7:10PM Eastern
Red Sox
Chris Sale (L)
1. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS
2. Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
3. J.D. Martinez (R) LF
4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
5. Alex Verdugo (L) RF
6. Christian Vazquez (R) C
7. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B
8. Jarren Duran (L) CF
9. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B
Twins
John Gant (R)
1. Rob Refsnyder (R) RF
2. Brent Rooker (R) LF
3. Josh Donaldson (R) DH
4. Miguel Sano (R) 1B
5. Luis Arraez (L) 2B
6. Ryan Jeffers (R) C
7. Willians Astudillo (R) 3B
8. Nick Gordon (L) CF
9. Andrelton Simmons (R) SS
Gametime Temp: 84°F
Chance of Precip: 0%
Sale's going. Means we'll still be in the game when they pull him in the 5th. Whoopie!
I don’t know what else to say about the Sox today. Seeing Sales’ name up there gives me hope. But I don’t recognize any of these Twins pitchers we are struggling with. All the time knowing they traded their best pitcher and their big slugger at the deadline, and are still eating our lunch.
Chris Sale can not win unless the rest of the team scores some runs. Christian Vazquez has to put his right hand on his right ear and his left hand on his left ear and pull his head out of his butt! He has been play brain dead stupid baseball for the past month. He isn't the only one. JDM's swing has once again become robotic. Same swing same speed same angle on every pitch, he has become a sucker for a slider low and away outside of the strike zone.
Quote from: elktonnick on August 26, 2021, 11:32:18 AM
Chris Sale can not win unless the rest of the team scores some runs. Christian Vazquez has to put his right hand on his right ear and his left hand on his left ear and pull his head out of his butt! He has been play brain dead stupid baseball for the past month. He isn't the only one. JDM's swing has once again become robotic. Same swing same speed same angle on every pitch, he has become a sucker for a slider low and away outside of the strike zone.
I can picture that swing in my head and he's pulling his head away too. Then there's Bogey who check swings half the time and wonders why he hits weak line drives for easy catches. Bogey, Devers (I can crush every pitch) and JDM were 1-12 last night.
A tweet from yesterday referencing potential lineup tonight:
In theory the Sox should have their peak team tomorrow for the first time. Schwarber plays first, which slides JDM back to DH, which allows Kiké to move back to CF, which opens up 2B for Arroyo. Best lineup and defense. Sale starting. Whitlock rested. Gotta have it.
So basically if they can't win tonight they may as well pack it in.
Quote from: longgame on August 26, 2021, 11:58:00 AM
A tweet from yesterday referencing potential lineup tonight:
In theory the Sox should have their peak team tomorrow for the first time. Schwarber plays first, which slides JDM back to DH, which allows Kiké to move back to CF, which opens up 2B for Arroyo. Best lineup and defense. Sale starting. Whitlock rested. Gotta have it.
So basically if they can't win tonight they may as well pack it in.
"VICTORY GOES TO THOSE WHO WANT IT THE MOST, WANT IT THE LONGEST " !!!!! ( COL. JIMMY DOLITTLE )
Less than 3 hrs to game time and still no lineup. What the hell is wrong with Cora that he can't figure out who's going to play?
Quote from: markj on August 26, 2021, 03:30:07 PM
Less than 3 hrs to game time and still no lineup. What the hell is wrong with Cora that he can't figure out who's going to play?
An hour later and I'm thinking the same thing Mark. Especially since it seems obvious to play the lineup I mentioned. Get this team up to whatever full strength means.
Just saw this, so the hottest hitter is out.
Hunter Renfroe is going on the bereavement list. Jarren Duran is being called back up
And this....
Red Sox will have Duran in CF, Martinez in LF, and Verdugo in RF tonight. Schwarber will DH. His 1B debut has been pushed back to the weekend.
So not a strong lineup with JD back in LF and Schwarber still apparently unable to play the field. They'd at least be better with Schwarber in LF and JD at DH. How much of a risk is it to go after a few fly balls over 9 innings?
