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Post by p23w on Nov 20, 2018 19:57:05 GMT -5
Broken record here just to point out that change being real is different than change being sustainable. Pitching better for two months might not be a small sample variation - it very well mean that some change actually made him better for those two months. But even real change isn't always sustainable change. This message is brought to you by Joe Kelly's performance history and upcoming three-year contract. Well, Eovaldi can control whether he throws a cutter or not and how much he uses it. He didn't throw it much at all until he became a good pitcher. IMO the key to Eovaldi is that he fits the bill as a RH power pitcher, which is what was lacking on the opening day roster. Finding a replacement will be difficult and/or costly. Given his post season performance I am 100% behind extending him. While his stuff is more like Kelly's his demeanor seems more like Schilling. I want to repeat. Eovaldi (or Kluber or Greinke or Buehler) would fit the bill. I'm inclined to go with Eovaldi. Post WS euphoria notwithstanding.
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Post by p23w on Oct 31, 2018 18:29:07 GMT -5
Sign all the pitchers. Hope Pedey is healthy enough to play 135 games. Keep the coaches and staff intact. Erect a statue of Cors outside Fenway. Dare to have expectations to repeat.
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Post by p23w on Oct 30, 2018 15:29:11 GMT -5
That was a 176 game Rorschach test for the media and fans. Hopes and fears got projected onto this team the entire season and it didn't seem to matter how much they won. My take: there are a handful of analysts and good baseball writers who know enough about the game to give intelligent commentary. What I refer to as the 10% rule applies here. It's about 10% of that crowd that does the heavy lifting, using either analytics or just a good understanding of how a team works to give real value. Another 80% just throw stuff out there, sort of making it up as they go along, doing anything they can to gather eyeballs even if it means creating controversy where there is none. That last 10% have an axe to grind, they have an angle they're working - think Heyman here - or they're just very bad at what they do. The position by position comparisons largely neglected the fantastic job of roster construction Sox FO did. They had multiple options at all the supposedly weak positions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and catcher. Cora kept everyone fresh, and he used that roster like only the best managers - including those in business management - do. He trusted his players giving them the chance to succeed. Bradley is the case study. He did not get it going till mid-season. That he did just that in the second half was for one reason only: Cora ran him out there game after game. That trust paid off. Kelly and Price, two of the most press-maligned players on the team were asked to carry the load in the WS of all venues, and they carried the day. Pierce was put in the 3-hole. How big a deal is that for a so-called journeyman? From his age-30 season on, he's been a player. It takes a while for some guys to get going but look at the result. He killed it on the big stage. It's easy to see why they play hard for Cora. I'll suggest to all of us on the board, that we use our best judgement, informed by an ever-increasing base of knowledge, to figure out when we're wading in BS. You may actually have a better feel for what's going down than the nominal experts. That's the truth. Critical thinking at all times. The perceived need for relief talent took neither the reality of post-season series - days off and it's all over when it's over so use what you have - into account. The names that were thrown out were no better, and in some cases worse, than what the team had on hand, a point Eric made over and over. They had everything they needed on hand already - some board members believed that and said it out loud.
The proof is in the results. They blew threw the competition like a windstorm. Just a great team effort.
I will be the first to admit that I underestimated the value of the roster additions at mid season, AND that i was frustrated by my perception if the lack of development by Devers, power from Benitendi, and consistency from Price and Vazquez. My biggest mistake, however, was to overlook Alex Coras' ability to mold the assembled talent into a juggernaut of a playoff team. For moi, great team effort was brought about by Alex Cora.
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Post by p23w on Oct 28, 2018 22:30:32 GMT -5
Break out the duck boats!
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Post by p23w on Oct 26, 2018 22:56:38 GMT -5
Pull a Roberts, Kinsler...Holt!
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Post by p23w on Oct 26, 2018 22:12:15 GMT -5
Sit down, Manny.
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Post by p23w on Oct 23, 2018 22:31:09 GMT -5
OMG.. Cora is psychic
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Post by p23w on Oct 23, 2018 22:21:37 GMT -5
WTF
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Post by p23w on Oct 20, 2018 21:06:37 GMT -5
Methinks we face the Dodgers.
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Post by p23w on Oct 18, 2018 22:45:45 GMT -5
Amazing. Simply the best game on the face of the earth.
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Post by p23w on Oct 18, 2018 22:24:53 GMT -5
Damn, what a game, again.
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Post by p23w on Oct 18, 2018 12:37:00 GMT -5
Here's the NY Times report on Altuve's shot to right: In the bottom of the first, Altuve lifted a long fly ball off Boston’s starter, Rick Porcello, with George Springer on first base. As the ball soared to deep right field, Betts jumped for the ball. His arm rose above the wall and his glove made contact with the hand of a fan who was also reaching for the ball, closing Betts’s glove and preventing him from making the catch.That's exactly what Betts was explaining to Bradley while the play was being reviewed. It's interesting. In Chicago they chase fans out of the city when stuff like that happens. In Houston? They'll probably erect a statue to the guy. The observation that is telling for me is that of the 5 people (four fans and Mookie) reaching for the ball only one was tracking it correctly. Mookie makes that catch. If any of the four fans had any hand/eye coordination they could have reached over Mookies' glove and caught the ball. Thank God Beltran was not in the bleachers. ps. I'm a fan of Justin Verlander, but not today.
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Post by p23w on Oct 18, 2018 0:15:26 GMT -5
Insanity!
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Post by p23w on Oct 17, 2018 6:48:54 GMT -5
Here is to wishing the long lay off for Morton finds him short of his command. Hinch looking foolish up against Cora at this point. Pivotal game.
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Post by p23w on Oct 9, 2018 2:32:08 GMT -5
Beat the Fat Man.
