bosoxmal

I wonder how many kids are out playing baseball today, compared to those out playing football. I also wonder what proportion of media coverage baseball and football will get today. And this is playoff time!

The Sox away record and home record werre almost the same.

Bradley can no longer be considered as an All-Star. He needs a lot of sittings with someone qualified to help him. When he came to bat the last two fames, he lookedd like he was trying ti catch a train. The pitcher (thanks probably, to his one manager) was on him from the start. Every pitcher, not just the starers. The odds on his having any real hitting streak again are not very good.

You are absolutely right. I am forced to listen to the Rays broadcasts every time they play the Red Sox. (I am in Ft. Myers). For several years he has been the "God". Even when Crawford, etc were there, he was still the most revered. If someone gave me 5-1 odss that Pablo would play 3rd base next, OR 10-1 that Longoria would over there, and I would take the 5-1. I also believe our starting outfield will be Swihart-Benintendi and Betts, and the No. 1 catcher will be Vazqyez.

Price got by with a 97 mph fastball for several years, That, and his comman of it. He's now throwin 92-93 AND with not very good command, It was good to see Barnes come and throw a few breaking balls for a change/ In general, the team was tight as a string. But that's no excuse for taking middle-of-the-plate fastballs each at bat. I have a feeling (and hoep) that JBJ will ride the bench for the rest of the series unless he comes in as a defensive replacement. Evern that needs work, His throws the past two weeks have been terrible. He needs tempering (and tutoring) in many areas.

It's a lot easier to be critical when things are going southm so I'll take the opportunity and offer one suggestion for Sunday's game" Bench JBJ. He's reverted to a former self, including his fielding. He has not made a good throw to home plate in weeks. Over throwing. He also not paying attention to base runners. Life a runer on first who will take second. He really stinks at the plate, and is a total waste (at this time). Put Benindtendi in CF and Young in left. Stop the K's.

Not only is he calling a bad game, but they're stealing the signs! I would like to see Vasquez come Sunday, There's an old sonag, "we did it before and we can do it again" etc. I don't thinks so. MAYBE we get one, maybe two, but Price and/or Porcell have to go again. Price is not going to find a change-curve between now and then.

Buchholz goes in Game 3

Not much talk about the pitching. ten would be plenty because there are plenty of off days. I would favor Uehara or Kelly as my closer. To me, Kimbrel looks too much like the over worked Dick Radatz his final year with the Sox. If you can't find the plate, what use are you?

Forget the wild pitch. Happens a lot when they've changed the signals and one of the guys forgets. This is all on Kimbrel, and I would not let him anywhere near the mound when the Cleveland series gets underway. When a 98 mph pitcher get this bad, walks the house, etc, he's probably done. I'll be surprised if he isn't totally washed up. On the other hand, Kelly has looked great since coming back. Just remember how fast Dick Radatz went from one of the best ever, to a bum. For about 2 years he was unhttable, and then right out of the blue, he couldn't find home plate. This is a case of dey je vue

Anybody remember Dick Radatz, and that meltdown after about two years. We went to Sox games hopiong to see Radatz come and make fools of th ehitters. Then, all of sudden, he coildn't find homeplate and washed up. Just that fast. And Kimbrel is NOT Radatz to begine with!

Looks to me like the 8 & 9 innings, in the coming series. should belong to Uhi and Kelly.

I have zero faith in Kimbrel. None. Nada. Ninth inning in a playoff game? Heart attack on the way.

It looks like we may go into the post season wiht Buch as No. 2 and Price No. 4 (???)

Just fine escept for Leon. He needs a break---badly. One for 21 or 22? And looks it. Give him a break. Play Vazquez, we might be surprised!

Oh, I have no doubt they will stick with the status quo. I am not predicting, just suggesting. Today's Pardon the Interruption lineup was, get this, J.J. Watt, USC, Notre Dame, Steve Curry and Tim Tebow. All with baseball standings finishing their final week! The owners' greed is getting way out of hand. They will kill the golden goose before you know it!

For several decades prior to WW2, baseball shared the stage with boxing and horse racing, Remember the "bible", The Daily Record? Baseball took over as both racing and boxing faded away. Now it looks like it' baseball's turn. I would give odds of 10-1 that if you turned on ESPN this very moment, you be seeing football or a commercial (probably for automobile or insurance). Are kids today more interested in a Big 10 football coach's salary than they are in a MLB 11 game winning streak? It looks that way. This happens with over exposure and money. There's a lot that can be dome about both. I propose an MLB schedule that would be reduced to 132 games. This would be made up of (12) 5-day weeks and (12) 6 day weeks. Tues thru Sat one week; Mon. thru Sat the next week. Leave Sundays to the beach, the NFL, the NBA and family dinners. The Sox would play 6 game home and home series games against the rest of the AL. That's 84 games, The other 48 would be 2 and 3 games series against NL teams. (No home and home needed) 1) The players would stay healthier. 2) MLB home areas would not have to put up with playing 18 or 19 games against one another. 3) The end would not come for the worst teams quite so soon; hence, more interest. 4) More variety, and less of the same old, same old/ MLB would need a new schedule manager; one who understands that a good IBM, er could get on the keyboard and come up wiuth a schedule that makes sense. And maintains a higher interest level.

Big positive for our side. Home and Away records are identical! When did that ever happen? To any team over a full MLB season?

"Anybody" has spoken!

Yes, I know. He also took batting practice every day of the All Star game period, and is always at a high intenity level. I just think it odd that his first two at abts are USUALLY his best at bats of the game. Batting averages are statistically higher over the last three innings. But it doesn't seem that way with Mookie. Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't just make this up.

Does anybody else connect the Rays melt down to the boating accident in Miami? This game could have been held in abeyance until the end of the month. The Rays announcers never gave it a nod. Nothing!

Betts is the absolute key to this team. As Betts go, so go the Sox has been true all year long. he is fading, late in games, and needs a couple of days off. Tuesday, after the monday off-day woulf be perfect. Everybody has had days off. Mookie is not a machine.

He gets a big hand for the job he did today. I'll bet the pitchers love him. Leon is tiring. Run Vazquez out there for at least the next 2 or 3 games.

It may be my imagination, BUT: Over the last month, or so, haven't most of Mookies base hits come early in the game? Is he tiring out here, late in the season?Clinch this yhing fells, so he can get a day or two off!

I'm watching this SO Parade on the Tampa station. Has anyone noticed the cathcher in this game? Is it a coincidence that Vazquez is involved in this recprd breaking affair?