Maxbialystock

Odorizzi beat us 5 days ago But against a weaker lineup. He is beatable.

This is true. However, in this case you never said during the 6th inning that ERod should be pulled--only that he was pitching badly. Your one comment in the 6th was that Barnes blew it. This confirms what you said earlier, that in this game--the one on this thread--Farrell really didn't have any good options when his starter blew up in the 6th with no warning. I say again, when your bullpen is basically Kimbrel and Ziegler and a bunch of chocolates, your are screwed if you also have to pull your starter before the 8th inning--unless, as was the case last night, you have a big lead.

As I tried to explain, if you want to get your starters out early, let's say, after 6 innings, and you only have 2 reliable relievers, you can't get there from here. Heck, I think you complained when ERod went out for the 6th the night before last. Did you intend for Ziegler and Kimbrel to cover the final four innings? And how often would you expect to use just those two and no one else to ensure a win? My point is that the choices available to Farrell aren't as easy as you make them out to be. This situation contrasts perfectly with the 2013 playoffs when the Sox pitching staff ERA was 2.00 and the bullpen was pretty much lights out, giving up, I think, 2 runs in 16 innings of work. In the playoffs, knowing you will only play so many games and, more importantly, you will have plenty of off days, you don't need a deep bullpen. Right now the Sox are finishing up 23 games in 23 days, and you seem to be unaware of that.

At the point Barnes entered the game, the Sox had pitched 5 innings and still needed 4 innings and 12 outs. I think the 6th is more middle inning than late. When you say, "middle inning fodder," you essentially mean not worth much, and the problem with that idea is that too many in the current bullpen could be included--Tazawa, Barnes, Ross, Abad, and maybe even Buchholz who is probably a better starter than reliever. That leaves just Kimbrel and Ziegler who are reliable or semi-reliable. Let's not forget that most on this board, probably including you, also believe Farrell stays with his starters too long. So, when you add all those things up--limit the starters, use the bullpen early and often, just two reliable (maybe three) relievers--you have a problem. Nevertheless, it is usually Farrell who is blamed when the pitching--some combination of starters and relievers--gives up too many runs. I on the other hand see managing this team's pitchers as akin to a high wire act, trying to find the right balance between what is available and what is needed.

Back to Barnes--one further thought. He came in with one man out, the Sox up 4-2, the bases loaded, and the hope he could induce a GIDP to get the Sox out of the inning. He actually came really close with that comebacker, except that it bounced so high it was unplayable in terms of getting an out. He had to be frustrated. Then he throws his patented 98 mph fastball to a guy hitting .128 who promptly nails it deep to CF for a triple that drives in 3 more runs, putting the Royals up by 2, followed by another comebacker which is so soft it too turns out to be unplayable even though Barnes made a good effort to go home with it. We think of that 6th inning as kind of a deluge, but to Barnes it was--I'm guessing here--mostly bad luck. He might even argue he did his job by inducing the comebacker for the possible, even likely GIDP but which turned out to be a clean single, a run in. and the bases still loaded. Then he does the right thing to the .128 hitter by throwing a very hard strike, which turns into a disaster. I'm not defending Barnes so much as saying baseball has quirks and can be tough on hitters and pitchers alike. Like when Benintendi makes that spectacular grab over the wall which could have injured him, but did not. Then the very next night he makes a little baserunning error which leads to trying to avoid a tag which leads to a knee injury (the replay looked to me like an ankle injury) which might have him out for the season even though the MRI's, etc say no real damage. Maybe quirky isn't the right word for baseball. Maybe the right word is hard.

I was fine with Betts leading off before but have to agree dropping him closer to the heart of the order makes sense when he is second on the team in rbi's and dingers. And last night Holt was terrific leading off against a righty starter.

Must be an easy win because it's another short game thread.

Porcello just can't seem to stand having a lead.

I'm one of the few who thought Holt leading off made sense. Not because I expected great things, but because it lets Farrell keep the 2 thru 5 positions intact. Plus Holt leading off against righties also makes sense.

