Jake

Seemed like the Sox would probably need Rock to pitch today and there he is. Tough break with the first batter (and then a missed strike call to start the next AB).

Didn't realize until now that Braden kinda smoked that flyout at >100mph exit velo. Just really high, obviously. I thought it was weaker contact than that.

More of that brutal batted ball luck

I see Teel still hasn't learned any other speed besides 100mph

That was...not a good AB

For the purposes of Colson, does the 7th count as late in the game?

Really should be able to get these guys in.

Looked like a guy who just really didn't want to strike out again.

I don't really follow the logic of how Benny/Teel/Colson are arranged in the batting order today.

Eisert is what we call a perfectly cromulent depth reliever

I failed to appreciate how bad the Sox batted ball luck has been today

Funny how the lineup feels too left-handed yet the team very clearly hits left-handed pitching better than right-handed pitching so far this year. Partly speaks to good roster construction and managerial decisions to make those matchups work against LHP. Also about performance against RHP being not as good as you would think/hope.

Bibee is pitching his ass off

Apropos of nothing, I think if this team had a .350 winning percentage, Vasil would be in the hospital

I don't think that was remotely a 90% play at the plate. Not a play that required an amazing job to get it done, but that mitt is not designed to make that kind of play which is why you'll see those kinds of plays very frequently not made in various ways. I also don't think it was a real bad throw by Antonacci as it was basically on line and while he should be thinking about whether he can get it on the fly or get it on a decent long hop, it's just not that easy to be precise in all three dimensions.

Great job by Eisert who, contrary to popular opinion, is kind of hard to hit.

Fedde really pitched pretty damn well, hardly ever gave up hard contact. Defense really let him down this inning.

Eat s%*# Cleveland!

I hate Parker Messick

All of those metrics have him above average at both 2B and 3B. At any rate, my point wasn't that the Sox should have made him a SS. It was that the Sox called him a SS, then played him there for his very first pro game, then suddenly shut that whole idea down. Everybody at the time, including me, expected him to be playing 2B. Then the Sox decided to try him out at SS but gave up after a one-game trial. I thought that was pretty weird and suggested something strange about the Sox decisionmaking at the time.

IDK, I think it would be a lot of dead time for these guys if they sat around until the offseason before being drafted. Getting it done shortly after the College World Series makes sense to me. From there, teams can decide how to use the remaining couple months of the professional season...sometimes the guys seem to just hang out at extended spring, sometimes they head out to affiliates depending on readiness.

I think the evidence points to Madrigal being a pretty strong defensive 2B despite some bonehead plays when he first came up to the Sox. That said, here's something I never understood: on draft day, the Sox announced him as a shortstop. He played his first rookie ball game at SS (and committed an error). Then he never played SS again. What the hell was that?

One thing to consider about Bryan Hudson: in 2024, he pitched 63 innings with a sub-2 ERA. So the smoke and mirrors routine has worked for him before.

Getz definitely controls who has the role of closer and he definitely doesn't care about a pitcher's statistics in save vs. non-save situations (nor should he, IMO). I'll tell you why Seranthony has better numbers in non-save spots: it's because when he's in a non-save situation, it's because it's a carefully selected set of right-handed batters for him to face. For Grant, it's just sample size more than anything but also we gave him a couple save chances when he was really on a roll. All that being said, obviously it's time to pull the plug on giving Seranthony the 9th inning. I don't really believe in the designated closer unless you've got a clear best pitcher who is strong against both righties and lefties. Grant is close to that but I'd probably just play matchups until Grant strings together a couple good outings.

Nobody hits Cade Smith well but I'll note that he has modestly reversed platoon splits (but also note that everybody subs out their worst right-handed hitters when he pitches).