ALDS GAME # 2 - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2021 - BOSTON RED SOX @ TAMPA BAY RAYS

[markj]

Finally!! Barnes can make any lead a nail biter.

There's your one win in TB, Fred.

[elktonnick]

Sox pound them great comeback win.  But Barnes is a freaking mess.  Cora do everyone a favor let's not see this meatball again until ST 22.

[markj]

Sox pound them great comeback win.  But Barnes is a freaking mess.  Cora do everyone a favor let's not see this meatball again until ST 22.

Let's not see this Meatball again, period. Full stop.

[elktonnick]

 Eovaldi may be the ace of this staff now but Tanner Houck is the nbr 2.

[MongoLikeSox]

Good on Mr Houck! Took him out at a good time, too. The hitting was great tonight. Lots of good ABs and non-gorilla hitting. Almost magically, when you hang back and see a few, big shots just sort of happen. Great stuff!

Barnes? Still bailing left instead of shoulders to the catcher. (for lack of better phrase)

My one and only ever spotting a pitcher tipping pitches as Smoltz in Boston. He was looking into his glove before breaking balls. Tigers pelted him. I posted something in a Boston Globe comments section after an article to point that out. No idea if they are archived anywhere, but my username for that one was VTtoNC, Too bad the Sox never saw it. The Cardinals picked up on what he was doing on their own and fixed it, and we ended up facing him either later or in the WS. 

[Bill-806]

Oh my freaking God.  A freaking grand slam by one of the worst guys in their lineup?  What the hell is going on?

Chris Sale getting hammered while we let a rookie off the hook.

THE BIG QUESTION , SHOULD/COULD HAVE SCHWARBER CAUGHT THAT GROUND BALL ??????  LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT , ON 1ST BASE WE HAVE NO GLOVE , ON 3RD BASE WE HAVE ONE ARM ...... HOW THE HECK ARE YOU GOING TO WIN GAMES IN THE PLAYOFFS LIKE THAT ??????  AS DAD WOULD SAY , "COME ON SON, LETS GO HOME " !!!! thumb_d thumb_d thumb_d thumb_d iono iono iono sigh sigh sigh rofl rofl rofl

WELL, I GUESS I WAS "WRONG AGAIN" , ONCE WE GOT TO 8 RUNS IT FELT LIKE WE HAD A CHANCE !!!!  BACK TO FENWAY PAAK !!!  GO RED SOX !!! thumb_u thumb_u thumb_u iono iono iono rofl rofl rofl rofl rofl

[MongoLikeSox]

I was not pleased with the Robles trade when it happened. It was pretty easy to see why the Twins let him fly. 98mph one day, 94mph the next day and either being hit hard or hitting batters hard.
Just looking at the splits because I saw the end of season line on him last night when he pitched.He had a 0.00ERA with a .122BA against in Sept/October. AND, that's with Cora going to the well often with that hot hand, will wear out thing.

So kudos to Robles and whoever helped him.

[Sea Dog 23]

I was not pleased with the Robles trade when it happened. It was pretty easy to see why the Twins let him fly. 98mph one day, 94mph the next day and either being hit hard or hitting batters hard.
Just looking at the splits because I saw the end of season line on him last night when he pitched.He had a 0.00ERA with a .122BA against in Sept/October. AND, that's with Cora going to the well often with that hot hand, will wear out thing.

So kudos to Robles and whoever helped him.

I think the Sox are playing with house money.  IMO there is no way Henry/Bloom had much interest in tying up money and multi-years on pitching this year.   The starters beyond Sale coming back and Houck were like a pig in a poke (not said condescendingly, the term really means a "roll of the dice").  When the Yanks, Padres, LA gobbled up most of the bullpen arms back in the Spring, the Sox dillydallied and ended up taking Ottavino and a gamble on Sawamura, that was there for the taking, after all the other Asian talent was gone.  On top of that they named Barnes their closer!  Besides some of these magical arms are overcooked this time of year, and aren't worth the millions, i.e. Kimbrell, Workman, Brad Hand, and have to include  Yankees' Cole       /cough!

[MongoLikeSox]

I think the Sox are playing with house money.  IMO there is no way Henry/Bloom had much interest in tying up money and multi-years on pitching this year.   The starters beyond Sale coming back and Houck were like a pig in a poke (not said condescendingly, the term really means a "roll of the dice").  When the Yanks, Padres, LA gobbled up most of the bullpen arms back in the Spring, the Sox dillydallied and ended up taking Ottavino and a gamble on Sawamura, that was there for the taking, after all the other Asian talent was gone.  On top of that they named Barnes their closer!  Besides some of these magical arms are overcooked this time of year, and aren't worth the millions, i.e. Kimbrell, Workman, Brad Hand, and have to include  Yankees' Cole       /cough!

