Maxbialystock

Kinsler can't hit spit this year. His Offensive WAR for the season is .1. But Cora loves his veterans. Nunez has no business out there either but in his case Cora's worried about Devers defense at 3b. Holts OWAR is 1.6 and Devers is 1.2.

You confidence could be misplaced. He has never won a postseason game in 9 starts. He looked s***** tonight. Most of us hope he won't start again, but guess what? The Sox might not get out of the ALDS alive.

Why not? Price gave up his 3 in 1.2 innings. Tanaka has got our guys under control. And our bullpen has demonstrated they can't get the Yankees out.

Sale needed 24 pitches to get out of the 1st. Had he followed Wright, I contend he would have breezed thru the 3d inning on 12 pitches. What would have been oh so nice last night was 2 innings from Wright, 6 from Sale, and 1 from Kimbrel.

Either the Yankees can see Price's pitches awfully well or they are stealing signs. On a 2-2 count that changeup was close, but clearly Gardner could see it was a changeup that would miss.

Price was so lucky on that 5th pitch-- a double until it went foul

I listened to espn radio before the game, and their most dominant theme was how bad Price has been in the postseason. In fact, they also offered the notion that the Yankees should still be favored in this series because their hitting is solid and so is their bullpen.

A lot of valuable lessons from last night, assuming one game says anything. However, it is a fact that managers must pay attention to every game in the postseason and make decisions on small sample sizes. Here's my list of lessons-- 1. Starting pitching was huge. Gigantic. Sale wasn't the great Sale of earlier this year, but he pitched smart and well and vastly exceeded my expectations. Happ bombed, pure and simple. He got credit for all 5 Sox runs, and the Sox scored all in the first 3 innings. I think Sale has more heart than any other Sox pitcher. 2. Yankees bullpen is definitely superior, especially now with Wright out. They went 6 innings last night and gave up 0 runs. Ours went 3.2 and gave up 2. But Sale and the bullpen both avoided the long ball except for that amazing shot, opposite field, by Judge on a Kimbrel knuckle curve. Just a great swing. 3. Cora went with righty bats (except Beni, Leon, and JBJ), but the bottom 4 in the order (Nunez, Kinsler, Leon, and JBJ) were moribund. First 5 got 7 of the 8 hits, scored all 5 runs, and batted all 5 runs in. 4 of the first 5 in the lineup have been righties just about all season long (except when Moreland plays 1B and is hitting, which ain't lately), and by and large that has worked. 4. I think Leon continues to catch because it sure looks like he is the best defensive catcher on both teams. Last night he was great. Ditto JBJ, who wasn't that great, but can be on defense and is hitting again. 5. I am rapidly souring on both Nunez and Kinsler. I know both are vets and steady as she goes, but this year they ain't hitting, Kinsler especially. I hope Cora gives serious thought to using Holt at 2B and Devers at 3b even though Devers is a defensive risk. But I'm fine with whatever Cora decides. 6. Looking back, I think both rookie managers acquitted themselves well. I think Boone's job is immensely easier because of that bullpen he has. Cora at times must have felt like the captain of the Titanic. I was furious he didn't use Wright, but now know why and don't fault him for pulling Sale when he did given Sale's September. This was the farthest Sale has gone --5.1 innings--since July 27. And Brasier was the right guy until he wasn't. 7. Sox scored all 5 runs in the first 3 innings, then nothing. Yankees were scoreless until the 6th, then scored 4. I'm repeating lessons 1 and 2. 8. Price tonight is much like Sale, but I don't think as willing to adjust as Sale clearly was last night when he saw his fastball was OK but not the great fastball of April-July. Hence the value of having Eovaldi in the bullpen. Happ surprised last night by being so hittable, and tonight Tanaka could surprise by being unhittable. Ya never know. Me, I worry but do like the real possibility of winning game 2. 9. Fenway fans got their money's worth last night. Excruciating, but nevertheless great game. Could be another one tonight. FWIW, wihich ain't much, everything I've read about this ALDS is that the Yankees are favored.

You could be right, but to me the pre-MRI acid test was Cora's unwillingness to use Wright last night when he clearly could have made a huge difference. I'm sure Wright had at least one or probably two bullpen sessions after his last game on Sep 29, which itself wasn't all that great. Same deal back in I think late June when he got hammered in a start and immediately went on the DL for a long time. Why then put him on the ALDS roster? Hope, pure and simple. Plus there wasn't much left to choose from.

