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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    Meh. I thought it was a perfect storm. Taylor, just off the IL, was jammed in there with men on 2d and 3d. He's a lefty, so his back was toward Arozarena, plus the Rays hitter was a lefty and saw him coming, plus Arozarena is young and fast and cocky--like Ellsbury in the early years who not only stole home but also scored from 2b on a wild pitch--plus Vazquez did nothing to alert Taylor to take a peek behind him (as righty pitchers have to do with a man on 1b).
  2. Maxbialystock
    Good post. I knew the Rays had better hitting and pitching than the Sox, but what stunned me last night was how much quicker they are in the field (thus 9 singles and no doubles by the team that led MLB in doubles this year) and on the basepaths. I do not think the Sox were "unfocused," but would agree that ERod choked when he walked the leadoff batter in the 1st and again in the 2d inning. Kike fumbled that one hit when getting the ball out of his glove but was not charged with an error. I would love to have won last night, but also know that, when MLB added the second wild card team, thus requiring a wild card game, they did so to give the division winners an edge in the Division Series. When the Sox won their first WS in 2004, they were the wild card team, but didn't have to play a wild card game.
  3. Maxbialystock
    Yes, Pivetta was better than ERod--who choked when he walked the leadoff batters in the the 1st and 2d innings--last night, but ERod was still a good choice to start. This first game was a throwaway because the Rays started their ace and the Sox never scored a run. The Rays pitching and defense dominated the Sox hitters, the same guys who led MLB in doubles this year but ended up with 9 singles last night--and no free passes (Sox pitchers walked 4 Rays). Based on last night's game, it's a very good bet that, had Pivetta started, he would have given up at least 3 runs, so the Sox still would have lost.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Thanks for the heads up.
  5. Maxbialystock
    Wow. Just wow. You have joined the talksox legions who think Sox pitching is the only thing that counts in the ALDS. While I will certainly agree ERod and Pivetta weren't so hot last night, to me the real lesson is that the Rays pitching and defense dominated the Sox. You can't win when you can't score. I expect the same thing tonight until the Sox hitters prove otherwise. Cora is carrying 13 pitchers in the ALDS because he fully expects to use his bullpen early and often. Bad as he was last night, ERod was only allowed to go 1.2 innings, so he only gave up 2 runs. Sale barely did better than that last Sunday vs. the Nats when he went 2.1 innings giving up 2 runs. The good news is that one of Sale's best starts this season was Sep 1 at the Trop when he pitched 6 innings, giving up 2 runs in a game the Sox won, 3-2.
  6. Maxbialystock
    Look, I wanted Houck to stay in that game too, but he was pitching on short rest. Plus in all his starts this season Houck has never lasted more than 5.1 innings.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Cora has 13 pitchers on the roster to 13 position players, so there can be no doubt he will relieve anyone on the mound at almost any moment. I too think Houck will start game 4 on Monday, but agree he could still be used tonight. With 22 year old newby Baz starting and Cash also with 13 pitchers, there can't be much doubt Cash will also have no hesitation in going out to the mound. The Sox need to--I'm searching for the right words here--score some freaking runs!!!! It's pointless to discuss Sox pitching when the hitters are hamstrung by the Rays pitching and defense.
  8. Maxbialystock
    Last night's game thread was a horror show--except for Kimmi's plucky prediction the Sox would win the ALDS in 4 games. The Rays overall are clearly much quicker on the basepaths and in the field. Arozarena's theft of home was merely the coda. I might add that it was the perfect setup: lefty pitcher, just off the IL, who couldn't see behind him, lefty batter who could see Arozarena and get out of his way, an obtuse catcher, and a daring and quick baserunner. Sale tonight, a rest day, then Eovaldi on Sunday and I'm guessing Houck on Monday for game 4. Game 5 on Wednesday will probably be Sale again. Tropicana Field is an abomination.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Come off it. He had two choices, ERod and Pivetta, and ERod has been better the last two months and went 6 shutout innings at the Trop a month ago. Plus he pulled ERod after he had given up just 2 runs. Now it's pretty obvious he is giving Pivetta a chance to show what he can do because there could be more than 3 games. Another thing. Why is all this on Cora and ERod? In case you haven't noticed, the hitters ain't hitting.
  10. Maxbialystock
    That right there was the perfect image of this game. Two on, two out, and Dalbec nails it--straight to the thirdbaseman.
  11. Maxbialystock
    Two good and tough at bats and singles by two lefty Sox hitters. Three of the four hits by the Sox are by the three lefty hitters.
  12. Maxbialystock
    Gutsy call, but I'm inclined to agree with you. ERod choked but no one else. Kike was not charged with an error. Sox have K'd but also hit the ball hard. Rays have had the breaks and the Sox absolutely none.
  13. Maxbialystock
    Good out by Richards. Good call by Cora. Bad start by ERod who choked his ass off when he walked the leadoff batters in the first and second innings.
  14. Maxbialystock
    What about the line drives right to our outfielders? Say what you want to, but Cora agrees with me. ERod got pulled after 1.2 innings. I wouldn't send in Richards right now, however.
  15. Maxbialystock
    Rays are good, no question. Sox aren't nearly as bad as ERod has been tonight. He walked the leadoff batter, which he does way too often. He is lucky the Rays only scored 2 runs.
  16. Maxbialystock
    Good answer. If it wasn't the stick stuff--and it probably wasn't--the long season could be the answer.
  17. Maxbialystock
    I think ERod is a good choice. He's pitched 6 scoreless innings in October, and his September ERA was 3.96, which included a lousy start (3.2 innings, 6 ER's) at Fenway vs. the Rays on Sep 7, and solid start at the Trop (6 innings, 0 runs) on Sep 2. Cora has 13 pitchers, including 9 relievers, at his disposal, so I don't think ERod will be allowed to throw a clunker. Indeed, think of the recent Rays propensity to start a reliever, then think of ERod as going out there to induce the Rays to put a bunch of righty bats in the lineup so that Houck and company can come in and mow them down.
  18. Maxbialystock
    They are actually pretty good at just about everything and beyond question are the best run franchise in MLB despite having the worst fanbase.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Good stuff. I think the Sox do feel some pressure, but it's the right kind. I prefer both Schwarber and JDM in the lineup, but agree tonight's lineup should be pretty decent defensively and still have good hitters.
  20. Maxbialystock
    Nicely said.
  21. Maxbialystock
    I think the key to Barnes early success this year was relying on just two good pitches, fastball and knuckle curve--very much like Kimbrel in 2018 but without the posturing and with not quite as fast fastball. I'm convinced that what killed him was the restriction on doctoring the baseball which affected that terrific knuckle curve.
  22. Maxbialystock
    While I love the reference to the four WS titles/flags, I'm enough of a realist to believe the Rays are a tough out. In case you've forgotten, they beat the Sox in the 2008 ALCS.
  23. Maxbialystock
    The actual Sox roster for the ALDS, without the confusion of incorrect additions and deletions, is 13 pitchers (a surprise to me) and 13 position players-- ERod, Sale, Eovaldi, Pivetta, Whitlock, Houck, Robles, Brasier, Richards (huge surprise), Perez, Ottavino, Davis, Taylor. Vazquez, Plawecki, Schwarber, Dalbec, Arroyo, Bogaerts, Devers, Verdugo, Kike, Renfroe, JDM, Shaw, and Santana.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Excuse me, but did you say that Sale wasn't added to the wild card roster?
  25. Maxbialystock
    Stunning. Thanks. Santana is versatile, but I like Arauz. I agree with whoever said he trusts Cora.
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