GAME #104 - MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2022 - BOSTON RED SOX @ HOUSTON ASTROS

[MongoLikeSox]

Congratulations, Fred! 52 years - veddy nice, ah! Veddy nice.  thumb_u

[MongoLikeSox]

Houck gets robbed of a game ending strike.

I was thinking, earlier in the game, that this had been one of Angel Hernandez's better games behind the plate. The very next pitch was a gift to our pitcher - about 3 ball widths off the plate for a strike. The exasperation with him is you just never know when he's gonna really screw up a call, and how bad that call is.

[MongoLikeSox]

I was just looking them up too Mongo.  Valdez was their 29th prospect and appears to have some pretty good upside.   but Abreu is a dump from them. That’s a crazy stat on the walks though. 

I wonder if they think that Hernandez isn’t coming back this year and need to at least have a professional in the OF?

I looked a little more this morning. Abreu had 12 OF Assists last year in A+ and 5 so far this year in AA. He does have 15 HRs, but combined that with 106 Ks in 411 PA or 329 AB. This is year #2 of that approach, it looks like. And 21 SB with one caught steeling? It's an unusual stat sheet. Oh, and he did a Duran style change, except that he had no good batting average prior to doing it. Duran was a 300+ BA guy before turning his swing into a power swing. Abreau was a 250's hitter with far fewer walks and K's. His OPS went from the 600's to the high 800's. He also hit more RBI in 2021 than he had in his 4 previous seasons combined.

Him in a corner spot with Rafaela in CF will give Portland a fun OF to watch. The guy playing RF right now for Portland has one heck of an arm, too. 

[Sea Dog 23]

The book on new guy Valdez is a plus bat, MLB potential, but he has no "defensive home". Dont know if that means he's a disaster in the field,or Astros don't know the fit, lately played 2B and 3B.  He was rated by BA as Houston's #12 in addition to the #29 ranking.  Smallishbplayer, Abreu is a big guy at 6'1. I watch too much football size and weights!

[MongoLikeSox]

The book on new guy Valdez is a plus bat, MLB potential, but he has no "defensive home". Dont know if that means he's a disaster in the field,or Astros don't know the fit, lately played 2B and 3B.  He was rated by BA as Houston's #12 in addition to the #29 ranking.  Smallishbplayer, Abreu is a big guy at 6'1. I watch too much football size and weights!

I was wondering about that #29 rating enough to go look and see what Houston had above if. I looked at 1/2 dozen or so and came away from it wondering the same thing. I can see BA's #12 ranking.

[longgame]

On Vazquez, apparently he had some comments about Bloom and just like that he was gone.  Let's see who the Sox decide is a better catcher next year. 

On the other hand, the Sox win so let's blame their woes on Vaz - undefeated in August!

[SeaBeachFred]

On Vazquez, apparently he had some comments about Bloom and just like that he was gone.  Let's see who the Sox decide is a better catcher next year. 

On the other hand, the Sox win so let's blame their woes on Vaz - undefeated in August!

Glad to see JD and Nathan still will us.  Eovaldi pitched a solid game last night and should have had a six inning shutout save for the two errors. JD has been a stalwart for us for four plus years and I would love to see him finish his career in Boston, though that might be a reach knowing Bloomer Boy and Henry's stinginess in spending money on quality players, the cheap bastard.

[MongoLikeSox]

Indeed!  I'd say JD's been one of their better FA signings we've had in the past 10-15 years. I've always enjoyed how complete of a hitter he's been. Fenway's probably cost him 5 homers a year, but that's a small price to pay. Eovaldi's been a bag of injuries, but has been easy to root for. He's also not been our most injured pitcher. I was glad to see him get that 4-year deal.