Maxbialystock

We can all complain about some particular player or aspect of the team--which is not perfect--but it's pretty darn hard not to be thrilled with the pre-ASG record. Were the Sox to stay at .694 for the whole season, they would win 112 games. Those also-ran Yankees 4 1/2 games back? If they stay at .653, they will win 105-106 games. Astros at .646 would win 104-105 games. So all three teams are having great seasons. The question is, which ones can keep it up?

Now that the 86 year drought has ended and the Sox have actually won two more WS since 2004, yours is a sensible position. And it is helped by the fact that several teams--lately, 10--now get to the postseason when before it was just two. If you grew up as a fan during "before it was just two" era, you might think winning that one and only Series was the big deal. Interestingly, I gather that John Henry prefers to go for the gold, or how else do you explain firing a manager who won the AL East division his final two years? And, yes, I am aware that the vast majority of talksoxers were very much in favor of canning Farrell after last year if not earlier.

This is an unimportant item, but I gotta say it about Sox pitchers. At least two starters--Pomeranz (thankfully on the DL) and ERod are very slow to cover 1b on grounders to the right. ERod's sprained ankle Saturday was entirely because he was late getting to 1B. Sale, on the other hand, is great getting to 1B and fielding his position. On the radio the other night, one of the announcers reported that Sandy Leon told him (or another reporter) than Sale had not shaken off a single sign the entire season. Pomeranz, on the other hand, always seems to have an endless debate going on in his head about what pitch to throw next--if any at all. Consequently, he clearly is not ready to field his position once the ball is released. ERod trends that way but isn't as bad. There may be others.

Great win that I wasn't so sure would be a win.

All this talk about ancient pitchers sure seems off the topic--who should the Sox trade for--but several have already made the case that, while a lefty reliever or something would certainly help, DD can be a little cautious, not only because the Sox right now have the best record and best hitting in MLB, but also because the Sox don't have a lot of money to spend and stay below the luxury tax. So, once again, thanks to MVP 78 for starting this and OH FOY! for educating us on the Left Arm of God, Sandy Koufax, who would make every starting pitcher in today look like a candy ass. And Sandy wasn't even that tough--Gibson was the tough one. Oh, and I basically missed the Pedro Martinez era with the Sox because I didn't get Sox on satellite until about 2004. I do think that in his prime he was very good, even great. And different.

I saw that movie too: Left Hand of God, starring Bogart and Gene Tierney, about a phony priest who does good in a Chinese village. Lee J Cobb plays the bad guy Chinese War Lord who ain't so bad at the end. It was based on a novel by William Jarrett, same guy who wrote the novel Lilies of the Field that also became a movie (Sidney Poitier vs. a bunch of nuns). Left Arm of God also works because I think Koufax was a pretty devout Jew.

I ain't buying superstar yet. Too young. Still struggles against lefty pitchers. But I agree with almost everything in the OP. Last year was Beni's sophomore slump year, and in it he was 2d on the Sox in total bases, 2d in runs scored, 4th in rbi's, 4th in dingers, 2d in SB's, etc. He is very close to being the proverbial five tool player: hits, hits with power, runs the bases, fields, and throws. He does not actually have a great arm. As Dojji correctly points out, Beni also shows up ready to play every darn day. He is the complete anti-JD Drew.

Thanks. Great, great article that does indeed capture the greatness of Sandy Koufax exactly as I remember him. I like that one line from Yogi Berra, who only faced him in the World Series of course: after seeing Koufax pitch, he understood why he won 25 games, but he couldn't understand how he lost 5 games. But the description of what constitutes a great curve is the best. Or maybe it's how in his mid-forties pitching batting practice for the Dodgers during the post season he was asked to throw his famous curve and no one on that postseason Dodgers team could hit it. Lasorda finally had to go out and ask him to knock it off because he didn't want his hitters losing confidence.

Agree completely. I favor Koufax, but both were way better than Curt.

I'm with splendidsplitter: well done and thanks. Koufax, whom I did see pitch once in Philly, deserves the top spot. Gibson was great, no question, but a little mean for my taste--he loved brushback pitches even more when they hit someone. I hasten to add that was actually not that abnormal in his era. He was incredibly competitive. My memory of Koufax is that he was not quite so competitive--at least in terms of brushback pitches--but in his prime had great stuff, especially his fastball and curve. He was elected to the Hall of Fame at age 36, the youngest ever because arthritis made him quit at age 30/31. In his three Cy Young (unanimously selected) years of 1963, 1965, and 1966, he started 40, 41, and 41 games and pitched 20, 27, and 27 complete games. 1966 was also his final year. Until you put up his postseason stats (all World Series of course), I did not know he was so great in the postseason.

