The Astros are reeling on the ropes. Time to deliver the knockout punch. No doubt the Price haters will have the long knives out and sharpened. Here's hoping he can shut them up. Go Sox.
The Astros are reeling on the ropes. Time to deliver the knockout punch. No doubt the Price haters will have the long knives out and sharpened. Here's hoping he can shut them up. Go Sox.
Station mojo is real.
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I wish Price the very best tonight. He's only in this position because our so called ACE is too fragile to pitch a complete season.
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This is a good scenario for Price. If he wins he will be doing it on 3 days rest which no one is expecting.
If he loses , well people were expecting as he's pitching on 3 days rest along with the history of playoff failure.
They are also up 3-1 so there's no pressure as the series is not all on him.
I would have started ERod tonight and am fascinated Cora did not. I'm sure he's right, of course.
This ALCS has been really tricky for Cora to manage: starters who can't get started; closer/stopper who leaks a lot; offense that works but in unexpected ways (especially JBJ); injuries to key guys (Wright, Sale, Moreland); defensive issue at 3B; going against two 100 win juggernauts, both of whom were favored to beat the Sox.
Tonight is all of the above and more. Sale is out. Price pitched Sunday and gave up 4 walks, a dinger, and 4 runs in 4.2 innings and threw 80 pitches. The bullpen has been worked hard, especially Kelly, Barnes, Brasier, and Kimbrel. ERod, Hembree, and Workman should all be ready, and tomorrow is an off day.
My real point is that Cora seems very good at improvising. And boy is he decisive. ERod pitched to one guy, walked him, and was gone. Brasier took over, finished that inning unscathed, and got 2 outs in the 7th before Barnes came in for the final out. Then, lo and behold, Kimbrel, THE RESTED ONE, came in for a 2 inning save with a 3 run lead. Maybe the first time ever, especially in a Sox uniform. But he walked 3 guys, gave up 2 hits, and even got another HBP--and the last out, the game-winner, was a Bregman hard liner that Beni made a great play on--thank goodness for the glove on the right hand.
To me Cora has the rare ability to be decisive even when he leaves someone in. He fully assimilates the current situation--and the overall context of the game and the series--and simply knows what he wants to do at any given moment.
So I see tonight as simply more of the same. The lineup is intact and gives Cora some options. It all begins with Price of course. And it helps that there are still two games at Fenway if needed.