9 hours ago, Falstaff said:

I have never seen a challenge for an infielder's foot on the outfield grass before. It caught the announcers off guard.

Nice try

Solid game all around. Pitching was great, although Newcomb continues to look shaky. Taylor closing it out and throwing 50+ pitches was awesome. He looked confident, and his pitches were sharp. They had enough offense to keep it from being a nailbiter at the end. Colson hitting the mammoth home run was nice to see, and hopefully that boosts his confidence.

Now go win today.

The team was unfazed with any first-time playoff pressure. Late season callups Hagen and Sandlin were pitching like it was another game down in Charlotte.

I was so impressed with Sam setting the table early and then driving in 2 with a clutch hit against an LHP.

30 minutes ago, Falstaff said:

The team was unfazed with any first-time playoff pressure. Late season callups Hagen and Sandlin were pitching like it was another game down in Charlotte.

I was so impressed with Sam setting the table early and then driving in 2 with a clutch hit against an LHP.

Smith didn’t pitch like it was Charlotte since he was actually good yesterday! He was terrible down there.

1 hour ago, Falstaff said:

The team was unfazed with any first-time playoff pressure. Late season callups Hagen and Sandlin were pitching like it was another game down in Charlotte.

I was so impressed with Sam setting the table early and then driving in 2 with a clutch hit against an LHP.

Not sure if it is just facing the line up once out of the pen, or if they made an actual change in his mechanics, but Smith has found something for now. Hopefully he can hold on to it next year as a starter because we really need it.

1 hour ago, Falstaff said:

The team was unfazed with any first-time playoff pressure. Late season callups Hagen and Sandlin were pitching like it was another game down in Charlotte.

I was so impressed with Sam setting the table early and then driving in 2 with a clutch hit against an LHP.

His intensity in that first ab was great to see. The Sox wanted this game more and it was obvious.

1 hour ago, PaleAleSox said:

Smith didn’t pitch like it was Charlotte since he was actually good yesterday! He was terrible down there.

I alluded to Smith's work in the college world series. Not sure it means anything but I thought it could not hurt.

I thought that Steve Stone sounded very good on the broadcast working with Tom McCarthy (Phillies announcer) - I really like the announcer pairings that I've heard in all of the series thus far.

1 hour ago, h. jones said:

I thought that Steve Stone sounded very good on the broadcast working with Tom McCarthy (Phillies announcer) - I really like the announcer pairings that I've heard in all of the series thus far.

Amazing how much better Stone is when he feels like putting in a little effort. He repeated himself a few times but for the most part he did a good job. Bloomer was a little weak early but grew into the game and it was nice having a 2005 flash back with him in the booth.

Smith just seems like a guy that as the lights get brighter he dials in. Hard to quantify and it certainly helps to have the stuff he does, but he was dialed in. The few times he went to a 3 ball count he didn't give in and gave up a single or harmless ground ball rather than walk anybody.

14 hours ago, Green Line said:

It can? We'll see

Since the definition of can is "Possibility: To indicate that something is probable or possible under certain circumstances.", are you questioning that it's even possible that hitting postseason HRs can fix a slump?

But yes, ultimately, we will see.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Southwest Sider

6 minutes ago, Southwest Sider said:

Since the definition of can is "Possibility: To indicate that something is probable or possible under certain circumstances.", are you questioning that it's even possible that hitting postseason HRs can fix a slump?

But yes, ultimately, we will see.

Thanks Webster

Jim Bowden goes after Astros' manager Crane's treatment of Dana Brown

"There are owners, though, that are irrational, that really don't understand. I'm not gonna point out Jim Crane in Houston, but you sit there, and you tell your GM, 'You can't spend money on pitching. We can't keep Bregman, we can't keep Tucker, so do your job.' So he goes and gets Paredes and Walker. They combine for 50 home runs, which is difficult to do, and then Cam Smith adds another 20. Those are the three guys that kind of replaced Bregman and Tucker, and he actually did it for a lot less money and a lot more difficult moving pieces, and then he gets fired," Bowden said via Foul Territory.

yahoo sports

I remember after 2020 when we fired Renteria, getting a little distance, and then thinking 'huh maybe I was too hard on a guy who had no real starting pitchers at the end and did just have 7 straight pitchers come in and suck and there is no managing solution there'.

I do wonder how many teams will look at venable with distance and be like 'holy s%*# he leads an offense this productive with no super star offensively? He led a team to a winning record with no reliable starting pitcher?'

Everything is obviously a lot easier when you have roster components you don't need to move, that are rock solid foundations. This whole team was a sand castle all year, even ending with our most reliable hitters falling off a cliff.

And despite all of the above, never have I had more confidence in a playoff offense. They seem like they'd be the ultimate three true outcome team, and yet despite an unreal slump in moving in runners from 3rd in late aug/sept, they are so good at attacking you in every way - often thanks to a manager obssessed with giving them the best possible matchups.

Also I get eye twitches seeing in the mlb app the '21 out of 25 teams who went up 1-0 went on to win the series' (2020 white sox were one to not advance)

5 minutes ago, bmags said:

Also I get eye twitches seeing in the mlb app the '21 out of 25 teams who went up 1-0 went on to win the series' (2020 white sox were one to not advance)

Giolito dominated in game 1 and TA set the table all series but the run producers did not produce.

1 minute ago, wegner said:

Giolito dominated in game 1 and TA set the table all series but the run producers did not produce.

Jose Abreu choked big time.

2 minutes ago, Green Line said:

Jose Abreu choked big time.

MVP did not show up in the postseason that's for sure. I know they lacked pitching but I often wonder what would've happened if they got past the Athletics that postseason.

7 hours ago, Falstaff said:

The team was unfazed with any first-time playoff pressure. Late season callups Hagen and Sandlin were pitching like it was another game down in Charlotte.

I was so impressed with Sam setting the table early and then driving in 2 with a clutch hit against an LHP.

Some feel that Sam should not be in LF but he is too valuable to platoon. He makes things happen. Even a walk or HBP can provide a necessary spark to the offense. I love how he frequently goes oppo for a hit instead of trying to pull for power. I think most of his defensive lapses have been due to inexperience or to mental mistakes. He's gonna get better.

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by tray