GAME #26, BALTIMORE ORIOLES AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Schloicka]

Not what I saw, Geo. I watched the replay closely. He didn't go on contact. He didn't budge until the ball was up beside the mound, then he went. He had plenty of time to stay on 3rd.

Someone needs to explain that triple play to me. I understand tagging Moreland and the force at 2nd, but why was Pedroia out?

Pedroia was forced out at 2nd and JBJ was out at 1st because he gave himself up by walking away. Moreland was tagged out. Pedroia had to run to 2nd since no infield fly was called.

[markj]

So JBJ blew it. Although when you expect a simple popup to be caught and someone is on 1st and 2nd, I guess you can't hustle to 1st to stand there with another runner hoping someone drops the ball.

[markj]

Moot point anyway. Sox win. Finally some run support for Sale.

[elktonnick]

JBJ should have been running Moreland also should have been running to third after he saw the ball was not caught.  Sox won but there are still too many dumb ass plays from a team that is very sloppy and not playing sound baseball.

[ipot]

Moot point anyway. Sox win. Finally some run support for Sale.

Yes, he got some.  Wish they spotted him a big 6 run cushion.  But 5 runs total for this offense is a veritable explosion.  At least Hanley has found his power.

[SeaBeachFred]

Has any one noticed what Travis Shaw has been doing?  6 HRs .263 BA

I noticed it Elk and mentioned it in another missive either on a game thread or  the Red Sox news thread.  But Pruney was determined to get Sandoval back into the lineup to get some payback for that bloated contract he signed him for.  Toward the end of last season I was convinced that errand boy Farrell was programming Travis to fail.  Now we have Fatso and Little Marco to pollute that position for us.  We're going to have to upgrade there whether Pruney likes it or not, otherwise the season will falter.....and we better start worrying a little, maybe a lot, about Jackie Bradley.  Right now he is looking very much like that fraud we carried in the 2014 season.  I know he is streaky but this is ridiculous.  Maybe a game or two of rest might be helpful, maybe not.

[SeaBeachFred]

Here's what's on my mind about this team today:

First, the obvious:  Sale, as RobFromMass said above, has to throw a no hitter and it's still likely he'll get the L.

Secondly, I know many are pointing fingers at Henry and DD.  I don't think the problem lies there.  This offseason we had on paper (and still do) a team capable of taking the division and more.  What's happening is endemic underperformance (esp. on the part of the lineup) and that falls at the CLUBHOUSE LEVEL.  This is Farrell's watch here.  And the players.  Is there a leader in there?  Is there anyone who cares about winning games?  We can absorb a slumping catcher, and even mediocrity at another hitting position.  Even with Marco+Leon hitting like s--t, we still have a lineup capable of producing a lot of runs.

It begins with the hitters 1-5.  They have to get their acts together as well-moving chain of hitters. 

We are wasting great games by Sale, Porcello, and - thx to Cubs gifts - rescued one for E-Rod who looked so darn good on Sunday.  Even Kimbrel has his act together.

The 1-5 hitters heard you tonight IPOT.....and good they did because the Leon, Bradley and Little Marco got one hit between them.  Hanley might now finally be getting untracked and we can certainly use some power from him and others.

[SeaBeachFred]

Hernandez jumps the gun and gets nailed at home. Not smart. He had time to go back to third and tried to force the issue.

Are you saying that besides being shitty on defense and hitting with MISP he is also a dumb player?  Well that's the hat trick for you.  Are you sure Fatso and Little Marco are not related?

[SeaBeachFred]

George did bring up a good point about that Chinese Fire Drill in that there was enough blame to go around and perhaps I was too hard on Little Marco.  He is, after all, barely out of the rookie status while Moreland and Bradley are  veteran players.  I wonder just how bad we are in the matter of fundamental and knowing how to run the bases and when to run. It all starts at the top you know, and you also know where I think the fault lies.

[elktonnick]

This lack of fundamentals is really troubling to me.  These guys are making too many bone head plays.  It all stems from the team's bone headed manager.

[Bill-806]

This lack of fundamentals is really troubling to me.  These guys are making too many bone head plays.  It all stems from the team's bone headed manager.

  A good win, howevaa  the breakdown of discipline continues.

[ojdidit]

Hernandez jumps the gun and gets nailed at home. Not smart. He had time to go back to third and tried to force the issue.

Are you saying that besides being shitty on defense and hitting with MISP he is also a dumb player?  Well that's the hat trick for you.  Are you sure Fatso and Little Marco are not related?

Contact play on which Hernandez was going.  Ball was hit in a place that made it easy if fielded correctly.  Hammer Hernandez for occasional dumb stuff, but this was not one.  Routine strategy. Remy talked about it since it was just routine strategy. Would have worked well if Benintendi had hit the ball anywhere else.

[longgame]

JBJ should have been running Moreland also should have been running to third after he saw the ball was not caught.  Sox won but there are still too many dumb ass plays from a team that is very sloppy and not playing sound baseball.

I thought this was dismissed too easily last night by all involved.  The runners should have hung near the bag and then taken off to the next base as soon as it was dropped.  I think Bradley was out not because he was forced but because he left the field - since Pedroia was on first.  I would think any kid playing ball would know this - regardless of where the ball is, you wait and if not caught you take off for the next base, period.

[markj]

JBJ should have been running Moreland also should have been running to third after he saw the ball was not caught.  Sox won but there are still too many dumb ass plays from a team that is very sloppy and not playing sound baseball.

I thought this was dismissed too easily last night by all involved.  The runners should have hung near the bag and then taken off to the next base as soon as it was dropped.  I think Bradley was out not because he was forced but because he left the field - since Pedroia was on first.  I would think any kid playing ball would know this - regardless of where the ball is, you wait and if not caught you take off for the next base, period.

That still would have resulted in a double play. Force at 2B and then a throw to 3B. But if Bradley had run to first, at least it wouldn't have ended the inning.

[elktonnick]

JBJ should have been running Moreland also should have been running to third after he saw the ball was not caught.  Sox won but there are still too many dumb ass plays from a team that is very sloppy and not playing sound baseball.

I thought this was dismissed too easily last night by all involved.  The runners should have hung near the bag and then taken off to the next base as soon as it was dropped.  I think Bradley was out not because he was forced but because he left the field - since Pedroia was on first.  I would think any kid playing ball would know this - regardless of where the ball is, you wait and if not caught you take off for the next base, period.

That still would have resulted in a double play. Force at 2B and then a throw to 3B. But if Bradley had run to first, at least it wouldn't have ended the inning.

If this were my ball club Bradley would be benched after last night's game.