Maxbialystock

This is starting to look like a ball game. The Twins pitcher looks pretty good to me. Erod has control problems.

Dead on. Last time he definitely looked like a good version of 2015. If he repeats that tonight, he is on his way. If he sticks, that's a rotation of 3 lefties, a knuckler, and just one righty. Of those three lefties, none has a really good, reliable changeup. I'm pretty sure Pomeranz doesn't have one and that the other two do have changeups, but not reliable ones.

Agree with both of you. And both of those skills can be improved upon with practice. Heck, they should have been fixed by now, but I guess Farrell is just grateful that Hanley can in fact play 1B as he could not play LF.

That's actually what I think too. Price is still good despite the ERA, Wright and Porcello continue to amaze me, and ERod could be last year's version returned. Pomeranz is a question mark, but that's OK for your #5.

I was supposed to ignore the manager? Or, if I did mention him, I was supposed to ignore that most everyone applauded him in 2013 but people want him fired in 2016, largely because of 2014 and 2015? To me one of the "thought-provoking" elements in the OP is that these two very different teams are playing or did play pretty good baseball for the same manager who stayed in Boston through two grim years. It's the same exact guy, only now he is despised in some corners despite the team playing well. But I do agree it's still an interesting topic without even mentioning Farrell because of the dramatic overhaul since 2016--about which the mind boggles. And let's not forget that in 2014 Cherington had every intention of keeping most of the 2013 team. He didn't want Lavarnway as catcher and couldn't meet the Yankees price for Ellsbury, but he kept most everyone else until midseason. Even with the acquisition of Sandoval, the rebuild has been pretty darn successful despite the pitching issues.

Just 3 years apart, but humoungous changes. In 2016 a new SS, 3B, 1B, LF, CF, RF, and C plus an entirely new rotation of Price, Porcello, Wright, Pomeranz, and ERodriguez. 2013 team had a new but well respected manager named John Farrell, but in 2016 we are stuck with a loser ( 2014 and 2015) named johnfreakingfarrell who insists on abusing and misusing his bullpen, who had the temerity to play Young in LF against righty pitchers, who allows his players so much freedom on the basepaths they are continually getting picked off or thrown out trying to steal or advance when it's inadvisable, who is clueless on when to take a starter out, ditto on putting together a lineup card. Nevertheless, despite the liability of a loser manager and an astonishing turnover of position players and starters, the 2016 team is now in first place in the AL East and has a real shot at the playoffs. With 93 games played, they are 15 games above .500 with 54 wins and 39 losses. The 2013 team at this points was 56-37, 2 games ahead of the current Sox. The 2013 team had better pitching but surprisingly, were still ranked 14th in MLB in ERA, whereas the current Sox are 18th in MLB in ERA. The 2013 team, however, was about half an ERA better. Both 2013 and 2016 led/lead MLB in runs scored and OPS, but the 2016 team has a higher OPS and should outscore the 2013 team by a bunch. Fielding-wise, I'd called it a draw: Bradley>Ellsbury, Betts=Victorino, Holt>Gomes, Napoli=Ramirez, Pedroia 2013>Pedroia2015, Drew>Bogaerts, Shaw=2013 conglomerate, Leon>Salty. Overall, I have to give the edge to the 2013 team because their pitching, with a cumulative ERA of 2.00, was just unreal in the playoffs. Nevertheless, this team, like the 2013 team, is a lot of fun to watch. Feel free to disagree.

I hope Farrell finally has the good sense to get more arms in the bullpen--most MLB teams carry 12 pitchers, but we probably need 15 or so--to prevent injuries like the one to Uehara. The Sox are not paying Uehara $9M this year to go out and pitch every damn night. He is paid to pitch only when he is good and ready and fully certified by the team doctor, repeated MRI's, the MLBPA, and at least 10 pitching coaches. From here on out, the rule in the bullpen must be, "no more injuries, which means fewer appearances per reliever, fewer hard fastballs (anything over 85mph), and fewer pitches that cause extra strain on the arm, shoulder, knee, etc. If a pitcher just tells the pitching coach he doesn't feel like pitching, he should be excused, simple as that." These are simple measures, and, if Farrell can't implement them, he should be fired.

Truer words were never spoken. Kimbrel and all those other relievers on the DL have had the same fate. Farrell seems intent on wrecking the bullpen by constantly sending those guys out to pitch when they need rest and lots of it. I've heard rumors that before going out there the last time, Uehara was on the phone begging Farrell not to send him out yet again. I understand the UN is looking into the possibility of human rights abuses. When will this Red Sox nation nightmare finally end?

It would be nice if Wright could go 7 or 8 innings tonight. Last night the Sox could only manage 16 hits against the Giants, so let's hope they can do a little better tonight. With Duffy a righty, probably the same old lineup tonight. Hannigan might go in for Leon and bat 9th, moving Holt up to 8th. -I just checked mlb.com, and Hanigan is in there, but batting 8th to Holt's 9th.

