moonslav59

I seriously doubt the WC is decided in the last 4-5 games. CLE will drop out and trade assets. TEX has surprised, but I think they will fade. OAK is hard to predict, but I think we beat them easily. I have not given up on catching the Yanks, but they sure put the beat down on us last time.

It's already a good fight for the #2 WC, and we are just 2.5 from WC #1. We're right in the thick of it. Yes, we need to win at a better rate than the first 91 games, and I think we will. Nice start to the home stretch!

Price: check. ERod: check. Sale & Porcello: box open for checking. 5th starter: Johnson Rehabbing (Last 2 starts: 3 IP/ 1 ER and 5 IP/ 1 ER), Velazquez or trade target?

20 Exceptional Pen Games: 0 ER in 3.2+ IP, 1 ER in 5+ IP, 2 ER in 7+ IP or 3 ER in 9+ IP Game# Result SP-Pen 2. W 7-6 Eovaldi 6/5- Pen 0/4 3. L 6-5 ERod 5/4.1- Pen 0/3.2 4. L 10-8 Porcello 4/2.2- Pen 1/5.1 7. W 6-3 Eovaldi 3/5- Pen 0/4 11. W 1-0 Velaz 0/3- Pen 0/6 20. W 6-4 ERod 3/5.1- Pen 0/3.2 22. W 4-3 Price 2/5- Pen 1/6 24. L 4-2 Velaz 3/3.1- Pen 1/5.9 29. W 9-4 ERod 4/4.2- Pen 0/4.1 31. W 7-3 Velaz 1/2- Pen 2/7 36. L 4-1 Smith 4/3.1- Pen 0/4.2 38. W 2-1 Sale 1/8- Pen 0/4 41. W 11-2 Velz 2/5- Pen 0/4 43. W 6-5 ERod 5/6- Pen 0/4 45. L 7-3 Velaz 5/0.1 -Pen 2/8.2 46. W 4-3 Sale 3/5.1- Pen 0/3.2 47. W 12-2 Price 0/5 (2 unER)- Pen 0/4 70: W 7-6 TEX: Price 6/1.1- Pen 0/7.9 75: L 4-3 MN (17 inn): Price 1/5.0- Pen 3/11.1 77. W 7-5 TOR: Sale 3/5.0- (1 unER)/ Pen 1/5.0

Our pen has blown way too many saves (games), and although 1 BS was turned into a win later and 2 BS were in the same game, we've still had about 6-8 too many games blown by the pen. That being said, here's a look at JUST the good to great 53 games by our pen: 0 ERs in 2+ IP, 1 ER in 3+ IP, 2 ER in 5+ IP, 3 ER in 7+IP 31 Games Highlighted in Red= 0 ER in 3+ IP, 1 ER in 4+ IP, 2 ER in 6+ IP or 3 ER in 8+ IP Game# Result SP-Pen 2. W 7-6 Eovaldi 6/5- Pen 0/4 3. L 6-5 ERod 5/4.1- Pen 0/3.2 4. L 10-8 Porcello 4/2.2- Pen 1/5.1 6. L 1-0 Sale 1/6- Pen 0/2 7. W 6-3 Eovaldi 3/5- Pen 0/4 8. L 7-3 ERod 6/3.2- Pen 1/4.1 10. W 5-4 Price 4/6- Pen 1/3 11. W 1-0 Velaz 0/3- Pen 0/6 12. L 7-5 Sale 5/4- Pen 2/5 13. W 7-6 Eovaldi 5/5- Pen 1/4 16. W 4-0 Price 0/7- Pen 0/2 20. W 6-4 ERod 3/5.1- Pen 0/3.2 22. W 4-3 Price 2/5- Pen 1/6 24. L 4-2 Velaz 3/3.1- Pen 1/5.9 26. W 7-2 Porcello 3/6- Pen 0/3 27. L 2-1 Price 2/6- Pen 0/3 29. W 9-4 ERod 4/4.2- Pen 0/4.1 31. W 7-3 Velaz 1/2- Pen 2/7 33. W 6-1 Sale 0/6- Pen 1/3 34. W 15-2 ERod 1/6- Pen 1/3 35. W 9-2 Porcello 2/6- Pen 0/3 36. L 4-1 Smith 4/3.1- Pen 0/4.2 37. W 8-5 Velaz 2/3- Pen 3/7 38. W 2-1 Sale 1/8- Pen 0/4 40. W 9-5 Porcello 4/6.2- Pen 1/2.2 41. W 11-2 Velz 2/5- Pen 0/4 43. W 6-5 ERod 5/6- Pen 0/4 44. L 3-1 Porcello 2/7 - Pen 0/2 45. L 7-3 Velaz 5/0.1 -Pen 2/8.2 46. W 4-3 Sale 3/5.1- Pen 0/3.2 47. W 12-2 Price 0/5 (2 unER)- Pen 0/4 51. L 4-3 Sale 2/6- Pen 0/2 53. W 4-1 ERod 1/6- Pen 0/3 54. W 12-5 Porcello 3/6.2 2 unER- Pen 0/2.1 57. L 4-1 Sale 4/6- Pen 0/2 58. L 5-3 Porcello 5/4.2- Pen 0/3.1 60: W8-3 KCR: ERod 2/5.2 2/ RP 1/3.1 1 62: W 7-5 KCR: Weber 2/1.1- Pen: 3/7.2 63: L 5-1 TBR: Porcello 4/6 IP- Pen 1/3.0 65: W 5-1 TBR: Price 1/6.0 IP-Pen 0/3.0 66: L 6-1 TBR: ERod 4/5.2- Pen 2/4.1 69: W 4-3 TEX: Porcello 2/6.2-Pen 0/2.1 70: W 7-6 TEX: Price 6/1.1- Pen 0/7.9 72: W 7-2 BAL: Sale 2/6.0- Pen 0/2.0 73: W 8-6 BAL: Johnson 1/3.0 IP- Pen 3/7.0 74: W 2-0 MN: Porcell 0/7- Pen 0/2.0 75: L 4-3 MN (17 inn): Price 1/5.0- Pen 3/11.1 76: W 9-4 MN: ERod 4/7- Pen 0/2.0 77. W 7-5 TOR: Sale 3/5.0- (1 unER)/ Pen 1/5.0 79: L 6-1 TOR: Porcello 5/6.0- Pen 1/3.0 80: W6-5 CWS: ERod 5/6.0- Pen 0/3.0 81: W6-3 CWS: Price 2/6.0- Pen 0/3.0 91: W 8-1 LAD: ERod 1/7.0- Pen 0/2.0

