GAME #70, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2018, BOSTON RED SOX AT SEATTLE MARINERS

[longgame]

Although swinging and missing doesn't do much good either.

It's funny to watch these guys at the plate.  JBJ and Devers, who had good nights, were prime examples.  JBJ is often swinging at the first pitch, Beni too for that matter.  I have no problem with that, if it's a pitch you can drive and you do so.  Beni did the oposite with men on base - first pitch, easy grounder.  If you're swinging at the first pitch, especially if you're slumping, then make sure you've got a pitch and location zeroed and in and don't swing unless it's that pitch.  If you can't pitch up pitch and location (JBJ and Devers), maybe you can lay off a few.  The other thing I've noticed is guys all over the place on breaking stuff.  Devers is the worst because he'll swing at stuff in the dirt, so he's clearly not picking up the breaking ball, but he's also hamstrung on high heat.  He seems to be getting hotter, but some plate discipline would help immensely.

They could have helped themselves immensely if they took a few pitches and got Hernandez out earlier.  Same tonight for Paxton. 

[SeaBeachFred]

I hate saying it was a big win, especially in the middle of June, but I think it was.  The Mariners play tough at home and they have been playing good ball all season wherever they were playing so last night's game was shaping up to be a big game for me.  David Price was outstanding, pitched seven strong innings and fighting all the way.  King Felix was on his game too and these are the sort of contests we've had trouble with when the team comes to Oakland or Seattle, but this time we prevailed.  Another challenge tonight because Jim Paxton has owned us  the past two seasons.  We need another good start tonight, this time from Rick Porcello who has to limit the amount of hits he gives up and to keep that ball down.

Bradley finally came through last night with a big hit after 23 fruitless at-bats and Xander gutted it out after two miserable at bats with what turned out to be a game winning homer and some dazzling defense.  These are the kind of games good teams win, especially when our better hitters are having trouble  that night.  A good win all around.

[longgame]

I hate saying it was a big win, especially in the middle of June, but I think it was.  The Mariners play tough at home and they have been playing good ball all season wherever they were playing so last night's game was shaping up to be a big game for me.  David Price was outstanding, pitched seven strong innings and fighting all the way.  King Felix was on his game too and these are the sort of contests we've had trouble with when the team comes to Oakland or Seattle, but this time we prevailed.  Another challenge tonight because Jim Paxton has owned us  the past two seasons.  We need another good start tonight, this time from Rick Porcello who has to limit the amount of hits he gives up and to keep that ball down.

Bradley finally came through last night with a big hit after 23 fruitless at-bats and Xander gutted it out after two miserable at bats with what turned out to be a game winning homer and some dazzling defense.  These are the kind of games good teams win, especially when our better hitters are having trouble  that night.  A good win all around.

I was thinking of elk watching Bogey early and wondered if you caught it too.  He's been extending his hands out more and more lately and getting back to rolling over on a lot of those outside pitches that the King was throwing him.  On the homer he kept his hands in and lo and behold he had more bat speed and made great contact.  Now if we could just get Bradley to pay attention.

[SeaBeachFred]

I hate saying it was a big win, especially in the middle of June, but I think it was.  The Mariners play tough at home and they have been playing good ball all season wherever they were playing so last night's game was shaping up to be a big game for me.  David Price was outstanding, pitched seven strong innings and fighting all the way.  King Felix was on his game too and these are the sort of contests we've had trouble with when the team comes to Oakland or Seattle, but this time we prevailed.  Another challenge tonight because Jim Paxton has owned us  the past two seasons.  We need another good start tonight, this time from Rick Porcello who has to limit the amount of hits he gives up and to keep that ball down.

Bradley finally came through last night with a big hit after 23 fruitless at-bats and Xander gutted it out after two miserable at bats with what turned out to be a game winning homer and some dazzling defense.  These are the kind of games good teams win, especially when our better hitters are having trouble  that night.  A good win all around.

I was thinking of elk watching Bogey early and wondered if you caught it too.  He's been extending his hands out more and more lately and getting back to rolling over on a lot of those outside pitches that the King was throwing him.  On the homer he kept his hands in and lo and behold he had more bat speed and made great contact.  Now if we could just get Bradley to pay attention.

Sorry Ted but I wasn't watching too many of our guys because I was focusing on David Price who I was keeping my fingers crossed that he would give us a big game and he did just that, a terrific performance for a game that i think we needed very badly.  If you saw was Xander was doing then I'm sure Elk did as well.   The question is did the hitting coaches notice it too.  Perhaps they did because that homer in the sixth inning was no cheapie.  As a retired coach Ted you always have to be on guard to watch your players very carefully because a little change in stance, stride, hand movement etc, can throw off a hitter's timing and render him ineffective until corrected.  Yes, the same applies to pitchers too, and it only take a little slide in what he does to throw him off too.