7:10PM Eastern
Red Sox
Michael Wacha (R)
1. Jarren Duran (L) CF
2. Rob Refsnyder (R) RF
3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF
6. Trevor Story (R) 2B
7. Christian Vazquez (R) C
8. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B
9. Jeter Downs (R) 3B
Tigers
Tarik Skubal (L)
1. Victor Reyes (S) RF
2. Riley Greene (L) CF
3. Javier Baez (R) SS
4. Miguel Cabrera (R) DH
5. Harold Castro (L) 3B
6. Robbie Grossman (S) LF
7. Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
8. Jonathan Schoop (R) 2B
9. Tucker Barnhart (S) C
Gametime Temp: 65°F
Chance of Precip: 0%
I just read on the Athletic that the original plan was to have Downs play 3b tonight. Instead, they're going to rest both Bogie and Devers and have Dalbec and Downs start. So the infield will be Dalbec, Downs, Story and Cordero.
Interestingly enough, Downs (supposedly) has not played a bit of third this year. What an awful way to get a debut that would have been, huh? Shheeeesssh. No problem! :) Glad that's not happening.
The one positive to seeing Dalbec at 3B is a chance to see that arm of his. Wild due to lack of reps, sure, but strong.
Speaking of strong arms, go find footage(MLB site) on that new kid playing SS for the Pirates. 6' 7" drink of water named Cruz. Dude's got a cannon and can hit liners like Jean Carlo Stanton.
Latest lineup still showing Downs at 3B and Bogey at SS. Maybe it hasn't caught up with the lineup website yet.
I'm certainly rooting for Duran to hold his own against the lefty tonight. Refsnyder right behind him. That was 2/3rds of a high energy top of the order lineup in Worcester. Add Downs to that turning the order over from the 9-hole and you've got a quick spark there if they can get on. I hope they do well.
Duran and Refsnyder showing the Sox how to score runs.
Duran with his first rbi(s) and Ref with his first homer. Those were firsts this year.
Decent offense so far. Sox up 6-2.
So, I guess it's my turn to eat some crow. I scoffed at the Wacha signing last Winter. Pfffffttt!!!! Shows you what I know.
It is fun to see this jolt of energy these fast kids bring.
And hey, I was decent at three positions. Maybe a stretch with MUCH younger legs in CF. But SS and 3B could not have been different for me. Only RF was worse for me than 3B. So Jeter Downs approach was to play 3B like he was playing SS. I've been chewing on that all night. How do you do that, right? Looks like it's working so far.
Vaz and Dalbec both go down looking. WTF? You have a 4 run lead in the bottom of the 8th. Take a chance and swing at those pitches.
Sweepage. Nice.
Sox have been playing .700 ball for 40 games now. Almost a quarter of the season. Such a shame they tanked the first 30 games. Tough stretch coming up, though. Hopefully they can keep on winning. If they carry this momentum into the ASB and Henry & Bloom do nothing to improve the chances for post-season play, fans will not be happy.
This roller coaster year by Story continues. Some of these plays he's making are sensational. Now he's getting some RF hits. How cool is that?
btw, I saw an article buried somewhere about JBJ being diagnosed with an astigmatism and new contacts has helped him improve his chase and swing & miss rates. He's turning over on the ball a lot less, too. I hope that continues. Having a defensive stud that can add something on offense is a good thing.
Duran chased one way out of the zone late in the game. I hope that is a one-off.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on June 22, 2022, 03:26:43 PM
I'm certainly rooting for Duran to hold his own against the lefty tonight. Refsnyder right behind him. That was 2/3rds of a high energy top of the order lineup in Worcester. Add Downs to that turning the order over from the 9-hole and you've got a quick spark there if they can get on. I hope they do well.
Downs struck out twice, but the third time around he made good contact on several pitches, then sending it to the warning track. Bogey seemed flummoxed all night. Mongo, as you pointed out, they had thought about resting him.
I played 3B and moved to 2B in high school but never was a SS. Different aspect of playing, especially back then. I, like JBJ, had to get glasses in high school too, and it helped my hitting quite a bit (but not enough!).
So Downs was up for three days, then optioned to Wooster. Coming off the IL for the Cleveland game is Arroyo. Kike' is still ailing, so it was Arroyo.
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 23, 2022, 03:17:22 PM
So Downs was up for three days, then optioned to Wooster. Coming off the IL for the Cleveland game is Arroyo. Kike' is still ailing, so it was Arroyo.
And Duran isn't Vaxxed so he can't go to Toronto after the Cleveland series.
Quote from: longgame on June 23, 2022, 04:30:47 PM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 23, 2022, 03:17:22 PM
So Downs was up for three days, then optioned to Wooster. Coming off the IL for the Cleveland game is Arroyo. Kike' is still ailing, so it was Arroyo.
And Duran isn't Vaxxed so he can't go to Toronto after the Cleveland series.
