GAME #68, BOSTON RED SOX AT HOUSTON ASTROS

[Bear]

RedSox lineup @ HOU:

Betts RF,
Pedroia 2B,
Bogaerts SS,
Moreland 1B,
Benintendi LF,
Young DH,
Bradley CF,
Rutledge 3B,
Leon C.

Porcello RHP

[SeaBeachFred]

Porcello has been bad, but as long as he can go about 6 innings and 4 runs, they should have a shot.  Of course going up against someone they've never seen probably means another low scoring night.  Someone should tell the Sox you can actually check out these guys on video and with scouts before you play them.  sigh

Bizarre ain't it?  Last year's Cy Young winner now has to hope for a match up against a guy with a 6.59 ERA to have a chance at winning a game.... :P

One thing I thought we had finally bypassed was this crap about how the Red Sox hitters looked like pikers against a pitcher they haven't seen.  For years we heard that---that seemed to stop last season.  We should not have to hear that again.  Scouting reports and tapes of those pi tchers are readily available and if the guy has a 6.59 ERA we should be able to handle him.....and, what's more Porcello should be able to best a guy like that.  Let's have less excuses from the ranks and more wins---they proved they could win a big game last night and what is so aggravating is that we really still have as good a chance as anyone in the American League to come out on top.  When will our players realize that and put the pedal to the mettle.

[Rob from Mass]

Porcello has been bad, but as long as he can go about 6 innings and 4 runs, they should have a shot.  Of course going up against someone they've never seen probably means another low scoring night.  Someone should tell the Sox you can actually check out these guys on video and with scouts before you play them.  sigh

Bizarre ain't it?  Last year's Cy Young winner now has to hope for a match up against a guy with a 6.59 ERA to have a chance at winning a game.... :P

One thing I thought we had finally bypassed was this crap about how the Red Sox hitters looked like pikers against a pitcher they haven't seen.  For years we heard that---that seemed to stop last season.  We should not have to hear that again.  Scouting reports and tapes of those pi tchers are readily available and if the guy has a 6.59 ERA we should be able to handle him.....and, what's more Porcello should be able to best a guy like that.  Let's have less excuses from the ranks and more wins---they proved they could win a big game last night and what is so aggravating is that we really still have as good a chance as anyone in the American League to come out on top.  When will our players realize that and put the pedal to the mettle.

There is little doubt that the players know exactly what they have to do .You know as much as anyone else that baseball is not an easy game .They can be well prepared each night and give 105 % and still come up empty.
A bad break or a bad hop sometimes is the difference in a W or an L. I am just glad they made up ground and are only 2 back in the important loss column.No one will run away and hide in the ALE.

[ipot]

Our lineup is #14th in the AL in runs scored in Innings 1 - 6.
Our lineup is #3 in the AL :o in runs scored in Innings 7 - 9.

That says a lot about how we do against starting pitching.....

[SeaBeachFred]

Porcello has been bad, but as long as he can go about 6 innings and 4 runs, they should have a shot.  Of course going up against someone they've never seen probably means another low scoring night.  Someone should tell the Sox you can actually check out these guys on video and with scouts before you play them.  sigh

Bizarre ain't it?  Last year's Cy Young winner now has to hope for a match up against a guy with a 6.59 ERA to have a chance at winning a game.... :P

One thing I thought we had finally bypassed was this crap about how the Red Sox hitters looked like pikers against a pitcher they haven't seen.  For years we heard that---that seemed to stop last season.  We should not have to hear that again.  Scouting reports and tapes of those pi tchers are readily available and if the guy has a 6.59 ERA we should be able to handle him.....and, what's more Porcello should be able to best a guy like that.  Let's have less excuses from the ranks and more wins---they proved they could win a big game last night and what is so aggravating is that we really still have as good a chance as anyone in the American League to come out on top.  When will our players realize that and put the pedal to the mettle.

There is little doubt that the players know exactly what they have to do .You know as much as anyone else that baseball is not an easy game .They can be well prepared each night and give 105 % and still come up empty.
A bad break or a bad hop sometimes is the difference in a W or an L. I am just glad they made up ground and are only 2 back in the important loss column.No one will run away and hide in the ALE.