Cora was moving his daughter into school, too. Well, being there for the moment, at least. A few moving pieces today with the team today, too.
Still disgusted with last night. First time this year that the Battleaxe initiated the find the remote control protocol.
Quote from: longgame on August 26, 2021, 11:58:00 AM
A tweet from yesterday referencing potential lineup tonight:
In theory the Sox should have their peak team tomorrow for the first time. Schwarber plays first, which slides JDM back to DH, which allows Kiké to move back to CF, which opens up 2B for Arroyo. Best lineup and defense. Sale starting. Whitlock rested. Gotta have it.
So basically if they can't win tonight they may as well pack it in.
That's what I said in a final post on Wednesday If they lose tonight with their best lineup in there they are toast and should start backing up the truck immediately and let Cora on first. And why not let Plawecki catch. As much as the front office wants to say it he dies a better job of catching that Vazquez does and he is even hitting better that Christian is, but Cora would never bench him and you all know why. Let's just hope they can win this series with Sale on the mound tonight, and Chris, how about going six or seven innings so we don't have to see too much of that bullpen of ours.
Fred I can not understand why JD is in left unless Schwerber is hurt. I also agree about catcher. Vazquez 's pitch calling and overall ability to block balls have bothered me of late.
Attaboy, Dalbec. 3 run dinger.
Verdugo hangs tough through 8 pitches and finally drives in a run. Sox up 4-0.
Sale done after 5.1. Was thinking and hoping he'd go deeper. Leaves 2 on for Whitlock.
Whitlock gets out of the jam. Sox up 5-2.
Now we know why this Garcia guy has an ERA north of 9. Sox up 7-2 now.
JD comes up against a struggling pitcher with the bases loaded and no outs and hits into a DP. He did drive in a run, so that's something. But "clutch" is just not part of his arsenal.
Then Raffy comes in and goes yard for 2 more. Sox up 10-2 now.
Whitlock with a nice, clean inning. Barely had time to go get a drink and it was over.
Garcia back out there. Obviously the Twins have thrown in the towel.
Dalbec is having a hell of a night. 2nd dinger. 7 RBI.
Quote from: markj on August 26, 2021, 09:00:42 PM
Dalbec is having a hell of a night. 2nd dinger. 7 RBI.
i give him credit. He knows why Schwarber was brought here and he goes out and does his job.
Richards scuffling. Bases loaded. 10 run lead should be safe, but he's not doing himself any favors here.
He did get out if it, though.
JD can't even get a hit against a position player throwing beach balls. Or maybe he was just being kind.
Astudillo (catcher) comes in and gets through an inning without giving up a run. I'm hoping the Sox were just being good sports. Now Barnes. Even he can't blow this lead.
Barnes finally closes it out. But I think he got out performed by Astudillo. LOL
Dalbec has had a very impressive August, something I cannot say for the rest of his lodge bothers. Two bombs and seven RBI's. I do give a little credit to Alex for staying with him and we may yet get the benefit of his awesome power on a more regular basis. Let's not give up on him yet.
Because it deserves mentioning, Sale had a immaculate inning in the 3rd. 9 strikes, 3 outs.
The up and down Sox do have their sights on the #2 WC. The A's have gone on a biggerf tailspin, going 2-9 against teams like M's, Giants, NYY. That puts the Sox up 2.5 games for that WC spot. Sox games left with the Rays could tell the tale.
Quote from: markj on August 26, 2021, 10:14:55 PM
Because it deserves mentioning, Sale had a immaculate inning in the 3rd. 9 strikes, 3 outs.
Sale matched Sandy Koufax as the only pitcher to do this three times. That's pretty good company!
Agreed on Dalbec. He's really finally started to come around. His BA is up about 40 points from earlier in the season. He may be a keeper, but now he's going to lose playing time to Schwarber at times. Schwarber has been good, but he causes other problems in the lineup.
Still happy with a win. That leaves them 3 behind the Yankees and 2.5 ahead of Oakland. I really don't know if I can take a wild card playoff between Sox and Yanks!