I've hated Thornburg since I found out we traded Shaw for him. I loved me some Shaw
Cheer up guys. Shaw is off to a sucky start this year.
Championships since purchase by John Henry group: Red Sox 4 Yankees 1
The Red Sox are 8-1 in their last 9 postseason games against the Yankees.
Mejia is pitching well at Pawtucket . I would expect to see him at Fenway before long . On the other hand , our young phenom , Feltman , is struggling mightily at Portland .
I think that Barnes is a best choice to close games . He is more the kind of strikeout pitcher that you want in that spot . And just harder to hit than Brasier . The idea of using your best reliever in a so called " high leverage " situation in the 7th or 8th ignores the special pressure of closing . Closing ain't easy . Barnes seems better suited to it than Brasier . What say you ?
What makes you think closing has more pressure than high leverage situations?
Are you saying if the bases are loaded in the 8th with the Sox up by 3 and the 4-5-6 hitters coming up, the Sox should NOT use their best reliever and save him for the 7-8-9 hitters in the ninth because THAT is where the pressure is?
Any “special” pressure a pitcher faces when closing is probably created by the pitcher himself.
You never know how a Pitcher is going to react to a particular situation until he has to face it. You also don't give a young Pitcher the chance to learn from it unless you allow him to face it. Have no issues with the way Cora has handled the late innings this year and remain convinced that he will continue to make judgements about whether the tougher opponent AB's will come in the 8th v 9th inning and will use Barnes/Brasier accordingly.
I do wish our Catchers would use what mound visits they have when they have them to burn. Vaz should have had at least 1 mound visit left at that point in the Thursday CWS game. Stop waiting for the Coach to bound out of the dugout. IMO A mound visit from Vaz would actually have been more effective for Brasier the other night even than a mound visit from DL. Tell him to "take a breath, calm down, your stuff is great.....I know because I am catching it. JUST THROW THE FUCKING BALL."