I understand you hope they will win but it is far from a foregone conclusion.Originally Posted by OH FOY!
Especially with price on the mound. 0-9 with a 6.03 ERA as a starter in the postseason, that certainly shouldn't instill confidence.
I understand you hope they will win but it is far from a foregone conclusion.
Especially with price on the mound. 0-9 with a 6.03 ERA as a starter in the postseason, that certainly shouldn't instill confidence.
To get Verlander or any other pitcher in the stretch , a team needs baserunners. Except for Verlander's own walks and WP, he would not have had to stretch very much. Maybe Cora will hold a clubhouse meeting today and and tell the guys to get on base. Or maybe just make contact with any center cut FB's they may see.
Benni is back to that long, useless swing again. That is his "hero" swing. His "I am going to hit it over the RF wall in Fenway Park" swing. Good luck with that Benni. He is not a big time HR power threat...PERIOD. JBJ is also back to a swing that he would do as well using if he just closed his eyes and hoped he ran into something. Neither are following the path that lead to their second half success which was going to the opposite field.
Besides the starting pitching in ALDS series what distinguished the Red Sox from the hopeless post season Yankees? What distinguished the two teams was the Sox ability to manufacture runs, to have productive AB's while the Yankees would do nothing but try to bang the ball over the fence.
Had Benni been looking oppo as he should have in his AB against Verlander, he would have either hit the ball outside to LF or fouled it off instead of taking it. If you look inside to pull the ball, you are never even going to foul a pitch like that off. JBJ for his part is just hopeless again and if he keeps this up he will remain hopeless.
This team stank up the place from top to bottom in this game, an utter disaster of a game which is why I think Cora saved Kimbrel for tonight. With one inning to play, I don't think Cora believed in his team on this given night, down 1 run or 100 runs with 1 half inning left to bat.
Yeah, it's a freaking wonder these bozos led the majors in scoring.
When you can't muster offense against Verlander and the Houston relief corps you might as well just pack it in.
My take away on Game 1 includes :
1. In the end Verlander and Sale's results came to a 2-2 tie although Justin got 6 more outs. Sale wasn't fully loosened up until the 3rd. A cold , clammy ball at night in Boston is difficult to handle for some. The team's approach to this game seems to remind me of several other Sale starts earlier in the season, fall behind, sloppy play, no run support. I don't believe the guys actually sleepwalk behind the percetion that Sale is unbeatable but they sure don't play well behind him.
2. Nunez got fully exposed , but the dropped bouncer , likely DP ball, sank Kelly's 6th inning. If Devers had botched that play, all hell would break loose on what a loser he is. Sox opened an ALCS game with 2 journeyman (Holt, Nunez and a midseason PH'er/1B backup Pearce in the lineup, along with a .177 hitting catcher.
3. Big time hitters need to show up in big games. Betts got off to a good start with an opening single , but Betts through Pearce go 3 for 19, with Bpgaerts hit after being down 7-2 in the ninth. His DP in the first mattered. Benintendi, 0-4 with 3 K's and a bounced Cora.
4. Regardless of whether Cora was actually calling the moves or not Workman opening the 9th of a 3-2 game in a big series was irrational. That called for Kimbrel , who also needed to show he had rebounded from the Yankee mess the other night. BTW, didn't Josh Reddick used to be an asset owned by the hometown boys, but that was long ago.
5. The RedSox looked and played very tight, not appearing confident that they were in their park with the crowd on its feet. Then Sale tested everyone's patience, followed by the inept fielding , including Betts lucky recovery from chasing a pop-up that eluded a secure home in his glove . It took a great play by Bogaerts to save the out , on review.
6. The state of umpiring in the AL playoffs is abysmal , as shown by the strike zone feature and the numerous , consequential replay reversals. Nothing new here.
I dislike David Price as much as anyone, never been a fan of his or his 0-9 playoff record. I think he may be a mental midget with not much going on upstairs. BUT, he will deliver a very strong 6 innings tonight and keep the Sox in the game, if they can hit and field. Don't go to Houston down 0-2. Price will give them a chance.
They actually did pack it in , in case you weren't noticing . Art bat, in the field, and on the mound. Total pack it in, which makes me think of some other advice that may apply to yourself.
Sure thing STORK.
More importantly, the Astros pitching staff is not the Yankees 2004 staff.
In game 2, Cole will have no pressure at the start of the game. It is up to our offense to pressure him early and make him uncomfortable. Mookie needs to start playing like an MVP and not a below average replacement player. He is the spark plug that makes this team go. He needs to step it up. If he does, this will be a competitive series that will go 7 games. If not, tonight could be the last home game of 2018.
The King of TalkSox has Spoken.
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