PitchatRisktoZisk

I feel for him, but he has no place on this roster for the ALDS. He won't start if Rodon can suit up and he ABSOLUTELY cannot pitch out of the pen. He doesn't have "swing and miss" stuff so you can't put him in to stifle a rally..... lefties crush him so he isn't a situational reliever...... he is only a mop up guy. That's a roster spot that can be used more effectively. Let him sit in the dugout and support his team and maybe lend some insight on the Houston hitters.

Totally agree. That said, how much sweeter would it be to split in Houston and win the next 2 at home to win the series?

Failure to get a RF and dramatically overpaying for Kimbrel are huge negatives. Missing on Escobar is still mystifying to me. It will take HUGE contributions from Kimbrel and Cesar in the postseason to raise the grade. Since the Sox FO saw Cleveland waive the white flag before the deadline, any deals had to be to strengthen us in the postseason. I think we gave up way too much equity to not get a RF.

I was old in 2008. I am older in 2021.

So who gets sent down or optioned tomorrow?

Definitely concerned about Rodon. Many people stated (and were shouted down) that the Sox should have shut Rodon down a couple of times earlier in the season because we ALL knew he wouldn't hold up all year. We're paying for that decision right now and more importantly come October. I guess we were afraid of angering the mighty Scott Boras in the handling of his client.

King has accomplished 2 things tonight. He's given Sheets a pretty good nickname. Also, he's made us long for the next 5 games of Gordo. Talk about lowering the bar.

Thanks

He is not in the lineup again today. That's 3 straight games since his huge game vs. Tampa on Friday. Anyone know what's going on?

This season is going to end one of two ways. If the Sox flame out early in the playoffs people will say that our division sucked, we weren't big game tested all year, and Larussa screwed up with lineups/matchups/in game decisions and cost us the series. If we make it to the WS, people will say Larussa was an f'ing genius for resting players along the way, managing his roster to keep the team afloat despite all the key injuries, and he is still ahead of his time as a manager. The narrative is already written. It is only a matter of which scenario plays out.

Nah, Yankee fans couldn't care less about the Mets. They wouldn't waste their time.

Thrilled we won and TA really was the man tonight. That said, the entire 8th was bizarre. Kimbrel got totally squeezed on the leadoff walk. That got into his head. He then was in position to get out of it. TLR made the decision he would prefer Bummer vs. Arrozarena instead of Kimbrel vs. Lowe. Really?!?! And all the righties after him? Real head scratcher to take out the guy you traded for to use in that situation.

Liam is a 1 pitch pitcher right now. He can't consistently throw the slider for a strike (or close enough for a swing and miss). His fastball has always been straight as a string. Hitters are just sitting dead red right now and crushing him. I think he'll figure it out. Personally I'd use him in a lower leverage spot to regain confidence, but it might feel like a demotion and TLR is loathe to do that to a veteran. Tonight, the minute Collins couldn't block the 2 strike slider in the dirt and allowed Gardner to reach 3rd we were in deep trouble. Liam scrapped the slider and went straight fastball (no pun intended). After the broken bat hit, Liam was toast mentally. The result was the mammoth shot by Gallo.

Any update on Engel's status with the groin issue he sustained Thursday?

Sorry if I missed this somewhere but any word on why Engel came out of the game? I assume he tweaked something but he was jumping up and down on TA's homer so hopefully not severe. Thanks.

If Manfred and MLB had a clue this would be the last FOD game. You cannot possibly top this game and all the buildup would seem contrived if you do it again next year. Just drop the mic and walk off the stage MLB.

Am I the only one that thinks many of Jose's HBP's will be used as exhibits during the CBA negotiations when they discuss an approved "sticky" substance going forward? Or does someone have to get killed before the empty suits at MLB realize the "cure" for spin rate is worse than the "disease"?

You might want to look at the video again. First he did a 180° for no apparent reason. Then he went back to the track and jumped. The ball was NOT over the wall. He could have caught the ball flat footed at the base of the wall. Instead of busting his tail to the wall and setting up, he timed his route, jumped and had the ball hit the heel of the glove.

I hope they can too, but there is nothing in our history/conditioning/approach to bringing these guys back to suggest a change in results.

Well the good news is if Kuechel hits him tomorrow, he probably won't feel the 80 mph fastball.

The FO really dislikes admitting mistakes and bringing them back would be a constant reminder how we either whiffed on development or sold low. A FO without that ego would say "hell if they can make us better, bring them on. " That's just not how we roll. The nightmare for our FO would be facing SD in the WS and having to deal with the lampooning on a national media stage of giving away Tatis Jr. for a broken down Shields and his egregious contact. Their heads would implode by Game 2.

Ummmmmm, no. Merkin already toeing the company line of getting back Eloy, Luis, and Grandal being huge moves. We're done.

I guess "the juice wasn't worth the squeeze" on Escobar. Get ready to either overpay for Story who is in a steep decline, Schoop who can't play D, or............"we added 3 All Star quality players with Eloy, Luis and Grandal coming back. We won't mortgage the multiple future championships for 1 year".

Ok, here's one. Hahn stands pat and says "we just made 2 huge deadline additions in Eloy and Luis and Yaz is coming back soon. Not going to mortgage our multiple championship run for 1 season". Discuss.........

He drives me crazy behind the plate but he is what he is. He could be a platoon lefty at DH but we've already got about 5 DH's on the roster. He was barely serviceable in college or the minors. The Sox keep running him out there to justify the huge reach drafting him in the 1st round. It's too late now to change that, but in the off season he needs to get bundled with other assets and move on. Nice kid, tries hard, isn't an MLB catcher. Sorry.