It's mushroom season out west here, so there is a lot of that going around.I think "feels god" is a bit more than "optimism."
ALCS 2021: Red Sox vs. Astros Discussion Thread
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Would like to see Nate-Pivetta-Erod. Then Sale(backed by Houk) if up 2-1 or 3-0. If down, Back to Nate in game 4 on short rest
None of us really know what is going on with Sale or just how good he can be on any one day. But it really feels to me like the Red Sox have far fewer paths to victory without him being effective. In fact, I guess I'd say you almost have to assume he can be effective because there is not the depth to win without him. With that in mind, he should be rested at this point and their most likely path to victory is probably one where he starts game one, at least that is what I think right now.
If Sale can pitch game one and go five innings the Red Sox then really have bought themselves a series of much more normally rested arms. I'd like to see Pivetta get another day of rest to get over whatever 140 pitches (is that right?) does to an arm. And the same applies all down the line.
And if that is the wrong play -- that Sale can't really be effective in game one -- they are pretty screwed anyway.
If Sale can pitch game one and go five innings the Red Sox then really have bought themselves a series of much more normally rested arms. I'd like to see Pivetta get another day of rest to get over whatever 140 pitches (is that right?) does to an arm. And the same applies all down the line.
And if that is the wrong play -- that Sale can't really be effective in game one -- they are pretty screwed anyway.
Eovaldi would be normally rested for game one. I’d start him, with sale going game two with a short leash
In the playoffs, everyone should be on a short leash. But I agree that I'd go with Eovaldi in 1 and Sale in 2. If Sale doesn't have it, you can empty the bullpen with an off day on Sunday.
Agreed, I meant short leash even by playoff standards. If Eovaldi gives up a couple of hits and a run in the third, for example, I’d let him go back out (depending on how hard the balls were being hit). Sale id probably like to see pulled
Game 2 is the right place to figure out if Sale is going to be able to help this series.
I agree with this as well. Eovaldi game 1, Sale game 2. Sale 2 not only allows you to use more relief arms if he doesn't have it given the day off that follows, but you also can then give him 5 days of rest before his next start in a potential game 6 (every other starter would have a maximum of 4 days off between starts). The extra day might be helpful given that he's essentially still recovering/gaining stamina.
Lance McCullers most likely out for the ALCS. This is an absolutely huge piece of news. This stems from an MRI he had today on his forearm.
View: https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1448699234958692352
View: https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1448699234958692352
View: https://twitter.com/jonheyman/status/1448699234958692352?s=21
Really rough break for him. Not a bad thing for our chances though.
Really rough break for him. Not a bad thing for our chances though.
If Sale is a dud in game 2, it screws up the rotation. If he's a dud in Game 4, he doesn't have to start again. 2 starts each for Nate, Erod, Pivetta if it goes 7.
If Sale magically finds it in game 4 he can be used in middle relief on 3 days rest in game 7
The mlb.com position-by-position breakdown for the series says "Framber Valdez will start Game 1 after allowing four runs in 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox." and "But with Sale healthy, Game 1 starter Nathan Eovaldi wielding a 1.93 career ERA in the postseason..."
So they've already decided the game 1 matchup!
So they've already decided the game 1 matchup!
Sale being a dud in game 2 doesn’t “screw up the rotation” until game 6. That’s an eternity and little will go as planned during that time. The upside of his being good in game 2 far outweighs this
Hopefully he turns it around, but he's looked pretty awful last few starts. Don't trust him at all against that RH line up. I would rather use Houk in a close game or up, not after 3-4 runs from Sale.
Houston GM says no decision made yet on McCullers / twitter
View: https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1448716479789154304?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Heyman and Nightengale might be right, or they might have jumped the gun.
View: https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1448716479789154304?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
Heyman and Nightengale might be right, or they might have jumped the gun.
Or the less that opposition knows, the better.
That they keep him on the roster for the ALCS seems unlikely though. There's a ton of smoke and you can't really waste a roster spot on gamesmanship.
Solid pitchers both, but not guys that scare you. Nor am I intimidated by the Astros relief options.
View: https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1448729840912326663
View: https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/1448729840912326663
In 2 starts against the Red Sox this year, Valdez shut them down pretty easily. 14.1 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 18 K/2 BB. Garcia started once against the Red Sox going 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 6 K/1BB. However, lefties have an .814 OPS off of Valdez. Therefore, will we see Shaw start in place of Dalbec?
Why Shaw when they've been using Schwarber all post-season regardless of pitcher-handedness?
If you are tethering Sale and Houck, how about starting Houck and telling him he gets 2-3 innings, then turns it over to Sale? The Astros would probably start Tucker and Brantley, plus Alvarez, to max out on lefty-vs-Houck splits, and then either watch Sale come in to attack them, or burn 2-3 subs early in the game?
View: https://twitter.com/jcmccaffrey/status/1448759937979465742
Chris Sale is starting Game 1 and Nathan Eovaldi will start game 2.
Chris Sale is starting Game 1 and Nathan Eovaldi will start game 2.
Officially game times
G1: 8:07 Fox
G2: 4:20 Fox and FS1
G3: 8:07 FS1
Sale starts G1, Nate gets G2 per Jon Morosi.
G1: 8:07 Fox
G2: 4:20 Fox and FS1
G3: 8:07 FS1
Sale starts G1, Nate gets G2 per Jon Morosi.
Key word from Cora: Sale is not an opener. Damn fucking right.
View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1448760837498290189
View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1448760837498290189
That... is not what I expected!
Well Cora did say Sale felt good (found God?) in the pen the other day. This choice gives me a little more hope in that direction. Would love Chris Sale to turn into CHRIS SALE.
I'm going more on what Cora said the other day: "Sale ‘found it in the bullpen, with Improved balance and direction to the plate."
View: https://twitter.com/alexspeier/status/1448374283395338248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1448374283395338248%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=
I really want to believe that Sale feels good and found g-d in the bullpen, and that he makes every freakin Astor look like a flailing Manny Machado throughout game 1. If he does, and we take the first game, the series could snowball fast, in a good/g-d way.
his past 3 starts speak for themselves. What else is there to go on? heavily LH line up?..nope. A good BP session?
Cora isn’t making decisions based on reputation. If Sale is starting game one, it’s because Cora thinks Sale is the best option to start game one. Maybe that’s because Sale fixed something and has dominant stuff back, maybe it’s because it gives the other guys another day of rest, maybe it’s because the team believes Sale’s stuff will play better in Minutemaid than Fenway. Whatever the reason, it’s not reputation
I think this is right. Cora has effectively created a platoon between Verdugo and Dalbec, and all things considered this may be the best decision. I actually didn't want Dalbec to sit that much, but I do understand leaning on guys with longer track records who are still good like JD over Dalbec. Plus Verdugo has extreme splits, and Dalbec's splits are not negligible either. Moving Schwarb between left and first ensures you only compromise one defensive position a game (rather than moving Kike to second, Verdugo to center, schwarb or JD in left, etc). If - IF (pu pu pu) - Sox make it to the World Series, we may see less defensively advantageous line ups without the DH, with both Schwarb and JD in the field, etc. ...but I think for ALCS it's Dalbec starting against lefties, and Verdugo starting against righties, with Schwarb swinging between the two positions.