Maxbialystock

Speaking for the pessimists, I have to say I like the very strong rebuttals by the optimists here and on the game thread. Well done. It's just one game. Sox will sweep in Yankee Stadium when we bring out our righty starters. This is the same team that won 108 games, most in Sox history. We lost the ALDS in 2016 and 2017 because of Farrell, no one else, and now we have Cora. The only thing missing is that hit song from Damn Yankees--You Gotta Have Heart (all you really need is heart).

Wow. I have to ask just why you are so optimistic when the Sox are playing exactly the way they played in the last two ALDS's, when Price once again got hammered in the postseason (where he is now 0-10), when the Yankees bullpen remains so dominant, and when their lineup is so relentless? As the OP says, forget last night, it happens. The scary game was Friday night when we won after Sale had a great start--his longest since July 27--and JDM hit a 3 run dinger and the Sox should have been off to the races. Nope. Enter our woebegone bullpen and the Yankees lineup which had us Sox fans on the edge or our seats until the last out in a 5-4 win. Now we are headed for Yankee Stadium where the Sox are 3-6 for the year. I agree it's not over. Not in baseball. Not after being down 0-3 to the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS and 1-3 to the Guardians in the 2007 ALCS. There is always hope. But let me tell you something loud and clear. If you aren't worried, you aren't paying attention.

Not much to say. The Yankees just look like the better team. Their hitting and their bullpen for sure--way, way better then ours. And we knew all of this last month. Plus even their defense looks better than ours. To add insult to injury, Tanaka completely outpitched Price last night. Friday night was the harbinger. Sale pitched a gem, JD Martinez got the huge 3 run dinger, and the Sox barely won because our bullpen stinks, the Yankees' doesn't, and the Yankees hitters are relentless. I think most or all of this falls on DD. He spent like a drunken sailor on starting pitching and for guys like Price, Porcello, and the late, great Pomeranz. But, except for Kimbrel, he didn't do much about the bullpen. He did fix the lineup however with JD Martinez. That's how come the 108 wins--the Sox also scored the most runs in MLB (but only barely because the Yankees were gaining on us).

OK, OK. Good no-sub for Nunez.

I don't want pinch hitters for Nunez and Kinsler. I want Devers and Holt to sub for them. Pinch hit for Leon only if someone's on.

Judge is actually a gazelle out there. He has great speed, good hands, excellent timing, and a very good arm. Darn it.

OK, it is now a fact that Tanaka is getting more calls than our guys. Probably because he stays pretty close to the strike zone.

The Yankees only have a 3 run lead. Leon gets partial credit for Price's debacle, but also partial credit for Kelly's sterling 2 innings in relief. Leaving Leon in is mild insurance the Sox bullpen can keep it close. I seriously doubt a pinch hitter in the 3d would have made a difference. Tanaka is working our guys over pretty good. So far I think Cora is managing this game just fine.

I would too. After last night, I raved about Leon's catching. But tonight he gets partial credit for Price stinking up the joint. Still, it's only the 3d inning.

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.