dannycater

Ok, it's fun too.

I was a pitcher in college, yes the game is not quite baseball anymore. It's evolved into some sort of home run derby and let's see who can make the best highlight reel dive, leap, throw--which is great, but you wonder what happened to pitching in general and hitting for average too.

Like moon said, you just congratulate guys in general, it's part of the game and part of being a good teammate, and frankly good sportsmanship too.

denny, he knocked in a run, what does it matter that it was down 6, or up 6, or down 15. You can be personally mad at yourself, you can be happy to drive a ball, you can be whatever you want, but your teammates have your back, and the way we were all taught as teammates is congratulate your teammate regardless of outcome. You strike out, you still pat the guy on the back, get them next time. If you knock in a run, you high five him. It's all good.

I can't argue with the way the game has changed. Pitchers and the mentality of pitching has changed more so because SPs are expected to only get 15-18 outs when for more than a century they were give me a good 7, and if you throw a CG thank you very much. Relivers are now all throwing in the 90s. Hitters mentality changed to drive it out of the park when ever possible rather than hit a line drive, put the ball in play, or hit and run, etc. Hitters bat speeds are faster than ever and that's why if you do through a fastball down the middle, and now even a good curve, in all likelihood it could go out of the park against 9th hitters. Fooling hitters with breaking balls is not as easy as it was, and throwing a hard fastball better be on the corner or down at the low knees to be effective. Anyway, it's a different game today and it's become a strikeout, home run game and ESPN highlight reel for defense making more remarkable plays because players are more athletic than ever. The game has changed, the mentality, the coaching, the instruction, the video, the analytics, the scouting, the shifts. It's all check your index card in your pocket. Used to be hey move to the gap because want to prevent an extra base hit. Not anymore, you are scouted and thoroughly so to the point where the shift works more often than not. Guys are catching balls in what before would be considered outlandish areas to field a ball (shortstop 5 feet to his right of the 2nd base bag has to go to his left up the middle and makes play, and you go but he's the shortstop not the 2b??...all works). Tendencies of hitters, tendencies of pitchers, etc.

The last thing you need to criticize in sports is how you react after your team does a successful thing, in this case scoring a run. It's the goal of the game, score runs. Celebrating and how you go about it in your own dugout is not my concern and not a disrespectful thing unless you are taunting someone up 10 runs and you point scoreboard to the other dugout. Celebrate goals, touchdowns, baskets, great saves, diving stops, great throws and if you are down by 3 touchdowns, or 10 runs or 25 points, so what. Part of the game.

To further that same logic, you even congratulate pitchers who failed. Happens all the time. You are a reliever, you go through a 15-pitch at bat, and then the guy bloops a RBI single and the manager pulls you. Players are patting the pitcher on the butt, they are saying hey you did your best, and thank you for your hard work. People generally shake hands even with pitchers, it's baseball, it's sports.

galehouse made a statement that in itself questions players' attitudes or the way they act based on score of game. In football, again, I'm down 35-3 and I successfully score a touchdown or as a backup QB I get down the field and get my team into the end zone, I'm high-fiving, I'm excited to make a play and it's good for the team. Congratulate, high five, and do it because you are a good teammate and your team appreciates you doing something for your team--sac fly, move the runner over, home run, late PP goal, whatever. Score has nothing to do with anything regarding this area of appreciation.

Bruins trail in the 7th game, and Gryz scores with under a minute left for the team's only goal. The player gets high-fived, the B's play their goal music and the fans who are there cheer and stand. You are not allowed to be excited about the goal? It's the same logic. Players drive in a run, you get high-fived, or congratulated. It's not fun as much as it's part of the game, and about sportsmanship, team performance.

In general, you score a run, you can high five a teammate and say good job, it's part of the game, the score has zero to do with boosting your teammates. It's universal in any league.

Celebrating or congratulating. Was it that demonstrative (I did not see the play, for the record)?

