vegasbob

The strikeouts from a 2 strike count sound excellent. Does the source show the BABIP when a 2 strike count is on ? Also the BABIP with 2 outs, regardless of count ? I imagine it's only anticipation of the Red Sox win but the gut feel is there are 2 strike and 2 out hits , just wondering how those compare to MLB rankings. Hope they are similar to the K rate rankings.

Regarding JDM (or Betts) staying or going as it affects the ability to resign Rick Porcello, I think Betts will hold out for the highest possible deal , regardless whether it is NL or AL. Probably a major market team due to the economics of paying him. JDM is a different case. His contract values are preestablished, although could be rewritten and enhanced. He will be 33 in the 2020 season, and only he knows how much the back is bothering him. It seems to be a current factor, and we'll see if it causes any issues in the Houston series. Muscle pain can be worked on and can fade away. If it is a structural issue (discs, nerve impingement, etc) not easily cured. Surgery may be a season missed. As primarily a DH, JD will only be a consideration for an AL team, and only a few could afford him (NYY, Houston, CWS) . I would think he wants to play for a competitive , winning team. How likely are the Yankees to add his bat and pay Stanton ? Houston, completing JDM's redemption as a dropout there, may be more likely. Boston is still the best fit and should remain his baseball home at least through 2020. Porcello will need to weigh time/money offered from several places. DD will have to weigh where you get 175-200 innings covered vs paying the guys in the field, not the pitchers. This would be self resolving if the Sox system ever developed a legitimate couple in-house young starters playing for MLB minimums for a few years.

Taking a little longer look at Jackie's future prospects , regardless of tendered or not for 2020 season, this is JBJr's age 29 season . If tendered and and kept with Boston through next year, he will enter FA going into his age 31 season. His hitting ability and streakiness has a large enough sample to grade him as an extremely slow starter, followed by average performance, at best, for an outfielder. If, in fact, the defense and speed deteriorates over the next season which team will make Jackie's day with a big time FA contract. I'll contend that Jackie should accept a tender , if offered, and be glad he got another $8 or $9 million because his FA prospects may be more like half of that for no more than 2-3 years.

A prescient call by Bell and Moon after today's 3 hit , including HR, by Steve Pearce.

Artie Moreno would do better investing his money in a hospital, orthopedic practice, rehab center than he will do owning the Angels. Never seen a team with more key guys hurt over the last 5 years. Trout may like playing and getting paid there but he'll never have to worry about playoff pressure.

It will be enlightening to see how it goes in Houston as compared to Toronto. Need to have JD ready to go . Certainly will see some big league pitching there.

Velazquez is the new toast.

6 hits today from Nunez, Pearce and Bradley. The stats are exploding in the right direction. Vaz is reverting, however. Encouraging to take 3 of 4 with JDM out of commission.

If they ever have a foul ball hitting contest at the A=S game, I'm entering Benintendi. He can foul with the best of them, but can't challenge the king---Brett Gardner

This series can't be rated as pretty, but if they can get 3 road wins out of 4 it helps following the Rays and Yankees. Men on 2nd/3rd with no outs and Bogey/Devers/Pearce can't score them makes you wonder.

Sox are whacking the ball now. Elvis is not a good pitcher so let's not trade Chavis for him.

Nobody is commenting on Thornburg's trip to the IL ? Listed as hip impingement but I'm guesssing he may be missing in non-action for awhile for general ineffectiveness, maybe a continuation from the Thoracic Outlet surgery, that Notin notes affected Clayton Richard.

Weber's soft offerings gets something done that many of our fireballers cannot do---keep the ball inside the yard. Very effective 6 innings and with a 3-1 lead, ready for 9 outs from the BP. Sounds familiar ? Same situation as last night. Let's see who can do it today

Good to see Steve Pearce maybe waking up his bat. A credible PH'er on occasion can help, especially when we go back to interleague play.

Pearce gets f***ed by a fat guy running on his nonchalance . Tellez is the new Red Sox killer.

Clayton Richard may be the worst pitcher I have ever seen with no idea where the ball is going or how to deliver it. I can understand why no Sox hitter wants to stand in and unload on this guy. Consequently the Clayton gets through 4 innings with only 1 run allowed.

Weber doing a nice job so far, although his stuff looks eminently hittable. Does have a lot of movement , not velocity though.

Yes, he was the whole second inning after the lead off double. pretty obvious what the coming pitch was.

Here's an unsolicited tip for Weber. Based on the Cf camera angle, you tip every pitch to a guy on second base, with your open glove and hand showing the grip on the ball, especially a split or change. That one is free, the next one will cost.

Can't even really feel all that good about beating Toronto after the BP burnout. Glad to have the win but feel like, if that's what it takes to beat a bad team why be too concerned about the next 110 games. They aren't going anywhere. The hopes of turnaround since the April debacle are slow to materialize.

hI don't know

Hah, Hembree gets a second take. Either win it or give up 2 HR's and go back to the hotel.

Ok, I guess I can excited about Chavis and his future here. Now who gets to close this out. Does anyone in that pen have any guts ? Someone else said it in last night's thread: The land of solo HR's.

Moon, you are a pretty bright guy and have seen a lot of baseball,like many of us. This team, however, is very hard to get enthused about because it is an 8 cylinder running on ethanol with 4 fuel injectors missing. Just nothing to get excited about

Heath's in trouble now. 2 out, no one on and he looks sharp, with lots of movement. Please win this now. I told him. They can all go f*** themselves now.