Maxbialystock

The fact is you have no idea why he took him out, nor do I. But I am more than willing to trust his judgment because he has a whole lot more information than I--or you. I also think Price was lucky as heck to get thru 5 while giving up just 1 run because his changeup was getting hammered and his slider was rarely used. The night before Cora had no hesitation letting Porcello go 7 innings and 94 pitches and then bringing in Brewer and Brasier to finish a 2-0 win. The game before that he took starter Johnson out after 3 and only brought in Smith to pitch the 9th because the Sox were leading 8-3, which became 8-6 before he got the final out. the game before that Sale went 6 and 103 pitches giving up 2 runs. And so on. Last night was the 15th game in 14 days, which has taxed the bullpen, especially when Price went 1.1 innings in 1 start and Johnson 3 in another. So my thinking is that Cora had tons of reasons to leave Price in last night, but didn't for what can only be good reasons.

Hard for me to second guess pulling Price after 5 and 73 pitches because I don't have the same info Cora and his pitching coach have. What I do know is that his changeup, even low in the zone, was getting hit hard by a bunch of righty bats, which is not supposed to happen. Besides, as notin says, the problem last night wasn't the pitching but the hitting--1 for 13 with RISP. The one batter, JDM, who rested between at bats during that 5:45 hour marathon went 0 for 8 with 5 K's. The other 8 guys played 17 hits and made at least two superb defensive plays--that incredible grab by JBJ in the 7th, and the pickoff (at 3b) by Vazquez in the 6th.

Winnable, yes, but give the Twins a little credit. They have lost series this year, but never been swept. They swept Tampa 2 weeks ago, but lost 2 of 3 to the Yankees over a month ago--right after they took 2 of 3 from the Astros. Still, a sweep would be nice, and the Sox are playing excellent baseball. Last night Porcello went beyond excellent.

What's so great about this series and this game tonight is that it's kind of like September in June. All games count the same, but some games and some series count more when you are paying attention.

Price should give the Sox the edge, but will he? That is one of the great imponderables for any MLB game, but especially for the Sox this year. As Forest Gump used to say, "the Sox rotation is like a box of chocolates." Not so much the bullpen, however. In the last six games they have been astoundingly good--except for Smith last Sunday. But even then 2 of the 3 runs he gave up were unearned.

No re-substitutions rule is one of the great features of MLB.

Impossible not to be upbeat after last night's huge road win against a good team with a very good lineup. Optimists like moonslav and kimmi should take a bow now that the rest of us are beginning to see the light. Still plenty of murkiness, however. Rotation is up and down, especially the 5th starter, but even Price stunk his last time out. Consequently, a need for 8 relievers who get used a lot and are regularly shuttled back and forth from Pawtucket. Cora definitely still has his work cut out for him even though the lineup card is getting a little easier to fill out. Except maybe for catcher, as moonslav's latest CERA stats suggest. Vazquez is much the better hitter, but Leon definitely helps the pitching--last night being just one more example of the magic he and a pitcher on his game can make. While I've been around for all of the John Henry era, for which I am grateful, my mind can't let go of what came before. Consequently, I find it easier than some to be ecstatic when the Sox can win 6 in a row to go 6 games over .500 and get back into the hunt. The memory of last year makes that even easier because we should all be reminded that some awfully good players are still on the roster.

I like ERA, but agree other stats are important. When a pitcher is on the mound, I look for 4 things--at least 3 different pitches, good command, at least two pitches that are tough to hit, and a good mix of pitches. I frankly don't think Porcello has any single pitch that is really tough to hit, so he has to excel at the other three things to succeed the way he did last night. Last night he did throw some so-so fast balls down the middle or close to it, but usually they were in the context of a good mix and therefore caught the Twins hitters off guard. Except the guys who hammered that double to CF in I think the 7th.

I too like pitchers duels, and this just a classic, memorable MLB game between last year's world champions trying to get back to that level and this year's very definite contenders who lead MLB in runs scored and OPS. It was not ace vs. ace, but two pitchers who both lifted their game enough to be awfully hard to score against. Thus no whining from me about the lack of hitting by the Sox, who actually did take advantage of at least two RISP opportunities. I do think we also saw the value of having Leon behind the plate. When he and the pitcher are in sync, and that's crucial when Porcello is on the mound, magic can happen. JDM and Bogie both had 2 hits and an rbi apiece. Cora's managing was letter perfect--the right lineup, the right catcher, the right decisions in the 7th and 8th to leave first Procello and then Brewer on the mound--and to bring Brasier in to close in the 9th. Let's not forget that Cora used his bullpen a lot at Baltimore and that last night was the 14th straight game for the Sox without a break.

Helluva game.

Great hit by Bogie. Only guy on the team who does that. Ump is giving Berrios most of the close ones vs Porcello.

Chavis had by far the better angle.

Just an outstanding effort by Porcello, but it dOES help to have Leon catching. Remember, Minnesota has the best lineup in MLB.

Porcello,is living right because he just threw 3 straight fat fastballs and got 2 fouls and a hard groundout.

Porcello’s stuff isn’t as good, but he is hitting his spots.

Since the 1st, he has been unhittable. Wicked curve and change up and fast ball. JBJ had a good at bat and still struck out.

Their pitcher just might have some effect on the hitting. He has a good mix and control.

Some credit to Leon calling a good game, but Porcello is making good pitches.

Left left for 8 and 9, but this is a good lineup.

Great work on those stats as usual.

Somehow this wasn't as big a problem last year even though we basically had four starters plus Johnson and Velazquez--and later Eovaldi. This year we were supposed to begin with 5 starters--Sale, Price, ERod, Porcello, and Eovaldi but never came close to that. Now it's a pretty steady 4--all but Eovaldi--except when Price or someone gets shelled early. But the subs like Johnson and others have rarely gone 5 innings.

Travelers Championship???? What the heck is that??? Do you mean the Greater Hartford Open, the tournament Arnold Palmer won 63 years ago?

Agree with that first sentence. One kind of good thing about this series is that Thursday will be a day off--finally--which will help Cora in managing the bullpen.

Sox have good hitting, but Twins is better. Ditto pitching. This is a good battery check to see if there is still juice in 2019 model. Twins, FWIW have 47 wins to the Dodgers and Astros 48, but the best run differential, +116, in MLB. Sox are +49. The Twins have a 67% winning percentage and the Sox 53%. Statistically, that means both teams are a good bet to win 1 game, neither is a good bet to win all 3, and the fight is over who wins the other game--with edge going to the Twins. But you gotta play the games. That's what's great about MLB. I grew up around the middle of the 86 year curse when the Yankees seemed to win almost every year, which they in fact did 1949-53, my first 5 years of mainly check box scores. But in 1953 and 1954 we lived near Agawam and a could get the Sox on radio with Curt Gowdy. Sox finished 2d, 3d, 3d, 6th, and 4th those five years. then in 1954 the Guardians won 111 freaking games only to lose 4 straight to the Giants. The Sox lost the World Series in 1946 and didn't get back until 1967, 9 years after Williams retired. But even during that 20+ year drought there would be series in August or later when the Sox would make a contest of it and maybe take 2 of 3 from the Yankees.

I look forward to the Minnesota series because it's a good test of where the Sox are right now. The Twins have 47 wins, 1 less than the Astros and Dodgers who lead MLB in wins, and lead MLB in runs scored and, more importantly, runs differential (runs for vs. runs against). Theirs is + 116 and ours is + 49. Both teams have good hitting, but theirs is better. Ditto their pitching.