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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    That GIDP by Schwarber hurt a lot. Plus Renfroe was too eager to swing.
  2. Maxbialystock
    The amazing thing so far is that the Astros haven't pounded him. Finally, pitch 28, his first changeup, a ball. 29 pitches to get 3 outs. This is October Sale when we need September Sale.
  3. Maxbialystock
    We saw this Sale last week vs the Rays and before that vs the Nats.
  4. Maxbialystock
    No command. No changeups.
  5. Maxbialystock
    With 2 walks already and the bases loaded, renfroe needed to at least see a third pitch.
  6. Maxbialystock
    The Brewers and Braves are that awful? It's also a good bet that the Giants were going to have to beat the Dodgers to get to the WS, so why not play them after the wild card game?
  7. Maxbialystock
    Sure luck is involved. Hitting and pitching are extremely hard to do successfully--to hit that round ball with a round bat squarely (or at least where it won't be caught) or to throw the ball in just the right place with the right spin and speed and motion--so luck is inevitably a factor. But Cora has made so many good moves this year it's unthinkable to say managerial skill isn't involved. He flat outmanaged Cash in the ALDS.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Meh. The Dodgers had to play the wild card game before taking on the Giants in the NLDS, which gave the Giants a big advantage, just as it gave the Rays over the Sox in the ALDS. In fact, that's why MLB added the second wild card team in both Leagues--to force a wild card game and put the winner at a disadvantage in the Division Series.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Yep. On the other hand, it was one heckuva NLDS.
  10. Maxbialystock
    I do favor umps. They have never been better in 150 years of organized baseball. Have you already forgotten all the commentary that says the Rays were robbed by that call in the 13th inning of game 3? The only correct call was ground rule double, but that hasn't stopped people from discussing "what if . . . " ad nauseum. Besides, Flores was dead meat. The count was already 0-2 and he was going against Scherzer.
  11. Maxbialystock
    Agree.
  12. Maxbialystock
    I am the opposite of complacent, so I apologize if I seem that way. Yes, I like our chances after the ALDS and with McCullers not on the Astros Roster, but they are still a tough out. I just don't think the ALCS depends on what Sale does tonight.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Possibly. But I still like the way Cora managed the final series vs. the Nats, especially playing Schwarber and JDM with no DH and pulling Sale early in game 3. And I think he was terrific in the ALDS given that he couldn't start Eovaldi until game three and his first two starters, ERod and Sale, crapped out.
  14. Maxbialystock
    When you are "playing with house money," it's already in your pocket.
  15. Maxbialystock
    Good point. I think the call in the 13th inning of game 3 vs. the Rays was equally outrageous. As a minimum, the Rays lead runner should have scored the go ahead run and their batter sent to 3d base. Renfroe was rewarded for misplaying the ball.
  16. Maxbialystock
    Controversial has become a huge tent for all kinds of calls these days, like in the 13th inning of game 3 of the ALDS when people were outraged by what was essentially a ground rule double.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Oh, stop it. The Sox and Cora right now are playing with house money because two weeks ago none of us thought the Sox would get to the ALCS. And right now, until proven otherwise, the Sox have the upper hand in pitching, especially if McCullers can't start game 3. I would never disagree that the Astros are still a threat and can win this ALCS. They've had good pitching and hitting all season long. On the other hand, so did the Rays. Plus, against us, the Rays had the big advantage of not having to beat the Yankees in the wild card two days before starting the ALDS.
  18. Maxbialystock
    It absolutely is not luck. In fact, having three long relievers available borders on genius. By my count Cora has used at least five relievers that way: Whitlock, Valdez, Richards, Houck, and finally Pivetta. Richards was semi-OK as a starter before going south, then came back brilliantly as a reliever, and finally couldn't make the cut for the season roster with a huge 13 arm pitching contingent. Sale came back and did well, but then had two lousy starts against the Nats and the Rays. In both games Cora had no hesitation in pulling him early.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Meh. Flores was doomed going against Scherzer, who had an 0-2 count on him before that call.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Whattalotta. That was Scherzer on the mound and spineless, useless Flores at the plate with 2 outs and a man on 1b. The 1b ump was being merciful with that call because Flores was in all instances doomed to be the final out of this NLDS.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Yeah, Cora is just plain old lucky. Or just maybe he sends Pivetta or Houck or Whitlock out there with the intention of going multiple innings, but with the ability to pull them if they don't have it. That's exactly what he did with two starters, Sale and ERod. Interestingly, Cora sent Pivetta in to pitch 4.2 innings in game 1 and then him sent back out in game 3 to pitch 4 more innings. He did the exact same thing with Houck going 5 innings in game 2 and coming back to pitch the 6th inning in game 4. However, Houck gave up that dinger in the 6th, so out came Taylor to pitch a perfect 7th. Unfortunately, Brasier pitched an awful 8th, giving up 2 runs, and Whitlock had to pitch the 8th and 9th to get the win.
  22. Maxbialystock
    Smoltz is an idiot. I don't disagree about the danger of a succession of one inning relievers, but Smoltz obviously didn't watch games 2 and 3 of the ALDS in which first Houck and then Pivetta went multiple innings--plus Pivetta went multiple innings in game 1. Whitlock has shown he can go multiple innings. Indeed, Eovaldi, ERod, and Sale started five games in the postseason and pitched a total of 18 innings. Pivetta, Houck, and Whitlock started no games in the postseason and pitched a total of 20 innings. Funny thing about those 6 inning starts. You like them, I like them, and MLB statisticians like them because you can't have a quality start unless you go 6 innings. But managers are increasingly leery of keeping their starters out there for the third time through the opposing team's lineup, especially a good lineup.
  23. Maxbialystock
    Yes, of course, the Sox should want to go 2-0 in Houston, but Thunder doesn't rule that out. Indeed, the hope is that, if Sale is back to his earlier self this season, the Sox can win both games in Houston. That said, I have no disagreement with your wanting Eovaldi to start game 1. He is our ace, period. He throws harder than Sale and has a much better repertoire. On the other hand, the Astros haven't faced Sale since 2018 and back in June they hit Eovaldi pretty hard. Plus almost all of us trust Cora's decisions and know that he will be ready to bring in the bullpen early and often if necessary.
  24. Maxbialystock
    A change-up story. The 1954 NY Giants had a pretty good pinch-hitter, Dusty Rhodes, who, however, was known to struggle hitting changeups. He once even said that, if he went up against a team of Eskimos, one of them would claim, "can't hit the change." In the 1954 World Series against the Guardians, Rhodes hit two dingers, both off of change-ups.
  25. Maxbialystock
    Yep. I gotta agree on Sawamura over Barnes right now, also D.Hernandez over Davis. Cora is sensibly staying with 13 pitchers despite the days off in the ALCS. Besides, who else you going to add to the lineup players? If JDM had not injured his ankle, Cora would have used the nine bats for all 5 postseason games: Kike, Schwarber, Bogey, Devers, JDM, Verdugo, Renfroe, Vazquez, Arroyo--with tweaks in the batting order. Santana is a versatile backup, Dalbec is good for first base, especially with a late lead, Shaw can pinch hit, and Plawecki is the 2d catcher.
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