GAME #135 - WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 - BOSTON RED SOX @ TAMPA BAY RAYS

[markj]

7:10PM Eastern

Red Sox

Chris Sale (L)

1. Kyle Schwarber (L) 1B
2. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
3. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
4. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF
6. Christian Vazquez (R) C
7. Jarren Duran (L) CF
8. Jack Lopez (R) 2B
9. Jonathan Arauz (S) SS

Rays

Drew Rasmussen (R)

1. Randy Arozarena (R) RF
2. Nelson Cruz (R) DH
3. Wander Franco (S) SS
4. Yandy Diaz (R) 1B
5. Manuel Margot (R) CF
6. Mike Zunino (R) C
7. Jordan Luplow (R) LF
8. Joey Wendle (L) 3B
9. Taylor Walls (S) 2B

Gametime Temp: 96°F
Chance of Precip: 1%

[longgame]

It's hard to believe what has happened to this team since being one of the best teams ever in 2018 to playing this badly now.

[Sea Dog 23]

In almost 70 years of following baseball, I don't think I've seen anything quite like this for a major market team.  Maybe I'll explain it away as the 21 Sox playing way over their heads for a couple months.  Some crazy stuff.

[longgame]

Bloom is speaking to the media at 4PM.  If he's speaking about Covid, it can't be good.

[Sea Dog 23]

Bloom is speaking to the media at 4PM.  If he's speaking about Covid, it can't be good.

One other thing he could speak about would be the firing of Cora (for something that's been brewing), I really doubt it happens in Sept., or announcing his own retirement.  That's just idle talk on my part, but something like more a severe spread of covid would be a major body blow.  The timing so close to gametime is really unusual timing.

[longgame]

Cora is scheduled to speak at 4:30.  I'm guessing its Covid related but if Bloom is speaking it must be serious.  I don't see why Tampa Bay would want to be on the field with these guys and have them in their facility.

[Bill-806]

Cora is scheduled to speak at 4:30.  I'm guessing its Covid related but if Bloom is speaking it must be serious.  I don't see why Tampa Bay would want to be on the field with these guys and have them in their facility.

WOW , Crazy times at Ridgemont High ????? iono iono

[Sea Dog 23]

News that Yairo Munoz is now on the covid IL.  I guess they now have Arauz and Santana to play infield, maybe Connor Wong in a stretch, but I doubt they can continue this series with the new numbers. 

[Sea Dog 23]

On the NESN site, they had this headline at 4:30PM.  It looks like a go for tonight.

Chaim Bloom Expects Red Sox To Continue Series Despite COVID-19 Outbreak

Cora talked to reporters this afternoon and challenged the news that only 85% of players are vaxxed.  Also ...

"The Red Sox are in the midst of a COVID outbreak and being lambasted for being one of six MLB teams below the 85% vaccination threshold.

"Alex Cora is pushing back against that commentary.

"In his weekly interview Wednesday with Merloni & Fauria, the Red Sox’s skipper said he doesn’t think some of his players are receiving their comeuppance for being unvaccinated. “I deserved to be suspended, because I broke the rules,” Cora said. “I don’t deserve for my players to get COVID. I’ll leave it at that.”

"In particular, Alex Cora responded to Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy, who called the Red Sox a “dumpster fire."

“There’s more to this,” Cora said. “Without getting into details of our situation, I don’t think what he’s saying is correct, in a sense. The 85%, there’s less testing, a lot of things you van do as a group because you’re there. But I don’t think it’s one of the reasons we’re getting COVID. It’s happening all over the world.”

"Even with all their absences, the Red Sox are still slated to take the field Wednesday for an important matchup against the Rays. Earlier in the season, MLB postponed games when teams were experiencing COVID outbreaks. The same gesture hasn’t been extended to the Red Sox.

"Cora says they’re just trying to fight through it.

“We can do everything possible: keep the distance, wear the masks, eat by yourself. Wear masks in the dugout, and all that,” he said. “But tomorrow, we hop on a plane again, and we’re going to Boston, we’re going to our families. It’s one of those that you start wondering what can happen. How’s it going to work this weekend when we get home? It’s frustrating â€" like I’ve been saying.”

[Sea Dog 23]

These were Bloom's comments (from Alex Speier)

@alexspeier
Chaim Bloom on ongoing COVID outbreak: ‘It’s gut-wrenching.’
Bloom on why the outbreak has occurred: ‘I wish we knew exactly why this happened and why it happened when it happened.’
Bloom on connection of vaccination rate to outbreak: ‘every person that isn’t vaccinated in this organization, it pains me. … In this specific situation, we have a lot of breakthrough infections. There’s no way to know’ if outbreak would have been different with higher vax rate
Bloom says ‘majority’ of positive infections have been breakthrough positives.
Bloom says levels of symptoms have varied. Sox optimistic that no one will have long-term symptoms.
Bloom says vaccination status ‘will have to be a conversation in the industry’ regarding player personnel decisions.
Bloom says he believes Red Sox ‘moved the needle’ in terms of vaccinations among team personnel through education earlier this year. He’s been asking himself whether the org could have done more.

[markj]

Jack Lopez? I don't know Jack.  ;)

[longgame]

Jack Lopez? I don't know Jack.  ;)

Lol.  Career minor leaguer. Never heard of him.  That’s what we’re down to.

[longgame]

¨Kiss of Death¨Obrien commenting on Raffy not having COVID.  Let’s see if the poor kid makes it through the game.

[markj]

Schwarber muffs a play that should have been an out. Maybe still a bit rusty.

[markj]

GIDP gets them out of it.