GAME #41 - SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2022 - SEATTLE MARINERS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[markj]

1:35PM

Red Sox

Nathan Eovaldi (R)

1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF
2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH
4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
5. Trevor Story (R) 2B
6. Franchy Cordero (L) LF
7. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B
8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) RF
9. Kevin Plawecki (R) C

Mariners

Logan Gilbert (R)

1. Adam Frazier (L) 2B
2. Ty France (R) 1B
3. J.P. Crawford (L) SS
4. Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
5. Jesse Winker (L) LF
6. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
7. Mike Ford (L) DH
8. Cal Raleigh (S) C
9. Taylor Trammell (L) RF

Gametime Temp: 86°F
Chance of Precip: 1%

[markj]

Eovaldi needs to atone for his last outing with a gem today.

[Sea Dog 23]

Sox get out to an early lead with runs in the 2nd and 3rd.  But Franchy leaves the bases juiced in the 3rd.  2-0 in the 4th.

[Sea Dog 23]

In the 6th Mariners tie it with a 2-run blast.  Story then follows with a solo shot.  3-2 Sox.

[Schloicka]

Odd game but I'll take it. 1st extra inning win off the year. On to Tuesday.

[Sea Dog 23]

Robles blows the save in the 9th.  Franchy left the bases loaded in the 3rd but hits a grand salami to win it.

[MongoLikeSox]

Well that was interesting. Glad we won one of these for a change. 

What an interesting bit of base running in the end.

[markj]

Sweepage is always good. I hope they can play like this against >500 teams.

[BoSoxFanNY]

Have to like how this team has been playing.
6 - 1 on this home stand.

Keep it going BoSox!

[SeaBeachFred]

Robles blows the save in the 9th.  Franchy left the bases loaded in the 3rd but hits a grand salami to win it.

Franchy did line out hard in the 3rd; he j ust didn't fine a hole in the infield so I didn't consider it a chock up.  In the end he hit a grand salami to win the game and sweep the series.  All good.  One wart, however, and that lies with the stubborn filthy rotten cheater (FRC) Cora.  Once again he put Robles in the game in the ninth inning with a one run lead, something I have railed against since the season got underway.  How many times to I have to say YOU DON'T PUT ROBLES IN THE GAME  WITH A ONE  RUN LEAD IN THE NINTH INNING???  He has failed every time and yet there is Cora still doing the same stupid thing trying to get a different result.  Use Robles as a set up man in the sixth-to-eighth innings and leave the hell out of the game in the ninth unless we have at least a two run lead.  BTW, it looks like Alex is growing his beard again.  Didn't he know that he looked like shit with it before.  Shave it off Cora before you look like a circus clown.

[SeaBeachFred]

Sweepage is always good. I hope they can play like this against >500 teams.

markj, we had been playing better since the beginning of this homestand but getting nowhere in the standings----until today when Tampa Bay, Toronto and New York all lost---the Yankees twice.  It was very nice to gain a little ground for a change and if we can keep winning we can start challenging for a playoff spot down the road.

[MongoLikeSox]

Fred, I agree with you on Robles. It's a process, not a 1-2 time tryout in the 5th or 6th inning and poof, you're a closer again. Same with Barnes. He owes a couple of personal favors from getting bailed out after being hit like HARD in the game before. Maybe some car washing and yard work at a minimum and leave it at that.

Simply put, when Robles has not been walking everyone, he's been giving up bombs and line drives. Slow-road him for a few weeks. Then give him the mid-game stopper assignment for a couple games. In the end, remember how we got him for a midling prospect in a pitcher-craving market. There's a reason that value was there.

I've liked the overall approach of the Red Sox play this season. Feebles seems less wind-millish, despite last night's Vazquez play, which was more on his route to home than anything, IMHO. Starters have been holding their own for the most part. Bad outings are going to happen. Last night may have been won by a Grand Slam, but it was only because others shortened their swings for the x-2 counts. They've been trying that all year a lot more than last year and it's starting to work. They'll try it some more, too, as it's proven effective.

Errors are down, overall misplays are down. They did right with Franchy this time around, so far, instead of throwing in the the deep end and watch him drown for 2 months. I was much more PO'd at management last year for HOW they did Franchy than I was at Franchy. Kudos to Franchy for having the fortitude to regroup and at least try down there instead of fizzle out like many have.

This team's record does not reflect their abilities with the exception of the Bull Pen. The weakest link theory is hard at work.

[longgame]

First of all, the mountains were much cooler!  I was actually cold at night in my tent.  Great hiking until the thunderstorms chased me off the mountaintops.

Enjoyed listening to the game by the fire on Friday night and after hiking Saturday afternoon.  The Sox seemed to have turned something of a corner.  The impact of Story coming alive cannot be understated.  He won't hit bombs every game, but just having him be  threat in the lineup makes a big difference.  Also nice to see production out of Franchy and Dalbec.  Franchy is a pretty impressive athlete and if he can put it all together may be a good bench player who can back up OF and 1B, assuming there's a better every day option at 1B. Dalbec should learn from the much more selective approach Franchy takes which has resulted in him getting good counts. 

