GAME #95, TORONTO BLUE JAYS AT BOSTON RED SOX

[Bear]

BLUE JAYS V RED SOX

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 20 17, 7 PM AT FENWAY PARK

TV:  NESN, SNET

TORONTO, (43-49).............................................................................................BOSTON,(52-42)

TORONTO:

J.A. HAPP, LHP, 3- 6, 3.54 ERA, 6 0K

Happ has posted five straight quality starts before struggling against the Astros,
who knocked in six runs (two earned) off him in four innings.  Still, since June 11, he
has just a 2.27 ERA.  Happ has a 2.89 ERA against Boston since 2012.

BOSTON:

BRIAN JOHNSON, LHP, 2-0, 4.29 ERA, 17K

The lefty will take the hill for the fifth time after being called from Triple-A for the
spot start.  Johnson shutout the M's on May 27, but struggled in his June starts.  He
gave up three earned runs and didn't reach the fifth in those starts.

Lefties Happ, Johnson match up at Fenway

Evan Chronis

Brian Johnson will make his fifth spot start of the season for the Red Sox as they continue their four-game series with J.A. Happ and the Blue Jays at Fenway Park on Tuesday night.

Red Sox manager John Farrell said on Monday the decision to recall Johnson was easy considering that it was his turn for Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday.

"He's the one guy where this is his normal fifth day [Tuesday]," Farrell said. "The fact that he pitched last Thursday rather than being 10-14 days down since his previous start, as other guys would have been, it lines right up with Brian's work."
Johnson (2-0, 4.29 ERA) has been a valuable replacement arm, but has yet to recreate the magic of his shutout against the Mariners on May 27. The lefty gave up three earned runs in both of his June starts, unable to pitch deep in either outing.
In 10 starts at Pawtucket, Johnson is 3-1 with a 2.68 ERA.

Happ (3-6, 3.54 ERA) will take the mound for the Blue Jays, looking to rebound from a rough outing before the All-Star break. The lefty gave up six runs (two earned) over four innings in a 19-1 loss to the Astros. The performance may have put a dour note on Happ's first half, but before that outing, he had five straight quality starts.

Happ has also been the subject of trade rumors as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches, but Blue Jays manager John Gibbons sees the lefty staying in Toronto.

"It's good to find starting pitching," Gibbons said. "Everyone is always looking for it. I don't get involved in who might end up where. I don't know what's going to happen, but I think he would be a tough guy to trade. I'm sure teams would want him, that's not what I meant. But for your own well-being. His last outing wasn't very good, but other than that, he has four or five real good ones."

Hitting .379 against left-handers, Sam Travis will likely start at first base for Boston.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GAME

• Johnson's first start of the season came against the Blue Jays on April 18. He earned the first win of his career after pitching five innings in an 8-7 Red Sox victory.

• The Blue Jays produce an all right-handed lineup when facing left-handed starters. Even with that platoon advantage, Toronto hits .240 against lefties, while hitting .243 when going against right-handed pitchers.

• As he's done so often this year, Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts crushed a mistake from Masahiro Tanaka on Sunday, pulling his hanging slider up and out over the Green Monster for a 104.3-mph, two-run homer. Betts typically belts pitches left in the three middle zones, as classified by Statcast (middle-in, middle-middle and middle-outside), hitting them with exit velocities of 95-plus mph (the baseline for "hard-hit" contact) 48.5 percent of the time. That's the 10th-highest hard-hit rate of any hitter who's put at least 100 "middle" pitches in play.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170717242669716/lefties-happ-johnson-match-up-at-fenway/?game_pk=491506

[Bear]

Red Sox vs. TOR:

Betts RF,
Benintendi LF,
Pedroia 2B,
Ramirez 1B,
Young DH,
Bogaerts SS,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Johnson LHP

[Bill-806]

The  SHIP continues to flounder in poor timing, decisions, and execution of the game on both offense & defense.... CHANGES are needed & needed soooon !! :losers iono slap rofl

[MongoLikeSox]

Is Johnson being showcased? I always wonder about that this time of year in situations like this.

[SeaBeachFred]

Is Johnson being showcased? I always wonder about that this time of year in situations like this.

