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5GoldGlovesOF,75

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Everything posted by 5GoldGlovesOF,75

  1. If JD is lame, I can see adding a middle infielder who won't trip over the bag and can catch the ball. I notice Richards is off your pitcher list; I'd also add anyone else who Cora is already planning to keep off the mound -- like Darwinzon, Barnes or Otto. I'm referring entirely to the one-game WC roster.
  2. Me neither. But the only new guy they really brought in to start was coming off a major injury... and Richards turned out to be a flop. A huge part of the turnaround came from unexpected sources in the bullpen: Whitlock in multi-inning relief and Barnes with a lights-out first half.
  3. Sarcasm? What I was experiencing in 2020 was the worst pitching staff on any Red Sox team I've ever seen, and that includes over half a century of watching and listening. I didn't expect ERod to lead the team in pitching wins (even though he wasn't as good as '19) or anything at all from Sale.
  4. Win or lose (and I'm not conceding anything), this match-up of the heavy preseason favorite vs. last year's doormat should benefit Red Sox fans in the short run. Either way it will put national spotlight back on the rivalry, fuel the fanbase and hopefully, ownership's appetite to get things done this winter to ensure Boston is better in 2022.
  5. If the Yankees' bullpen is indeed a difference-maker, it just may be because it gives the edge to Boston. Go back and look at the season stats in the first post of this thread. The Sox have gotten to four of NY's five top relievers. Loaisiga has been hot lately, but Chapman has given up either extra base hits or walks to a third of the Sox batters he's faced. The key of the game could very well be the way the Red Sox use their own pen. Cora can and should stay completely away from combustibles like Richards, Ottavino and Barnes -- who will have the Bombers salivating -- and only throw relievers who've been consistently stingy vs. the Yanks: Whitlock, Braiser, Robles, and hopefully Houck. But no one should be one bit surprised if Cora brings back Pivetta, ERod, Perez or even Sale in late and close situations.
  6. Though we know most big spenders are banking (literally) on what happens in the first six or seven years.
  7. Geez, this is quite the sober take on the SECOND RANKED STAR in the playoffs, according to MLB.com's objective writers (the ones who predicted New York to win 850 games this season). Of course, Judge was ranked 4th, and even Stanton was rated ahead of Boston's top player, Devers. Eovaldi, the All-Star pitcher who led the AL in Fielding Independent Pitching, was nowhere to be found in the top 50... but Joey Gallo was #37 because "we all want to see those homers."
  8. I'd still take an average of 4 WAR per year over the next decade. That would give Mookie a career WAR of 90; the 27 right fielders in the Hall of Fame average 72.1. The only guys over 100 WAR were Ruth, Aaron, Mel Ott and Frank Robinson.
  9. Cora also gets the edge over other skippers by making it to the postseason despite two second-half factors that eroded his cushion: 1) overcoming the Covid crap, losing important players for 10-day quarantines and however many games it took guys to get back in the groove (and don't blame AC for the MLB and union for not mandating player vaccines); 2) surviving the front office decision to not add another arm at the deadline (Robles has contributed, but we've posted for months how another impact reliever or even legit starter that preserves bullpen usage could've helped).
  10. And yet, Cora was forced to use all four of those guys in relief in Game #162, because his bullpen was so unreliable and/or exhausted (ironically, in part, because those same four couldn't be trusted to pitch effectively nor go long in most of their starts). "Playoff" Cora started scrambling over a week ago. And it worked, just barely. Amazingly, the Blue Jays -- who looked stronger than both Boston and New York down the stretch, will be home watching the WC game.
  11. Something to consider while searching ESPN previews for continuous replays of Brock Freakin Holt hitting for the cycle at the Stadium, in the most recent playoffs this century between Boston and NY: Red Sox who should pitch: Eovaldi starts and goes a strong 5 or 6, and is relieved in some order by the following ('21 BA/OPS and games pitched vs. NY included) -- Braiser .125/.250, 2; Houck .170/.461, 4; Whitlock .154/.404, 6; Robles .083/.298, 4. Who shouldn't pitch: Ottavino .308/.996, 8. Yankee bullpen vs. Boston: Loaisiga .400/.919, 5; Green .300/.877 6; Luetge .280/.785 7; Chapman .200/.853 7... Peralta .143/.330 4.
  12. He can't bunt but he can win. ERod officially won two of the last three games of the season to lead the staff with 13 Ws. Only four AL hurlers won more. Sure, victory totals can be overrated for pitchers. But if Cole wins the Cy Young Award, it will be based on his league-leading 16 Ws, because Robbie Ray had better ERA, Ks, WHIP and WAR. Then again, if you value FIP, the top pitcher this year was Nathan Eovaldi...
  13. I said "a" closer -- not "the" closer. Is it so inconceivable that in a best-of-five ALDS, with a Sox rotation of say, ERod-Sale-Eovaldi, that Houck could relieve one in the either the 6th or 7th and be as lights-out as he was yesterday so that Cora lets him finish off a victory? And no fair replying that it's inconceivable Boston could even get to the ALDS.
  14. Would it shock anyone if Houck becomes a closer this week?
  15. At the time I was livid and posted accordingly when the organization pulled Houck. But not because he had a perfect game (no one is going nine, especially a rookie on three days rest), but because he had been perfect, and we all knew the alternative was an imperfect bullpen. Houck could've thrown one more frame and dispatched of the scheduled 7-8-9 batters. But then his pitch count might be up another 10 or 12, and limit his usage out in relief on Monday or Tuesday. I'm sure all possibilities were being considered, but as we're all aware, it's hard to look ahead to another game when we can't even look ahead to who can get batters out in the 7th, 8th or 9th.
  16. Someone correct me if I'm wrong: after today's Game 162s, in the event of any ties (2 for the WC, 3-way for one or two WC spots, 4-way), the Red Sox will automatically be playing at Fenway Park -- unless they choose to be Team C in a 3-way; in that case, they'd sacrifice a game on the road in exchange for one day of rest for the broken wings of the bullpen.
  17. I think Cora has to stay away from at least the first three for a day, and roll with Sale, and some combo of Hiro, Barnes, Darwinzon and Whitlock. If they need a two-inning guy -- especially with the luxury of a four-run or more lead -- don't be surprised to see Pivetta or maybe Perez.
  18. MLB.com lists Sale as Sunday's starter. I'm just wondering how many days before Houck can go back out there; starting, relieving, closing -- throwing out the first pitch, anything!
  19. They're playing at home no matter what, just need to know if it's Monday or Tuesday: if there are any ties that the Sox are involved in, they're home with best head-to-head record. Unless they choose to be on the road (unlikely)...
  20. Don't throw 0-2 near his bat.
  21. Throw it to the top of the zone and pop him up.
  22. Did you guys know that Martin Perez was once a singer? I did, but only because NESN replays the commercial 89 kajillion times with every pitching change this week.
  23. Great strategy by Nats to walk the Sox' pitcher to get him tired running the bases before the bottom of the 9th.
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