Next time, try it without the Bourbon and report back here.take a sip from the glass of bourbon on the table next to me.
Life is pretty damn good.
I'm looking at the ALDS for inspiration - the Sox looked like crap in game 2, the Yankees felt like they had all of the momentum going back home and we know what these Sox did after that.The negativity that I'm reading in this thread this morning is frankly BS. Haven't they shown enough this postseason already not to doubt what they are capable of doing today and the rest of the series?
I got a couple details wrong.Because maybe the scouting time, while finite, still gives them ample time to do so? A team in this position should be mapping out all possibilities or they aren’t doing their job in 2018. Forget about the sudden shift in Evo’s usage. What if Game 3 goes 17 innings and burns through the Sox bullpen? The last pitcher on the roster is no longer off the table.
trying to win is so overrated. computers. blech.That is not a problem with Erod so much as the entire problem with pitching Evoldi last night.
Buehler pitched his ass off. It might have affected them the rest of the night, but unlikely beyond that.This is where I am. I'm really worried about the hitters - for some reason, they were completely thrown off their game plan last night and generally looked terrible. How easy will it be to clear their heads after such a gut punch and get back to being a patient lineup that hunts pitches?
Kinsler directly cost the team the game not once but twice, but he had a huge assist from Cora thanks to the manager's recklessly aggressive managing that emptied the bench way too soon. Would have been really nice to have a pinch runner to bring in for Nunez in the 13th, who would likely have scored a crucial insurance run had he not been too gimpy to run to Leon's double.
I can't remember the circumstances surrounding benny's pinch hitting..but wondering if a double switch could have been made there to keep him in the game somehow?trying to win is so overrated. computers. blech.
Buehler pitched his ass off. It might have affected them the rest of the night, but unlikely beyond that.
Other subs aside, would Nunez have need the PR if not for the freak accident in the previous half-inning?
Sox bench was empty after the top of the 12th. Leon was the last guy in. Other than Kinsler running for JD I dont see any thing questionable or reckless.
I was trying to stay away from the ump criticizing this morning because I wasn't sure how much of the bad strike zone was in my fuzzy late night memories vs reality. What I remember seeing was an inconsistent zone with strikes on either edge and low being a coin flip as to how they were going to be called. There were a few (the strike 3 to get Mookie late comes to mind) that were fairly egregious and these charts bear this out.That ump also needs to be reassigned... what a horribly called game behind the plate
I listened to the last 10 innings on radio. My sense was that he got worse as the night went on. Is this stuff sortable that way? 7 hour game....500 pitches. MLB should mandate a change behind the plate at some point.That ump also needs to be reassigned... what a horribly called game behind the plate
it seemed like he started bad and was consistently bad the entire game..benefiting LA 80% of the timeI listened to the last 10 innings on radio. My sense was that he got worse as the night went on. Is this stuff sortable that way? 7 hour game....500 pitches. MLB should mandate a change behind the plate at some point.
This is exactly where I am. Quite frankly, the Red Sox bullpen is in better shape for the next two days having primarily used Eovaldi instead of our top relievers for 2 IP a piece. Plus, the Red Sox are still up 2-1 in this series, the pressure is squarely on LA still. Cora isn't afraid to go for it, and the Red Sox had significantly more chances to win in extras. This was about as must win a game for LAD as it could have been and the Red Sox had win probability over 90% (or thereabouts I'm guessing) in this game multiple times, mostly from Cora's moves.The more I reflect on last night's/this morning's game, despite the loss I feel more and more of a sense of pride and appreciation of what we are watching. I was skeptical on their chances coming into the playoffs because they had never had playoff success as a group. I did not know how the bullpen would react under the bright lights because they were scuffling for a while coming into October. There were a lot of question marks.
