5:08PM Eastern
Red Sox
Chris Sale (L)
1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF
2. Kyle Schwarber (L) 1B
3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
5. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
6. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
7. Alex Verdugo (L) LF
8. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B
9. Christian Vazquez (R) C
Astros
Framber Valdez (L)
1. Jose Altuve (R) 2B
2. Michael Brantley (L) LF
3. Alex Bregman (R) 3B
4. Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
5. Carlos Correa (R) SS
6. Kyle Tucker (L) RF
7. Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B
8. Jose Siri (R) CF
9. Martin Maldonado (R) C
Gametime Temp: 67°F
Chance of Precip: 0%
Quote from: markj on October 20, 2021, 08:24:56 AM
5:08PM Eastern
Red Sox
Chris Sale (L)
Astros
Framber Valdez (L)
Gametime Temp: 67°F
Chance of Precip: 0%
Let's be blunt about this. Sale owes Red Sox fans a great pitching performance for a change, he owes his team that as well, and also himself. He has pitched shitty the last few times out and we need him today. It would also be nice for the hitters to come out of the deep freeze and look like a team that can hit after last night's shitty performance at the plate. And Alex must make damn sure that shithead Perez doesn't come within 200 feet of the pitching rubber tonight or any other night that we play in for the rest of the season. Last night we looked like crap and thought we could hold serve as we did the first game of this series. It didn't work then, it didn't work last night and it won't work this afternoon unless we can go out and score six or seven runs. Wake the hell up team.
Right on Fred. Sale needs to step up and deliver while the Sox bats need to pull it together and not strand so many guys. 0-9 with RISP yesterday and 11 left on base.
Also, for the first time Cora's moves didn't work and he made at least one really bad one. Not sure why Eovaldi needed to be out there for instance, but it would have been dramatic if they held them. I think Pivetta could have gone another inning. But why and in what world did Cora think to bring in Martin Perez with the game on the line?
Glad they're keeping Maldonado in the lineup. Siri, who is playing CF for the Astros? rofl
"VICTORY GOES TO THOSE WHO WANT IT THE MOST , WANT IT THE LONGEST " !!!!!! (COL. JIMMY DOLITTLE ) thumb_u thumb_u thumb_u iono iono iono rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl
I've been whincing at every first pitch all week. I could go the rest of the month watching backwards pitching.
Looks like Astros have their pitching figured out. We need to blast one out of the park in the 3rd.
Yeah, theirs looks normal. Ours just threw the hardest he has in what, 40 months? I'll surprised to see him back out. Nice way to shut that little rally off before it got rolling. thumb_u
Dusty Baker and his crew obviously watched some videos and made adjustments. It appears the Sox haven't noticed yet. You can't win with only 2 runs in 13 innings (and counting). Again, the pitching has been keeping them in the game, but the lack of run support does not bode well for their upcoming trip to Houston.
Raffy finally gets the Sox' first hit. Then JD gets plunked. 2 on, no outs. Here comes a GIDP.
What'd I tell you? They're soooo predictable. Renfroe has been useless with a bat in his hands.
I have the same feeling I had when they got swept by the Yanks at the end of the regular season. This team just doesn't have what it takes. Then suddenly they do for a few games, and then it all goes away again. It's maddening.
Not looking good at all so far.
Now the Keystone Kops are back. Dead bats, crappy defense. This is the lousy Sox team we've seen so many times this season.
I think the magic ride is over. It’s like the offense went out like a light and now I just have a sinking feeling about the pen the rest of the way in this one. Meanwhile we somehow changed our approach to Valdez and letting him do his thing. What happened to patience at the plate?
One other thing, but can Smoltz just shut up for a minute, take a breath, sip some water? It’s clear he hated pitching in Fenway and it showed, but god he prattles on endlessly.
oh boy!!!!!
Yeah, it's looking like one of those nights.
This is going to turn into another rout like last night. Sox have given up an average of just over 5 runs per game in this series. They only won a couple games because of the big offense numbers. Now that the bats have died, they're toast. And they still are screwing up on defense.
Now Brasier giving it up too. How sad to see them fall apart as quickly as they took charge of this series. About 10 innings of great baseball and the rest has been sad.
Sox have seen Valdez enough that they should have figured out how to hit him by now. But still only 2 hits this game.
Ever since E-Rod tapped his wrist and gave the Astros some motivation, this series has turned completely in a different direction. Maybe he meant “time’s up for usâ€, or “time for us to mail it inâ€.
What’s really sad is that they played like this leading up to the end of the season - sloppy fielding, crappy pitching, bad luck, terrible plate appearances, etc. - and it looked like they had broken out of it and were back to the team at the beginning of the season. What a shame.
Renfrew has been a major disappointment this post season. He has not played well on defense or offense.
