GAME #160 - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2021 - BOSTON RED SOX @ WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Started by markj, October 01, 2021, 11:51:42 AM

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longgame

If the Sox win today and tomorrow they're in.  It's as simple as that.  With two wins and a Yankee loss they can be the home team.  If not, then it's a mess.

Yesterday's game was a typical Sox game - they go up against a team of rookie pitchers and no name players and can scratch out a few runs while never really being in command on the pitching side.  Clearly Barnes is not ready for prime time.  Darwinzon doesn't belong in the majors, he's just plain bad.

I don't know what the heck is going on with the Sox but for the past few days I've been watching them on MASN and their announcers are surprised themselves when they pull up numbers on guys like Bogaerts who hasn't had an extra base hit in a while, or when Raffy pops up and slams his bat after every at bat with men on base, etc.  They have a lineup that has great stats - everyone on this team has a good slash line - but none of them seem to be able to produce.  Errors, fielding or running, by the other team, usually contribute to the wins.

The bullpen is scary.  Who is reliable?  I'll always remember 2004 because for the first time ever watching the Sox they would win pretty much every time they had a lead.  Now it's 50/50.  Ottavino is clearly worn out.  Robles is a head case and can go cold in a heartbeat.  Houck is afraid to throw strikes.  Brasier had a decent outing but I never feel comfortable with him on the mound.  Taylor and Whitlock are probably the two best relievers and both are out.

So here we are - a team that had a commanding lead in first place is struggling to hang on and seems to blow every chance they have to move ahead.  They have half the team who got a two week rest in August but still somehow can't seem to show any energy when it's game time.  They have 5 outfielders, one actual 1B who they have to move around to make room for one of the outfielders.  The best 2B they have can't play past a tiebreaker game.  They don't have starters that can go more than 5 innings, and in fact usually fall apart in the fourth.

Go Sox!  ;D :o