Maxbialystock

I love that line.

OK, somebody at some point needs to fess up and say that they were dead wrong that Sale was too tired to pitch in the postseason and that Farrell ruined him. I mean that was three pretty darn good innings, including a 2 run error by Devers, against a really good lineup.

It was also the earlier one that struck out JBJ--out of the zone. Morton got lots of calls.

Kimmi's kind of game. She's the one who said, "don't let us win game 3."

Even though he's exhausted, he seems to be doing OK.

Sale not too shabby working the corners on the first two in the 5th, Astros #3 and #4 hitters.

One thing you have to give Morton credit for is working the edges of the strike zone. That is I think the big reason why he is getting more calls than Porcello (or Sale). Those 3 K's in the 4th against Devers, Vazquez, and JBJ were impressive. We have no one in the rotation who can hit corners consistently.

What the heck is Sale doing out there? Anybody with any knowledge of the game can tell he is literally exhausted, those 98 mph fastballs notwithstanding. I was talking to several former MLB pitchers the other days and they all say he's lost it--his stride is shorter or something and his arm motion is all wrong. This is all Farrell's fault.

Probably, except that ERod right now seems unable to command his pitches--the direct opposite of Price.

No, you and a700hitter said the same thing and i clearly exaggerated what you said during the game in my enthusiasm for how Price's stint turned out. All you both said was to warm someone up, and I was defending the notion that Farrell knew what he was doing.

Two righties again, Morton v. Porcello Once more into the breach. The Sox starter is again vastly overmatched on paper despite having been last year's Cy Young winner. I have disparaged our starters as much as anyone, but have to say that the Astros are definitely part of the problem which we saw in the final four game series at Fenway. Those guys can hit, and Altuve is off the charts with an OPS of 2.333 in 3 games. Even with Price unavailable today, I by no means think the cause is hopeless. Porcello certainly knows what he has to do. Backing him up will be Kimbrel, Reed, Maddox, Smith, maybe Kelly, and ERod or Sale. Yesterday I opined Farrell might tweak the top of the lineup, but he did not. He still could do that today given that Bogie and Beni have .000 and .397 OPS's in the first three games to go along with 7 K's (4 by Bogie, 3 by Beni) and 2 singles (both by Beni). On the other hand, the Sox still scored 10 runs yesterday with the top 4 slots--Bogie, Pedey, Beni, and Betts--going 2 for 18 and 2 runs scored. The top four in the Astros lineup went 8 for 19 and batted in all 3 of their runs, but that was it. Here's an interesting stat: the Astros have scored 2 + 2 + 3 runs in the first innings of the ALDS, which means the pitching coach should do his darndest to have Porcello ready from the get go. For that matter, 4 or 5 decent innings from Porcello would be manna, a triumph on the order of Pom's start to lock down the AL East title.

I love stats but have to say the human element can be huge in baseball. Our rotation has collapsed which was not totally unexpected given the final four game series against the Astros at Fenway, but 3 of 3 starters--Sale, Pom, Fister--being just useless? Then Price, who had already looked good in September, came through yesterday again only better, going 4 huge, gigantic innings and maintaining that fragile 4-3 lead. Hitting the same way. HanRam has come into his own and looks like the Manny Ramirez only with a lot more enthusiasm. JBJ, who struggled in August and September, is suddenly looking great in October. Bogaerts on the other hand looks lost and Beni not much better. Hell, the bottom four in the order have driven in all 14 runs in these 3 ALDS games, but Moreland leads the team in runs scored. For the Astros Altuve right now has an OPS over 2.000--but in just 3 games. He has made the intentional pass seem like the wisest move in almost any circumstance but certainly with anyone on base.

I don't listen to the audio, but would point out that these guys today did not cover Sale's last start and probably none before that, so I wonder how they came to these conclusions. If Eck said it, it's probably true. Did he? Also, Sale threw 506 pitches in September, the fewest he threw in the six months he pitched this year. He threw 574 in July when he pitched great and 611 in August when not so great. He had 9 days rest between his last start and his ALDS start. And let's not forget that August and September, the very months when one presumes Sale should have pitched less, the Sox were in a dogfight to win the AL East and did not win it until the the penultimate game on August 30. Had Farrell shortened Sale's innings when he was pitching well during those two months and the bullpen then pissed away a lead or two, talksox would have erupted as they did last year that Farrell wasn't trying to win games and why is he pulling his best starter? The one game, September 20, when Sale was probably left in too long is moonslav's key data point. Sale threw a bodacious 111 pitches in an easy win when he could probably have been taken out after 90 pitches. However, Sale threw over 3300 pitches this year, so I find it hard to blame Thursday's game on those extra 21 pitches on September 20.

