2018 Boston Red Sox Thread

[jncuse]

The “strategy” is negated by seeing pitchers’ futility at the plate and lameness on the base paths. Just pathetic, typically. And having to pull someone who is effective because his turn comes up in the order.

For you to put "strategy" in quotations, I am thinking you don't fully understand the extra strategic demands an NL manager has. They have about 8-10 extra things to think about in between innings 5-9 than an AL manager. Not just pulling the starter.

A few examples.
- Do you make the releiver change, forcing yourself into a double switch. Or do you hang on to that releiver for the inning, and avoid the switch,

- And there is most definetely an art to the double switch. Many manager use the last out to switch out, but the ones that are the best are the ones who can weigh if you should concede a few spots in the lineup for it... do I make the pitcher the 7th, 8th or 9th up after the change... well that depends on the gap between starter and bench guy at each position.

- As a manager, how do you pitch to that eighth guy. Do you force the other manager to take take the starter out earlier.

- In the AL you can easily do the lefty / lefty thing, in the NL you have to think more wisely in terms of making such moves.

Obviously the NL will result in weaker lineups. And for that reason alone I can see how AL fans will never accept the game. Especially when they lose on of their stars. Its a good reason. Just like strategy is a good reason for NL fans. It comes down to what you are used to.

But there is most definetely an art into managing how much weaker those lineups will be after substitutions. The manager who is more patient in making changes, and also things more carefully about double switches, and when to use pinch runners will be less hurt by it.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I hate the San Francisco Giants and Bumgarner, but...they let him finish games and won world series’s.

Now Hill isn’t the most durable and can’t always go deep. I thought he could’ve gotten us through 7 though.

And Walker Buehler? Man, he was hitting 99 in his last inning. He wasn’t losing anything. I don’t buy the “pitch count” thing. In an era of way too detailed stats, it’s such an arbitrary thing. Different body’s, different arms, different games. That kid was locked in. We won that one anyway, but clearly destroyed our bullpen in doing so because they all sucked yesterday.

Hill is 38.
He asked Roberts to keep an eye on him, on a batter-by-batter basis, which is sorta unheard of.
Hill looked really bad I’m that walk sequence. Even I said to myself, “he looked bad in that walk sequence” or somesuch.
With a four run lead and tired Sox looking inept, you kinda have to be able to trust the rest of your staff.
And because of that stat they flashed, that the Sox were the third worst team against that kind of pitcher, it might have been good strategery to think you should preserve Hill for another start in the series.

Hindsight, like cocaine, is a hell of a drug.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

For you to put "strategy" in quotations, I am thinking you don't fully understand the extra strategic demands.

Thanks for the condescension. I’m thinking you don’t understand why I put “strategy” in quotations. If I had put it in single quotes, maybe you’d have something.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

The best part of Dodgers Stadium by far is their organist.

Agreed. I moved to LA six years ago and immediately started looking for Sox games on the inter league schedule. I was disappointed in the stadium. I think it’s the third oldest park(?) after Fenway and the ivy, but it’s old without any character. Just old in a cheesy way. I’m still surprised.

 

[jncuse]

Teams were too slow to go to the bullpen in the past.

Now they are too fast. The "eye test" has to be used a little bit more.

And a big problem with the statistics is that relievers are much more tired in the post-season than the regular season due to overwork.

So while relievers are much better statistically then a starter the 3rd and 4th time around a lineup, those relievers have not been pushed to the max when those statistics have been taken.

Plus if a pitcher is on that night, why are you making decisions based on when he is just average. More judgment has to be made.

 

[OrangeDW]

Hill is 38.
He asked Roberts to keep an eye on him, on a batter-by-batter basis, which is sorta unheard of.
Hill looked really bad I’m that walk sequence. Even I said to myself, “he looked bad in that walk sequence” or somesuch.
With a four run lead and tired Sox looking inept, you kinda have to be able to trust the rest of your staff.
And because of that stat they flashed, that the Sox were the third worst team against that kind of pitcher, it might have been good strategery to think you should preserve Hill for another start in the series.

Hindsight, like cocaine, is a hell of a drug.

Yeah, like I said Hill is not real durable. He doesn’t go deep, and has had a lot of injuries, and is older.

He looked bad on the walk, but he looked good and struck the next guy out.

Alexander and Madson...I had more faith in Hill getting two more outs personally.

 

[jncuse]

Thanks for the condescension. I’m thinking you don’t understand why I put “strategy” in quotations. If I had put it in single quotes, maybe you’d have something.

You put "strategy" in quotations, and then say just pathetic really for me even bringing up strategy as a reason, It was the combination of the two It sounded condescending so I had no problem throwing it back/

I accept that was not your intention,

 

[Zelda Zonk]

You put "strategy" in quotations, and then say just pathetic really for me even bringing up strategy as a reason, It was the combination of the two It sounded condescending so I had no problem throwing it back/

I accept that was not your intention,

You misunderstood.
I used the word “pathetic” in describing pitchers hitting and running the bases, not about your emphasis on “strategy.” My post wasn’t a criticism of you. I was only expressing my opinion that I prefer the AL mix of strategy + having the players determine results more than managers.
There’s no doubt NL managers have to contend with more. I just find those ‘additional’ matters to be not worth the compromises.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Benny and Pearce come out on fire!

