Fooling around with sub .500 teams and expecting the 6 or 7 run inning is not a brilliant strategy for playoff baseball. I can see why the Sox players may not have much urgency at this point of a great season but it is sometimes hard to flip the switch when you have been coasting for a month.
Have the thought that Cora will let his 7 run rule prevail today to stay out of the pen, although he has Cuevas and Poyner before having to go to velazquez.Poyner up in the pen.
Been stealing candy from a kid with Johnson most of the year. Now running out of luck. First innings where Red Sox rarely score and our pitchers give up runs are too common
It's 11:30, how long can you honor Harrelson ? His highlight reel can't be over 45 seconds, and if they show his announcing gems then just another 30 seconds.
If they had just traded him, then this string would not have been necessary. A 3 year dissection of the trade would have supplanted it. Goodbye to any idea of trading JBJr for 2018, he is earning his keep in a big way.
Far better to have JBJr in front of Betts than a thick legged catcher. Another reason Blake Swihart hitting 8th, when catching, can be a real bonus for the top of lineup guys.
Meritocracy at its best. Play well or sit down. The real test and tough decision for DD/Cora is whether he is kept on the first 25 man ALDS roster, assuming his hitting/fielding find their rhythm in September.
Brian, get 5 innings in the books so you can get credit for the win. Don't let Cora short you. if he comes out for you after 14 outs, throw the ball into the stands !
Given the overall pitching and the hitting, I do not think you can overrate tonight's wins as anything but significant. Could be the start of a run towards securing the ALE early. But 4 up with 3 to go is just fine too.
I would take Jon Lester's competitive attitude at anytime but his performance this year may be indicative of what happens in late stages of career. Good luck to Jon, as long as we don't meet the Cubs in the WS. That would be a classic.
Can't even comment here, since I have expressed my uninformed eyeball opinion on Barnes's ability to to get guys out consistently. He does have ability but can't figure out his inconsistency or inefficiency factor.