Well, I couldn't be prouder of what we are witnessing. The all-in approach by Alex Cora is so refreshing in today's game and the fact that the players(pitching staff mostly but everyone is doing it) are buying in and are willing to take the ball whenever the situation presents itself is awe-inspiring. Personally Nathan Eovaldi, David Price, and Rick Porcello have earned so much respect and admiration from me and I'm assuming all Red Sox fans for what they have done so far. It reminds me so much of the guys on the 2004 team. These guys in particular don't even have to be told to put their spikes on. They come to the ballpark ready to go and not worried about pitch count, days of rest, etc. It will be the same today from the rest of the pen. Eovaldi is down? So what. Whoever the starter is plus Barnes/Brasier/Kelly are ready to go and pick up where Eovaldi left off
The negativity that I'm reading in this thread this morning is frankly BS. Haven't they shown enough this postseason already not to doubt what they are capable of doing today and the rest of the series?
Yes..... BUT, replacing these guys was likely the correct move. Pinch Running for JD almost won them the game, except for a great throw on the attempted Sac fly. If that throw is off and Kinsler scores this would have gone down as a great move that won them the game. It didn't work out, but it allowed them to go 1st to 3rd on a single and allowed them the opportunity to try to win on a shallow flyout to center. None of that happens if JD stays in.Pitching to Puig worked. Other than Kinsler not eating the ball.
Just like Roberts was rightfully blamed in games 1 and 2 for not having his best players out there, Cora didn’t have
Martinez
Pearce
Moreland
Devers
Benintendi
available for the last nine innings last night.
Mad props to Vazquez for his play at first base, having never done that in the bigs before.
Even if I said before it happened that he shouldn't have pitched to Puig? There was too much risk of him getting the run home from second versus Barnes to let him hit. Cora is the one who was almost saved him his mistake by having Kinsler make the play. But he didn't and they lost.You're judging the decisions based on the results. Kinsler makes that play properly -- either by eating the ball or taking the moment to steady himself -- and neither of those "huge mistakes" are mistakes
Just gonna go ahead and update this list for posterity. Gonna go out on a limb and say no young fans on either coast saw the end of this one.I think the better question is: if you have to get up for work/school the next morning, how many games have ended at a reasonable time - say, resulting in at least 7 hours of sleep?
For east coast fans, not so many.
For the Sox, these are the ending times (from B-ref):
WS3 - 3:30 am *fri night
WS2 - 11:21
WS1 - 12:09
ALCS5 - 11:39
ALCS4 - 1:09am
ALCS3 - 9:01
ALCS2 - 10:51
ALCS1 - 12:12 *sat night
ALDS4 - 11:35
ALDS3 - 11:21
ALDS2 - 11:36 *sat night
ALDS1 - 11:13 *fri night
That's a grand total of one post season game young Sox fans could see live. Even on the weekend nights, 11:30 isn't always the best for kids - but such would only boost the total to three games.
.
Agreed. If you stayed up to watch the entire thing, fear and frustration were left in the dust. What you saw was Eovaldi being a warrior, and players on both sides giving it everything.^ What Red said.
I stayed up to watch the entire game last night and found myself, surprisingly, having a ton of fun at 2 AM. The Sox are playing in the World Series. The players on both sides appear to be enjoying the experience - lots of smiles and cheering and picking each other up. The fans in both cities are standing and cheering and clasping their hands in silent prayer.
I've been tired, sure, and frustrated and saddened at moments -- but even at 2 AM, I am warm, dry, safe, and part of a closeknit community, united for a good cause. When Eovaldi struck out another batter, I would clap silently and take a sip from the glass of bourbon on the table next to me.
Life is pretty damn good.
I don’t care if they wrap it up in Outer Mongolia or Lower Slobbovia. Clinching on the road again is perfectly fine.I dunno.... I think EdRo will pitch a gem tonight and have us up 3-1.... but in a way I'd like the Sox to win in Fenway.
If the game began at 4:00 EST, most young fans still would have not seen the end of this one.Just gonna go ahead and update this list for posterity. Gonna go out on a limb and say no young fans on either coast saw the end of this one.
