Maxbialystock

I disagree with almost all of the comments about Farrell's decisions, which I think have been fine. But I would fire him today on general principles. Think of him as heifer who needs to be sacrificed. If the players aren't in the locker room eating chicken and drinking beer during games, they ought to be. I also have my doubts about Dombrowski. Most of his acquisitions have not measured up to the price paid. Indeed, Price, Abad, Pomeranz, Ziegler, and Kimbrel have been demonstrably worse than advertised. Young's OK, but on the DL. Hill is not OK.

I like that. I don't agree with the part about all managers, including Girardi, but I love that you said it. And I am not being facetious or ironic or sarcastic.

Actually, you are giving the players a free pass, especially the four relievers who gave up 8 runs in 2 innings. Farrell made a reasonable choice in having Buch finish up the 6th even though he was pitching Saturday and going to Barnes in the 7th. Remember Barnes? His last time out he rescued Kimbrel who left him the bases loaded by getting a big K. And here you are saying it was unreasonable to send Barnes out to pitch the 7th. Indeed, you rave about the brilliance of Girardi sending out pitcher after pitcher, not of whom pitched more than 2 innings, and complain when Farrell does the same thing. Indeed, in the decisive final 4 innings of the game, Farrell used more pitchers than Girardi. The difference was that Girardi's bullpen was getting guys out and our guys weren't. So, yes, you are giving the bullpen a complete pass. About sending out Wright to run the bases and perform that Herculean task of maybe trying to score from 2B on a single. Did you notice that last night Ortiz had to be helped into the dugout? Did you then notice him tonight, 9 years older and 50 pounds heavier than Wright, scoring from 2B on a single? And think about this. If Farrell had followed Girardi's lead and brought the bullpen in in the 2d inning, the Sox would have lost by 10 runs or more. Every decision he made was reasonable, but the bullpen failed him and us.

Whoa, nellie. Surely you didn't expect Farrell to follow Girardi's lead and dump Pomeranz after 2 innings? When you look at the box score, the numbers are clear: Farrell had the good starter, but absolutely the worst bullpen. Even though Pomeranz went 5.1 innings and Eovaldi (Yankees starter) only went 1 inning, the Sox ended up using 7 pitchers to the Yankees 8. In the 7th inning alone Farrell sent three guys out there--Barnes, Abad, and Tazawa--and they all s*** their pants giving up 3, 2, and 2 runs, which was basically the ballgame. If you leave Buch in for the 7th, those three clowns still come out and give away the farm in the 8th inning. And let's not forget the abysmal Sox hitting. A Yankees pitcher named Clippard pitched 1 inning and gave up 3 hits and a walk but no runs. Farrell sent out 4 relievers--Barnes,Abad, Tazawa, and Ross--with ERA's of 3.48, 3.19, 3.96, and 3.89 and they gave up 3, 2, 2, and 1 run. Why was that Farrell's fault?

Meh. You make running the bases sound like a decathlon or something. it's just running the bases, something all of us have done. When I was Wright's age I did it all the time with little or no risk to my health. I also played full court basketball. Heck, I did both when I was 10 years older than Wright. It sure sounds as those the DH is turning AL pitchers into a bunch of wimps.

Please reread what you wrote. First you said Farrell did the right thing when he brought Buchholz into the game, then that he is "beyond stupid" and "has no game sense." Both can't be true. As illinoisox points out, you are also assuming that, once Buchholz pitched through the 7th, the bullpen would have somehow transformed itself into something reliable when in fact we know that they are in complete disarray. We just saw Kimbrel--you know, the $9M closer--implode in the worst possible fashion. Ziegler has problems when hitters ignore his unusual delivery and just focus on the ball and hit it. Barnes, Abad, Ross, et al actually pitched last night and were terrible. At some point I think you have to admit that the players have some responsibility for the outcome of games. Speaking of which, the lineup also stank. Early on they twice had the bases loaded with one man out and only brought in one run each time. Then they started an inning with men on 2d and 3d and no one out with the top of the order coming up. Pedroia drove in one, but only one more scored. I am fine with blaming Farrell for overall wins and losses. I am not saying his job his by any means secure. But I am saying that your rhetoric about Farrell being beyond stupid and having no game sense is not defensible. My version is that he brought Buchholz, our long reliever, in to get the Sox into the 7th inning when the regulars would take over. I would even agree that Buchholz could have stayed in to the end of the game because he's gone over 3 before and done well. Of course, that would then make starting on Saturday problematical.

Never doubt the seer of seers.

OK, this time I'm predicting some runs. This is the time the new lineup pays off.

There's a lot you don't get.

His move was perfect--see the results. Buch gets a GIDP and ends the inning/threat.

To be honest, I think changing the lineup was justified and that Pedroia, Bogaerts, Betts has potential. But still the guys are just choking away big opportunities. I mean palpable gagging.

This new lineup is really cooking. What was Farrell thinking?

`No takers on Bradley, which is good, because he s*** his pants too.

Ramirez craps out, no surprise. Bradley, anyone? Anyone?

Now that was a great at bat by Mookie. Now a walk to load the bases with Hanram, JBJ, and Shaw coming to bat. Any bests on how many these guys can drive in?

Actually, I'm impressed. Yes, he's slow as molasses. But he has three different pitches, good control, and more grit by far that the lineup. First Betts and Ortiz came up with the bases loaded and produced one lousy run. Then Benintendi (the anointed one) and Pedroia did the same thing.

why not? We've already squandered one bases loaded with one out.

True. But this time the new lineup has given him the big lead. Did you notice Betts with the GIDP (only the Yankees screwed it up and a run scored) against a minor league reliever?

Pomeranz has to be thankful for all the run support.

Love the new lineup. Nothing better than Betts up with the bases loaded. Now the Sox have the big lead.

I certainly missed it. No longer nimble.

I'm pretty sure I was one of the people who thought and said bosoxmal was nuts. But I have to admit that the lineup that worked so well April-July (well, late July if not all of it) hasn't worked so well in August. More to the point, we lost a bunch of 1 and 2 run games when a change might have helped. We still don't know the new one--Pedroia, Bogaerts, and Betts--will work, but no harm in trying at this juncture. Good call by bosoxmal.

My version of the NOAA weather map says most of the wet stuff misses Boston to the south.,

Actually, Beckett had one great year in Boston, 2007, when we won the WS and he was like 2d in the Cy Young voting. Lackey also had a very good year in 2013, after Tommy John, when the Sox again won the WS and Lackey shut out the Tigers in I think game 3 of the ALCS--against Verlander. I do agree, however, that Boston is a tough fan base.

Super idea, but I was wondering whether he could be converted into a thirdbaseman or firstbaseman. I mean, the bullpen is already full up with great arms. Isn't it already rated the 2d best bullpen in MLB? Surely we can put Kimbrel to better use than closer, which could be handled by at least 3 or 4 other guys we have. Meanwhile, Shaw isn't hitting the lefties too well, and HanRam could be our next DH.