GAME #138 - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 - BOSTON RED SOX @ TAMPA BAY RAYS

[markj]

4:10PM Eastern

Red Sox

Brayan Bello (R)

Wilyer Abreu (L) CF
Rafael Devers (L) 3B
Justin Turner (R) DH
Triston Casas (L) 1B
Adam Duvall (R) RF
Masataka Yoshida (L) LF
Trevor Story (R) SS
Reese McGuire (L) C
Luis Urias (R) 2B

Rays

Aaron Civale (R)

Josh Lowe (L) RF
Luke Raley (L) CF
Randy Arozarena (R) LF
Brandon Lowe (L) 2B
Harold Ramirez (R) DH
Jonathan Aranda (L) 1B
Osleivis Basabe (R) 3B
Vidal Brujan (S) SS
Christian Bethancourt (R) C

Gametime Temp: 91F
Chance of Precip: 0%

[Sea Dog 23]

Tough series coming, especially after watching the Yanks sweep the Astros.  Houston must have blown all their pitching against us.  At least we have Bello out there, who may be our only dependable guy right now, if you have to actually think about a dependable pitcher.

[MongoLikeSox]

Yanks' pitching only gave up 7 runs in 3 games. The Yanks are on a youth movement. 6 guys 24 or younger started the last two games. Three we've seen, three we've not seen. Not great starts for the lot of them, but the one 20 year old kid hit a couple of dingers over the weekend that has them all excited. Watching what the Cashman and the Yankees do this off season and into next year is going to be interesting.

I'm kind of curious to see the OF lineup with the Verdugo Hammy thing and their management of Yoshida's PT.

[SeaBeachFred]

Yanks' pitching only gave up 7 runs in 3 games. The Yanks are on a youth movement. 6 guys 24 or younger started the last two games. Three we've seen, three we've not seen. Not great starts for the lot of them, but the one 20 year old kid hit a couple of dingers over the weekend that has them all excited. Watching what the Cashman and the Yankees do this off season and into next year is going to be interesting.

I'm kind of curious to see the OF lineup with the Verdugo Hammy thing and their management of Yoshida's PT.

I also see Rafaela being jerked around after all this fanfare about his being promoted to the Red Sox.  If he is a genuine Red Sox prospect why is he just being inserted as a fill in late in the game. Play the kid Cora and stop trying to save your rotten job by trying to overcome your shoddy training methods, playing your favorites and watching your team make a plethora of fundamental mistakes game after game until two days ago.  The Red Sox HAVE NO CHANCE TO GET TO THE PLAYOFFS SO WHY NOT START THE 2024 CAMPAIGN NOW BY SHOWCASING OUR NEAR READY PROSPECTS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE THE STUFF TO BECOME MORE THAN JUST FILL IN OR ANOTHER BATCH OF FAILURES. Cut  this crap and start rebuilding for 2024. 

BTW, Bello did a helluva job after that rough first inning and helped us win a game that was good for our spirit, such as it is.  It also looks like Casas is finally getting full time work and not being a jerk around player anymore.   Leave him alone Alex and Bloomer Boy and let him keep developing.

[MongoLikeSox]

Story needs to play again today just by virtue of his late 2B yesterday. Build off that positive AB and the approach he had quickly. He saw the ball and waited on it through the plate and rifled it to RF. Story getting hot would be huge and that's how slumps end.

Fred, I agree with you about the Rafaela situation. I do understand leaving Duvall in, as hot as he is. He's better off in a corner OF spot, anyhow. We need Verdugo to finish well to up his trade value. Here I am dreaming again that Bloom will trade an asset for something positive. Pffftttttt!!!  Frankly, I'd rather have Rafaela swinging every day down in Worcester until we need or at least willing to play him.

All that said, an odd thing happened this past weekend. We jumped 3 games in the Wildcard Standings and are back in that race at 4-1/2 games back. We're 4 behind Toronto, 4-1/2 behind Texas, 5-1/2 behind Houston and 5-1/2 behind Seattle. We're battling The Blue Jays and 2 of the 3 AL West teams for 2 Wild Card spots.

Going forward:

• We face the Rays this week and then Baltimore twice(2 series), NYY for 4, Rays for 2 more and Toronto and the White Sox for 3 games each.
• Toronto plays Oakland this week then the Royals, Texas for 4, Red Sox for 2 and NYY and Baltimore for two series each.
• Texas plays Houston this week then Oakland, Toronto for 4, Cleveland, Boston, Seattle twice and the Angels.
• Seattle plays the Reds this week, and then Tampa for 4, Angels, Dodgers, A's, Houston twice and Texas.
• Houston's got the easiest looking path. Texas this week, then San Diego, Oakland, KC twice, Baltimore, Seattle and Arizona.