10/14 ALCS game 2

[BillyWilliams]

https://www.12up.com/posts/6197157-v...ostseason-long

Doesn't look like pine tar to me, more like sunscreen.

[Yaz Fan Since '67]

That error on Xanders part was terrible though. Had he hussled that throw Price would have made it out of that inning. He was better than the numbers show.

I'm not so sure of that. It was a tight zone but 4 walks is 4 walks.

[Yaz Fan Since '67]

You, sir, do not understand baseball. Cora has been far and away the best MLB manager in the postseason. He has dealt with two shaky aces (Sale and Price), the absence of his best bullpen arm, Wright, a closer who hsd given up 1 or 2 runs in each inning (3 so far) he has pitched, a bottom of the order that has mostly been a black hole, solid veterans (Nunez and Kinsler) who have been anything but solid, a bullpen overall that has a reputation of being inconsistent, and a batting order overall that, even with that 16 run bonanza in game 3 of the ALDS, has an OPS of .707, which just happens to be 4th best out of the 4 teams left in the ALCS and NLCS.

We lost game 1 of the ALDS because Sale struggled and, worse, our lineup came up with three putrid singles in 9 innings. We got those 2 runs because Verlander had a problem with control, period. Even then, the Sox had a shot until Nunez made that horrible, horrible error for the Astros 3d run.

We won game 2 because Cora changed the lineup, got the most out of a shaky Price who nevertheless pitched a clean 4th, used Porcello in relief, pinch hit with Moreland again at just the right time, and got another save out of shaky Kimbrel. Don't get me wrong--I do give the players credit for wins. They get all the hits, score all the runs, and make all of the pitches. But so far in both the ALDS and ALCS Cora has shown a magic touch.

Well said. Other than starting Kinsler, and who can argue that decision, most every move Cora has made has worked out.

[illinoisredsox]

Well said. Other than starting Kinsler, and who can argue that decision, most every move Cora has made has worked out.

Kinsler got things started in Game 4 in NY with that double over Gardner's glove the day after Holt's cycle. So that worked as well. That being said, Kinsler's lifetime numbers vs. Cole did make starting him a real headscratcher.

Don't forget folks, Ortiz went 2-22 against Detroit in 2013 in the ALCS. Of course, one of the 2 was a very long and productive hit.

[moonslav59]

Kinsler is a much better defender, but I think his offense is toast.

Second base is important for defense, but it's not like catcher or SS.

[S5Dewey]

This team misses Pedey in a BIG way.

[moonslav59]

This team misses Pedey in a BIG way.

It might be the same for next year, too.

[Yaz Fan Since '67]

Yeah I have resigned myself to the very real possibility that my favorite player of this generation of players has probably played his last game. Imagine this team with a healthy Dustin Pedroia

[BillyWilliams]

This team misses Pedey in a BIG way.

Ummm, they just had the most wins in a season in their history, they didn't miss him that much........

[moonslav59]

Ummm, they just had the most wins in a season in their history, they didn't miss him that much........

Second base has been a problem area all year. We started with no bat-no glove and had to trade Buttrey to change that to no bat-good glove.

We'd be a much better team with a Pedey batting .725 and fielding at maybe 85% of what he used to be. Plus, we'd still have Buttrey.

[mvp 78]

Second base has been a problem area all year. We started with no bat-no glove and had to trade Buttrey to change that to no bat-good glove.

We'd be a much better team with a Pedey batting .725 and fielding at maybe 85% of what he used to be. Plus, we'd still have Buttrey.

https://www.fangraphs.com/wins.aspx?...am=Angels&dh=0

If only Buttrey was able to pitch against HOU this postseason!

[moonslav59]

https://www.fangraphs.com/wins.aspx?...am=Angels&dh=0

If only Buttrey was able to pitch against HOU this postseason!

The problem is, we very well might not have even called him up until September, and maybe he wouldn't even have made our playoff roster.

That being said, i wish we still had him.

Kinsler did give us some defensive stability.