Big confidence bump. ERod & Bogey have been huge, this year. Others helped in smaller ways. It would be nice to keep the streak going for a few more games.

Updated Standings Sox are 9 down on the Yanks (10 in loss column) Sox are 2.5 down on TBR (2 down in loss column) Final WC Slot CLE -- BOS -1 OAK -1 TEX -1.5

A bit more jump in our step on this site, tonight.

Hey, Dylan Bubdy can probably be had for free after tonight's game.

It was Brock's rurn to play, and Cora's moves are beginning to pay off more and more.

Only Sox pitchers with recent struggles suck and have no chance of returning to norm.

No big deal. Not everyone has drank the Marco Kool-Aid.

He's owned about $9M, and the Sox could pay half or more... assuming we decide to sell.

Next few games: LAD ERod LAD Sale LAD Price TOR Porcello TOR Velazquez (Johnson?) TOR ERod TOR Sale @BAL Price @BAL Porcello @BAL Velazquez/Johnson @TBR ERod @TBR Sale @TBR Price NYY Porcello NYY Johnson/Velazquez NYY ERod NYY Sale (Day off) TBR Price +1 day rest TBR Porcello +1 TBR (Trade acquisition? Johnson/Velazquez) @NYY ERod +1 @NYY Sale +1 / @NYY Johnson/Velazquez (Dblhdr) @NYY Price +1 (or, we could pitch Price in the 2nd game of the doubleheader and go with Porcello in game 4 of the series- depends if we pick up a SP'er.)

1. Although I often post most recent numbers to show possible trends, I've never believed future performance is locked into what a player has done over his last 3-5 games or even a half season. 2. There is ample evidence our starters are among the best in the league, unless you only look at 2019 or their last 3-5 starts. Even Porcello had a 3.50 ERA for 12 starts before this tiny sample size meltdown of late. 3. I have confidence that 3 of the big 4 will do fine the rest of the way. I'm hopeful we can get a decent 5th starter without emptying the farm and we will have home field for the WC game.

Yes, hence the impending steep, rocky drop-off. Some here are acting like the cliff is now.

I don't recall Jacko saying the contract was an overpay at the time of the signing. Many felt he'd get 6-7 years and $30-35M a year.

3 Free agents. Nothing from the system in sight.

We'll see. I think there will be a few good pitchers that are traded for much less than people think.

Our best prospects are 2-4 years away.

Many felt the years and dollars were lower than expected to begin with, so I doubt a ho-hum 18 game start to 2019 cuts his value by 67%.

Hell, put Chavis out there when Moreland comes back. Even letting Nunez stand out there like a statue would be worth adding Syndegaard.

Our pen has trickled down!

Weber 7 IP 1 ER 1 H 3 BB 3 K Lakins 0 IP 3 ER Kelley 2 IP 1 ER (BS) Castillo 2-4 w 9th HR (.738 OPS) Travis 2-4 w 6th HR Duran & Chatham 0-4 Dalbec 1-2 BB Kent 7 IP 1 ER Brannen 2-5 Casas 1-4 w 3 rbi Granberg 2-5 Machamer 4 IP 0 ER Haworth 4 IP 1 ER

0-4 with a K. Hopefully, he gets into April form soon.