Maxbialystock

Also: I'm now beginning to wonder why Vazquez was our primary catcher all season long. Right now he looks like a really stupid catcher. And he was catching when they scored 3 off Kelly last night. Plus he got the stupid injury sliding into 2B when he had no business trying to get 2B.

I'm serious when I say I wonder what the heck ERod, Vazquez, and the pitching coach were thinking.

Also: last night Price threw a ton of fastballs, but was avoiding the center of the strike zone. Not so ERod today. Way too many fast pitches.

Horrible, horrible game plan for ERod. Almost all fastballs until Houston had scored 2 runs, then finally a changeup. Now more fastballs to get two more Astro hits. ERod has probably the best changeup on the team, and they don't want to use it with a lefty going against 8 righty bats.

About Kelly. I was pretty mad too, but I just looked at a replay of that egregious 8th inning and noted the following-- 1. He walked no one and gave up 3 runs on 4 singles, no walks, and no extra base hits. 2. Two of the singles were grounders, one fielded by Kinsler who almost made a great play to get an out. 3. The first run scored on a bases loaded fly out to RF when Betts unwisely and mistakenly threw home where there was absolutely no play to be made and which resulted in the other two runners advancing. The smart play was to throw to 3B, not home. 4. The second run scored on a WP which Leon might have blocked but Vazquez could not. 5. Yes, Kelly did in fact give up 3 earned runs, but Brasier was the one who gave up 2 doubles that enabled the Astros to score 3 runs in the 7th. 6. About Brasier. Cora absolutely made the right move in sending him out there in the 7th because there were two on and one out in a 2-0 game and Brasier has the lowest ERA in the bullpen. 7. But Brasier promply gave up a double off the green monster by Gurriel that brought in 1 run and put men on 2d and 3d with 1 out. Then Brasier showed his mettle by getting Reddick to pop up for out #2. But Kemp got a miracle opposite field double off of a low and inside (and very good) pitch by Brasier that gave the Astros 2 runs and the lead.

I think it was more than luck, but generally agree with your point that it was a hard fought game to a point. One thing that bothered me a little was that both bullpens threw pretty good heat--Kelly and Brasier both throw in the high 90's or 100 mph--last night, but the Astros hit our fast balls and our guys for the most part swung and missed. Back to your point about luck. Last night the Astros pinch hit for their catcher and Kemp doubled in 2 runs off of Brasier. Cora pinch hit twice for our catchers (Leon and Vazquez) and Holt and Devers both struck out. Season to date, however, the Astros OPS when pinch-hitting is .559, and ours is .661. The double by Kemp was opposite field down the line from a low and inside pitch on a 3-2 count.

What does that mean? This game was all about pitching, not hitting. The Astros have the best pitching in MLB by a big margin and we have a pretty decent rotation. We scored 3 runs, which is in fact the Astros ERA, and they hammered our bullpen, just hammered it. Houston pinch hit for their catcher and Kemp got a double and 2 rbi's. Holt pinch hit for Leon and K's and later Devers did the same thing for Vazquez. I'm pretty sure the Sox also have the worst pinch-hitting stats in MLB this year. I do not see how anything we saw tonight can be blamed on Cora.

My goodness Betts was quick: 1st to 3d on a hard hit single to left against a pretty good arm (Reddick).

My impression of downtown Houston in the summertime is that very few people use the sidewalks. Kind of like Montreal in the dead of winter.

Great first out and teamwork between Mookie and Kinsler. An in-betweener that did not lead to a collision and did lead to a catch.

Actually, he's .700 and has the 4th best (.9) DWAR among AL SS's. Machado as the Orioles SS this season? Dad last with a DWAR of -1.2. Bogey at -.8. Overall WAR among AL shortstops: Bogey 6th with 3.2, Iggy 10 with 2.2, and Machado 8th with 2.8. When he was on the Sox, I was very pro-Iglesias. Now I say, good riddance. His cumulative WAR, 2013-2018, is 9.8. Bogey's is 14.2 and he only played in 18 game in 2013 and had a really rough apprenticeship in 2014 (WAR .2). 2014-2017 (last 4 seasons), Bogey has played an average 151 games. Iggy has played an average of 93 games and never more that 137 (which he could surpass this year but can't match Bogey's average of 151 over four years.

Betts RF Beni LF JD Martinez DH Bogey SS Moreland 1B Kinsler 2B Nunez 3B Leon C JBJ CF If this series is a precursor to the playoffs, the absence of Devers (against a righty starter) is suggestive--assuming he is healthy, of course. 4 lefty bats in this lineup, which just might be our best defensive lineup while retaining an ability to score runs.

I was going to ask you not to pontificate, but that's actually pretty thorough. I think the Yankees are hurting, but agree with "biggest boom or bust potential." I like the Sox over the Astros--see W-L records--but can't disagree Houston is awfully good and maybe without weaknesses. All that said, I still believe, fervently, that the postseason is unpredictable. I think all five AL teams have a shot at the WS. it's not just the playoff format. It's also that the very best AL team has a winning % of 69% and the 5th best team, Oakland, is at 60%. One team wins 6 of 10 games and the other 7 of 10. And head to head the Athletics took 4 of 6 from the Sox.

I do. Half my family came from the Netherlands. Great explorers, good businessmen, and doormats any time the Prussians/Germans wanted to invade France.

Too many to name, including jobs done by starters and relievers in key wins.

Meh. So much depends on the two starters on that specific day. Anyone can win just one game. That's almost true of any series with all teams above .500.

No question--some still are. But I think most teams fairly sure of the postseason use September for another hard look at their bench.

Good stuff.

Good stuff, all around. Agree Devers needs to show he is more consistent at 3B.

I'm guessing just like everyone else because Cora still has 21 games to make a decision. Devers played in the ALDS last year vs. Houston's great pitching staff, played all 4 games, and had 2 dingers and an OPS of 1.338. I agree he is not a lock, but this year his OWAR is .8, his OPS .721 with 16 dingers, and, agreed, suspect defense. I do believe he is part of the future of this club. Oh, and his hamstring could go bad again. I just threw Nunez's name out there because Phillips has basically the same skills and might be a better choice--gold glove, higher lifetime OPS, maybe a better baserunner, etc. But it's just one game, as you say, and let's see what happens this month.

Right now my five spares are Vazquez, Swihart, Holt, Nunez (platoon with Devers at 3b), and Pearce (ditto with Moreland at 1B). However, if Phillips gets in more games and continues to play well, I would then consider having him replace Nunez or Swihart or Holt. The guy has four gold gloves, was good at AAA this year, and had a decent MLB year last year. Yesterday he played with a lot of enthusiasm and skill before that amazing 9th inning dinger to win the game.

In September, sure, but absolutely not in October because he would be a wasted spot on the roster.

Well put. How can anyone not delight in this one game and Phillips's role in it?

We've only seen Phillips in one game, but still--he's got four gold gloves; he played well at Pawtucket this year with an OPS over .800; 2b and 3b have not been real strengths this year. Of those five "subs" above, I think Swihart might be the one least needed. Hopefully, the remaining 21 games will help clarify this.

He absolutely could, but you can bet he doesn't want to and that he is going to play more games this month.