Overall, a pretty incredible game. Another starter bombs--thus now Sale, Pom, and Fister have all laid pretty big eggs--but Price absolutely pitched his ass off against a very good lineup, probably the best in MLB. On top of that, the Sox actually took the lead in the 3d dadgum inning and held it, 4-3, until the deluge of the 7th that put the game away. I missed most of that glorious 7th because of family dinner engagement--folks coming in from out of town--but I did see Price get that final out on a high fastball swing and miss. Two errors and one dinger by the Astros and zero errors and 2 dingers by the home team--plus an awfully good RF by Mookie Betts who is already renowned for his fielding. HanRam was incredbily pumped up even before the game started. His stroke reminded me of an earlier Ramirez. Price threw 57 pitches in 4 innings, so he might or might not be good for Oct 11 if we get there. A couple days ago I said that AL East champs or not, DD might still dump Farrell if the Sox get wiped out in 3 games. I now don't think so. Goodness knows Porcello ain't tired. The question with him, as always, is where the heck will he throw the ball. If he keeps it up as he has for most of the season, he will be gone early. I think, contrary to what seems the consensus on talksox, Farrell will not try to save the day by bringing in ERod unless he does as he did before, keeps him on a very short string.

You've said that before about Sale and are now saying that might explain Price last year. To be honest, even though I have disagreed vehemently, that is a possibility. But I also think that Sale has relied on the fast ball too long and too much because it is in fact pretty darn good. The problem is almost any fastball is hittable if the batter can be sure one is coming. In my opinion he has never had a sharp breaking ball, one that was hard to hit solidly. This year Sale had a great July (ERA under 2) with 5 starts and a so-so August (ERA over 4) with 6 starts. Maybe a shorter August would have helped. His shortest month was September.\ In Farrell's defense, I will also say that in both years the Sox won the AL East but not by that much and August and September were both nail biters. Indeed, there is still a lingering feeling by some on talksox that last year Farrell rested his guys too much in September and didn't try hard enough to keep the home field advantage against the Guardians. This year we didn't clinch until the penultimate game.

Starters, plural? You maen Pom, Porcello, Fister, and ERod all bombed because they were exhausted? Are you saying Farrell should have used the bullpen even more than he has? As for Sale, he pitched a short September, had nine days rest before his last start, and gave up 2 dingers in the first inning. Hard for me to see those two early home runs the sign of anything other than he couldn't hit his spots. Heck, right now that's the big difference between Price and Sale--Price is hitting his spots and keeping the ball low and not serving up meatballs. Right now, Sale still has a faster fastball than Price and a pretty good changeup, but his slider over time has become more hittable.

What good? Two days ago Reed gave up 2 earned runs to this same team. Overall, he has been very good and should be our 8th inning guy, but they did get to him last time.

Actually, if you will check, there were plenty here who didn't want him to go 4 because of his pitch count. You know, the old "Farrell is clueless routine," forgetting, of course, that it was Farrell who convinced Price he could contribute a lot from the bullpen.

I never said he was the best manager. Far from it. But I do think he is good with the pitching staff which this year has been nothing if not inconsistent. He was the guy, in case you have forgotten, who persuaded Price he could be effective in the bullpen.

Great stint by Price. Very gutsy as well as very good. Good call by Farrell. Now let's see if Reed and Kimbrel can do their jobs. I would be nice if Sale took note of how and why Price was so effective today.

The only obvious thing is that you love to second guess a manager who knows a whole lot more about this pitching staff than you do.

Whoops. Price just go another out. In case the ignorant among us are just total oblivious, let me say that Price has by far been the Sox best pitcher against this Astros.

I don't need to know because it very clearly was the right call. But I will tell you this: our bullpen overall has not fared well against the Astros.

Bogaerts has been awful so far in the postseason.

I thought Farrell made the right move and I sure as heck he thinks more about this pitching staff than you could ever hope to.