Sox to use Opener against A's

[Heads22]

 

thats new and kooky

[caulfield12]

 

By my count at least 5/6 LHH in their first seven....but those hitters won't disappear the second time through the lineup.  Might be over thinking things...but they must want to show finished pitcher from left and follow up with Burke more traditional big power arm.

Langeliers is right handed.

 

Batters ATH	B	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	OPS
Butler, LRF	L	4	7	5	.275	.827
WilsonSS	R	2	11	1	.337	.816
SoderstromLF	L	9	19	0	.283	.959
LangeliersC	R	5	12	1	.250	.814
BledayCF	L	2	11	1	.217	.657
Brown, SDH	L	1	1	0	.160	.580
Kurtz1B	L	0	1	0	.250	.500

Edited April 25 by caulfield12

[Timmy U]

I think it’s worth trying. Burke not a great match up against that line up. 

[caulfield12]

17 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I think it’s worth trying. Burke not a great match up against that line up. 

The other problem is you've got Cannon and Martin lined up following him as well.

 

One obvious choice would be Shuster in the Martin Perez spot.

Tyler Schweitzer, yet another.

 

Obviously you're not going to totally rearrange your active roster for just ONE series...in a meaningless season, but it does make a certain amount of sense to protect your RHP'ers and give them at least more of a fighting chance against that type of line-up.

[tray]

The A's have  power up and down and they have a lock-down Closer.

Sox have to score early and keep adding on runs somehow.  Let's go Sox.

[caulfield12]

21 minutes ago, tray said:

The A's have  power up and down and they have a lock-down Closer.

Sox have to score early and keep adding on runs somehow.  Let's go Sox.

No chance against Miller.

[caulfield12]

No, this is NOT part of the game thread!!!

 

FRI Tyler Gilbert, then Burke vs. Luis Severino

SAT J.Cannon vs. Sean Springs

SUN Martin vs. Bido

 

Now hitting a much tougher stretch of the schedule...

 

Brewers

Astros

@ Royals

Marlins

@ Reds

@ Cubs

Mariners

Rangers

@ Mets

@ Orioles

[Boopa1219]

This brought a smile to my face

[Dick Allen]

Unless you have elite starting pitchers, why wouldn't you use an opener the vast majority of the time? You are going to use the bullpen anyway. If you get the opposite handedness, it forces the other manager's hand, and his bench is either blown in the 3rd inning or your opener is going to be R/R or L/L for the most part. 

[caulfield12]

13 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Unless you have elite starting pitchers, why wouldn't you use an opener the vast majority of the time? You are going to use the bullpen anyway. If you get the opposite handedness, it forces the other manager's hand, and his bench is either blown in the 3rd inning or your opener is going to be R/R or L/L for the most part. 

Well that all depends on the quality or pitchability of those guys...Gilbert could keep them all off balance to start the game or get his brains beaten because you're spending up their bats on mistake pitcher.

It worked for the Rays historically and the Tigers specifically last year.

Otoh the Tigers seem to be excellent this year particularly due to Flaherty Mize Olson and Jobe all pitching lights out (supplementing Skubal) and giving the pen more of a breather to last the entire season after being overused down the stretch last year.