Maxbialystock

Top three in total salaries doesn't mean that much when right now about $90M is going to Pablo, Ramirez, porcello, and Price. On top of which, as you say, the hitting has nearly collapsed without Ortiz. Throughout the John Henry era, the Sox have had good hitting and in 2004, 2007, and 2013 it was the best in the AL. Francona got those two WS in part because he had Manny, Papi, and other assorted good hitters.

Cobb, righty, vs. Porcello, edge to the Rays. Game starts at 6:10, I think, so don't forget to check. Six days ago, same two pitching, Cobb gave up 1 in 5 innings and Porcello 2 in 5 innings and the Sox lost 4-1, getting 4 singles against Cobb and 1 against the Rays bullpen. Not good. I still like the Sox even though Cobb will surely be tough again and Porcello does not inspire me. However, that last time was a decent start if not a quality start. Plus the Sox have been pretty gritty after long games this year and usually won the next night. Seven lineup guys--Bogie, Pedey, Benie, Betts, Moreland, Devers, and JBJ--played all 15 innings last night. Leon went about 9 and so did Holt I think. If Pedey is still the DH, I think all 7 play again tonight, plus maybe Marrero for Holt at 2b and maybe Vazquez for Leon because Vazquez caught Porcello last time. Handy to have Swihart as the 3d catcher as several noted last night. Travis could play instead of Moreland. These Sox may not have "fire," I don't know. But you can't convince me they aren't trying. That was heckuva game last night--a very tough win after the Yankees won easily.

Our gamethreads gloss over nothing. We love to dwell on every single miscue, every mental error. We dwell less on the aggressive plays that work--or some of us say, "well it worked, but it was lucky. It was not the smart play." On another thread I wrote (probably a week ago) that out of 140 games played to date, I counted 21 games we lost by 1 or 2 runs. I suggested anyone was free to look at the play by play and or video replays (mlb.com package replays entire games in about 15-30 minutes) of any of those 21 games and point to any of those games to show how mental blunders or horrible throws or whatever on deems to be boneheaded actually cost us a game. I also said that claiming miscues cost us games we lost by 3 or more runs was likely to be unfounded (but would not object to anyone trying to do it--with play by play analysis). I do not think it is fair for you to conjecture what might have happened from one single play without showing us some analysis. That means I can't buy what seems to me--my opinion--the theory that single plays (or several boneheaded plays) have cost us more than 1 or 2 games this season. I would further suggest one could look at all 1 or 2 run losses by any other team and find the same cost of losing 1 or 2 games. The exception might be the Guardians, but guess what? They are running away from the field and are just 4 games behind the Dodgers for home field advantage throughout the postseason.

moonslav the adroit one. a silk purse, just like that, right before our eyes. Watching and studying and writing about the Sox has you slightly unbalanced because you have said publicly Farrell can stay (for one more year) if the Sox win the AL East and at least one round in the postseason. That's right, isn't it? Last night was certainly gritty. Sale disappointed (I refuse to write him off, however), but still went 6 giving up 4. The bullpen, whom I periodically rage against (and did last night) went 9 giving up 2--terrific. And the hitting, which disappointed us all in innings 1 thru 8 and 10 thru 13 (and maybe 14), was like we wanted them in innings 9 and 15. As I wrote earlier, the low-down, misbegotten, trying to throw it all away Sox are actually 7-3 in the last 10 games. The Yankees, who are definitely surging--peaking, if you will, at just the right time--are also 7-3 in their last 10 games. Instead of playing the Rays in Tampa as scheduled, they got to play them in NYC (or close to it). So, even though the Sox aren't getting a lot of style points, it's hard for me to see why all the gloom and doom (I'm guilty too).

True on the 11th and 12th--very frustrating even though on one of those innings we actually hit a couple of balls hard that were caught. Overall, Barnes and Workman notwithstanding, the bullpen was excellent. Sale did not have a quality start and did give up 2 dingers, but he went 6, giving up 4. The problem for us onlookers was that looked pretty fatal, especially when Barnes gave up the dinger and the Sox were down 3 and looking helpless at the plate. The 9th was under those circumstances stunning. Plus Bogie smacking a hard single to drive home the tying run. What?

