Maxbialystock

See the Yankees series--all three games were shutdowns--by Sabathia, Sale, and Severino. Our pitching during this streak isn't as good as back in April, but the hitting is better. Of our rotation right now, Sale is an ace and Porcello and ERod are pretty good, but Price is a question mark right now but could return to form. Wright should be excellent when he returns. I hope Pomeranz never returns.

Not good for the rest of us. I prefer real discussion and insights and funny comments, but tolerate the nonsense because people gotta vent.

Actually, I like your insights better because the playoffs and the Yankees scare me too. Dead on with "all we need to focus on is winning this division and see what happens."

Bartolo Colon, righty, vs. Chris Sale, lefty Pitching advantage to the Sox with our ace out there and a better lineup backing him up. But you gotta play the games, and in baseball surprises are almost a matter of course. Colon even going to the mound to start is a surprise given his age. And let's not forget that Sale, great as he is, can still have a bad game. I disagree with everyone who says beating up lower ranked teams as the Sox have just done for those 8 straight wins, is only to be expected. Baloney. What has happened is that the hitting has come alive at just the right time--not that it was moribund before, but now it is better. This has been a terrific streak which has now built a 3.5 game lead over the Yankees just when they were ready to steamroller us again after taking 2 of 3 in Yankee Stadium. Deja vu all over again because the same thing happened two months ago in May. The Sox have the best offense (by a good margin that keeps expanding) and the best record in MLB, but they are far from perfect. What team is? I think most of us give DD a lot of credit for working on those imperfections from last year: new manager, new big bat equivalent to Big Papi at his best, Pearce, dumping HanRam, hanging onto JBJ, hanging onto Vazquez/Leon and adding Swihart (of necessity, but right now he is proving his worth and the wisdom of keeping him on the roster), etc. As key as JDM has been, I'm getting the feeling that Cora may be just as important, and that's a ridiculous thing to say about a manager. I've enjoyed this streak as much as everyone else. Wild applause for Alex Cora and the team. And DD.

I know, I credit it to my weak attempt at reverse mojo in the OP's-- in which I whine a lot and make up a bunch of baloney about how we probably can't win this game. Tonight I even started that early by saying poor Chris Sale will be going up against a far more experienced and savvy pitcher, the great Bartolo Colon. I also mentioned again how exhausted our guys look even though they are if anything over-enthusiastic on the basepaths. Of course, what I write means nothing in terms of game outcomes. The players and their manager are taking care of all that and they are going great guns. I have not beat up on Swihart all that much, but will admit I was surprised and delighted with how well he played tonight. I did say on the Vazquez thread I was fine with making him the #2 catcher. It's a big of a gamble, but better than spending to get a rental.

I hope you are the one person who noticed that entire post was meant facetiously--except for the great defense. I was dead certain that saying Swihart should gain 30 pounds to be a better target was a dead giveaway, but Natick to NC believes it completely. How dare I besmirch the great athleticism of our 3d catcher whom, I might add, Natick to NC was ready to throw on the ash heap of history?

I get the Orioles feed and just watched their postgame celebration. You would think they clinched the pennant instead of just beating the Yankees in the bottom of the 9th. Who says MLB players are blase?

Sox very, very fortunate to finally win one tonight against the Rangers. You can see the exhaustion in the faces of the lineup. And our pitching needed some great plays by the defense. Another really tough one tomorrow night, Sale vs. a far more experienced and savvy pitcher, the great Bartolo Colon. And look at the long list of great talent on the Sox DL: Wright, Pedey, Vazquez, and our one true ace Pomeranz. Cora is holding this Sox team together with baling wire and chewing gum. It makes absolutely no difference that the Yankees are now 3.5 games back--they are a juggernaut. I will say this, though. At least our guys are trying. I see no quit in them. But I am worried about that new catcher out there tonight. He needs to put on at least 30 pounds to give the pitchers a good target behind the plate--and I simply don't care how fast he is.

You think? Check out my OP's during this winning streak.

Agree completely.

Actually, I was sure he went to 2b until I saw the force out. Terrible camera work by NESN.

He didn't advance and was out on a force out at 2B by the next batter. I would have put the error squarely on Moreland if he had adanced.

Cora leaves Beeks in against the advice of almost everyone here on talksox, and Beeks gets a third out and has gone 2 giving up 1 and the Sox are still up 5-2. Good thing Cora is the manager and none of us.

Great play by Bogaerts on the GIDP and of course it will never be recorded as such because the defensive stats don't allow for that kind of play.

So how many times this season or any season are we ever going to see this sequence. 7 straight hits, all hard hit balls including 2 singles, 3 doubles, and a triple--except for one clean swinging K by the one and only Mookie Betts. Never before, I would think, and never again. What a lineup!

Well done, Velazquez. 3 innings, 1 run. Have not been able to watch so can't comment on Swihart catching, but how bad can it be? From the standpoint that this is Velazquez's first start since April and I think Swihart's second game as starting catcher, tonight is pretty important test. Six lefty bats in the Sox lineup. Hmmm.

Gallardo, righty vs. Velazquez, righty On paper, Velazquez has a big edge (much lower ERA), but Gallardo got a win in his last start and Velazquez hasn't gone more than 3 innings in three months. Who's our long reliever after that with Johnson and Wright both on the DL? Don't say Swihart because he's probably catching. This is a dire situation, folks. Did I forget to mention that the lineup players are exhausted what with the hot weather, way too much scoring and running around the bases, no travel day after the grueling series in DC, etc? That it's the Boston Red Sox vs. the Texas Rangers, which means we're bringing a bunch of dirty socks to a gunfight?

Pretty good discussion on Swihart. As it turns out, hanging onto him was a good idea if he can fill in for Vazquez. I think he can do all the physical stuff, but the concern has to be how much confidence the pitchers have in him. He has been on the active 25 man roster for over half a season and has caught one game and smidgens of maybe a couple more. He has spent more innings at DH than at catcher. Of course, every other MLB only carries two catchers, so it should not surprise too much that Swihart hasn't been used because Vazquez and Leon have both been healthy. Maybe it just boils down to how many games Leon can catch. 4 of 5 would be ideal but probably wear him out. 3 of 5 would be easy for Leon but possibly expose Swihart--or not.

Yes it is. Braier was completely off my radar scope which ain't that good anyway.

Nice win, nicer streak.

Meh. Most days I think you guys over-rate defense. However, I back Cora's decisions on stuff like this, and he is sticking with JBJ. Bad as his hitting is, he has been unable to prevent the Sox from building the best offensive machine in MLB.

Agree on Holt. Also on Nick's points about Moreland and Pearce.

He irritated the heck out of me.

I still watch it because it is good baseball played by the best--many of whom I don't see very often or at all. Whoever wins gets bragging rights, and, if one League keeps winning, it suggests it's the better League which in fact was the case a few times in the past. Unlike football and basketball, there is less risk of injury, so the ASG players are all trying hard to make a good pitch, a good swing, a good catch and/or throw. It can be real baseball, not "show" baseball (whatever that is). I've seen Severino pitch several times and consider it a treat even though painful for a Sox fan. He is having a great year because of how he is pitching, and I think he deserves the start and maybe 2 innings, certainly not 3. For the same reason I'd like to see Sale out there, especially if there is a defensive play to be made--and even though right now I think Severino is better. For the same reason I'd like to see some NL pitchers.

Nicely done.