I respect that Cora went for it with his moves at h end of the 9 inning game. It almost worked. But he was sitting in the catbird seat, and used up his best pitcher.cora had no choice at that point..it was Eovaldi or Pom....Sox hitters didn't get it done.
Bring it on now, I say. No chance I’m going to do anything productive anyway.I cant believe another game in less than 7 hours...I'm a zombie
I actually thought that barring a double switch with Bradley/Benintendi when EdRo comes into the game (but somewhat understandable if AC keeping options open for game 4 starter), that Swihart was EXACTLY the right guy to PH in the 6th inning. You have one out, no one on against a righty that is dealing...Cora has way more info on players and situations so outside of game threads I don’t like second-guessing, but one move from last night still completely baffles me: Swihart pinch hitting for EdRo in the 6th?
Pinch hitting there may be obviously called for, but why Swihart? Cora has kept Swihart in reserve every game, except this one where he could have really been useful in extras as a pinch runner and/or catcher. Or infielder for that matter. I’m not making a hindsight argument. It’s just odd/ironic that Swihart has been super glued to the bench *just in case* a game goes into extra innings, then Cora pinch hits him in a no-leverage situation in the one game that actually does.
Completely agreed. If you can’t have fun when — after three championships in 15 years — the Red Sox are in the longest World Series game of all time and getting heroic pitching from Eovaldi, I don’t know what to say.^ What Red said.
I stayed up to watch the entire game last night and found myself, surprisingly, having a ton of fun at 2 AM. The Sox are playing in the World Series. The players on both sides appear to be enjoying the experience - lots of smiles and cheering and picking each other up. The fans in both cities are standing and cheering and clasping their hands in silent prayer.
I've been tired, sure, and frustrated and saddened at moments -- but even at 2 AM, I am warm, dry, safe, and part of a closeknit community, united for a good cause. When Eovaldi struck out another batter, I would clap silently and take a sip from the glass of bourbon on the table next to me.
Life is pretty damn good.
We all were grimacing during his at bats. All the injured guys will be ok. It’s the World Series. Cowboy Up.Xander definitely seemed like he was grimacing at some of his at-bats...
I always sort of suspected that by your posting styleI cant believe another game in less than 7 hours...I'm a zombie
thanks, whatever that meansI always sort of suspected that by your posting style
This is where I'm at. In the moment, the bad plays can be frustrating, but the Red Sox are in the World Series.^ What Red said.
I stayed up to watch the entire game last night and found myself, surprisingly, having a ton of fun at 2 AM. The Sox are playing in the World Series. The players on both sides appear to be enjoying the experience - lots of smiles and cheering and picking each other up. The fans in both cities are standing and cheering and clasping their hands in silent prayer.
I've been tired, sure, and frustrated and saddened at moments -- but even at 2 AM, I am warm, dry, safe, and part of a closeknit community, united for a good cause. When Eovaldi struck out another batter, I would clap silently and take a sip from the glass of bourbon on the table next to me.
Life is pretty damn good.
Evo was great but the problem was it's harder to win an extra inning game on the road than at home. Every inning he finished up, you knew that even if the Red Sox scored in the next top half, he or somebody else had to close out the bottom half. Or, if the Red Sox don't score, the Dodgers have two upcoming chances to our one. I'm not sure how many managers use their hottest pitcher like that.Blaming Cora for PR'ing Kinsler for JDM makes no sense to me. JD has been quoted saying his ankle is actually sprained. He has to play LF to be in the lineup for the next two. I won't be surprised at all if he starts tonight on the bench as is.
Having JD on first with no outs when his run would be the potential game winner would be managerial malpractice. And the PR move worked--it forced Bellinger to make a perfect throw. If the flyout was a bit longer or the throw a hair off line, Sox win, and Cora's "pushing all the right buttons." If Cora DOESN'T PR for JD, and JD a)really messes up his ankle (or even b), gets gunned down by 10 feet at 3rd), everyone's claiming that Cora is a disaster for not PR'ing there.
