Maxbialystock

About right. I still believe in Devers and do think he is working on his defense. This year is definitely a disappointment compared to last year, but he is 21, so I cut him some slack. Moonslav's point is that the Sox can wait at least thru 2019 before making a move. This year, his rookie year, he came out of spring training as the starting thirdbaseman, which basically meant that Cora played him a lot. I think by the all star break Devers had played in the most games. But as of today he has played 106 games, fewer than Nunez and Moreland, 121 and 113 games, both of whom have been almost in the platoon category, and he has done so because of injuries. Here's a little stunner. Last year in 58 games Devers WAR was 1.3, not too shabby. This year in 106 games it's -.4. So all the complainers have a sound basis for being that way. But that's why his age, 21, is important. When Devers came up last year and now and then this year, he has exhibited a big grin and a lot of joy in being a major leaguer. That's good. But what's that Tom Hanks line about baseball when Geena Davis complained it just got to be too hard? "The hard is what makes it great! If it were easy, everyone would do it." My guess is that Devers this year is learning about the hard part.

To me it's not just the numbers--and thank you for those--it's what I see. To me Poyner is fearless out there and so far unlikely to make a bad pitch or big mistake. Small sample, yes, but it's over the entire season because he made the 25 man roster back in April. I just don't like Pom and never will. Oldtime overall sees the postseason about the way most of us do--4 starters and 7 relievers with the former pretty clear and the latter pretty murky except for Kimbrel and Brasier and Wright.

True. Altuve was safe on the replay, but it was a close play and the umpire was in great position. I think we benefitted from some push back by the MLB guys in NY who don't like managers constantly asking for replays--nor do we fans. Bogey just made a bad throw, but you gotta love what Leon did. That plus the way he handles pitchers is why I want him to be the primary catcher in the playoffs. I'm more and more convinced that catcher is the most important defensive position on the team. I was impressed with his calls in this game but also Friday night with Price because Price got away with a ton of fastballs and cut fastballs, mixed in with just a few changeups and I don't believe any sliders or curves. But his location was good, and Leon took that into account.

I say again, that punk kid Thunder has it dead right. This was a great game. I missed the first hour because I was at an organizational meeting, but, once home, I was riveted even though I truly hate Sunday night baseball. The games can go to midnight and I gotta get up and go to work Monday and I'm a creaky 78 year old. But last night I had to make an exception because so much happened--a million little stories. As much as I liked the 3 run dinger by JDM and the gamewinning rbi by Moreland, my biggie is Porcello pitching 5 solid innings when we really needed them to help get us that 5-1 lead. He got tagged with 2 more in the 6th, but a lot of the blame should go to Hembree and Johnson, the relievers. With the game tied, Cora brought in Wright, who pitched the 7th and 8th even though Sandy has trouble with that knuckler. But it worked, big time, plus in the 7th Sandy made a great tag on Altuve to save a run when Bogey's throw home was way high. I think Sandy had a great game despite going hitless (again).

Good to repeat your basis for "quiet" hero because there is absolutely nothing quiet about the guy. He loves being a major leaguer, especially with a contender like the Sox, and it shows in the way he plays.

Dead on.

No, no, no, no, and no. I read it on last night's game thread. Cora was an idiot bringing in Wright in the 7th inning, and it is completely irrelevant that he went 2 and gave up 0 runs despite Philip's error (he never should have thrown in the first place) and Bogie's high throw home that Sandy miraculously turned into an out (with some help from the ump). In other words, right now Wright has the right stuff when all those around him keep throwing the wrong stuff (or maybe just in the wrong place). If Wright keeps this up, if Brasier can be Brasier again, if Kimbrel can stay Kimbrel, and if just 2 or 3 others will get their heads repositioned and pitch they way they are able to pitch, this bullpen just might work and reveal--once again--the amazing depth of this team. I like Poyner a lot.