Well done, Youk, on Natick to NC. I did not read his political comments, but have myself tried to admonish him gently about his zeal in attacking players on game threads. You also commented that game threads can get rough during losses. True. Of the 11 game threads I've just started, this is by far the longest and the only loss. I have decided this serves the useful purpose of venting, but even on threads on games lost there can still be many good insights. Like "yanks suck!@!"

A fair question. I don't think it was personal, but was tactical. Pearce is hot, and the Sox are a tad short on bats right now. That 5 inning 4th by the Sox was semi-miraculous and needed errors, failure to leave foot on the base at 2d, etc and a magnificent at bat by Betts. When Pearce was hit, he was batting cleanup and the Jays had 2-0 lead and Happ was looking tough. Plus it was a fast ball that didn't even hit the deck and came from a guy who had pretty good command in that game. Oh, and when you hit them low like that your chances of getting them out of the game are that much better. I could very well be wrong, but I am very suspicious.

I was livid when Cora left Wright in, but will not quarrel much about last night. Usual rule for starters is 7 runs. Porcello is an experienced starter having a good year until now with most wins on the team. And we all know by now the bullpen is not exactly a strength. They gave up 5 last night.

Meh. I liked starting these threads, but know the team and Cora did all the work. I was really torqued at Porcello last night, but today am working on putting it behind me. Price bounced back. So can Porcello. And this is a good team with a good manager. I think for the most part the hitting kept the streak going, and I do have some concerns about the pitching--both the rotation and bullpen--but the Sox are still on top by 3.5 games and other teams have their bad games too. Oh, and I still think Happ injured Pearce intentionally because his command was so good until he nailed Pearce's foot in the middle of the batters box. On the fly, no hop, and 95 mph.

I said JDM, but give Cora a lot of credit.

All due respect, but the Sox pitcher overall is 5th best (ERA) in MLB at 3.53. The #2 ERA is the Yankees' at 3.43. Not much difference. My guess is that everybody is having pitching issues except the Astros who are 2.92. That said, the Yankees and Astros are the two most likely teams to get to the ALCS besides the Sox. Even without Chapman, I think the Yankees have a better bullpen.

Sox currently have 13 pitchers, so they do have an extra one. Calling up Travis or some other position players is definitely called for with 3 games to play before the All-Star break.

Borucki, lefty, vs. Porcello, righty Tough matchup because newbie Boruki looked very good against the Yankees last week--1 run in 7 innings. Rick Porcello, he of the 11 wins, ERA 3.58, can only try to compete and hope for the best. I saw a bulletin that Benintendi is on bereavement leave and have seen nothing about Pearce's availability for tonight. If he is OK, I see him filling in at LF and 2d in the order. And Moreland goes to 1B and bats 4th. I'm sure Porcello and Cora both want Leon to catch tonight, but it will be his third straight start. I thought our guys showed some toughness last night, which is actually nothing new this year. Price got nailed in the first on a good swing off of a good pitch, but was fine until the 7th inning and had a quality start. Happ was really effective until 4th when his guys didn't support him well, Nunez got a scratch hit, etc, and Mookie had an incredible at bat capped by golfing a grand slam out of the park in LF. Unfortunately, the Yankees were pretty tough too and got to Kluber when Francona left him in too long. Who the heck was that masked man who went in for Pearce at 1B last night and smacked the ball hard twice? Wasn't that the 25th on the roster guy? The no can hit, no can catch, wasted slot guy? Suddenly DD and Cora look like geniuses and doubters like me look pretty foolish.

This was in the end an unusual game. Happ and Price started out at opposite ends: Happ seemed unhittable and Price all too hittable. I was particularly critical of Price after that first inning 2 run dinger, but he quickly settled down and did not give up another run until the 7th. Happ ended up giving up 5 in the 4th before leaving the game with almost 100 pitches and something like a 42 pitch inning and and a 13 pitch at bat by Betts before the grand slam. But as I look back now I think both starters were victims of great swings by two opposing hitters. That 2 run dinger to center field in the 1st was off a changeup low in the zone, and the grandslam was off a 95 mph fastball right on the line or below the zone. Also, Happ was a victim in the 4th of variety of cheap hits and wasn't that the inning when the 2B took his foot off 2b too soon so Bogie was safe? Jung is absolutely right that the key to Betts at bat was fighting off a succession of pretty darn good pitches from Happ. Agree too with those singling out Swihart who right now is vindicating all those--but not me--who wanted him playing more earlier in the season.

10 in a row. Not too shabby, and just at the right time. I thought Cora did a great job on when he took pitchers out. Also, it sure looks like Swihart can hit.

Very tough win, but Price came thru and Betts was huge with 5 rbi's.

I thought it was a tough play. No error, for sure.

Me too.

Yup. Dead on.

OK. That was one absolutely incredible inning--ending (maybe) with a golfed dinger that just took off like a rocket. By Betts. Great, great at bat of course. Then there's Price's complete transformation from batting practice in the 1st to semi-ace in the 2d, 3d, and 4th. Wow, what a team!