Then you would love Daniel Nava as your man on 2b with no one on 1b and no one out. He was listening to you and that sacred rule several years ago when the next batter actually hit a fly over the rightfielder's glove in Fenway and it got all the to the wall. Nava, meanwhile, no doubt terrified of that never ever make the 1st out at 3b rule, finally decided to slide into 2b because he was sure the ball would be caught. He never advanced to 3b. The hitter, appalled, did get back to 1b safely. As for being in scoring position on 2b--again, we are assuming no one on 1b so the guy on 2d has a decision to make--why are most teams very happy when the hitter moves that guy to 3b on a groundout or fly ball, especially with no one out? Reason: there are huge advantages to having a man on 3b with one out vs. a man on 2b with one out. So, me, I don't like those never ever rules nor the requirement that anything aggressive needs to have a 100% guarantee.

MVP 78 and others had this right from the get go. Pete Abraham too.

Not so. I've read it is a regular occurrence on those few teams with really weak fundamentals. It's what happens to teams that run into outs willy-nilly because they can't do what any Little League team can do. Boneheadedness is like Dutch Elm disease, nearly always fatal over time.

Sox and Yankees both 7-3 in last 10. Both too with 15 games to play. If the noose is tightening, I think they are the ones feeling it. 13 runs on a night when Pedroia goes 0 for 9 and leaves 13 men on base---and Bogie comes thru like a champ.

Stunner. Went to sleep after workman gave up the tying dinger in the 14th. Was sure we would lose and totally p.o.'d at workman. I watched a replay just now of the 15th. Thanks to rest of you for staying up. I was also impressed with the 9th--also totally unexpected but I saw that when it happened. A very gritty win when least expected, especially after a weak start by Sale. Go Sox!

They scored 3 in the 9th to tie!!!???

Pedroia hit the ball hard but the SS made a great grab. Also that 1st out was I think on a hard grounder the pitcher snagged.

Disheartening all the way around.

1 Bogaerts SS 2 Pedroia DH 3 Benintendi LF 4 Betts RF 5 Moreland 1B 6 Devers 3b 7 Holt 2b 8 Leon C 9 Bradley CF I got all the names and positions right, but am surprised to see Holt 7th. I would have batted him 10th or 11th. This may be the first time Farrell has had 5 lefty bats in a row (5th thru 9th).

Well then we think alike. When I'm down on a player, I love being wrong. Unfortunately, I tend to crow when I'm right--which is wrong. Your enthusiasm for this team never wavers despite the red flags on bonehead plays.

Isn't that always true? I lived in FL for a year during WW II and hated the lack of seasons. I wanted snow. These days I don't much like snow, but I still like those seasons.

Thus a great chance to be able to say I told you so.

With righty Andriese starting, I'm thinking more lefty bats--Moreland at 1b, Holt possibly at 2b, Devers at 3b, Beni in LF, Leon at C, JBJ in CF. Three mostly likely righties: Pedey at DH (unless he is well enough to play 2b), Bogie at SS, Betts in RF. Not sure I see HanRam in there if Pedey can't play 2b. Vazquez's bat would be just fine against a righty, but Sale likes Leon behind the plate I think. I expect Sale to pitch well, but that doesn't mean the hitters/lineup can take a break. You can't win if you can't score.

Even more depressing now, but this time for good reason. Irma no slouch. Sweep and get out is exactly right.

Sale vs. Andriese (righty), advantage good guys. First game at the Trop post-Irma could be interesting. Yankees didn't have to go and in fact played their Rays series close to home. Starting this early because I might be working late. Nunez still out. Price available in the bullpen.

You seem to think their is no pressure on the Yankees.

Wow. I just read Price is going to the bullpen because he wants to play and realizes time is too short to build back up to starting. If he can adjust, he could be very good.

My two cents on swinging at first pitches is that overall our guys seem to be lousy at it--see tonight's and last night's game. Sometimes they seem to be swinging just to be swinging and hit a pitcher's pitch--leading to an easy out. Other times it's the right pitch, but they still can't get a hit--another easy out. So right now I am tempering my enthusiasm for aggressive hitting. Exceptions would be Nunez and Pedey who seem to be pretty good at it (and also at getting walks). Smart hitters, both.

That was me being facetious. Of course he was great.

May become? Passed that gate awhile ago. Something just happens in these game threads. i've tried to tone it down a little on the others. Apparently, I seem to enjoy having to apologize and will do so again as soon as moonslav reads that post. I just like Beni, even with the long hair. This has been a tough season for almost everyone, and he has stood pretty tall,especially for a rookie. Thus do I tolerate his mistakes in the outfield and on the basepaths. Why do we expect perfection--you know, what gets called good fundamentals--when good enough really is good enough, at least for now?