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7/9-7/11 Red Sox vs. Rangers Series Thread
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Post by kingofthetrill on Jul 11, 2018 20:52:20 GMT -5
In the world of obnoxious "Gentleman's Strikes" we should have had that strike call.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 11, 2018 20:52:33 GMT -5
Ohh come on guys. 2 walks in a row.
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Post by Guidas on Jul 11, 2018 20:53:06 GMT -5
Bartolo got at least two of those location when he was pitching.
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Post by kevfc89 on Jul 11, 2018 20:53:28 GMT -5
Heath got hurt by poor defense and babip...nothing hit hard, and had 2 strikeouts : /
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Post by chrisfromnc on Jul 11, 2018 20:56:10 GMT -5
On principle, I disagree with what Eck said about Kimbrel being careful behind in the count with bases loaded. I positively hate seeing a run walked in because the pitcher is nibbling. Challenge the hitter and if you give up a double to the gap, so be it.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 11, 2018 20:58:59 GMT -5
Score 5 runs. Kimbrel already has his save in hand.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 11, 2018 21:10:47 GMT -5
What a season.
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atzar
Veteran
Posts: 1,817
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Post by atzar on Jul 11, 2018 21:10:52 GMT -5
Good job by Kimbrel, walk aside.
Good win. This streak is fun.
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Post by kingofthetrill on Jul 11, 2018 21:10:58 GMT -5
Great job by Kimbrel. Great series. Now bring on the Pearce-less Blue Jays.
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Post by Guidas on Jul 11, 2018 21:11:41 GMT -5
Great win!
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Post by sarasoxer on Jul 11, 2018 21:20:48 GMT -5
Good job by Kimbrel, walk aside. Good win. This streak is fun. Better sign Kimbrel in off season. He has proven how valuable a slam dunk reliever is. A lesser guy could have coughed this one and a number of others up. Good, proven relievers are more important than ever. Not all relievers are fungible!
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 11, 2018 21:49:22 GMT -5
This win was a personal milestone for me.
I've been watching this team since 1980 and I've never seen the Red Sox at any point in any of those seasons move to 36 games above .500!
The 2004 Red Sox hit their regular season high point in Game 161 when they reached a record of 98-63. Then they lost a meaningless final game of the regular season to wind up 34 games over .500. They made up for that transgression by winning the final game of the post-season.
These 2018 Red Sox have reached 36 games over .500 in just their 94th game! The last time the Sox were this high was when Luis Tiant shut out the Jays to force a 1 game playoff in 1978 when the Sox completed their 162nd game with their 99th win.
For all nitpicks of this team and all teams should have their scrutiny on some level - this Red Sox team has been an absolute joy to watch this season. I don't think their talent level is that far superior to other great Red Sox teams I've watched, but there's something about this team that just goes out and dismantles other teams. I get that there are a bunch of crappy teams, but the Sox do what they need to do. It'll get harder in the post-season when they face teams almost as good or perhaps even better.
Meanwhile for all the BS in the media about the Sox record not being that impressive given the competition, consider that for years the Yankees fattened up on crappy Washington Senators, Philadelphia A's, and St. Louis Browns teams. Our New England Patriots have gotten a huge boost by playing in a division with annual losers like the NY Jets, the Buffalo Bills, and the Miami Dolphins.
Give the Red Sox their due!
Meanwhile, Heath Hembree kind of showed why the Sox could use another high leverage reliever. He didn't pitch that badly, but Kelly and Barnes weren't available so they lacked the depth of a pitcher on their level or even better. Either Barnes or Kelly could struggle or get injured or simply wear out if a ton of their wins are starter for 6, Barnes for inning 7, Kelly for inning 8, and Kimbrel for inning 9 if the Sox haven't put the game away.
I have a feeling that the Sox inquired about Wade Davis. I think they're shooting for closers, guys who normally pitch high leverage. Soria and Britton would certainly qualify. I'll add that if the Yankees go out and acquire Machado, they'll acquire Britton, too, not just because he's a lefty they could use for their own pen, but because they'd be keeping him away from the Red Sox (sort of like the Todd Frazier move they made last season)
I just wonder if the Sox will go after another 2b now that Pedroia is most likely out for the season. There are a bunch of 2b available. Interesting to see what they decide to do.
If they go over the luxury tax limit, they might as well go a distance over.
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radiohix
Veteran
'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
Posts: 6,410
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Post by radiohix on Jul 11, 2018 22:32:35 GMT -5
Meanwhile, Heath Hembree kind of showed why the Sox could use another high leverage reliever. He didn't pitch that badly, but Kelly and Barnes weren't available so they lacked the depth of a pitcher on their level or even better. Honestly, did you watch the game? Those 3 hits where ridiculous: Bloop over the first baseman head, grounder that the 2nd baseman should've made a play on, a bouncing grounder over the first baseman head for a double. Crappy luck like in New York. I get that some posters here want the team to make trades and have been hammering the idea in everey thread since I don't know when but in no way Hembree's outing tonight could be used as an example for "See this team needs high leverage reliever!!!!" takes.
