hankchifan

Sox weaknesses were exposed early once again. Lead off walks, wild pitches, 2nd base defense. Crappy 7-9 Hitters. Swinging at breaking pitches out of the zone. Striking out with RISP. Double plays. No running game. Nowhere to hide.

Once again, this Kimbrel trade made no sense when we needed a RF instead, and we already had a closer. It was sold as we needed him for the playoffs. He was not needed in first game, and may not even pitch in the playoffs. A good position player contributes every game. We had to put up with a miserably poor defensive RF with Goodwin, Leury, Sheets, Vaughn. A shame.

No shit. 72 fastballs to the best fastball hitting team in the majors. Why didn’t Tony or Grandal made an adjustment.

Will need to work counts, and hit and run whenever feasible to stay out of double plays.

Sox are not good in adjustments.

It is ovah! Hope our guys have a short memory.

Not 1st and potential 5 th. Games. Winning the first game away was key. Now Gio will be under more pressure.

He looks constipated.

That’s TLR for you. Another inexplicable decision. Opening the 7 th with Crochet was not a good idea, he threw close to 30 pitches total, so he’ll be out tomorrow at least.

Double plays have been an Achilles heel for the Sox this season.

But he didn’t help either, punting HFA and not starting Giolito. Lynn has been terrible against the Astros which are the best fastball hitting team in the majors.

We will need to win three in a row to avoid that scenario. Not an easy task.

That is TLR for you. Another inexplicable decision.

Right it is inexplicable. Sox are the only team in the playoffs with a losing record on the road.

Agree wholeheartedly. The shame was that we were so close to winning HFA, less than a Handful of games, far less than the number of games we punted. The proof is in the pudding, so will see after this series if TLR and his defenders were right or not.

HFA was a must. We overdid the resting, particularly if we don’t get by the Astros.

Would have started Giolito today andCease tomorrow. Lynn at GRF. Not having HFA hurts. Team is more listless that they would have been at GRF.

We got the worst of all matchups today. Lynn a fastball pitcher against the best fastball hitting team in the majors, and McCollough one of the best breaking ball pitchers in the majors vs a Sox fastball hitting team.

About time. It was a no brainer to hit and run with Abreu at the plate in possible double play situations.

Sox are a fastball hitting team.

Glad they ran Moncada and we avoided another Abreu double play. Abreu has led the majors in double plays hit the last 3 years. We need to adjust accordingly.

Expected. TA doesn’t generally take walks.

Combined with dreaded lead off walk. 2nd lead off walk in game have both scor3d. Sox weakness at catching defense also exposed. Guess fastball pitcher Lynn vs best fastball hitting team in MLB was not a good match for the Sox to begin with.

Agree, but it should have been a hit and run.

It should have been a hit and run. Maldonado has a cannon and a straight steal is dicey at best.