OK, the fix is on. I have never seen such one-sided calls as we are seeing tonight. Sale gets no corners. Sabathia gets an outside pitch called a strike--well outside.
Lineup almost exactly last nights but with Leon in for Vazquez batting 8th.
Nunez
Betts
Benintendi
Ramirez
Young
Bogaerts
Devers
Leon
Bradley
I know the AL East isn't in the bag, but I also,track the Inidians--we are 3 games ahead of them--and the Astros, who are 4 1/2 ahead of us.
Darn right. JBJ should be fined for scoring the winning run from 1b on a double of the green monster. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Or just maybe great baseball.
His 100 mph fastball at this point is something opposing hitters feast on or don't you watch the games? They feast on it because it's basically the only pitch he can throw for strikes and often throws it near the middle of the killing zone.
Thanks. I knew someone would speak up and blame this on Farrell because he of course is the one giving up the dingers, hits, HBP's, walks, etc. Never, ever blame the bullpen when they implode because it's not their fault. They were improperly used. Kimbrel should have been pitching the 6th and 7th innings.
Reed? He's the one who was killing us before. Plus we still have the 8th and 9th innings to go. You might as well be saying, where's Kimbrel?
I always astonishes me how you guys blame Farrell when the bullpen--not just one guy, but three guys--implodes.
Now is the time for the boo birds to come out and blame all this on Farrell--first, for taking Pomeranz out, then for not bringing Kimbrel in to pitch the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.
Kelly's problem is that the only pitch he can consistently throw for strikes is his fast ball, so opposing hitters sit on it, and he often puts one in the middle of the strike zone.
Yankees now 4 back after beating the Mets 4 straight. Big series, ditto the one in NYC 2 weeks from now. Against Montgomery, I'm guessing HanRam 1b, Young DH, Vazquez C, and no changes at LF, CF, RF, 3b, SS, 2b. Not sure Beni will bat 2d or HanRam 4th.
I was against this thread as soon as I saw the title. Talk about jumping the gun!
But I'm actually for it after reading bosoxmal's OP and because Devers seems to have such vast potential. Yes, modern technology will help pitching coaches figure the best way to pitch to him, but so far he clearly can hit fast balls and seems comfortable with breaking pitches as well and seems to know the strike zone. Plus, unlike Foxx, he hits from the left side, which helps in a righty pitcher universe. I'm no doubt wrong, but I think his swing is more ruthian than foxxian. Devers is actually older than Foxx and Ruth when they came up and about the same age as Williams.
No complaints from me on the Devers call up, which I agree was measured, not hasty. I truly think the issue was Sandoval and eating that big contract. They had to be sure neither he nor his contract was redeemable. Plus I think Devers benefitted from a few games at AAA. As it is, his defense is still not there, but his hitting is just unreal.
Ah, but he wasn't, was he? the mlb.com backstory is that JBJ had gone to Butterfield and asked him for a go signal if Nunez or Betts hit something "off the wall."
Yes, the throw beat the runner, but we all keep forgetting that the catcher/fielder not only has to catch that throw, but also tag the baserunner. These become even harder when the runner is coming at you full steam and the entire game is on the line. I would argue strongly that those two imperatives--catch the ball securely and make the tag, which meant bring the ball from the right side of his body to the far left side--put a lot of pressure on Molina. Molina, I might add, was not charged with an error.
I think this kind of play is where you and I part company. You call it foolhardy if not boneheaded, and I call it great baseball.