Maxbialystock

I not only had no premonition, I was sure this game was over going into the 9th. Yes, I had a little hope Betts might get a hit, but I sure as hell didn't think Pedroia we hit one over the center field fence.

What an amazing freaking game. The Sox were dead, dead, dead. But, as it turns out, they were only mostly dead. Just an incredible 9th inning comeback.

First four hitters have 1 single by Betts and 9 K's and 12 men left on base. And the sadder thing is that this weak-hitting trend started back in Boston.

This is not the first game this has happened, but in this one it is very clear that our guys have trouble with breaking balls.

My realistic view of the Sox right now, July 30, is that now is not the time to make a big trade to improve the rotation as was done o/a August 1, 2013. Why? Because the rotation right now is not that bad: Porcello and Price are both pretty solid; Pomeranz just might be as good as indicated at San Diego this year; Wright can be very good when his knuckler is working; ERod was good last year and could be that way again this year. But also because this is a pretty talented lineup which, however, lacks experience. I think the Sox can get to the playoffs as currently configured--and assuming the bullpen DL's return in good order--but maybe lacks the maturity to win in the postseason. The Angels (Sciosia, actually) showed us how to deal with Ortiz in game 1 Thursday night--when in doubt, walk him. Detroit should have done that in the ALCS in 2013, and you can bet it will happen this postseason. Everyone else in the lineup is up and own like a yo-yo. Collectively, they have scored a lot of runs and will score a lot more, but collectively they right now are vulnerable to good pitching, not just great pitching. And right now I would define good pitching as anyone with good breaking balls (curve, slider, changeup, knuckle curve, whatever) that is in or close to the strike zone. Even Linecum, whose ERA 8.49 and who walked 6 guys in 5 innings last night, did OK (4 runs in 5 innings)--because he threw a whole lot of breaking balls. In other words, my advice to Dombrowski is to limit himself to maybe getting another good bullpen arm, period, and let this team work its way through the rest of the season, whatever happens. And by all means don't trade away any more of our top prospects. Enough is enough.

Build a bench with depth is such a joke. You sound like a football coach. The simple fact is that most MLB teams have 4 on the bench to back up the 9 regulars in the lineup and one of them is the spare catcher. Indeed all 4 of them are like spares for just in case. Sometimes, as the Sox did earlier in LF, they will platoon, but by and large they are spares, not carefully chosen guys to add, in your words, defensive depth. Indeed, it is rare when the Sox recruit or trade for any position player primarily because of their defensive ability. Bradley, a very good defensive CF and better defensively the day he got here than Ellsbury, was up and down between Pawtucket and Boston like a yo-yo because he couldn't hit. Most would agree Iglesias is a better defensive SS than Bogaerts, but there was no hesitation in trading him to get Peavy in 2013. The list of similar decisions is endless. HanRam and Shaw play everyday because they can hit, and right now HanRam's July OPS is .989 vs. Hill's .432. Plus HanRam's only committed 4 errors all season and he started out as a SS, which demands a good arm. And that BS about the footwork is different doesn't apply to throwing home--it's exactly the same footwork at SS as it is at 1B. He just rushed it, he says, because he wanted the GIDP, but also because Trout is fast and was going home with the crack of the bat. I also don't buy the notion that Hill is worlds better at 3B than Shaw, not when Shaw's DWAR is 4th best among AL thirdbasemen.

Gotta like Youk's optimism, which I think is well-founded. Kimmi was the first I think to suggest the rotation just might be OK with the current five, who I rank in this order: Porcello, Price, Wright, Pomeranz, and ERod. Interesting that Farrell has said Wright doesn't get a pass when the weather is hot and humid. Ditto that he won't defensive sub for HanRam in late and close games.

I'm maddest at HanRam, I guess, but also at Ziegler for loading up the bases. Indeed, the only out Ziegler got in the 9th was Perez failing to bunt and striking out on a very low pitch (thereby avoiding a GIDP). But let's not forget the lineup which scored a grand total of 1 run--a sac fly by Betts to score Leon from 3d--against Weaver, whose fastball tops out at 84 mph and whose ERA this year is 5.14, including last night's 5.2 innings and 1 earned run. I'm also mad that I couldn't get to sleep and watched the game to the bitter end. Kimmi's right that the rotation could be coming around even though none of the three lefties has a reliable changeup (I mean game in and game out). But what keeps sticking in my craw is that the hitting can disappear so quickly and not just against aces, but against anyone with a good mix of pitches and decent control. Let's not forget that the Angels bullpen went 3.1 innings and gave up 0 runs. Against their closer Bedrosian in the 9th (we were up 1-0), Ortiz popped to 3b and HanRam and JBJ both struck out swinging--our 4, 5, and 6 hitters. Right now this team is doing a good job of finding ways to lose, especially close games, which Kimmi has mentioned regularly. However, Kimmi says that's actually the best way to lose because it means your close and not getting blown away. I started the Referendum on Farrell and have mostly defended him on specific decisions, but I always consider managers to be accountable for overall wins and losses. And right now, as was true a year ago, it's hard to keep faith with this manager. This team seems to be playing below its potential.

