ALDS 2021: Red Sox vs. Rays General Discussion Thread

ObstructedView

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All this talk about pitching and Dalbec. What about the biggest question: Will the Sox wear their sometimes-lucky yellow unis for game 4 on Bizarro Marathon Day? I bet they will, and I wish they'd go with the 11:00 a.m. start time just to troll everyone. In any case, I look forward to being at Fenway my first playoff game.

Assuming Pivetta starts, I am strangely confident in him in that spot. But I'm sure the leashes will continue to be tight, and it could be another kitchen-sink effort - either because their backs will be against the wall or because they'll have an opportunity to finish off TB without going back down there.
 

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All this talk about pitching and Dalbec. What about the biggest question: Will the Sox wear their sometimes-lucky yellow unis for game 4 on Bizarro Marathon Day? I bet they will, and I wish they'd go with the 11:00 a.m. start time just to troll everyone. In any case, I look forward to being at Fenway my first playoff game.

Assuming Pivetta starts, I am strangely confident in him in that spot. But I'm sure the leashes will continue to be tight, and it could be another kitchen-sink effort - either because their backs will be against the wall or because they'll have an opportunity to finish off TB without going back down there.
I hate the yellow unis and I would 100% break them out for Game 4.
 

JimD

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The blue jerseys were their 'lucky' ones in 2018 - after Friday's win, I'm guessing they will wear those today and again tomorrow if they have a chance to close it out. Otherwise, a loss today could well bring back the yellow unis tomorrow.
 

tims4wins

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The blue jerseys were their 'lucky' ones in 2018 - after Friday's win, I'm guessing they will wear those today and again tomorrow if they have a chance to close it out. Otherwise, a loss today could well bring back the yellow unis tomorrow.
Blue are road jerseys. Red are home. They'll wear red today I bet. If they win, they'll wear red tomorrow. If they lose, they'll wear yellow tomorrow - it's Marathon Monday after all.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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ERod, Sale, Perez, Otto, Taylor, Davis, Brasier, Barnes, Robles all should be good to go. Maybe Whitlock but not sure they want to push it.

Although you are probably best served saving Sale and Houck for a potential G5, right?

Assuming Eovaldi and Pivetta likely done for the series.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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Missed the game today but just saw the replay of Vaz's homer. He's been terrible this year, but watching him round the bases was awesome. Not sure I've ever seen an athlete look so happy.
 

PedroKsBambino

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So you figure Cora's plan for game 4 is, score permitting, to try and get 5-6 innings from ERod and Houck, then Brasier/Robles/Whitlock? If you get behind early you use Perez to eat some innings, and if you get up big you might try to steal some outs with Perez/Ottavino before you go to Houck (or you go straight to Brasier/Robles/Whitlock?)

And figure the game 5 plan is to cross fingers and plan for Sale (and that you won't need him?)

You could try to save Houck for game 5 and bridge from ERod to Brasier using the Taylor/Davis/Ottavino group depending on how far ERod goes too, which hedges your risk in game 5
 

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ERod, Sale, Perez, Otto, Taylor, Davis, Brasier, Barnes, Robles all should be good to go. Maybe Whitlock but not sure they want to push it.

Although you are probably best served saving Sale and Houck for a potential G5, right?

Assuming Eovaldi and Pivetta likely done for the series.
I would almost guarantee that Whitlock is available for an inning.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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So you figure Cora's plan for game 4 is, score permitting, to try and get 5-6 innings from ERod and Houck, then Brasier/Robles/Whitlock? If you get behind early you use Perez to eat some innings, and if you get up big you might try to steal some outs with Perez/Ottavino before you go to Houck (or you go straight to Brasier/Robles/Whitlock?)

And figure the game 5 plan is to cross fingers and plan for Sale (and that you won't need him?)

You could try to save Houck for game 5 and bridge from ERod to Brasier using the Taylor/Davis/Ottavino group depending on how far ERod goes too, which hedges your risk in game 5
Obviously hope for a lopsided win tomorrow but if it’s close or you need a reliever early, do you go all out with Houck, recognizing that you’d be counting heavily on Sale in a potential G5? Can’t imagine you can count on anything more from Pivetta or Eo this series, right?

Tough call, I think you probably go balls to the wall to win it all tomorrow and worry about G5 if the Rays force it.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Obviously hope for a lopsided win tomorrow but if it’s close or you need a reliever early, do you go all out with Houck, recognizing that you’d be counting heavily on Sale in a potential G5? Can’t imagine you can count on anything more from Pivetta or Eo this series, right?

Tough call, I think you probably go balls to the wall to win it all tomorrow and worry about G5 if the Rays force it.
Yeah, I think you gotta go for it and worry about game 5 only if you get there. Plus, if you use Houck for game 4 you likely have Perez available for 5 if you need him----not great, but something.

