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Post by James Dunne on Jul 23, 2019 15:16:06 GMT -5
Agree sending Travis down would've been the more obvious move. Makes me wonder if they're worried that fatigue might be an issue for Hernandez and are going to pace him a little bit. But geezz he's hardly played..... I mean, he's played in 69 games this year after playing in just 21 in 2017 and 2018 combined. And as nice as his season has been, fatigue almost has to be a concern after just about two years off. It's a tough balance because he's played so well. It'd be one thing if they'd kept Nunez over him, but keeping Travis makes me really think they're just trying to ease Hernandez in as best they can. Travis has ridden that bus more than anyone the last couple years, and he's played less than Hernandez, so there's not like there's evidence they're irrationally attached to him.
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ianrs
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Post by ianrs on Jul 23, 2019 15:39:40 GMT -5
Roster mismanagement around the fringes once again from this FO. Par for the course. Its absolutely the wrong move to send Marco down instead of Travis.
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ericmvan
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Supposed to be working on something more important
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Post by ericmvan on Jul 23, 2019 15:45:30 GMT -5
Well so much for that. Sent down for Moreland. I would have sent Travis down. Agree sending Travis down would've been the more obvious move. Makes me wonder if they're worried that fatigue might be an issue for Hernandez and are going to pace him a little bit. I thought they ought to do exactly this (for reasons that are complicated enough that I keep on revising the explanation!)
Brock Holt has 187 regular-season PA vs. RHP with the Axe bat and two functional corneas and has a .400 xwOBA (and .451 wOBA). The .400 would be tied for 10th out of 339 players with 135+ PA this year.
He's just .302 / .234 in 42 PA versus LHP, so you need Chavis to platoon with him.
So Travis' role would be to play 1B against LHP until Pearce comes back (and hopefully has a finish like last year's). Travis has just 20 PA against LHP, but a .353 xwOBA.
Their best lineup for a Devers, Benintendi, or Bradley day of rest is actually to use CV at 1B or DH when Leon is catching and they're facing a LHP, something that happens on average a bit less than once a week. But that only works if you have Travis to play 1B.
So Hernandez's starting role even if you had a four-man bench would be to start at 2B on days when Holt was giving Bogaerts, Betts, or JDM an off day against a RHP. That's not that useful.
Without Travis, you have to play Moreland (or Holt) vs. LHP instead, and Moreland has a .292 xwOBA vs. LHP the last three years. That's a big downgrade, every third game or so. And you lose the above option of resting a LHB when Leon catches.
Finally, as a straight bench guy against RHP if someone is hurt or needs a day off (via Holt playing anywhere), the downgrade is now from Hernandez to Chavis, and Hernandez currently has a .318 vs. RHP while Chavis has a .300.
Hernandez still a very good shot at a post-season roster, though, and is close to a sure thing for a roster spot next year, since rosters expand to 26 and they'll definitely go back to a 4-man bench.
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Post by jerrygarciaparra on Jul 23, 2019 16:16:36 GMT -5
I mean Jalen Beeks came into tonight's game with a 5-0 record and sub-3.00 ERA. You're equating "the opener strategy doesn't work" with "the Rays don't have enough talent to win" which are two entirely separate things. If the Rays win like 92 games with an 84-win roster because of their strategy, but can't win the World Series because no strategy in the world can overcome the gap in talent, that certainly doesn't reflect poorly on the strategy. I don't really see that I am equating anything. More to the point, I think I basically said that using an opener may not the best organizational long term strategic thinking. As far as Beeks, he is pitching well, but that can't directly attributed to how they are using him. He only has 119 total MLB innings, his development, used either way, is far from a certainty. Starting pitchers are prohibitively more valuable to a team, just by the amount of innings they pitch. My thought is teams should be trying to build starting pitching depth. The use of an opener, IMHO, should be confined to periodic extensions of starters rest. The Rays are good because they have a smart FO and have executed great trades, but there is a lot of history of how to put together a winning staff that seems to run counter to using an opener with as much frequency as the Rays do, although I admittedly dont follow them that closely. Doomed was probably a bit gratuitous.
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Post by jimed14 on Jul 23, 2019 16:45:25 GMT -5
Well so much for that. Sent down for Moreland. I would have sent Travis down. Agree sending Travis down would've been the more obvious move. Makes me wonder if they're worried that fatigue might be an issue for Hernandez and are going to pace him a little bit. I think they're so hung up on left/right handedness that they'd rather have a far inferior RH bat.
