Maxbialystock

Don't forget the 2 outs the Sox defense gave up in the 1st inning--Arauz on a late throw and Schwarber on a missed catch of a line drive right at him. Sale does not have his best stuff tonight. His changeup and slider are not breaking sharply. Meanwhile, the top of the Sox order can't handle Rasmussen. Schwarber, Renfroe, Devers, and JDM: 8 outs, 4 K's, no one on base.

Sale's a professional on a team with too many dilletantes who nevertheless are called pitchers.

No changeup up (and not much of a slider) finally caught up with Sale. That fastball for the dinger was in the high outside corner of the strike zone--and 94 mph.

Sale's changeup isn't working, and he has 1 BB, 1 HBP, and no K's. But he is still getting guys outs--32 pitches in 2 innings, not great, but far from lousy. Sale is a professional pitcher, unlike the guys we saw last night and the night before.

To quote Slim Pickens, I think you could in for some pretty important decorations for starting this thread.

To quote Slim Pickens, I think you could in for some pretty important decorations for starting this thread.

This is so unfair to Duran, making him bat against fastballs--right down the middle, I hasten to add--that go more than 90 mph. What was Cora thinking?

Barnes and Bogie testing positive sure was convenient. Indeed, one could hope both had COVID'd out a month ago so Bogey could rest his wrist and Barnes his arm, body, mind, and soul.

Meanwhile at the ranch, Schwarber, Renfroe, Devers, and JDM--all presumably competent hitters--have started this game by striking out. Whoops. Looks like Verdugo came to play. I was afraid Rasmussen was going for an immaculate game--striking out 27 Sox "hitters."

The turn was indeed awful. Plus Lopez should have gone to 2b himself. Lopez and Arauz are not in this lineup for the hitting prowess, so their amateur defensive play is inexcusable and reflects on the entire Red Sox organization.

TB players seem to want to be HBP. That missed DP was awful and shows just how poorly coached Sox infielders are--from the big club all the way down.

Darwin wrote about this effect on the human species.

Darwin wrote about this situation.

Itseems obvious to me that, despite what Cora says, he and Bloom have decided to punt this season and covid is a nice cover story. Renfroe takes 5 days bereavement leave for his fathers death which was expected. Totally unknown and tested pitchers give up the 7 runs so that the rotation and the bullpen can rest some more.

WS wins in 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018 were all luck.

No renfroe

Morning after reflections. Cleveland series was tougher than expected. Both our wins were squeakers and so was theirs. I think the bullpen, while not as good as April-July, still has 8 very good to good enough guys who can get outs: Ottavino, Whitlock, Richards, Taylor, Sawamura, DHernandez (on IL), Barnes, and Valdez (also on IL). Plus the garbage men like Robles, Davis, and Perez. Thus by the 3d close game, the good guys needed a rest, especially with 4 games vs. the Rays starting tonight, and Cleveland scored 6 runs after starter Houck left the game. I also like the lineup now that Schwarber is full-time and can DH, play 1b, play LF--but it sure would be nice to get back Kike, Renfroe, and Arroyo. Do ya think that with those three guys in last night's lineup the game might have gone differently? Bogaerts still doesn't hold onto that liner, but Verdugo likely would caught caught that long fly/drive to left center, and Arroyo wouldn't have be malpositioned as Munoz was. Plus maybe another hit or two. I also like this rotation because Sale and Eovaldi are solid, ERod looked very good in 4 of his last 5 starts, Houck just might be good 5 inning pitcher, and Pivetta is capable of pitching well, just not every time out. I honestly look forward to this Rays series because they right now are the best around. They were in the WS last year and are probably the AL favorite to repeat. Kike and Arroyo out will hurt, but that's MLB in 2021.

I disagree, emphatically. This is Bogey's 8th season as our starting SS, so by now you and I and everyone else should know he is steady at SS, but lacks range and quickness. His current overall WAR is 4.1, not too shabby, and it's because he's a very consistent hitter (when his wrist doesn't hurt). And exactly when did someone announce that Schwarber would be another Verdugo in LF? He was hired to play 1b and DH, but, with Renfroe and Kike--both of whom you clearly have forgotten about--out, it made sense to put Schwarber in LF, again. Plus I thought that was a tough catch for anyone. If Verdugo had caught it, we would have given him a rave. And you are darn right our pitchers got hit hard. Neither Bogey nor Schwarber was charged with an error. But Munoz was because he was a sub who just got lost out there. And our pitchers getting hit hard should not have been a surprise. Cora used his best guys to get tough wins in games 1 and 2. Plus Houck, as good as he certainly was--a no-hitter after 5 innings--wasted pitches by walking 4 guys, which made it possible for him to face Cleveland's lineup the 3d time in the 6th inning, when he got one out, gave up the dinger to Ramirez, and hit the next two guys. After that, Taylor came in with 2 on and 1 out and made sure both scored. So he didn't do his job, nor did Robles or Davis. Even Barnes gave up a single for getting his 1 stinking out. Let me make it clear that the real culprits were the bullpen, no surprise. Houck made some mistakes, but he absolutely did his job. This was a good start. We knew before this game started that, unless the lineup--missing Renfroe, Kike and Arroyo--scored a bunch of runs, we were going to need the bullpen and that the bullpen was fresh out of good arms. Actually, there's a caveat to that. It's possible Cora could have used Whitlock or Richards, but the Sox start playing 4 at Tampa tomorrow night. In this game, the duds were given a chance to show they could do something and utterly failed to so.

Houck has good stuff, but not good command. Plus the 3d time through the order is usually pretty tough for him. He got the first guy out, the dinger, HBP, and HBP, Cora to the mound. A grounder moves the runners, and a single brings both home. 4-3 with three big innings to go. Great dinger by Devers!! Much needed.

Nasty slider for strike 2. Then a fast ball 2 feet outside for ball 3. Houck has gone 4 and given up 3 walks, but no hits and no runs. Yes, sports fans, we have a no-hitter in progress!

Another easy out.

Good golly, miss molly. Houck walks 2 and finally, finally, throws a strike down the middle and gets an easy out.

Houck throwing 50% strikes for the game. This is not typical for MLB starters. Or relievers.

Cora didn't take it well. Munoz in for Arauz. Correction, Arauz injured on that hard swing and miss. Or something.

Interesting top of the 4th. Garza needed 40 pitches. But Cleveland is off to tomorrow, so they can send almost anyone to the mound. I like 3-0 more than 2-0, but would prefer, say, 10-0.