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Post by bookiemetts on Jul 11, 2018 23:28:48 GMT -5
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 12, 2018 0:03:31 GMT -5
Honestly, did you watch the game? Those 3 hits where ridiculous: Bloop over the first baseman head, grounder that the 2nd baseman should've made a play on, a bouncing grounder over the first baseman head for a double. Crappy luck like in New York. I get that some posters here want the team to make trades and have been hammering the idea in everey thread since I don't know when but in no way Hembree's outing tonight could be used as an example for "See this team needs high leverage reliever!!!!" takes. Yeah, I did watch the game when my little boy wasn't interrupting me. I saw a ground ball base hit into RF, a cheapie hit, and a ball that was pounded into the ground that took a weird hop over Moreland's head. I also saw a wild pitch and a walk that loaded the bases. That's why I said he wasn't that bad. I was acknowledging that some of those hits were cheap, but I was also acknowledging the wild pitch and the walk, things that he does have control over. I also wanted him to get through the 8th and not require Kimbrel. If I thought he sucked I would have said that I thought he sucked. He didn't. He was meh. I'd like better then meh as a late inning option to go with Kelly and Barnes. You can't pitch them every time you're in a close game or you'll wear them out.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jul 12, 2018 0:59:31 GMT -5
Fun stat. Entering the game, Colon had faced the Sox coaching staff more than the combined players.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 12, 2018 1:32:47 GMT -5
Yeah I mean, the Sox are going to get another reliever. It's just fun to talk about in the meantime. We got the trade deadline to look forward to. Then we have expanded rosters and then the end of September. The fun is just beginning. I hate that the season seems to be flying by so quickly. Seasons like this don't ever happen. This kind of season hasn't happened since World War 2 for the Sox.
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Post by bluechip on Jul 12, 2018 5:32:34 GMT -5
Yeah, I did watch the game when my little boy wasn't interrupting me. I saw a ground ball base hit into RF, a cheapie hit, and a ball that was pounded into the ground that took a weird hop over Moreland's head. I also saw a wild pitch and a walk that loaded the bases. That's why I said he wasn't that bad. I was acknowledging that some of those hits were cheap, but I was also acknowledging the wild pitch and the walk, things that he does have control over. I also wanted him to get through the 8th and not require Kimbrel. If I thought he sucked I would have said that I thought he sucked. He didn't. He was meh. I'd like better then meh as a late inning option to go with Kelly and Barnes. You can't pitch them every time you're in a close game or you'll wear them out. Those innings happen. It was mostly bad luck. The fact that Kimbrel was available and able to come in and get them out of the jam shows you that the Red Sox do have good bullpen depth. It wasn’t like the only guy available was Curtis Leskanic (the fifth man in 2004 bull pen if you recall). Could Hembree have not walked one batter? Yeah. Craig Kimbrel could have also not walked in a run. But at the end of the day, the bullpen gave up three of the cheapest hits you will ever see and got all six outs via strikeout. The depth is pretty good. Could it be better? Yeah, that’s an area that could be improved, but it’s an area that could be improved for every team. The team could also use a second baseman (Nunez is a butcher at second and Holt is only good by comparison), a fourth or fifth starter, and another catcher. All that said, Red Sox will get another reliever and we will all be happy.
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Post by voiceofreason on Jul 12, 2018 5:38:28 GMT -5
Like I said before. It must be somewhat demoralizing for the Yankees to look at the box scores and see the Sox continue to win game after game.
I did call it before the season that this team was capable of winning 100 games. If they go 500 the rest of the way they win 99. Just a special season!!
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Post by voiceofreason on Jul 12, 2018 5:41:07 GMT -5
18 K's on the night!!
How is this team not likable?
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Post by bluechip on Jul 12, 2018 5:49:09 GMT -5
Assuming that you could acquire them, who would you rather have?
Scooter Gennett, Brian Dozier, or DJ LeMahieu
Or
Barraclough, Britton, or Rodney.
Barraclough Would theorically be your closer next year. Gennett is another at second for the next couple of years. The others are simply for the stretch run.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jul 12, 2018 6:47:53 GMT -5
Assuming that you could acquire them, who would you rather have? Scooter Gennett, Brian Dozier, or DJ LeMahieu Or Barraclough, Britton, or Rodney. Barraclough Would theorically be your closer next year. Gennett is another at second for the next couple of years. The others are simply for the stretch run. For me, Kyle Barraclough because of team control. No-one else on the list is worth going all in on.
