SoxBlanco

Nice timing on this thread. Grand slam today in the 9th to give the Barons an 8-4 victory.

Braden?

He was hit up high on the brim of his helmet. Very close to being really bad, but I think it was just precautionary.

Didn’t realize it was so easy to fix this offense. Just remove Vaughn and Robert, and you automatically become awesome.

Clean after being swept?

Perhaps because we’ll be swept?

You’re probably right, but I didn’t hate it. If he hesitates and it gets through, he likely doesn’t score. If he goes right away like he did, he would score if it gets through. And with Robert on at first, there’s a good chance we’ll get a faster runner at second anyway.

I’ve never liked no doubles set when the bases are empty. It’s hard to get two hits in a row. Give me the defensive alignment that gives the best chance to get the first guy out.

Update: At the start of the year, I told myself the Sox need to win 5 out of every 16 games to get to 50 wins (and then they’d still have two games to spare). So I will break the season into ten different 16-game chunks. I’ll update every time we finish another 16 games. Here are the results: 4-12 5-11 5-11 Total: 14-34, on pace for 47 wins.

I wouldn’t call 4 earned runs and 3 earned runs “real clunkers”. He’s had one real clunker, when he gave up 7 ER against the Tigers early in the year.

He does have 3 starts (out of 8) this year where he has given up zero earned runs. And one other game where he gave up 1 earned run.

I know, but I thought if the tying run was in the hole, it would count. Because if you come into the game with a runner on base and up 4, that’s basically the same situation as being up 3 with the bases empty. But I was wrong. Guess you need two guys on while up 4 for it to count.

So a three run lead going into the bottom of the ninth is not a save? EDIT: I just looked it up. I get it now. Either a three run lead OR the tying run on deck.

What are the rules on saves? I swear when I was growing up, it counted as a save if you came into the game in the last inning with the tying run in the hole. So a three run lead would obviously count, or something like bases loaded with a six run lead. Am I making that up?

Just recently on May 1, 2, 3. We’re awesome now!

Do you mean when? It was April 23.

You questioned why the Sox “called for” a fastball right down the middle. You deserved to get called out. First off, it was a breaking ball. Second, nobody calls for it down the middle. Sometimes pitchers miss down the middle.

Anybody have Vargas’ stats since the swing change?

You mean the breaking ball hanging over the middle?

At the start of the year, I told myself the Sox need to win 5 out of every 16 games to get to 50 wins (and then they’d still have two games to spare). So I will break the season into ten different 16-game chunks. I’ll update every time we finish another 16 games. Here are the results: 4-12 5-11 Total: 9-23, on pace for 46 wins

And he struck out a guy to end the game with the tying run on third.

Sox need to win 5 out of every 16 games to get to 50 wins (and still have two games to spare). After the first 16, they only won 4. Hoping they win 6 of the next 16 to get back on pace.

Some people have a hard time thinking rationally when there are struggles and negative outcomes. There could be ten different things that play a part in why a player doesn’t develop, and there could be a different mix of reasons for a different player. But it’s easier to just blame the director, even if the player just isn’t very good to begin with, or if the player lacks the drive or work ethic, or if the player doesn’t like to be coached. It reminds me of how people like to blame the hitting coach when an offense is struggling.

The funniest part was that they panned to Romy at first as they were showing the replay on the big screen. He motioned the safe signal and said “You were off the bag” to Vaughn. Then he looked so flabbergasted when the call was out.

Did we gain the extra year of control? Or did we have to wait a couple more days for that? Either way, I’m happy he’s up. Need something to root for.