There is that.

Actually, I think we already know. Kelly took Wright's place--a huge gamble, but probably justified. I'm pretty sure Cora knew about the knee problem when he announced Kelly as one of the 25 for the ALDS. Kelly had three really good months this year--April, May, and August--and three terrible ones--June, July, and September.

Turns out there never was a "Wright conundrum" because apparently there never was a Wright for the the ALDS. His knee hurts and he's going on the DL according to reports.

The entire Boston bullpen is scared shitless. It's that simple.

You have to be kidding. A win is a win and Wright could probably pitch in 4 of the 5 ALDS games.

Workman got lucky--but it was also a great call by Leon. He has earned his pay tonight despite the inadequacies and stupidity of Brasier and Workman. They love shaking off the catcher because of course they no such more more. Pitchers are born stupid and should focus on execution and not imagining what they think would be the best pitch.

No way, no how will we see Wright--hands down the best in bullpen--when we need him.

My stupid plan of using Wright for the first two innings would have been a whole lot better than this travesty we are witnessing in the 6th inning. Sale is fine, all right, but the bullpen stinks to high heaven.

Another good question. Because there is no way, no how he isn't going to start/pitch game 1. DD already said so. He is maybe the most professional starter I've ever seen, truly dedicated to his sport. He never shakes off signals. He stays completely focused. He fields his position impeccably. And he gets great results. Based on the above (by me), it would be criminal not to let Sale start and pitch that 1st inning and as many more as he can. I understand that full well. But I like my idea too even though there is no way, no how Cora will use it. And I don't think the reason he wouldn't consider it is because he's never done it before. The reason he won't is just what you implied: to use Wright first would make it clear he doesn't trust Sale completely.

Good point. I forgot about Kimbrel. Sometimes he definitely can use a little residual.

Typical in this case is borderline heroic given how well they Yankees are now hitting, especially lefties. I don't think Wright needs any residual effect. On the other hand, it has never been shown (so far as I know) that Sale needs or benefits from residual effect for the simple reason he almost always starts. Last year he relieved Porcello in game 4 and gave up 2 runs in 4.2 innings vs. Houston. 4 days earlier he went 7 and gave up 7 runs in a game the Astros took, 8-2.

Glad to. Starting Wright mitigates the risk of starting Sale who didn't look so good in September or last October. In other words, Wright sets him up for success. You yourself--or someone else--said that knuckler has a residual effect that carries over to the next Sox pitcher and maybe even the next game. On the other hand, if your confidence in Sale is high, it would make no sense to start Wright. It does appear that we agree that Wright is probably the best in the bullpen for anything except closing.

I'll tell you why I favor starting Wright tonight for 2 innings, then bringing in Sale-- 1. First and foremost, I'm worried about Sale. He bombed last October and he's had a very worrisome September. 2. Second, starting a reliever worked great for the Rays this year--and used in this manner, 1 or 2 innings 3. Wright has had a great September. He's started before. Best of all, his knuckler cannot help but set up Sale who throws a lot of hard stuff. The two best arguments against doing this are-- 1. Cora has done nothing like this before and it could screw everything up. 2. Sale was fantastic against the Yankees early this year, April and June.

Actually, Pom is finally providing something the Sox can use--a batting practice pitcher who might help them get ready for Happ. Both lefties, both around 6'5 1/2" tall. But one can pitch and the other, well, the Sox are paying him $14.3M not to pitch in the ALDS.

I admit using Wright to start and go 2 innings is pretty wild, but what you propose is just wrong. You don't waste Wright on an unwinnable game when he had by far the best September in the bullpen. Heck, if you take out just 1 game, his disastrous start June 22 when he gave up 10 runs, he has pitched in 19 games, gone 50 innings, and has an ERA of 1. In September he pitched 13.2 innings in relief and gave up 1 earned run for an ERA of .66. Plus Wright is versatile--unlike Kimbrel. He can go more than 1 inning--3 or 4 if you want--and in any inning. This is the postseason, and no way, no how should Cora leave anyone in long enough to make the game unwinnable. If the starter falters early, pull him and bring in Wright before the game gets out of hand. You want a long reliever after the damage is done, go with ERod.

Has to be him.