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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    Last night I watched a pretty good chunk of the Cubs loss to the Rockies--especially Lester. To me Jon Lester is very close to the approaches of Sale, Price, and ERod. All four are lefty power pitchers who rely on their fastballs judiciously mixed with the right amount of breaking stuff. They all throw right around 93/94 mph except Sale who normally prefers 96-99 mph. Unlike Sale, Price, and ERod, I'm not sure I saw Lester throw many changeups. But he was darn effective because he was hitting his spots, and that, it seems to me, is the key for postseason success for our guys. If they can do that, command their pitches, then this thread has merit and we can talk about Sale or Price or whoever among the starters. Otherwise, gimme Wright for just 2 innings at the start or 2 or 3 ALDS games.
  2. Maxbialystock
    Sadly, I completely agree. I'm rooting for the Rockies big time. They got a 1-0 lead, but Lester looks very tough, hitting his spots, throwing fastballs, and mixing in just enough breaking stuff.
  3. Maxbialystock
    Right before the disaster vs Seattle in June when he was tagged for 10 and went on the DL, he started three straight, went 20.2 innings, and gave up 0 runs. If you take out that Seattle game, Wright has pitched in 20 games, gone 50.2 innings, and given up 6 earned runs for an ERA of 1.04. Take the worst game away from any other pitcher, including Sale, and their ERA is still not close to Wright's. That's why I started a thread arguing he should start games 1, 3, and 5 of the ALDS and go 2 innings in each game--because I think he will be consistent, get guys out, and set up the hard throwers--Sale, Porcello, and Sale--who actually pitch the bulk of the innings. That won't happen, of course. It's just a theory, but the theory came from watching Cash do it in Tampa and from getting very nervous about our starters in the postseason.
  4. Maxbialystock
    I believe that because the choices for the 14 are so obvious.
  5. Maxbialystock
    Wright. Maybe Kimbrel if a save is involved. That's about it. Sale, if anything, looks worse than last October despite a brilliant first 4 months this year. His last two starts--ditto Price's (who gave up 5 dingers in those 2 games_--do not inspire at all. Porcello might be the best of the three, but he too can get whacked. Wright made 10 appearances and pitched 13.2 innings in September with an ERA of .66.
  6. Maxbialystock
    You betcha, red ryder.
  7. Maxbialystock
    Here's my updated roster on Oct 2-- 11 pitchers, also the 11 highest WAR's (in descending order): Sale Price Porcello ERod Kimbrel Wright Velazquez Brasier Barnes Workman Eovaldi My one exception might be to move Poyner up because he is a lefty and drop Workman out. 14 position players. First 10 are also the top ten on the Sox in OWAR (in descending order): Betts JDM Bogaerts Beni JBJ Holt Pearce Devers Moreland Nunez. My other 4 are in order by OPS: Swihart (.613) Kinsler (.604) Vazquez (.540) Leon (.511). Kinsler's OPS is rotten for 2B. His OPS in September was .510. You expect catchers not to hit, but secondbasemen? I'd rather go with Lin, whose OWAR is .4 and OPS is .744. But that won't happen. Kinsler is the veteran--and expensive.
  8. Maxbialystock
    You could be right. He has the most at bats and second most games on the team (after JDM). His monthly OPS' started high, faded a tad in june, came back in July (.897) and then fell hard in August (.771) and September (.667). He hit 6 dingers in May and 6 in June and 4 total in April, July, August, and September. I think beyond question he wears down and strongly disagree with oldtimer's claim that Beni needs to swing for the fences, pull the ball more, etc. He has a very good swing and should keep it that way. Given how effective these shifts are, I like it when Beni hits to the opposite field.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Just I reminder. I do think we need Thunder to start Friday's game thread. Is YOTN going to send him a note?
  10. Maxbialystock
    Excellent point, notin. The postseason just got down to 10 teams and it's already been a wild ride. Rockies and Cubs both lost yesterday and are still in it.
  11. Maxbialystock
    Absolutely true. But including the A's in the discussion is just too hard for me. Your team I know.
  12. Maxbialystock
    Starters starting is what every MLB manager but one is doing today, so you are certainly on firm ground advocating that. As I said, I'm about 99% sure that's Cora will do if for no other reason than that Dombrowski has already declared that Sale will start the first game. I'm willing to gamble--hypothetically, of course--because: 1. I think Cash will be voted AL manager of the year because of what he has done and one the most important was regularly starting a reliever who would go 1 or 2 innings. It works. 2. I'm worried about Sale because his postseason ERA is 8.38 and because of the DL time this year followed by so-so starts, especially the last two against the Guardians and Orioles. 3. Wright has started this year and 2 years ago, and he is also comfortable relieving. Better, his knuckler looks awfully good this year and, better still, it appears to make it easier for whichever pitcher relieves him because he upsets the hitters timing. 4. The Sox rotation as a whole has been ruinous in the playoffs the last two years--no other word for it.