Well, we can always blame Farrell for not pinch-hitting for Ortiz or for sending Buchholz in to pitch in a crucial game and inning. Oh, wait. Ortiz is our best hitter, and Buchholz had a clean inning. Ziegler? 9th inning, tie game, must win, and he is the closer for now--gotta send him in. Seriously, I almost always defend specific moves by managers, but do hold them accountable for overall team performance and specifically the W-L record. And even there I think Dombrowski has some fingerprints on this team and this season.

He has a fastball (84-86 mph) and a big curve, but he can't hit the corners with them. Moreover, when the knuckler is missing, the opposing hitters, without exception, will sit on the fast ball, which only works when the knuckler is working.

Just a pathetic game. Yes, the lineup finally tied the game at 3-3, but then Ziegler gave up the dinger in the 9th and of course we had no answer. That's 4-5 on a key homestand that included 4 against the woebegone Twins, who split with the Sox. All 5 losses were close--1 or 2 runs. Right now, this is not a clutch team--more like a choke team. I think over time the team has come to rely too much on Ortiz for the big hits. Last night he hit that huge 3 run dinger, but was otherwise hitless when we needed a monster game from him. The Tigers, on the other hand, always seemed to be to get the key hit, the key rbi when they needed it. In retrospect, the great throw by Tigers CF Collins was pretty darn big. Bradley has a stronger arm, but is too often off target.

This team needs to get the hell of Boston and see if they can find some character on the road. I do not exempt Farrell even though he doesn't throw any pitches or swing at any.

OK, that tears it. Holt on 1st, no outs in the 6th, and Betts gets a fat pitch, a fast ball in the geometric center of the strike zone, and hits down on it to ensure a grounder and easy gidp. What is going on with these guys?

Fulmer has 3 pitches--fast ball, slider, and occasional changeup, but he's throwing 75% strikes and challenging our hitters, who are almost supine.

McCann golfs a changeup over the wall. Hard to blame ERod on that one.

Exhibit A for the prosecution: Bradley gets a fast fastball in the center of the zone and grounds weakly to 2B. Exhibit B: with Hill on 2B, Shaw strikes out looking. Sneaky slider or changeup? Nope. Fastball on the inside corner. Leon at least hit the ball--ground out to 2B. Fulmer is a good pitcher, but he ain't no Pedro. ERod deserves better than this.

After 4, our lineup is starting to look like a bunch of cream puffs except for a great at bat and double by Leon. ERod has struggled with control, but has shown a lot more guts than the position players. 8 hits and 2 walks in 5, but only 2 runs and 6 big K's.

What a great at bat by Leon! That's what I'm talking about!

Gutsy 3d by ERod who was truly on the ropes, but bounced back to get two K's with men on 1b and 2b. Sox down 2-1. Time for the lineup to show a little guts for a change.

Fat slider to Iglesias, double off the wall, which Holt jumped for, and Bogaerts came all the way out to retrieve, holding the runner on 3b. Walk to Cabrera, probably smart, but now VMart with bases loaded.

ERod gets Collins on 3 fastballs, all on the edges of the plate. Then Kinsler lucks out on a changeup that slow rolled to 3B, no play at 1b.

Pitches 2, 4, and 6 to Shaw were all fastballs near the center of the strike zone and the best he could do was foul them off. Finally a ground out on a 95 mph right in the middle and a tad below center. After two innings, Fulmer 29 pitches and ERod 31. Not bad.

Hitting coach or Farrell must have told Bradley, "pull the ball. Ignore the shift. If you try to go to the left side, it's a fine." That grounder to the right was off a pitch outside and low.

ERod needs to throw the changeup a little more. He seems to use the same three pitches Fulmer does--fastball, slider, and an occasional changeup. 31 pitches and 0 runs thru 2 innings. He got the inning ending gidp on a changeup.

Youk is going to have to kill this thread. I tried without success after I saw one had already been started.