JoeC

I guess if you're going to give up 10 runs, it might as well be on a day that your offense would be hard pressed to get you 2.

Again, what is it about this performance today that was unexpected out of Keuchel? Maybe others have higher standards for him. Just making a point that under his normal level of sucktitude he's still in the game, probably down 5-0 or something. Today he gets us through 1 inning out of 18 on the day.

Did management talk the fielders into extra-ruining Keuchel's start to encourage him to retire? Retired players don't take up payroll.

He still sucked. Still can feel bad for the guy though.

...and you think this is outside of his normal sucktitude? Point is, he has a 50/50 chance to keep us in the game if our bats are alive and if our defense doesn't shit the bed. Our defense shat the bed and went to a god damn toga party in the sheets. He sucked his normal self, but the 5 extra runs are on the defense.

Yeah he was at his normal level of sucktitude. He was even inducing ground ball should-have-been outs.

I've been watching. This game should call for the manager to loudly proclaim the team to be full of "lollygaggers" in the shower after the game.

Sorry - when your team gives the other team more outs than it converts (4 errors vs. 3 outs converted), that's f'ed up. Not that he pitched great or shouldn't have overcome some of that, today's been ridiculous.

I feel bad for Keuchel for today's result.

The bobble is the obvious one. Jose could have done more, too... and didn't. Again.

Again, Jose with no stretch.

The only reason he was able to beat the throw is because he mistimed / overslid.

Based on when he started his slide, the only way to stay safe would have been to dislocate at least one joint.

Is this a throwback to the late 2000's Sox teams?

Was it just me, or did Jose make no attempt to stretch for that should-have-been-inning-ending double play?

Should have been out of the inning after Ramirez....

Eloy.

Harrison will not continue to hit below the Mendoza line. His BABIP is .136 (archeologically low). His xwOBA is .324 vs. his actual wOBA of .175. His barrel rate is triple his career average (9.1% vs. 2.8%). He's hitting the ball hard... but just right at 'em. He'll be fine. While he's not the least of this offense's worries, I think he's entirely adequate for what this team needs at 2B.

This is not to say I'm happy at all with the 2B situation here.... but at least we have a capable 2Bman playing 2B.

For 2B? I would disagree vehemently there. At least the 2B candidates that have been in play have had some sort of middle infield experience and track record at various professional levels up through the big leagues. Do they have big league bats? By the most generous of definitions, "arguably." Do they have big league gloves? Yes. Say what you will about the boundless void that is our 2B position, but at least (for the most part) they haven't COMPLETELY sacrificed middle infield defense yet, and it appeared that the front office did not have any realistic plan to do so either.

Yes, and in the NFL, there are clear and strict guidelines. The scandal was that the balls were altered and did not meet guidelines. In the NBA example, there appears to have been dialogue / feedback. League tried to change the ball, and players rejected it. In the MLB, who knows wtf is happening?

Why don't they just use the same baseball? Why is baseball the only sport that constantly changes its main game piece?

I love how 2B has turned into a "throw any schmuck with a bat out there" position on this board. Yes - Burger has had a great 20 at bats. Yes - Moncada came up as a 2Bman. Does that mean that either of them can actually consistently play 2B at the big league level? Does that mean that either of them can actually provide adequate defense at 2B at the big league level? Burger is a stopgap at 3B for the year, and a nice luxury bat off the bench. He's also a nice piece to trade and/or option with which to backfill a corner infield spot (3B) in the event a trade is required. Hell - I'd rather see Burger thrown into the rotation than at 2B. At least we wouldn't be disappointed with the inevitably bad results.

We can only hope. There's the whole "if he can stay healthy" thing, as well as the whole "if he can adjust to the adjustments the league makes on him" thing, too. Luckily he seems like he's able to develop some semblance of patience out there.