mmmmmbeeer

A July road game is much different than an October playoff game in front of a crowd like last night's. I want to face him in Chicago, without question.

Anyone know where you can see whiff% home/away splits? Looked on Baseball Savant and can only see season totals, no splits.

I think Carlos is going to surprise us all, showing that Sox have been playing games with the media this whole time. I'm not saying he didn't have shoulder soreness, but this idea that he's going to come out in a home playoff game throwing 90-91 is likely bullshit. I refuse to believe he went all out in his last start when his velo was down...it was a tune-up. I think he's going to come out and shove for 80-90 pitches, showing us that Cy Young stuff. Most on this board were saying that Carlos would have to have a phantom injury late in the season in order to manage his IP. Next thing we know, he's on the shelf for a month after not really showing any signs of injury in his last start.

Solid win. 1 down, 2 to go. Great to see Bummer back to being Bummer, the guy who we all thought had primo, closer stuff heading into this season. Tepera was nails, as well. I live in ATL so obviously not at the game, but the crowd was absolutely ELECTRIC on the screen and through my speakers. Short turnaround to tomorrow afternoon....let's do this shit. Sox in 5.

Lance is a hell of a pitcher. Against this team, he shouldn't toe the rubber again unless we advance to the ALCS.

LaRussa has really ruined my enjoyment of this postseason. Today was such a letdown. That said, time to win in spite of that idiot.

That's the problem. That could have been his final line if he hadn't been left in to walk the second batter. I lost my shit when, after the first walk, they showed a shot of a couple of vacant bullpen mounds. Gio was struggling, probably shouldn't have even come out for the 5th, but AT MINIMUM someone should have been warm to come in as soon as he allowed a baserunner. Instead, Tony hung him and Crochet out to dry. Which, of course, led to a tie game. Engel was ONLY pitch hit for because it was a tie game and Tony, in his opinion, thought batting Engel against a righty was essentially giving away an out. He brought in Hernandez as the PH who has been an absolute disaster at the plate since coming over. He sacrificed defense to give Hernandez that AB. Of course, that shitheaded decision cost the Sox AT LEAST two runs on Leury's bad RF play but also allowed for Tucker to come up and go yard against Kimbrel instead of Crochet or Bummer. That entire disaster of a game can be traced directly back to the bottom of the 5th. Seriously, up 2, bottom 5. Kopech stretched out to go 3. We lost 9-4. Unreal.

The version of McCullers we saw yesterday is easily a top 10 pitcher in baseball. He was nasty and had incredible control of his breaking stuff. He wasn't making mistakes in the zone, at all. It was an incredibly dominant performance that would have shutdown his own team if he had been somehow facing them. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap. As soon as he was out of the game, the Sox bats looked much better. On the flipside of that, the moment Lynn left the game, the Astros looked considerably less comfortable in the box.

Winning game 2 was TLR's plan to steal HFA all along. Let them waste their LMJ start in a game started by the pitcher we were least likely to win with going into this series. Gio is going to be absolutely AMPED for this game. I expect great things.

I mean, late and close, is there a more valuable player than a reliable defender and a guy who stretch a single/walk into a triple via SB?

Why give Houston's pitching staff any extra time to develop a plan of attack?

One thing that gives me great optimism is TA's thirst to be under the bright lights on the big stage and thriving. I don't know how to pull the stats, but it seems he is always having great games when we're on national TV. Last year's playoff was a great example. How about the FoD game? He's an absolute stud and the team performance when he performs is striking, to say the least. Beyond that, I just think our pitching staff is considerably better and deeper than Houston's. Key is that our pen uses breaking stuff to set up fastballs and keeps those breaking balls in/close to the zone. If our relievers toy around with non-competitive breaking balls, Houston WILL punish them when they have to come back in the zone with heat.

Is ReyLo unavailable?

How slow is Yas? That slow.

Christ, I can't believe that went out.

He's getting ahead of hitters often enough, it seems. His problem is that he's become an absolute nibbler (like much of our bullpen, if we're being honest). Nibble, nibble, nibble with what are often non-competitive pitches until the count goes full and then he's forced to throw a good strike and hitters, given DK's pure 'stuff', aren't going to miss those pitches. I just don't think he trusts his stuff anymore and is scared of throwing too hittable of a pitch when ahead in the count.

Is Hernandez pitching that well or did the Sox come out expecting to lose due to DK starting? If the latter, it's time to give him the hook. The leaders in the clubhouse can answer that question.

Cue the soccer coach GIF.

I'm Tony Larussa's grandson.

Also, fuck KC for trying to steal there.

At least his beard is well manicured. Show some goddamned emotion, man. You're costing your team and you're taking it like a chump.

Santana needs to bow his head in shame after that AB.

I think he has a blister on his index finger...was messing with it after his last AB. Probably tried to throw without it and that was the result.

'member when this dude was blaming outfield positioning for his struggles? Yeah, that was pretty awesome.

Who you going to start? Billy? Keuchel is a ground ball pitcher.