  13. Maxbialystock
    That's correct, moonslav. I started a thread on Wright that proposed starting him in games 1, 3, and 5 of the ALDS--basically, when the Rays have done this season. I think his knuckler would be ideal for setting up those 3 starters (Sale, Porcello, and Sale). As it is these days, Sox starters rarely go 7 innings and often go just 5, so it's not a question of not needing a big contribution from the bullpen.
  14. Maxbialystock
    Great question. Exactly the right one. Faith and trust are not words I use when discussing baseball. I just look at the numbers and in this case they scare me. Before the DL stay of 2 weeks, Sale was just about a shoo-in for Cy Young. Since he came back, he has struggled and for sure hasn't gone beyond 5 innings. Last two times out, he got scored on. The Yankees love to hit against lefties, especially lefties who might not have their best stuff. Remember last October when Sale also did not have his best stuff? I am not saying Sale can't do the job on Friday, but me, I'd like a little insurance because of the past month and a half and especially his last outing when the gave up 3 and could not throw more than 92 mph and sometimes threw 88 or 89 mph. Still, you have used the operative word--faith (or trust will do)--because I suspect that our rookie manager will decide as you have that faith or trust are far more important than niggling statistics and a small sampling at that. Oh, as moonslav pointed out, walks are probably not an issue with Sale. But giving up runs appears to be. To me, anyway.
  15. Maxbialystock
    I think you posted this before on another thread. I liked it then and still like it except for one little problem. It assumes Sale, Price, and Porcello will be gangbusters against the very potent Yankees lineup. Against the A's, maybe, but I don't see the Yankees rolling over.
  16. Maxbialystock
    I started the "Wright Conundrum" thread because I think Wright can be very effective starting and going for 2 innings. I now think that's more important because I think Sale's "hard stuff" ain't so hard these days--a real concern. Show them the knuckler early, not late. I think it is like 99% that Chris Sale starts Friday. What's missing from the discussion about bringing in Wright is exactly when that will happen because I think Cora will have a tough time deciding to pull him early, which is when I'm afraid the damage will be done. As others have said, it Sale works the corners too assiduously and walks a couple, he is then vulnerable to a bases clearing home run, especially if it's the Yankees, who love lefty starters and just set the MLB record for dingers. I'm not saying I'm right. Far from it. I'm just saying I'm worried.
  17. Maxbialystock
    I prefer Sale coming in after Wright.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Four of our kids live in Greensboro and had no problems. But it is inland.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Silver slugger award after 5 innings has to go to Kinsler for finally hitting two pitches really hard. Both foul, of course, but the Sox hardest hit balls tonight. Then, realizing his mistake, he did the right thing and struck out looking against a fat fast ball near the middle of the zone but a tad below center. Happ threw 8 or 9 pitches, all but one fastballs. No sweat.
  20. Maxbialystock
    You're right of course. Cora is going with non-roster guys on the mound tonight. But, very frankly, I'm not so sure Sale will do much better than Johnson because he sure didn't look so hot vs. the Orioles. Plus the Sox lineup is very likely to go against Happ in the ALDS--assuming NYY gets there--and our lineup can't seem to touch him even when he throws 80% fast balls.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Didn't Cora challenge a call during this debacle? Really?
  22. Maxbialystock
    Men on 1st and 3d after a walk and a grounder to RF, no one out. 3, 4, and 5 hitters come to bat, shrug, and make three very easy outs for Happ who continues to throw like 80% fast balls.
  23. Maxbialystock
    You cannot tell me Bogey tried at all on that at bat. Two fat fastballs, very hittable, strikes. The swing and miss at the change followed by a shrug--no big deal. I just struck on 3 pitches. What, me worry?
  24. Maxbialystock
    2 men on, fast ball right down the middle, and JDM barely fouls it off. The foul pops to Judge for out 1.
  25. Maxbialystock
    What us? I'm a fan watching a game played by highly paid professionals. That means something to me. And imagine how the fans at the game feel. What we are seeing tonight is very unprofessional by the Red Sox, who clearly could give a s***.
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