Nice bottom part of the order--single, double, double for 2 big runs and still no one out!

Solid 4th for Porcello.

Funny thing, but a bunch of people said no way should Holt bat leadoff, but he has a big rbi so far.

FWIW, this happened last night. We took the lead in the 5th and the Royals came back with a vengeance in the 6th. Two nights in a row when our starters roll over only this time it's still 2-2.

Butterfield, assuming he is still the 3B coach, is back to his aggressive ways. HanRam was out by a mile at the plate and so was Leon.

Actually, Holt is a good choice against a righty starter because it keeps everyone else in a position--2d, 3d, 4th, etc--they are now used to. JBJ went into a huge slump in part because he was up too high in the lineup. Near the bottom is working for him now and should not be changed.

Oh, it's possible you saw what others didn't see. But when you look at the game thread all the comments were on the ineptitude of both ERod and Barnes (and Ross). Back to what you saw: I believe ERod had no problems in the 5th inning. It was the 6th that was his problem. He gave up a double and 2 walks and got one out against a lefty hitter, which is when Barnes came in, with no runs in but the bases loaded and the Sox clinging to a 4-2 lead. Also, when ERod went out to start the 6th, he had only thrown like 70 pitches. Given our weak bullpen, Farrell had all kinds of reasons for not wanting to take ERod out after 2 or 3 pitches.

Yost actually has a bullpen. Farrell doesn't.

It is rare that a long reliever goes in for the 6th inning, and in this case Buchholz did pitch the night before. Also, Buchholz pitched 3 innings of long relief at the Angels on July 31 and was given the win for his efforts. Let's not forget that, when ERod went out for the 6th, he had thrown less than 70 pitches and held the Royals to 2 runs. I think he gave up 2 walks and a double to load the bases and then got his first out, a short fly to LF. At that point--when Barnes went in--the Royals had scored no runs. Barnes actually did his job with the first Royals hitter he faced, who hit a comebacker right to Barnes. Unfortunately it was a high Baltimore chop that allowed the runner to score from 3B and the hitter to get to 1B safely even though Barnes fielded it cleanly. Then the first pitch triple on a 98 mpg fastball right down the middle that the .128 Royals hitter hammered over JBJ's head. Score was now 6-4 KC so Sox still in it. Then another lucky Royals hit on the dribbler that Barnes also fielded cleanly but could not prevent the score from 3B and the hitter getting to 1B. Then a hit batsman, I think. Finally Ross come in to ensure that those two new Barnes baserunners scored to make it 10-4 KC. Barnes and Ross may not be closers, but should have been able to get two outs in the 6th without letting 8 runs score. You want to blame the manager, but I blame those two and, in Barnes's case, on bad luck on the two short grounders that turned into singles. Plus there can be absolutely no question that ERod should have gone out to pitch the 6th.

That's 3 GIDP's. Sort of the opposite of clutch hitting.

I continue to be amazed at the reaction to Benintendi's injury--that the season was basically over without him. Platooning Holt and Young in LF and having them bat near the bottom of the order is hardly a disaster--or a black hole for that matter. Holaday might be, but he only starts every 3 or 4 games. Whoops, I forget Shaw and Hill, our undynamic duo at 3B. If there is a legitimate concern about this lineup, it's the collective inexperience in pennant races and subsequent playoffs and especially the good pitching that will be thrown at the Sox.

Get to the ALCS--a significant accomplishment. The Sox have an inconsistent bullpen and a lineup that struggles now and then. Who woulda thunk the rotation would be a plus by August with six decent starters?

notice how short the thread is when the Sox win easily. we are bored by success, sullen when we cant complain.

What is it about Ross that he can look really good sometimes and like a complete dipstick others? You want to know who has the real juice? I'll tell you. mvp78. He broke up a 3 game losing streak against the lowest ERA in the AL and the hottest team.

JBJ is back to good field no hit, especially against lefties

a700hitter called last night an anomaly and I'm hoping he's right. Tune in tonight.