Maxbialystock

Last night our lineup came back against reliever Green to get the 6-5 lead, only to have our bullpen blow another.

True. I can't see inside your mind. Yes, the Yankees have the best lineup in MLB with 209 runs scored, but the Sox lineup is 2d with 200 runs scored, and all we do on talksox is complain about how bad our hitting is. Oh, and the Yankees are hot right now, and I agree that makes a difference. Despite all of the above,however, the simple fact is that in this very big series--for early May--it is the Sox bullpen that has been horrible in two straight games and Kimbrel was horrible right along with the rest of the guys. And he was horrible because he relied on his fast ball against the first two batters, Gardner and Judge, who absolutely whaled on that fastball. He threw no knuckle curves in 7 pitches to Gardner and 1 in several pitches to Judge. I was wrong to call Kimbrel scared because I am pretty sure all his pitches were called from the bench. Oldtimer says the knuckle curve was taken off the table against Gardner because there was a man on 3b and a WP would tie the game. So scared is the right word, but not as applied to Kimbrel. He was following orders. I came into this series worried because I saw and see the Yankees as a freight train about to run us over. I was therefore delighted that the Sox were competitive in game one because Pomeranz rose to the occasion and in game two because the lineup, with Moreland hitting instead of JBJ, rose to the occasion. The team as a whole has played well. But the bullpen has beyond question choked. Tuesday night Hembree walks two after getting 1-2 counts and throws in a balk for good measure. Kelly walked a guy after an 0-2 count. Last night Porcello was awful, but Johnson--surprise, surprise--got three good outs and Smith got us two more, so we went to the bottom of the 8th with a 6-5 lead. The Barnes and Kimbrel give up 4 runs before they get their collective 2d out. The Sox are a good team that was ready to compete in this series despite how hot the Yankees are. But the bullpen--and Porcello--let everyone else down, and kimbrel was right in there with the worst of them. Funny thing is, Kimbrel was crushed twice throwing fastballs and got two quick K's once he brought out the knuckle curve.

I believe you.

Terrible bullpen two nights in a row. Manager was fine.

Meh. I'm not clairvoyant, but I'm pretty sure I'm right that Kimbrel is not, repeat, not effective when he only throws the fastball. It's the combination of the knuckle curve and the fastball that makes him so good. When he finally did use it tonight, he got strikes and got two outs. How can you be so sure throwing seven straight fastballs wasn't what led to the triple, which was in fact the game winning hit? The Yankees lineup is not superhuman. Last night Pom, who has struggled, gave up 2 runs in 6 innings. The Yankees got their third run because Hembree wet his pants out there with 2 walks and a balk. Maybe Hembree believes what you do--that the Yankees are superhuman. Tonight Johnson and Smith got five outs without giving up any runs. Barnes gave up the double because he went to his fastball when his curve was working great. Then the walk, then Kimbrel with his 7 straight fastballs. This was going to be a tough series, no question. But our bullpen just made it so easy for the Yankees in the first two games. You could also be right about the off night, but to me it is no accident that he yields a triple in a key spot when he throws 7 straight fastballs. He eventually did use his knuckle curve and got guys out.

Agree completely. Tonight I was hoping, nothing more. It's possible Barnes would have hung in there, but it sure didn't look like it. I thought Kimbrel was the right call, and he might have been if they had called for at least one knuckle curve against Gardner, but instead he get 7 straight fastballs. The hitting was fine tonight despite missed opportunities. But Porcello our ace stunk it up, only to have the lineup get that 6-5 lead, only to have the bullpen give up 4 in the 8th. Last night was almost a "good loss." Tonight was bad, very bad.

Right. He is in no position to demand a trade.

You betcha. Johnson got three outs, and Smith got 2 without a problem. Kimbrel choked, and he'll choke again. He was afraid to throw his curve against Gardner, and that killed him. He threw 7 straight fastballs because he was afraid to throw the knuckle curve, which for him is an indispensable pitch.

Strongly agree. I honestly don't see Kimbrel as a 2 inning save guy, but it had to be tried at least once, and this was a good time to do it. Now we know he is a one trick pony. He does one inning, preferably with no one on when he goes in.

Well, he had to bring Kimbrel into the 8th at some point this season, and Kimbrel is by far our best reliever. Barnes was not getting the job done. This was a big game for May and the perfect team to see how Kimbrel handles himself. I felt before the season started that Kimbrel doesn't have the mental makeup up to go into an 8th inning with men on base, but what do I know? If nothing else, tonight should show the FO that Kimbrel isn't quite the ace we think he is when he can't pitch in the 8th with men on. I would not shell out big bucks to keep him. I agree too many fastballs because Kimbrel is vulnerable when that's all he throws. He should have thrown at least one early in the count. With Vazquez catching, the decision to throw all fastballs came from the bench.

We needed him most to do what?

Nonsense. Porcello and the bullpen gave up 9 runs.

That has zero relevance to this game. Vazquez did not give up 9 runs. Porcello, Barnes, and Kimbrel did.

Two straight games when the bullpen blew it.

One too many fastballs. Kimbrel absolutely must have his curve working to be effective.

the curve was working, so of course he throws a fastball.

For crying out loud, don't walk this turkey.

OK. 8th, and Barnes in for Smith. Need 3 big outs.

Yup, but not to the center of the shift.

???????

too bad. Hit it hard, but right to someone.

And a slider is what got Vazquez and actually made him look bad. Now an IBB to Betts because Beni can't hit. Except for that dinger.

Big guy likes his slider. OK.

Been there, done that, repeatedly.

OK, that double by Nunez was illegal. That was a great pitch out of the zone. But Devers saved Chasen Shreve's bacon.