Leaving Evo in was shocking--but it was smart. It kept them in the game til the eighteenth, and even for tonight, it means that the Sox BP is LESS overtaxed than LA's. The worst part was watching Evo "bat" in 3 times, but what can ya do.
Thankfully, one has absolutely nothing to do with the other.feed the homeless and then go 0-7...just not right
I have lurked for the past few seasons, but I had to log in to comment about these proceedings. Last night was a showcase for what it means for athletes to compete when the stakes are as high as can be. It was beautiful to witness, and even though there were sloppy plays and long stretches of inactivity on the bases, seeing Buehler, Bradley, Kimbrel, and especially Eovaldi leave their guts on the field was unforgettable. I lament the Kinsler misplay and the toothless lineup the Red Sox featured over the last 5 innings as much as those of you who have already chronicled those facts. When they took the lead on the Nunez dribbler, I was convinced that the series was over. It was not to be, but the Red Sox have played incredibly exciting, appealing baseball, leading each of us into several late evenings with smiles on our faces and contentedness in our hearts. Cora has been a revelation as a rookie manager, and would appear to be in a favorable position to lead this franchise moving forward. Betts, Bogaerts, Benintendi, Devers and Bradley are home grown products who form the core of a young, likable group. It has been a joy to watch this team over the past several seasons, and despite the farm system's shortcomings, the next few years should feature a team in a position to be in the playoffs and competing for the title.Completely agreed. If you can’t have fun when — after three championships in 15 years — the Red Sox are in the longest World Series game of all time and getting heroic pitching from Eovaldi, I don’t know what to say.
This is one of the reasons to watch sports and follow a team, so that one day you might be able to watch them in a game and a series like this.
It is certainly possible that JDM needed to come out it was a long game and he was playing the field, I noted that in my post.Blaming Cora for PR'ing Kinsler for JDM makes no sense to me. JD has been quoted saying his ankle is actually sprained. He has to play LF to be in the lineup for the next two. I won't be surprised at all if he starts tonight on the bench as is.
Having JD on first with no outs when his run would be the potential game winner would be managerial malpractice. And the PR move worked--it forced Bellinger to make a perfect throw. If the flyout was a bit longer or the throw a hair off line, Sox win, and Cora's "pushing all the right buttons." If Cora DOESN'T PR for JD, and JD a)really messes up his ankle (or even b), gets gunned down by 10 feet at 3rd), everyone's claiming that Cora is a disaster for not PR'ing there.
Leaving Evo in was shocking--but it was smart. It kept them in the game til the eighteenth, and even for tonight, it means that the Sox BP is LESS overtaxed than LA's. The worst part was watching Evo "bat" in 3 times, but what can ya do.
1. How do you plan in advance for a 7+ hour World Series game?If the game began at 4:00 EST, most young fans still would have not seen the end of this one.
It also throws a wrench in his representives , who presumably arranged this "event", marketing plans based on Mookie's wholesome image.Thankfully, one has absolutely nothing to do with the other.
I don't think that was the intent of Sack's post. Just pointing out that fact that McdBride updating the list doesn't really matter for that game.1. How do you plan in advance for a 7+ hour World Series game?
2. The networks who pay for the rights to these games set the schedule based on how to best maximize eyeballs/ratings. They don't really care if 14-year old Johnny gets to see the game.
This is a little to conspiracy-like to me. Can't the guy just do a good thing without there being some other intent behind it?It also throws a wrench in his representives , who presumably arranged this "event", marketing plans based on Mookie's wholesome image.
Yeah, I think if it was leaked for PR, you'd at least want a picture of Mookie dropping off the food himself instead of some random tweet from Lou Merloni.I don't think that was the intent of Sack's post. Just pointing out that fact that McdBride updating the list doesn't really matter for that game.
This is a little to conspiracy-like to me. Can't the guy just do a good thing without there being some other intent behind it?
Shockingly enough, there are good people around, that do good things, not trying to get attention or anything else from it. Just happens to get attention when the best player on the planet was doing it, so it ended up being higher profile