GAME #34, BOSTON RED SOX AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS

[Rob from Mass]

Watched a replay of Mookie bomb and indeed it was a long bomb to LF.Pedey base running this series has been awful.

[longgame]

A big hit finally by Betts. 4-1 Sox now.

It seems like that's the first hit like this in a long time.  A 3 run bomb in the 9th inning.  Maybe this can be a spark?   I'm glad I had wandered over to the TV just in time!

[Rob from Mass]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

[Bill-806]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

[Rob from Mass]

Kimbrel appears to look unhittable recently.Ks the side with power FB around 98-99 with a great curve mixed in.

[Rob from Mass]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

Bill, you make it sound like they only try for the homers.My advice is to watch more games.It's funny that only you appear to feel that way.I have not heard that at all either on TV or in the newspapers.Give me a break.Its every damn game with same long ball phrase. And the bunt was called for late in the game .You rarely see bunts early in games.And again how can you tell without watching the damn game.

[longgame]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

Bill, you make it sound like they only try for the homers.My advice is to watch more games.It's funny that only you appear to feel that way.I have not heard that at all either on TV or in the newspapers.Give me a break.Its every damn game with same long ball phrase. And the bunt was called for late in the game .You rarely see bunts early in games.And again how can you tell without watching the damn game.

If anything it's been disheartening to watch some of the swings they are taking.  The "bad" DPs come on when they are coming over the top or just not sure on a pitch and knocking down a weak roller.  They need more guys swinging with authority.  The only guy I've seen trying to kill the ball is Hanley from time to time. 

[Schloicka]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

If anything it proved my point that circumstances determine what the play should be. With no outs and a runner on first in a tie game in the 9th or down by a run the play is to try to move the guy over to 2nd. Especially with your big hitters coming up. If it was a 6-2 game in the 9th that's not the play.

[Rob from Mass]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

Bill, you make it sound like they only try for the homers.My advice is to watch more games.It's funny that only you appear to feel that way.I have not heard that at all either on TV or in the newspapers.Give me a break.Its every damn game with same long ball phrase. And the bunt was called for late in the game .You rarely see bunts early in games.And again how can you tell without watching the damn game.

If anything it's been disheartening to watch some of the swings they are taking.  The "bad" DPs come on when they are coming over the top or just not sure on a pitch and knocking down a weak roller.  They need more guys swinging with authority.  The only guy I've seen trying to kill the ball is Hanley from time to time.

100% right on the bad swings. Case in point with the bases loaded JBJ swings at one above the letters .Next 3 pitches are balls .Should have been bases loaded BB. He then proceeds to K.

[ojdidit]

E-Rod quietly becoming a solid pitcher.  3.24 ERA in last half 2016. Now 2.80.  No walks today. m

[Rob from Mass]

E-Rod quietly becoming a solid pitcher.  3.24 ERA in last half 2016. Now 2.80.  No walks today. m

No BBs equals low pitch count .Can`t remember him being under 100 pitches .87 today.

[Schloicka]

E-Rod quietly becoming a solid pitcher.  3.24 ERA in last half 2016. Now 2.80.  No walks today. m

He did a nice job today. If it was an American league game he'd of stayed in for at least another inning. If the team gets Price back they will have a pretty solid rotation on paper at least.

[Rob from Mass]

If not for the pitchers keeping us the games this team with the terrible offense would be well below .500

[SeaBeachFred]

Mookie has been raking ever since being moved to the lead off spot.

  Yes, but Mookies home run was set up by the BUNT by the rookie that was misplayed by the  S S at 2nd on the force play.....  Making my point, that you have to put pressure on the defense & pitcher to make things happen.... Play for the long ball & you get D P's........  Gam just ended, be a better ride home tonight !!!

Bill---as a former coach who did it for over 30 years you are very right to insist that it is best to put pressure on the pitcher and infielders with a bunt or a hit and run, run and hit, whenever possible.  However, it must be at the right opportunity and you have to have the batter up there who can bunt or hit behind the runner.  Sad to say, today the emphasis on the mound is the guy who can throw 95-98 MPH and the batter who can put it in the seats.  The days of Lou Brock and Maury Wills have gone by the boards, at least at the present time.  Rare for me but to give Farrell some due, he was pretty aggressive in his strategy early in his Red Sox career, but he has come to the Francona method that outs are precious and with that comes the risk of double plays.  It seems a lot of teams have waylaid the idea of hitting behind the runner and stealing bases for the simple way of just going for the downs.  Perhaps with all these shifts we're seeing the pendulum might swing back when batting coaches start teaching hitters how to take advantage of the shift instead of trying to hit through it.  I mean, how many Ted Williams are there out there?

A good win today but I still have deep reservations about our chances.  But I like the way this one turned out.  Now how about getting E-Rod some run support the next few times out.

[Rob from Mass]

E-Rod quietly becoming a solid pitcher.  3.24 ERA in last half 2016. Now 2.80.  No walks today. m

He did a nice job today. If it was an American league game he'd of stayed in for at least another inning. If the team gets Price back they will have a pretty solid rotation on paper at least.

Won`t mean a lot if the bats don`t start hitting with authority more often and also with RISP.