Criswell have stayed in the bullpen since the ASG.

Terrific 3 wins, however. Back to Boston.

Sorry if my last, lengthy post stopped the thread. Or maybe it's just as well. 2/3 in KC is fine with me even if not as good as 3/3. As I said earlier, Crawford was fantastic his last 3 starts before the ASG: 20 IP, 1 ER. Now he's in a deep hole, averaging 4.2 IP and 5.5 ER in 4 starts. Something's gotta change.

The great DD brought in David Price with a huge contract, and he lasted 3 good seasons and went sour in 2019 and was never the same again. But the Sox kept paying him (playing for the Dodgers) in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He brought in Chris Sale and then signed him long term, and Chris lasted two good seasons, 2017 and 2018--and the Sox have been paying him, 2019-2024 inclusive. My point is that Sox CBO's have not done a good job of signing excellent starters who didn't go south on them. Pedro was terrific, 1998-2004. Schilling were pretty good in 2004, but not in 2005--but better in 2006 and so-so in 2007. Beckett was up and down all 7 years (but was excellent in 2007). Lackey had one good season, 2013, out of 5. Thus, I have to say, one more time, dumping Sale before this season and signing Giolito is pretty close to par for Sox CBO's.

What a crock. This was the same old Crawford in his 4th straight starting disaster. Plus, when Bernardino came in, he gave up a dinger. In his first 3 starts since the ASG he went 4.2, 5.1, and 5.1 innings and gave up 6, 5, and 5 ER's. Tonight he went 4.2 innings and gave up 6 runs.

The dinger off Bernardino was a low sinker on the inside corner to a lefty batter. Not a bad pitch, actually.

6 ER's for Crawford--he's keeping up the pace with his other 3 games after the ASG--and 1 for Bernardino.

Crawford has found a new way to stink. Fewer dingers, just as many runs.

82 pitches and he's not thru 4 IP.

I assume you mean it was a PB and not a WP. I agree. Crawford seems to think an 0-2 count is an invitation to stop throwing strikes, at least until the count gets to 3-2.

Thanks, everyone, for a good discussion on Rafaela and Abreu vis-a-vis ROY. I had no idea and am delighted the Sox have two semi-viable candidates.

Great stats on Casas, thanks. But let's not forget that his injury was caused by swinging the bat at a pitched ball--3 1/2 months ago. I completely agree that, if Casas is deemed ready this week, he should be the first choice at 1b because he has hit the ball well. He is good at catching throws to 1b, and not so good at fielding grounders.

"No need to load the team with rookies and strip it of veterans so quickly????!!!!!" Allow me to remind you that the current lineup, the one I call the no-names, is currently ranked 4th in MLB in runs scored and 1st in team OPS. And they are doing that without Teel, Story, and Casas. As for those 3, Teel has never even seen MLB pitching, Story can't stay healthy and has yet to hit the ball decently for the Sox, and Casas may or may not fully recover from an injury caused by--wait for it--swinging a bat. I'm glad all 3 of those guys will be available next year because we know they have ability. But, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding and in my view all three still have to prove themselves.

Sure is.

Excellent commentary. Thanks. Crawford's last 3 starts before the ASG break produced 20 IP and 1 ER against the Yankees, Royals, and Marlins. His 3 starts since have brought 15 IP and 16 ER against the Dodgers, Yankees, and Rangers.

The simple fact is that Alex Cora is a manager for all seasons. Give him a ton of talent and the top payroll in MLB, and he will deliver the best season in Sox history. Three years later with Mookie, Beni, JBJ, Holt, Leon, Sale, Kimbrel, and Price gone, they get to the ALCS without a closer (or a postseason save). 2024 is the the season of the no-names, and they are definitely in the hunt--despite the disadvantage of once again being in the winningest Division in MLB.