As everyone else said though, this bullpen is frightening.  I don't get why they keep running Barnes and Robles out in high leverage situations.  I think Stram may be the best right now but he can be shaky, Schreiber has made us pay attention, but its still very hit or miss with this group.  Keep putting up runs and it won't matter as much, but will be important if they want to be competitive later.

If and when Paxton and Sale come back, does Sale go to the pen?  What about Houck or Whitlock?  Can someone tell me why we have a 46 year old pitcher that can only go 4 innings on a good day?

[SeaBeachFred]

Fred, I agree with you on Robles. It's a process, not a 1-2 time tryout in the 5th or 6th inning and poof, you're a closer again. Same with Barnes. He owes a couple of personal favors from getting bailed out after being hit like HARD in the game before. Maybe some car washing and yard work at a minimum and leave it at that.

Simply put, when Robles has not been walking everyone, he's been giving up bombs and line drives. Slow-road him for a few weeks. Then give him the mid-game stopper assignment for a couple games. In the end, remember how we got him for a midling prospect in a pitcher-craving market. There's a reason that value was there.

I've liked the overall approach of the Red Sox play this season. Feebles seems less wind-millish, despite last night's Vazquez play, which was more on his route to home than anything, IMHO. Starters have been holding their own for the most part. Bad outings are going to happen. Last night may have been won by a Grand Slam, but it was only because others shortened their swings for the x-2 counts. They've been trying that all year a lot more than last year and it's starting to work. They'll try it some more, too, as it's proven effective.

Errors are down, overall misplays are down. They did right with Franchy this time around, so far, instead of throwing in the the deep end and watch him drown for 2 months. I was much more PO'd at management last year for HOW they did Franchy than I was at Franchy. Kudos to Franchy for having the fortitude to regroup and at least try down there instead of fizzle out like many have.

This team's record does not reflect their abilities with the exception of the Bull Pen. The weakest link theory is hard at work.

As for Robles, I think Cora just likes the guy and I know he has his favorites.  That I am cocked sure of.  Perhaps he is a fellow Puerto Rican, or he reminds Alex of a former pitching teammate, or he just thinks the guy can do the job.  The last point is pointless Mongo because he simply cannot do the job in the ninth inning with a one run lead, and how many times have you heard from me all season?  You would think the manager would have learned by now-----and as far as Barnes is concerned I have just about lost all confidence in him and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he has lost it in himself. I sure like the rest of your missive because you showed good insight and got me to thinking about those things.  Yes, I still like to learn things about how baseball is played and run even though I was a coach for over 30 years.  You can learn something every day.  Kudos to you for you take on things.

[SeaBeachFred]

First of all, the mountains were much cooler!  I was actually cold at night in my tent.  Great hiking until the thunderstorms chased me off the mountaintops.

Enjoyed listening to the game by the fire on Friday night and after hiking Saturday afternoon.  The Sox seemed to have turned something of a corner.  The impact of Story coming alive cannot be understated.  He won't hit bombs every game, but just having him be  threat in the lineup makes a big difference.  Also nice to see production out of Franchy and Dalbec.  Franchy is a pretty impressive athlete and if he can put it all together may be a good bench player who can back up OF and 1B, assuming there's a better every day option at 1B. Dalbec should learn from the much more selective approach Franchy takes which has resulted in him getting good counts. 

As everyone else said though, this bullpen is frightening.  I don't get why they keep running Barnes and Robles out in high leverage situations.  I think Stram may be the best right now but he can be shaky, Schreiber has made us pay attention, but its still very hit or miss with this group.  Keep putting up runs and it won't matter as much, but will be important if they want to be competitive later.

If and when Paxton and Sale come back, does Sale go to the pen?  What about Houck or Whitlock?  Can someone tell me why we have a 46 year old pitcher that can only go 4 innings on a good day?

A 46 year old pitcher going only four innings?  Why you ask?  Not sure but here's a guess.  Hill had some injuries  the past season and perhaps they are waiting for him to be fully healed and in tip top shape and then stretch him out for six innings or so.  That's as far as my brain takes me on that.  As for Barnes and Robles, who the hell knows what goes on his Cora's head.  Perhaps he thinks suddenly like magic Matt will return to the form of early and mid 2021 when he was really on his game.  As for Robles, all I can say on that is what I surmised in my missive to Mongo.  Perhaps Cora sees something special in the guy that none of the rest of us sees, or perhaps he is a favorite of the skipper and he is determined to give him as many chances to prove himself right since he is also known to be a pretty stubborn person.  After that, your guess is every bit as good as mine.  As a side light, that was the way to enjoy the day hiking and listening to the game.  Did you do this Saturday as well?  Well at least you got two wins for your troubles.  Good show my friend.