GAME #70, BOSTON RED SOX AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS

[markj]

Sox have no luck. Benintendi on 3B and Xman hits a line drive directly at the SS.

[markj]

Man on 3B and 1 out and they can't get him home. One of those games.

[Schloicka]

Won't win to often scoring 2 runs. Got guys on but not a lot of hits after they got on. Hopefully the Sox will get Sale some runs tomorrow.

[ipot]

Positives:

1. We got 2 runs off an opposing starter. thumb_u
2. The AL is so mediocre that 14 of 15 teams (Houston has a double digit lead in the ALW) are easily within earshot of a WC berth.

[SeaBeachFred]

Velazquez did ok. 5.1 innings, no BB, 2ER. Not bad for a spot fill.

No Markj---not bad at all.  Too bad we couldn't hit when it counted and push five or six run on the board.  This time the hitters failed to hit when we needed it most.  It has gotten to be a habit, a very very bad one.  Hecter did ok tonight and deserved better.

[MongoLikeSox]

It's interesting that JF would all but give second-base to the potential go-ahead run with that shift. He's not the only ne who does it, but it seems like the only managers taking advantage of it are the good ones.

That was all right after playing one run is going to win it baseball by taking HV out with 80 pitches. HV is averaging only 5.1 IP with a low ERA down in Pawtucket, so no doubt they've been managing pitch count. 

OT - What a statement that is, to pinch hit for your last available infielder knowing that you only have a catcher available to play 3B the next frame. On an aside to that, I wonder if the out of position injury last season by having a beer-gutted knuckleballer run the bases played any part of that decision to not have a natural infielder (Betts) come in to the infield and put Young in the outfield? And if we are going to be two defenders short for a few games, do we need 8 guys in the pen?

Sorry for the outburst - I've been holding it in all season. If it was not for my wife, I would not even turn the game on most nights. Especially road trips. It actually started for me when JF decided to kill momentum going into the post season last year.

[Bill-806]

  Being a RED SOX fan is like a love/hate relationship with the wrong girl !!! thumb_d rofl slap

[longgame]

The poor offense and lack of a complete infield comes back to haunt them.  Just crazy to have Vazquez playing 3B and probably not a huge drop in defense.  Who does this team have on the bench?  Sad state of affairs when one of your highest paid guys is not good enough to play in a pressure situation.

[Schloicka]

The poor offense and lack of a complete infield comes back to haunt them.  Just crazy to have Vazquez playing 3B and probably not a huge drop in defense.  Who does this team have on the bench?  Sad state of affairs when one of your highest paid guys is not good enough to play in a pressure situation.

When everyone is healthy we have only 3 guys on the bench. Considering 1 of the 3 guys is your back up catcher you really only have 2 guys. With Pedroia not going on the DL you can't make a move to bring a guy up without sending a pitcher down who himself can't come back for 10 days unless there is another injury. So now the Sox are basically stuck with only an outfielder and the back up catcher on the bench until Pedroia comes back.

[Bill-806]

The poor offense and lack of a complete infield comes back to haunt them.  Just crazy to have Vazquez playing 3B and probably not a huge drop in defense.  Who does this team have on the bench?  Sad state of affairs when one of your highest paid guys is not good enough to play in a pressure situation.

When everyone is healthy we have only 3 guys on the bench. Considering 1 of the 3 guys is your back up catcher you really only have 2 guys. With Pedroia not going on the DL you can't make a move to bring a guy up without sending a pitcher down who himself can't come back for 10 days unless there is another injury. So now the Sox are basically stuck with only an outfielder and the back up catcher on the bench until Pedroia comes back.

  AS Jack Nicholson would say,  "grave situation, very grave, is there any other kind" ??? rofl slap slap

[SeaBeachFred]

It's interesting that JF would all but give second-base to the potential go-ahead run with that shift. He's not the only ne who does it, but it seems like the only managers taking advantage of it are the good ones.

That was all right after playing one run is going to win it baseball by taking HV out with 80 pitches. HV is averaging only 5.1 IP with a low ERA down in Pawtucket, so no doubt they've been managing pitch count. 

OT - What a statement that is, to pinch hit for your last available infielder knowing that you only have a catcher available to play 3B the next frame. On an aside to that, I wonder if the out of position injury last season by having a beer-gutted knuckleballer run the bases played any part of that decision to not have a natural infielder (Betts) come in to the infield and put Young in the outfield? And if we are going to be two defenders short for a few games, do we need 8 guys in the pen?

Sorry for the outburst - I've been holding it in all season. If it was not for my wife, I would not even turn the game on most nights. Especially road trips. It actually started for me when JF decided to kill momentum going into the post season last year.

MLS---You vent as much as you feel like venting.  We've all felt the lash of inconsistent play and disappointing performances from a good many of our players so far, and I am worried when I fly into Boston on Friday morning they might just welcome me with some more shoddy play instead of putting it good to the Angels, my wife's team.  This is not the Red Sox team most fans expected, but truth be told, I made it clear as the season began that there were some potential hiccups that could rear their ugly heads and they have.  I just hope those heads disappear very soon.