Maxbialystock

This team today is a lot of fun, but too many of us are spoiled rotten by the highly successful John Henry era. You need at least 50 years of Sox fandom and almost 40 years (I have 55) of the curse to realize how good we fans have it today. I had an uncle who lived to almost 90, watched every single game on TV for decades, and died shortly before 2004. It sure looks like these Sox can win at least 100 games, but, as others have already noted, the postseason is a tossup.

I listened to Curt Gowdy call most of the Sox games in the summers of 1953 and 1954, but did not watch regularly until around 2004 or so because, except for 1953-54 (and much earlier when I was born in Winthrop), I didn't live in TV range until I bought a satellite package. For many of those years in between I was also overseas--especially 1967. But I do remember watching Sandy Koufax in person in 1961--he pitched in Philly and my school was in NJ. Pretty close to on par with Pedro. I remember most of the Guardians players from 1954 and actually some of them in the summer of 1955 when they played a double header against the Senators and I was visiting a friend in DC. Larry Doby in CF. Avila at 2B, Strickland SS. Vic Wertz 1B. Al Rosen 3B. I think Jim Hegan C. As for the Sox teams of the 1950's, I remember Williams and Piersall.

Thanks. Pretty close to what I had in the OP except substitute Nunez for Devers.

Exactly. I just don't understand the continual furor to acquire Machado who would either be an expensive rental for 2018 or a very expensive long term acquisition. He's a very good 3b or SS, but we already have one of each and for a lot less money and their hitting ain't half bad. Bogie could go over .900 OPS soon. Devers is a project, granted, but he's young and under control for a long time with a ton of potential if Cora can just get him to slide hide first more often. MVP78 says he is a Lin fan, and I am too.

You express strong views and back them up with good stats, but you also like to review your own assertions as you have here. My memory is that early this season you insisted the hitting would be better because last year Betts, Beni, Bogey, et al had below par years. And you thought JD would have an effect similar to Ortiz when he was in the lineup. The surprise is that JDM has hit on a par with Big Papi in his best years, and there is no way you or anyone could have predicted that. But yours was the most consistent voice saying the lineup and hitting would be good this year.

Yup. Good baseball. Plus the Guardians are a very good bet for the ALDS.

Meh. I just don't want Rod Steiger talking to him and telling him this ain't his night because "we're going for the price on Wilson."

He's hitting .308 with an OPS of .819 at Pawtucket. He hits lefty doesn't he?

Devers is on the DL, so Nunez will be at 3b tonight. I hope Lin is being brought back up because, with Nunez and Holt in the lineup, there is no backup for 3b, 2b, or SS.

Some really good comments above. Well done, all of you. I agree Price as a starter is as big an issue as winning or losing this game. That said, I have already moved him down my list, which means nothing of course. Right now I think Price is our fifth best starter after Sale, Porcello/Wright, and ERod. On another thread, someone commented maybe Sale and Price shouldn't pitch back to back because they both have a similar repertoire and are both lefties. In this case tonight, however, it's a new lineup for Price, so he should be fine--if in fact he is fine. I also like station13's comments about the value right now of beating the Jay while the Yankees are at Cleveland.

Happ, lefty vs. Price, lefty Both have ERA's of 4.44. Happ is 10-5 and Price is 9-6. Price had a pretty good June and so far a horrible July. At KC his last start he only gave up 6 hits and 1 walk in 4.2 innings, but gave up 4 runs and in the 5th had three HBP's. Two months ago he went 5.1 vs. the Jays, and gave up 2 runs and got the win. So I think the good guys need to score some runs tonight to win. Happ is helped by the Sox being less good against lefties and by going 7 on April 24 while giving up just 1 run. But the Sox lineup tonight will be better than the April one I think, and the Jays bullpen is among the worst in the AL. I see this lineup: Betts, Beni, JDM, Pearce, Bogie, Holt, Devers, Leon, and JBJ. That's only five righty bats, but Holt hits lefties well. FWIW, Moreland's OPS vs. lefties is .781, so maybe he plays 1b, Pearce or JDM goes to the outfield, and JBJ drops out.

Completely agree with the brilliance of the Dodgers dump. Well done, Cherington. This led directly to the 2013 WS, the 3d (and most recent) in the John Henry era. HanRam and Sandoval were terrible acquisitions. Not hanging onto Lester especially, but also Lackey wasn't smart in 2014. I agree with those who say Cherington wasn't a disaster. DD has probably done better. I defended the heck out of Farrell, but even I can see Cora is better. JDM and Sale great acquisitions. Releasing both Pablo and Hanley--good despite the expense. And so on. Price not so smart, but there were many defenders of that move when it happened. Getting and keeping Moreland--good. Bringing Beni and Devers up quickly--good.

A win that's also a reminder: even with Sale on the mound and pitching shut out ball for 7 innings, it can be a close game if the other pitcher is effective. The Sox have averaged over 7 runs per game in these 9 games, but also scored just 3 in one game (3-0) and 4 in two others (4-3 and 4-2). 6 of the 9 games were on the road. Now 4 more at home vs. the Jays, an almost .500 club against whom the Sox are 7-2 this year so far. Then the 4 day break for the ASG.

I like that too.

Just a small thought. I always thought it was the combination of pitches that kept hitters off balance. Kimbrel, for example, is dead meat anytime he can't throw his knuckle curve for strikes. Ditto Sale. That said, it also helps when the curve or changeup or slider or sinker/splitter has a sharp break down. Location also helps.

Exactly right. With a 3.5 game lead, the division is looking better, but a long way from over. Postseason right now looks like a toss up. We are even with the Astros head to head and I think 4-5 vs. the Yankees. In the 2013 postseason, Lester and Lackey were pretty important--plus Uehara of course. Despite the 2017 debacle, I think Sale will be an ace this year, but don't see a great #2.

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.