Category: MLB

Red Sox/Astros ALCS Game 1 Preview

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The Boston Red Sox are in the American League Championship Series for the 11th time, and for the first time since 2013. They will take on the defending champion Houston Astros, who are looking to become the first World Series champion this century to successfully defend its title. Before we go any further, here’s a quick look at where, when, and how to watch the game along with the latest lines:

  • Location: Fenway Park (Boston, Mass.)
  • First Pitch: Saturday, October 13, 8:09 PM EDT
  • TV: TBS
  • Odds (via Odds Shark): Red Sox -1.5 (runline) / Red Sox -120 (moneyline) / 7 (total)

The Red Sox went 3-4 against the Astros this season, 1-2 in Boston and 2-2 in Houston. The four-game series in Houston saw the Sox lose the first two games, but rally to win the last two and get a series split. The Sox dropped two of three in the series in Boston, but they already had 97 wins by the time Houston came to town and may have had their foot off the accelerator by that point.

Chris Sale will take the mound for the Red Sox in Game 1 after a solid ALDS against the Yankees. He faced the Astros only once in the regular season, taking a loss in Houston after allowing four runs on six hits and a walk in six innings of work. Justin Verlander will take the mound for Houston. Verlander received a no decision in his only start versus Boston in 2018. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in six innings of work in a game Houston eventually lost 5-4.

Even with the run total at 7, the under would be a wise play in Game 1. Red Sox hitters have a combined .211 average against Verlander in 171 at bats. Astros hitters have fared only slightly better against Sale, combing for a .237 average against him in 118 at bats. This will be a tight series between two evenly matched teams, and Game 1 could kick this series off with an old school pitchers’ duel.

Red Sox Win and We’re on to Houston

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Three days ago the Red Sox looked like a team on the ropes. Today, they’re moving on to the American League Championship Series to take on the defending champion Houston Astros. What the hell happened?

The Red Sox dominated the Yankees in Yankee Stadium in Games 3 and 4. Game 3 starter Nathan Eovaldi was dazzling in his postseason debut and Game 4 starter Rick Porcello turned in the best postseason performance of his career. All the while Red Sox batters mashed Yankees starting pitchers and left Aaron Boone looking like Ron Burgundy in the opposing dugout, never able to get out the hook soon enough.

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All of that leaves me feeling good as the Red Sox move on to take on the Astros in the ALCS. A lot of credit goes to Alex Cora who had the balls to shake up the lineup for Game 3. His gamble paid off as the lineup exploded and Brock Holt hit for the first cycle in baseball playoff history. A lot of credit goes to Red Sox starters, too. If you take out David Price (a big if, I know), Red Sox starters pitched 17.1 innings and allowed just four earned runs off 14 hits and two walks. That’s good for an ERA of 2.11.

The bullpen was an adventure in Game 1, and Craig Kimbrel was a hire-wire act in Game 4, but between the other guys last night and their performances in Games 2 and 3 I’m confident Cora has enough pieces to work with. The big question is David Price.

As I mentioned earlier this week, former Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello hadn’t pitched in a postseason victory until Friday night. Prior to Game 1 of the ALDS, his teams were 0-11 in games he pitched in (though his record was just 0-3). Roger Clemens won three Cy Young Awards with the Red Sox (and an MVP award, too) but went just 1-2 with a 3.88 ERA for the Red Sox in nine postseason starts. Hall of Famer Randy Johnson went 2-6 in the playoffs with a 3.71 ERA before winning 2001 World Series MVP honors. My point is not every one is Curt Schilling in the playoffs. It takes some time for some guys to figure it out. That’s why I would give David Price the ball one more time in Game 2 of the ALCS.

If Price doesn’t bring it Sunday night, make it a bullpen game and move him to the bullpen for the rest of the playoffs. The Red Sox other starters looked strong in the ALDS, but can you expect Nathan Eovaldi to morph into the 1991 version of Jack Morris this month? Probably not. It may be possible to win a title without Price contributing but that shouldn’t be the first choice. That’s why Price should get one last chance. At least if things go haywire early, Alex Cora can find a hook quicker than some other managers…

Yankees in Driver’s Seat For Game 3

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aaron-judge-david-price-minAfter another David Price Playoff Disaster (DPPD™) in Game 2, things aren’t looking great for the Sox in the Bronx for Game 3 of their American League Division Series against the Yankees. Before we go any further, here’s a quick look at where, when, and how to watch the game along with the latest lines:

  • Location: Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY)
  • First Pitch: Monday, October 8, 7:40 PM EDT
  • TV: TBS
  • Odds (via Odds Shark): Yankees -1.5 (runline) / Yankees -190 (moneyline) / 8.5 (total)

Red was right last week when he said that Red Sox fans didn’t seem super confident for a team that won 108 regular-season games. Today those pessimistic fans are having their worst fears realized. After Price left the Sox high and dry in Game 2, they head to New York with the series even at 1-1.

