Maxbialystock

Given some of the 5th starters we've seen for the Sox, he's almost a gem.

Agree completely even though that ACL is the end of Dobbins season.

Agree, especially because moonslav says it's very difficult not to overspend for a good starter in July. Attendance 36,453--high for the season!! The Fenway faithful, bless them, have decided these guys are worth a lot of trouble and money to see.

Bad luck. I sympathize. I hate missing good games, but was lucky today. Crochet is just unreal. Today he was hitting his spots and mixing his pitches. So was the Rays starter.

You could be right if Buehler is in fact coming around. Heck, when was the last time the Sox had 3 pretty good starters like Crochet, Bello, and Giolito? Sox bullpen gets a day of rest before game 4 vs the Rays.

Unbelievable game--and another magnificent start by Crochet. Three straight 1 run wins over the Rays. Toro more than made up for that error last night because that was an amazing play. Oh, wait. I forgot the rules on talksox. We are here to gripe about errors.

FO is actually looking pretty smart. Dumping Devers and his salary has helped the Sox both ways. And nobody was going to give up a front line starter for Devers and his gigantic contract.

Thanks for the corrections on Duran, Rafaela, and Bello!!

Someone quoted Cora saying he would be used there at some point. Also interesting that he is betting 2d instead of 9th.

Just a reminder that I saw this team's potential after Devers left before anyone else. My biggest point was that Devers left when our best hitter and best player, Bregman, was on the IL, so that was a double whammy to the lineup. Nevertheless, I reminded everyone that both Rafaela and Story were hitting better--and they still are--and that bringing up Mayer and Anthony was a positive. Now with both Bregman and Yoshida back, the Sox are knee deep in hitters, so much so that against a righty last night Anthony didn't start. I also said the defense was better than those errors. Plus the rotation was looking better. By no means did I ever think the Sox would win 8 straight, especially the last 2 games, both by 1 run, against a good Rays team. Nor did I think Rafaela would go completely ape at the plate. His July OPS is 1.370. Batting 9th he has 13 rbi's in 9 games. Nor did I think the bullpen was capable of what they pulled off last night. I scoff at all the "good vibes" talk, but am having to rethink that. It's even possible it was made better by the absence of Devers. One last thought. I love the acquisition this year of Crochet, Bregman, Chapman, and Narvaez, but I also think there's a bunch of talent that comes from the much maligned Chaim Bloom era: Duran, Rafaela, Abreu, Story, Yoshida, Mayer, Anthony, Bello, Dobbins, Whitlock, Wong, Refsnyder,

Rafaela came on strong in June and now July--too late to really register with the voters. But your stats are compelling.

Bregman's OPS vs righties is .911. Only Yoshida's is better.

Heckuva discussion. Way over my head.

Sox should be favored today. It's not just that Crochet's ERA is 2 ER's lower than Baz, it's that the Rays' team OPS vs lefties is .671. The question remains, however, has Crochet thrown too many innings? He is ranked 4th in MLB in IP. I think Cora might limit him to, say, 90 pitches.

These guys are different from those guys. Maybe letting Devers go was really the smart move.

Just amazing game. Given the 3d inning with Dobbins already out, this game should have been over. I mean over. But the bullpen was magnificent, and this lineup showed once again they can hit--despite Cora starting Duran instead of Anthony--although I did like the way Duran got that carom off the monster after Rafaela ran by it. Maybe Anthony doesn't make that play. I think there can be little doubt that once again the Rays have a solid team with good hitting, defense, and pitching. That only adds to the luster of this win--and last night's. Bregman's double bodes well for the immediate future. Way to go, Raffy, who right now is worth twice the other Raffy, now with the Giants.

An elite 1b is a pipe dream and also unnecessary. The Sox already have plenty of hitting.

Bernardino keeps throwing pitches in the middle and getting away with it. Nevertheless, 2.1 scoreless IP.

Sox are back in it. Maybe Cora should bring Wong in for defensive purposes.

Lucky play for the Rays. Rafaela hit that hard and right into the double play.

Huge hit by Mayer. Huge.

Wong's inability to hit is a minor inconvenience. With Bregman and Yoshida back, this team is knee deep in hitters. So a good defensive catcher for 1 out of every 3 games should be just right. Wong was fine catching his last game--Bello's first ever complete game. Thinks look pretty bleak tonight thanks to Narvaez's 2 passed balls. Plus the ump screwing all over Alcala.

The Sox have been hitting well with Gonzalez/Toro at 1b and without Bregman or Devers. The Giants, meanwhile, have taken on Devers big salary so far have very little to show for it. The Sox have 13 lineup players and all are contributing--even Wong with his lousy hitting but good defense and knowledge of the pitching staff. The Sox have 13 pitchers, and at least 5 are not contributing.

Tight shot group of OPS's vs righties: .849, 849, 831.