Maxbialystock

I think Fenway Park is one of the most photogenic ballparks in America, but I disliked it intensely when I watched a game from the right field side. Rotten sight lines--but still expensive.

Just like the Jays, the Cubs hitters have gotten good at hitting away from the bold shifts. Sox not so much. They prefer to smack the ball hard right to someone.

Absolutely true. And he's done well in the leadoff spot. Wild applause. But that comes at a price.

That throw from CF missed 2b and home plate. Duran place CF like the headless horseman.

Actually, Dalbec's is the new bat to replace JDM, so he did the JDM thing--GIDP.

Cordero in for JDM as DH and lays down brilliant swinging bunt for a single.

Seabold has used slider, changeup, and fastball. After the first two Cubs hitters, they worked reasonably well. That said, I don't think he has much command, which means his pitches are generally of the zone or down the middle, plus he throws a lot of fastballs.

Seabold vs. Thompson One game at a time.

Devers and JDM K in the 9th in a close game after rookie Duran leads off with a double. That's after closer Houck gives up a run in the bottom of the 8th. Defense stunk throughout the game. So did the hitting, but especially Devers with the GIDP with men on 1st and 3d and no one out to go along with the 2 K's. JDM continues his slump. Ditto Story. Bogey's trying to start one. Interesting that the two best Sox players in the game are the rookies, Winckowski and Duran. The veterans can't be bothered. There is something wrong with this team.

JDM has to be the happiest man on the face of the earth. If Raffy gets a single or walk, the pressure would be on JDM, and right now pressure is the last thing he needs. He probably gave Raffy a slap on the back for saving him.

Not Raffy's fault. Cora is the one who insisted on having him play 3b and bat 2d. Cora probably should have had Raffy bunting to avoid the GIDP even if JDM was on deck.

yup.

Wrong! It was a terrific bunt that went way down the 3d base line. The replay shows the throw got there about the same time as the runner.

You apparently skipped last night's game thread. Even though just 1 of 5 Sox pitchers did well, Cora never should have used four of them (or should have pulled Hill when he insisted he was unhurt, etc). The lineup scoring just 1 run--after that flaky rally, built on a walk and an HBP in the 2d inning--for the last 7 innings? Cora's fault. JBJ's double in the 2d? All JBJ. Sawamura's good relief job? All Sawamura. In fact, I think they should have a player's meeting to figure out how to win games while combatting Cora's ongoing effort to sabotage this team.

Well, I've defended Bloom and Cora, but no longer. This mess tonight is entirely on them. First and foremost, those K's by JDM and Bogey with a man on 2d are entirely because Bloom has refused to give them the contracts they deserve. Devers error to put a man on 2b with no out? Same deal. And where does Cora get the idea that this rookie pitcher--I mean the name Winckowski says it all--should be starting ahead of Sale, who didn't need another start in Portland? Sale never would have given up those soft rollers down the 3b line and would have easily fielded one of them. My eyes have been opened. It is obvious the Sox players, who have 2 hits and no runs--while the Cubs have no hits and 2 runs--simply don't care. And it's absolutely not their fault just as none of their stinking play last night was their fault.

Agree. Also agree Thunder has made a heckuva point to/for us out-of-towners. The NYY GM probably has a similar understanding. I have always thought Chaim Bloom has to balance competing demands. DD, on the other hand, pretty much had a free hand to spend money and offer up prospects. He produced a great season, 2018, so I need to dampen my urge to criticize.

He probably did relook his rationale and realized it wasn't rational.

Cora talked to him earlier in the season and convinced him HR's are just not needed. He might strike out going for the fences. See the OP: Cora is managing this team to lose.

I always thought Cora was exceptional, but never realized he didn't want to win games. Thanks for the insight.

Iggy's DWAR to date is -0.2. His OPS is .720.

Thought the exact same thing after last night's game. In the write-up by Ian Browne, Hill blamed himself completely for the 5th because he flat told Cora he was fine when he wasn't. Cora said Robles was excellent in his first 8 games, but now his breaking stuff is too flat even though his velocity is still good. He also said that guys--meaning relievers--must contribute. Robles is the 4th highest paid reliever on the Sox @ $2.5M. If you read me on the game thread I named a bunch of culprits for the loss: Hill for staying in, Danish for walking in the 3d run, Robles for being awful and getting charged with 3 runs, Diekman for the wild pitch which brought the 6th and winning run for the Cubs, and the lineup for scoring 1 run in the final 7 innings. I also pointed out that the 3 runs in the 2d for the Sox depended on a walk and an HBP by the Cubs starter. I left out that the Sox pitchers had 10 BB's in the game, including 4 by Hill and 3 by Robles. So of course I blame the players far more than Cora's decisions. That said, at the end of the season (or earlier), managers are graded on wins vs. expectations.

Robles had some help. Hill gave up the first 3 runs with Danish's help. Then Robles the next three runs with Diekman's help. The Cubs helped the Sox get their big 3 run rally in the 2d with the that error and walk before JBJ's double. And the Sox lineup helped the Cubs by getting 1 stinking run in the final 7 innings. Devers, JDM, and Bogey barely showed up. Vazquez and the 3d base coach squandered an out.

Coming up in the 9th: Refsnyder, Duran, and Devers. All of them hit well in June and all of them have hits in this game (Duran has 2).

Coming into this game Sawamura--surprise, surprise--had the 4th best WAR, +.4, in the bullpen and a June ERA of 2.16. He's been coming back from his earlier struggles.

Who? Bogey and JDM?