GAME #142 - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 - TAMPA BAY RAYS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[BoSoxFanNY]

Best pitching performance of the series by Eovaldi.

AND Hunter Renfroe wins this game with his bat - 2 run homer in the 8th
inning and seals with win with his defensive arm to throw out Wendle at third
and win the game!
Sox 2 - Rays 1

WOW!

[SeaBeachFred]

Renfroe bailed him out with a moon shot!

Moon shot?  How about that rocket launch of a homer in the 8th and his howitzer throw in the ninth to end the game.  Bloom had better be damned sure he resigns this guy.  He's  keeper if there ever was one.  Good win. At least we stopped the bleeding tonight.  The Jays swept the Yankees who have sort of fallen back after their 13 game winning streak.  Seems a lot of clubs are going hot and cold this season.

[SeaBeachFred]

What in the holy heck is going on here? Has he gone mad? Is someone hurt?

(edit - I had the batting order fubar in my head - Iglesias was PH for - my bad.)

Mongo, the way our team has been going with their hot and cold persona it's a wonder any of us can think straight.

[markj]

Sox move into 2nd place with the Yankees' loss. But the Jays are just 2 games back.

[Sea Dog 23]

Cora is no doubt concerned about the mediocre defensive play. Before the 9th he made like 6 changes all over the infield and outfield.  He did smartly keep Renfroe in RF, but brought in Robles for the save, maybe not so smart.  But a great win for the Sox for sure.

[Bill-806]

Cora is no doubt concerned about the mediocre defensive play. Before the 9th he made like 6 changes all over the infield and outfield.  He did smartly keep Renfroe in RF, but brought in Robles for the save, maybe not so smart.  But a great win for the Sox for sure.

As` DAD would say , " SON, how about our RED SOX " !!!!!   Nice win , much needed !! thumb_u rofl rofl

[longgame]

Renfroe is the kind of guy we should be seeing more of if Bloom sticks to his formula.  What I notice in the TB lineups is that they don't have a lot of studs, but they don't have a lot of stiffs either.  The main problem with the Sox this year is they have some abysmal players and of course they haven't been well constructed all season. 

One of the more exciting games of the year for sure and the kind of game you have to win to advance.

[elktonnick]

I certainly agree.  This year's team was put together with duct tape and bailing wire.  I remember years ago Jim Palmer questioned Cora's management of the bullpen and pitching staff.  I think this years post ASB collapse has a lot to do with the way he handled the bullpen earlier in the year which of course was later exacerbated by the Covid virus's effects on the roster.

[longgame]

I certainly agree.  This year's team was put together with duct tape and bailing wire.  I remember years ago Jim Palmer questioned Cora's management of the bullpen and pitching staff.  I think this years post ASB collapse has a lot to do with the way he handled the bullpen earlier in the year which of course was later exacerbated by the Covid virus's effects on the roster.

Definitely.  Francona was maddening with the bullpen but I knew his MO.  For the first four months of the season he'd give guys lots of rope to see what they were made of, but by August he had it burned in.  Cora seems to be all over the place.  Where it seemed like he could make no wrong moves in 2018 (maybe because he just had a deep bullpen, much like 2004), he was pretty bad the next year.  This year is hard to assess between starters no longer being able to pitch more than 5 innings, plus Cora's short hook, plus Covid.

I think something has to give on MLB with pitching.  Can't see paying guys $30M to pitch 150 innings if they make all their starts.  Either guys can pitch deep and get the big bucks or the trend will go to having a 8-10 guys who can go 3 innings each and another handful who can do short relief. 

[SeaBeachFred]

I certainly agree.  This year's team was put together with duct tape and bailing wire.  I remember years ago Jim Palmer questioned Cora's management of the bullpen and pitching staff.  I think this years post ASB collapse has a lot to do with the way he handled the bullpen earlier in the year which of course was later exacerbated by the Covid virus's effects on the roster.

Definitely.  Francona was maddening with the bullpen but I knew his MO.  For the first four months of the season he'd give guys lots of rope to see what they were made of, but by August he had it burned in.  Cora seems to be all over the place.  Where it seemed like he could make no wrong moves in 2018 (maybe because he just had a deep bullpen, much like 2004), he was pretty bad the next year.  This year is hard to assess between starters no longer being able to pitch more than 5 innings, plus Cora's short hook, plus Covid.

I think something has to give on MLB with pitching.  Can't see paying guys $30M to pitch 150 innings if they make all their starts.  Either guys can pitch deep and get the big bucks or the trend will go to having a 8-10 guys who can go 3 innings each and another handful who can do short relief.

It's maddening Ted. Time was when starters went seven or eight innings on cue.  Not anymore!!!  That's why I was pleased that Eovaldi was pitching deep into the game.  Too bad we couldn't have gotten some runs so he could have picked a win.  He hasn't had one in some time because of the miserable support he has been given.

[Sea Dog 23]

Things are gonna be high drama for the Sox next couple weeks. A three team wild card affair in the ALE all with 62 losse. Look out for the Jays.  8 straight and humbled the Yanks in NY. We do have 3 games in hand over Jays.