Maxbialystock

Typical. Sensible. I'm against going after our 13th or is it 14th thirdbaseman, but you do a good job of explaining why that might still happen. Thanks.

A good question. My view is that talking about Middlebrooks makes as much sense as talking about making a trade or whatever to bring in our 13th or is it 14th 3d baseman this year? By my count we've seen Holt, Sandoval, Rutledge, Marrero, Lin, and at least one other I've forgotten. We also have Devers hitting up a storm at AA Portland where Lin was until about a month ago. Now I would be in favor of getting Beltre or any of the other guys being mentioned provided he was cheap (salary and trade value) and we could be sure he would hit at least 30 dingers and drive in at least 75 runs over the remainder of the season. Otherwise, I frankly see no point in that excursion. To me the real problem is at DH, but I see no way to replace HanRam. Meanwhile the rest of the positions--C, 1b, 2b, SS, LF, RF, CF--look decent to very good to me. Heck, even 3B with Lin/Marrero verges on decent. It's possible we have the best pitching staff in the AL especially if ERod returns to form and no one else gets injured. They will simply have to make up for the fact that our hitting ain't that great this year.

Good for you, and I concur in wishing him well. He is a good manager and a good guy.

Sensible, as always (or almost always).

And I agree with both of you. I am fine with Lin/Marrero at 3b and absolutely do not see the value in making another dumb deal for someone another team is more than happy to unload. Enough with the fantasy baseball, already.

Maybe you need to watch the game more closely or at least have better situational awareness. I would have been fine with going with JBJ instead of Young, but let's get a few things straight on why Young wasn't such a bad choice. First and foremost, the bases were loaded, so the Sox did not need a hard hit ball to tie the game. What they needed was a smart hitter--Young, not JBJ--who just might draw that critical walk to tie the game. Even a dinky single would have won the game. Young did in fact have a pretty smart at bat, but the ump gave Colome the benefit of the doubt on that first pitch which was below the zone and also on the two pitches on the inside corner (but callable as strikes). Second, JBJ would have been coming into the game cold as a pinch hitter, a role he has been used very sparingly in. Moreland got that double on his 4th at bat. Young was also on his 4th at bat. Third, Young hits righties better than JBJ and hits Tampa pitching better than JBJ. Plus, as I've already said, I think he is a smarter hitter and more likely to draw a walk. Fourth, the Sox had a grand total of 3 hits and 27 outs in that game, so to me it's kind of silly to say, "boy, if only JBJ got to the plate, he was sure to get a hit because everyone knows, "lefties rule." Did I forget to mention that Beni and Lin were also hitless Saturday? Or that 2 of the Sox three hits in that game were by righties, Bogaerts and Betts? So, I say again, I would have been fine with JBJ hitting, but I sure as heck don't see a grievous error by Farrell for sending Young up there. To the contrary, I see excellent situational awareness and real thought.

I'm frustrated too and was way, way frustrated yesterday and took out most of it on HanRam who had one of the most wretched at bats--totally mindless--at bats I can remember. Just stupid. I am also the first person--I think--to point out that our hitters refuse to swing at first pitch fastballs down the middle, game after game. And I have pointed out ad nauseum that the Sox are something like 43-10 when scoring 4 runs (or more). All that said, I am inclined to agree with moonslav to the extent that right now I do think we have a pretty good team. 3b is no longer the liability it was for at least two months--fielding is way better and hitting is somewhat better especially with Lin hitting from the left side. I still despise HanRam for being so oblivious to what is going on during the game--on the basepaths and by opposing pitchers. Is the exact opposite of what used to be termed "a student of the game." Granted, you can think to much at bat, but you need to be aware of the pitcher's trends in that particular game and, before the game, of that particular starter. Funny thing is, I think he does have good hand-eye coordination at bat, but he seems to make no effort to make himself a smarter hitter. The hitting this year is not nearly as good as the hitting last year with Ortiz, but it is still decent, and the pitching overall is way better and maybe the best of any Sox team in the John Henry era. With Marrero/Lin at 3b, the infield defense is decent if not great, and the outfield defense is excellent. Catching is good at throwing runners out, less good at blocking pitches. In other words, the fact--not surmise, fact--that the Sox currently have the 2d best record in AL and are leading the AL East by 3.5 games is no fluke. So, yes, it's fun whine about the hitting--as I myself like to do--but my suspicion is that it is good enough. Remember the miracle of 2013? That team's ERA in the postseason was 2.00 and this pitching staff is capable of that.

Meh. I thought Young had a pretty good at bat but was screwed by the first pitch strike on one that was below the zone and below at least five that Porcello threw down there that were called balls. Colome was helped by the ump on that bat and by HanRam--who else?--on his at bat, swinging at balls in the dirt. Season to date, as I said in the game thread, Young has hit righties better than JBJ and has hit Tampa pitching better than JBJ. And we did not need a home run in that situation. A walk would have tied the game and a single would have likely won it.

