Maxbialystock

Realism is called for in this case. I think Sale has recaptured his changeup in the bullpen--which is crucial to his repertoire, especially against righty bats--but will watch tonight's game with bated breath.

"Golden" dates you, as it does me. But there can be no doubt that Sale is much better when his changeup is working. That said, three short years ago Sale started game 1 of the ALCS against the Astros and went 4 innings and 2 ER's. He did not start another game vs. the Astros even though game 5 was 5 days later. Price, the game 2 starter, started game 5.

Can't argue with that. Indeed, the Sox won Sale's last start in which he gave up 5 runs in the 1st inning.

What I have read is that Sale rediscovered his best stuff in bullpen sessions. One presumes that means his changeup, which is crucial to his success.

I stand corrected, as always. It was, however, one heckuva NLDS.

I like Sale and Cora a lot, but will watch tonight's game with bated breath.

2011 team totally collapsed in September, but I don't recall that being caused by injuries. They had picked up Carl Crawford who bombed, but Ellsbury had a career year which he never came close--before or after 2011--to duplicating and which caused the Yankees to stupidly offer him a ridiculous contract. That September collapse cost Francona his job. Trading those three guys in 2012 was a solid move and probably led--along with firing Valentine and hiring Farrell as the manager--to the success of 2013.

Love it!

Good point. However, like our Sox, the Dodgers had to play and win the wild card game before taking on the Giants. The Rays and Giants both failed to exploit a real advantage in setting up their pitching.

Meh. It's gotta be 2004 for three reasons: the Sox were wild cards, which gave the Angels, Yankees, and Cardinals home field advantage; the Sox had to come from 3 games down to the Yankees to win the ALCS; the Sox had to overcome the curse.

2013 is flukish only because the Sox pitching was so great in the postseason--an insane ERA of 2.59. Lester went 34.2 innings with an ERA of 1.56. Lackey 26 innings and 2.77, plus he won than pitching duel against Verlander, 1-0. And of course Uehara pitched 13.2 innings with an ERA of .66. The Sox lineup meanwhile had a cumulative OPS of .664, but did get some timely hits, especially from Ortiz and Victorino.

About Sale vs. Valdez tonight. I prefer Eovaldi, but trust Cora, who says Sale rediscovered his best stuff in some bullpen sessions. Valdez was really tough vs. the Sox June 8 @ Houston and June 2 @ Fenway: 14.1 innings, 2 ER's, 18 K's, 2 BB's. He went 4.1 vs. the White Sox a week ago and gave up 4 runs. And a week before that he went 5 vs. the A's, also giving up 4 runs. But he pitched 24 innings in September with an ERA of 3.28. Both teams have rested bullpens, so the edge in starters may not mean much. Both teams are hitting well in the postseason.

It was a great NLDS, one of the best ever. I rooted for the Giants but think the better team won.

Every season has its surprises, but this one is memorable in that regard. First half, mostly winning despite low expectations before the season started, second half mostly treading water (.500). Then in September winning 7 straight, then losing 5 of 6 to the Yankees and Orioles, then turning right around and winning 3 of 3 at the Nats (no DH), beating the Yankees and Cole 6-2 in the wild card game, and taking 3 of 4 from the 100 games-winning Rays in the ALDS. Astounding. Right now, before game one of the ALCS--which a month ago seemed completely out of reach--the Sox have a real shot at the World Series because their lineup is fearsome, their defense is almost decent, and their pitching looks a tad better than the Astros. All that is true despite the fact that the Astros run differential this season was +205 to the Sox +80. Still, you gotta play the games, and the Astros are a tough out.

The Sox were 54-32 on July 5, seemingly headed for 102 wins, but played .500 the rest of the year, so I think you have to grant that some pessimism was warranted. That said, one of your regular comments all season long was that every team had its weaknesses, and my thought is that Cora is especially good at working around those weaknesses. Bloom helped when he picked up Schwarber and Robles and much later Iglesias, who's sitting out the postseason. I do not think the Sox postseason upswing--taking 4 of 5 games from the Yankees and Rays--just luck because right now Cora has the best lineup he's had all season. With Schwarber at 1b, he can even keep his "good outfield" of Dugo, Kike, and Renfroe. And, when the rotation has faltered, Cora has gotten good use out of long relievers like Valdez, Houck, Richards, Whitlock of course, and now in the postseason Pivetta. Houck and Pivetta were huge in relief in games 2 and 3 of the ALDS.