The other benefit of Houck is that with the Rays platooning ways it is useful to go ERod/Houck to flip those guys and then leave them vulnerable to how you deploy the middle relievers (or get the platoon advantage for one trip through). I'm guessing Houck is good for 1-2 innings given he threw 5 3 days ago so it's sort of like his throwing day (he also went 1 on Oct 5th after going 5 on the 2nd, so we've seen this usage before)
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Obviously hope for a lopsided win tomorrow but if it’s close or you need a reliever early, do you go all out with Houck, recognizing that you’d be counting heavily on Sale in a potential G5? Can’t imagine you can count on anything more from Pivetta or Eo this series, right?

Tough call, I think you probably go balls to the wall to win it all tomorrow and worry about G5 if the Rays force it.
Absolutely. Win today. Worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Step on their throats while you have them down.

Besides, it's not like the Rays' pitching is all lined up and in order. Both teams are going to be scrambling to cover 27 (or 54) outs.
 

Looch

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The Rays staff is seriously depleted. Not clear how they get thru nine innings tomorrow.
 

Beomoose

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azsoxpatsfan

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Where did Vaz's helmet go? Guys always toss them on walkoffs and they never seem to land
 

PedroKsBambino

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The Rays staff is seriously depleted. Not clear how they get thru nine innings tomorrow.
I think they have the innings but it is very much a patchwork situation. They have McHugh who I'll guess is good for 2-3; Fleming who is good for I'd guess 1-2, as I'd guess is Baz. Beyond that is situational, with most of today's guys good for at least one (Kittridge; Feyereisen; Fairbanks; Wisler; Patino). Wacha is good for 1 if they need him as well I'd guess. So they can cover the innings, it's just a lot of guys working back-to-back and putting more pressure on the game 5 situation.

The other approach is to go McLanahan for 3-4ish first. If I were guessing, they will save him for game 5 because they need both games and he'll be on normal rest then (and if they get there they will need him to be strong). But they could do that and then plan on Baz starting game 5.

The less likely possibility is they disable someone and start Yarbrough, who they left off the roster. I'm not sure the requirements there, but I think they might be willing to lose (say) Fleming for the next series in order to get a better starting option for game 4.
 

BaseballJones

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The Sox are in a little better position for tomorrow if only because they don’t NEED to win the game. They could punt and save their guys for game five. Not how I’d play it - and not how they will either - but they could. Tampa has to do whatever it takes to win tomorrow and worry about game five later.
 

soxhop411

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He still brings up the MFYs a hundred times a game as if everything needs to be compared to the pinstripes, and when he's paired with A-Rod he's just about un-listenable. But this was a great call.
There have been 7 walk off homers by a catcher in post season history"
@Christian_7_7_
hits a #8 "Do I hear number 8!? The
@RedSox
win! Christian Vazquez doing his Carlton Fisk! - Matt Vasgersian.

This is like that announcer curse, they said a stat like this an then a second later it happens

Also for those who want to see how it looked in Fenway:
View: https://twitter.com/Steve_Perrault/status/1447373070411436034
View: https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1447379336772870152

View: https://twitter.com/tylermilliken_/status/1447377052353585152
 

Salem's Lot

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Robles walked off the mound with a trainer, didn't he? So may be an issue there.


There is a day off Tuesday. Don't think you can rule out Eovaldi for an inning.
Cora talked about it in the postgame, he wasn’t feeling good. Went into the clubhouse and threw up.
 

Heating up in the bullpen

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So…who’s pitching tomorrow?
I don't like Sox lefties at all against that line-up. I also think the Rays staff is vulnerable. My goal would be to get an early lead with right-handers throwing, then go to match-ups and maybe get them to empty their bench. Brasier for 1, Ottavino for 1, maybe steal 1 with Barnes against the bottom of the line-up, or go to Sale or Erod if you've got two lefties coming up in an inning. If you've built up a lead, maybe go with Perez.
The wild card is Houck. He threw 60 pitches on Friday. On the one hand, I'd like to save him for the possible Game 5 on Wednesday on full rest. On the other hand, if I've got a lead and I need Houck to close it out, I think I go to him. Can I get 2 each from him and Whitlock? Or maybe 3 between the two of them?
The key is the offense. If they put up runs, the choices are easy. If they don't, you're saying some prayers over the pitching.
 

ookami7m

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He still brings up the MFYs a hundred times a game as if everything needs to be compared to the pinstripes, and when he's paired with A-Rod he's just about un-listenable. But this was a great call.
Matt V without A-Rod is like a cheeseburger without someone’s spit on it.

not many bad cheeseburgers but definitely can be made worse.
 

cantor44

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Missed the game today but just saw the replay of Vaz's homer. He's been terrible this year, but watching him round the bases was awesome. Not sure I've ever seen an athlete look so happy.
Yeah, it was a great reaction. So much better than the rage-joy that's so common with today's athletes. No baboon-dominance scream, no chest pounding, just a wide smile, arms ebulliently stretched. For those of us old enough to remember sports from the 70s and even some of the 80s, there really wasn't any rage-joy. When players had a big moment, they'd just be ... happy. Metastasizing American narcissism and maybe 'roids changed all that ...I dunno ...