You just watch.....Farrell's pet Young will be in the lineup and Benny once again yanked out of it and on the bench.  Great way to treat your young and upcoming player by trying to evaporate his confidence.  Most likely we'll see Hanley back in there with Travis playing half the game and  then yanked out when a RH pitcher comes in.  Oh yes, Pukegaerts will be back in the lineup and most likely hitting third again.  For God's sake Dumbrowski why do you allow this shit to happen and just sit there with your finger up your ass.  Farrell is going to ruin this team with personnel moves that defy description.  Please if this continues and it will. PULL THE GOD DAMN PLUG ON THIS GUY BEFORE THE ANOTHER SEASON IS LOST.

[Rob from Mass]

You won't see Travis as he and Scotty sent to AAA.
Johnson and Velasquez  recalled.

[ipot]

Happ can't wait to rebound with our Noffense.  It'll be like a AAA rehab stint for him. It's gotten so ugly with this team. And if Johnson coughs up 5+ runs it won't matter in the long run. Our pitching has been on a great roll.

[MongoLikeSox]

Is Johnson being showcased? I always wonder about that this time of year in situations like this.

You just watch.....Farrell's pet Young will be in the lineup and Benny once again yanked out of it and on the bench.  Great way to treat your young and upcoming player by trying to evaporate his confidence.  Most likely we'll see Hanley back in there with Travis playing half the game and  then yanked out when a RH pitcher comes in.  Oh yes, Pukegaerts will be back in the lineup and most likely hitting third again.  For God's sake Dumbrowski why do you allow this shit to happen and just sit there with your finger up your ass.  Farrell is going to ruin this team with personnel moves that defy description.  Please if this continues and it will. PULL THE GOD DAMN PLUG ON THIS GUY BEFORE THE ANOTHER SEASON IS LOST.

See, now that's where you and I have to disagree on DD. His finger is not up his own back side. It's up someone elses. Watch the look in his face and tell me I'm wrong. double-dog dare ya!   :D    rofl 

[ojdidit]

Johnson is 4-0 and 4.29 as a starter this year. He is close to his usual stuff he can keep you in the game.  The problem then goes to the offense - good luck! Looks like we will get BJ and Hector tonight. Johnson is solid we can kiss Fister goodbye.

[SeaBeachFred]

Red Sox vs. TOR:

Betts RF,
Benintendi LF,
Pedroia 2B,
Ramirez 1B,
Young DH,
Bogaerts SS,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Johnson LHP

Why is Hanley and Young in the lineup and not Travis????  Well the answer might not be that bad......Sam was sent down so he could play regularly which he was not getting here because of that son of a bitch managing the team.  As for Young, who hasn't hit worth a shit in almost two months, needs to start hitting more than just into double plays.  And Bogaerts may be hit ting lower in the lineup but he should be either hit ting lower or out of the lineup.....better out of it.

[MongoLikeSox]

I just saw somewhere that XB is a scratch?

[Bill-806]

Red Sox vs. TOR:

Betts RF,
Benintendi LF,
Pedroia 2B,
Ramirez 1B,
Young DH,
Bogaerts SS,
Bradley Jr. CF,
Leon C,
Marrero 3B,

Johnson LHP

Why is Hanley and Young in the lineup and not Travis????  Well the answer might not be that bad......Sam was sent down so he could play regularly which he was not getting here because of that son of a bitch managing the team.  As for Young, who hasn't hit worth a shit in almost two months, needs to start hitting more than just into double plays.  And Bogaerts may be hit ting lower in the lineup but he should be either hit ting lower or out of the lineup.....better out of it.

HALEY at 1st base ????  Really ???  What about the shoulder ????  Hope that Pedy can back him up a lot !!

[MongoLikeSox]

There is a disconnect somewhere on the JF - Hanley situation. Nothing seems to add up. I aint buying it. There is something we do not know. He has not even gotten big-eyed and tried to whallop a pitch resulting in falling down IIRC.

[Bear]

Bogaerts will be going for MRI on hand.  They just waited two weeks....that's our medical group.

[Bill-806]

Bogaerts will be going for MRI on hand.  They just waited two weeks....that's our medical group.

B I N G O  dat......  He took a pretty good hit on that wrist,  a week or so later being checked again ??? iono rofl