The Sox were 54-32 on July 5, seemingly headed for 102 wins, but played .500 the rest of the year, so I think you have to grant that some pessimism was warranted. That said, one of your regular comments all season long was that every team had its weaknesses, and my thought is that Cora is especially good at working around those weaknesses. Bloom helped when he picked up Schwarber and Robles and much later Iglesias, who's sitting out the postseason. The Sox postseason upswing--taking 4 of 5 games from the Yankees and Rays--is not luck no matter how many times espn and others bring up that ground rule double in the 13th inning of game 3. In fact, right now Cora has the best lineup he's had all season. With Schwarber at 1b, he can even keep his "good outfield" of Dugo, Kike, and Renfroe. His pitching, however, is less than ideal, what with ERod and Sale crapping out in games 1 and 2. Enter, stage right, Cora's long relievers--no longer Valdez and Richards, but Whitlock and especially Houck and Pivetta, both former starters. The latter two were crucial to the game 2 and game 3 wins.

Very well said!

Big deal, like the Sox losing Eovaldi. Tough break. I am not an Astros hater because, despite the infamy of the sign-stealing, they have built a solid franchise over the years. Sox chances for the WS get even better, which is all the more astonishing given that two weeks ago today they had just lost 2 of 3 at Baltimore after losing 3 straight at Fenway to the Yankees. Two weeks ago today a big bunch of us weren't sure the Sox would make the postseason and/or even wondered if they deserved to. Now, thanks to some brilliant managing by Cora vs. the Nats, whom the Sox swept, but not easily, to get the wild card home field, followed by a great start by Eovaldi to beat Cole and the NYY for the ALDS slot, followed by more brilliant managing combined with great hitting and some gutsy pitching--thanks to all of that--the Sox are now likely favorites to win the ALCS and get to the WS with a team which was not expected to win 90 games this season.

I am frequently wrong, but allow me to quote one of your many off the wall posts in the really official ALCS thread: "Like Millar, I also drink whiskey before starting my job. That 10 key isn't going to sum itself."

In my OP I said go to Yaz's, but today, Oct 14, it seems to have been taken over by those who are no longer interested in the ALCS. So maybe this thread is an option. moonslav and I seem to have independently reached the conclusion that right now the Sox just might have the better pitching. I think Eovaldi is better than McCullers, with or without the reported possible injury. The Astros won one game without McCullers when Valdez started, went 4.1, and gave up 4 runs vs. the Chisox. The Sox took 3 of 4 vs. the Rays with Eovaldi making one good start in game 3 and ERod in game 4. I do think the Astros have a good lineup, but right now the Sox lineup is formidable with Schwarber, Kike, Devers, Bogey, Verdugo, JDM, Renfroe, Vazquez, and Arroyo--and a postseason team OPS of .919 against the Yankees and Rays.

See my OP at the top, I say Yaz's was started first and sent everyone there. That said, Yaz's thread on the ALCS has been taken over by mvp 78 and others who no longer want to discuss the ALCS.

I think I said something like this earlier on this thread when I said that the Sox have a higher team OPS (.919 vs. .803) than the Astros in this postseason--and a lower team ERA (4.13 vs. 4.63). Those numbers of course include the wild card game vs. the Yankees. The specifics are well worth seeing in your format. The Sox are hitting and pitching at their best right now despite the horrible starts by ERod in game 1 and especially Sale in game 2. Thus the importance of having Houck, Pivetta, and Whitlock. If there is a parallel to past Sox WS teams, maybe it's with the 2004 version with that great lineup led by Ortiz and Ramirez, but, Mr. Bloody Sock notwithstanding, not such great pitching. The 2004 postseason Sox team OPS was .827 and team ERA 4.47. As for this ALCS in 2021, I think the Sox just might have the edge in pitching, insane as that sounds. I say this because pitching tends to be more of a constant than hitting.

Good for you, paying real attention in that game. I only glanced at it. Your "all relievers in MLB are vulnerable" is undoubtedly true. Whitlock is our best and gave up a dinger to Rizzo in the wild card game.

No haters on talksox that I've seen/read--but plenty of opinions. I agree Bloom has done an excellent job and that Schwarber and Iglesias were stunningly good acquisitions. Robles too. I hope all 3 will be on next year's Sox.

The Astros dazzled me with how they manhandled the Chicago White Sox. They have a pretty good lineup and pitching. That said, I do believe our current lineup is better. And, surprise, surprise, the ALDS box scores show that the Astros have exactly one good starter, McCullers, whom they used twice for 2 of their 3 wins. We have Eovaldi and three other guys who pitched 4 or more consecutive innings each--Houck, Pivetta, and ERod. So, frankly, I give us the edge in pitching. That said, you gotta play the games, and, when you do, anything can happen.