5GoldGlovesOF,75

Odd that most are talking about Game 4 before Game 3 is even played. But in Game 4, it's a fact that one team gets a chance to win the series, while another faces elimination. And it probably won't matter what Nate Eovaldi does Sunday when it comes to who starts Monday... ... it has to be ERod. He can be maddeningly inconsistent, and come up small in key spots -- after errors, bad calls, cheap hits, when it's time for a shutdown inning -- but there's really no better alternative. Pivetta threw more pitches Thursday, and Sale looks done. Sale said he worked on his change-up all week, but he still couldn't find it in Game 2. Otherwise, he would've thrown it on the 0-2 pitch that turned into a grand slam. The fact it was a high fastball above the zone is even more cause for concern. Pre-TJ, could any .202 batter -- or hitter on the planet -- go yard on a Sale high heater? ERod can be inconsistent, but that also means he's a better bet to bounce back. Sale may be an option out of the bullpen to face a lefty with two outs.

The turning point in the game was when Houck struck out Arozarena so badly that he threw his bat across the infield. And it wasn't because his fingers were greased with butter from the popcorn. Sitting that guy down in such a confounding way deflated the Rays' instant offense and suddenly shifted the confidence from one dugout to the other. The turning point in the series or even postseason may be the Martinez home run. Not because he's incapable of a game-winning blast, but because of how he did it. First, JD looked at a low-and-away slider that was called a borderline strike. That put him in a 1-2 hole. Next, Whisler followed directions from every pitcher's book on the two-strike section of the JD Martinez page: throw another slider, only slightly off the plate. But JD took it. Did a sore ankle prevent JD from lunging, thus forcing him to be more selective? Next pitch was a hanger he did not miss... and maybe a new approach.

Partially. But after Thursday's shutout, the Rays probably thought anyone on their staff had pretty much had their way with Boston the second half of the season. Bottom line is Cash knows Sunday is a bullpen game -- starting Rasmussen, another rookie and twice-thru-the-order guy -- and wanted to save his best relievers, Kittredge and Fairbanks. It should be a must-win for Tampa, because if they face elimination at Fenway on Monday, all they have left is yet another rookie, Patino, or Flemming, who the Sox bombed for 10 runs in August when they hung a 20-spot on the Rays.

That's the first hit Houck has given up in at least four games -- and to the best player in the AL right now. It'll be ok. And he should be allowed to get the weaker bottom of the order out one more time.

Hah, JD! The Rays are so smart that instead of bringing in one of their 14 relievers that throw 96 mph, they bring in a junkballer to hang one.

New game, and Houck has gone three perfect innings -- so that's ONE time through the order. If my math is right, he can throw three more perfect innings before he gets to THIRD TIME ORDER issues. The Sox can score at least one more by then and steal this one.

That two-pitch mix looks lethal though, even to cocky popcorn-eaters who have never won a ring before.

Rays are like, "Faaack -- Sox are throwing a playoff pitcher..." The Incredible Houck.

Highlight for me so far in the series has to be Houck striking out Arozarena so badly he threw his bat across the infield. Not only does a Sox pitcher finally retire the best player in the postseason, he does it convincingly. Could be the turning point...

I hope it's not too Goose Gossage to say I'm always suspicious of baseball crowds that feel compelled to wave colored hankies given to them by park employees or Tommy John surgeons.

I wonder if his coaches and teammates feel he is solid, while the CBO cares more about the analytics (along with the bottom-line dollars and years). Another consideration, of course, is how popular a homegrown hero is with the fans -- just kidding! Well, Bloom did extend Barnes... kidding again.

Don't forget that fine-fielding first-sacker "Scoop Dawgy-Dawg".

When I wrote as much yesterday before the game, I wasn't talking about steals, but charging around the bases like he did when scoring from first on a line drive over shortstop. The Sox just don't have anyone in the bigs that can do that.

Right after the brawl, my Yankee fan cousin -- two years older than me -- called on the phone and actually said, "I can't believe Pedro Martinez picked a fight with Don Zimmer!" My reply was calm: "What the f*** were you watching?"

That was when my 10-year old, who has all his brain cells and remembers everything, said, "Typical Rays' hit vs. Boston." It got me thinking of the many times Red Sox batters have been thrown out by half a step, especially on swinging bunts when almost every opposing pitcher makes an off-balance Gold Glove throw. Conclusion: the Sox just aren't that fast.

Always. Right after Bucky. And then they show Pedro throwing down Zimmer (but never say it was self-defense).

We tried listening to the Sox radio announcers, but they were too far ahead of the TV delay, so we just hit the mute button. I've actually watched the end of a lot of games that way this year, especially with the Sox trailing, to avoid OB's contrivances.

But this time, if Houck has a perfect game through five innings in a postseason elimination game, I'd love to see Cora go out to the mound, then look over at Cash, then look up to where Bloom is sitting, and fist-pump the kid and go back and sit down in the dugout.

Geez, thanks for the concerns, guys. I'm ok, and just made a bad joke about ESPN and Fox by not naming them directly when calling them "Yankee" channels (which, anyone watching their constant ARod/Judge/Bucky features may possibly agree with). I'm actually content with anything that happens the rest of the postseason -- since the underdogs knocked off the overrateds in the WC.

Cora should be planning to use his current top four relievers tonight to tie this up: Braiser, Houck, Robles, Whitlock -- not necessarily in that order (had to include the same phrase I used when I called for these four before the WC card; not that I'm stupidstitious or anything). If Sale and Co. can stop the Rays' rampaging rookies, and Nate can neutralize and nail down another Sunday, might AC start Houck in Game Four? I know that may be asking a lot from a rookie pitcher -- right, Kevin Cash?

Their GM has deftly collected a sufficient amount of power bats from both side of the plate, and also an uncanny array of .250 guys skilled at beating out one-stitch infield grounders to key rallies in every game vs. the Red Sox this year.

Doesn't matter; if Tampa goes on to win it all this year, for the next 43 years of meaningful games vs. the Red Sox, the Yankees TV channels will run replays of Arozarena stealing home... over and over and over again. Even if Boston wins the next four rings.

Disagree: Arozarena and Franco are more dynamic players than any Red Socks. Keep them off the bases and deal with the rest of Tampa's .250 hitters who will hit a few homers, and always some bleeder that brings in a run because the batter hustled to beat the throw to first. Boston outhit Tampa but had zero bases on balls (the opposite of the Sox' WC game), and also ripped hard outs. Hopefully, some of those will find gaps, like the line drive Franco hit that Arozarena scored from first on. The visitors have no one who can run like Randy, but have plenty of batters who can work walks (like when the ump blew two calls in his last AB). Things could change quickly if Sale can shut them down.

Alright -- my final prediction -- even if the Rays continue to come through again and again at the plate like only their below-average hitters who lead the AL in Ks can do: at least ONE of the TWO games in FLA will be winnable for the visitors... because at least ONE of the TWO rookie starters for Tampa just won't be on, be it nerves, overthrowing or overRedBulling. Boston's veteran batters with rings will hit and score... and then it will come down to the bullpens. If the Sox can grab one of these dome games, they'll feel pretty good going back up to Fenway with their ace on Sunday.

He led the staff in victories! After a lost Covid season! He won two of our last three must-wins on the same weekend a week ago! We got this.