Fred, you ain't just whistlin' Dixie. This was a re-tooling year gone astray. There's no more evidence needed that what you said, but you can add that roster construction as exhibit-B.   

[Sea Dog 23]

Interesting comments from Mets' Marcus Stroman about Houck,

Tanner Houck keeping Boston in it with that cross-firing, long-levered, wipeout slider and running fastball. He gets some of the wildest swings out of the zone on that slider against elite hitters. The changeup is great too. Going to be fun to watch for years!
8:43 PM · Oct 8, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

Cash also had some Houck accolades,  after 5 IP,  1 run, 2 hits.

"So, what happened to the strong Rays offense against Houck? Kevin Cash had a simple answer.

“What happened I think was Tanner Houck,” Cash told reporters after the game, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “He was really tough.”

[Bill-806]

Interesting comments from Mets' Marcus Stroman about Houck,

Tanner Houck keeping Boston in it with that cross-firing, long-levered, wipeout slider and running fastball. He gets some of the wildest swings out of the zone on that slider against elite hitters. The changeup is great too. Going to be fun to watch for years!
8:43 PM · Oct 8, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

Cash also had some Houck accolades,  after 5 IP,  1 run, 2 hits.

"So, what happened to the strong Rays offense against Houck? Kevin Cash had a simple answer.

“What happened I think was Tanner Houck,” Cash told reporters after the game, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “He was really tough.”

FUNNY THING ...........  THE SOX HAD HOUCK "DOWN ON THE FARM " FOR MOST OF THE SEASON , AS WAS DURAN !!!!   iono iono iono rofl rofl :l

[MongoLikeSox]

Yeah, they messed up that kid big time this Spring. He was slated for the rotation until he was the one they could option down and set aside for depth. I think him and Bazardo both injured themselves within about the same 2-week stretch.

How's this for 4 parts of a rotation: Eovaldi - Whitlock - Houck - Pivetta. Assuming Sale can come back to productive form....  I'm getting way ahead of myself.  Hopefully a few reins will be loosened.

[SeaBeachFred]

Finally!! Barnes can make any lead a nail biter.

There's your one win in TB, Fred.

Great comeback markj but I wonder if we wasted some of the runs we may need for Sunday and Monday at home.  No, we  can win tomorrow and we better so no to fall behind again. As  for meatball Barnes this had better be his last visit to the mound this season.

[SeaBeachFred]

Interesting comments from Mets' Marcus Stroman about Houck,

Tanner Houck keeping Boston in it with that cross-firing, long-levered, wipeout slider and running fastball. He gets some of the wildest swings out of the zone on that slider against elite hitters. The changeup is great too. Going to be fun to watch for years!
8:43 PM · Oct 8, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

Cash also had some Houck accolades,  after 5 IP,  1 run, 2 hits.

"So, what happened to the strong Rays offense against Houck? Kevin Cash had a simple answer.

“What happened I think was Tanner Houck,” Cash told reporters after the game, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “He was really tough.”

FUNNY THING ...........  THE SOX HAD HOUCK "DOWN ON THE FARM " FOR MOST OF THE SEASON , AS WAS DURAN !!!!   iono iono iono rofl rofl :l

Look Bill, Cora, no matter what anyone says, has his favorites and unfortunately he has shown he will play and pitch them over those he has less confidence in.  He has screwed wtih Houck all season riding him like an elevator up and down and up and down some more.  As for Duran, you can't impropve it you don't play and get a solid chance, which I hope he gets next season because he isn't going to get one now.  Houck saved our asses yesterday and he needs to be a big part of our effort going forward.

[Sea Dog 23]

Yeah, they messed up that kid big time this Spring. He was slated for the rotation until he was the one they could option down and set aside for depth. I think him and Bazardo both injured themselves within about the same 2-week stretch.

How's this for 4 parts of a rotation: Eovaldi - Whitlock - Houck - Pivetta. Assuming Sale can come back to productive form....  I'm getting way ahead of myself.  Hopefully a few reins will be loosened.

Mongo, there really are some lesser lights on this team that are in Cora's bag of tricks.  I just saw a stat overnight that really surprised,

Hansel Robles

Last 17 games

15.2 IP - 0.00 ERA - 0.70 WHIP
5 BB - 20 K

It is what it is!