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Post by p23w on Oct 7, 2018 8:56:11 GMT -5
All this and Wade Miley is starting the clincher game for the Brewers and Travis Shaw is 2/6 in the first two games. I get so annoyed with some of the brain trust trades sometimes. But I am more annoyed with Devers, whom I believe has immense talent but a 2 cent brain when it comes to pitch recognition. BTW Shaw is a better defender than either Devers or Nunez.
From my perspective Price has one more shot to prove his value to this team. Thornburg and Carson have been busts. Dave Dombrowski has kept his track record in tact. He is clueless with respect to pitching and shrewd when it come to hitters. That said, he really doesn't get it that good pitching beats good hitting. After watching Cole shut down a potent Indian line up big time I can only think that I am so glad that Cashman whiffed on that deal and wish that Dombrowski had spent the Price resources for a similar RHP like Cole.
Dig deep boys. Find a way to win.
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Post by p23w on Oct 6, 2018 22:07:40 GMT -5
The Yankee line up feasts on lefties. Been that way all season.
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Post by p23w on Oct 6, 2018 9:26:25 GMT -5
The Red Sox bullpen inability to throw strikes was frustrating last night.My take is that the Sox bullpen collectively (until Kimbrel took the mound) looked like deers frozen by headlights. That and some really (again MHO) some hellacious pitch calling. The Yankee hitters simply could not wait to take their swings, fortunately for the Sox with the exception of Judge (and possibly Gregorious who looked dialed in) they choked for the most part. The Astros showed last year that putting starters in the pen and using them for two innings or so can be very effective. Last year the "Stros had little choice. Thier bullpen was erractic and they had an excess of starters with swing and miss stuff. I would go with Price, followed Rodriquez and Eovaldi and then Kimbrell today. I hear you. This decision is Cora's. He was an integral part of Houston's bullpen management last year. He knows what he has available but ultimately the decision of who and when will be dictated by the match ups he is presented with. For me todays game is all about Price. We get 6 solid innings out of David the Sox will be alright (I'm assuming the offense will handle Tanaka). If Price duplicates Sale's performance I'll be pleased but less sanguine about bringing anyone out of this bullpen with men on base. My hope is that whomever follows Price has a clean inning to work with.
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Post by p23w on Oct 5, 2018 20:50:27 GMT -5
This bullpen annoys me
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Post by p23w on Oct 4, 2018 17:14:25 GMT -5
Yelich is a beast.
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Post by p23w on Oct 4, 2018 15:34:00 GMT -5
This is how it should be. Although I might wish for a best of seven. The NYYankees have less questions with respect to health than do the Red Sox, but the Sox have a slightly better offense and team speed. Slight edge to the Sox with defense. But as with all post season contests pitching is the answer. Edge to the Yankees bullpen. On paper it comes down to what Sale has left in the tank and can Price overcome his post season past. If yes to both, the Sox in 3 or 4, if no to both Yankees in 5 (as much as I hate to say this). Time for an unsung hero to step up.... Wright? Eovaldi? Kelly? (cough) Kimbrel? It is in the hands of the baseball Gods. So be it. Let the games begin. Could you point me to the altar? Follow your senses. The smell of fresh cut grass, lime and leather. The sounds of horsehide meeting ash (or maple), horsehide smacking leather. The sight of furrowed brows, eyeblack, determination. Think of yourself on the town green, the 4th of July and being 10 years old. The cathedral is the town green, the altar is in the shape of a diamond. The Gods are knodding in approval.
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Post by p23w on Oct 4, 2018 8:52:36 GMT -5
This is how it should be. Although I might wish for a best of seven. The NYYankees have less questions with respect to health than do the Red Sox, but the Sox have a slightly better offense and team speed. Slight edge to the Sox with defense. But as with all post season contests pitching is the answer. Edge to the Yankees bullpen. On paper it comes down to what Sale has left in the tank and can Price overcome his post season past. If yes to both, the Sox in 3 or 4, if no to both Yankees in 5 (as much as I hate to say this). Time for an unsung hero to step up.... Wright? Eovaldi? Kelly? (cough) Kimbrel? It is in the hands of the baseball Gods. So be it. Let the games begin.
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Post by p23w on Oct 3, 2018 18:58:45 GMT -5
After 2004 I never again heard the "3515 hits.... and one pop up" from NYYankee fans. That resonates with me.
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Post by p23w on Sept 20, 2018 11:13:03 GMT -5
The point being that at least two of the base on balls scored . That and the fact that a rookie LHB, Voight got two hits off him. He's our guy but he's not showing a lot in prime time against a playoff bound team. Voit hit two pop flies that had about a 10% chance of being a hit and less than that for being a HR. Plus he's RH. There's no possible way that happens that many times to Price ever again (along with Andujar's popup). It's one thing if you're giving up 400 foot HR which are well deserved. But these are pop outs that are outs in every other ball park. None of these three HR were even intentional. They were so late on the swing because they were fooled. My bad. Voight is a RHB. Another bad, Voight had 3 hits off Price. He pulled a change to LF for a single, hit a FB to RF for a HR, and hit a change up to RF for a home run. You can lament the dimensions of YS to your hearts content. You can question the pitch selection. The fact remains that a 27 YO rookie got the better of David Price. Luck, maybe, but Hicks and Judge also hit bullets right at Sox defenders. Luck has a way of evening out. Price had his share of good luck in this game.
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Post by p23w on Sept 20, 2018 10:42:22 GMT -5
4 walks in 5.1. Plenty of balls squared up. I'd guess that the walks were precisely because he didn't want to give up any pop flies to RF. The point being that at least two of the base on balls scored . That and the fact that a rookie LHB, Voight got two hits off him. He's our guy but he's not showing a lot in prime time against a playoff bound team.
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