Maxbialystock

I'm rooting for Richards tonight. Yes, a whiner, but last game he was definitely a battler as well. Indeed, I'm beginning to think that the Commish's dictum has both stemmed the tsumani of foreign substances being plastered all over caps, gloves, belts, and of course baseballs and also caused pitchers to adapt in unexpected but commendable ways. In what--2 weeks?--one MLB pitcher has been nailed by an ump. If we assume 15 games per team and 5 pitchers per team per game, that's possibly 150 pitchers who have been scrutinized. To me it is unarguable that the Commish done good. Next up: 25 seconds between pitches enforced.

A tiny reminder. This year Dalbec has hit righties better--higher OPS--than Cordero. Plus Cordero is an outfielder trying to become an infielder. That said, I seen no reason to hang onto Santana, which frees up a space unless Arroyo needs that space.

Max is flabbergasted by these 2021 Sox and rooting like crazy for them and mvp78 to run right through a 9th win and just keep on going.

8 straight wins is amazing and great all by itself, but I can't help dwelling on some specifics. Like the fact that this streak started right after the Commish banned "foreign substances" which reportedly lots of pitchers have been using for decades. That dictum hit Richards--pitching tonight--like a ton of bricks and he said so. He got hammered, of course. And then something just weird happened with 1 out in the 2d inning and after the Royals had already scored 5 runs. He started pitching differently and way better, so much so that he went 4.1 shutout innings (5.2 innings total) before Sawamura relieved him. So, yes, Virginia, there is hope for Richards in tonight's game. Same goes for ERod who was having a rotten season--ERA over 6--and last night pitched a 6 inning gem (1 hit, 0 runs) after going 6 innings, getting 8 K's and 0 BB's and giving up 2 runs to the Yankees in his previous start. Pivetta pitched 6.2 innings of no hit no run ball vs the Yankees, but also got whacked by KC. Eovaldi has pitched like an ace: 2 starts, 14.2 innings, 1 run. I think it's because his splitter is working and allowing him not to throw too many fastballs. Perez started twice, one bad (3 unearned runs in 3.2 innings) and one good (5.1 innings, 2 runs). Last night notwithstanding, the bullpen has been fantastic during this 8 game streak and the Commish's dictum. Those who needed to, clearly made adjustments, and the Sox right now have 7 pretty good relievers: Barnes, Ottavino, Whitlock (a steal), Taylor (on a shutout streak), Hernandez, Sawamura, and, huge surprise, Workman with an ERA of 1.86. Since Bogey's egregious 3 unearned runs error (vs. the Yankees) in game 1 of this streak, the Sox defense has been decent to very good. The next error was in game 5 and by Pivetta, having a horrible night, who made a bad throw to 1b. But no unearned runs in that game, and the Sox bullpen and bats got the win. However, a huge, huge error by Gonzalez in game 7 of the streak--which the Sox won 15-1. But that 1 run will live in infamy. Last night Gonzalez, now at 3b in place of Devers (DH), made another error, but ERod rose to the occasion and no run scored as a result. Unnoticed last night was a great stop by Bogie on a hard grounder to his right even though he had no further play/throw. Devers has been terrific at 3b. Outfield has been good fielding and very good on throws--Renfroe got another assist in this streak. Sox hitting is currently ranked 2d in MLB in runs scored and 3d in OPS. Kike just might be OK at leading off, which would make him the best we've got. Meanwhile, Devers (4th best OPS), Martinez (5th best), and Bogaerts (7th best) are among the top hitters in the AL. What's neat about those three is that Cora is not afraid to give any one of them a rest day.

The experts say winners of 1 run games are simply lucky. Last night luck was a factor. Devers' "double" was actually a horrible misplay of a single, which Laureno unwisely dove for and which bounced over him, untouched (thus the double), and rolled far enough to allow Bogey to score from 1b. Kike's 10th inning rbi single was lucky in that it went between the CFer and RFer, giving Chavis, who overcautiously took a couple of steps back toward 2b, to score. Jed Lowrie's leadoff single in the bottom of the 10th went straight to Verdugo, who was also playing a tad shallow, so the 3b coach wisely held Seth Brown up at 3b, thereby setting up that amazing double play by Kike and Vazquez. ERod's 6 inning shutout with just 1 hit was the opposite of luck. He had great command and a good assortment of pitches and did not over-rely on his fastball. Lowrie's dinger was not luck, but Andrus's was literally an 86 to 1 shot based on 77 dingers in 6639 MLB at bats. Lucky or not, it's still the Sox 8th straight win at the flex point--midseason, game 83--of the season.

I watched the 10th inning last night in bed. Rike and ERod the heroes. Both amazing.

Rooting for mvp78 to get more than 9 in a row. This has been a fantastic run at just the right time.

You could be right. I wasn't watching where the pitches went.

Tie game. Barnes with one too many fastballs. Bullpen with two too many dingers.

Agree.

It's not just the dinger. All the A's are hitting Whitlock harder than they did ERod. Whoops! Very nice K by Whitlock--and 3 total in 2 innings.

I swear it was because the computer has every MLB manager terrified of letting his starter go thru the opposing lineup three times. ERod was beyond question pitching great and easily handled the top third of the A's order for the third time in the bottom of the 6th inning.

"They" don't look so smart to these old eyes.

I needed that reminder, having forgotten the somewhat unique and certainly scary effect COVID had on ERod's heart.

And two by their rightfielder. Thank goodness for their centerfielder horrible miscalculation.

That's two exceptional grabs by the A's leftfielder.

Yup.

Great K. I have to say I can't remember the last time ERod hit so cotton-picking corners.

Bottom of the 6th and 3d time thru the A's order.

Sure looks that way. He has certainly had his chances.

We all get to eat crow, except maybe for moonslav, because we all thought ERod was beyond reclamation.

He definitely tried to, swinging at 2 pitches below the zone.

So far this home plate ump has called a pretty good game.

Speaking of which, I think just about every Sox starter seems to be improving, so I'm thinking maybe the pitching coach gets a little credit.