It's a cycle with this group. They had to get their winkies slapped by Baltimore to wake up. and they've been riding up and down since. Swing like crazed gorillas and get on a bad roll before they wake up as a team and start getting smart ABs.
Kind of sucks to see that playoff magic Manager wand go limp. Baseball is a great equalizer.
Quote from: elktonnick on October 20, 2021, 06:44:51 PM
Renfrew has been a major disappointment this post season. He has not played well on defense or offense.
Man, I thought he was turning the corner. Today? poof!
OMG Cora brought Perez in to pitch the 9th. He is waving the white flag on this game.
Perez again. Cora has either thrown in the towel on this game and is saving his BP arms, or he is a complete moron.
Outscored 18-3 in the last 2 games. Pretty sad.
Just a few days ago it seemed like the Sox were peaking at just the right time.
Pitching, offense, defense - so much fun to watch. It seemed like we were watching
the Red Sox team from the first half of the season.
AND then, yesterday, October 19 - the light switch turned off.
WTF???????
BEFORE this playoffs - I was glad that the Red Sox secured the Wild Card
spot with a win against the Yankees.
I thought the Rays and Astros were the better teams.
Then, Our Sox BEAT the Rays.
Games 2 and 3 with the Grand Slams and offense was so much
fun to watch.
AND now . . .
JUST when I thought this team just might go to the World Series
and win it all.
Yesterday and today the air has been let out of the tires.
I am stunned . . . just stunned by this turn of events.
Let's see what happens in Houston.
Hopefully the Sox can find their bats.
Really a total downer to see the Fenway games end this way. But I’ll credit Valdez for pitching a gem, never lost command. There will always be a caveat for me to this season. Mgt. was never all in on the roster in the off-season. Left field for example. It took them most of the year to figure out how to replace #16 Beni. All the time in FA Brantley was available, big hits this series, and Eddie Rosario, who will likey be the MVP of the LA-ATL series.
But however they do in Houston, I’m amazed how well they’ve done with what they started with.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on October 21, 2021, 04:54:14 AM
Really a total downer to see the Fenway games end this way. But I’ll credit Valdez for pitching a gem, never lost command. There will always be a caveat for me to this season. Mgt. was never all in on the roster in the off-season. Left field for example. It took them most of the year to figure out how to replace #16 Beni. All the time in FA Brantley was available, big hits this series, and Eddie Rosario, who will likey be the MVP of the LA-ATL series.
But however they do in Houston, I’m amazed how well they’ve done with what they started with.
Well said. I could not agree more.
There is a big list of silver linings coming from this post season run. From this season, too.
WE SEEM TO HAVE BETTER RESULTS WHENWE SCORE 8 RUNS !!!! NOT GOOD BOYS & GIRLS ..... ON THE ROAD FOR ONE OR TWO GAMES !!! GET THE GOLF CLUBS READY !!! thumb_d iono iono sigh sigh sigh rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl
Have to remember that this is all bonus baseball for this team. I had said I would be happy with however far they got and that winning the Wild Card over the Yankees was enough. Winning against the Rays was icing on the cake. This would be really be something if they were to make an epic comeback. But it still hurts to watch them go down like this.
Hot and cold has been the theme all year. No they're cold again. They'll need to make some adjustments, specifically moving Dablec to 1B, Schwarber to LF to get Renfroe out. He's actually hurting the team now. He misplayed the ball over his head two nights ago and two DPs in two games, especially when you come up after the heart of the order, is brutal. Too bad because he had such a great year but is disappearing now. I just don't know what you can do about our bullpen, the walks, etc.
Valdez was a different guy last night than Game 1, but it also seemed the Sox were far less patient and were letting him off the hook easily. Not sure what happened there.
Last night was a pitcher dialing up a performance and out guys getting antsy.
Schwarber's been cold all series. He's been looking yard early and often. His last AB looked better. I hope that sets the tone.
Note to Vaz - do not call for that medium high, out 3rd fastball to Alvarez. I mean, 3 times?
Bonus Baseball is a good thing, but it still tees me off when we can't catch a ball at 1B. This was the team I was most scared of. They are doing it by deploying an "old school" AL East Offense that the rest of baseball thinks is extinct, or at least wrong. I hope beyond hope that Bloom is seeing this and not notching it off to bad joo joo or something.
Quote from: longgame on October 21, 2021, 07:54:55 AM
Have to remember that this is all bonus baseball for this team. I had said I would be happy with however far they got and that winning the Wild Card over the Yankees was enough. Winning against the Rays was icing on the cake. This would be really be something if they were to make an epic comeback. But it still hurts to watch them go down like this.
Hot and cold has been the theme all year. No they're cold again. They'll need to make some adjustments, specifically moving Dablec to 1B, Schwarber to LF to get Renfroe out. He's actually hurting the team now. He misplayed the ball over his head two nights ago and two DPs in two games, especially when you come up after the heart of the order, is brutal. Too bad because he had such a great year but is disappearing now. I just don't know what you can do about our bullpen, the walks, etc.
