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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    I disagree that Duran is a lost cause, but overall your commentary is valid. Duvall will be back soon, so the Sox will have 6 outfielders--Yoshida, Duvall, Duran, Refsnyder, Verdugo, and Tapia--plus Kike, who will probably stay at SS. You hit, you play--simple as that. These are the current outfield OPS's-- Duvall 1.544 Yoshida .853 Verdugo .825 Duran .816 Refsnyder .792 Tapia .659 So it's a little early to give Duran the boot, plus Duvall isn't back yet.
  2. Maxbialystock
    True. But I think the griping is sort of medicinal and almost necessary. My own, no doubt delusional view is that yesterday was actually a pretty good loss. Why? Because Houck got killed in the 1st inning while Kelly was just mowing our guys down. But for the next 7 1/2 innings the Sox, with Houck going 3 more innings, then Rodriguez 1 and Pivetta 3, the Sox outplayed/outscored Arizona despite Devers having a lousy game (0 for 5, including a K with the bases loaded). Innings 2 thru 9, the Sox outscored the Diamondbacks 2-1. I think the Sox pitching (rotation) is coming around, and believe the "no name" lineup will resurrect itself.
  3. Maxbialystock
    My goodness, but that is harsh. I think the Sox have a very good shot at a wild card berth. Devers is clearly slumping, but it's barely a week old.
  4. Maxbialystock
    You made some excellent comments and I was just being a pissant. I sure don't know more about catchers than you do. I understand almost none of the so-called metrics. I gave McGuire credit because I saw Whitlock was struggling, yet found a way to be effective for 5 innings. Today I thought Wong did a good job, except for the first inning. And who knows? Maybe the pitching coach or Cora is telling starters to throw lots of fastballs in the first inning. I hate losing--everyone does--but today I was delighted that the Sox made a game of it. Houck recovered, Rodriguez did well, Pivetta was effective for 3 scoreless innings, the Sox scored a couple of runs, etc. If the real Devers had shown up today, the Sox just might have pulled off a win.
  5. Maxbialystock
    Two big wins, just when needed the most! And today's loss turned out to be a much better game than seemed likely after Houck gave up 3 in the 1st inning.
  6. Maxbialystock
    First inning killed us--unless something happens in the 9th.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Sox bullpen has been good, including 2 innings by Pivetta.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Devers maybe needed a couple more days of rest. Duran too. But it's still turned into one heckuva ballgame. I'm watching every pitch.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Yes, too much hard stuff in the first inning, but that's endemic to the entire Sox rotation. Even Kluber threw a ton of 88 mph fastballs. Whitlock threw a lot of changeups--good ones. Houck got better today, which really goes back to your first point. Too many fastballs in the first inning. McGuire was terrific the whole game last night--and I made a big point of it. No else did and certainly not you. I concluded we have two good catchers. Your point about the Rays pitchers reconfirms they know what they are doing in developing pitchers. The Sox don't know what they are doing--yet. Speaking off changeups, Kelly has a good one and uses it a lot.
  10. Maxbialystock
    As good as Kelly is, I think that home plate ump might be better. I don't think he's missed a call yet and there have been a whole lot of close ones.
  11. Maxbialystock
    Six up, six down for Houck. Neat.
  12. Maxbialystock
    This looks like a game the Sox have no hope of winning, but I find both pitchers fascinating. Kelly continues to dominate our guys every which way but loose. But Houck now seems to have settled in.
  13. Maxbialystock
    This reminds me a tiny bit of Houck's last start. He gave up the early run, then just got better and better. This time he gave up 3 in the 1st, 1 in the 2d, and nobody even got on base in the 3d. Kelly has just stayed tough.
  14. Maxbialystock
    That's a fact, jack.
