Maxbialystock

I doubt it. Too many issues have emerged. Anthony is out for the rest of the season and maybe Abreu is too. Bregman's in a slump (12 games). Crochet just got shellacked in his last start. Bello didn't look so good either. Nor has May. We all loved how Tolle looked in his first start, but he will continue to be limited in his pitch count and how often he starts. All of those pale into insignificance when compared to the catastrophic loss of Jordan Hicks, now on the IL with a bad shoulder. Will this nightmare never end?

I read about Chase Field and found out that since 2019 they pretty much keep the roof closed all season long. Doing that takes a huge burden off the ballpark's (and neighborhood's) HVAC system. In 2019 they installed artificial turf.

My question is, how will the Sox know when Anthony's left oblique has in fact healed? Ordinary folk don't have to worry about such an injury, but MLB players do. Apparently, the motion of swinging the bat is what causes stress on the left oblique (or right oblique). And the other question is, what must a MLB player do to prevent a recurrence of this injury?

Old friend my Aunt Fanny. He did have some good games, even seasons, but did not consider covering 1b on grounders to the right side of the infield obligatory. Arizona is in the Mountain time zone, so why the 9:40 start time? Are they not on daylight savings time?

Exactly. Here's what the WAR folks say: "But WAR is necessarily an approximation and will never be as precise or accurate as one would like."

I'm reminded of Daniel Bard, a very different kind of pitcher who started out well with the Sox and by his 5th season had a bad case of the yips. He dropped out of MLB from 2014 to 2019, 6 straight seasons. Then he returned to the Rockies in 2020 and by 2022 had an ERA of 1.79 and 34 saves at age 36/37. After the 2022 season his contract for 2 years, 2023 and 2024, was $19M, but he retired after 2023.

Hicks is a men;ace to Sox pitching this season. I see nothing wrong with his leaving the clubhouse. The problem is when he returns to the clubhouse.

All very reasonable although this year Duran can't hit lefties.

Absolutely fascinating analysis. Thanks.

Love your optimism supported by stats, but also by hopefulness. As a former New Englander said, "Hope Is Not a Method." Bregman's slump (12 games) and Anthony and Abreu on the IL are heavy blows. Of the three other OPS's over .800 (Lowe, Ref, and Gonzalez), Lowe can't hit lefties and Ref and Gonzalez can't hit righties. The next best OPS, Duran's .786, also cannot hit lefties. If the Sox go 4-2 on this road trip, I think they can do what you say.

First, what a great idea to start a game thread on an off day!!! Second, while I agree with mvp 78 the Sox are definitely still very much in the postseason hunt, I'm definitely nervous about both the hitting and pitching. Of the Sox 6 best OPS's--Lowe .949, Anthony .859, Bregman .849, Ref .847, Gonzalez .834, and Abreu .811--Anthony and Abreu are on the IL, Bregman is in a 12 game slump, Lowe can't hit lefties, Ref can't hit righties, and Gonzalez OPS vs righties is .697. So putting a lineup together continues to be a balancing act. Pitching has been the real strength of the 2025 Sox. Despite losing 8 freaking starters--Crawford, Buehler, Dobbins, Fitts, Houck, Newcomb, Criswell, and possibly May--the Sox still have an excellent top 4 (Crochet, Bello, Giolito, and Tolle). Plus the bullpen of Chapman, Whitlock, Weissert, Wilson, Matz, Slaten, and Bernardino is actually pretty good. Nevertheless, the weak-hitting Guardians managed to score 19 runs in their 3 game series at the Fens. They scored 7 off our ace Crochet. Bello struggled, giving up 3 runs and 3 BB in 5 IP. Tolle looked terrific in his first ever MLB start against the Pirates, but he is restricted in the number of pitches he can throw and how often he starts. May, the presumed 5th starter, had 2 good starts last month, but 4 lousy ones and an August ERA of 5.68. And then there's Jordan Hicks, who has pitched in 20 games in relief (in July, August, and Sep) and has an ERA of 8, 1 Hold, 12 BB's, and 15 K's. SF sent us a box of rocks. Why is he still on the roster?

A Realistic View is always a great thread to come back to. With the rotation struggling and 3 of our best hitters--Bregman, Anthony, and Abreu--either struggling or on the IL, I'm reminded of a Bette Davis line from All About Eve: "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

😃

Same guy I remember. Best or 2d best hitter in MLB history.

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.

😁

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.