Maxbialystock

A perfect night and game for Brasier. Kluber was so-so, the hitting wasn't, Bernardino stunk in relief, and now Casas screws up about as easy a throw as there is--just throw it--a very short throw--over the bag, not 10 yards behind the freaking runner.

Jansen had help. Winck gave up 3 on Friday. Cora insisted on sending Jansen back out yesterday when he had been absolutely killed--3 runs, no outs--the night before.

Meh. I'm perfectly happy blaming Cora for yesterday, but tonight, with Kluber giving up 4, the lineup scoring just 1 run in 5 innings, and Bernardino loading the bases in the 6th, the smart move is not to waste a good arm on a lost cause. That's exactly why Brasier pitched the 9th in Friday night's game. Jansen had already given the game away.

What praise do you see in "not by any means a good start?" My real point was/is that the bullpen loves those 4 runs because they're off the the hook. They don't have to hold onto a lead like they failed to do yesterday and the day before. So, for example, no big deal when Bernardino gives up 2 more to make it 6-1. They can just say, "not our fault tonight. Kluber gave up 4, and the lineup wasn't hitting. Blame them."

2.2 million acres. Almost as big as chavez ravine.

Good for Kluber. Not by any means a "good start," but also not a disaster--4 runs in 5 innings. Less pressure on the bullpen too because the Sox are behind 4-1. Funny how losing your 3d game in a row can make so many people happy.

The TV commentators think he didn't challenge because the throw was way ahead of Devers and Cora couldn't be sure that glove didn't graze Devers' arm as he reached for 2b. Also, maybe he couldn't get the camera angle we saw.

Looked like Devers was safe, but the last thing the Sox need now is a rally--unless it's for 10 or more runs. So of course no challenge by Cora.

My guess is Cora's pretty happy too because he flat doesn't trust his bullpen. Fortunately for him, especially early in the season, there's a kind of unwritten "7 run rule" for starters getting hit hard. So Kluber can give up 3 more, depending on his pitch count.

Money's still pretty good. In his last three starts he went 6, 5.1, and 5 innings while giving up 1, 3, and 3 runs. Not too bad. Whoops. Cards now up 4-1 on the 2 run dinger. Smiles are breaking out in the Sox bullpen.

We can be pretty sure of one thing about this game. Nobody but nobody in the Sox bullpen wants it to be close. They will be equally happy if either team scores 10 or more runs--and in stark terror if both teams score 10 runs.

Given the outcomes of the last two games, I would like to commend you for starting this thread. Kind of reminds of a speech by Slim Pickens in Dr Strangelove.

This is hands down some of the best baseball analysis I've ever read.

Oh, stop it. In fact, I order you to be ridiculously, insanely optimistic. You and moonslav. Let me be the jerk who whines all the time.

I agree. I even think that's 2 reasons to go with Jansen yesterday: 1) 11 years of consistent relieving/closing; 2) get him back on the horse so he can demonstrate he's still got it. I'll even add a 3d reason. Why pay a guy $16 freaking million to close and then not let him close? And I still think Cora is wrong--for three reasons. The first is that Jansen absolutely stunk Friday night: 3 runs and no outs plus a complete disregard of the runners on first base. Brasier, of all people, replaced him and immediately got three outs. The second is that Friday night was a far more relevant statistic than the previous 11 years or even the previous six weeks of this season. If you doubt that, just look at how Jansen pitched Saturday. Same exact issues. And the third is that the point of playing and managing a game is to win it. Getting Jansen "back up on the horse" had to be secondary to winning the game.

Excuse me? Have you completely forgotten about the rotation? Friday night, Paxton's first start in half century or so, and he gives up that 2 run dinger, then settles down with good stuff and finishes with 5 innings and 2 runs. The lineup backs him up with 6 runs. But Winck gives up 3 and Jansen and another 3 (Jansen got nobody out) for a very painful 8-6 loss. At Fenway with a good crowd. Saturday Sale pitches an absolutely gem. Maybe the neatest thing was the 3 K's immediately after the solo dinger. Anyway, 8 innings, 1 run, and 3-1 lead with just the 9th inning to get a save and a win. So Cora sends Jansen right back out there as if Friday night never happened and as if nobody else in that entire bullpen was capable of getting through the 9th without giving up 2 or more runs. So to me the Cora--with his bad decision yesterday--and his bullpen are sending this message to the rotation: don't give it your best shot because, once you leave the mound, we're giving it all back. Oh, and when we do, we're going to blame it all on Kike for making a bad throw. This is no doubt unfair, but I have to also mention the loss to the Phillies on May 7. Houck was pitching his buns off, so much so that Cora let him pitch to the Phillies batting order a third time--which he did successfully. That is, he got a popup, ground out, and K while giving up a single to the first four batters in the Phillies lineup. Cora decided, "enough is enough," and pulled Houck and sent in Bleier, who promptly gave up the 2 run dinger to Schwarber.

