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Post by Guidas on May 3, 2023 15:21:05 GMT -5
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 3, 2023 16:04:35 GMT -5
That’s not totally fair. He built the Tigers into the best team in the AL. I’m still trying to figure out how the Sox beat them in 2013. They also fell short in other playoff appearances. But those were loaded teams. Dombrowski did pretty well to get young Verlander and Scherzer on the same staff. He just couldn’t get that bullpen in order. . From memory, in three 2013 ALCS games against the Tigers, the Red Sox were no hit for the first 5 innings in 2 of the games and 1 hit through in the other. You are correct that in 2013 DD utterly FAILED in his bullpen construction!! The Red Sox are the proud recipients of that failure, and they have a championship trophy to show for it. DD got the big names, but failed on the back end of the roster. IMO, 2019 failure was that he burned out the starters in 2018 which caused injury and inconsistency in 2019. The 2023 Red Sox need injured arms to come back soon and fortify both the rotation and the bullpen, so that the bullpen is not complete gassed by July. In 2013 the Sox beat the Tigers because Benoit, who struck out Ortiz in a key AB in July, threw the same pitch in October and it got hammered. Other than that 1 crucial AB they held Ortiz to 2-21. The MVP of the Series for the Sox could have been Prince Fielder as he was terrible. Miguel Cabrera was playing through an injury that hampered him. That middle of the order struggle for Detroit was big for the Sox because the rest of their lineup wasn't that good. Spectacular starting pitching, but offensive and bullpen failure killed the Tigers that series. Also an ill timed error by Jose Iglesias in the 6th game that should have been an inning ending DP grounder that would have kept the Tigers in front instead lead to Victorino getting a chance to bat and he hit his grand slam that put the Sox ahead to stay. As for 2019, I agree..the starters got burned out from doing double duty in the post season in 2018. The Sox had hoped Steven Wright would be their setup guy but he got hurt just before the ALDS. They had no idea that Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and especially Joe Kelly were going to be so surprisingly effective. But that burnout didnt come from Dombrowski. It came from Cora. Still, no regrets. I'd rather have a championship season and an 84 win bust season than two strong seasons that end in a Bruins-like disappointment and no championships.
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Post by manfred on May 3, 2023 17:42:11 GMT -5
I keep having to remind friends of this, but I do also hope that the Red Sox rotation has a massive leap forward left to take (and there's some worry that it won't) before that 5/30-8/17 stretch. Even terrible teams will put up a crooked number against struggling pitching and right now the Red Sox have a worse pitching WAR than over half of those "bad teams" you listed (oof), 7th worst in all of baseball. Here's hoping that the hot offense keeps them afloat until then. Glass half empty: they won't keep winning if they pitch like they have to date.
Glass half-full: they're already getting better; even just excluding the first time through the rotation they're 19th in pitcher WAR. Since mid-April they're middle-of-the-pack.
Glass three-quarters full: they've done it without getting much from Bello, Whitlock, or Paxton..
I’m in the half full camp. The pitching will definitely be better. It may always be a bit touch’n’ go, but it won’t be nearly what it has been. The 3/4 is perhaps too optimistic, only because of injury concerns — not just of the three guys named but everyone. So even as those guys come back, I imagine other guys could cycle out. Anyway, I’m going to believe in James “Syd Finch” Paxton when I see him in the flesh.
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Post by bensbrothersbrother on May 3, 2023 18:15:40 GMT -5
E-5 = helluva way to start a game.
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Post by bensbrothersbrother on May 3, 2023 18:16:44 GMT -5
Thankfully we have a rangy LF!
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radiohix
Veteran
'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
Posts: 6,584
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Post by radiohix on May 3, 2023 18:20:47 GMT -5
JBJ routes vs Duran routes is quite something huh?
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cdj
Veteran
Posts: 15,665
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Post by cdj on May 3, 2023 18:23:52 GMT -5
I am thoroughly unimpressed by Manoah’s stuff in the first
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Post by manfred on May 3, 2023 18:29:44 GMT -5
Well, Nick has certainly wanted to give that homer up. Vlad and Donaldson missed out.
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Post by yuchangclan on May 3, 2023 18:30:01 GMT -5
Everything off of Pivetta is a rocket. Not fooling anyone.
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Post by soxfansince67 on May 3, 2023 18:30:35 GMT -5
The first batting practice homer given up by Pivetta of the night. What a meatball that was.
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Post by incandenza on May 3, 2023 18:31:25 GMT -5
"Wong would have had three homers in any other park" is fake news.
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Post by bensbrothersbrother on May 3, 2023 18:31:42 GMT -5
Kiké flashing leather.
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nomar
Veteran
Posts: 11,501
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Post by nomar on May 3, 2023 18:31:43 GMT -5
Well, Nick has certainly wanted to give that homer up. Vlad and Donaldson missed out. I too occasionally confuse Donaldson and Chapman.
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Post by wildsox on May 3, 2023 18:43:24 GMT -5
Are you kidding me?! Now Casas decides to swing at the first pitch. Doesn't even give Duran a chance to steal
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Post by kevfc89 on May 3, 2023 18:46:01 GMT -5
Manoah doesn't even look impressive tonight, need to string together some better at bats.
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Post by bensbrothersbrother on May 3, 2023 18:46:08 GMT -5
Are you kidding me?! Now Casas decides to swing at the first pitch. Doesn't even give Duran a chance to steal Slumps are hard.
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Post by wildsox on May 3, 2023 18:48:58 GMT -5
Are you kidding me?! Now Casas decides to swing at the first pitch. Doesn't even give Duran a chance to steal Slumps are hard. It was the perfect opportunity to let Duran run
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Post by kevfc89 on May 3, 2023 18:50:51 GMT -5
It's actually amazing how crushable Pivetta's pitches are
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Post by yuchangclan on May 3, 2023 18:50:53 GMT -5
Everything off of Pivetta is a rocket. Not fooling anyone. !!!!
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Post by humanbeingbean on May 3, 2023 18:51:06 GMT -5
Vladito getting some launch angle is scary.
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Post by yuchangclan on May 3, 2023 18:51:56 GMT -5
Are you kidding me?! Now Casas decides to swing at the first pitch. Doesn't even give Duran a chance to steal Slumps are hard. For sure, but how is he not batting 9th when he’s in there?
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Post by incandenza on May 3, 2023 18:53:19 GMT -5
The shushing gesutre violates my ad hoc baseball celebration ethics: it's fine for you to express joy, but don't tell *me* what to do.
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Post by soxfansince67 on May 3, 2023 18:55:26 GMT -5
Jays are not missing the mistakes Pivetta is tossing up there.
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radiohix
Veteran
'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
Posts: 6,584
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Post by radiohix on May 3, 2023 18:55:30 GMT -5
Wakefield on Chapman: "He's a guy that's very hard to strike out" Wake doesn't prepare before games it seems 🤣
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Post by bensbrothersbrother on May 3, 2023 18:56:10 GMT -5
Pessimistic view: Pivetta giving up bombs! We're doomed.
Optimistic view: 2 runs through 3 prorates to 4 runs through 6 = 50% better than last night!
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