moonslav59

Not the starters?

Actually, that bad call was one of just 23 in the game. Maybe the umps were part of the reason we didn't score after the first and before that one bad call you refuse to admit was even part of the reason we lost.

Their line-up stunk worse than ours after the first inning and up to the 8th. We missed some golden opportunities that the Astros didn't have until the 9th. The bad call was one reason we lost, and because it came at crunch time, it seems more important. I guess I'll never understand why you and other see a team that was getting XBhs and walking a lot, but not scoring for 6, 7 then 8 innings automatically means they are doomed to never score again the rest of the game. Did you see all our comeback wins, this year? Some in the playoffs?

I agree. Maybe there was a reason we don't know about. If so, I'd like someone to tell me.

That's a different argument than saying he wasn't used in high leverage situations, until the end of this year.

I've said all along, I think Whitlock is a better choice to start in 2022 over Houck. I also think Houck rates to be a very good closer. That being said, I think Whitlock would do very well in the pen, next year, too. It all depends on who we add to our roster.

Davis, but he's not on the roster. DHern walks the first guy, every time. I'd put in Brasier, but I don't have all the numbers. To me, the biggest debate on Cora, last night, was taking Pivetta out an inning too early. Without that, our pen has better late game options. (Even so, I'm not holding any of this against Cora. My guess is, if he explained to me why, I'd be okay with the choice made. It didn't work, so here we are again, talking what ifs.)

It would be nice, but we don't need to score early. We need to score more than the Astros- anyway and anytime we can.

That must be it. He's gone 4 playoff outings with 3.1 IP 0 BB (Miracle) 1 Hit 0 ER 0/4 IR/IS Sure, the end of the season was a mess for Adam, as were several other stretches during the season... Here are some cherry-picked time framed-stats from the last 2 months. IP- H- ER- BB- K 2.1 1 0 0 3 AUG 1-7 2.0 3 2 1 0 AUG 8-17 7.1 4 0 6 8 AUG 18-SEP3 1.2 5 4 0 2 SEP 4-9 3.1 0 0 2 5 SEP 7-21 3.1 7 5 3 4 SEP 22-OCT2 How can anyone not have confidence in this roller coaster ride?

Don't ask the guy who did not want or think we needed 13 pitchers. If I had to guess, Cora probably had some numbers on how Perez matched up with the batter. He wanted Houck to pitch multiple innings today. I'm not sure Sawamura or DHern would have done any better, and I don't know how they matched up with the next 3 batters, but I did not like bringing Perezz in.

My updated pitcher trust guide: Very High Confidence Eovaldi ERod Pivetta Whitlock Houck High Confidence Taylor Brasier Robles Moderate Confidence Ottavino Low Confidence Sale Sawamura Very Low Confidence DHern No Confidence (New Category) Perez

What a great season this has been for Red Sox Nation! We still have a great shot at winning it all! It's October 20th! Let's be positive about this team. What they have done and what they can still do!

Maybe some, but I really don't think seeing and hearing the ump call "strike" or "ball" is something traditional fans really enjoy or will miss. Getting the calls consistent has to outweigh everything else. It would make batting and pitching so much easier. These days teams actually prep based on who the home plate ump is. That is an absurd thought but true.

A lil. Same with Robles and Taylor- just a lil.

Just Robo umps for strike calls would be fine. I'm not sure there would be a big uproar.

I like that idea. Robo umps is better.

Maybe for 2-3 years, a couple times...you blew teams out of the water (around 2005-2007 ish, maybe?). For many many year, the Yanks won with just barely outspending the next teams. That was under George, and if you looked at those years spending vs revenue, I am pretty sure those numbers compare closely to these recent years. 1998: 72M BAL 66M NYY 63M LA (14 teams between 44M-62M) 1999: 88 NYY 82 TX 75 ATL 73 CLE (16 teams 42M-72M) 2000: 93M NYY 88 LA 85 ATL 81 BAL 81 AZ (17 teams 46M-79M) 2001: 110 NYY & BOS 109 LA (15 teams 55M-93M) NY starts pulling away... 2002: 126 NYY 108 BOS 105 TX 103 AZ (12 teams 60M-95M) 2003: 153M NYY 117 NYM 106 ATL 103 TX 100 BOS (9 teams 70M-87M) 2004: 183 NYY 125 BOS 101 LAA 101 NYM (6 teams 81M-93M) 2005: Biggest domination 206 NYY 121 BOS 104 NYM (8 teams 81M-96M) 2006: starts getting back closer 194M NYY 120 BOS 103 LAA 103 CWS 101 NYM (9 teams 80M-99M) 2007: Red Sox Champs 190M NYY 143 BOS 115 NYM 109 LAA, CWS, LAD 106 SEA (9 teams 80M -100M) 2008 Another big NYY spending year 209 NYY 138 NYM 138 DET 134 BOS 121 CWS 2009 201 NYY 136 NYM 135 Cubs 123 BOS (8 team 95M-115M) The gap closed after that, but you were still top 1 or 2 spenders until 2018.

We have been more consistent spenders. We are the only team to be a top 4 spender in the last 14 years, despite being the biggest spenders only twice. (2018 & 2019 under DD)

So? It was under George, too, so that is clearly not the issue. You won when George spent. You can't win now, spending even more than under George. You guys spend as much or more than anyone, and almost always have, even after George passed away.

We had more chances than the Astros until late in the game. PAs with men on base Inning 1: 0-Astros-They scored on a solo HR. 2-Red Sox- We hit a HR with a man on (scoring opportunity). We then got a man on with an error. 2: 2- With 2 outs, they got a GB single, a BB and WP 3- With no outs we got a walk. With 1 out another walk 3: 0- 1-2-3 inning 2- We got a 1 out BB. 4: 3- They got a leadoff BB and then 1-2-3 2- We got a 1 out triple and nothing. (More of an opportunity than HOU's 4th inning) 5: 0- HOU 1-2-3 inning 2- 1 out dbl by Bogey 6: 1- 2 out single 0- Our first 1-2-3 inning 7: 1- HOU with a 2 out singlr 0- our 2nd 1-2-3 8: 1- Lead off HR, single, then DP 1- 2 out BB 9- Too many to count 2- two singles with 2 outs Only the 6th and 7th innings were no runner innings. We had more chances that them in the first 8 innings. 12 to 8 (Even the 4th inning, where they had 3 batters up with a man on first- we had 2 batters up with a man on 3rd, and I gave them a 3-2 edge that inning.) Again, we just failed to bunch up our hits and walks.

Amen!

Whitlock was used earlier in games in April and the start of May, but more and more he was used in higher leverage situations. It wasn't just the end of the season. He pitched in 46 games, this year. 31 games were high leverage (67%) 27 games were late and close (59%) Want some comps? Barnes: 60 games- 39 high leverage (65%)- 73% were Late & Close Ottavino: 69 games- 47 high leverage (68%) - 80% were Late & Close Whitlock OPS Against: .599 High Leverage .600 Medium .681 Low Here is an amazing stat: .211 OPS Against with 2 outs and RISP

We had no momentum before, until we got it. Now, that it is lost, you think we can't get it back? Momentum can change on a dime, and it has all year. This year more than ever. (IMO)

There is no way of knowing this. They would have pitched batters differently and maybe even had a different pitcher in the game.

Well said.