The A's defeated the Yankees today 5-2 so we have an opportunity to make up a little more ground if we can bow our necks and make it happen.  Those three losses we suffered at the hands of the A's a little while ago doesn't look at bad now as it did then since that team apparently has the ability to handle just about anybody in their ballpark.  Only now we need to take advantage of that.

[SeaBeachFred]

Our lineup is #14th in the AL in runs scored in Innings 1 - 6.
Our lineup is #3 in the AL :o in runs scored in Innings 7 - 9.

That says a lot about how we do against starting pitching.....

That's very puzzling IPOT and to me there is no excuse for that.  A team has to be ready for anything that offers them an opportunity to get the jump on the opposition and now in the middle of June I think it is high time we start doing exactly that.  Tonight would be a good time to start that reversal of our troubles in the early innings putting tallies on that scoreboard.

[markj]

Porcello digs his first inning hole. Sox down 3-0.

[markj]

What is with Fox tonight? We have a view from the nosebleed seats and no score showing. WTF?

[markj]

Finally a run. Young goes deep to get the Sox on the board.

[ipot]

I rest my case. We can only scrape 1 R going into 6th inning against a crappy starter.
Porcello does his job. 6 runs. He's going to the DL now with some "soreness" concoction. Mark my words.

[ipot]

Keep Porcello out there until his arm falls off. It's over. Don't waste the pen.

[markj]

3 runs in 3 games doesn't lead to a winning stretch.

[longgame]

I rest my case. We can only scrape 1 R going into 6th inning against a crappy starter.
Porcello does his job. 6 runs. He's going to the DL now with some "soreness" concoction. Mark my words.

Right on ipot.  Just crazy that these guys have one poor at bat after another against this guy, but the former CY winner gets batted around the place.  Just pathetic. I would think this hole is too big to climb out of with this uninspired offense. 

[ipot]

It's mystifying that this team is 38-30. Or is it just me?  Porcello + Price stink. E-Rod's on the DL. The lineup can't scrounge runs against opposing starters.  The pen deserves a lot of credit, really.

If Price shits the bed tomorrow keep him in there.  We can't waste the pen for mop-up or lost cause games.  This Musgrove guy has all the traits of a Red Sox shutdown pitcher = 4-5 with a 4.81 ERA.  thumb_u Fuggedaboutit.

[SeaBeachFred]

Porcello has been bad, but as long as he can go about 6 innings and 4 runs, they should have a shot.  Of course going up against someone they've never seen probably means another low scoring night.  Someone should tell the Sox you can actually check out these guys on video and with scouts before you play them.  sigh

Bizarre ain't it?  Last year's Cy Young winner now has to hope for a match up against a guy with a 6.59 ERA to have a chance at winning a game.... :P

One thing I thought we had finally bypassed was this crap about how the Red Sox hitters looked like pikers against a pitcher they haven't seen.  For years we heard that---that seemed to stop last season.  We should not have to hear that again.  Scouting reports and tapes of those pi tchers are readily available and if the guy has a 6.59 ERA we should be able to handle him.....and, what's more Porcello should be able to best a guy like that.  Let's have less excuses from the ranks and more wins---they proved they could win a big game last night and what is so aggravating is that we really still have as good a chance as anyone in the American League to come out on top.  When will our players realize that and put the pedal to the mettle.

Well if any Red Sox player happened to download our board prior to the game (no way) you can be sure my plea fell on very deaf ears and that elation I had from last night's win dissipated very fast.  Well what can you do?  Three hits and one run ain't gonna get the job done and once more Porcello was a human pinata.  Now I wonder if our pitching coaches and tutors are trying to find out whuy Porcello not only isn't winning but getting crushed every time he goes out to the mound.  Very distressing for another reason.  According to the schedule Rick opens up the series against the Angels next Friday on David Ortiz' retirement party and I'm  flying to Boston Thursday and may see my main guy get the honor he deserved while seeing the Sox get pummeled because Porcello can't pitch worth crap right now.  Well maybe we can win the game tomorrow and win the series; that would be swell.

One thing, though.  I won't be watching the game on Sunday night baseball.  That trio of announcers suck.  That woman likes to giggle her way through the broadcast and has outlived her usefulness as a commentator, gender equality be damned.  She sucks, and those two guys are no better while the games seem to last four hours with all the stops and starts and those never ending damn commercials.  Happy Father's Day to those of you out there who are happy parents.  I plan to spend some of my day visiting with my daughter.  Have a great day everybody.