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Post by sarasoxer on Jul 23, 2019 17:23:25 GMT -5
Very disappointed with Marco being sent down. Mitch went 0 for Pawtucket...risk of being lineup black hole. I agree here. Mitch is likely to take a few more games getting "it" back. Even then he doesn't arouse. I'd have left him rehabbing until the stick shows life. My gut tells me that thru all the adversity and hard work, Marco has arrived. I understand that Travis has undergone some tweaks to his batting technique lately and noticed his average and productivity creeping up at AAA. At one point he seemed nearly can't miss before a several year downturn. On recent rebound, I'd give the guy more of a chance...I hope bringing back Moreland at this point is not an example of 'Nunez loyalty'. Sadly I have a bad feeling that Marco may be in the trade bait bin, along with Dalbec, Groome and Casas depending on who we target.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 23, 2019 18:14:11 GMT -5
They should have optioned Brewer, instead of Marco. They have a million pitchers on this roster and 3 bench players.
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atzar
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Posts: 1,817
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Post by atzar on Jul 23, 2019 18:19:42 GMT -5
Good start.
EDIT: Better start.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 23, 2019 18:34:47 GMT -5
Keep up the great play in this game. Chirinos has owned the Sox lineup lately and you got to him early. Can't ask for much more than that.
I really don't want to be a seller this year. Beat the teams you got to beat here. Starting with Tampa.
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 23, 2019 18:42:17 GMT -5
Sale has a 2-0 lead. It's up to him to give the Sox his best start of the year with 7 innnings and no runs or 1 run given up.
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Post by kevfc89 on Jul 23, 2019 18:50:37 GMT -5
Sale looks unhittable
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Post by jerrygarciaparra on Jul 23, 2019 18:53:15 GMT -5
Nice start for 2nd game in a row, feels good.
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Post by jimed14 on Jul 23, 2019 18:56:08 GMT -5
Sale has a 2-0 lead. It's up to him to give the Sox his best start of the year with 7 innnings and no runs or 1 run given up. It would be pretty hard to beat his 3 hit shutout with 0 walks and 12 Ks against the Royals.
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Post by jerrygarciaparra on Jul 23, 2019 18:59:03 GMT -5
When risk goes badly......oh well.
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Post by Guidas on Jul 23, 2019 18:59:39 GMT -5
Well that was a cluster. Foul off ball 4 and next pitch K and Mookie gets thrown out by a step on 2nd.
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Post by kevfc89 on Jul 23, 2019 19:00:56 GMT -5
dont understand risking outs on the bases when you have Devers, Xander and JD coming...might've run ourselves out of a big inning
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Post by wildcardwillie on Jul 23, 2019 19:01:19 GMT -5
Should be bases loaded no outs...
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Post by jimed14 on Jul 23, 2019 19:02:35 GMT -5
dont understand risking outs on the bases when you have Devers, Xander and JD coming...might've run ourselves out of a big inning Well, Devers usually doesn't strike out and Mookie usually steals bases... No one would have called Cora a genius if it worked.
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Post by kevfc89 on Jul 23, 2019 19:06:12 GMT -5
dont understand risking outs on the bases when you have Devers, Xander and JD coming...might've run ourselves out of a big inning Well, Devers usually doesn't strike out and Mookie usually steals bases... No one would have called Cora a genius if it worked. Zunino has a good arm and you're basically in scoring position at first base when Devers is hitting
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atzar
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Posts: 1,817
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Post by atzar on Jul 23, 2019 19:12:38 GMT -5
Yuck. Gave up a homerun on an 0-2 count.
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Post by Guidas on Jul 23, 2019 19:12:58 GMT -5
FerFSakes.
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Post by jimed14 on Jul 23, 2019 19:13:12 GMT -5
Yuck. Gave up a homerun on an 0-2 count. On a great pitch. That's what this ball does to pitchers now.
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cutz
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Post by cutz on Jul 23, 2019 19:14:15 GMT -5
0-2 BAD pitch
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Post by pedrofanforever45 on Jul 23, 2019 19:14:38 GMT -5
You got to be kidding me Sale.
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Post by jimed14 on Jul 23, 2019 19:14:52 GMT -5
It was right on his hands in his cold spot. If that's a bad pitch, he is never allowed to throw a strike.
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