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

[longgame]

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....

I hate that idea of the extra day off and especially hate the way they tend to give away a last game of a series when they've won the first 2 or 3.  It's like "we won the series so we don't have to try".  Then they lose which can start another losing streak. 

Still they almost won but Barnes was due for blowing one and Ohtani has been having a great year. 

Now let's hope we don't see the flip side of the resting strategy tonight when they play a division rival.

[SeaBeachFred]

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....

I hate that idea of the extra day off and especially hate the way they tend to give away a last game of a series when they've won the first 2 or 3.  It's like "we won the series so we don't have to try".  Then they lose which can start another losing streak. 

Still they almost won but Barnes was due for blowing one and Ohtani has been having a great year. 

Now let's hope we don't see the flip side of the resting strategy tonight when they play a division rival.

Right you are again Ted and I thought the same thing.  We seem to have that habit of failing to put the enemy away to sweep the series and then start a road trip looking like deadbeats.  We need to change that starting tonight and E-Rod needs to pitch a game worthy of an ace---which right now is as close to one as we have along with PIvetta and NE.  Toronto is a good team and they have been playing well lately but we cannot use that as an excuse since they are NOT playing in their regular home.  We should have  as good a chance as they do and now is no time for a meandering effort or a lack of fire.  The AL East is vey tight and a few bad moves on our part and we can go from first to fourth in two shakes of a monkey's hind legs. Toughness and resoluteness are needed badly on this road trip.