Middle Buffalo

Mike Aldrete was 25 in his 1986 rookie year. Steve Stone did not face him and give up 4 hits to him in the minors.

That is a nice slide. I’m always surprised at how poorly so many MLB players slide. So many potential ankle, hand and shoulder injuries from how bad they slide.

Did they ever explain why Engel was taken out? Is it just because L Garcia has to play every game?

Definitely too long to keep him off, but I think Liam is a guy who can pitch multiple innings/days in a row. The way TLR uses his pen, that makes Liam a perfect 7-8 guy on this team. This team. This year.

Feels like Kimbrel will end up being the 9th inning guy eventually. Might be better - Liam can be used more often and for longer if that’s the case.

Nobody comes into our cornfield and beats us!

The M&Ms jacket guy hardly ever pays attention to the game. It’s always annoyed me that he’s on screen for the majority of the game - standing up, looking backwards, etc. Pretty sure he’s moved his seats at the Sox park to behind the dugout, so not as prominently featured at home this year.

Yep. He needs his breaking stuff to break over the plate, not at the 58 foot mark. Hitters are just laying off. Also needs to work faster.

Seriously, speed it up Cease.

Nice to see our Cuban contingent (Abreu, Vaughn, and Eloy) hanging together in the dugout.

Player-manager L. Garcia.

One post before this, you suggested saving Liam. Who’s TLR supposed to pitch if not Tepera?

At some point (playoffs), our bullpen is going to need to get some high stress outs. They can’t expect a “clean” inning every time. TLR needs to know who he can trust with runners on.

Yep. I hate to have a sure handed guy out there. Much rather have a guy like Goodwin or Eloy out there so they can more quickly get to the ball that they will ultimately misjudge.

Don’t worry, that also happens.

One of your worst comments? No.

OK, TLR, since you couldn’t figure out the double switch, let’s move Vaughn to left, Engel to center, Goodwin to right.

For sure. Italians are excellent organizers. Allegedly.

Totally.

I’m neither a TLR apologist nor constant detractor, but no matter how this turns out, his failure to double switch is ridiculous.

Again, going back to the NFL example, let’s say a defensive player picks up a loose ball and starts running to the end zone. The ref blows the whistle, so everyone stops running but the guy who picked up the ball. If the refs later reconvene and say the ref shouldn’t have blown the whistle, and it’s now a TD, that would be ridiculous, and I think everyone would agree. Moncada missed the plate, but he was clearly called safe (physically and more than likely verbally), so neither he nor the Brewers thought he had to go and tag home or be tagged by the catcher. It’s ridiculous that several minutes later it’s appealed and he’s called out. No point crying about it at this point, but it’s definitely a bad rule that will probably be changed or clarified. The ump is NOT supposed to signal safe on that play. It happens several times a year that the ump makes no signal and either the catcher tags the play or the player touches the plate. That’s what is supposed to happen. Signaling safe at home play effectively ends the play for everyone.

Someone said it earlier, and I agree that signaling safe at home plate is the equivalent of an NFL ref blowing the whistle. The play is essentially dead at that point considering the player who “scored” goes to the dugout. NFL refs blowing the whistle early happens waaaay to often, and often results in potential game changing plays not being allowed. This is similar. If Moncada hears or sees the safe call, there’s no reason for him to go back to touch the plate. Oh well, let’s scrape out a win today and maybe pick up another game on the Guardians.

38 years later, this game still made me nervous. I watched the whole game in 15-20 minute chunks. Such a different game. Pitchers not selling out on every pitch. No strike zone graphic or speed gun. No pitch framing.

It makes no difference to me if the broadcasters travel or call the game using monitors. I enjoy the product, but if I’m listening to Benetti and Stone, I can see the game. They add to it (esp. Stone for me), but I can also watch with the sound down and have virtually the same experience.

I know it’s easy to say after a walkoff HR, but I really like Sheets. He just seems like a pro hitter. Nice swing. Makes hard contact. I have no problem with the Sox not addressing OF right now.