2018 Boston Red Sox Thread

[CuseFaninVT]

Really need Mookie to get going...

 

[Alsacs]

If Kimbrel really was tipping his pitches then that at-bat by Stanton in game 4 is even more egregious.

 

[dasher]

Really need Mookie to get going...

Maybe not.

 

[dasher]

When did we get the new closer?

 

[Alsacs]

When did we get the new closer?

Eric Gagne told Kimbrel he was tipping his pitches by how he was standing on the mound.
He changed how he was standing.

 

[dasher]

Eric Gagne told Kimbrel he was tipping his pitches by how he was standing on the mound.
He changed how he was standing.

I know. I was joking

 

[CuseFaninVT]

1 down. 3 to go.

 

[Alsacs]

Nunez PH HR was the first PH HR in a game 1 of the World Series since...


Kirk Gibson off Eck.

 

[bevosu]

I love how this team seems to follow up an inning where the opposition scores a run or two by driving in a tying or lead run in their next at bat.

Their offense will win this Series.

 

[kirbivore]

Dodgers remind me of a slightly worse version of the Yankees.
They have a ton of power and outside of Turner and Freese don’t hit for contact. They strike out a lot but drive pitch counts up.
They have a deep bullpen. We will see if the Dodgers rotation is better than the Yankees.

don't forget shoddy defense

 

[billsin01]

1 down. 3 to go.

The pitching matchups are really interesting in this one. Game 1 was odd b/c even though you had two huge names squaring off in Kershaw/Sale, I don't think either lineup was afraid of the opposing starter nor was either manager expecting much more than they ended up getting in the pedestrian starts.

Game 2 is a complete wild card matchup with Price and Ryu both having shown dominant performances and getting knocked around. Game 3 is likely a matchup of each team's best pitcher with Eovaldi facing Beuller (especially in the NL park with no DH). I'd tend to give Game 4 edge to LA with Hill on the mound but Porcello would be facing a lineup with no DH and he's had some nice moments as well this postseason.

Feel like the Dodgers road map to winning this thing would be to make sure they get one of the next two and then get a big start from Hill and take Game 4. Start Kershaw in Game 5 but have a quick hook ready and do anything you have to to try and steal that game so you don't have to go to Boston needing to win two.

For the sox you'd love to see Price and Eovaldi put up gems back-to-back and then it's a matter of piecing one more together like they did vs. Houston. It should be interesting.

 

[Alsacs]

The pitching matchups are really interesting in this one. Game 1 was odd b/c even though you had two huge names squaring off in Kershaw/Sale, I don't think either lineup was afraid of the opposing starter nor was either manager expecting much more than they ended up getting in the pedestrian starts.

Game 2 is a complete wild card matchup with Price and Ryu both having shown dominant performances and getting knocked around. Game 3 is likely a matchup of each team's best pitcher with Eovaldi facing Beuller (especially in the NL park with no DH). I'd tend to give Game 4 edge to LA with Hill on the mound but Porcello would be facing a lineup with no DH and he's had some nice moments as well this postseason.

Feel like the Dodgers road map to winning this thing would be to make sure they get one of the next two and then get a big start from Hill and take Game 4. Start Kershaw in Game 5 but have a quick hook ready and do anything you have to to try and steal that game so you don't have to go to Boston needing to win two.

For the sox you'd love to see Price and Eovaldi put up gems back-to-back and then it's a matter of piecing one more together like they did vs. Houston. It should be interesting.

LA has to win tonight or it’s over.
Boston is high unlikely to lose all 3 in LA.
LA actually matchups better in Boston than in LA.
They have the bats on the bench not many NL teams have.
Porcello is a ground ball pitcher. The Dodgers swing for HRs. It’s not a bad matchup for him.
The series going 6 or more depends on tonight.
To slow down the Red Sox lineup you need velocity. Kershaw had no velocity. We saw Biaz dominate with his fastball velocity.
Ryu doesn’t have velocity nor does Hill.
Buehler does.
Dodgers need their bats to win this one. I feel Boston should be able to hit these soft throwers atleast once.

