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Maxbialystock

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Everything posted by Maxbialystock

  1. Maxbialystock
    I always have the sound off and only occasionally read the close captions, which I usually keep on unless it interferes with game-watching. I like listening to games, but, if I'm watching, I normally dislike the BS all commentators deliver. I freely admit some are better than others. And sometimes they can say something to explain what happened on the field that is otherwise hard to figure out. But overall, I just like my own impressions, not because they are better, but because they are mine.
  2. Maxbialystock
    I always have the sound off and only occasionally read the closed captions, which I usually keep on unless it interferes with game-watching. I like listening to games, but, if I'm watching, I normally dislike the BS all commentators deliver. I freely admit some are better than others. And sometimes they can say something to explain what happened on the field that is otherwise hard to figure out. But overall, I just like my own impressions, not because they are better, but because they are mine. On the other hand, I also enjoy some of the in game comments on talksox.
  3. Maxbialystock
    This is the perfect thread for that comment, and I agree the A's and Rays can be a problem for us. Besides, the no-nothings mistakenly believe that 15 games back means you can't win period, and statistically that is just BS. Out of 15 AL teams only the Orioles, White Sox, and Royals win less that 40% of their games. 8 of 15 AL teams are playing at a .500 clip or better. So you point is a great reminder not to take teams other than the Yankees, Astros, and Mariners for granted.
  4. Maxbialystock
    Tonight I think Severino has the edge over Price: his 4.5 WAR is double Price's 2.2. He split his two starts vs. the Sox, but he also has a better bullpen backing him up. That said, I still like the Sox chances because they hit Grey, a righty who pitches a little like Severino and not at all like Sabathia, last night, because they have generally hit righties well this year, and because two lefty bats, Devers and JBJ, seem to be coming around. And Price pitches a whole lot more like Sale than ERod. Cora can make three lineup changes tonight: Pearce for Moreland, Holt for Nunez, Vazquez for Price. I see him going with Vazquez, maybe with Holt, and not with Pearce. Vazquez has caught Price a lot. Holt and Moreland are lefty bats vs. righty Severino. Thus: Betts; Beni; JDM; Moreland; Bogie; Devers; Holt; Vazquez; JBJ But I won't be surprised if Nunez is back tonight playing 2B and batting 7th. Cora likes Nunez.
  5. Maxbialystock
    You're another one I tend to disagree with, but not this time. Dead on. I like the coin flip metaphor especially because it underscores the simple arithmetic fact that right now the two most likely wild card teams are the Yankees, who are winning 66% of their games, and the Mariners who are winning 63% of theirs. That's miniscule. Throw in the Sox at 67% and the Astros at 65%, and all four teams are bunched closely together in terms of probability of winning a game.
  6. Maxbialystock
    My sister was born in Texas and my parents and all five siblings and I have at different times and locations lived there. None of us still alive intend to go back. Basically, too hot. When I visit Houston, I see they have mastered the art and science of staying indoors in the summer (6 months of it) the same way Canadians have learned to do so in the winter. Nevertheless, it is beyond question a very important state: 2d most electoral votes; 2d largest in population and in size; 1st in emitting greenhouse gases; several big cities which all seem to be growing; but also lots of small towns and large ranches; by far the longest border with Mexico.
  7. Maxbialystock
    JBJ actually caught one. Nice.
  8. Maxbialystock
    I hope that hbp isn't because our ace ain't got it tonight.
  9. Maxbialystock
    Goodness gracious, what the heck was that. Not just a grandslam. Not just by Devers batting 6th. What I love is it was to that short porch in LF which was intended to benefit Yankees hitters.
  10. Maxbialystock
    Judge has a pretty darn good arm.
  11. Maxbialystock
    That too.
  12. Maxbialystock
    Looks like Grey is using just fastball and curve? Wrong?
  13. Maxbialystock
    For the Yankee pitcher. Not sure Sale will get one so generous.
  14. Maxbialystock
    That's one big difference between Yankee pitchers and Sox pitchers. Gray throws a 95 mph fastball for a strike and followed it with a nice curve for another strike. Our guys like to "save" their breaking stuff for later. They like to spend the first inning establishing their authority with the fastball.
  15. Maxbialystock
    Perhaps. I hope you are right. I’m worried.
  16. Maxbialystock
    I thought the same thing during the game. I saw at least two pitches move right to left, but not by much. In earlier games he had a pretty good change up.