Mid-season acquisition Nathan Eovaldi will take the hill for the Sox in Game 3, while the Yankees will send their ace, Luis Severino to the hill. The Yankees were 53-28 at their home little league field this year. The Red Sox went 3-6 in the Bronx this year, taking one out of three in each of their three visits in 2018. It’s hard not to like the Yankees (and the over) in Game 3.

As I just mentioned, though, the Red Sox never got swept in the Bronx this year. The best case scenario for the Sox could be a Yankees rout tonight but a close win behind Rick Porcello in Game 4. Pretty Ricky didn’t get the win in Game 1 (he got a hold), but it was the first playoff win he had ever pitched in. Prior to Friday night, Rick’s teams were 0-11 in playoff games he appeared in. Maybe now that he’s off the schneid, he can gut out a Game 4 victory for the Sox.

Fans who have tickets to Red Sox ALDS home game number three should keep their Thursday night, and weekend open. I’m saying this series goes the distance and then some, as Thursday in Boston could be a washout. If it gives Chris Sale, and what will undoubtedly be a highly taxed bullpen, an extra day of rest, maybe the Red Sox still have a puncher’s chance in this series.

UPDATE: 2018 MLB Playoff Oddities

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From my fingertips to the Greek God of Walks’ Hops’ ears. I can’t take credit for coming up with this playoff idea,  but I think it is about to pick up steam. There are a few other issues Major League Baseball will need to deal with first, including the stadium situations in Tampa and Oakland and possible expansion, but I think reconfiguring the playoff system is not much further down the list.

Reconfiguring the playoff system could be handled at the same time as expansion. If MLB were to add two teams after resolving the stadium situations in Tampa and Oakland, it’s possible they could realign, create a more balanced schedule, and reconfigure the playoff system all at the same time. A more balanced schedule would mean teams like the Cleveland Indians couldn’t as easily beat up on a weak division to claim a playoff spot.

And realignment doesn’t need to be some crazy plan with a dozen teams switching leagues. Maybe the solution is simply to go back to how things were done for the first seven decades of the 20th century – two leagues with no divisions at all.

This won’t be resolved by this time next year, but Major League Baseball could look a whole lot different in just the next decade.

2018 MLB Playoff Oddities

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No playoff system in American sports is perfect and there will always be debates about ways to improve them. Major League Baseball has long had the smallest field of playoff teams among the North American professional sports leagues, and the most straight-forward postseason format. This October, though, could be one of the strangest MLB postseasons in memory.

Today in the National League, the teams with the four best records in the league will play two tiebreaker games. The winners will take their division’s respective crown and head to the League Division Series. The losers will square off tomorrow in the National League Wild Card game. It will mark the first time in baseball history that a loser of a tiebreaker game won’t be eliminated. The 90-win Atlanta Braves have the fewest wins of all National League playoff teams and will be the only National League team that does not have to play an extra tiebreaker and/or Wild Card game before the Division Series.

Meanwhile in the American League, the New York Yankees and Oakland A’s will face off in the American League Wild Card game Wednesday. Both teams have more wins than the AL Central Champion Cleveland Indians. The Indians will take on the Houston Astros in one American League Division Series while the winner of the Wild Card game will take on the 108-win Boston Red Sox in the other American League Division Series. The Red Sox, with the most wins in a season by a team since the Seattle Mariners won 116 games in 2001, will have to face a tougher Division Series opponent than the second-seeded Astros.

Change is slower in baseball than any other professional sports league in North America. The 2018 playoffs, no matter how they play out, likely won’t spur a change to the MLB playoff format in the near future. They will make a great case for going to a system more like the NBA, though, where the top five teams make the playoffs and get seeded by record regardless of division. Again, that probably won’t happen soon but probably in the next decade or so.

