Maxbialystock
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Everything posted by Maxbialystock
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Hmmm. I completely agree that the bottom half of the order was terrible last night, but the Sox still scored 7 runs. It would appear that Farrell's changes to the lineup have now paid off for 3 straight games. But your comment about leaving Pomeranz and Hembree in too long makes no sense at all. Almost all the damage to Pomeranz was done in the first inning, but he finally got out of it with just 5 runs. There are very, very few MLB managers who will take out a starter in the first inning for less than 7 runs. As it turned out, Pomeranz went 3 more innings and gave up 1 more run, and the Sox got it back to 6-4 when Farrell pinch hit for Pomeranz in the 5th--in my judgment, exactly the right move. As for Hembree, he went into that game with an ERA below 2. Plus we were just in the 6th inning. Farrell had every reason to expect one inning from Hembree and lots of reasons to hesitate replacing him. Plus he only threw 13 pitches as it was. Had it been late innings and the Sox ahead, then pulling him quickly might have made sense.
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Here's what bothers me about Pomeranz. Forget the stats. What I saw last night and see too often is that he is a MLB starter--not a reliever--with basically two pitches, a knuckle curve and a 90 mph fast ball. And he does not have the exquisite control needed to get away with just two pitches. Plus a 90 mph fastball is something batters with any sense will sit on--that is, wait for one that is somewhere near the middle of the strike zone.
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Possibly. My point is that sometimes bad base running occurs because some players just don't have a good feel for timing things on the basepaths. Sometimes--like that triple play on what seemed at first to be an infield fly rule--it's just a bad situation for the baserunner (s). My all time favorite gaffe occurred with Nava on 2B when a Sox player hit a ball deep to RF. Nava couldn't decide what to do, but finally decided it was going to be caught so he actually slid back into 2B just to be absolutely sure he would be safe. The ball went all the way to the wall and should have been at least a double with Nava scoring, but it turned into a single with the hitter wisely spotting Nava's indecision at 2B and holding up at 1B. Some players simply can't run the bases.
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Last night I watched part of the 9th inning of the Nationals at Orioles game when Washington had a nice rally going. They had cut the margin to 6-4 with just 1 man out and runners on 2d and 3d, so a single can tie the game. Instead, it was hard hit grounder to the firstbaseman Davis who grabbed, sprinted to 1B to get the runner out, and headed toward home thinking there would be a play. There wasn't. The guy on 3B changed his mind. The guy on 2d, a pinch runner in for the guy who just hit a double for the Nationals, however, was headed toward 3d and got caught in a run down, so finally the guy on 3B heads for home and then just stands there so someone could please tag him out. End of game.
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A lot of truth in that.
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A key point. We don't know if the Sox have turned a corner scoring runs, but that's a very good sign. Interesting that Farrell's 1st, 3d, and 4th hitters are the three B's, but not in the order one would expect. Bogaerts with no dingers but the best OBP on the team, is batting 3d.
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Think of Marrero as Ensign Pulver (Jack Lemmon) in the movie Mr. Roberts. You think he isn't doing anything, but he is actually saving up all those hits for when they will really do some good. Just like Pulver and the marbles.
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chris young chokes with the bases loaded--lineup to CF. Thank goodness.
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Let's not forget that Santana--lowest ERA in MLB and 5-0--and the Sox pummeled him for 6. By pitching the 6th, Sale gets the win. And the Sox lineup, with Betts leading off, Pedroia 2d, Bogaerts 3d, and Benintendi 4th--a change I never would have thought of--appears to be recharged with 11 yesterday and 14 and counting today. Who woulda thunk? Certainly not me because I have badmouthed this lineup forever.
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Good. The putz amazes with a sharp single to LF.
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Walking Benintendi and going after the putz is such a no-brainer.
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Back in the 5th, I say again for the upteenth time, the ump called a ball on what should have been a strike that was high but in the zone. That would have been strike 3 and prevented the 2 run single by that batter. Sale was not getting calls today, so I'm delighted that Kimbrel did.
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He stuck to his rule. This is a 5 out situation thanks to both Barnes and Scott screwing up. Thank goodness Farrell left Sale out there for the 6th. The Twins would have run up a bunch more runs before Kimbrel came in.
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I love it. Mauer called out on a pitch on the corner the ump called a strike and gripes knowing that the Twins got at least one crucial ball called on what was a strike back in the 5th inning. Great inning by Kimbrel!!
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No. Someone did say that Farrell was looking in his binder and not watching the game and was about to blow the game. That's about the same as blaming him for Barnes.
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Wow. This is a really tough board. First Farrell is denounced summarily for leaving Sale in for the 6th--a dumb move even though Sale pitched a clean 6th and finished with 108 pitches. Now he is dumb because the bullpen just gave up a dinger and 2 walks--and that's not Barnes fault at all. It's Farrell's fault for letting him pitch.
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As for Wright being left in, early in the season is the best time to see if he can do anything useful. Turns out he can't, at least not this year. I would have left ERod in for the 7th in Friday's game. He gave up 2 in the first and was sailing until that triple in the 7th. And let's not forget, sports fans, that it was the bullpen that blew Friday's game, not the manager.
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HanRam, on the other hand, took 3 strikes looking. What a putz.
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Friday night bullpen blew a tie game. Now, thanks to Sale and Leon, they have a 2 run lead to preserve. I like that better. Plus Sale only threw 108 pitches.
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Actually, a very good point I have to admit.
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Everybody noticed Santana give up the 2 run dinger in the 6th, which prompted the subconscious conclusion that Sale would do the same.
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You guys need to listen to ol' Max more often. Sale is 10 times the pitcher Hembree will ever hope to be.
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Dumb decision by the Twins manager, however. He should have walked Leon to get to Marrero.
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I would send out there in a heartbeat. He pitched well in the 5th but the Twins got lucky. 98 pitches is nothing for him.
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screwed by Leon--no surprise--and screwed by the ump. The pitch before the 2 run single was a strike, uncalled.