Maxbialystock

Why does Buchholz love that f***ing cutter so much? He throws way too many of them.

Damn good thing Moncada wasn't pinch-running because he would have tagged up at 1B. Which is better than Wright because he would have injured himself. Great double by Betts. Helluva way to get things rolling. Did HanRam really strike out on 3 pitches with a man on 2B?

Right now the Sox pitching is overall the best it has been all year and probably since 2013. The rotation certainly is--credit to DD. The bullpen has been very inconsistent, but on this roadtrip has come into its own. They have given up 2 runs in 8 games and both of those were unearned. The problem is that the hitting is not consistent--13 runs against Toronto then 2 yesterday is what has happened repeatedly this season. I think Happ had something to do with that, but he also threw an awful lot of fastballs, none of which led to any runs by our guys, who finished the game with 4 hits--3 singles and Pedroia's dinger. Our guys have routinely stunk in day games after night games. Heck, they may simply stink in day games period. Today will be another tester, this time against a righty who is pitching well. In another day game. I figure the usual suspects--5 lefty bats and 4 righties--Pedroia, Bogaerts, Ortiz, Betts, Ramirez, Shaw, Leon, Bradley, Holt. I assume Benintendi is unavailable. I expect Buchholz to do fine, maybe 6 or 7 innings, maybe 2 runs. Last time we saw Sanchez was May 27 when we started Vazquez at C, Swihart in LF, and Hernandez at 3B with HanRam DH'ing for Ortiz and Shaw at 1B. Today's lineup will be better--last time they scored 4 runs, 3 earned--but will it hit as well?

I thought the game was over after 3 innings. The simple fact is that ERod once again insisted on throwing almost exclusively fastballs in the early innings and Toronto is a good fastball hitting club. It was only after that 2 run dinger by Upton that he deigned to throw the slider and changeup, both of which were initially off target. Funny thing is, Happ was throwing even more fastballs, but our guys seem incapable of hitting in a day game after a night game. The 13 runs the night before were contributory, but it was the daylight that hurt the most. Yesterday we stacked the lineup with righty bats--only Ortiz and Bradley were not--and it just made no difference. We finished with 4 hits, including Pedroia's gutsy dinger and 3 little singles. Let's not forget that Hill let that grounder play him for the error that led to what proved to be the winning run. If he takes a step or two in, he gets it on the big hop. As it was, it got thru him cleanly.

Nonsense. Sox are terrible bunters, plus the bunt gives away an out. Young had 1 of our 4 hits yesterday and Farrell has started him against righties at least twice recently. A lefty batter in the 9th would have done roughly what Bradley in fact did--struck out swinging blindly.

I just read a short article that says Farrell is concerned about Moncada's ability to focus--which you can also read in the Sox Prospects article written before Moncada was promoted to Boston. Not just that easy grounder a week ago, but more recently as a pinch runner. 2 men out, Moncada on 1B, and a pop fly to short right. Moncada stops between 1B and 2B to see if the fly was going to be caught. In the 2004 and again in the 2013 postseason the Sox kept what amounted to a pinch runner on their 25 man roster. I think they would like to do that with Moncada this year, but not if his mind keeps drifting as it does. Goodness knows where his mind is because it's not on the game or learning how to hit a curve or improving defensively.

It's amazing the Jays only have 2 runs because ERod today has one pitch, the fastball, and not all that much control of it. He has thrown sliders, mostly below the strike zone. No changeup of course and no curve.

Farrell stinks. Worst manager in Sox history. Sox are winning despite him. If they keep this up and win the WS, DD should bring him back as the Asst bullpen and backup 1b coach.

Farrell stinks, and I hope the Sox keep winning.

Yankees now 1.5 back of Orioles and tigers for 2d wild card slot.

We should all bash Farrell when it is working this good. Watching Farrell manage is like peering into a neuron free cyclotron. He's the only mlb manager who worries about going outside the lines when he colors in the lineup card. We are lucky Ziegler went in for the 8th because he called for Wright.