  17. Maxbialystock
    Of course it should happen if you look at how Sabathia pitches. Lots of movement on his pitches, lots of different pitches, and excellent command of what he is throwing. If you believe in good pitching vs. mere throwing, last night was a clinic, a demonstration of how good pitching is effective and merely throwing hard--what ERod did for 6 innings and 5 runs--is not effective. Heck, just boil it down to who keeps the ball low. Sabathia does. ERod doesn't. I think we have a pretty good lineup and against lefties Pearce was a nice addition. But not against a smart pitcher at the top of his game/repertoire. The Yankees also have a pretty good lineup, and last night ERod was pitching to their strength most of the evening.
  18. Maxbialystock
    Of course it should happen if you look at how Sabathia pitches. Lots of movement on his pitches, lots of different pitches, and excellent command of what he is throwing. If you believe in good pitching vs. mere throwing, last night was a clinic, a demonstration of how good pitching is effective and merely throwing hard--what ERod did for 6 innings and 5 runs--is not effective. Heck, just boil it down to who keeps the ball low. Sabathia does. ERod doesn't. I think we have a pretty good lineup and against lefties Pearce was a nice addition. But not against a smart pitcher at the top of his game/repertoire.
  19. Maxbialystock
    Good strategy, but the wrong team. The Sox--no doubt under the continued influence of Bill James--are very anti-bunt, which also means they don't practice that particular skill. Their occasional attempts to bunt are usually laughable.
  20. Maxbialystock
    You made that 52% up, but I think it could be about right. Baseball game outcomes are really hard to predict. Last year, for example, the Guardians had the best won-loss % at 63%, then the Astros at 62%, then the Sox and Yankees at about 57%. If they all play a 10 game series--not against each other-- and win their usual amount, they all win 6 games. The length of the MLB season--162 games, which is 6 games a week for six months-- makes small differences seem bigger than they are. That said, I also believe pitching matchups can be pretty decisive. But even aces can have off nights and non-aces rise to the occasion. In the 2013 ALCS, our ace was Lester, but it was Lackey who started vs. Verlander and won, 1-0. I firmly believe that the unpredictability of games, pitchers, hitters, etc is one of the great strengths of baseball and MLB.
  21. Maxbialystock
    Why just one ace? Why not two or three? And don't forget trading half the Sox for Machado. You truly are the fount of great ideas for fixing this team.
  22. Maxbialystock
    moonslav59 has been making that last point repeatedly. Plus I agree our lineup if fine overall.
  23. Maxbialystock
    No quarrel with saying our lineup is pretty good--last night notwithstanding. Actually, I thought last night was a clinic in how to pitch effectively with a lot of movement and command. Sabathia was masterful. ERod was just getting a workout--throwing, not pitching.
  24. Maxbialystock
    Ahem. Not so fast. Wright's now on the DL, and his last game was a stinker--10 runs as I recall. ERod stunk last night and continues to over-rely on his fast ball first and cut fast ball second. He has no curve or slider, and his changeup seems to have disappeared. He is most effective when he keeps the ball mostly low, but apparently can't do that consistently. Right now I would say the Sox have no better than the 3d best staff in the AL. The Astros ERA is under 3, which is ridiculous. We should be better than the Yankees, but aren't. Their rotation is about as good as ours--I hate saying that given that we should have the better of them here--and their bullpen is clearly better.
  25. Maxbialystock
    You are more right than illinoisredsox. Agree completely on Sabathia's command and the movement of his pitches, but would point out the many Sox hitters tried to hit him early in the count last night. It got them six hits and 2 doubles, but never really threw Sabathia off stride. Indeed, the Sox swinging early in the count was why Sabathia could go 7 innings. He got a lot of one and two pitch outs. To me last night was a clinic in how to pitch and how not to pitch as a starter. In contrast to Sabathia, ERod stuck with his fastball and cut fast ball. I never saw a single curve or slider. If he threw changeups, they weren't very often and didn't break much. In the final game vs. the Angels on Sunday, Kelly kept throwing that 99-100 fast ball, and the Angels kept hitting it hard. Kimbrel gets in trouble whenever he can't rely on his knuckle curve to set up his fast ball and vice versa. Then here comes starter, not reliever, ERod with his 94-96 mph four seamer which he over relies on, inning after inning after inning. At the end of the day, it's clear ERod is a thrower and Sabathia is a pitcher.
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