GAME #42 - SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2021 - LOS ANGELES ANGELS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[markj]

1:10PM Eastern

Red Sox

Nathan Eovaldi (R)

1. Michael Chavis (R) 2B
2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
3. J.D. Martinez (R) LF
4. Xander Bogaerts (R) DH
5. Hunter Renfroe (R) CF
6. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B
7. Marwin Gonzalez (S) RF
8. Kevin Plawecki (R) C
9. Jonathan Arauz (S) SS

Angels

Jose Quintana (L)

1. Jose Rojas (L) 2B
2. Mike Trout (R) CF
3. Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
4. Anthony Rendon (R) 3B
5. Jared Walsh (L) 1B
6. Taylor Ward (R) RF
7. Jose Iglesias (R) SS
8. Phil Gosselin (R) LF
9. Drew Butera (R) C

Gametime Temp: 75°F
Chance of Precip: 3%

[MongoLikeSox]

Maybe Eovaldi needs to throw at the bull.

[markj]

Rough inning for Eovaldi. Sox down 4-0.

[BoSoxFanNY]

THIS was the one game that I thought we had the strongest pitcher . . .
Eovaldi gives up 4 runs in the second inning

Angels 4 - Sox 0
THAT is more runs than in the last 2 games.
YIKES.

[Sea Dog 23]

There must be some bad karma in Fenway today.  Maybe sitting hitters in the platoon, Nathan has been bounced around and Quitana has been a total mystery for Sox.

[MongoLikeSox]

I think Chavis just earned himself a trip back down, sad to say.

and Devers' at bat was even more ridiculous. Down on a knee in that situation. That's selfish swinging.

[MongoLikeSox]

I did not know JD had that sort of distance. Nice! More impressive was the catch in RF. How many day games have we seen that hit result in worse?

I'm SOOOO glad they didn't throw Chavis a high ball again, and yay Devers!

5-4

[Murph]

Barnes proves he is human .Ohtani takes him deep in 9th. 6-5 LA

[markj]

Barnes blows the save and the Sox K out in the 9th, despite being given two walks. Pretty sad.

[BoSoxFanNY]

Sox lose 6 - 5.
Barnes blows the save.

At least the Orioles beat the Yankees 10 - 6.

CRAZY how Perez pitched a better game than Eovaldi.

Oh well . . .

Off day tomorrow.

[MongoLikeSox]

Easier to handle getting beat by their best than the bottom, but those last couple of ABs were brutal.

[SeaBeachFred]

Sorry guys but I'm thinking all of you missed the most crucial reason we might have lost that game today.  In the ninth inning leading 5-4 with our best relief pitcher in there it would seem obvious that we have our best defense in there as well.  Well we didn't.  Marwin Gonzales is no RF and is consistent in that he plays many positions very mediocre.  Renfroe, a natural RF should have been out there.  Renfroe have been there.  In center we should have had Alex Verdugo, raised as a natural CF and either put Gonzales at second or someone else there instead of Chavis.  We didn't and a ball that could have been caught with with two out wasn't and then Barnes got toasted by Otani w hen he should have never been in that position in the first place.  No, Cora was asleep at the wheel and he must  bear responsibility for what happened.   That ball could have been caught had we had our best defense in those positions.  Cora blew it.

[Sea Dog 23]

I read an opinion after the game that we may be over using Barnes.  He pitched in 2 innings again today.  By one estimate he is on track for 80 IP, which could be unsustainable if the Sox get into a close penant race.  On to Toronto who had a big series with the Phils.  These games will tell a lot about what drive our club really has.

[MongoLikeSox]

It's been 3 years since Cora's unwavering conviction to the scheduled day off thing looked to be part of his genius. It's plays like this one, though, that appear to backfire against that strategy. I do understand both sides of that argument. Then there's the big question of catch probability even with the perfect outfield as we can do right now. This was late-game double avoidance. 

All that said, if he's so convicted to that strategy, why did Vasquez replace Plawecki? Did Plawecki get hurt? He's not a bad catcher.

On Barnes and Ottavino and the question of over-use brought up by Sea Dog 23: Yeah, both are sitting at 19 games 25% of the way in and neither are spring-chickens. Anyways, Adam looked like earlier in the season Adam, and Barnes didn't have that same hop in his delivery. 

Where is Sawamura? hurting? 5-6 days since game action. Perhaps if he knew one of his big guns was tired....

[MongoLikeSox]

Shohei Ohtani hit a 3-run home off of a 94mph fastball waste pitch 3-4 inches above the strike zone last night. Nuttin you can do but throw and hope he misses, which is almost what happened with Barnes the other day.

Some stats fun. MLB starters eligible for the ERA crown: 2019 had 9 pitchers with ERA under 3.00. We've got 25 so far this year. I know it's early and that number may not last, but it's still impressive.