GAME #132, BOSTON RED SOX AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS

[Bear]

RED SOX V JAYS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2017, 7 PM AT ROGERS CENTRE

TV:  NESN, SNET

BOSTON, (74-57).............................................................................TORONTO, (61-70)

BOSTON:

CHRIS SALE, LHP, 14-6, 2.88 ERA, 253 k

After a rough start Thursday against the Indians, Sale will look to rebound.
He allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in a season-low three innings
for his second straight loss.  He's 5-2 with a 1.68 ERA against Toronto.

TORONTO:

BRETT ANDERSON, LHP, 2-2, 8.18 ERA, 16 K

Anderson will be making his first start with the Blue Jays after signing a
Minor League deal earlier this month.  In two starts with Tripe-A-Buffalo, the
lefty allowed just one earned run on four hits over 9 2/3 innings.

Facing Blue Jays, Sale seeks return to form

Keegan Matheson

The Blue Jays will face a daunting challenge Tuesday night when they send Brett Anderson to the mound to face American League Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale and the Red Sox at Rogers Centre.

Sale has endured an uncharacteristically tough month, so if the Blue Jays have to face him, now may not be a bad time. In 30 innings this month, Sale has allowed 18 earned runs (5.40 ERA). His last outing against Cleveland was the shortest of the season, lasting just three innings with six earned runs crossing on seven hits.

The ace left-hander's strikeout numbers have remained at an elite level through this stretch. Sale has 253 strikeouts -- just 21 shy of his previous high set in 2015 with the White Sox -- and his 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings put him on pace to set another career best.

Anderson will be added to the Blue Jays' roster for Tuesday's start, with a corresponding roster move to be made at that time. Tom Koehler was originally in line to start, but he was officially moved to the bullpen Monday.

The Blue Jays also designated outfielder Norichika Aoki for assignment, clearing the way for additions when roster expand Friday.

Since signing a Minor League deal with the Blue Jays earlier this month, Anderson has made two starts for Triple-A Buffalo and allowed just one earned run over 9 2/3 innings. He reached 71 pitches in his last outing, so the length in Toronto's bullpen could be called upon if Anderson working on a pitch count.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• This series will be Toronto's first look at Boston rookie third baseman Rafael Devers, who has been posting big numbers since being promoted in July. Entering this series, he was tied for the most barrelled balls since July 25 with nine.

• Sale's fastball and slider are dominant pitches, but opposing hitters have had slightly more success against his changeup this season compared to recent years. Hitters have posted a .278 average and .433 slugging percentage against the pitch, which Sale throws 19.2 percent of the time.

• The Indians went 7-for-16 (.438) against Sale in his last start, and although six of those hits were singles, five had exit velocities of 95 mph or harder, including a 109.9-mph Francisco Lindor single that was the third-hardest base hit against the southpaw this season. Sale's expected batting average allowed of .344, based on the quality of contact against him, was his second-highest single-game mark of the past three seasons.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170828251105102/facing-blue-jays-sale-seeks-return-to-form/?game_pk=492064

[Bear]

Red Sox @ Jays G2

Davis LF
Nuñez 2B
Benintendi CF
Betts RF
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Ramirez 1B
Young DH
Leon C

Sale LHP.

[SeaBeachFred]

RESERVED

Moreland got two hits last night, Vazquez got four.  That's six of the 12.  But knowing that moron we have for a manager those two will be on the bench tonight while that useless jerk will play his two pets Young and Pukegaerts.  Is there still anyone out there who still believes Farrell is a good manager for this team besides Prune Face and Dumbbrewski?

[Bear]

Our nemesis is facing Bauer (Indians) vs Garcia (Yankees)
We could increase our lead by another game.

[Bear]

Vasquez got 4 last nite, we're playing Leon tonite.
Facing a lefty, got it.  Let's not even try him.

[Schloicka]

Vasquez got 4 last nite, we're playing Leon tonite.
Facing a lefty, got it.  Let's not even try him.

Leon is playing because Sale feels comfortable with him catching. No other reason. Between Young and Moreland flip a coin. Both are hitting left handers poorly. When September 1st gets here the Sox need to bring up a 3rd catcher then Vaz can DH when not catching if he is going hot. Can't do that right now because if Leon got hurt and Vaz had to go catch in that game you would lose the DH for the rest of the game.

[SeaBeachFred]

Our nemesis is facing Bauer (Indians) vs Garcia (Yankees)
We could increase our lead by another game.

But the chances are we won't and a good chance the game we gained last night will be lost.  To keep believing that the Indians will keep beating the Yankees, and at Yankee Stadium to boot, is taking a leap of faith to an extreme.  Yes, it could happen, but with that bum Young back in the starting lineup and Leon catching, we have lost six hits in the lineup of last night, and I don't give a shit about Sale being comfortable with Leon catching him.  The manager is supposed to be running things and the fact is Leon did little to help Sale in his last two starts which were very poor, and what can Leon add to the lineup.  His average is falling almost as fast at Pukegaerts and Ramirez.  As for sitting Moreland, he has been hitting well while Young hasn't been worth a damn for almost three months-----no power, no key hits and a pack of RISP left hanging on the vine while Leon is hitting close to 230 and showing signs of offensive collapse.  This lineup is a very dangerous one tonight and not dangerous for the Blue Jays.  We could be in deep do-do tonight.

[SeaBeachFred]

Vasquez got 4 last nite, we're playing Leon tonite.
Facing a lefty, got it.  Let's not even try him.

Leon is playing because Sale feels comfortable with him catching. No other reason. Between Young and Moreland flip a coin. Both are hitting left handers poorly. When September 1st gets here the Sox need to bring up a 3rd catcher then Vaz can DH when not catching if he is going hot. Can't do that right now because if Leon got hurt and Vaz had to go catch in that game you would lose the DH for the rest of the game.

So what?  What would be losing, a stiff like Young who sucks almost as badly as Bogaerts and Ramirez the past few months.  It would be addition by subtraction.  Let's see how comfortable Sale is tonight and how much we get out of Leon and Young in the lineup.  I'll comment on that after the game, either a mea culpa or I told you so, most likely the latter.  We'll see.

[ojdidit]

What the catching is doing is working rather smootly both offensively and defensively.  JF is not tinkering and that is a good thing. Offensively they are 8th in AL and defensively 2nd.

[Schloicka]

I let Sale pitch the 8th. At 101 pitches.

[Schloicka]

I let Sale pitch the 8th. At 101 pitches.

Guess he hit his limit. Pitched well. Now need to get out of the mess.

[markj]

C'mon, Reed.....

[markj]

Attaboy. Out of it.

[Schloicka]

Nice job Reed.

[Schloicka]

Hopefully no drama from Kimbrel tonight.