 

[Alsacs]

Dodgers are swinging at everything throw some curves/sliders first pitch.

 

[jncuse]

If David Price comes out with 5 competent innings (after multiple bullpen sessions the previous 2 days), I think his playoff reputation will have been largely repaired.

 

[Alsacs]

Batting Kiki Hernandez 3rd over Manny Machado is a firable offense.
Brock Holt isn’t batting before JD Martinez.
Can’t wait for the moron-in-Chief to steal this for his next tweet.

 

[jncuse]

Batting Kiki Hernandez 3rd over Manny Machado is a firable offense.
Brock Holt isn’t batting before JD Martinez.
Can’t wait for the moron-in-Chief to steal this for his next tweet.

My only thought on that is that the Dodgers expect to switch him out of the game when the righties come into the game and Muncy would be more traditional 3rd hitter.

But you can't control things at the end of the game. I agree, get your best lineup alignment for the first five innings.

 

[jncuse]

Assuming the Red Sox win tonight, would Steve Pearce be the current favourite for World Series MVP?

Or if David Price goes 5 innings, and gets 2 wins could he be the one?

 

[bpo57]

My only thought on that is that the Dodgers expect to switch him out of the game when the righties come into the game and Muncy would be more traditional 3rd hitter.

But you can't control things at the end of the game. I agree, get your best lineup alignment for the first five innings.

Good point and Hernandez batting third is questionable but not necessarily because of batting ahead of Machado. Manny has been a complete non-factor in this WS.

 

[bpo57]

Assuming the Red Sox win tonight, would Steve Pearce be the current favourite for World Series MVP?

Or if David Price goes 5 innings, and gets 2 wins could he be the one?

No question it would be Pearce.

 

[Alsacs]

My only thought on that is that the Dodgers expect to switch him out of the game when the righties come into the game and Muncy would be more traditional 3rd hitter.

But you can't control things at the end of the game. I agree, get your best lineup alignment for the first five innings.

Muncy is in the lineup batting 5th,
Their lefties on the bench are Bellinger and Pederson.
It’s just so dumb to want Hernandez batting before Machado no matter what the computers say.

 

[Alsacs]

Good point and Hernandez batting third is questionable but not necessarily because of batting ahead of Machado. Manny has been a complete non-factor in this WS.

Mookie has been a complete non-factor in the WS but I don’t want Nunez batting in front of him.
Hernandez is batting .137 in the WS .

 

[Alsacs]

Assuming the Red Sox win tonight, would Steve Pearce be the current favourite for World Series MVP?

Or if David Price goes 5 innings, and gets 2 wins could he be the one?

If Price wins it’s either him or Pearce.
I would love if they had co-MVPs if it’s Price/Eovaldi.
Pearce is the only other guy it could be for Boston.

 

[bpo57]

Mookie has been a complete non-factor in the WS but I don’t want Nunez batting in front of him.
Hernandez is batting .137 in the WS .

I just said that Hernandez batting 3rd was questionable, no doubt. But not because of Machado, he hasn't done jack this series.

 

[jncuse]

In a small sample size of games you will never get that great correlation between regular season performance by players vs World Series performance,

Still, I don't remember a recent series with such a low correlation. For the most part the top players have been negatives so far, and its about others stepping up.

 

[jncuse]

The Canadian coverage has a group of 3 analysts that come in to talk every few innings during commerical breaks. (Less commercial time is permitted in Canada, so its a common setup).

Anyway the one analyst only comment on the game was that he was totally confused about Kiki Hernandez batting third.

 

[jncuse]

Kershaw pitching well. While the Red Sox rotation has been in shambles (and they worked through it), the Dodgers bullpen is in shambles right now. I think the Dodgers have to keep Kershaw around to the 7th or 8th if they can.

It would be a mistake in my mind if they Pinch Hit for Kershaw.

 

[Alsacs]

The Canadian coverage has a group of 3 analysts that come in to talk every few innings during commerical breaks. (Less commercial time is permitted in Canada, so its a common setup).

Anyway the one analyst only comment on the game was that he was totally confused about Kiki Hernandez batting third.

Because it’s stupid.
Anytime you can put someone hitting .154 for the entire postseason and isn’t close to your best hitter in the 3 hole you gotta do it.
It’s a firable offense but we all know the LA front office made the lineup up.

They are going to try and put Bellinger in the lineup after Price comes out but if Boston goes to Sale out of the pen next the strategy was just stupid.
Put the hitters the best hitters in the spots that get the most ABs.

 

[jncuse]

Agreed. I moved to LA six years ago and immediately started looking for Sox games on the inter league schedule. I was disappointed in the stadium. I think it’s the third oldest park(?) after Fenway and the ivy, but it’s old without any character. Just old in a cheesy way. I’m still surprised.

Without character is a great way to put it. My two biggest memories were:
1) This park needs to be brightened up. Its need some fresh paint.
2) The massive parking lot.

Not exactly memorable.