 

[dasher]

LA has to win tonight or it’s over.
Boston is high unlikely to lose all 3 in LA.
LA actually matchups better in Boston than in LA.
They have the bats on the bench not many NL teams have.
Porcello is a ground ball pitcher. The Dodgers swing for HRs. It’s not a bad matchup for him.
The series going 6 or more depends on tonight.
To slow down the Red Sox lineup you need velocity. Kershaw had no velocity. We saw Biaz dominate with his fastball velocity.
Ryu doesn’t have velocity nor does Hill.
Buehler does.
Dodgers need their bats to win this one. I feel Boston should be able to hit these soft throwers atleast once.

The Red Sox batting average against 95+ is the best in baseball

 

[Alsacs]

The Red Sox batting average against 95+ is the best in baseball

It might be but velocity is the best way to beat the Red Sox.
What is average? Under .250?

 

[bpo57]

The Red Sox batting average against 95+ is the best in baseball

Yeah they have several good fastball hitters.

The key to beating the Sox is getting ahead in the count with good stuff. That's obviously the key with any pitcher (and certainly easier said than done) but particularly when facing Boston. If you're going to nibble and get behind in the count then your chances are not very good.

Boston has seen a lot of lefties in the last two weeks. Happ, CC, Keichel, Kershaw. Seeing two more in games 2 and 4 works to their advantage imo.

 

[Alsacs]

The Red Sox batting average against 95+ is the best in baseball

I just looked it up the average BA versus 95+ is .231.
Boston does well because they aren’t obsessed with launch angle. They teach hitters to go for contact more than pure power and just adjust the swing to pitching count.
Xander , Bientiendi and Mookie are products of this philosophy.
They don’t go to their swinging crazy launch angles. They go for contact but make no mistake they struggle with high velocity.
The Sox don’t hit 95+ well they just have good hitters who adjust with 2 strikes and don’t strikeout a ton.

 

[dasher]

I just looked it up the average BA versus 95+ is .231.
Boston does well because they aren’t obsessed with launch angle. They teach hitters to go for contact more than pure power and just adjust the swing to pitching count.
Xander , Bientiendi and Mookie are products of this philosophy.
They don’t go to their swinging crazy launch angles. They go for contact but make no mistake they struggle with high velocity.
The Sox don’t hit 95+ well they just have good hitters who adjust with 2 strikes and don’t strikeout a ton.

The fact is that they hit it better than any other team in baseball. That is what the numbers tell you. It's hard to hit a fastball over 95 mph.

 

[Alsacs]

 

[jncuse]

Making the 3rd out at 3rd base is totally unacceptable. Dumb move Kinsler.

 

[Alsacs]

Making the 3rd out at 3rd base is totally unacceptable. Dumb move Kinsler.

It was stupid just because the move didn’t allow the lineup clear Vazquez to end the inning.
I was just happy Kinsler actually got a hit to drive in Bogaerts. So I can live with the stupidity. As a Jays fan you know hits to left at Fenway don’t necessarily score a guy from second.
It was dumb though.

 

[bpo57]

Looks like the Mookie Betts to 2B plan may have met an untimely death. The way JD just hobbled down to 1B tells me he's not likely to be patrolling the OF in Chavez Ravine this weekend.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Looks like the Mookie Betts to 2B plan may have met an untimely death. The way JD just hobbled down to 1B tells me he's not likely to be patrolling the OF in Chavez Ravine this weekend.

Noticed that as well.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Devers has zero discipline with 2 strikes

 

[Alsacs]

That was a vintage 2018 Red Sox half inning.
Great job by Vazquez starting that.

 

[bpo57]

I was wondering why Moreland didn't PH for Pierce but I've learned not to question Cora.