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Lynn, Vaughn and all the rest ! 1st day of 60% capacity. Go Fans !

It really doesn't matter. It's like asking if a HR was a solo shot or with men on base or came when you are hopelessly behind. Getting on base with a walk is a good thing. Of course a hit is better but what happens next is really of no consequence. Tons of runners get stranded but the more guys that get on base a lot ,the better the offense becomes. This is why the Sox are the leaders in run differential. The offense isn't really as good as it appears but having a very good OBP definitely makes it a lot better. HR's win a lot more games now with hitter stats down throughout baseball so getting on base means a lot more multi run HR's . Now we just need more HR's .

Lamb got off to a slow start that made everyone hate him despite the SSS . In the last 28 days he is hitting .261. OBP .393 SLG .565 and .963 OPS. Of course this is only a slightly larger SSS but he's not the pariah everyone seems to think he is at least for the last month.

I spoke in generalities and when you do that of course you can pick out instances where it isn't true. That is common sense. Plus I also said LaRussa isnt a good manager so that also applies. I never said LaRussa handled the BP perfectly I just that his options are limited. If you want perfection it can't be found. Things do vary from series to series as you pointed out . Maybe Bummer and Hendricks just need more work to get back into a groove and the others less but it still hurts not having Kopech and Crochet when you need them more than you need the Foster, Ruiz, Marshall, Heuer. Maybe get Detwiler back for a multiple inning role to free Kopech . But if you free Kopech for a more prominent late inning role, he won't be prepping for a late season role as a starter. But as of now if you want to win more games Kopech should be used in a different role and once the Sox grab another reliever and get Robert and Jimenez back you can think about getting him to starting if they need him for that. Crochet will still be babied to keep his arm healthy butmaybe soon they start giving him more innings. We have no idea what the Sox are actually doing with him this season.

While this is true. It's just one of the problems. Yes TLR has been bad but I don't think every time the BP melts down can be blamed on him. The Sox have 2 guys in the pen , 2 of their best who are being used in ways to keep them available for larger roles down the stretch in Kopech and Crochet . Most of the time they can't be used every other day . That's why we are seeing the other guys pitching more than 1 inning or in late inning crucial situations. It's not that TLR doesn't know the limitations of his guys . It's how they are using Kopech and Crochet that have forced the others into roles they haven't been able to handle. The Sox just need better relievers than what they have been getting from Heuer, Foster, Marshall and Ruiz. But any new relief arms will basically inherit the same roles as they have now. The Sox are just going to have to muddle through relying on the starting pitching , outbursts from the offense and the weak division that have got them this far. Another arm or 2 in the BP would be nice or a good quality LH power hitter but that's a big get that I doubt the Sox are willing to sacrifice very much for. Ride the starting pitching and hope Rodon can pitch more innings than expected but some arms would help in that regard too. Rodon, Kopech and Crochet all need to be there at the finish line and the BP is suffering because Kopech and Crochet can't be used in late innings on a regular basis. That leaves us seeing way more than we expected to see from Ruiz, Marshall , Foster and Heuer. Kopech and Crochet are more than likely to continue in the roles they have now til at least the end of August and that's a long way off. That puts a lot of heat and innings on the others that, so far, they can't handle. Bummer and Hendriks not being as good as we all thought hasn't helped either.

Thanks. I think when most envisioned the Sox BP being great a lot of it had to do with 4 arms in the late innings, Kopech, Crochet, Bummer and Hendriks but because of innings limits and the desire to have them both (Kopech and Crochet ) available and healthy late in the season and for the playoffs for larger roles, they've had to rely on the other 4 guys I mentioned. Ruiz hasn't been terrible but Heuer, Foster and Marshall have. No one real envisioned them all being bad but the potential was always there since the nature of relief pitching is so volatile. So you take away Kopech and Crochet for late inning roles or even roles of pitching every other day and this is the result. You get guys being asked to pitch more than 1 inning and every other day. It's not so much theat TLR doesn't know his relievers , it's that they are being used in ways that they have been forced into by the unavailability of Kopech and Crochet. It really shouldn't be a big surprise to anyone that they can't handle the way they are being used and that the Sox are suffering so many late inning losses. Despite all that 2 of the 3 losses went wire to wire so it's not like this injury decimated or our worst BP arms getting longer and expanded roles team got clobbered. TLR actually has some big problems with all that to manage through. I don't think he's a good manager anymore and he's made a lot of mistakes . There's only one thing holding this team together and that's the starting pitching and when that falters even a little the Sox are on shaky ground because the hitting, BP, defense and manager can't cover for it

I'm reading all the arguing back and forth about how TLR used the BP and it seems rather odd to me in some way . Once again we saw Marshall and Ruiz, Bummer and Hendriks. This is one time I'm not upset with how TLR used Bummer and Hendriks . Yeah Bummer gave up the hit and the stolen base. But if you want to say Hendriks should've started the inning or Bummer taken out after a hit it's basically either hindsight or splitting hairs. Either could've been done but it wasn't but not because TLR is stupid. Even after the hit you would think Bummer being LH would be able to hold the runner better than Hendriks so not bringing Hendriks in then wasn't a bad decision. Not holding the runner was the worst part and I would like to think that the catcher, pitching coach or manager might stress that since it's the potential winning run. Once the stolen base happened , you have to walk the next guy and if you want a DP yea, you leave Bummer in. I don't have a problem with Hendriks being brought in when he was. Nothing worked out with your set up guy and closer, both of whom were supposed to be among the best in those spots all year. I highly doubt Hendriks cares that much when he's brought in. The guy wants to pitch as much as he can. But anyway that's my take but I had a bigger point to make and one that no one here ever mentions but it's food for thought so here we go. How much is TLR handicapped that 2 of our best relievers are under strict pitching guidelines ? For instance Kopech is on an innings limit and is used in multiple inning roles such as spot starter and middle relief requiring more than an inning usually. So he basically isn't used as a 7th inning guy or even an every other day type reliever . That role has been going to guys who have been been bad, Heuer, Marshall,Foster and Ruiz a lot. They are also babying Crochet along. He's pitched less innings than any other of the main guys in the BP even though he gets the best results . So like I said food for thought. Not trying to stick up for TLR , just trying my best to be an unbiased observer and remove the emotion from it all. When you can't use our 2 best guys in late inning situations it makes managing the BP way harder and also why a reliever or 2 should be priority one at the trade deadline or as soon as possible because things are not going to change with Kopech and Crochet.