It's a one way door, too, according to what I read this morning. (I've not checked on it to see if it's true.) Supposedly, we can add someone not on the 40-man to the Roster to replace a COVID absence, but when the player is back, the replacement has to be DFA'd. So to replace Duran with a non 40-man roster guy might cost us a player we might oughta wanna otherwise keep. We already know we're thin. Could see Downs back up for 3 days so it doesn't come to that.
Quote from: longgame on June 23, 2022, 04:30:47 PM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 23, 2022, 03:17:22 PM
So Downs was up for three days, then optioned to Wooster. Coming off the IL for the Cleveland game is Arroyo. Kike' is still ailing, so it was Arroyo.
And Duran isn't Vaxxed so he can't go to Toronto after the Cleveland series.
That was very stupid of Duran not getting vaxed. Here we fans were clammoring for him to get a decent chance to show what he could do---and he has done it. Now he risks falling back because he can't go to Toronto. I just know Bloomer Boy and Cora are just itching to send him back to the minors "for more seasoning" so they can get their Kiki and or Jackie back in the lineup with their piss poor hitting. Still that sweep was good and it looks like we're playing good ball after a pathetic May. Now the tough part begins and we will see if we are that kind of a team that will rise to the occasion and play every team we go up against tough and determined to take them on.
Quote from: SeaBeachFred on June 23, 2022, 06:31:34 PM
Quote from: longgame on June 23, 2022, 04:30:47 PM
Quote from: Sea Dog 23 on June 23, 2022, 03:17:22 PM
So Downs was up for three days, then optioned to Wooster. Coming off the IL for the Cleveland game is Arroyo. Kike' is still ailing, so it was Arroyo.
And Duran isn't Vaxxed so he can't go to Toronto after the Cleveland series.
That was very stupid of Duran not getting vaxed. Here we fans were clammoring for him to get a decent chance to show what he could do---and he has done it. Now he risks falling back because he can't go to Toronto. I just know Bloomer Boy and Cora are just itching to send him back to the minors "for more seasoning" so they can get their Kiki and or Jackie back in the lineup with their piss poor hitting. Still that sweep was good and it looks like we're playing good ball after a pathetic May. Now the tough part begins and we will see if we are that kind of a team that will rise to the occasion and play every team we go up against tough and determined to take them on.
Man, I've been mostly avoiding that topic because of it's obvious political overtones. It stinks when baseball and politics overlap. It is what it is, I guess. I can only imagine how poorly some of their team mates think about the three Rookies not getting vaxed. These kids are not taking one for the teams as others already have done already. I hope things go well in Toronto. This could get ugly on and off the field.
it cost Houck his coveted starting job. It's only desperation that lands him in a Closer's role. Who knows what it will cost Duran. Crawford might already be paying the price with his current demotion, though he does need some more time down there, IMO.
Stupid mess. I hope we don't go into skidmark mode like we did as we got ready for the previous trip to Toronto.
This takes "Taking one for the team" to a whole new level. As much as I like these players if I were one of their team mates I would have a hard time accepting their decision unless they had a damn good reason for doing so.
I just don't get why a guy like Duran would risk his playing time and limit the ability of the club to use him. They go back there in the last week of the season too and will need to be at full strength.
I wonder whether these players refusal to get vaxxed would cause Bloom to dangle them as trade bait. If both Toronto and Boston make the playoffs and the possibility of a playoff series between the two teams looms large they become useless and an impediment. As much as I hate to say it I am in favor of trying to move these guys for quality vaccinated players in return.
No bad points in the bunch, but this one is especially interesting. Remember, too, that Story had to 'vax in order to sign that deal. I was a deal breaker for the Sox.
Quote from: elktonnick on June 24, 2022, 01:24:21 PM
I wonder whether these players refusal to get vaxxed would cause Bloom to dangle them as trade bait. If both Toronto and Boston make the playoffs and the possibility of a playoff series between the two teams looms large they become useless and an impediment. As much as I hate to say it I am in favor of trying to move these guys for quality vaccinated players in return.
Quote from: MongoLikeSox on June 24, 2022, 01:53:43 PM
No bad points in the bunch, but this one is especially interesting. Remember, too, that Story had to 'vax in order to sign that deal. I was a deal breaker for the Sox.
Quote from: elktonnick on June 24, 2022, 01:24:21 PM
I wonder whether these players refusal to get vaxxed would cause Bloom to dangle them as trade bait. If both Toronto and Boston make the playoffs and the possibility of a playoff series between the two teams looms large they become useless and an impediment. As much as I hate to say it I am in favor of trying to move these guys for quality vaccinated players in return.
Houck and Duran might have sealed their fate by not getting that shot. In my honest opinion neither has ever been a favorite of either Cora or Bloom and it gives them the reason they need to jerk them around some more. Then, again, it is their fault for not getting vaccinated. I just hope their loss in Toronto and maybe even more if they're sent down doesn't impact the team negatively because we will have to replace them with players who simply are not as good as they are despite their "veteran" status, and you know which position players and pitchers I'm talking about.