Could not agree more.

I'm no big fan of Pomeranz because I think he doesn't have much of a repertoire--fast ball, knuckle curve, and the occasional cut fast ball, but almost never a changeup which should be lethal for a lefty starter in a universe of righty bats--and really not that great control. Season to date, you're right, his numbers ain't so hot, especially innings per start (5.1) and quality starts (8 in 17 starts). But he is 9-4 and in his last 5 starts has given up a total of 6 earned runs while averaging 6 innings per start. In his last 5 starts our stud Sale has averaged 7 innings per start but given up 9 runs. Price has given up 11 runs and averaged 6 innings in his last 5 starts. Porcello has given up 17 runs in his last 5 starts. The simple fact is that we badly needed that 4th/5th starter this season especially with the injuries to Price, Wright, and Eduardo Rodriguez. So, really, it's kind of hard to gripe about a 9-4 pitcher in a 50-38 season to date even if he did cost us Espinosa. We are also missing the great Moncada, who cost us that guy Sale.

I apologize for the first sentence because the mention of JBJ by others was not really blaming the manager for the loss--it was just a criticism. I did think Cobb pitched a heckuva game and also thought Colome gave us an opportunity in the 9th. I also thought that Young had a smart at bat--the exact opposite of HanRam's--and might have gotten a "pitch to hit" if the ump had not given Colome that gift strike on I think the first pitch. I'm not at all sure JBJ would have done better as a pinch hitter. Whoever suggested JBJ as the DH has a point--he would certainly have been better than HanRam. I criticized Betts for swinging on a 3-0 pitch in the 8th with a man on, but now think he was right and I was wrong. It was definitely a hittable fastball and a double would have probably tied the game. In other words, good for Betts--and shame on me. After the first game or maybe before it I said I would be happy with a 2-2 split. The Rays are better at home and we are worse on the road and the Rays have to be motivated. I mean, look at the roaring crowds! The capacity of the Trop is around 31,000 and they usually get 14,900, but so far in this series they are averaging 24,000. I'm surprised we aren't reading about huge traffic jams in the Tampa-St Pete area if not all over Florida.

I am not that much of a Farrell fan, but I have to say it always amazes me how after a loss one or more of us will unerringly want to blame the loss on the manager. The fault today clearly lay with the lineup, but especially on that idiot HanRam who once again demonstrated he is normally oblivious to what is going on out there during the game. With men on 2d and 3d and 1 out, that was a terrible, terrible at bat and demonstrated conclusively he paid no attention to the previous at bats in that inning. We had 3 singles and a double because Cobb was throwing a lot of good pitches. I give Farrell a lot of credit for leaving him in there to pitch the 8th, which was clean.

I would probably have batted JBJ myself, but I also would have started him. This year so far Young is hitting righties better than JBJ, hitting Tampa pitching better than JBJ, and JBJ is hitless as a pinch hitter. Young actually had a decent at bat against Colome but was screwed by the early strike call on a low pitch in a game in which Porcello had thrown I'd guess at least 5 pitches higher in the zone that were called balls.

Hanley Ramirez is either the dumbest or the most unaware Sox player I can remember. Everyone else could see what Colome was doing--throwing the ball down or below the zone, but only HanRam the idiot swung every single time. Kimmi defends him and says he's a serious player who is giving his best, but I just don't see it. He is terrible on the basepaths. When he swings, more often than not he swings as hard as he possibly can as though he is at the plate to get some exercises. He demonstrably does not, repeat, does not study pitchers before the game, and it's a pretty good bet he doesn't pay much attention to the pitchers during the game when he is not at bat.

Beaneater, you really need to see him pitch a few times. It's true, he does not have masterful control and he sure as heck doesn't have a great repertoire. But he's now gone 5 innings and given up 2 runs against the same lineup that scored 4 off of Sale last night. Somehow that combo of knuckle curve and fast ball seems to work.

After last night, I'm very impressed with the way the lineup bounced back tonight, especially after Odorizzi looked so tough in the first 2 innings. Last night Farrell had three righty bats in a row and four lefties in a row, but tonight it's right left right left all the way through the lineup.

This story could well be apocryphal, but here it is. It's spring training or later and a reporter is doing an interview. He asks Conley how hard it is to go from NBA basketball to baseball. Conley responds with: "it's really hard, I have to admit. It take me at least a couple of months to get out of shape so I can play baseball."

I have seen him swing at first pitches, but not often. He gets away with not swinging because he has a small strike zone, good read on pitches, and good hand-eye coordination. I agree too that our guys need to swing often enough to "keep them honest."

