GAME #41, BOSTON RED SOX AT OAKLAND A'S

[markj]

Kimbrel with a 10-pitch 1-2-3 inning. Impressive.

[markj]

As usual I have it on mute. I did see him with Remy at the beginning and wondered what was going on. OB sick or something?

His daughter is graduating from college.

Thanks, Geo.

[Schloicka]

JBJ with the save.

[markj]

JBJ with the save.

Yeah, that was incredible. Game over right there if he misses it.

[markj]

Hanley K's swinging at dirt. Literally.

[markj]

Dammit. Hembree blows it again. Not that the loss is all on him. The Sox offense just plain sux and they paid for it tonight. Best they can do now is a split.

[Schloicka]

Leaving guys on base cost them again. 2 runs doesn't get you much in MLB.

[markj]

Leaving guys on base cost them again. 2 runs doesn't get you much in MLB.

Agreed. LOBsters are anti-runs.

[ipot]

Dammit. Hembree blows it again. Not that the loss is all on him. The Sox offense just plain sux and they paid for it tonight. Best they can do now is a split.

Same old story with this team.  Offense is a disaster.  The numbers don't tell the story (they are 17th and 4th in runs and BA respectively). 

[Bill-806]

S S F S .....  Sad situation for sure !!  How can you drop 2 in a row to Oakland ???  I want change, NOW GRASSHOPPER !! thumb_d

[elktonnick]

At the risk of repeating myself, this is a poorly constructed team.  The fault for that lays squarely on Dave Dombrowski.  It has four lead off hitters and three guys who should be batting ninth.  One of their middle of the line up guys Mitch Moreland is dismal at Fenway Park (.171)  and hitting against left handed starters. 

The team is playing fundamentally awful baseball, too many physical and mental errors.  The fault for that lays on the manager IMO

[Bill-806]

At the risk of repeating myself, this is a poorly constructed team.  The fault for that lays squarely on Dave Dombrowski.  It has four lead off hitters and three guys who should be batting ninth.  One of their middle of the line up guys Mitch Moreland is dismal at Fenway Park (.171)  and hitting against left handed starters. 

The team is playing fundamentally awful baseball, too many physical and mental errors.  The fault for that lays on the manager IMO

  & there is an eerie quiet coming out of Fenway Parrrk......  Ownership, G M , and  J F .....  We must have a special investigation !!!   What say you ???

[SeaBeachFred]

There goes the lead. What is wrong with this team? Is there some bizarre psychological thing that keeps them from scoring runs when Sale is pitching?

Mark---this team is disgracing themselves before their city, their fans and the team;s recent legacy.  I keep harping on pride, determination, commitment and what have you, but now I'm really beginning to believe that these guys lack character as well.   To allow Chris Sale to labor without any real kind of support is criminal, but I've said since the beginning that this team is less the sum of its parts, not more.  Something is badly lacking here and it will get worse until Dombrowski shows some balls and do the one thing that MIGHT start to reverse this down slide the team is suffering from, namely Farrell has to go before the whole season unravels.

[ipot]

I won't put the blame squarely on Dombrowski.  On paper we have Betts, Bogaerts, Hanley, Benintendi, Bradley, and Pedey.  That's 6 hitters who can be arranged in many permutations of 1 - 6.  During ST I felt good about this lineup, even if they had to carry Leon and Sandoval. 

Hanley is slumping. 
Benintendi is now in Phase 2: the requisite cool down after a hot call up.
Pedroia - let's call out the elephant in the room - is not what he was.
Bradley, though looking a bit better lately, is still staring at Ks and being impatient.
Moreland is what he is: a .250 hitter with the occasional pop here and there.

The hole Ortiz left affected things more than anticipated.  There is no automatic guy in that lineup.  Opponents know it and find ways to adjust accordingly.  Until someone gets really hot and consistent (ahem, Hanley...) there'll be more of this failure to deliver in big situations.

[SeaBeachFred]

I won't put the blame squarely on Dombrowski.  On paper we have Betts, Bogaerts, Hanley, Benintendi, Bradley, and Pedey.  That's 6 hitters who can be arranged in many permutations of 1 - 6.  During ST I felt good about this lineup, even if they had to carry Leon and Sandoval. 

Hanley is slumping. 
Benintendi is now in Phase 2: the requisite cool down after a hot call up.
Pedroia - let's call out the elephant in the room - is not what he was.
Bradley, though looking a bit better lately, is still staring at Ks and being impatient.
Moreland is what he is: a .250 hitter with the occasional pop here and there.

The hole Ortiz left affected things more than anticipated.  There is no automatic guy in that lineup.  Opponents know it and find ways to adjust accordingly.  Until someone gets really hot and consistent (ahem, Hanley...) there'll be more of this failure to deliver in big situations.

Oh you are right IPOT but that is the wrong batting order we have from the word GO.  IMHO this is the one we should use and, mark my words, we will be using when either Farrell grows a brain or he is fired as someone like Gary DiSarcina, a young and aggressive former All Star, takes over to try and breathe some like into this dead team.

1.  Pedroia----he has batted here before and did last year and had a good season.  His experience as an All Star and WS winner enables him to adjust to the changing personality  of this dipshit team.
2. Benintendi-he was doing very well hitting second, and for a first year rookie this is where he belongs right now.  He has some sting in his bat and gives us some speed near the top of the lineup.
3. Bogaerts--His power has disappeared but he gets his hits by hitting level and down on the ball and if he can start getting some RBI's we might actually have the makings of a good lineup.
4. Betts-----He has the power, hits for average, even has speed and has the quickest bat on the team.  He is not 40 homer man but he can hit 300 and drive in 100 runs and that's good enough.
5. Ramirez--Put him in one spot and let him go.  Maybe he doesn't hit for a great average anymore, though I think he can, but he has the power and run producing ability.  He is a vital key.
6.Moreland-Hits better on the road right now but has some decent power and is a good doubles hitter to chase in runs.  With those guys in front of him he could go on a tear.  Good place for him.
7 Bradley-Younbg--Jackie's slumps will negate his average but with hard work he can power some homers and be benched at times for lefty killing Chris Young.  Not a bad 7th duo if they start hitting.
8.Sandoval-Rutledge--Rut hits left handed and has gotten hits lately and Sandoval has to be bvetter than Marrero who is simply the shittiest hitter perhaps in the league.  Keep him out of the lineup.
9 Leon and Vazquez--Vaz is coming back to his pace, that is a weak hitter, Leon can bat 8th when Rutledge plays--and Sandoval should never have to bat against lefties.

This to me is our best bet IF the team starts to show it can live up to their potential which so far they have most certainly have not done.