Maxbialystock

Accidentally repeated a post.

I'm not ready to put Philips on the postseason roster, but I love that he had this incredible experience today and that his appearance in this game shows once again that the Sox FO has a good feel for who should be given a shot. Great move by DD and Cora. At the least, one hopes that we see Phillips again this month.

However, I think MLB teams have stayed with 12 pitchers during the regular season for decades. That's still a lot because it leaves just 13 position players--9 for the lineup plus a spare catcher, outfielder, and usually 2 infielders. Those 4 subs have to cover 9 positions plus pinch hit, etc. The other point to remember is that you don't just want 12 arms--if you do--in the postseason. You want 12 quality arms. And that's pretty hard to find on any MLB team. With 11 you have a little more assurance of quality and you know for a fact that no way, no how will you have to inflict Pom on this team or this fan base.

I can't for the life of me find the 2009 postseason roster. Nice touch.

For those advocating 12 pitchers on the postseason roster, you can check, but I don't think the Sox have used 12 before. In 2004 it was 10 pitchers and in 2013 11 pitchers.

Thank you, Pomeranz, for clearing up your postseason availability so thoroughly. I do not understand the advocates for a guy who's ERA is over 6 and who is a lefty who cannot throw a changeup. Today the real Pomeranz stood up to be counted--as a reliever who cannot be counted on. Before--I repeat, before--today's game, Pom's WAR was .1. Poyner's is .5 and he's only pitched 12 innings vs. Pom's 66. And his ERA is 2.19. If Poyner is healthy, it is a no-brainer to use him vs. Pomeranz.

To be brutally honest, I'm glad Pom got shelled today because I sincerely hope this ends his prospects for being on the postseason roster. Every time I see him pitch, I think it's a miracle when he gets anyone out because he has just two pitches--curve and not-so-fastball. He has no changeup despite being a lefty going against mostly righties, not much control, and a strong reluctance on some occasions to even throw the ball at all.

Surprising unanimity in the draft 25 man rosters--helped of course by knowing how all of them have played this season. I like my choices for the bullpen and have said why, but don't mind 1 or 2 of them being replaced. Practically everyone has the same 4 starters and almost the same 9 lineup players. The one question might be 3B, but I think that decision could be formed by the same thing that decides who plays 1B. Against righty starters, Cora could well go with Moreland at 1B and Devers at 3B. Against lefties, Pearce at 1B and Nunez at 3B.

Honestly, but who gives a s*** about a catcher's hitting? Have you forgotten the great Saltalamacchia? Did you watch tonight's Atlanta game with Leon behind the plate? He didn't hit s*** and probably left a thousand guys on base. But you better believe he made a difference for Porcello who struggled--hitting two guys, including one in the damn helmet--but who somehow made it through 5 innings, giving up 1 run, a solo dinger. Get back to me when you see Swihart do something like that. By the way, I like Swihart, but as a backup at C, 1b, 3B, LF and RF.

Same thought occurred to me.

Good point on Pom, who I forgot. But I still prefer Wright over Pom and Poyner over Johnson. Wright and Pom might work, but I just like Poyner more than Pom.

Betts RF Kinsler 2b JDM LF Bogaerts SS Pearce 1B Nunez 3B JBJ CF Leon C Porcello P 8 righty bats + JBJ

You do not agree because you said it first.

More than 11 pitchers is way more than enough, just as moonslav says: 4 starters and 7 relievers with lots of rest before the ALDS starts. Based on WAR my four starters are Sale, Price, ERod and Porcello. And my seven relievers are Kimbrel, Brasier, Barnes, Workman, Kelly, Poyner, and Wright. I like lefties in the bullpen, thus Poyner (but definitely not Johnson). Wright is also good against lefties. That leaves 14 position players: Betts RF Beni LF JDM DH Bogey SS Moreland 1B Kinsler 2B Devers 3B Leon C JBJ CF Vazquez C Swihart C Pearce 1B Nunez 3b/SS/2B Holt IF/OF

Wright just might sneak into that 4th slot, which i do think will be needed.

All three Sox catchers this season have OPS's between .500 and .600, so defense should be the measuring stick. I think Swihart is the best athlete of the three, but Leon and Vazquez have the better defensive skills. However, I just checked the catcher DWAR's for MLB and find that Leon is at .8 and the other two tied at 0.0.

Very nice win. Eovaldi struggled but showed some grit.

They replace Nunez and Kinsler, who were hitless in the game, which was lost 8-0, a perfect time to experiment.

What a difference a good starter makes. I honestly think ERod has the best changeup on the team, but last night he threw a lot of fast balls--to good effect. I also like that Brasier had men on 2d and 3d with 1 out and no one scored. But the key was the first three innings when our lineup was basically mowed down and we sure needed that great start by ERod. Right now our righty starters don't seem so hot. In fact, I think most of us have agreed that, if healthy, our three best for the postseason are Sale, Price, and ERod.

Amazing game which I think turned around--slightly--after Porcello gave up 3 in the 1st, 1 in the 2d, and none in the next three. Cora stopped the bleeding by keeping his starter in the game. Agree with those who say Swihart pinch hitting for Leon--successfully--and then catching is a terrific bonus effect, but me, I still would start Leon because I believe he has a good effect on the staff and that he probably helped Porcello last night. Look, the players are the ones who wrought this mini-miracle last night after Giolito shut them out for 6 innings on 2 hits and 2 walks. But I can't help thinking Cora's season-long influence has made them capable of these comebacks--which in this case, I say again, began when Cora left Porcello in the game.

Betts RF BEni LF JDM DH Bogie SS Nunez 3B Holt 1B Kinsler 2B Leon C JBJ CF No Moreland and no Pearce. Still a good lineup. Is this the first time the four best hitters have been the first four in the lineup?

Are you kidding? JBJ has been sung more than Sweet Caroline.

Swihart called for all those pitches that got hit hard. He needs to start signalling for tough pitches to hit.

Agree with emp9. Funny.

Absolutely frightening game which started out as an easy win. Then the bullpen--especially Barnes-- did their best to imitate Freddy Kruger. The problem with this entire pitching staff, with just a few exceptions, is command of their pitches. Plenty of guys have decent stuff, but can't consistently throw it where it needs to go. That is not intended to be condemnatory because I think MLB pitching is extremely difficult to master. First of all, you are throwing the ball so hard you put your arm and shoulder at risk. Second, you have to throw a variety of pitches. And finally you have to nibble at the strike zone most of the time. Infielders, outfielders, catchers, quarterbacks, etc all aim at center of mass with some margin for error. On this Sox team I think Sale and Price usually have pretty good command. Sometimes the bullpen does too. Sometimes Porcello, Johnson (see last night) and Velazquez have good command. ERod has struggled with command in the past, but this year seemed to be getting it. Wright doesn't really need command--just try to get that knuckler somewhere, anywhere in the strike zone or close enough to tempt the batter.