GAME #86, BOSTON RED SOX AT TAMPA BAY RAYS

[Rob from Mass]

Maybe it was a good thing that they shunned BP in Texas. They scored 35 runs on 53 hits and took 3of 4 on the road in the heat.
Had they took BP they just may have worn themselves out and lost 3 of 4.
Had to argue with the offensive outburst without BP.

[SeaBeachFred]

Still 7-3 for their last 10. I'll give them this one as it's their first trip to The Dump this season. That has to be hard on anyone's system. Yanks didn't play today, so 3.5 games up. 2 up in the loss column.

Missed the game tonight as my wife and I spent the day with our daughter and grand kids-----went out to lunch, played with the dogs, and listened to some nice sounds.  It sounded better than what I've been reading tonight.  Looks like we forgot how to hit again and hope we're going into a drought because I think we've had more than our share of them and should be hitting with the weather warmed up.  Sale can't win when his team hits crap as they did tonight, and the Rays look like they might be serious rivals for the AL East title along with the Yankees.  Hope Bogey is ok even though he has looked like crapola warmed over of late.  We had a six game winning streak and now have dropped two in a row.  Let's not go into the ASB loking like a team on the slide.

That's my biggest fear, Fred---that we end the first half on a slide. Because if we do, with God as my judge Farrell will allow that 'culture of losing' to creep right back in. Mark my words.

On the side---glad X isn't hurt too badly, and best wishes to Tito for a full and quick recovery.

Last year they couldn't find a way to win a game to get home field advantage down the stretch.   But they did sweep the Rays in a 3 game series going into the break.  I just worry that these guys look ahead and say "well only a couple of more days until a few days off, may as well just mail it in."  They haven't taken BP in days because it's too hot.  Come on and get your million dollar butts out and sweat (in the air conditioned Trop).

Ted---Muggah had it right.   IT'S THE CULTURE THAT IS DOMINANT IN RED SOX DOINGS THESE DAYS.  Forget the winning streak for a moment......why aren't they taking any BP before the game, even a few swings?  Tonight they play in  dome; how hot can it be there with AC permeating the building?  Farrell has done all he can to produce a soft and excuse ridden team that shows little responsibility for their inconsistent play and right now they need to toughen up.  They are, IMHO, a very soft team.  When things are going fine they exchange high fives and look lively.  When they get in a hitting drought they seem to be perplexed and out of sorts.  You don't win championship that way.

[MongoLikeSox]

T think the rest of the baseball world woke up this morning and are saying th same thing the Sox have known since early last year. This team is a very good team that knows how to play and pitch. Kind of like how when Tito and Maddon both employed common sense pitching strategies that we had been begging for all along fro JF and crew. It's all the rage this year. It's the "new" thing. I just don't know what game these guys are watching sometimes.

I'm on board with that assessment, mongo.  The pitching has been sound, the biggest factor in our W/L record this year.  (With the exception of Porcello, who seems to have lost his location for much of the year). It's because of the SP and an MVP-like job from a thin bullpen that has carried the team in wake of lack of timely hitting and the loss of power.  If/when this team can finally get around to putting up runs early more consistently AND get some power to come around in a HR-happy league, it's on a pretty good road to an AL title.

All apologies for writing with ambiguity. The "this team" I was referring to was the Rays. I do feel the same way about the Sox, though. Knows how to play, pitching now this year, etc. But the Rays have played good ball recently, like a year and a half. Even the next night from this topic's game had a unending series of putting out fires. Good catches, double plays and an umpire who was not having his best moment saved our butts in what will look like an easy game in the box score.

If we don't give away any more farm, and if JH and company open their purse strings to keep our own, the Sox, Yanks and Rays are gonna provide some mighty fun baseball over the next few years.