  15. Maxbialystock
    I did my complaining/worrying before the game started. I was--so far--right about the Sox hitting. Kelly has them mesmerized. But I also thought Houck would pitch a lot better than he is. But to your point, what we all need to do today is to remember how well the Sox played last night. Not a lot of hitting, but good defense and terrific pitching. Or as Notin puts it so well, "just win 6 out of every 10 . . ."
  16. Maxbialystock
    I guess I'm wrong again. The problem so far today isn't the Sox hitting--which so far stinks--but Houck's pitching.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Yesterday Whitlock was fantastic and so were Crawford, Martin, and Jansen. And the Sox barely won, 2-1. The day before against a lousy Arizona starter (Pfaadt) they won 7-3, which was great, but in the previous 4 games they scored a total of 4 runs. So in 5 of the last 6 games the Sox hitting has been marginal, and what I'm worried about is a 2-1 loss today or something like it.
  18. Maxbialystock
    I think Houck could be better than Kelly. What worries me is the Sox hitting.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Verdugo RF Devers 3B Turner DH Yoshida LF Duran CF Casas 1B Hernandez SS Valdez 2B Wong C Devers is back! Six lefty bats vs. righty Kelly.
  20. Maxbialystock
    I already like this starting 5 more than any Sox starting 5 since at least 2019. But we still need a good bullpen and some scoring to win. Last night was just the second low-scoring win by the Sox this season. Today I think the Diamondbacks have the edge with Kelly. Just 6 days ago Houck was terrific for 6 innings (and just 1 run) and the Sox lost because we only scored 1 run and Crawford gave up the 2d and winning run to the Angels.
  21. Maxbialystock
    I'm sorry, gang, but I think this entire thread is just silly. I do not disagree Kluber is a bust, $10M down the drain. But even my weak memory remembers some much worse and far more expensive deals in the past. You do too. But the real silliness is contributing to a thread that seems not to be aware that right now the Sox have the best rotation they've had in years: Sale, Bello, Paxton, Houck, and Whitlock. Plus Winck, Crawford, Martin, Schreiber (when he returns), Jansen, and Garza to back them up. Kluber and Pivetta can long relieve in games the Sox are sure of winning or sure of losing--or be sent packing.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Streaky's OK when the net result is above .500 and when our expectations were below .500. Sale, Bello, Paxton, Houck, and Whitlock are the best rotation this season and better than last year's or 2021 or 2020. Bullpen of Winck, Crawford, Martin, Schreiber when he's back, Jansen, and Garza is pretty good too. I gotta say McGuire came on strong last night catching one of the best pitched games all season and batting in the go ahead run. So, me, I think the catching is the best it's been in years and defy anyone to refute that. "No name" lineup (without Devers in two straight wins) continues to astound me and are ranked 4th in MLB in runs scored. Plus Notin compiled a list of guys who aren't meeting their hitting potential--meaning this team can actually hit/score more than they have.
  23. Maxbialystock
    Maybe me. Houck's last start was absolutely remarkable and a possible indicator of his future. And last night Whitlock's curve/slider was worthless, so he relied heavily on his fastball and changeup--and pitched 5 freaking innings while giving up just 1 run. Very gutsy start. So you're right. Right now I like the rotation better than any since 2018. Dropping Pivetta and Kluber was a no-brainer: they can long-relieve in games in which the Sox are way ahead or way behind. The best six in the bullpen are Winckowski, Crawford, Martin, Schreiber when he returns, Jansen, and Garza--all righties.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Not just nice--fantastic is the word. Bottom of the order--Kike and McGuire--drove in both Sox runs.
  25. Maxbialystock
    Huge win, just huge. Both managers wanted this game, and the Sox have won very few low scoring games this season. Whitlock was just gutsy, going 5 innings (1 run) with basically a fastball and a changeup. Then Crawford, who was great, including that spectacular play in which he was injured (ankle contusion). Then Martin and then Jansen to seal the deal with a K for the final out of the game. Sox are now 4-4 on this road trip with Houck going for #5 tomorrow afternoon @ 4:10.
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