|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Mar 31, 2024 19:20:55 GMT -5
Whitlock needs to be paced; so in hindsight, I think it was good idea not to bring him out for the 6th even though I'd generally like to see them push guys. We'll see what Houck has tomorrow - but if he's through 5 or through 6 between 70-80 pitches, I'd really prefer they bring him out for another inning. The mariners had no hesitation bringing their guys out for another inning. Bello, Pivetta, Crawford and Houck I think all have enough innings from last season to really try to start building them up to go later in games. The Mariners’ pitchers have far better resumes and have proven their ability to go deep into games. I am fine in March having a guy like Whitlock go only 80 pitches. Besides, with him at that pitch count, you’re going to need to have some ready in case an at bat goes long or a couple of guys get on base. Accordingly, you’re likely not going to be saving the pen much by pulling him there. I agree with Cora’s move. The Mariners also have 4 relievers on the IL.
|
|
|
Post by sxfan on Mar 31, 2024 19:36:01 GMT -5
In a really good position to come off of this road trip with a winning record. Give me 6-4 and I’ll be happy. The losses were frustrating but this seems like a clearly competent team, and there is known offensive talent that has yet to fully coalesce. Devers has to stay healthy for 135-140 games for the offense to fully click for a full season or it all goes downhill quick. Jeff Passan said the person with the highest ceiling offensively was Casas. I love Casas but disagree. The offense runs through Devers. He's the guy who teams plan around every game late in games. Casas is a awesome at bat, but Devers can hit off anyone.
|
|
|
Post by sxfan on Mar 31, 2024 19:38:43 GMT -5
The average high end set up and is costing 8-12 million for 3 or 4 years. Breslow picked up 3 of those for league minimum and 18 years of control combined. Rebuilt half the bullpen for the next 5 years. That's not even including that Slaten could be a potential closer type that costs 16-20 million for 4-6 years potentially. So that is fantastic actually. Will wait until after the Baltimore series to allow my hopes to get too high. If we're 7-6 and the pitching continues to look solid, we may have to bronze the Breslow (and the shiny new pitching coach). Having all that cap room left over suddenly will look VERY shrewd, and all our bellyaching will look equally shortsighted. Seattle's offense is really weak. Probably a bottom ten offense in all MLB when it's all said and done. Rodriguez and table setters around him. That's not enough. So I agree the Sox need a better test, but the bullpen arms have the talent and stuff. So I won't totally back off what I said.
|
|
|
Post by oldfaithful2019 on Mar 31, 2024 20:43:08 GMT -5
SSS of course, but still very exciting that the Sox pitching staff has the 2nd lowest era, lowest BA against and lowest WHIP in the majors after this 1st series. Good stuff !!
|
|
|
Post by asm18 on Mar 31, 2024 21:42:28 GMT -5
Seattle's offense is really weak. Probably a bottom ten offense in all MLB when it's all said and done. Rodriguez and table setters around him. That's not enough. So I agree the Sox need a better test, but the bullpen arms have the talent and stuff. So I won't totally back off what I said. I would push back on this slightly - Seattle was 12th in runs in MLB last year, 9th in wRC+. They shuffled their lineup a fair amount in the off-season, but it’s probably like a B-/B lineup. It’s decent. With that said, yes, J-Rod was really the only guy in the series that was scary to face. The home opener series against Baltimore (which should come after two turns in the rotation) might be a heck of a measuring stick.
|
|
|
Post by awalkinthepark on Mar 31, 2024 21:48:09 GMT -5
I don't love Story in the 3 hole but this lineup can be really good if things break right. 3rd is usually where you put your 5th best hitter if you're trying to go full analytics, and keeping RHH in the 3 and 5 holes allows the Sox to get maximum R/L balance. Makes some sense to me.
I wish Story was our 6th or 7th best hitter.
|
|
|
Post by sxfan on Mar 31, 2024 22:41:39 GMT -5
Seattle's offense is really weak. Probably a bottom ten offense in all MLB when it's all said and done. Rodriguez and table setters around him. That's not enough. So I agree the Sox need a better test, but the bullpen arms have the talent and stuff. So I won't totally back off what I said. I would push back on this slightly - Seattle was 12th in runs in MLB last year, 9th in wRC+. They shuffled their lineup a fair amount in the off-season, but it’s probably like a B-/B lineup. It’s decent. With that said, yes, J-Rod was really the only guy in the series that was scary to face. The home opener series against Baltimore (which should come after two turns in the rotation) might be a heck of a measuring stick. In the best outcome, that's totally fair. They could be a middling offense which you're describing. Somewhere in the 10-20 range in MLB this year. I was going just by the eye ball test, which might be wrong or unfair or biased in a way. When Jorge Palanco is your second best overall hitter in a lineup, you might be in trouble...
|
|
|
Post by Underwater Johnson on Mar 31, 2024 22:42:27 GMT -5
Listening to the game on archive (was at Easter service during the game) and LMFAO when Cora goes to Joely in the 7th, knowing how many people here were having genuine infarctions. [Full disclosure: I know the final score, so it's easier to laugh.]
Are we down from the ledge yet? If we were all told before the series, "you're going to take 2 of 4," how many here really would've been upset? Tough rotation, West Coast trip to start the season, a lot of uncertainty (and promise) all over the roster, SEA coming off consecutive contending seasons... I know I would've said, "I'll take it, let's go take 4 of 6 from the A's and Halos and come home with a 6-4 road trip."
|
|
|
Post by sxfan on Mar 31, 2024 22:44:04 GMT -5
3rd is usually where you put your 5th best hitter if you're trying to go full analytics, and keeping RHH in the 3 and 5 holes allows the Sox to get maximum R/L balance. Makes some sense to me.