Maybe the movie Moneyball poisoned my mind, but I have to say I think the stats guys have come up with some pretty good numbers to mostly refute those hunches, etc based on experience. What I do think is sometimes ignored is a phrase Clausewitz used--"the enemy reacts." That means that for every new really great stat and with it a great new tactic, there will inevitably be a reaction by thoughtful managers to counter that tactic. My favorite--it's becoming a hobby horse I ride incessantly--is the propensity of Sox hitters to take the first pitch because Bill James--and Billy Beane in Moneyball--says that a walk is as good as a hit, to say nothing of the benefit of increasing the opposing starter's pitch count. The problem is that opposing pitchers, managers, and pitching coaches all know this propensity and consequently like to throw strikes on the first pitch to get ahead in the count. This do this with great regularity against Sox hitters. Another example is those bold shifts all managers now use with some regularity. Other managers, however, still have the opportunity to tell their hitters to bunt more or just to hit more to the opposite side of the infield. What I have read,however, is that hitters have decided to hit over those shifts by getting more loft into their swings. I think Kimmi makes a good case for taking a hard look at which hitter goes where in the lineup and that statistical analysis can inform that thought process. Just maybe, for example, our best hitters should bat 1st and 2d and 4th and 5th. On the other hand, I think it is also true that some players are more comfortable and hence more effective in unusual parts of the lineup. That said, however, I suspect this particular lineup, which no longer has a huge bat (like Ortiz's), could probably benefit from moving a couple or so players around.

Agree on all except that, with Devers doing so well at Portland and Marrero/Lin doing OK at 3b for now, I would not make a deal for another third baseman. That's exactly what Cherington did with Sandoval--caveat emptor. HRam is the perfect symbol of the effect of one guy on a batting order. He is our Ortiz this year, and he is way, way short of the mark. That is of course an unfair comparison because Ortiz just might be the first DH in the HOF, but it is also real. The Sox seem to me to be entering a new era when clubbing opposing pitchers into submission is unlikely, and the team must be more guileful with good pitching, decent defense and baserunning, and just enough hitting. This year the lineup's goal must be to score those 4 huge, gigantic, indomitable runs somehow, some way. Whenever the Sox do that, they win over 80% of the time. When they don't, they lose over 80% of the time.

Meh. The weak hitting last night was consistent with this season plus the short sleep plus the fact that the Rays pitcher was making his 6th quality start in 6 starts this year. Marrero in for Bogaerts, who is in a slump anyway, turned out to be a plus. Marrero not fielding a double? Are you serious? What about JBJ trying to throw that guy out getting back to 1b which led to a 2 base error? Now that was bonehead defense. Terrible attempt by Benintendi to steal 2d, granted, but why not try it in a game when getting runs was always going to be a problem? Beni is quick, just inexperienced or maybe not good at getting that essential quick start jump. My frustration during the game was our guys unwillingness to swing at first pitch fast ball strikes, then later swinging at pitches out of the zone. That two run dinger by the Rays was on a first pitch fast ball by Sale in the geometric center of the strike zone. Plus I think Eck was saying last night that our guys seem to have trouble reading pitches, which means they don't swing at hittable pitches and do swing at pitches outside the strike zone. All of the above notwithstanding, last night was in reality a golden opportunity for Tampa which they seized. Our guys, including Sale, were tired, and Tampa has a good hitting lineup this year, rested, and last night probably their best starter (6 of 6 quality starts). I gripe about our hitting, but it was bound to happen last night. Tampa is a tough out at home. I will be happy with a 2-2 split in this series.

Three games left on a 17 consecutive game streak without a day off and which includes three series and 10 games on the road. Plus short sleep Wednesday night. All of that might explain the weak hitting against a pitcher who has actually been very good--his 6th consecutive quality start--this year and the unnecessary throw by JBJ that led to a 2 base error. Sales handled that one nicely by getting the next two outs without giving up the run. This year Longoria is Tampa's 5th best hitter in terms of OPS and total bases, and that means this team can hit better than most past Tampa teams. And last night they beat our ace, Sale, in part because of the short sleep, but also because our guys have shown repeatedly they can't hit good pitching. Bogaerts was missing, but Marrero actually had one of our five hits plus our only rbi with a nice sac fly. This promises to be a tough series--such that I would be fine with a 2-2 split.

I'm sure you're right. But that doesn't change the fact that an opposing player did something our players would almost never do--hit a dinger on a first pitch.

Moreland, I should mention, will swing at the first pitch, but normally only if it is in the dirt. Sometimes he hits like a champ, but too often he is clueless on what kind of pitch is coming in and where it is going.

Maybe we can call it the Bill James syndrome, but it's a fact that our hitters just hate to swing at the first pitch and opposing pitchers know it. So they throw a fat pitch first to get that 0-1 count, which means that they only have to get a strike on either of the next two pitches to get the Sox hitter in a real hole, 1-2. Mookie in particular hates to swing at first pitches, so we just saw him K in 3 pitches. That two run dinger by Tampa? It was on a first pitch fast ball right down the middle by Sale. The hitter had 2 dingers all year and is hitting .231, but he sure knew what to do with a first pitch gopher ball. But it's a religion with our guys that they must under all circumstances take as many pitches as possible because pitch count or whatever is just so important.