Maxbialystock

My theory is that absolutely no Sox player currently wants to lead off. Those who have done so have also fared better in the bottom third of the order.

Correction. No Sox player will get more at bats than Santana unless Cora pinch hits for him.

Forget the lead off part and realize Santana will also get more times at bat than other Sox hitter.

Santana is 8 for his last 61 at bats.

Santana up with 2 men on.

Rays continue to look like a solid defensive team.

WEEI guys talking about how Richards didn't throw a single curve in the last two games because of the foreign substance ban (renewed with teeth). It looks OK to me, but his fast ball, which he is throwing a lot, does not.

Richards is pathetic. Gets a 1-2 count and throws three straight balls, none of them close.

I honestly think he is screwing up on purpose. His $1.75M is guaranteed, so maybe he wants to go elsewhere.

I'm in favor of making pitchers adjust to an old rule, but you make some good points.

Vehemently agree on Bloom's approach and on not acquiring a rental. I also don't like Santana but have to trust the same guy, Bloom, and his manager, Cora, that Santana--at least for now--is worthy hanging onto. He is fast on the basepaths and a versatile fielder. He's 30 and 2 years ago his OPS was .857 in 130 games for Texas. However, a bigger clue is that his lifetime OPS is .703 and OBP .297. Except for baserunning and versatile defense, he mostly stunk in 4 seasons (2014, his first season, was pretty good with an OPS of .814) at Minnesota and 2 at Atlanta. The Twins, the Braves, and the Rangers have all been more than happy to let him go. Maybe the rub is that Santana this year is being paid $1.75M, more than each of 9 other Sox active roster players: Sawamura, Workman, Verdugo, Pivetta, Arroyo, Taylor, Darwinzon Hernandez, Dalbec, and Whitlock. $1.75M is a far cry from the horrors of HanRam and Sandoval, but still.

I gotta go with Kimmi on this and consider the "I'm losing control of my pitches and might hit someone" excuse to be total bs. They lose control because they have over-relied on illegal substances on the ball and refuse to adapt. I am astounded by the public remarks by some pitchers. One claims he ruined his arm because he was trying to adjust to not using illegal substances to doctor up the baseball. Another said that the Commish's threat of a 10 day suspension is tantamount to letting hitters hit off a T. To me there is no difference between using steroids and doctoring up the baseball. Completely ignored in all this brouhaha are the pitchers who haven't doctored up the baseball. All that said, I like watching a game in which the pitching on both sides is good. However, I'm also a Sox fan, and no sensible Sox fan believes in the importance or value of great pitching because the Sox franchise is horrible at developing good pitchers and very much prefers to go to Walmart, or, better yet, Tiffany's to buy their pitchers.

Last night against the Rays Dalbec struck out 4 times against 4 different pitchers. The rest of the Sox lineup struck out 7 times. Dalbec may not yet be in the promised land, but I agree choking up was a good idea (his own).

ERod went 6, giving up 3 earned runs, which I believe means he had a quality start, which I frankly think he deserved, given the worst defense in MLB backing him up. Santana was a blind squirrel who found a nut. Dalbec struck out 4 times against 4 different Rays pitchers, and the rest of the Sox hitters struck out 7 times. Just one game, but still noteworthy. Kike is just happy not leading off and grateful that Santana has that job (for now).

It wasn't just the bullpen. ERod went 6, giving up 3 earned runs, which ain't half bad, especially for him and especially for the Sox lately. Those first 2 TB runs in the 1st were the result of horrendous defense. The 3 earned runs in the 5th came off a dinger by a 20 year old phenom who golfed a low slider (below the strike zone) into the LF seats. I did not think ERod had great stuff last night, but I think he showed grit and that Vazquez called a good game. ERod had to throw a lot of fastballs--which worked well--because his slider and cut fastball did not. His changeup wasn't bad (when it was in or near the zone). He finished with 7 K's and just 1 BB. As for the bullpen, let's not forget they benefitted from some boneheaded baserunning by the Rays and that none of them had to face the Rays lineup 3 times. The Sox won with better pitching, better hitting, lousy defense, lousy baserunning, and good bullpen management by Cora. I especially cite sending out ERod to pitch the 6th and using Hernandez to finish the 10th and remain in the game to pitch the 11th for the win. About Santana. I don't like him either. But the WEEI guys pointed out last night that this year the Sox leadoff guy, whoever he is, seems to be cursed and that guys who can't hit leading off do fine in the bottom of the order. So think of Santana as the courageous point man on patrol who is the first guy to get shot at. Or maybe, like Forest Gump, the first guy into the tunnel, armed with just a 45 caliber pistol.

WEEI guys just said exactly the same thing. Fact: Sox pitching gave up just 3 earned runs in 11 innings despite the great hitting by phenom Franco in his very first game. Also fact: the Sox defense does not reassure Sox pitching. WEEI guys pointed out that the infield fielded 6 grounders and got only 1 out--the grounder to Hernandez, who tagged the Rays runner who was then called for interference. Great plays, on the other hand, by Renfroe and Bogaerts to nail the guy trying to stretch a double into a triple.

A fair point.

Now two dumb plays by the Rays, thank goodness. First a swing on a 3-0 count and a pop out. Then not running to 3b on a ground out.

ERod pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 earned runs. That's a quality start. The lineup players are the problem. Horrible defense, horrible baserunning, and then lousy hitting 4th thru 10th innings.

Looking at their wins per $million spent on players, I think the Rays have more geniuses on their payroll than most teams. Without him, the Rays were .5 games out of the AL East lead. It's probably fair to say that the Rays players are also schooled and developed better than most teams. The Sox, on the other hand, are renowned for overspending for players who maybe don't play so smart.

Great 3d for ERod! Pitch to contact and avoid BB's.

OK. Write that down.

I am beginning to think Dalbec batting 7th, 8th, or 9th has helped.

ERod has something to work with. Good for him, but he's going to have to pitch well. Sox hitting once again redeems all else. Pitching has suffered recently. Defense so-so. But the bats can change things in a hurry. First six guys this inning got hits or walks or rbi line drive caught.

Devers' DWAR is +.3