GAME #120, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019, LOS ANGELES ANGELS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[elktonnick]

Did you see Travis misplay the ball in left?   Guys out of position usually means the pitcher is uncomfortable with the defense behind him. Neuman's lineup sent the message this game was unimportant to him.  Moreover Neuman leaves Hernandez way to long when he had no control and the inning gets a way from him.  Manager Neuman didn't give his team the best chance to win.  He has managed this season like a buffoon since Spring Training..   

[SeaBeachFred]

They’re in the middle of 17 games in 16 days, but I wouldn’t rest so many guys at once.

I wonder if Porcello thinks, after every time he pitches, “there goes another million dollars of annual contract value”.  Then again, a team with a real pitching coach may be able to straighten him up in a couple of bullpen sessions.

Don't be surprised that is what might be going through some alleged minds in the Red Sox front office.  My take it that Porcello is s sunk cost and offering him only a one year contract, take it or leave it, is where we should go.  Facts bein g what they are, Porcello has gotten the shit knocked out of him all season.  He gives up too many hits and that four seemer is not hard enough for effectiveness against ML hitters..  He gets the ball up and he get plastered.  But we need a new pitching coach and some new blood and you all know the guys I want out of town and until those guys are all gone w e wil never smell the WS again.  And we must keep Martinez at all costs.  Remember 2017?  The howl then was that we lacked real power and signed JD.  Hope we learned from that mistake in 2017 unlike we didn't learn about no closer by committee from that disaster in 2003.  The Red Sox doesn't always learn from their mistakes.

[SeaBeachFred]

Did you see Travis misplay the ball in left?   Guys out of position usually means the pitcher is uncomfortable with the defense behind him. Neuman's lineup sent the message this game was unimportant to him.  Moreover Neuman leaves Hernandez way to long when he had no control and the inning gets a way from him.  Manager Neuman didn't give his team the best chance to win.  He has managed this season like a buffoon since Spring Training..

As usual Elk you are right but with a caveat.  Right now Travis has some trouble playing left field but he has power and he has proven he can hit well enough to be a run producer---either as a platoon first baseman or in the outfield on certain occasions.  This season is toast; now we need to see who can play and who can't.  We want to keep those ounger players who can help us and rid ourselves of those veterans who have failed  to produce for years on end.  The Yankees trade for Urshula and Maybin, players who have done nothing but must have some talent and they are booming for their new team.  We have to do the same with our young guns and make the right trades to upgrade  our team.  The first item you do now; the latter after the season.

Sooner or later unless Alfred E. gets his shit together next season he should be sent packing.  Joe Girardi anyone???????

[Schloicka]

Did you see Travis misplay the ball in left?   Guys out of position usually means the pitcher is uncomfortable with the defense behind him. Neuman's lineup sent the message this game was unimportant to him.  Moreover Neuman leaves Hernandez way to long when he had no control and the inning gets a way from him.  Manager Neuman didn't give his team the best chance to win.  He has managed this season like a buffoon since Spring Training..

I saw him misplay the ball. So what? I've seen guys on the team who play 140 games a year at their position miss balls too. I don't believe Porcello went to the mound today and gave up A 3 run HR and a 2 run HR because of who was playing LF and 1st base considering he had set down 14 in a row between HR's. If the pitcher is uncomfortable maybe he should look for a new profession!

[elktonnick]

I knew the minute I saw that lineup that the Red Sox goose was cooked.  Manager Neuman had three players out of position not just two.  Chavis had only played two games at third in the majors and he misplayed a ball that he should have gotten.  Pitching is all about confidence. Manager Neuman and his brain dead pitching coach, Dana Ihavenoclue have converted Porcello from a lights out sinker ball 'pitcher to a high pitch gopher ball hurler just like Eck pointed out yesterday.  A lot has been written recently about the Sox having their pitchers throw up in the zone and look at the results. 

Let's face it the Red Sox manager has become a buffoon.  Leaving Hernandez in to get clobbered and yesterday's silly lineup is just further proof.  Henry can't get him out of here fast enough.

[longgame]

Travis has played as much OF as 1B, if not more, the past couple of years.  He blew one, but Porcello gave up two homers and they have two guys - Hernandez and Valazquez - who even Lyons pointed out have no business being out there.  One is too green the other is toast.  But when the GM says the bullpen is just fine this is what you get.  There's the bigger problem with not replacing the big arms at the back of the pen, the fact that the last two guys don't belong there. 

DD took a championship team, left an infield position unfilled, didn't fill out a full complement in the bullpen and then had two signings of starting pitchers that have not panned out at all so far.  He also dumped a catcher who could play for a guy in Leon who is backing up one bad season with another.  Cora is managing just as he did last year. 

[longgame]

I knew the minute I saw that lineup that the Red Sox goose was cooked.  Manager Neuman had three players out of position not just two.  Chavis had only played two games at third in the majors and he misplayed a ball that he should have gotten.  Pitching is all about confidence. Manager Neuman and his brain dead pitching coach, Dana Ihavenoclue have converted Porcello from a lights out sinker ball 'pitcher to a high pitch gopher ball hurler just like Eck pointed out yesterday.  A lot has been written recently about the Sox having their pitchers throw up in the zone and look at the results. 

