GAME #49, WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019, BOSTON RED SOX @ TORONTO BLUE JAYS

[Schloicka]

7:07pm Eastern

REDSOX

Rick Porcello (R)

1. Andrew Benintendi (L) LF
2. Mookie Betts (R) RF
3. Mitch Moreland (L) 1B
4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
5. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
6. Michael Chavis (R) 2B
7. Christian Vazquez (R) DH
8. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF
9. Sandy Leon (S) C


BLUE JAYS

Aaron Sanchez (R)

1. Eric Sogard (L) 2B
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 3B
3. Justin Smoak (S) 1B
4. Rowdy Tellez (L) DH
5. Randal Grichuk (R) RF
6. Freddy Galvis (S) SS
7. Brandon Drury (R) LF
8. Jonathan Davis (R) CF
9. Luke Maile (R) C

Gametime Temp: 55°F - Chance of Precip: 9%

[longgame]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

[SeaBeachFred]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

Hopefully JD will get well soon and is taking care of himself.   That is first priority but let's face it----we are a different team when he is not in the lineup.  He can be the big guy; for some reason, as we have been seeing now and back in 2017, Betts performs better when there is someone who can be the bellcow of the batting order and he as a star in a general role and not the focal point.  Without him tonight might be a very tough game to win.  The Yankees have performed well with their stars out but that doesn't seem to work for us when one of ours is on the shelf.  Porcello has to pitch a gem tonight and we need to remember how to drive in runs when we get the men on the bases.

[Bill-806]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

Hopefully JD will get well soon and is taking care of himself.   That is first priority but let's face it----we are a different team when he is not in the lineup.  He can be the big guy; for some reason, as we have been seeing now and back in 2017, Betts performs better when there is someone who can be the bellcow of the batting order and he as a star in a general role and not the focal point.  Without him tonight might be a very tough game to win.  The Yankees have performed well with their stars out but that doesn't seem to work for us when one of ours is on the shelf.  Porcello has to pitch a gem tonight and we need to remember how to drive in runs when we get the men on the bases.

Be INTERESTING to see the SPIN on this 3rd day ???? iono iono iono iono

[SeaBeachFred]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

Hopefully JD will get well soon and is taking care of himself.   That is first priority but let's face it----we are a different team when he is not in the lineup.  He can be the big guy; for some reason, as we have been seeing now and back in 2017, Betts performs better when there is someone who can be the bellcow of the batting order and he as a star in a general role and not the focal point.  Without him tonight might be a very tough game to win.  The Yankees have performed well with their stars out but that doesn't seem to work for us when one of ours is on the shelf.  Porcello has to pitch a gem tonight and we need to remember how to drive in runs when we get the men on the bases.

Be INTERESTING to see the SPIN on this 3rd day ???? iono iono iono iono

And I am very very very uncomfortable having Bogaerts batting cleanup.  I have always felt he was totally ill-equipped to handle a big middle of the order place in the lineup..  Although he is hitting better  in clutch situations than he has in the past I don't like him up there when we need a serious hit.  What we need is a lot of people getting those hits with RISP that we didn't come close to getting last night..........and we need to go on a serious winning streak and very soon.  Even four or five games in a row may be inadequate because of the gigantic hole Cora put us in with his rotten Spring Training program he put the team through this past March.  Then, again, I always worry if we're ready to play a big game.

[Sea Dog 23]

Yep, the Stros are on the card Friday.  We need all hands on deck.  thumb_u

[elktonnick]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

Hopefully JD will get well soon and is taking care of himself.   That is first priority but let's face it----we are a different team when he is not in the lineup.  He can be the big guy; for some reason, as we have been seeing now and back in 2017, Betts performs better when there is someone who can be the bellcow of the batting order and he as a star in a general role and not the focal point.  Without him tonight might be a very tough game to win.  The Yankees have performed well with their stars out but that doesn't seem to work for us when one of ours is on the shelf.  Porcello has to pitch a gem tonight and we need to remember how to drive in runs when we get the men on the bases.

Be INTERESTING to see the SPIN on this 3rd day ???? iono iono iono iono

And I am very very very uncomfortable having Bogaerts batting cleanup.  I have always felt he was totally ill-equipped to handle a big middle of the order place in the lineup..  Although he is hitting better  in clutch situations than he has in the past I don't like him up there when we need a serious hit.  What we need is a lot of people getting those hits with RISP that we didn't come close to getting last night..........and we need to go on a serious winning streak and very soon.  Even four or five games in a row may be inadequate because of the gigantic hole Cora put us in with his rotten Spring Training program he put the team through this past March.  Then, again, I always worry if we're ready to play a big game.

Fred quite frankly I am more concerned about Beni leading off.  Neither Betts nor Beni have benefited from Cora's inexplicable switch.  I frequently think he does these things to show everyone he is in charge.

[SeaBeachFred]

Apparently Martinez is sick again.

Hopefully JD will get well soon and is taking care of himself.   That is first priority but let's face it----we are a different team when he is not in the lineup.  He can be the big guy; for some reason, as we have been seeing now and back in 2017, Betts performs better when there is someone who can be the bellcow of the batting order and he as a star in a general role and not the focal point.  Without him tonight might be a very tough game to win.  The Yankees have performed well with their stars out but that doesn't seem to work for us when one of ours is on the shelf.  Porcello has to pitch a gem tonight and we need to remember how to drive in runs when we get the men on the bases.

Be INTERESTING to see the SPIN on this 3rd day ???? iono iono iono iono

And I am very very very uncomfortable having Bogaerts batting cleanup.  I have always felt he was totally ill-equipped to handle a big middle of the order place in the lineup..  Although he is hitting better  in clutch situations than he has in the past I don't like him up there when we need a serious hit.  What we need is a lot of people getting those hits with RISP that we didn't come close to getting last night..........and we need to go on a serious winning streak and very soon.  Even four or five games in a row may be inadequate because of the gigantic hole Cora put us in with his rotten Spring Training program he put the team through this past March.  Then, again, I always worry if we're ready to play a big game.

Fred quite frankly I am more concerned about Beni leading off.  Neither Betts nor Beni have benefited from Cora's inexplicable switch.  I frequently think he does these things to show everyone he is in charge.

Well Elk what do you think I think  of that alignment?  I have talked myself silly trying to convince Cora to make the change, but, of course, he doesn't hear me because most likely he doesn't tune in to our board.  Frankly my friend, I have given up the ghost that Cora will make this change even though you and I and God knows how many more know the old way was better.  Hell, we won a World Series with those two batting one two in the order and we got a lot of rallies started, continued and success brought forth through that batting alignment/  Why in hell would you make such a change when you were successful doing it the way it was one when you won it all?  I think your last sentence Elk answers that question better than any one I can now come up with.

[longgame]

Betts, hitting second, is second in the league in runs.  Benitendi, unfortunately is rarely on ahead of him.  I’d at least switch them, but Beni may belong further down the lineup.

[Sea Dog 23]

Sox get on the board in the 3rd with two runs from Moreland and Bogey's bats.  Betts has walked twice in two at bat.

[markj]

Bases loaded, one out and they barely squeaked a run out of it. At least they have an insurance run. Now up 3-1.

[markj]

Workman loads the bases. This game could go south fast.

[markj]

Workman walks in a run. What has happened to him lately? Or was that just a fluke hot streak he was on?

[markj]

Workman out of it with just the one run in. Still, pretty shaky perfomance.

[Sea Dog 23]

With JD out of the lineup, I guess their strategy is issue walks to Mookie (3 times). or force him to swing at bad pitches.