Our guys are finding redemption on the road. Who knew? ERod may be 2-6, but tomorrow is not an overmatch. The only issue is hitting in daylight after a night game.

Perfect time for moncada K. What I love is that Porcello might not be our best starter right now even though he was solid against a tough lineup tonight. Price and Buch also hot and Rodriguez had 8 zeroes last time out. And 13 runs!

Starting ridiculously early again to combat letdown and enable deadly rocks to slay the Jay. A win tomorrow seals the deal.

Right now all five starters are pretty trustworthy. ERod can still have control issues, but otherwise is good. None of the five is dominant, but all do get guys out. Bullpen, now with Kimbrel, Ziegler, Kelly, Uehara, Ross, and Abad, is the best it's been all year. Still not shut down, but some pretty good options.

I lost sleep, but did not watch entire games when they started at 9 or 10 pm our time. Too old. I hate the west coast games on Sun-Thurs nights.

I disagree about Pomeranz, but who the hell cares? By the end of the season Farrell will have a much clearer picture on all five. I could be wrong about Buchholz just as you could be about Pomeranz.

Everything you say is fair to Buchholz. I think he's in a groove, but agree the next 4 games will confirm or not confirm.

I don't see Porcello as a Cy Young guy, but have plenty of confidence in him. My concern tonight is with the hitting.

Thanks, Wade. I got it wrong this time, but have no problems, of course, with Holt in LF. Shaw in the 6 slot suggest Farrell has confidence in him.

Those 6 were what got him another shot at starting, and that's where it is obvious he wants to be. More importantly, it's now clear that's where Farrell wants him to be. How else explain moving Buchholz up to pitch the 3d game at Toronto? As I explained in the game thread for tonight, Farrell saw him start every game when he was brilliant in 2013 and my guess is that Farrell thinks he is close to the 2013 (first half) version right now. If he is right, it would be a terrible waste to throw Buchholz back into the bullpen to maybe pitch the 6th inning of a game when the Sox are down by 5. I believe relievers need a certain mindset that is different from starters. The few times good starters, like Eckersley, became good relievers was when they became closers, and Farrell isn't going to let Buchholz close.

Strenuously disagree. Right now Buchholz is our third best starter and our fourth best is ERod. The bullpen is the best it's been all year with Kimbrel, Ziegler, Uehara, Ross, Kelly, and Abad. We don't need Buch in the bullpen, especially not when he wasn't that good his last two times out as a reliever.

espn.com allows a quick look at each hitter's last 10 games. I looked at our presumptive top eight hitters and can tell you the three hottest are not, repeat not, among Ortiz, Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley, and Leon. Nope. The hottest hitter in terms of getting on base is Pedroia, but you knew that. And the best rbi man--over his last 10 games--is Hanley Ramirez with I think 12. And second behind him with 9 is Shaw. I think that admittedly small sample augurs well because we know Ortiz, Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley, and Leon can hit and that among those 5 the only one really struggling is Bogaerts. I also think Farrell is likely to stick with 5 righties and 4 lefties in the lineup tonight. I'm guessing: Pedroia, Bogaerts, Ortiz, Betts, Ramirez, Leon, Shaw, Young, Bradley. The question mark has to be Young because he can always put Holt in LF--another lefty bat against a righty starter. On the other hand, this year the Toronto starter Estrada has been more effective against lefties than righties. Why Oritz 3d and Betts 4th? I think mostly to protect Ortiz from getting walked too much.

In the spirit of looking at the bigger picture, moonslav has a neat thing on his thread "A Realistic View of 2016," in which he points out that the AL East is easily the toughest and winningest division in 2016. And those are the only teams the Sox will play for the rest of the regular season and more than half of those remaining games will be on the road. So, yes, the business at hand is Porcello winning tonight--hopefully with some decent run support--and taking this series. But we can get just as excited at every series remaining.

all good points.