Of course. We're fans, not philosophers. I haven't forgotten the 8 game winning streak or the fact that the Sox are still over .500. But, man oh man am I pissed off about those two losses Friday and Saturday. To be honest, Friday just happened. Good start by Paxton--great news!--then Winck doesn't have it. On that point I agree with you--it was bound to happen. And then Jansen was, if anything, much worse than Winck--3 runs and no outs. But one can argue it was inevitable. Saturday, however, was very different. Saturday was a masterpiece of pitching by Chris Sale--8 innings, 1 run. And Cora send freaking Jansen back out to save what should have been a magnificent 3-1 win. Stupid, stupid, stupid Cora. Jansen was just as bad as the night before. Now Kluber with his slow stuff today--backed up by a bullpen completely in shock and a manager who has know idea what to do with them.

I feel differently. I think the Cardinals are one of the truly great MLB franchises. St Louis is a small city, but has a terrific fan base. And the Cardinals have rewarded them with plenty of ups with the occasional downs, like 2004 when the Sox took 4 straight to break the Curse. Branch Rickey started with the Cardinals and created the first real farm system. Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery started from St Louis and returned there two years later, 1804-06. Stan Musial. Ozzie Smith. Dizzy Dean.

Agree the sample is small, but the eye test says Sale is his old self, Paxton has pretty good stuff for a guy who's been out forever, Bello shows real promise, Houck, if anything, is getting better, and Kluber seems to have figured out how to be effective with a really slow fastball. Best news? If Cora has any sense, Pivetta is his 6th starter with all that implies. On the other hand, yesterday Cora made it known to the world he doesn't believe in or trust his bullpen any more--not when he sends Jansen back out to save Sale's absolutely brilliant start (1 run, 8 innings). So, either Cora is just stupid, or he simply thought nobody else besides Jansen--who was obliterated the night before without getting anyone out--could pitch the 9th with a 2 run lead.

Oh, give me a freaking break. Jansen had the easiest job of anyone in both games and blew both of them. In one total inning pitched, he gave up 5 earned runs. I do agree his loss of velocity was/is a factor, but I also then question his over-reliance on his fastball. And I definitely question Cora's decision to bring him back out there yesterday, Saturday, after the debacle Friday night. Just stupid--or, just as likely, an indictment of his own bullpen because he clearly thought no one else on that team was capable of getting 3 outs with a 2 run lead in the 9th. Did the ump's calls against Jansen piss me off? Yes, they did. But apparently they were correct calls. I do not disagree with your take on the team as a whole. Something is working--and allowing them to win games--despite the retread rotation (now righting itself), the defensive lapses, and now a bullpen that coughs up runs like an asthmatic.

I know it will be tough, but I sure hope Jansen can be available for the 9th inning today. I say this because yesterday Cora basically announced to the world he can trust no one else to get a save--even with a 2 run lead. Did he comment on his decision after the game?

Picking on the wrong guy. That was a really tough play to get two, so Kike threw before he was ready. In retrospect, he should not have thrown to 1b, but doing so was understandable because in fact the GIDP would have saved the win for Sale. The fault lies with Cora first and Jansen second. The wrong freaking guy was on the mound for the 9th inning save--and Cora was stupid for bringing him back after Friday night's debacle. And your comment about Kike getting pinch hit for is just silly when we know Cora also pinch hit for Wong, and Reyes--and probably should have pinch hit for Duran.

I of course agree he's not yet a $20M player. But here's the thing. By the time a player has demonstrated he's consistent enough to merit $20 x 5 (or whatever), he's used up those really good years. My own theory is that players play their best before 30 and are paid the most after 30. One glaring exception to that rule is Wander Franco. He's 22 (born in 2001) and has an 11 year $182M contract (guaranteed of course). It's probably less than he's worth, but 22 is really young to be getting that big a contract. If he is careful how he spends/invests that money, he is set for life, and he's been in MLB for just 2 years.

You betcha. What a difference one little week can make. Sale reconfirms his ace status. Paxton has an amazing first start. Bello looks good (still needs command). Kluber is a junker, but has figured out how to make it work. Houck pitched a third time to the top four Phillies hitters and got a K, popup, groundout, and a single by Bryce Harper. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Cora has the option of not starting Pivetta. On the other hand, into every Sox fan's life a little rain must fall, and last night and today suggest the bullpen just might be in shambles. Jansen stunk badly in back to back games. He's our $16M closer--well, closer and opener/welcomer whom Cardinal fans just love to death. Winck got hammered for 3 runs. Cora used Jansen today because apparently he does not think any other pitcher on the Sox is able to get a one inning save with a 2 run lead. Let me repeat that. Jansen looks awful, and Cora insists he's the only guy who can close.

Baloney. Jansen was not the only option today, especially when Sale had already pitched 8 innings, so just 1 inning was left.