What velocity? His fastball has always been below 90 mph. What makes the fast ball effective is his control and his splitter, which, I agree, isn't what it was in 2013. I hear you on the age thing, but he is also being paid $9M/year, about the same as closer Kimbrel. Most teams like to have a set pattern for their best relievers--closer gets the 9th, best setup and occasional closer gets the 8th, etc.--when games are close. It sounds as though you believe that age alone should circumscribe how our presumed second best closer should be used. More importantly, you blame the injury on overuse when in fact every pitcher, young or old, is risking injury. Kimbrel is 14 years younger and on the DL after knee surgery.

I agree with those urging caution vs. rush to judgment. Nevertheless, it is clear Farrell was not impressed. Given the 8-0 lead, he could have left Pomeranz in a little longer.

4 straight well-pitched games then this. Let's not forget that DD's name is all over this acquisition, which, to be honest, I supported. But I ain't getting paid the big bucks to make the key decisions.

Excellent 2d inning by Pomeranz--after a lead off double, he gets two Ks and no runs.

What a pleasure to watch a pitcher who isn't a control freak, one of those guys who insists on getting pitches in the strike zone. With Pomeranz on the mound, we can relish those long innings with 20 or more pitches.

You keep saying overused. Based on what data?

Koji has thrown 28 pitches since July 9. He pitched last night, but Sunday and Monday off. He pitched Friday and Saturday, but after resting 6 days. I fail to see the panic in using Uehara last night.

At this point--91 games played--in 2013, the Sox were 54-37. Right now they are 52-39, 2 games back of the 2013 team. But that team was more mature and had better pitching. But this team has better hitting and pitching that just might be coming around. I thought Porcello looked great last night, especially with men on base and also when the umpire wasn't giving him the corners all the time as he did for Peavy. Price might not be great, but he is still very good. Wright is fading a little, but still a solid starter. ERod just might be the ERod of last year. And no way, no how Pomeranz isn't better than our 2016 5th starter or the 2013 one for that matter. Right now the AL East has four teams above .500 and 3 teams, if the playoffs were today, who would be in the playoffs. A tough division. Plus the Sox have played much better at home than on the road and up ahead are a lot of road games.

Before arriving in Boston, Uehara had a total of 14 saves. In 2013, 2014, and 2015, he had 21, 26, and 25 saves. which tells me the Sox have gotten good value out of him. I always thought that what made Uehara so great in 2013 was that splitter, which combined beautifully with his so-so fastball and excellent control. This year the splitter hasn't looked so great, which I think has forced Uehara to throw more fastballs, which then allows opposing hitters to look for fastballs and not worry about splitters.

Really? He pitched last night, Tuesday, but was off Monday and the day before that, Sunday. He pitched Friday and Saturday, but that was after six days of rest, including the all-star break. Since July 9, he has thrown a total of 28 pitches not including warm-ups. From June 28 to the present, Uehara has pitched in 9 games, and the Sox won all 9.

With all due respect to moonslav, I think that, for the naysayers to be right on this trade, Pomeranz, who for the first half of this season has been better than any of the Sox starters, especially on the road (away from Petco), basically has to collapse, need tommy john surgery or something, or Espinoza has to be at least a TOTL starter in the Pedro Martinez category (although Pedro didn't come through the Sox system, but Buchholz did.). And frankly, I think the odds are against either of those happening. As for those other trades, I never understood why the Sox went after CC for so much money. Beckett for HanRam, on the other hand,paid off in 2007. Getting rid of CC, AGon, and Beckett in 2012 was both brilliant and lucky. I didn't like the acquisition of AGon, but liked him after I saw him play.

Giants have replaced the Cubs as having the best winning percentage in the the NL, but Peavy is clearly an opportunity for the Sox. His ERA is over 5 and he has 8 QS out of 18 starts. Last night the Orioles lost to the Yankees 2-1. Good pitching does indeed trump good hitting. The Sox are starting a longish home stand, which means the rest of the month and all of August and September will include lots of road games. Lots. The Sox need to make the most of this homestand.

Well, I have to admit that like everyone else I loved what he did at the plate and even defended his defense. I did tend to look the other way when he was "being Manny." I turned against him, quite simply, in 2008 when he did everything he could to get out of Boston, whose FO was never going to give him more than $20M/year.

What surprises me about Kimmi's post of the McAdams article is the apparent belief that Price is our ace. His money says he is, but in reality he is not.

Yes, but when we traded Iglesias for a starter, however mediocre, we had two good SS's in Drew and Bogaerts. More to the point, we made the deal to enhance our chances in the the postseason, and guess what? The Sox won the WS that season. And didn't Iglesias miss the next season 2014?

He sure wasn't my favorite player. I completely agree with all the great comments about his hitting, but you guys are ignoring he was immature and, on occasion, downright mean. Manny being Manny included punching out a club assistant he didn't get him tickets he wanted, simply not playing when he didn't feel like it, making Francona's job miserable on those occasions when Manny wanted to be Manny to the detriment of the team, playing poorly on occasion in 2008 to force the Sox to trade him, insisting he should be getting ARod's salary (which ARod himself didn't deserve), using PED's after MLB had finally decided to crack down on them, etc, etc.