4/18 The Twins come to town

[trekfan55]

This is the day Sale starts to redeem himself. I have faith.

Let’s get a win, and then some more.

 

[Remagellan]

Dare I say that by the end of this game I hope we all have:

View: https://youtu.be/-ufXIrji1gk


(This song wasn't going to be my choice for today's game if yesterday had gone our way, as I was hoping for the chance to save it for later (to quote another band of that era).)

I also believe Chris is going to figure it out before the season is over, I just hope today is the start of that!

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

Obviously hoping for a sweep but I’ll gladly take 2/3 and head into the next series over .500

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Obviously hoping for a sweep but I’ll gladly take 2/3 and head into the next series over .500

Won’t 2 of 3 put them at .500?

 

[Sandy Leon Trotsky]

Won’t 2 of 3 put them at .500?

Sure if you want to be some nerdy stat geek

 

[bluefenderstrat]

They'll be over .500 in our hearts.

I really need to see Yoshida start making hard contact.

 

[brandonchristensen]

I wish we were the Yankees for this series.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I wish we were the Yankees for this series.

They did just split with the Twinkies. I want better

 

[brandonchristensen]

They did just split with the Twinkies. I want better

I would take a split of the 3-game series just to see how it happens.

 

[sezwho]

I would take a split of the 3-game series just to see how it happens.

Joemauer’s Cat?

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Joemauer’s Cat?

Sox picked up Peter Solomon from the Diamondbacks?

 

[E5 Yaz]

1. Donovan Solano (R) 1B
2. Carlos Correa (R) SS
3. Byron Buxton (R) DH
4. Jose Miranda (R) 3B
5. Kyle Garlick (R) LF
6. Christian Vazquez (R) C
7. Michael A. Taylor (R) CF
8. Max Kepler (L) RF
9. Willi Castro (S) 2B

 

[Ale Xander]

Welcome back CV

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Verdugo RF
Devers 3B
Turner DH
Yoshida LF
K. Hernández 2B
Casas 1B
Wong C
Duran CF
Chang SS

Sale P

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Wong again? Against a RHP?

 

[azsoxpatsfan]

I like the move of Kike to second and Chang to short. Chang can’t possibly be a worse defender than Kike has been, and can’t possibly be a worse hitter than Arroyo (I hope)

 

[Ale Xander]

Chang is a worse hitter than Arroyo imho

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Wong again? Against a RHP?

Sale has pitched exclusively to McGuire this season. Maybe switching it up might be a positive thing?

 

[Fishy1]

Chang at SS with Kike at 2nd probably the better defensive alignment, right? Arroyos looked like he badly needed a day off, regardless.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Welcome back CV

It'll be curious whether or not the umps delay the pitch clock his first time up so he can acknowledge the crowd, who surely will give him a nice reception. Umps did not do that for Clay Bellinger during his first AB back in Los Angeles on Friday, and gave him a time violation ball instead.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Might as well try a different alignment because this infield defense has been poor all season and this can’t continue:

View: https://twitter.com/sis_baseball/status/1648405547517894657?cxt=HHwWgoCzmZSHqOAtAAAA

 

[InsideTheParker]

That's a whole lot of right-handers to face Mr. Sale. Also, look at Sonny Gray's ERA so far. Can this be true?

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Dang, they broke up the Wong Chang combo. Will we still have fun tonight?
Rip it up, move down!

 

[FlexFlexerson]

Might as well try a different alignment because this infield defense has been poor all season and this can’t continue:

View: https://twitter.com/sis_baseball/status/1648405547517894657?cxt=HHwWgoCzmZSHqOAtAAAA

There's something comforting in the knowledge that no matter how bad the Sox are, my own local backyard team - the Rockies - are always, always worse.

 

[azsoxpatsfan]

Chang is a worse hitter than Arroyo imho

Could be true, but having seen Arroyo much more frequently recently, I’ve grown to dread his at bats. Seems to me he ends like a third of the innings, always with runners on

 

[The Gray Eagle]

To watch when Sale pitches tonight (from Speier in the Glob) how is his fastball working?
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/17/sports/oh-hes-close-red-sox-keeping-faith-chris-sale-struggles-his-return/

Sale’s fastball has been particularly problematic. Opponents are 13-for-26 with four homers and two doubles against his four-seamer and sinker.
“A lot with him is just getting fastball command back under control,” said Bush. “Getting his fastball back in the zone consistently sets up the rest of the mix.”

It isn't just the fastball, his slider has been inconsistent:

Of course, the rest of his mix presents its own issues. Sale’s changeup has been effective, but his slider has been inconsistent.
He’s struck out a dozen batters on it, but the pitch — typically one of the most devastating in baseball — has less sweep than in past years, down from 14-15 inches of horizontal movement to about 11.5. That suggests Sale is still searching for his mechanics and feel.
To the Sox, it’s not shocking to see the veteran as a work in progress given he made just 11 big league starts from 2020-22. The team has seen enough flashes of quality to remain optimistic about what he’ll look like once he’s deeper into the season.

 

[Mantush]

Chang is a worse hitter than Arroyo imho

He has better walk up music at least

 

[LynnRice75]

Game 18
A poor Bello start and pouring down rain.
An Angelic sweep washed right down the drain.
Our bats battled back but we came up shy.
We wanted water but we were left dry.
We’re not the most talented team by far,
but Cora’s decisions are still bizarre.
Sitting Verdugo and Turner at once?
There’s a fine line between genius and dunce.
It’s brighter today as we greet the Twins.
Set Sale for 500. Let’s get some wins.

 

[waffles.]

There's something comforting in the knowledge that no matter how bad the Sox are, my own local backyard team - the Rockies - are always, always worse.

Even when they make the world series

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Sonny Gray is only 33? I would have thought he was over 40 and retired by now. Guess I had him lumped in with Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito.

 

[BornToRun]

Sonny Gray is only 33? I would have thought he was over 40 and retired by now. Guess I had him lumped in with Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito.

I remember when he was a constant trade candidate for the Sox. Good, young, and on an Oakland team that would rather tap dance through a minefield than pay its own players.

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

They call him Don Solano (Quite rightly)
They call him Don Solano (Quite rightly)
They call him Don Solano

 

[BornToRun]

I’ll say what I said on Sunday, Sale will have a good night if he can get through the first unscathed

 

[BornToRun]

That was a dismantling

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

GOT HEEM!

 

[fenwaypaul]

Struck him out without a single pitch in the strike zone.

 

[S. H. Frog]

Loud mic in the wall

 

[pk1627]

You know it’s some bad luck this year when Buxton hasn’t gotten injured yet when the Twins come to town

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

GOT HEEM!

 

[BornToRun]

That’s the good slider

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

G-G-GOT HEEM!

 

[BornToRun]

Okay then. Let’s get some runs.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

That'll help the ol' first inning ERA.

 

[InsideTheParker]

Who is that skinny guy on the mound? I think I may like him.

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Vintage Sale that inning

 

[dhappy42]

When did the Twins switch from TC on their hats to M?

 

[BornToRun]

When did the Twins switch from TC on their hats to M?

Should’ve just gone with all three and used their Jumbotron to show old westerns.

 

[Rovin Romine]

Howsaboutthat?

 

[cournoyer]

Sale looking good right now. Also, can someone explain the origin of "sweeper" instead of slider or slurve? It's almost as bad as calling a fastball a swifty

 

[Just a bit outside]

Sale looking good right now. Also, can someone explain the origin of "sweeper" instead of slider or slurve? It's almost as bad as calling a fastball a swifty

Sweeper is more like a slurve. It is all the rage. A slower slider with more horizontal break.