Maxbialystock

That beaning was accidental, maybe caused by the rain, and the Sox reacted appropriately. A huge contrast to when the Jays completely over-reacted to an inside pitch by Pivetta which hit Kirk, who was 1 for 6 in that series.

Meh. Disappointed with the 2/12 with RISP, but the simple fact is that Pivetta had a tough game, giving up 7 runs, which against the Rays pitching usually means a loss. Thank goodness for those batting helmets!!!

Three terrible, terrible at bats by Bogey, Vazquez, and Story--with men on 2d and 3d and no one out. Plus the Rays score a man from 2d base on a grounder to SS because Bogey wasn't alert and neither was Dalbec.

hmmmmmm

Cora announced today he expects Wacha to avoid the IL. However, pitching being what it is, he could still go on the IL.

Duran CF (WAR .4) Refsnyder LF (.6) JDM DH (1.3) Bogey SS (3.0) Vazquez C (1.1) Story 2B (2.0) Cordero RF (.2) Arroyo 3B (-.2) Dalbec 1B (-.5)

Sox pitchers gave up 6 hits, 10 BB's, and a WP (by Diekman, to bring in the winning run) in game 1. Cubs pitchers have up 2 BB's and no WP's--and induced two GIDP's (to the Cubs one). Here's a small grabber for game 2 in Chicago. The Cubs were 0 for 9 with RISP and scored 6 runs. They also hit 2 doubles, a triple, and a dinger.

I apologize for misreading you. I like the bullpen start, especially the way the Rays use it. Sometimes that bullpen start is used to mask the real starter. Neat--when it works. But I also like a good rotation, which the Sox have sort of had this year until all those injuries. As has been pointed out, one option is to bring guys up to get a spot start or more. Winckowski has worked out, and is way better than a series of bullpen starts. Seabold might be OK. And now comes Bello tomorrow night. Crawford, who was so great yesterday, is also a rookie who has started 3 games (1 last year, 2 this year) and did 5.1 in brilliant relief yesterday.

Not on the IL yet. Apparently no structural damage detected.

Back to the bullpen. Yesterday it was fantastic, and, except for that awful 6th inning of game 1, was pretty good in Chicago. When Whitlock returns (a week?), Cora will have Schreiber, Davis, Houck, Whitlock, Diekman, Sawamura, Crawford, and some combination of Danish, Strahm, Valdez, et al. If Winckowski stays in the rotation, Hill could join the bullpen once Sale, Eovaldi, and Wacha have returned--and all are due back before Hill.

I don't need to look those schedules up because I already have and can confirm you are right. It does not help that right now, with Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill all out, the Sox are in the midst of playing 17 games in 17 days vs. the Cubs (3 games), Rays (7), and Yankees (7). This puts a lot of pressure on the bullpen and also requires the call-ups of Winckowski, Seabold, and now Bello. Thus, after the ignominious trip to Wrigley Field, yesterday's "bullpen" start and win was a nice surprise. That's baseball.

Meh. The Sox hitting sucked in Chicago. In three games, their one big rally, in the 2d inning of game 1, was the result of a single, a HBP, a BB, and JBJ's double. Three big runs, and just 1 for the next 7 innings. 1 run in game 2. And the 2 winning runs in the 11th were the result of a humungous throwing error by the Cubs pitcher. Despite the absence of Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, and now Wacha and Hill, the Sox pitching has been surprisingly good. I'd like to give Cora a little credit, but apparently allowing Robles to pitch at all has consigned him to the trash heap of manager history.

In the event, Davis pitched 2 innings yesterday, Crawford 5.1, and Schreiber 1.2 for a shutout and 4-0 win. Pivetta goes tonight, and Bello goes Wed night. Given that going into yesterday's game the Sox were playing lousy ball (and were lucky to get the one win vs the lowly Cubs) and the Rays had taken 3 straight in Toronto, I kind of like what Cora patched together. And Bello still gets to start vs. the Rays. In short, your criticism of Cora has proven to be dead wrong. Also, FWIW, both Winckowski and Seabold got hit hard in their first starts for Boston this year.