Red Sox Fan Unleashes Hand Cannon from the Green Monster Seats and Hits Giancarlo Stanton

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That is goddamn impressive! It’s 310 feet from home plate to the Green Monster and a guy in the stands, completely flat footed, tossed a frozen rope and legit hit Giancarlo Stanton rounding second base. That’s gotta be a 200 foot throw from a guy in jeans. Incredible.

It’s also exactly how the 1993 classic Rookie of the Year starts with Henry Rowengartner hosing a dude at the plate from the bleachers.

I imagine Joe Castiglione was in the booth making a face similar to this.

I was at this game sitting in the absolute last row of Section 36 in the center field bleachers this afternoon so I couldn’t really see what happened until I sat down at the bar and saw the video on my phone. I can confirm that this guy 100% got thrown out of the game though.

Credit to Stanton too for laughing it off as the ball barely hit him. I think he was more surprised than anything.

So this Masshole with the hand cannon may not have gotten to see the rest of this meaningless September game, but maybe, just maybe he earned himself a tryout with the team like Henry Rowengartner.

 

Tough Night for Sale, but Sox Still on Track

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Chris Sale’s performance last night didn’t inspire confidence in many Red Sox fans. Against a 100-loss team playing out the string in the second game of a doubleheader, Sale couldn’t get through five innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk. It was his worst outing this month, and likely his last appearance before starting Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Fenway Park one week from tomorrow.  Still, it doesn’t change my outlook for this team.

Despite last night’s rough outing, his September numbers aren’t that bad. While he didn’t have a decision this month, the Sox went 3-1 in the four games he started in September. His ERA of 3.75 wasn’t great, but not a complete disaster either. He still struck out 18 and walked just one, his WHIP was 1.00 and his opponents’ batting average was .239. Not up to the usual Chris Sale standards. but again, not a complete disaster either.

Where I notice a big difference is Sale’s opponents’ batting average on balls in play. Generally speaking, a normal BABIP is around .300. Through August, Sale’s opponents’ BABIP was .276, so maybe Sale benefited from some good defense behind him. In September, though, his opponents’ BABIP was .357. I’m not sure what’s to blame for the 81-point swing, but perhaps Sale just got a little unlucky at times in September. If the Red Sox are back at full strength in October and play meaningful games for the first time in a month, maybe that BABIP for Sale’s opponents goes back to being closer to the league average.

Maybe the most disappointing September number for Sale is his number of innings pitched: 12. But he did throw 92 pitches last night. If he can touch 100 pitches again next time out, maybe we don’t see the Chris Sale who struck out 11 Yankees and allowed one hit in seven innings on June 30, but maybe we get something closer to that which will still allow the Red Sox to survive and advance.

Tough Break for Malden Men Who Recovered Red Sox Banner

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boston.com – The Red Sox’ 2018 division title banner that was recovered on McGrath Highway in Somerville Monday has been returned in exchange for nothing…

If the missing banner had not been returned, Tony Lafuente, owner of Flagraphics, said his company had already produced a replica that would be ready to go.

“We already have a new banner made,” Lafuente told Anderson. “I’ve been doing work for the Boston Red Sox since 1992. Nothing ever happened like this.”

Lafuente also told Anderson that Iacuzzi and his friends “should be ashamed of themselves,” saying “those guys stole my banner.”

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How about John Henry going Willy Wonka on these guys? At least Charlie stole Fizzy Lifting Drink. If you take their story at face value, these guys just happened to find the banner in the middle of the road and offered to return it. All they wanted was a couple of playoff tickets. Our men from Malden might be a couple of characters, but their request was more than reasonable.

If it comes out that this banner didn’t simply “fall off a truck,” I reserve the right to update this post. But unless/until more information emerges, it seems like these guys got hosed. The guy that caught and gave back Derek Jeter’s 3000th hit got a World Series ring from the Yankees. All the men from Malden wanted was to get into the building.

Everyone knows what a pain it is to get to Fenway Park. Couldn’t John at least have given them some caps from the souvenir shop for their troubles? Or pay the inevitable parking ticket they got while dropping this thing off?

To paraphrase Stu and Alan from the Hangover our men from Malden say they didn’t steal anything, they found it and if anything they deserve a reward.

Congratulations to My Good Friend Rusney Castillo On Making His Second Straight Triple-A All-Star Team

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Rusney Castillo, now 31-years-old, is sneaky having one of the best seasons a Pawtucket Worcester Red Sox player has ever had. He just earned his second straight All-Star nod down in Triple-A and is batting a league leading .323 and if he keeps that up he’d be the first PawSox player to win a batting title since Wade Boggs did it in 1981. May he rest in peace.