There is no end-all on catchers except the Sox desperately brought Leon back after discovering that Swihart was not going to help the pitchers (or that's their assessment). Vasquez also has some issues with some of the SP, but in the overall it's a good tandem. Leon caught, team gave up 7 runs. How much is it the catcher's fault or just pitchers who are having trouble keeping the fort from being attacked, and doing it unsuccessfully. Even the best Sox relievers--Workman--still blew a save opportunity.

Marco is a big favorite of Alex, and having the manager's confidence results in pinch hit home runs or big hits off the bench. Nunez did that in the WS last year, you have an opportunity for a big hit from a guy not expected to come through, and they come through because the manager has their back. Cora's strength.

With all due respect, you are completely not understanding of what it means to be a good teammate, and "understanding the game" has nothing to do with doing something to help your team score. I move a runner over on a grounder and it's an out, but if it meant moving him into scoring position, and the next guy singles him in, that's not helping your team? It's not about the score. You can argue the other team is one out closer to victory, and that's fine, but bottom line if I hit a sac fly that scores a run it's a run and that's what is the most important thing whether it's 1-0, 7-1, 27-1. You congratulate your teammate and you do that every f***ing time.

From the Globe: Sale won’t pitch again until after the All-Star break. Extended rest is typically a plus, for any pitcher but Sale has pitched on at least six days’ rest six times this season and he’s 0-5 with an 8.48 ERA in those starts. This is exactly why Cora hasn't been bright about Sale and how he is coddled at times. This is a guy who needs to pitch every 5th/6th day, not 7. It's too long and with Sale's binky not catching him is a recipe for more disaster. Vasquez is a terrific hitting catcher, but honestly I have to wonder how good is he calling pitches behind the dish and how much it affects a Porcello or Sale, and some of the relievers as well.

For Swihart's Ghost: zell! zell! zelllllllllllll!!! Is it safe?

Fire Sale As Sox Unload Ace Along With MVP Betts, LF Benintendi Fixed for you

Sale will strike out 18 and be pulled in the 7th.

Holt slipped, and on his stomach made a great play to throw out runner yesterday. Then laughed from his tummy. He's a Showman...and his son also caused Dwight Evans to have vertigo by accidentally hitting him in the head with a mini wood bat.

Benintendi still hitting .270,7 HR, 20 doubles, 36 RBI. Is it a great OF stats? No. But considering he has nearly 80 games to add to his HR, RBI totals and BAVG, it's not like he is all that bad. There are many ballplayers that would be happy with a half like that. But like you said, jung, the barrell and the juiced balls are making offense becoming a compare him to 100 others and now his stats aren't all that. Give him time. I think he will be fine. And I'm saying that about a f***ing St. Louis Blues fan! Basthid!!! But I love Beni anyway.

In today's game, it's bat speed and exit velocity. Long swings, tons of good hitters with long swings.

The WS Hangover affected the Sox badly. The Dodgers are hungry, the Yankees are hungry, the Astros are hungry. Winning it all makes you feel satisfied. So you have a majority of players trying to get back to where they were and others who are simply good young players who are coming into their own--Bogie, Devers, Vasquez. Bradley has been on fire after his annual start season horrific, bench-worthy slump. The pitchers, you got Eavoldi who was hurt, Sale and Porcello who have been disappointing although Sale has had far more terrific outings and deserves better than his record shows. Price and EROD have been fine, good enough to be 15-game or more winners when it's all said and done. Wright just returned. The relievers were overworked, badly overworked and some have shown in results--Barnes and Brasier--and others like Workman, Walden have been very good to terrific. The Pawtucket clown car hasn't worked out either. Relievers simply have come and gone, and been terrible at times. Overall, the team is overdue to have a big streak, like a 22-5 month.

Beni has a pretty swing, it's his results that are not up to expectations especially when you consider Devers is doing things we expected the Blues fan to be doing this year.

Truly the Sox pen is/has been legendary bad at least in the most recent weeks.

No way I give up the STL Blues fan. He is still a guy who can be quite awesome.