A fascinating game thread with a lot of people climbing on the "what a dummy Cora is" bandwagon. Not me. One guy keeps insisting that sending Wright out to pitch the 7th was completely indefensible even though Wright ended up pitching two scoreless innings despite two terrible defensive plays by Philips and Bogey. Sox now up 8.5 on the NYY with 18 games to go. So me, I'm kind of happy with the manager. If Cora is as dumb as you guys claim, gimme dumb every time and twice on Sundays. We only took 1 of 3 games against the Astros, but they clearly have a better pitching staff and better defense, and their hitting is basically better than ours head to head because our guys have to hit against their pitchers. Porcello surprised me. Well done. Bogey was 8 for 12 in this series including 4 of 4 tonight. Before tonight I was positive the Astros had JDM's number, but tonight he had 4 rbi's. He da man. And boy did Moreland come thru with two hits as a sub for Pearce. Kimmi and moonslav, who have always kept the faith with this team, were also winners tonight. If Sale can get back to his new normal this year, that's two pretty good starters. Somehow among Porcello, Erod, and Wright, there ought to be two more decent ones. The bullpen is definitely scary, but I think they will come around. The hitting is still the best in MLB.

It only won the game, that's all. The Astros leftfielder doesn't try to barehand it if slowpoke JDM is trying to scored from 2B. Lin is fast.

I honestly believe there was no way Moreland would make contact with that heat, let alone get the single. Wow. Great win.

The difference between a good manager and a poor one is the quality of his bullpen. Our bullpen stinks. Houston's is pretty darn good.

You still don't get it. Focus on this game, not the season or some theory you have. This bullpen has been up and down in this series with a lot of guys being used and overall a poor performance. In that context, there is absolutely nothing with sending Wright out there. Plus, oh, guess what? It freaking worked!

Yeah, right. That's why Wright went two scoreless innings--because he had no business out there. Plus you of course know this pitching staff--and baseball tactics--so much better than Cora.

No, you haven't been watching the game. Wright came in with a clean inning and no one one base. He's now pitched two scoreless innings. By the way, I'm just defending Cora's move/decision. Has it ever occurred to you he might know more than you?

Didn't you watch the inning? Haven't you been watching the game and the series, for crying out loud? Wright was fine when Hembree, Johnson, Kelly, and Brasier (Friday night) gave two games away--although thanks to Wright the Sox still have a shot in this game.

Very good point. For really optimum baseball I think every team should be allowed up to 50 on the roster so that the defense doesn't have to bat and the offense doesn't have to field. If that's too much, maybe three DH's instead of the measly 1 each team has.

He missed the call, but it was close and he was in perfect position.

Actually, you have to be kidding with your complaint. Wright is a bonafide long reliever whom the Astros haven't seen much of and who hasn't pitched in this series. In the actual event, he pitched well and got screwed by Phillips error on an ill-advised throw to 1B. Then Bogie did his best to screw him on an easy throw home that was way, way high. The only thing wrong with Wright in the 7th was the Sox defense, which was pathetic.

Notice Keuschel is still in there because, except for that fat pitch up in the zone to JDM, he has pitched well, mostly because he is keeping the ball down.

Maybe Cora should have gone with Brasier sooner, but Brasier got hammered Friday night by not one but two doubles. It was last night's crew of Workman, Poyner, and Thornberg who pitched well, but they threw 1.2, 2, and 2 innings.

Amazing how much the Sox pitching staff seems to love the middle of the strike zone. The last two pitches by Hembree were dead center. In 6 pitches he never threw a low one.

Porcello seems to be going with his fat pitch repertoire. No slides, just fast balls and cut fastball in the middle of the zone.

Meh. Keuchel threw JDM a fast pitch high in the zone when keeping it low has worked so well--see the game ending GIDP last night. Porcello just gave up a solo shot on an 88 mph fastball up in the zone but not above it. That has always gotten him in trouble in the past.

Who gives a s***? The point is that Leon is invaluable because of his catching skills. We've had two good starts in this series vs. the Astros, and he was behind the plate for both of them.

On one of these threads there is a discussion by kimmi and others that Cora is just stupid batting JD Martinez 3d. What they fail to realize that, because Bogey is hitting well, opposing teams are likely to pitch to JDM and not walk him. It goes without saying that Cora knows baseball and this team a whole lot better than our experts, who I will be the first to acknowledge know a lot more than I do.