Maxbialystock

Nolan Ryan has a point even though he basically is dead wrong. The point is that a 6th starter is folly unless you don't have any really good starters. With Porcello doing so well, Cora would be nuts not to keep Sale, Price, and Porcello pitching every 5th day and mitigating that with pitch counts, etc. The point is that really good starters are often the difference between winning and losing, which is why they get so much money. And now we're going to give them extra rest? Give me a break. Last year the only problem with Sale was the number of innings and pitches he threw in the first 4 months. Cora has already fixed that. I'm glad Kimmi mentioned the three times through the order thing. I do think that is a factor, but also think your best pitchers (Sale, Price, Porcello) should be up to it and that the pitches thrown at that point plus their overall effectiveness in that game should determine whether a third time through the lineup is merited. And usually the two coincide--a pitcher who has only been so-so the first two times through the order usually has also used a lot of pitches.

If they know more than you, they sure as heck know more than me, but the castor oil metaphor beckoned. Only my opinion, but to me the one truly versatile player on the roster is Swihart, who can catch and play the OF and 3B and probably 1B. Plus I think he is a better hitter than Holt.

If you mean a save should not be obtainable in a 10-3 game, I agree. But the 3 innings and 1 runs were especially good because this was the 5th game in a 13 game skein with no days off and Walden saved a couple of bullpen arms for the days ahead.

Good for you--plus you gave your reasons why before the season started. I was not so sanguine or sage. I did think the hitting would pick up, but had my doubts about the pitching.

Holt turns 30 in June, and this is his 6th year on the Sox roster. He seems to have lost a step, at least on the basepaths. His two best years by far were 2014 and 2015, the very same years the Sox finished dead last in the AL East. Decades, maybe centuries ago in America castor oil was used for whatever ailed your kids. It tasted awful and was of marginal medicinal value, but mothers, like Sox managers, loved it because it could play all the outfield and infield positions.

Bundy, righty, vs. Sale, lefty. Both were opening day starters and both have good ERA's, etc, this year. But my gosh the Sox are hitting! 2d most runs scored in MLB to the Angels. Some credit has to go to Cora. 12-2, and lately the margins are getting bigger.

Hitting won the game, but I loved the start and Walden's 3 innings, 1 run, and, yes, sports fans, a save. Good call by Cora to keep him after ST and to have him go 3 today.

Thanks.

I thought Walden was a dud. Seriously. But he looked awfully good in that one inning, especially with the last batter/out.

What is his injury and how long will he be out?

I did listen to WEEI on my car sound system which picked up the feed from my cell. Those WEEI announcers seemed to me to be more interested in talking about April 14, 1967 than about this game. They also don't routinely give the listener the game situation. And they barely said a peep about Velazquez.

Insane how he had to reach across his body and get the glove into the right position which in fact was barely, barely between the ball and the grass. Just unreal.

Terrific grab by JBJ!! The less I watch, the better the Sox do. Love it. Had to miss some innings because of prior commitments. I'm getting the impression that Kelly pitches better when he on suspension or rather pending suspension. What the heck happened to Mookie?

Great start all around.

Two righties: Cobb vs. Velazquez Cobb's first start for the Orioles, Velazquez's first since April 1 when he went 5 2/3 and gave up 1 vs. Tampa. Day game following a night game, 5th game of 13 back to back, albeit in April. Still worth mentioning because Cora believes in individual rest days, and he has certainly used his bench. I'm thinking Sandy Leon will catch Velazquez. Swihart theoretically can play LF, 3B, 1b, and C, but his one start was as a DH. 11-2!!!!! A bunch of close wins--so maybe some luck involved-- but right now even the Yankees have to be nervous. The Sox hitting seems to be coming around--without our hottest bat, Bogie-- and the rotation has now had just 2 bad starts (Price and ERod) in 13 games. Who woulda thunk Porcello would be this good and leading the team in innings pitched with an ERA of 1.83 and a whip of .76? Or that Johnson and Velazquez would each a a decent start? Or that ERod could look that good (but still scary) over 6 innings vs. the Orioles? The bullpen isn't there yet, but Kimbrel is. OF defense (absent JD) is pretty good, infield so-so.

Mr johnny-come-lately concurs with the talksox brain trust. Great post.

Good phrasing: "I disagree 100% with sending . . ." Me, I was fine with it. He only threw 99 pitches and is a big strong guy. I'll bet he really wanted to go back out there. This was game 3 of 13 straight games without a day off, and Cora had used his bullpen--6 of them-- a whole lot the night before when Price only went 1 inning. They pitched 8 innings and gave up 6 more runs and I think they were due for a break. Oh, and the first reliever after Porcello's sterling 7 innings was Walden, who game up 3 runs and made a game of it, necessitating the appearance of closer Kimbrel. So think through sending Walden out there to pitch the 6th inning with a similar result--3 runs--but this time with 3 more innings to go. My judgments about managers run counter to most on talksox. I honestly don't care whether a move seems dumb or smart unless there is clear evidence it cost us a game. Moreover, I usually give the manager the benefit of the doubt because he has more information and experience. I recently broke that rule, denounced Cora, and was immediately corrected by Bellhorn who reminded me of a couple of salient facts that showed I was wrong. In the case of leaving Porcello in, even though traditionally and no doubt for very good reasons few managers would have done it, I think a strong case can be made that his unorthodoxy paid off.

On this homestand, now 7 games, the Sox have scored 3, 10, 8, 14, 7, 6, and 7 runs: 8 runs per game. Bogaerts, easily our hottest hitter, was injured in the last game of the road trip, so these 7 games have been without him. The five Sox leaders in rbi's are a tight shot group: HamRam 12, JD 11, Betts 11, Devers 10, and the absent Bogaerts 9. The bottom third of the order is weak, but they also led that huge 8th inning rally vs. the Rays last weekend.

Very nice win. Some good hitting and some good pitching except for Hembree.

Kelly only needed 9 pitches. Bring him back for the 9th, please.

3 hits, all well hit.

7-3, thanks to Hembree.

Agree. Despite my criticism, a great 2d start.

Well, Freddy Kruger just went 6 giving up 1 against the Orioles. But not without some pain for us watching.

Yes it certainly is.