GAME #126 - MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2021 - TEXAS RANGERS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[Bill-806]

Can't say that I didn't see it coming !!!  in the 7th it was nerve wracking with a 3 - 1 lead ............  Loved how Shaw just met the ball & took it out as all of the other SOX try & KILL on every pitch !!!  BARNES is done , moveon.GRASSHOPPER !!! thumb_u iono rofl rofl rofl rofl

[SeaBeachFred]

Saw that about Arroyo and also saw Schwarber would start a game at 1B this week.  Not sure what the plan is for Arroyo but 1B seems to still be an issue to me.

Well I'm sure what the plan SHOULD  be for Arroyo.  Cora should put him on second second and s top screwing around with the guy and let him play, play and play.  Make Kiki the general utility man spelling one guy in the lineup every day or every other day.  My memory is not stale; I saw how Arroyo would have a good game or two and then a bad one and Cora would immediately bench him for his pet Gonzales.  It happened over and over again.   Either Bllom or Prune Face has to tell Cora that this kind of favoritism shit has got to stop.  and  if that filthy rotten cheater is not going to play Duran send him down where he can get regular playing time..  As for Schwrber he has GOT to hit a ton because his entry into the lineup has created a clog in the starting positions and right now Duran is getting @#$%&?.

[elktonnick]

Ok hooray they won!  But they looked terrible against a team barely better than the Orioles.  Bogaerts and Dalbec looked awful on defense.  This team escaped today but the fundamental funk of their overall play persists.  One can only hope this win will shake them out of their morass.  They need to start playing smart baseball, something they have not done in almost two months.

[Sea Dog 23]

There’s not too many good takeaways from this one. But with all the flailing away by Sox batters this series, Shaw had a great at bat.  I think he did not swing at balls, only strikes, and he then got a hitters pitch.

[SeaBeachFred]

Another great performance by Barnes!   I hope this ends once and for all Barnes as closer.

Just ask markj about my animus towards Barnes going back years so don't think I'm making excuses for him, but let me ask you a question Elk.  When you coached did you let your reliever go over a week without getting in some game work when you had scheduled games?  I mean Barnes hadn't thrown an inning in what, four or five game.  He wasn't sharp today and once again he had to throw his @#$%&"? hanging curve instead of pounding the strike zone and helped grease his skids.  Cora is not only a RFC but has little conception of how to run a bullpen.  It is amazing that they have survived this long.  And where is that pitching coach Bush?  Has he forgotten his his edict---POUND THE STRIKE ZONE, DON'T NIBBLE, GET AHEAD OFD THE BATTERS, DON'T BE AFRAID TO PITCH OUT THERE.---TtHESE ARE THINGS THE RELIEVERS AND STARTERS ARE DOING AGAIN OVER AND OVER.

[elktonnick]

I can point to many instances during today's game of mental lapses that either had of could have had negative consequences.  I remain particularly troubled by pitch sequencing by Red Sox hurlers.  I am beginning to become convinced that Vazquez calls a shitty game because it did not seem to be an issue when Plewacki was catching.

One particular play by Bogaerts during his at bat in the 10 th inning really bothered me.  Arroyo was on third.  While he hit a grounder to short ( admittedly I did not particular like his swing at that pitch) but after he hit the ball he threw the bat and it landed across the third base line.  I thought it impeded Arroyo's  run home.  This is an example of a lack of attention to detail that this team exhibits.  Well coached and disciplined teams do not make these types of mistakes in clutch situations. I was surprised the Eckersley never commented on it.

It may or may not have affected the play at the plate but it certainly did not help Arroyo.

[SeaBeachFred]

He should have let EovaldI try to complete the game.  He had only thrown 80+ pitches.  He was dominating the Rangers and showed no signs of tiring.

