Maxbialystock

1. Brasier has been basically a one inning guy since he came back. 2. Davis is a lefty brought in to get one out, which he did. 3. Robles had 18 straight relief appearances without giving up a run and was the best choice to pitch the 8th. If you want to gripe about what he did in this game, you might as well go ahead and blame Cora for leaving Sale in for all of the first freaking inning on Friday. Who won that game by the way? And who won last night? 4. Whitlock has been the Sox best reliever by far, but the rule of recency suggested caution. He missed a bunch of games, then came back last Tuesday and gave up a dinger to the Yankees. Besides, Pivetta replaced him and pitched 4 scoreless innings. 5. And try this on for size. The postseason stats say the Sox, who have exactly one decent starter, Eovaldi, have the lowest ERA, 3.92, of the five (including the Yankees) AL teams in the postseason. 2d best are the Astros at 5.88, and they've only had to play 3 games and no extra innings. The Sox pitching staff have pitched 40 innings in the postseason to the Rays 31 and the Astros and White Sox 27 innings. So to me it is unthinkable to claim Cora hasn't handled his bullpen brilliantly. 6. This Sox-Rays ALDS is a long way from over. Eovaldi and Pivetta are kind of used up. ERod and Sale both stink. Cora still has Houck and will need Whitlock, Brasier, Taylor, et al, to get one more win. Meanwhile, Cash still has McClanahan and his bullpen.

Kind of the way I see it. The ALDS is a long way from over. Bellhorn04 has a good point, but he ignores the rule of recency. I do think ERod simply choked last Thursday and could do better tonight. Sale, on the other hand, appears to have lost his changeup and his upper 90's fastball and has become quite hittable. He was lousy vs. both the Nats and the Rays.

Sam Johnson says that a two-way player is like a dog walking on its hind legs. It's not a question of how well they do it, one is astonished they do it at all. Yes, Ohtani is the exception. Ditto Babe Ruth. Not a very big club.

Yup. If game 4 is winnable--the Sox have a late lead--then go for it.

Hard to know what I meant. Is today Tuesday?

Meh. Yes, they cheated on sign-stealing, but so did the Sox and the ringleader Dustin Pedroia. Do you hate him too? I don't hate the Astros because they are a good franchise with some good players. Stealing signs was dumb and I'm glad they were caught and punished. I also don't hate the Yankees.

Then you need to root like crazy for the Rays because Bloom's throw-together Sox, despite being weighed down paying for guys who are no longer on the team, look like they might--horror of horrors--get to the ALCS. Oh, and he hired Cora. And JH of course told him not not to cross the luxury tax line.

I'm darned if I can see any plate discipline by the Sox, but agree Schwarber has been a great asset.

Just lucky, that's all.

If they do, Sale stinks a whole lot more. He did his level best to give away two crucial games.

With a 2-1 lead in games, I think Cora doesn't use Houck tomorrow unless the Sox have a lead in, say, the 5th or 6th inning. Houck is easily the best choice to start Wednesday especially if McClanahan doesn't start for the Rays tomorrow.

Love that laydown. Tomorrow's game is equally big for both teams because McClanahan looms for game 5. Of course, Cash could well start McClanhan on 4 days rest instead of 5 because the Rays must win tomorrow. Robles stunk tonight, but he has been excellent 15 games in a row, including 2 in the postseason.

I like, "how else could you rule such a thing?"

They've shown a million replays. The ball hit the ground, hit the wall, caromed back, hit Renfroe, and went into the bullpen. The WEEI guys initially assumed the umpires would give the hitter 3d base and the guy on 1b home plate because it hit Renfroe. But the rule doesn't say that. It says when the ball hits inbounds and then goes into the stands (or bullpen), it is a double regardless of how it gets there.

Interesting. I think you are dead wrong, but Cora could do that.

Agree. What happened was completely accidental. No way did Renfroe know that rule. Even if he had, it was near impossible to body that carom into the bullpen on purpose.

Not worth the money, plus I like the guys we got.

I think they are very defensible and challenge anyone to refute that statement. The big complaint was sending out Robles for the 8th, but Robles had gone 15 straight scoreless appearances, including 2 in the postseason. Leaving Whitlock in for more than 1.1 inning is now moot because Pivetta was so great plus Whitlock can now pitch tomorrow. So can Brasier. So can Taylor. That said, the Sox still have to win another game and now can't use Eovaldi. ERod starts tomorrow on 4 days rest. I'm guessing if the Sox are still leading in, say, the 5th inning, we will see Houck. If behind and the Sox lose, Houck will start against McClanahan. It's also tough for Cash because he may decide to start McClanahan tomorrow on 4 days rest.

Point well taken.

True, and I mentioned it during the game. But Nate was rested in game 3 of the WS. Pivetta pitched 4.1 innings on Thursday, three days ago. He was throwing on fumes, but still went ape when he got that final K with guys on 2d and 3d.

Love it.

He is clearly being facetious because he hates that CERA stuff, which I happen to like, so I'm acknowledging his right to do so.

The WEEI guys checked the rule book and say the call was correct. Stupid rule, but correct call is what they say.

You absolutely, positively are entitled to say that. He was great at the plate and behind it.

Incredible. I sure didn't expect that even though Vazquez does have that capability. Plus give him credit for the job he did behind the plate. Pivetta gets a statue on Boston Commons. They can bump Paul Revere, John Adams, whoever.