I'm practically the polar opposite of moon, but he has used one game at a time in his streaks. Yesterday was to me a spectacular win given the weak play of the Sox vs. the Cubs and the strong play of the Rays in their last 3 games ( 6-2, 11-5, 7-3) @ Toronto. But the one game at a time also signifies that each game, despite the incredible length of the MLB season, can be relished (or despaired of) by itself. Also, in the Sox case, a lot of talent--Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, Hill, Kike, Bogey--is on the IL or day to day. I think five of those seven will return to duty before the ASG. The question then is "when?" Tonight's game figures to be a pitching duel--as yesterday's to my surprise proved to be--so of course I'm worried about the Sox lineup's continuing slump. That could end quickly, but the Rays pitching doesn't give away much.

When Whitlock returns--I'm hoping for this weekend vs. the Yankees--the Sox will have a pretty good bullpen with Schreiber, Houck, Whitlock, Davis, Sawamura, Diekman, and possibly Brasier/Danish/Strahm. Of course, the Yankees lineup leads the AL in runs scored and is 2d in OPS. For this Rays series and this weekend's 4 games vs. the Yankees, the rotation will continue to be patchwork: tonight Pivetta, tomorrow Bello, Thursday Winckowski, Friday Seabold, Saturday Wacha/Crawford, Sunday Pivetta, and Monday Bello again. For the final 7 games (4 at @ Tampa, 3 @ NYC), however, it's possible we will see Sale Eovaldi, and Wacha--Plus Whitlock in the bullpen.

Springs (L) vs Pivetta ® One game at a time.

Just about everyone on talksox keeps ignoring one stunning reality. Right now Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill are on the IL and only Sale seems close to returning. That's a lot of pitching/starter talent currently unavailable to an excellent manager. So my assertion on July 4 is Bloom would be stupid to rush to judgment on this team. Let's get some of those guys back, and sooner is better. Unfortunately, none are due back soon and the need is now with the Sox playing the Rays and Yankees for the next 13 games. Sale could conceivably start this weekend vs. the Yankees. Whitlock could be back soon after that, and I think that will solidify the bullpen who already have Schreiber, Houck, Sawamura, Davis, Diekman, and even Brasier and Danish. Meanwhile, Cora has a rotation of Pivetta, rookie Winckowski, rookie Seabold, and players to be named later. We need both Sale and Eovaldi back in the rotation before the ASG, not after. Meanwhile, the lineup has been helped by some unlikely guys like Duran, Cordero, Refsnyder, Arroyo (but only, it seems, when he starts at SS), and Vazquez (hitting again but not running).

Perhaps. He has pitched well enough in the past to merit a salary of $2.5M. In his first 9 games this season, he went 9.2 innings (vs. NYY twice, vs. Jays 3 times, vs. Rays twice) and gave up 1 run. His velocity is still there, but his breaking stuff right now isn't sharp.

Ahem. Are you unaware that Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill--five bonafide starters--are on the IL? Of the Sox original starters this season, only Pivetta is not on the IL.

Today's win, given the Sox struggles @ Toronto and Chicago and the fact that the Rays just took 3 straight from the Jays, was huge. Given all the good arms currently on the DL, this might be my favorite win so far this season. Nothing will shut down the boo birds, however.

The Sox are playing 17 games in 17 days without a break, which puts tremendous pressure on the bullpen, especially with Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill on the IL. You clearly are unaware of that grim reality. Robles is on the freaking roster and needs to be ready to compete if needed.

No one thought it, not even Cora. But you have to give him credit for putting the right pieces together. Of course, only the players can deliver the goods, and today they did.

Interesting insight. Thanks.

One amazing game--thus am I responding to my first page gloom and doom. This was the kind of win moonslav says to look for because it happened when least expected. We had family over for the 4th, so I missed big chunks of it, but the box score tells the tale: out of nowhere the bullpen, especially Crawford, pitched an absolute gem when one was sorely needed. I would say that Cora's managing was masterful, which it was, but Crawford went way beyond what we had any right to expect. 2d time Arroyo starts at SS and again is solid in the field and excellent at the plate. Wow. And the lineup did get those 2 runs, which were all they needed although the 2 in the 8th were sweet. It is still daunting that Sale, Eovaldi, Whitlock, Wacha, and Hill are on the IL with no guaranteed date of return for any of them. Thus the mantra: one game at a time.

Sale, Whitlock, Eovaldi, Wacha, and Hill are on the IL. That leaves Pivetta, newbie Winckowski (who's looking pretty decent), and newbie Seabold (might be OK) to fill a five man rotation with no days off. Meanwhile, the boo birds on talksox insist that Cora only send out relievers who are guaranteed to shut down the opposing team--all this during a 17 game stretch without a break.