OH FOY

Chris Sale up to this point is averaging 5.9 innings a start. Up until this year he averaged 7.0 innings a start, to be precise 6.8 innings a start. It affects the BP, that 1 inning. Sox biggest problem we have just too many 6 inning starters to this point. It caught up to the BP. If I was Cora I would extend the pitch count from 100 to 120, it will save the BP, and just maybe these guys will get more economical with their pitches. Throw effing strikes. Pull a Earl Weaver throw them out for the 7th, and go into clubhouse, maybe start smoking cigarettes.

One thing we can say for sure Yellich is having a season for the ages. Can you believe it he has 17 Stolen bases and caught just once. He is having the kind of season where Babe Ruth and Ted Williams are smiling down.

.364 BA in Fenway last year, at this point he is hitting .273 at Fenway at this point. This team as a whole is just not playing good at home this year, and that's hard to figure out.

Were looking at the wrong guy here folks, its Mookie Betts that has underperformed more then anybody in this line-up, this year. His numbers have dropped significantly from last year at this point. Through 81 games last year at this point Mookie had a .355 BA, with a 1.121 OPS for the OPS folks, a .444 OBP. with 23 HRS with 51 RBI's batting from the lead-off spot. Last year Mookie hit .368 against Lefties, this year he is hitting .215 against Lefties this year. He needs to get hot, real hot.

Sure is. With the real warm weather coming, Pitchers tiring out, Promotions, it should even go up a little more.

1st inning. Mookie Betts .174 Bennintendi .186 Martinez .362 with no runners on base, 6 HRS 13 RBI's. Bogaerts .091 Devers .281 8 RBI's. Moreland .111 Heck here's the chart. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bos#playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Player+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2019&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=sp&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1561780421898&sportCode='mlb'&split=i01&team_id=111&active_sw=&position=&page_type=SortablePlayer&sortOrder='desc'&sortColumn=avg&results=&perPage=50&timeframe=&last_x_days=&extended=0 Here's the team chart.http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/stats/sortable.jsp?c_id=bos#playerType=ALL&elem=%5Bobject+Object%5D&tab_level=child&click_text=Sortable+Team+hitting&game_type='R'&season=2019&season_type=ANY&league_code='MLB'&sectionType=st&statType=hitting&page=1&ts=1561780770931&sportCode='mlb'&split=i01&team_id=111&active_sw=&position=&page_type=SortablePlayer&sortOrder='desc'&sortColumn=avg&results=&perPage=50&timeframe=&last_x_days=&extended=0

The Sox in the first half of the season scored a total of 34 runs in the 1st inning, considering all our best hitters are usually up in the 1st inning, it stinks. In fact its the lowest of all the innings, in runs scored, from 1-9. We never get a lead, and usually we are playing behind. In the first inning your guaranteed to get the 1-3 batters up, and they are just not doing their job, of trying to score first.

Darwinzon Hernandez this year in the Minors between Portland and Pawtucket 48 innings Pitched he has given up 44 BB's. Kid has a arm, but he cannot throw it over for strikes, he'll have a hard time against Major Leaguers. They will just wait him out, and these guys are much better hitters, they will get it into a hitters count, and he'll be in trouble. In 48 innings pitched between walks and hits, he has allowed 83 base runners. Last start 3 innings 5 walks, ticking time bomb as a reliever. He just got promoted to Pawtucket, lets see if he can get his act together there, maybe they can correct his issues, before we throw him in the middle of a Play-off race in the Majors. Sorry I have to disagree about a Reliever for the Sox at this time.

If Theo was GM, he might move Chavis now, to improve what we need this year. Gamble yes, you have to gamble to be a good GM.

Excellent point, Theo always tried to improve. Might not always have been right, but his attitude as a GM, was the correct one.

Sorry I'm on wrong thread, but I'll finish it here. With so many poor Starts, it has compounded into our Relievers, just not enough innings from the Starters, and now with a half a season left, they might be spent. They have been overused, and it is starting to show in the late innings, as season progressed. Crap goes downhill. Rephrase that: Just not enough quality innings, from our Starters. Innings are there about the same at the halfway point, just not the quality of last year.

Our starters this year have underperformed so far this season it is unreal. I know this about the Pen, but the Starters are getting off too easy. Sale, Price, Porcello, E-Rod, and Eovaldi (of course injured), have given 47% Quality Starts this season so far. Bostonsportsinf.

Sox will have to go 37-4 at home in the second half of season to match last years total, at home. Sox have won just 3 series at home so far this season, and 2 have come against teams with a losing record. We have not won a series at home so far this season against a Division rival.

OK so no 7, don't spin it another way. Its not only the 9th that's a problem its also the 8th. That's my point.

After leading after 7 innings, the Sox have lost 8 games, the rest of DIVISION, has lost 6. That includes the Orioles and Jays. Remember this not about blown saves, its leading after SEVEN. Most Starters today go 7 innings. 7 is their 9 now.

Consider this, last year after the AS break, Sale maybe started 6 games, the Sox finished the season with a fantastic 3.75 team ERA, in the AL, that's real good. At this point, our team ERA at this point is, 4.30. A half run a game more, at this point. I think not only BP in underachieving, but our starters too. Especially Sale. I think McAdam was wrong about full run in last 45 days. I commented on this on the BSJ site. Hope he gets back to me.

Boston's Pitching has gained 1 full run on the ERA, last 45 days. That's our problem. For all the HRS teams are hitting, Sox only 5 runs behind the Yanks, in total runs scored, Twins have played 3 less games, and they are 14 runs behind in total runs scored. It's the Pitching that's hurting us.

Cashman knew the importance of the 7, 8, 9 innings. Stay close or get ahead, get to other teams BP, Finish it, or beat the other Teams BP, late. Almost every team has a weak BP, just not enough good arms to go around anymore. Beat the snot out of the weak teams, and dogfight the good ones, and take your chances.

Yanks won 3 of those games, with 1 rainout. That's huge. Almost like giving the Division away to the Yanks.

Its a win for you, then. That's the benefit of leading, at this point, time is on your side, unless, you have a meltdown.

Lets say 4 for argument sake, the Sox record would be 48-34. They would be 6 behind the Yanks in the loss column, instead of 10, 6 GB's, and would be 2 up leading the WC. That's how important a single game is. When you have the lead, it is huge to finish it, and win it. Also being 6 behind in the loss column, going into this weekend, it is still not imperative, to sweep it, you get by with a split. Sox now need to gain ground on the Yanks, even though it will be in only June 29th, and 30th. Sox now cannot be swept. Split is not too much to be happy about, all it amounts to is 2 more games off of the schedule. 2 games less to gain ground. Less games to play in the season, even MORE important to win them when you have the lead. Only 80 games left, sounds like a lot, but it isn't.

Last 7 games Yanks are hitting .284 with 17 HRS as a team. Sox are hitting .300 with just 5 HRS as a team last 7 games.

Cant let this game effect them in London, need to really shake it off. Yankees are hitting everything in sight, they are hot with the bats.

Geez. Cant do that.

According to what I see the Yankees won, were now 10 in the loss column. This series is critical for the Sox. Cannot be swept.