illinoisredsox

I've posted about that a couple of times. If they had sent Hill up, the Tigers would counter witha righthander, probably KRod. Holt has struggled against southpaws (nt too many PAs against them). this season (although he over .300 against them last year). Holt was also something like 8-11 getting guys in from 3rd this year. Hill is 2-11 against KRod lifetime. So your choice probably that or having Holt face a lefty who was nearing 40 pitches and had already allowed 4 hits and a run in the inning. Unappetizing choice either way. Frankly, I may gone after the struggling pitcher as they did. But the one thing Holt couldn't do he did (to borrow a phrase used by the late, great Tiger broadcaster Ernie Harwell), "stood there like the house at the side of the road and watched it go by".

ESPN sort of addressed that last night. The Red Sox have a bunch of guys who virtually play every day. The bench players never really get much of a chance. One or 2 ABs a week is not going to keep anyone sharp.

Sinkerballer, got to think opposite field and maybe move forward in the box ever so slightly.

Hot sticky night, knuckler isn't knuckling. Not good. They might wish they had not used both Buchholz and Kelly last night (although I had no issue with them doing so) since as recent starters both should be able to give mutiple innings out of the pen.

I think it's because he's made a deal with the devil. As a former Yankee farmhand and manager, he knows the address. "Former" only get's you so far, though, hence his postseason record.

Actually, Ross is still playing; he's with the Cubs. If I remember correctly, didn't Ross go on the concussion DL 2 separate times in 2013? There was a short stint fairly early (May maybe) and then one that went a couple months later that summer. Salty's defense was never that good. His game management blew. Perhaps my biggest criticism of him is that he almost never went to the mound. If a pitcher was struggling, he just dutifully crouched back down and put down another sign; no going out to give the pi6tcher an earful or break up the negative mojo or anything like that. It wasn't an organizational thing; Ross went out there when needed. Varitek certainly did. And since his defense has always been below average and he brought no particular intangibles to handling the pitching staff, once he stopped hitting in the 2013 postseason (as in not even making contact), there was absolutely no reason keep him in the line-up.

I wouldn't put this one in the horrific category; with Verlander on the hill for the Tigers, Monday night always figured to be a tough match-up and he was on last night. If JBJ's ball doesn't hit 2nd base, the Sox don't score off him at all.

Agreed. OTOH, Johnson never should have pinch hit for Willoughby in game 7.

Upon rereading through this exchange, I think it's not a matter of either of us moving the goalposts. I think we are looking at different sized goalposts. To me "I didn't want Salty starting that postseason." means all 3 series (the wider high school goalposts); from what you are saying in the past few posts, you meant World Series, or perhaps at the end of the ALCS (the narrower NFL goalposts). Time to move on.

My opinions: No. Pomeranz was pushing 100 pitches and his command was much worse in the 6th than it had been earlier. Kelly - got to find out if he can be a bridge guy at some point. He made the one bad pitch that Upton hammered, but McCann actually hit ball 4 off his fists into a perfect spot. It was a pitcher's pitch and the batter got lucky. Buchholz - Can't really complain here. He gave up a bloop hit to Iglesias, the passed ball was the difference maker in the inning; VMart hit the ball hard but it was on the ground and through a drawn in infield. Given the overall implosion of the bullpen against over the weekend, I don't have an issue with the choices. More a case of which bad match-up to take. If Farrell sends up Hill in that spot, the Tigers counter with a righty, probably KRod. Or, you have Holt vs. a struggling Tiger lefty who had allowed a run, 4 hits and thrown a lot of pitches in that inning. While Holt hit over .300 against southpaws last year, he has struggled in very limited action against them this year. Hill lifetime against KRod is 2-11. Neither option was particularly appetizing.

Ah, the art of pitching. Give the illusion of a strike and get the hitter to chase. The huge call was the 2-0 strike called on Betts that wasn't even borderline. Completely changed the at-bat, although Mookie looked a little rusty tonight.

More a case of which bad match-up to take. If Farrell sends up Hill in that spot, the Tigers counter with a righty, proabably KRod. Or, you have Holt vs. a stuggling Tiger lefty who had allowed a run, 4 hits and thrown a lot of pitches in that inning. While Holt hit over .300 against southpaws last year, he has struggled in very limited action against them this year. Hill lifetime against KRod is 2-11. Neither option was particularly appetizing.

You deny making that middle post? Of course, we are all supposed to infer you only meant some time after the middle of Game 2. And you accuse ME of moving the goalposts? Don't hurt your head with those metal gyrations.

Tough match-up for Pomeranz. Verlander isn't what he used to be, but he still more than capable of spectacular starts. The Nation needs to focus on how Pomeranz pitches and not the overall game result. If he loses 2-1, 3-2, it may be a good sign that his last start was an outlier. Winning 7-5 leaves open the question.

Yeah, you were the only person in Red Sox nation to express that thought.

The World Series does not equal the postseason. Nice try. It took 2 series for Salty to play his way out of the catching rotation. A person with the foresight you have should have made that statement prior to the Tampa series.

He would have hit 1-12 just like he did because the Royals pitching was very good. You really are warped.

Sure you didn't.

So let me get this straight. A guy who is in his 4th year now (therefore not eligible for free agency even if he had not signed a contract extension), who signed that lucrative 6 year extension DURING A PLAYOFF YEAR for his club, is content to play for a losing team because ...

The cavata on the trade is reasonable; they may have decided to pick up the option but gotten a decent enough deal to forgo that. However, it stands to reason that if they release him, they have/had no intention of picking up the option. It shouldn't matter if that is an hour from now or on the day after the World Series ends. That part of the caveat is buffalo bagels.

Why the caveat? Since your so convinced that the option will be picked up, have the courage of your convictions.

And so what moves would you have made to do that, oh wise one?

Almost as bad as yours. However, if you somehow want to extrapolate one bad series of 4 games as proof that any player would shrink under the spotlight, go ahead. You still haven't said how you KNOW that Trout is content playing for a losing team.

Wow, 1 series. That's certainly a good barometer. I guess Ortiz would have rather been golfing instead of playing in the ALDS in 2003. Or instead of playing in the ALCS in 2013.

And you know this how?