Valdez was a different guy last night than Game 1, but it also seemed the Sox were far less patient and were letting him off the hook easily. Not sure what happened there.
So very true!
I remember just wanting to win the Wild Card - check!
Beating the Yankees - check!
Beating the Tampa Bay Rays with the best record in the AL during the regular season - check.
Definitely bonus baseball!
(Although it would be nice AND a surprise to go to the World Series.)
Quote from: markj on October 20, 2021, 07:24:50 PM
Perez again. Cora has either thrown in the towel on this game and is saving his BP arms, or he is a complete moron.
Perez is one of Cora's favorites and he will move Heaven and Earth to give that bum a chance to shine. He'll be the saddest guy in Boston if Bloom releases him after the season---which he sure as hell better do because the guy stinks to high heaven.
Quote from: BoSoxFanNY on October 20, 2021, 10:51:30 PM
Just a few days ago it seemed like the Sox were peaking at just the right time.
Pitching, offense, defense - so much fun to watch. It seemed like we were watching
the Red Sox team from the first half of the season.
AND then, yesterday, October 19 - the light switch turned off.
WTF???????
BEFORE this playoffs - I was glad that the Red Sox secured the Wild Card
spot with a win against the Yankees.
I thought the Rays and Astros were the better teams.
Then, Our Sox BEAT the Rays.
Games 2 and 3 with the Grand Slams and offense was so much
fun to watch.
AND now . . .
JUST when I thought this team just might go to the World Series
and win it all.
Yesterday and today the air has been let out of the tires.
I am stunned . . . just stunned by this turn of events.
Let's see what happens in Houston.
Hopefully the Sox can find their bats.
You shouldn't be stunned at all. This has been the Red Sox MOA all season. It gets hot and then goes into the deep freeze. We are done!!!!!
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on October 21, 2021, 08:53:53 AM
Last night was a pitcher dialing up a performance and out guys getting antsy.
Schwarber's been cold all series. He's been looking yard early and often. His last AB looked better. I hope that sets the tone.
Note to Vaz - do not call for that medium high, out 3rd fastball to Alvarez. I mean, 3 times?
Bonus Baseball is a good thing, but it still tees me off when we can't catch a ball at 1B. This was the team I was most scared of. They are doing it by deploying an "old school" AL East Offense that the rest of baseball thinks is extinct, or at least wrong. I hope beyond hope that Bloom is seeing this and not notching it off to bad joo joo or something.
A heads-up to you Mongo. First of all, Vazquez calls a shitty game and has for years. We are better off with Plawecki behind the plate....when we are hitting which now we are not. Secondly, the Schwarb is notoriously streaky and right now he is stinky. There is nothing we can do except get our second breath and get a second win when we get to Houston, but pardon me is I do not hold mine.
I saw today that P Phillips Valdez ha been activated off the Covid list and will join the Sc for game 6. I that’s accurate, one of he other Sox must be sent packing. My guess, they Perez guy just discovered an undescibed injury. sigh sigh
I'll take Valdez over Perez any day. But they could have Cy Young in the BP and it won't make a difference if they don't get back to scoring runs.
Did you see who they DFA'd to activate Valdez for the 40-man spot? Franchy Cordero! Wow! I don't know where to begin, so I'll just leave it alone and wish him luck no matter if he doesn't clear, elects to go buh-bye or accepts a minor league assignment. They mismanaged him from the beginning. It was a level of cruelty.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on October 22, 2021, 08:43:42 AM
Did you see who they DFA'd to activate Valdez for the 40-man spot? Franchy Cordero! Wow! I don't know where to begin, so I'll just leave it alone and wish him luck no matter if he doesn't clear, elects to go buh-bye or accepts a minor league assignment. They mismanaged him from the beginning. It was a level of cruelty.
Having to watch Franchy play was a level of cruelty!
Quote from: longgame on October 22, 2021, 12:17:49 PM
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on October 22, 2021, 08:43:42 AM
Did you see who they DFA'd to activate Valdez for the 40-man spot? Franchy Cordero! Wow! I don't know where to begin, so I'll just leave it alone and wish him luck no matter if he doesn't clear, elects to go buh-bye or accepts a minor league assignment. They mismanaged him from the beginning. It was a level of cruelty.
Having to watch Franchy play was a level of cruelty!
French Fry Cordero was actually mentioned by Bloom and others as a possible second coming of a Big Papi. I nearly choked when I heard that last winter since I knew the guy stunk after failing with the Padres and Royals and us. He was DFA'd yesterday but you can bet that no other team will claim him or touch him with a twenty foot pole so we may have to stomach this bum once again.