I wish Story was our 6th or 7th best hitter. When Vaughn Grissom comes back; Trevor Story might be just that, but that's dependant on who Vaughn Grissom actually is at the MLB level.
|
|
ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 8,931
Member is Online
|
Post by ericmvan on Mar 31, 2024 23:05:47 GMT -5
I'm a little disappointed that Whitlcok allowed the combined starting pitcher ERA to go up.
Yeah, from 1.59 to 1.64.
|
|
|
Post by itinerantherb on Mar 31, 2024 23:47:17 GMT -5
After four games, the A's have a -18 run differential.
|
|
|
Post by philsbosoxfan on Mar 31, 2024 23:58:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Oregon Norm on Apr 1, 2024 1:30:43 GMT -5
I'm repeating myself but that was the highlight. Consider that as a group they outpitched one of the best rotations in MLB. They won two, should have had three, and could have had four if everything fell right.
A few more observations; Rafaela just radiates baseball smarts in the field on the basepaths, and even at the plate; the additions to the relief corps are a game changer (of course); it's early but the trade for O'Neill looks like it may have been grand theft.
|
|
|
Post by yuchangclan on Apr 1, 2024 1:47:40 GMT -5
Weissert is f’n nasty….
|
|
gerry
Veteran
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,667
|
Post by gerry on Apr 1, 2024 2:16:24 GMT -5
So the Red Sox rotation is looking good. 4 of 5 looking good enough to go toe to toe with an excellent rotation full of Cy potential. If Houck continues this trend in Oakland, wow! That’s 5 of 5 wildcard territory in poker. Might also promise wild card territory for the Sox. Why not??
Ironically, Sox bats (an expected strength of this team)are just warming up. But they still got a bakers dozen and 2W off that great pitching. I suspect they will get warmer in California weather.
And somehow I don’t see any team on this road trip matching their hustle or defense. We will be at Sunday’s game. Can’t wait. So far it’s been a great season.
|
|
ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 8,931
Member is Online
|
Post by ericmvan on Apr 1, 2024 4:49:57 GMT -5
Sox pitchers lead MLB in both xwOBA (.276) and wOBA (.226). They are second in expected vs. actual, and some of that is defense.
O'Neill's 2 HR in 10 AB against the 6th / 7th best pitchers (including those 2 homers allowed) is easily the most impressive rate-wise in MLB.
.
|
|
ericmvan
Veteran
Supposed to be working on something more important
Posts: 8,931
Member is Online
|
Post by ericmvan on Apr 1, 2024 5:41:29 GMT -5
I'm repeating myself but that was the highlight. Consider that as a group they outpitched one of the best rotations in MLB. They won two, should have had three, and could have had four if everything fell right. A few more observations; Rafaela just radiates baseball smarts in the field on the basepaths, and even at the plate; the additions to the relief corps are a game changer (of course); it's early but the trade for O'Neill looks like it may have been grand theft. Ultimately, the deal was 2 months of Kiké for a year of O'Neill, plus Victor Santos for Justin Hagemann. The intermediary, Nick Robertson, has a 6.75 ERA in two outings for Memphis.
|
|
|
Post by asm18 on Apr 1, 2024 6:51:00 GMT -5
From Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times:
“In the hours before Saturday’s game at T-Mobile Park, a professional scout for an opposing team was discussing what he’d seen from the Mariners in the first two games of the season as compared to scouting them this spring and all of last season. “Looks like it is still ‘spin to win’ to beat them again,” he said.
After the first four games — an admittedly small sample size — it appears that three-word plan of attack is still effective against the Mariners’ retooled lineup that was expected to generate more contact and fewer strikeouts.”
Cora noted after the game how the Mariners were in the top five against fastballs last year. The heavy amount of off speed against them this series does seem to be at least partially a tailored approach for their lineup.
|
|
|
Post by Underwater Johnson on Apr 1, 2024 8:21:40 GMT -5
From Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times: “In the hours before Saturday’s game at T-Mobile Park, a professional scout for an opposing team was discussing what he’d seen from the Mariners in the first two games of the season as compared to scouting them this spring and all of last season. “Looks like it is still ‘spin to win’ to beat them again,” he said. After the first four games — an admittedly small sample size — it appears that three-word plan of attack is still effective against the Mariners’ retooled lineup that was expected to generate more contact and fewer strikeouts.” Cora noted after the game how the Mariners were in the top five against fastballs last year. The heavy amount of off speed against them this series does seem to be at least partially a tailored approach for their lineup. Interesting. Of course, there's having a plan and then there's executing it...
|
|
|
Post by jimmydugan on Apr 1, 2024 22:37:37 GMT -5
Sox starters: 27Ks to 1BB 5 GS. 28 IP. 37 Ks. 1 BB. 2 HBP. Before tonight: 2nd in ERA- 1st in FPI- 2nd in xFIP 2nd in SIERA 2nd in K-BB% 2nd in fWAR 1st in OAA 1st in RAA 2nd in fangraphs defensive WAR
|
|
shagworthy
Veteran
My neckbeard game is on point.
Posts: 1,505
|
Post by shagworthy on Apr 2, 2024 21:01:29 GMT -5
enough of Dalbec.
|
|