Maxbialystock
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Everything posted by Maxbialystock
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July 4, 2023 TX Rangers @ Red Sox 1:35 EDT
Maxbialystock replied to vegasbob's topic in Mike Grace Memorial Game Thread Forum
It's not just Ort. With Sale, Houck, and Whitlock out, the Sox currently have 3 viable starters: Paxton (on paternity leave), Bello, and Crawford. Plus the bullpen--not just Ort--isn't all that reliable. -
I certainly have thought this was the case. His best season after the Sox stole him from the Yankees via Rule 5 was his first and entirely in the bullpen. However, three factors have militated against that. The first is that he definitely has the repertoire for a starter with fastball, cut fastball, slider, and changeup. The second is that he really wants to be a starter. And the third is the Sox shortage of starters this year, last year, and in 2021, Whitlock's first season. All the same discussion applies to Houck although he is less injury-prone than Whitlock and doesn't have the repertoire. Both have been exclusive starters this season because of the Sox shortage of adequate starters. Paxton and Sale have both spent lots of time on the IL. Kluber was/is a bust. Crawford was a bust but is back in the rotation. Bello was called up out of need and is now flourishing. Right now, without Houck and Whitlock--both of whom talksoxers insist should be in the bullpen and not the rotation--the Sox have three starters: Paxton, Bello, and Crawford.
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Could not agree more. My one big concern is how the rotation keeps changing, so much so that nobody in it now was there at the beginning of the season--except for Crawford, who was demoted to the bullpen before coming back to the rotation. Cora recently said Pivetta is staying in the bullpen, but, with Whitlock possibly going on the IL, that could change. Right now Bello and Paxton look pretty good and Crawford could be adequate. After those three, however, it's anybody's guess who starts in the 4 and 5 slots.
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A Realistic View of 2023: Part II
Maxbialystock replied to moonslav59's topic in Boston Red Sox Talk
Don't stop--you are often right and otherwise great counterpoint. Way back in April I predicted the Sox would finish with a losing record. Now I'm hopeful despite still another freaking "injury" today to Whitlock. It's pretty obvious Kike and Duvall are overpaid, so their being on one year contracts is a plus. -
A Realistic View of 2023: Part II
Maxbialystock replied to moonslav59's topic in Boston Red Sox Talk
I am positive I didn't disagree with you. Duran isn't perfect, but right now he's better than Duvall in the field, on the base paths, and at bat. Duvall had a great first 8 games--OPS 1.699--and has just stunk in his subsequent 19 games with an OPS under .540. His career OPS is .758, but the real telltale was last season when it was .677. The Sox have four healthy outfielders--Dugo, Duran, Yoshida, and Refsnyder--who are all better than Duvall right now. Despite the above, I'm not about to recommend pitching Duvall on the ash heap of history. He could still turn things around. -
dam strait you do. Feel free to start it now, but don't forget it's day after tomorrow and at Fenway.
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Very exciting game. Offense comes through yet again and big time. Too bad about Whitlock, but really good pitching by Pivetta, Martin, and Jacques. 5 hits by Duran!! 3 by Devers and 2 by Refsnyder and the game-winning dinger by Dugo!!! The bullpen needs tomorrow off, but I sure wish the lineup could keep playing.
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About it. Casas stinks today and Kike stinks most of the time.
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Hard hit line drive by Dugo, right to the centerfielder. Oh, well.
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The Sox have 5 hits so far: 3 by Duran, 2 by Devers, and 0 by everyone else.
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I'm hoping the kid--20 year old Marcelo Mayer at AA Portland--makes it to Boston next year and becomes our long term SS with Story moving to 2b. With Duran and Dugo in CF and RF--and Duvall, Yoshida, and Refsnyder also available--the outfield looks pretty decent. Sale could be back by August, based on his latest MRI and that he is now throwing every other day. Sale, Paxton, and Bello would be a pretty darn good start on a rotation--if Sale returns to where he was right before the injury to his left shoulder.
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Don't forget that so far the Jays are getting some help from the guy behind the plate. I try to avoid slamming umps, but today has been very one-sided (and unintentional).
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Absolutely agree there is no need to limit the kudos.
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Tomorrow's a day off. Nothing could be worse for a pitching staff because rust can set in very quickly. Fortunately, Whitlock only went the 1 inning, so Cora will have a chance to bring in lots and lots of arms. Maybe not Winck or Jansen.
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Meh. I would give more kudos to Wong and Bello. Also Paxton, but he's a veteran. Also Devers--who seems to be rediscovering his swing.
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3-0 count and Dugo grounds out. Lucky it wasn't a GIDP.
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My, my. The ump has starting calling balls balls--against Gausman.
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My goodness is the perfect phrase--and one Cora should be entitled to use several times a day. Duran is looking like the complete pain in the ass we want him to be.
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Bernardino is in big trouble because they are calling his curve a curve. These days it must be called a swerve or slurve or something else that makes no sense. A curve won't get anyone out because it's so passe. Well, at least he got through the 2d inning. 1-2-3 too.
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Wow. One inning for Whitlock. Is he hurt?
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So far those missed calls have been a big help for Gausman. Same ump has yet to give Whitlock a break. Two K's by Gausman are the direct result of calling low pitches strikes.
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I'd put it differently. He was lucky in the first inning because he threw way too many sinkers and was not hitting many corners. That dinger was inevitable and more will follow if Whitlock can't mix up his pitches more and/or keep the ball away from the middle of the strike zone.
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Not quite. His first and last starts in June were lousy: 4.2 innings both times, 4 runs vs the Rays on June 3 and 6 runs vs. Miami on June 27. In between, these three starts: 7 innings and 4 runs vs. the Twins; 7 innings and 2 runs vs. the Rockies; and 6.1 innings and 1 ER vs. the Yankees.
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A Realistic View of 2023: Part II
Maxbialystock replied to moonslav59's topic in Boston Red Sox Talk
A lot of folks complain regularly that so far Bloom has achieved nothing. I disagree because I thought the 2021 team, a throw-together outfit, did pretty well getting to the ALCS. Nevertheless, here is what he has assembled so far, which we could see as early as this September or, more likely, in April DH Yoshida/Turner C Wong/McGuire 1B Casas/Turner 2B Story/Chang 3B Devers/Turner SS Mayer/Story/Chang LF Yoshida/Duvall/Refsnyder/Duran CF Duran/Duvall/Refsnyder RF Verdugo/Duvall/Refsnyder Starting pitchers: Paxton/Bello/Crawford/Houck/Whitlock/Sale(signed by DD at a huge cost) Bullpen: assorted with Jansen being the priciest at 2 x $16M Alternatively, forget all those names except two: Story and Mayer. We could see them in September, but more likely, if Mayer continues to progress, in April. That's a pretty doggone good middle infield at bat and in the field. -
It's also putting the winning run on base. With the bases loaded it only takes a double to score 3 runs and win the game for the Jays. Managing 101 is what you missed, not Cora. Also the rest of the idiots who make these silly comments on game threads about how superior their knowledge is to Cora's. Thrilla from manila (suburb of Toronto) tonight. Some huge hits and some good plays by the Sox, especially by Verdugo in the 9th. Some good pitching by Crawford, and some not so great pitching by Winck and Jansen.