GAME #158, TORONTO BLUE JAYS AT BOSTON RED SOX

Started by Bear, September 27, 2017, 02:21:19 AM

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Bear

JAYS V RED SOX

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2017, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, SNET

TORONTO, (75-83).......................................................................................BOSTON, (91-66)

TORONTO:

MARCO ESTRADA, RHP, 10-8, 4.70 ERA, 174K

Estrada has won five consecutive decisions, which is a career high.  He allowed
two runs or fewer in four of those five starts .  One clear downside to this season is
that he's allowed a career-high 30 homers.

BOSTON:

RICK PORCELLO, RHP, 10-17, 4.55 ERA, 173K

The sinkerballer had one misfire in his last start, and Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett
pummeled it for a grand slam.  The Red Sox came back to win, and Porcello took a no-
decision.  He has struggled at home this season, going 6-11 with a 5.30 ERA

Porcello tries to cement spot, trim magic number

Gregor Chisholm

The Red Sox will have a chance to move one step closer to clinching the American League East when right-hander Rick Porcello takes the mound at 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday at Fenway Park.

Boston's magic number remained at three after losing to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night and the Yankees coming away with a victory over the Rays. That means the Red Sox will not be able to clinch until at least the start of their upcoming four-game series against the Astros, but a win in the finale would alleviate some pressure heading into that final set.

Porcello also has a lot riding on his final start of the regular season. He has been battling consistency issues for most of the year and is still trying to cement his spot in Boston's postseason rotation. He's in the mix alongside Eduardo Rodriguez and Doug Fister, with Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz the only guarantees.

The 28-year-old Porcello faced the Blue Jays earlier this month and allowed seven runs on 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He then surrendered two combined earned runs over his next two starts, but in his last outing vs. the Reds on Friday, he was unable to pitch more than four innings. It has been that type of rollercoaster ride for much of the season, as he has struggled to regain his 2016 AL Cy Young Award form.

Toronto will counter with veteran right-hander Marco Estrada, who is finishing the season strong. Estrada took his fair share of lumps earlier in the year, but he has surrendered three runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings and was recently rewarded with a one-year extension worth $13 million for 2018.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Estrada has retired 30 batters over his past two starts on line drives, fly balls or infield popups. That has pushed his season total of "air outs" to 243, which leads the Majors.

• On the Boston injury front, Mookie Betts (left wrist), Dustin Pedroia (left knee) and Eduardo Nunez (right knee) are day to day. An MRI on Betts showed no structural damage, and there's at least a chance he will play on Wednesday. The same could be said about Pedroia, but it seems highly unlikely Nunez will be back before the final series of the regular season against the Astros.

• If Pedroia gets the start at second, he'll be one to watch because of his past success versus Estrada. He has more at-bats vs. Toronto's finesse pitcher than anyone else in the Red Sox's lineup, and he's batting .448 (13-for-29) with three doubles and four RBIs.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170926256223248/porcello-tries-to-cement-spot-trim-magic-number/?game_pk=492472

Bear


Bear

#2
Finale vs. TORONTO.

Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Ramirez DH,
Moreland 1B,
Vázquez C,
Devers 3B,
Davis RF,
Bradley Jr. CF,

Porcello

Bill-806

As DAD would say,  "SON, it was/is your own fault, take care of business in April , May ,  June, and everything will take care of itself"  !!! thumb_d iono slap rofl

longgame


SeaBeachFred

Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 02:24:32 AM
5


3

Bear--please, get those damn numbers off the board and please do it now.  The chances are strong we will never get those three countdowns the way we're going, and I am questioning the guts, drive, and heart of this team again.  They all should get their asses back in the lineup and go all out to win the division because we should all know they have a snowball's chance in hell of advancing in the post-season.  There was a time when players played through injuries and pain; now they get pablum fed to them by their agents and that horseshit manager of ours.

Rob from Mass

Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 27, 2017, 10:10:36 AM
Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 02:24:32 AM
5


3

Bear--please, get those damn numbers off the board and please do it now.  The chances are strong we will never get those three countdowns the way we're going, and I am questioning the guts, drive, and heart of this team again.  They all should get their asses back in the lineup and go all out to win the division because we should all know they have a snowball's chance in hell of advancing in the post-season.  There was a time when players played through injuries and pain; now they get pablum fed to them by their agents and that horseshit manager of ours.

Fred, it makes no difference what players are on the field this team IS GOING NOWHERE and I can't believe that you don't see this.

Bear

I did so want that pannent flag!
Our chance is almost impossible, and yet,it could happen.
sigh

SeaBeachFred

#8
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 27, 2017, 10:39:55 AM
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 27, 2017, 10:10:36 AM
Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 02:24:32 AM
5


3

Bear--please, get those damn numbers off the board and please do it now.  The chances are strong we will never get those three countdowns the way we're going, and I am questioning the guts, drive, and heart of this team again.  They all should get their asses back in the lineup and go all out to win the division because we should all know they have a snowball's chance in hell of advancing in the post-season.  There was a time when players played through injuries and pain; now they get pablum fed to them by their agents and that horseshit manager of ours.