Let's face it the Red Sox manager has become a buffoon.  Leaving Hernandez in to get clobbered and yesterday's silly lineup is just further proof.  Henry can't get him out of here fast enough.

Chavis has played out of position in every single game since he came up so he plays his natural position and you complain about that?

Porcello blew it and then he had to go to his bullpen.  I wonder if he's telegraphing to DD that if he thinks the bullpen is "fine" then just watch this.

[elktonnick]

Travis has played as much OF as 1B, if not more, the past couple of years.  He blew one, but Porcello gave up two homers and they have two guys - Hernandez and Valazquez - who even Lyons pointed out have no business being out there.  One is too green the other is toast.  But when the GM says the bullpen is just fine this is what you get.  There's the bigger problem with not replacing the big arms at the back of the pen, the fact that the last two guys don't belong there. 

DD took a championship team, left an infield position unfilled, didn't fill out a full complement in the bullpen and then had two signings of starting pitchers that have not panned out at all so far.  He also dumped a catcher who could play for a guy in Leon who is backing up one bad season with another.  Cora is managing just as he did last year.

Neuman insisted on the bullpen coach becoming the pitching coach.  Dana Laclueless never threw a pitch in any game in organized baseball and the team pitching has been a disaster all year. I say that the fault lies more with Manager Neuman and his witless pitching coach than DD although he certainly isn't blameless.  Manager Neuman decided not have the starters ready for the year.  DD went along for the ride.  Everything wrong with the pitching begins with that stupid decision.

You say that Neuman managed the same way this year as last, I disagree.  Managing a baseball team isn't just about making out a lineup card, a manager sets the tone.  This club has been listless and unmotivated from the getgo.  Juggling players around only makes matters worse.  Look at Neuman's idiotic idea of having Beni leadoff.  Major league ball players need structure and routine.  That's what works.

Manager Neuman needlessly divided the clubhouse over the WH visit. And his constant juggling players only exacerbates the problem.  This team never has demonstrated the unity and solidarity that they did last year.  Just watch these guys play as I have all year.  They don't pull for each other the way they have as in the past.  You can see that from TV shots of the dugout during games.  Something has been amiss in the clubhouse all year long.  Boston sportwriters have alluded to it without being specific. They say it is because some guys have gotten their contracts extended and other not.  Whatever it is, I say that Manager Neuman and his braindead pitching coach are a major part of the problem and not part of the solution.

[SeaBeachFred]

Travis has played as much OF as 1B, if not more, the past couple of years.  He blew one, but Porcello gave up two homers and they have two guys - Hernandez and Valazquez - who even Lyons pointed out have no business being out there.  One is too green the other is toast.  But when the GM says the bullpen is just fine this is what you get.  There's the bigger problem with not replacing the big arms at the back of the pen, the fact that the last two guys don't belong there. 

DD took a championship team, left an infield position unfilled, didn't fill out a full complement in the bullpen and then had two signings of starting pitchers that have not panned out at all so far.  He also dumped a catcher who could play for a guy in Leon who is backing up one bad season with another.  Cora is managing just as he did last year.

Neuman insisted on the bullpen coach becoming the pitching coach.  Dana Laclueless never threw a pitch in any game in organized baseball and the team pitching has been a disaster all year. I say that the fault lies more with Manager Neuman and his witless pitching coach than DD although he certainly isn't blameless.  Manager Neuman decided not have the starters ready for the year.  DD went along for the ride.  Everything wrong with the pitching begins with that stupid decision.

You say that Neuman managed the same way this year as last, I disagree.  Managing a baseball team isn't just about making out a lineup card, a manager sets the tone.  This club has been listless and unmotivated from the getgo.  Juggling players around only makes matters worse.  Look at Neuman's idiotic idea of having Beni leadoff.  Major league ball players need structure and routine.  That's what works.

Manager Neuman needlessly divided the clubhouse over the WH visit. And his constant juggling players only exacerbates the problem.  This team never has demonstrated the unity and solidarity that they did last year.  Just watch these guys play as I have all year.  They don't pull for each other the way they have as in the past.  You can see that from TV shots of the dugout during games.  Something has been amiss in the clubhouse all year long.  Boston sportwriters have alluded to it without being specific. They say it is because some guys have gotten their contracts extended and other not.  Whatever it is, I say that Manager Neuman and his braindead pitching coach are a major part of the problem and not part of the solution.

Elk, our colleagues have a right to their own poinions and can disagree with you if they want, BUT THEY NEED TO STOP NOW.  If they didn't agree with you yesterday they sure need to do so now or I will question their baseball IQ's myself.  Today was  the master plan of a royal F@#K up by Bora Bora Cora.  He made every conceivable mistake under the sun and willed our team to lose.  I was in such rage that I left a musical play my grand kids were in to go home because I wouldn't have been good company and I might have gone off on someone in the crowd or after the show. Look for my rants on the Sunday game thread----and I will take on all comers who have the temerity to disagree me on points where there can be no disagreements.  I'm as mad as I have ever been and agree with you now that I would not flinch if Cora was shown the door this fall.  He won't but this team cannot endure another horseshit managing job by Alfred E. next season.  And Dombrowski, come out of your hole and start reading Alex the riot act.  His managing this season from the first day of ST through today has been an abomination.