Do you think Bloom is dictating some policy with his analytics?  Nathan looked to be in complete control and it would have been a great shot in the arm to finally see one of our pitchers go the distance.  Something just doesn't seem to be jiving between Cora and Bloom and for that I think one of them has to go after the season.  Right now my pick is Cora for obvious reason.

[elktonnick]

Another great performance by Barnes!   I hope this ends once and for all Barnes as closer.

Just ask markj about my animus towards Barnes going back years so don't think I'm making excuses for him, but let me ask you a question Elk.  When you coached did you let your reliever go over a week without getting in some game work when you had scheduled games?  I mean Barnes hadn't thrown an inning in what, four or five game.  He wasn't sharp today and once again he had to throw his @#$%&"? hanging curve instead of pounding the strike zone and helped grease his skids.  Cora is not only a RFC but has little conception of how to run a bullpen.  It is amazing that they have survived this long.  And where is that pitching coach Bush?  Has he forgotten his his edict---POUND THE STRIKE ZONE, DON'T NIBBLE, GET AHEAD OFD THE BATTERS, DON'T BE AFRAID TO PITCH OUT THERE.---TtHESE ARE THINGS THE RELIEVERS AND STARTERS ARE DOING AGAIN OVER AND OVER.

Fred nothing about this team right now indicates that it is well coached or managed.  Something.is going on in that clubhouse that is not being reported.

[MongoLikeSox]

One thing I worry about in a Red Sox reality without Cora is that there is no obvious checks and balances. If Bloom picks his guy, would Blooms lack of baseball sense go unchecked?

I think, deep down, we all knew this was happening with Barnes at some point this season. He made the all-star team, signed an extension that weekend and his game went to crap. Was he gearing up for a walk year? Was that the motivation that fueled a mindset?  As far as Cora using him when he had not pitched for almost a week, Barnes NEEDED that week. That said, maybe not the best choice for a "welcome back" outing.

How can you not be happy for Shaw? Gotta like it. I thought this moment might happen in Yankee Stadium when we had them loaded on the double header G1. Still, I'll take it. Maybe that become one of those moments the team needs to gt their head out of butts.

[MongoLikeSox]

I can point to many instances during today's game of mental lapses that either had of could have had negative consequences.  I remain particularly troubled by pitch sequencing by Red Sox hurlers.  I am beginning to become convinced that Vazquez calls a shitty game because it did not seem to be an issue when Plewacki was catching.

One particular play by Bogaerts during his at bat in the 10 th inning really bothered me.  Arroyo was on third.  While he hit a grounder to short ( admittedly I did not particular like his swing at that pitch) but after he hit the ball he threw the bat and it landed across the third base line.  I thought it impeded Arroyo's  run home.  This is an example of a lack of attention to detail that this team exhibits.  Well coached and disciplined teams do not make these types of mistakes in clutch situations. I was surprised the Eckersley never commented on it.

It may or may not have affected the play at the plate but it certainly did not help Arroyo.

I have wondered about the same thing with Vasquez's game calling. I really know little about that aspect of the game.

You're talking about that safety squeeze play. I've not seen the play since right after it happened. Someone was out of position, but it's really understandable. We went from a safety squeeze defensive rotation to a rundown 3rd/Home defensive "rotation". If the runner on 2nd does his job, he waltzes into 3rd as the catcher is chasing the lead runner back to 3rd. That would also give the tail runner a free pass to 2b. The middle runner, instead, camped out at 2b. The tail runner wrongly assumed without looking that the runner on 2b had gone to 3rd. He got most of the way to 2b before figuring out he had no place to go but back to 1B.

That's where it gets interesting as everyone else had rotated into the 3B to Home run down. As a result of safety squeeze and subsequent run down, is there any version that says the 1B should have been on 1B holding the runner at that point, or should he have been standing on Home Plate in case the rundown came back down the line? Assuming the SS rotates into 3b for the possible next leg of a rundown, that leaves a pitcher trying to slot in somewhere and the 2b as the two remaining defenders. Kudos to Schwarber, btw. Most OF'er buy a ticket for the game at that point.

