Maxbialystock

Those pitching analytics don't come from the freaking Ivy League. They come from graduating from Yale with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, which demonstrated a pretty good brain, and then learning the MLB pitching trade first hand for 10 years, followed by an "executive apprenticeship" with the Cubs for 5 years. You want a 5th starter? The Sox have already been through eight (8): Houck, Dobbins, Fitts, Criswell, Crawford (who never started but started 33 freaking games last year), Buehler, Newcomb, and May. That leaves the current rotation of Crochet, Bello, Giolito, Tolle, and possibly May or a bullpen game like tonight, Maybe Harrison can help, but whatever is done I trust the combined judgments of Cora and Breslow and not yours.

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Lousy score, 8-1, against a lefty starter against whom the Sox had plenty of righty bats. Can't blame that on the absence of Anthony and Abreu. I would say the bullpen stunk, but only for the first 2 innings. After Bernardino, Hicks especially, and Matz stunk it up, Kelly and May combined for 7 IP and 1 ER. Kelly pitched well. May was lucky as the dickens. Up ahead, 6 road games at Arizona and Oakland. I think the Sox need to take at least 4 of the 6, but could not be more worried about both the hitting and the pitching. Cleveland, ranked near the bottom of MLB in both team OPS and runs scored 19 runs in 3 games, including 7 against our ace, Crochet. Meanwhile, 3 of our best hitters--Bregman, Anthony, and Abreu--are either MIA or on the casualty list.

First curve hit hard--by Story.

An old pro like Bregman refused that easy peasy fastball and struck out the breaking stuff. Not smart.

Actually, this was the perfect game for him to miss, As big a worry as the hitting now is, the pitching, which has carried the Sox this season, looks almost as bad. Crochet gave up 7 runs last night. Now the bullpen has give up 7 more in just 3 IP.

Yes. The replays show that, which is why I thought the first call was right.

Sox now swinging at fast balls, which is smart. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Sogard, on the other hand, swung at nothing and K'd.

Apparently, they got the call right. The Pirates hammered Bello and Crochet for 11 runs, so stomping Bernardino, Hicks, and Matz was a piece of cake.

Fascinating, Thanks.

Lousy for us, but completely unfair for the fans at the game who are paying big bucks to be there. Wong was called for interference. Bernardino, Hicks, and Matz give up 7 runs in 2 innings.

Let's not forget the Pirates scored 4 runs when Bello started and 7 off of Crochet. I think the first call was right. Batter interfered with Wong so he's out and the guy coming home goes back to third. The Guardians still have 4 stinking runs in less than 2 innings. And men on 2d and 3d with 2 outs.

Don't we all.

Hicks getting absolutely hammered. He can't pitch, but he's out of options, so the Sox keep him on the roster.

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We agree!

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Your timeline, not mine. Bregman, Crochet, Chapman, Narvaez, and Anthony were exactly the shot in the arm this team needed. Plus Story for a full season at SS and hitting up a storm. Plus Rafaela having his best season ever (WAR 3.8), Duran not as good as last year, but still leads the team in total bases. Heck, Lowe at 1b so far has been a tonic. Recent starts notwithstanding, Crochet, Bello, Giolito, Tolle, and May are the best Sox rotation in a long time. Chapman is the best closer since Uehara and maybe better than Uehara. The fielding is solid and the unearned runs plunged in August. If you're saying Breslow can make further improvements for next year, I agree. Plus we can hope Bergman, Anthony, Abreu, and Mayer will stay healthy.

Well, he said this one felt worse than last time. What exacerbates this is that we have no idea when Abreu returns. That's 2 pretty good lefty bats to go against righty pitchers, which the Sox see the most of. It doesn't help that in their last starts Crochet, Bello, and May did not look their best. These are the best Sox bats vs righties on the active roster: Lowe 1.209, Duran .881, Bregman .831, Story .736, Narvaez .735, Rafaela .722, Gonzalez,.697, Yoshida .674, Ref .620, Hamilton .595, Eaton .545, Wong .512. Last night most of those guys did real damage to Cleveland's pitching staff. Wong didn't play. Ref was hitless in 2 AB's. Hamilton played but didn't bat.

With Bregman struggling and Anthony possibly headed for the IL, the Sox lineup will need to rely heavily on all those other bats, including Rafaela's and Yoshida's, Tonight Cleveland starts lefty Cantillo, but this is first start in over 2 weeks, plus he started the season in the bullpen. In his last 3 starts he went 5.2, 5.2, and 5 innings and gave up 6 ER for an ERA of 3.31. The Sox best bats vs righties are Gonzalez (.994), Ref (.950), Bregman (.927), Story (.773), Narvaez (.748), Rafaela (.719), Eaton (.698), and Duran (.580). I left out Anthony's .770 because I doubt he can play tonight. All those others can. I also left out Lowe because (in just 9 AB's) his OPS vs lefties is .222. Were I Cora, I might go with this batting order tonight Ref DH Bregman 3B Gonzalez 2b Story SS Narvaez C Lowe 1b Rafaela CF Duran LF Eaton RF

Cora announced that Tolle will pitch the first game @ Arizona on Friday. Today will be potluck. I think the guy really being left out, for now, is May. After Tolle, the rotation is Giolito, Bello, Crochet, and a blank for May. I have bragged about this Sox rotation, but last night Crochet gave up 7 runs and the night before Bello gave up 4 in 5 IP.

Your complaint about Breslow makes no sense. The most important communicator on every MLB team is the manager, who talks to the media, answers questions, etc after every single game. CBO's pronouncements do not need to be all that informative. In fact, the less said, the better. Do you remember what was said after JH and Breslow flew to KC to talk to Devers? "We communicated." As for communicating with other teams about trades, etc,, are you unaware that Breslow transformed the Sox by bringing in Crochet, Bregman, Chapman, and Narvaez? Also Giolito, who needed a year to recover from an injury. Buehler bombed, agreed. Letting Sale go was a mistake. I'm sure there were others, but this is Breslow's first CBO job and he came in knowing that JH was unlikely to return to his biggest payroll in MLB days. This year the payroll is 12th. Do you remember what we all clamored for in July? Pitching, pitching, pitching. We didn't get a #2 starter, but right now the Sox have their best rotation--Crochet, Bello, Giolito, May, and Tolle--in a long time. And the bullpen is pretty good too. And, thanks to the partnership between Cora and Breslow, the defense is also the best in years. I will say that Breslow absolutely must be able to communicate with his manager and with those above him. The evidence is overwhelming that he does both well.

Agree.

Any word yet on Anthony's MRI?

I will join you. Incredible game and terrific win!! The only guy I was sure of before the game was Crochet, so of course everybody else brought home the win. Hitting was terrific, defense was excellent, and the bullpen gave up 0 runs in 3 innings. Just 34.9K attended, but they sure got their moneys' worth. 34.9K is still 1500 above the Sox average home attendance this season. Earlier, I think I pointed out another thread that 5 AL Teams have 76 wins or more (with Detroit at 80 wins). However, Houston and Detroit have played just .500 ball since the ASG, The other three--Toronto, Boston, and NYY are all above .500 since the ASG. Tonight both Detroit and Houston are losing and other three have won or are winning.