Fred, it makes no difference what players are on the field this team IS GOING NOWHERE and I can't believe that you don't see this.

Rob--I coached baseball for over 30 years and it is a hard pill to swallow for me to believe that somehow, some way, we can't cobble up two or three wins and hope for a Yankee loss in their next five games to eek out a AL East Title.   That would be good enough for me because I know this team is very flawed, and my personal daggers are now pointed at Jackie Bradley who has picked the worst time to go into one of his patented weeks long drought at the plate.  Prediction.....he will eventually become a fourth outfielder for some team because he simply cannot hit consistently enough to become a star.  A totally great fielder, we need bats more than  gloves and he is failing us.  Hell, even my foil Chrissie got three hits last night.  Get Pedroia and Mookie back in there and then give them the rest of the season off after Sunday to rest up.

BoSoxFanNY

I WANT this Red Sox team to win the AL EAST.
That's all I want.
I KNOW that this team does not have what it
needs to win the Pennant.

I don't see them beating Houston or Cleveland in the playoffs.

(I think I have made peace with this - they have given me so thrilling
wins and gut wrenching losses this season.  All in all - IF they win
the AL EAST - I will be satisfied.)

I DO think the either Houston or Cleveland will go to the World Series this year.

ipot

We have a better shot of winning the ALE from 3 NYY losses.  But, heck, Houston could just roll over and play scrubs for the weekend.

Either way this team is a 3 game exit out of playoffs IF they get to the ALDS.  Book it.

As for Porcello tonight?  You give someone enough shots at playoff stakes games, eventually he'll come up with a good one. If he pitches a good game tonight, I wouldn't put much credence into it going forward. 
"Baseball is simple. All you do is sit on your butt, spit tobacco and nod at the stupid things your manager says."
--Bill 'Spaceman' Lee

SeaBeachFred

Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 02:24:55 AM
Finale vs. TORONTO.

Bogaerts SS,
Pedroia 2B,
Benintendi LF,
Ramirez DH,
Moreland 1B,
Vázquez C,
Devers 3B,
Davis RF,
Bradley Jr. CF,

Porcello
This lineup may give us a chance to salvage one game of this series..  Let's hope Rick is on his game and make up for Drew and Chris who certainly were not.

Rob from Mass

Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 27, 2017, 12:17:40 PM
Quote from: Rob from Mass on September 27, 2017, 10:39:55 AM
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on September 27, 2017, 10:10:36 AM
Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 02:24:32 AM
5


3

Bear--please, get those damn numbers off the board and please do it now.  The chances are strong we will never get those three countdowns the way we're going, and I am questioning the guts, drive, and heart of this team again.  They all should get their asses back in the lineup and go all out to win the division because we should all know they have a snowball's chance in hell of advancing in the post-season.  There was a time when players played through injuries and pain; now they get pablum fed to them by their agents and that horseshit manager of ours.

Fred, it makes no difference what players are on the field this team IS GOING NOWHERE and I can't believe that you don't see this.

Rob--I coached baseball for over 30 years and it is a hard pill to swallow for me to believe that somehow, some way, we can't cobble up two or three wins and hope for a Yankee loss in their next six games to eek out a AL East Title.   That would be good enough for me because I know this team is very flawed, and my personal daggers are now pointed at Jackie Bradley who has picked the worst time to go into one of his patented weeks long drought at the plate.  Prediction.....he will eventually become a fourth outfielder for some team because he simply cannot hit consistently enough to become a star.  A totally great fielder, we need bats more than  gloves and he is failing us.  Hell, even my foil Chrissie got three hits last night.  Get Pedroia and Mookie back in there and then give them the rest of the season off after Sunday to rest up.

Yeah, I believe they will get the division but beyond that, they need the other teams to help out with crappy plays since this team simply finds it hard to score runs with so many weak hitters.
With so many TERRIBLE CONTRACTS holding them back the next few years the only way they can compete against the Yanks who will be shedding tons of dollars the next couple years is going over the luxury tax and trading away wisely some youth. Ist base and 3rd are and should be the focus over the winter.

Bear


SeaBeachFred

Quote from: Bear on September 27, 2017, 04:37:00 PM
Next season, get a
big bat

Two o them!!!.  And we put one at DH and one in the outfield or a shortstop.  Bradley will never be a good hitter and we cannot carry a 245 hitter out there no matter how great a defensive CF he is.  Bogaerts could also be traded for hitting help and Ramirez must be released.....OR WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THESE SAME THINGS ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2018.