Fred coached(IIRC). Maybe he'll remember.

That mess was hard to even type. LOL

[elktonnick]

Dalbec, the pitcher and the catcher were all together.  Once the play unfolded Dalbec did not return to first until after Devers broke for 1st.  Dalbec was late getting back to first.  He was too busy watching the play go down.  He only realized he had to go back toward 1st when he saw Devers break in that direction.  I did not see what the right fielder was doing which is a whole other question.
I suspect that play along with hi earlier error were the reasons Cora substituted Shaw for Dalbec, his only smart move in the entire game.

Once again this little episode to me represents a team whose collective brains are not into the game. They are playing stupid baseball even when they win.

[longgame]

What's interesting is they didn't play this badly until they made no moves at the trade deadline.  This is a crisis of confidence.

On Eovaldi - some of you guys must not have been watching baseball the past few years or Eovaldi ever.  He was past his normal performance range.  I would have sent him out for another inning but be wasn't going nine.

On Barnes - if you recall when there was talk about the Sox getting Kimbrel he was quick to say he'd give up the closer role.  No other closer in MLB would say that.  He checked out and now he became old Meatball Matt, but even worse.  He doesn't have the mental toughness to pitch the 9th.

That play with Bogey where Arroyo didn't score.  Not sure Arroyo should have gone but was thinking the same thing about the bat.  He was probably trying to overcompensate for dropping the ball which would have eliminated one of the runners who scored.  Arroyo reminds me of Jed Lowrie - good ballplayer that couldn't stay on the field with us and then tried too hard once he got there. If he knew he had a regular spot he'd be much more relaxed I would think.

Vazquez - I've never liked the way he calls games.  When Ottavino can't throw anything for a strike, no more sliders. If he insists go out there and talk to him.  He also does a very poor job of framing pitches. He moves his glove so much that some strikes are called balls. 

I can take issue with a number of Cora's calls, but for the most part he'd dealing the cards he got and reports are he has been fighting with Bloom on some of the stat driven stuff.  But the fact remains that this team was in 1st place with a good postseason in sight and the GM basically told the guys that he wasn't investing in them because they were going to win in 2 years.  That sends a message - we don't care about this group and we know so little about baseball and pro sports in general that we can't see an opportunity when it's in our face. 

Bloom certainly survives this unless something comes up, but I'd think he's on the clock.

[Sea Dog 23]

Bloom’s innuendo message at the deadline was also for quite a few players on 1-year contracts.  The message â€"“ thanks for all the good times in Boston, but you are not playoff material, and you are not in our future plans, see ya.”  If you’re a pro player, that’s a pretty clear message.

[longgame]

Bloom’s innuendo message at the deadline was also for quite a few players on 1-year contracts.  The message â€"“ thanks for all the good times in Boston, but you are not playoff material, and you are not in our future plans, see ya.”  If you’re a pro player, that’s a pretty clear message.

Exactly.  I see some people on social media saying "well they're pros, blah, blah, blah".  They may be pros, but they are also young guys who don't the front office telling them they aren't worth it. 

I've been trying to figure out if Bloom ever played any sports at any level whatsoever, because he really doesn't seem to have much of a clue and that appears to be where he and Cora clash.

[SeaBeachFred]

Great posts today guys.....I read and learned a lot from what was posted but as usual I knew first hand  that my colleagues on this board know what's what.  On that rundown post, the key is to keep the pitcher  out of the rundown and to          have home plate protected at all costs if the rundown hits a snag.  When a rundown is run right     it should take one throw, two at the most to u pend the runner in question but I can see where you guys may be coming from.  Our defensive lapses this year have been miserable even when we were going good.  To look ahead, we have to    wonder if that granny  yesterday might have given us a new life and shot in the arm or was just another isolated highlight of a team that has  quit on themselves, their manager and the front office.  We'll see in the next few games just what is going to happen to us.