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Post by bluechip on Jul 12, 2018 7:56:03 GMT -5
Assuming that you could acquire them, who would you rather have? Scooter Gennett, Brian Dozier, or DJ LeMahieu Or Barraclough, Britton, or Rodney. Barraclough Would theorically be your closer next year. Gennett is another at second for the next couple of years. The others are simply for the stretch run. For me, Kyle Barraclough because of team control. No-one else on the list is worth going all in on. The Red Sox don’t really have the prospects to go crazy anyway. when you have no great prospects, you aren’t worried about giving up future stars to help the current team. They’d also control Gennett next year. He would also lengthen the lineup.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 12, 2018 8:01:06 GMT -5
Yeah, I did watch the game when my little boy wasn't interrupting me. I saw a ground ball base hit into RF, a cheapie hit, and a ball that was pounded into the ground that took a weird hop over Moreland's head. I also saw a wild pitch and a walk that loaded the bases. That's why I said he wasn't that bad. I was acknowledging that some of those hits were cheap, but I was also acknowledging the wild pitch and the walk, things that he does have control over. I also wanted him to get through the 8th and not require Kimbrel. If I thought he sucked I would have said that I thought he sucked. He didn't. He was meh. I'd like better then meh as a late inning option to go with Kelly and Barnes. You can't pitch them every time you're in a close game or you'll wear them out. Those innings happen. It was mostly bad luck. The fact that Kimbrel was available and able to come in and get them out of the jam shows you that the Red Sox do have good bullpen depth. It wasn’t like the only guy available was Curtis Leskanic (the fifth man in 2004 bull pen if you recall). Could Hembree have not walked one batter? Yeah. Craig Kimbrel could have also not walked in a run. But at the end of the day, the bullpen gave up three of the cheapest hits you will ever see and got all six outs via strikeout. The depth is pretty good. Could it be better? Yeah, that’s an area that could be improved, but it’s an area that could be improved for every team. The team could also use a second baseman (Nunez is a butcher at second and Holt is only good by comparison), a fourth or fifth starter, and another catcher. All that said, Red Sox will get another reliever and we will all be happy. I was hoping they could stay away from Kimbrel in the 8th, but it was a good test. I think with Kimbrel, while it makes all the sense in the world to put him in a situation like yesterday to be a "fireman", the way he pitches, I think he is a lot better of with clean innings. Sometimes it takes a bit to find his control and sometimes you just don't have the leeway for that. But once he does find his control, he's as unhittable and dominating as they come. In your other post you mentioned if you could get Barraclough, Rodney, or Britton - who would you get? I'd go with Britton, provided the scouts like what they see. You won't be able to go by statistics in this case as they're evolving in his case. Is he getting closer to what he was? If so that's the guy because he's a rental and shouldn't cost as much as Barraclough. I'd imagine between Barraclough and Conley the Marlins are asking for a ton. I don't think it's worth that price for the Red Sox. I just don't think Barraclough's control is good enough to merit risking a lot of your assets for. And we've all seen Rodney's act. He's high wire act all the way. He's hard to watch, so even though he'd cost the least, I'd pass on him. You also mentioned 2b. Now that Pedroia is out, do you think they'll get a 2b? I think it's contingent upon the reliever in a way. If the Sox can get a cheap reliever and stay under the luxury tax, then perhaps they do nothing at 2b other than go with Holt and Phillips (and I guess Nunez?). If the Sox get an expensive reliever to save themselves from having to give up too much young talent and are over the luxury tax anyways, they just might snag a 2b. You mentioned Gennett, Dozier, and Lemahieu. I prefer Gennett because I do believe in his improved performance. He is a good player and he'd make the Sox lineup really scary. They'd be well above average in 7 spots in the order offensively rather than 6. That makes for a deeper lineup. And I also think Holt has a history of wearing down in the 2nd although I must say that even though I have no idea when Cora is going to use him or not, he's doing a great job keeping him fresh. Logically I would think Dozier makes the most sense. He'd come pretty cheaply I imagine and he has had some strong second halves before. Good power. Might hit a lot better in Boston. And he'd be gone for next year when they figure Pedroia should be ready. Gennett has another year I think, so it would make for an awkward situation if Pedroia does come back which is what I think they think will happen. Lemahieu is ok, but his numbers are probably a little Colorado inflated and they aren't that impressive (I could be wrong about that). Who do you prefer and what do you think happens at reliever/2b?
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 12, 2018 8:03:37 GMT -5
I wouldn't say the Sox are totally devoid of prospects. Bobby Dalbec has to be opening some eyes with the way he's playing. We know he has some swing and miss issues, but I think there's growing reason to be optimistic about him becoming a valuable player. At some point the Sox will have to decide whether they think he can eventually dislodge Devers and move him to 1b/dh or if he's somebody they grow his value and then dangle in a deal for a cost controlled young pitcher with upside as some of the key members of the team reach free agency.
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