Maxbialystock

Relatedly, we fans get to see that superimposed rectangle of the strike zone which gives us a huge advantage over what the human eye can see, even over what Ted Williams reputedly was able to see. That's why I don't like robots calling balls and strikes; it dehumanizes the game. I would object to the replays except that I think they end up saving more time because they prevent game delays when miffed players/coaches/managers go storming onto the field to complain about a call.

Hope to watch on mlb.com. 4:05 on a Saturday is the same old Fox MLB game time, but I'm guessing this will given Fenway time to shed its white coat. Go Sox!!!

Earl Grey or cocoa works for me.

Et tu, Brute? Are we all this superstitious when we know in our heart of hearts it's the players who are working the magic? I do remember that in one game in the streak I was listening on the radio, the Sox fell behind, and I quit listening until they got the lead back. I'm 80 and endured 55 years of fandom during the 86 year curse--and should know better by now. FWIW, I also started an 8 straight game-winning thread in April 2018. But this year I'm banking my hopes on what I have seen on the field, a club that won't quit. The hitting is way better than expected, and so is the pitching. The defense, not so much.

And me. Call it the old way.

Et tu, Brute? Are we all this superstitious when we know in our heart of hearts it's the players who are working the magic? I do remember that in one game in the streak I was listening on the radio, the Sox fell behind, and I quit listening until they got the lead back. I'm 80 and endured 55 years of fandom during the 86 year curse--and should know better by now. FWIW, I also started an 8 straight game-winning thread in April 2018. It's on page 21. But this year I'm banking my hopes on what I have seen on the field, a club that won't quit. The hitting is way better than expected, and so is the pitching. The defense, not so much.

Makes sense if the Sox can play tomorrow.

I was a Colts fan when they had Johnny Unitas and not many snow games. Baltimore lost that team, but now have the Ravens. And the Orioles. Those two together are known as a win-lose combination.

NOAA shows a lot of stuff around Boston, but says the temp will be 38 at 7 pm with 30% chance of precipitation and staying that way until maybe 10 pm when precipitation has an 80% chance. But the field may not be playable by game time.

Interleague games make all kinds of sense. The WS lost its mystique when MLB decided they wanted a more inclusive postseason, which now begin with tiebreakers followed by one game play-ins, followed by DS, LS, and finally the WS. That's after a 162 game regular season which last about 6 months, playing 6 games a week.

How is that possible? Cubs are documented losers, which means their fans are idiots. Cardinals have been remarkably successful for a century, give or take, thanks in large part to the genius of Branch Rickey who built the first farm system for them. Plus I can remember listening to Cardinals games any time I was on the road in the midwest. Their annual attendance is consistently in the top 5 in MLB and in 2019 was 2d most, 3.48M, behind the Dodgers 3.97M and ahead of the Yankees 3.30M. I have rooted for the Royals when I lived in Kansas, the Phillies when living in Pennsylvania (especially 1980 when they won the WS with Pete Rose), and the Astros (early days when Joe Morgan played for them) when living in Oklahoma. I've watched games in ballparks in KC, Philly, Baltimore, Washington (the Senators old park and the Nationals new one), Atlanta, and of course Boston (a special trip). When I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, I imagined getting an RV and driving to games in every MLB ballpark, but of course didn't do so. My route would be: Atlanta, Miami, Tampa, Houston, Arlington TX, Phoenix, San Diego, LA x 2, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, Denver, KC, St Louis, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago x 2, Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boston, NYC x 2, Philly, Baltimore, and DC.

splendidsplinter says what JDM and the overwhelming majority of talksoxers think: let him pinch hit. But I still back Cora. I hope splendidsplinter knows that in his hey day Williams was redubbed by the Boston press. After an unfortunate episode, they called him the "splendid spitter." A lot of skinny guys and gals in the 1930's when Williams came up to the Bigs. It was the depression. And MLB was in fact our national pastime.

Good summation of the loss that ended the streak. As you say, the Sox didn't play their best, but they still made it a whale of a game and can expect to keep winning.

The game is a product as much as it is a great American sport. Thus my thoughts on yours: 1. I'm a purist here, but have learned to accept the DH, which I suspect is good for the product. 2. Agree. Also disagree with the guy who blames commercials. 3. So far I like the guy on 2d to start each half inning in extra innings. Good for the product and avoids very long extra inning games which can wear out players and teams. 4. Ditto 7 inning games in back to back doubleheaders like yesterday's. 5. I like the 3 batter minimum rule, but can't disagree with your alternative. 6. Baloney on the double-headers. Use them only when needed for make up games. Plus who cares about ESPN? You want a 7 game week vs. the current 6 game week, and I think that would wear players out. We don't have November games because of the 6 game week, but because the postseason keeps getting longer. 7. Blackout rules are insane. As it turns out, I live within the home team zones of Atlanta, Washington, and Baltimore, all of which are more than 200 miles from where I live (Greensboro, NC). Plus I've been a Sox fan since 1949 and semi-avidly since 1953-54 (when we lived in W. Springfield,MA) and avidly since 2000 or so when I could get Sox games via satellite, then Fios, then online. I still do the latter because I get all the Sox games except those against Braves, Nationals, and Orioles.

I agree you can carry a sound approach too far, and we have seen it done repeatedly.

Agree.

No. First and foremost, the Twins had his number in this series. Second, in 2018 when he gave guys off a day, it meant no pinch-hitting. You and I would not have hesitated to use JDM, but I refuse to second guess Cora.

Exactly right. Our guys played their buns off today just as much as in the previous 9.

Cora didn't know it would be this close, and JDM was 0 for 9 in the first three Twins games. Cora rests players throughout the season, and it sure seemed to work in 2018 when these players played these number of games in the regular season-- JD Martinez 150 Benintendi 148 JBJ 144 Betts 136 Bogaerts 136 Nunez 127 Moreland 124 Devers 121 Holt 109

Still a great streak which could not have come at a better time. Great baseball, Sox!!! Time to catch up on the dates.

What an absolutely gorgeous K!!!

Ottavino with his really good stuff today.

How superstitious am I? Try this. My wife tolerates my fanaticism and roots for the Sox, but doesn't watch. But periodically she drops by my study (a euphemism), usually with a tasker. Every time she has done this, the Sox have won. Today she issued another order right before Verdugo doubled home 3 runs to tie the game. Plus I missed the first 7 innings because of a 140 mile round trip I had to make for a new ID card--an appointment it took me four months to make.

I'm pretty sure I didn't say it, but I absolutely thought it. And the first three games confirmed it. This season ended early. At least, right up until some whack job couldn't even get the date right. That whack job is as superstitious as anyone else, but takes absolutely zero credit for the way the Sox have played, including today, game 4 @ Twins. Also, I like the way Cora went out there boiling made, made it clear he knew the ump had screwed up twice, and then left the field because this game was/is still winnable.

Thunder is right. Either day games or no games in some ballparks in early April. Like Fenway Park and Target Field.