So maybe the medical staff is telling Cora that some of these guys need extra rest.
In Which the Red Sox Beat the Astros
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Hey Alex, any ideas about who coordinates the starting pitchers prep, and who decides when to pull them?
That’s what it sounded like. Medical staff telling him guys aren’t available?
105 ERA+ is good for ninth in the AL right now. ERA+ is screwed up this year because the Royals and (especially) the A's are so bad that they skew the average.
That was the company line at the trade deadline. I didn’t believe it for a minute.
Abraham tried, Cora wasn’t going to give him anything or talk specifically about why certain guys weren’t available. We got the vague “trust our medical staff” and “throwing strikes in Worcester”, make of that what you will.
Whitlock and Schrieber coming back from injury, Winckowski pitching a ton of innings this year. Yeah it makes sense they have to manage these guys this time of year.
So it seems only Jensen and Martin were available. Only 1 quality start in the last what seems forever. The bullpen is just toast as a result. It would have been nice to have obtained a quality started at the deadline. Kudos to the Bear for volunteering to pitch the 9th.
Yeah. Ultimately, the organization is prioritizing the big picture and the future more than the present, which is probably the right thing to do. So killing Cora for not using a fatigued Winckowski (if he even had the ability to make that move) or something isn’t really all that different than killing Bloom for not trading prospects for a SP. or something.
Still frustrating AF.
"Blah, blah, blah."
Cora knew ahead of time this was going to be the situation. He knew Sale wasn't going to last and that the bulk would fall on Barraclough. The wheels just fell off in the 6th. You can't lose 3 out of 4 at home when you are fighting for the last playoff spot. This game is a turning point.
Cora knew ahead of time this was going to be the situation. He knew Sale wasn't going to last and that the bulk would fall on Barraclough. The wheels just fell off in the 6th. You can't lose 3 out of 4 at home when you are fighting for the last playoff spot. This game is a turning point.
Not to be lost, Chris Sale is the most overpaid player in baseball imo. Yet another poor start from him. Clockwork. Maybe he can cut up a jersey
The numbers on starters are really horrific. They just can’t get through the sixth.
My read on the press conference is that Sale and Bearclaw was the plan, with Martin and Jansen if they were in an 8th inning save situation. That was the plan. They stuck with the plan. It did not work.
My read on the press conference is that Sale and Bearclaw was the plan, with Martin and Jansen if they were in an 8th inning save situation. That was the plan. They stuck with the plan. It did not work.
Their playoff odds are also 14%. The idea that they are fighting for a playoff spot is a bit exaggerated.
His best days are long behind him. He's got another year on his contract so be prepared to ride with him again next year. Sure, he's a gamer but the reality of injuries and father time have taken too much from him. NO ONE will take on that contract.
In the post game, the replays to me were pretty conclusive — the run scoring miss by Wong was a wild pitch all the way. Then Sale doesn’t even cover home or give Wong a target. He’s an asshole. I hate that fucking guy. I have never liked him.
And apparently, I couldn't watch tonight, he looked as though he was blaming Wong
Playing from behind in the Wild Card race, too much depending on other teams to lose. The Sox have a 14% chance; Houston 85% and Toronto 46%. We're not catching them. Our remaining schedule is very difficult. It's over.
Play the kids.
Tom Caron mentioned that during the highlight part of the postgame. Like he doesn’t even bother to catch it.
He didn’t even attempt to catch the ball that Wong threw and just let it hit him. Then chucked the ball back to the dugout. Real good look from your ace.
It’s all part of his contrived tough guy persona- he will spout some nonsense about how he just wants to win and is so upset at himself, but the act has gotten old. It’s always something.
And now Abraham has a piece up about how Cora forfeited the game: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/08/29/sports/stunningly-red-sox-raised-white-flag-against-astros/
Last year it was Vazquez at the deadline. This year it’s waving the white flag. I like Pete but every year against the Astros Abraham writes something borderline nutty.
So you're saying that leaving a 33 year old minor league journeyman in to getting the living shit beat out of him against a team we're chasing in the playoff hunt is not raising the white flag?
The AL average IP by starters is 5.2 with Boston averaging 4.8 for the season through Sunday's game. The NL is averaging the same per Games Started but only two of its clubs are below 5.0. source: bb-ref
That whole exchange was odd, but I think he was pissed at himself. But hard to know. He spiked a pitch that hit the edge of the plate - not Wong’s fault.
Then it seemed he lost control of his emotions.
Then it seemed he lost control of his emotions.
Thankfully missed the game - but catching up on the thread, it felt like Jason Lee in Mallrats “that kid is back on the escalator again!” About Bearclaw coming out over and over.
We are to the point where I literally have zero confidence that he will go out and pitch a good game, especially against a quality opponent. I fully expect him to give up a bunch of runs every time out and never go more than 5 innings except on the very rare occasion.
He will obviously never be CHRIS SALE again, but it sure would help if the team could count on him at least SOME.
Even though I just posted what I did above, I also fully believe that if he pitched for the Dodgers or Rays he’s be going 6+ innings a start and performing to like a low 3’s era.
One of the three teams they are chasing; they need to catch all of them.
Baseball is less than fun when you run out of pitchers. I thought Sunday sucked. Monday sucked more.
Makes you marvel even more when you think of the 2004 ALCS. Tight, extra inning games for 4 straight days. Every pitcher used. Imagine medical team.
Makes you marvel even more when you think of the 2004 ALCS. Tight, extra inning games for 4 straight days. Every pitcher used. Imagine medical team.
No, they're not chasing three teams. One of the Astros, Rangers, or Mariners is going to win the West, while another one of those three teams is going to get the second wild card. They are essentially only chasing the Blue Jays and whoever holds the third spot at a given moment, which, last night, was the Astros. They have (had) a massive opportunity to increase their playoff odds this week. Implying that last night's game wasn't important because they "only had a 14% chance to make the playoffs" when a win last night would've bumped that number up more than just about any other win from here on out could is crazy.
It makes absolutely no sense to do otherwise. The coaches seem hopeless to me, in almost every way: pitching and hitting prep, base-running, you name it.
Yeah, I really liked him as a catcher, but all the coaches need to go. I'm amazed that y'all think he would make different decisions from Cora. He might, he might not. How do we have any reason to know this sort of thing?