This is just another stark reminder of how badly the Red Sox have bungled their roster and their payroll over the past several years. It’s not even all payroll luxury taxes the Sox are afraid of either, its just old fashioned money that John Henry is probably sick of spending. According to Spotrac the Sox currently have $164 million in salaries on the Active Payroll, $36 million in salaries on the Disabled List, and $42 million in RETAINED Salary. Thats $1 million to Allen Craig, $22 million to Hanley Ramirez, and $18 million to Pablo Sandoval. All of whom are obviously no longer on the Red Sox. Woof.

Oh and Manny Ramirez is making $2 million from the Sox this year in Deferred Salary as well.

While Rusney is only a career .262 hitter in 337 plate appearances at the major league level, it’s a goddamn shame the Sox can’t won’t call up a guy hitting the cover off the ball in Triple-A solely because of his salary.

The contract they gave him based off an out of context And 1 Mixtape was absurd, which is why he currently makes $11 million to play at McCoy Stadium. BUT to refuse to bring up a guy who is challenging for the Batting Title in Triple-A because of money is an unthinkable move from a franchise as rich as the Boston Red Sox. He could bat .400 and they wouldn’t call him up because they don’t want to go into the luxury tax.

Yup, I would much rather have Tzu-Wei Lin (career .230 hitter), Tony Renda (career .183 hitter), and Sam Travis (career .250 hitter) coming off the bench in September and October.

Oh well, here’s to you Rusney Castillo, friend of The 300s, Triple-A All-Star, and the highest paid person in the history of Rhode Island.

JD Martinez in Hot Water for an Old Instagram Post Quoting Hitler

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Boston Herald – Welcome, Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez, to the ever-expanding list of professional athletes whose social-media posts have been dug up, dusted off and placed on a pedestal for a fresh round of public examination. The problem this time is that we aren’t wringing our hands over decaying tweets from silly, uninformed teenagers who just happen to have ripened into big-league baseball players.

This time it’s an old Instagram post from a grown-up J.D. Martinez that uses Adolf Hitler to make a point about the evils of gun control. He posted it on Jan. 10, 2013. He was 25 years old, and soon to begin his third major-league season. It began making the rounds on Twitter on Sunday night, an old post with a fresh coat of paint and millions of new eyes.

The Instagram post includes a photo of Hitler with this quote, purportedly from Hitler in 1933: “To conquer a nation, First disarm it’s (sic) citizens.”  Martinez added his own commentary to the post: “This is why I always stay strapped! #thetruth”

Notttt a great look for Just Dingers Martinez here. I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t gotten more attention as it seems people have been tweeting about it for the past couple of days. Steve Buckley wrote about it in the Herald yesterday though, ripping JD, quite eloquently, for his abysmal knowledge of history.

“By almost all accounts, Hitler never uttered the words that were attributed to him in the Instagram post. He did, in the 1940s, make a comment that “the most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to permit the conquered eastern peoples to have arms.”

Hitler was referring to parts of Eastern Europe and Russia that he had already conquered, not to 1933 Germany. Applying the quote to 1933 suggests that Hitler and his thugs never would have come to power if only German citizens, Jews especially, had been able to use their guns to wipe out all the Nazis.

Crippled by economic chaos and a stunning loss of identity following World War I, Germans were left wanting for someone they believed could guide them out of the abyss. Along came Hitler, and millions of Germans were attracted to his message. They were not under gunpoint when they cheered Hitler at all those rallies.”

Now I despise the people that call for a guy’s job because of something he tweeted when he was 15 like we’ve seen time and time again and most recently with former top Red Sox prospect and current White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech. Are you really going to hold a guy to a joke he made before he could drive?

This JD IG is from when he was 25 though, which is a full blown adult. I’m not saying he needs to be placed on waivers, but its just a shocking lack of judgement from an adult let alone a professional athlete.

I’m sure the post is meant to be tongue in cheek, but Hitler is really one of the few things you should probably steer clear of. It’s why every athlete needs an “E” from Entourage to double check everything in their lives. A quick “hey you think I should gram this Hitler quote?” would have been shot down by anyone with a working brain.

So no, nobody needs to lose their job, but…

Alex Cora should just leave a history book in JD’s locker this week. No need to publicly flog the guy for an IG post, but probably a good opportunity to learn from a mistake and educate himself.