I wonder if he'll take advantage of this. Sale, ERod and Pivetta should all be off the WC roster then. Replace them with Seabold if the game looks to be going deep into deeeeeep extra innings and add all the situational bats. I'll be quite irate if he doesn't take advantage of this and Boone does. I'd hate to think that he's getting out-maneuvered....
Right, and I think Cora wouldn't do that -- although I think that comes down to 1) do you plan to use ERod (our likely Game 1 starter)? and 2) do you plan to use Sale (our likely Game 2 starter)?
If they're going to have a break-glass extra innings guy on tomorrow's roster, better it be ERod or Pivetta than a rookie with one major league appearance under his belt. Seabold is the guy that gets added to the LDS roster if multiple starters/long relievers are hurt, not for one game when everyone's healthy.
Exactly this. And while yes, of course that's not incredibly likely, would anyone here be surprised at this point if this game went into the 11th+ inning? I'm almost expecting it.
A couple of extra guys on the bench for a one and done possibility makes sense, especially when you consider they are playing under the previous extra inning rules.
is expected to play 2nd base." When they re-aired the segment around 8:10, they had corrected Heidi's faux pas and "Vasquez" was replaced by "Arroyo."
Yes, neither does Cora based on his comments today.
Duh, I totally missed the Plawecki part of you post and thought your post was in reference to Sale being left off the WC roster. Things make SO much more sense when we read the entire post. Thanks.
Perhaps I am dense, but what does a May lineup against Philly have to do with Playoff Cora?
I prefer Pivetta starting, but I imagine if Playoff Cora is still with us, we'll see him used in the pen, along with all the starters available during their side session days. Since Pivetta likely won't be used as a starter for another 4 days at the earliest, I imagine he'll be available in a possible Game One of an ALDS, no?
Houck's stuff plays up in the pen too, no? I expect that Pivetta and Houck could probably be used interchangeably between starting and long relief, letting Cora pick and choose as needed and ride hot hands. Similar to how he never really committed ERod, Eovaldi, and Porcello to firm roles in 2018. They pitched in relief and made starts based on availability each series. (obviously, so did Price and Sale but they were the guys you knew were starting as much as possible)
Ironically, we’re significantly better defensively (and possibly offensively) with JD injured.
Yes it does. I was also thinking that Houck and Pivetta could piggyback each other in a game. One starts and goes 3-4 and the other goes 2-3.
JD has a career .935 OPS against Cole in 32 career PA (most on the team). I don't know that that's luck. He's going to be missed tonight.
Agreed. I don't like the guy but would prefer his bat to be in the lineup than not in the lineup. I think the issue though is that right now, Schwarber has been the better of the garbage-defense, all-offense LF/DH guys, so having to figure out a way to get one in the lineup without the considerable downgrade in OF defense (more important than IF defense these days IMO) is much easier now.
I think neither Dalbec nor Shaw have a good chance vs. Cole. Later in the game, vs. RH relievers, Shaw might be an effective pinch-hitter.
At least it happened on the field, unlike Wade Boggs injuring himself pulling off a cowboy boot (or getting tossed from a car while willing himself invisible), Bob Stanley gashing his hand after he slipped while taking out the trash, Vaughn Eshelman doing whatever Vaughn Eshelman was doing, or Andy Yount wrecking his hand at a friend's funeral.
I'll be curious to see the starting lineup. If it's what I expect, the longer bench is a touch illusory, though everyone has a potential role to play.
If the Sox are up by more than 3 at any point from the 5th inning on, I would consider defensive substitutions. But Arroyo is a pretty good defensive 2B so the only option really would be Shaw for Dalbec.
He sucks against righties even though in his only full season, he was mediocre vs them and last year he slashed .245/.375/.528 in his 64 PA vs R. On what planet does that make any sense?
Yeah, I think the "defensive subs" are more on paper than anything. Duran's not a great CF (no arm). AFAIK, Arauz isn't a huge upgrade over Arroyo. Shaw's not a career 1B, and I wouldn't be surprised if he and Dalbec are a push at this point.
I'm guessing they never saw him sticking at 2b if they moved him to CF knowing full well he may end up in LF or RF. His speed/athleticism is probably wasted at 2b too but I'm not sure why that matters. It does though. I'd rather he be wasting his athleticism playing a fringe average 2b than a below average RF.
Ottavino is the one I'd question, given how brutal his second half has been (-0.6 fWAR, including 3 HR in his last five appears (3.1 IP))
Yeah, you would want to yank Ottavino at the first sign he doesn't have the slider going, but the 3-batter minimum makes that so risky. I'd rather leave him off the roster.