Don't Cease ! Get it ! Get it !

Rodon looked like one of the best pitchers in baseball last night. Just dominating from a command + stuff standpoint that very few starting pitchers can do consistently.

Not only that but Katz could've came out to talk to Marshall after the 1st hit and slowed things down to get Heuer in there since that seemed to be the guy next in line. Was there a mound visit at all by Grandal or Katz in the bottom of the 9th ? I don't recall seeing one. Wasn't it all RH hitters Marshall faced in the 9th? Marshall the guy with reverse splits with righties hitting him for a .313 BA to this point in the season ?

That's a weird pitch in that situation when the dude has a 0 ERA because of his FB and splitter. Maybe was a hanging splitter .

I wouldn't say it was incredibly unlucky . Vaughn did pretty much what the Yankees wanted him to do. They obviously wanted at least a DP and more than likely I'm going to guess that was an inside splitter to Vaughn to try to get him to hit it on the ground to the left side. He obliged.

I'm sure there were plenty of questions about Marshall in the 8th but he did good. Well a line out bailed him out. But I'm thinking ok who's coming in the 9th. Very shocked to see it was still Marshall. Once Hamilton didnt steal 2nd and Leury got on with the bunt. I was thinking OK double steal here !? Or does Larussa subscribe to not making the 1st out at 3rd base ? I though nah he has to steal to double steal here. Way easier for Hamilton to steal 3rd and you know the Yankees are going to throw to 3rd to try and get the lead runner. Can't let Vaughn hit into a DP here.

Pretty much the same everywhere outside of Chicago. Sox caps became cool in the rap community so there's that lingering effect. I think most caps other than Sox and Yankees it's usually fans of the team wearing them.

Even the not so good ones. Imagine getting $563K a year for 4 years ( and if you're around for 4 yrs it would be a lot more than that.) You put 10% of that (after taxes) in a 401K in the stock market and about 10 yrs. you could have another million+ . So maybe by 40 you've got a pretty good chunk of money. A normal guy in the $75K/yr range has to work 30 yrs and most won't be able to put very much salary (even if you're company matches up to a certain %) in a 401K or savings plan to get them to $1M after that 30yrs.

Many jobs are very very hard and health and life threatening and very stressful and families get ruined all the time regardless. Sorry not trying to be a dick but I have more pity for every day working stiffs. Moms and Dads away from each other and their kids all day. Many losing jobs,benefits and income from Covid, lay offs, cut backs. You know the working poor.

Also for those of you have haven't heard. A fan tweeted to Goose Island that Yermin should have a beer named after him called the Rule 5 Draft and Goose Island thought it was such a good idea that they did it. The 7.3% ABV hazy IPA is not only a nod to Yermin’s jersey number, which is 73, it is a symbol of the power of social media . https://ontapsportsnet.com/2021/04/26/goose-island-to-release-yermin-mercedes-inspired-beer-upon-fan-request/

$50 Yerminator Bobblehead. SOLD OUT https://www.chicitysports.com/2021/05/19/foco-releasing-new-yerminator-bobblehead-for-yermin-mercedes/

Of course it's planned because NY has the largest population and fan base of any team in the US which means more ratings, which means advertisers pay more and the network makes more money. They aren't trying to be fair they are trying to make money. It's also why MLB Network has NY based Mad Dog Russo with his own show. I watched some clips where he had some guests on about the LaRussa /Mercedes incident and all he does is yell louder than his guests who have the opposing opinions.

Yes that's true but you weren't making a minimum salary of $563.5K which is the minimum salary for an MLB player now. You didn't get a pension starting at $9,000/year after 43 days on the job. You didn't get full comprehensive medical after 1 day on the active roster. Nothing is taken from your salary for the pension benefit. If you make it to10yrs in the MLB you get $68,000/yr at age 45 and if you wait till age 62 you get $220,000/yr. I am one of the 1st ones on here to always tell others that it's a grueling schedule and players get tired and worn out and people don't like hearing it. So I am with you on that.

Yea poor baseball players no wonder they will probably go on strike.

So lots of games left against the Twins. TLR says sorry to the Twins for his guy swinging 3-0. Twins manager says apology accepted but I'm going to throw at your guy anyway. Tony says I got no problem with what the Twins did. Ahh but does he ? If he acts all pissed then if the Sox retaliate in any way it will seem premeditated.Maybe in the last series against the Twins of the season Tony asks a Sox pitcher to brush back a Twins player . This may not be over. What should LaRussa do in the rest of the games against the Twins ? If he does something is that sticking up for his player or his team ? Is there anything TLR can do make make anyone here happy in regards to what he could do next against the Twins. It's a serious question. I don't really expect serious answers though.

Looks like Engel to Keuchel's left. Does that mean Engel will be playing in NY ?

Yep it's all just a setup to prepare them for the World Series. If you can survive this season the World Series and playoffs should be easy.