We picked up a game on Boston last night.
Holy crap. They're human, the 2018 Hall of Fame Redsock Superteam of Destiny (TM.) We're still five back, four in the loss column. But we are now 4-1 since Aaron Judge stopped a fastball with his wrist, and there is one positive about minor injuries: Unless your first name is Jacoby, a guy can't get hurt while sitting in the Jacuzzi. They say Judge has ditched his wrist brace and could be back this month (Note: It's now August.) They also say Clint Frazier did not suffer a concussion - (they must have Manafort's lawyers parsing the words) - but is facing "fogginess." Hey, aren't we all?
The updates came via Cooperstown Cashman's post trade deadline happy talk session, rendered before the Evils whupped a charity pick-up team that was once the Baltimore Orioles. Poor Buck Showalter. I haven't seen someone so tortured, being forced to watch unfolding horrors, since Malcolm McDowell in "A Clockwork Orange." Today, we play them again, and I think it was Paul O'Neill last night who noted that when you play a two-game set against the worst team in baseball, the split is not an option.
But hell, I've buried the lead. Boston yesterday received a Reality Gram from the juju gods: Chris Sale's bionic shoulder is barking, and he will miss a start. The Redsocks sprang into pooh-pooh mode, saying it's a minor tweak thingy. Sale himself claims it's just a flesh wound, ma-am; he'll rub some dirt on it and get back out there. I, for one, hope he does. Because if this were a Yankee pitcher - not the least their ace - I wouldn't believe a fucking word that came out of the organization's maw. Yesterday was THE crunch moment of the 2018 trade deadline - they announced Sale's injury after the 4 p.m. shutdown - and that's no coincidence.
In fact, I'm sort of amazed that the Boston media seems to have swallowed the Sale "no problem here" party line without a hiccup. An inflamed shoulder is nothing to screw around with, and Sale is about to miss what is the most important series of the season, thus far. Before this, he had been lights-out.
Boston's September schedule includes three games each against Houston, Cleveland and Atlanta, plus six against the Yankees. Anyone who thinks the Division race is over, they're wrong. All we need to do is keep beating the tomato cans. Yeah, it's now August. But the month has 31 days, and there is plenty of time. Win today, and we could hear those nine magical words once again, heading to Fenway.
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21 comments:
You gotta agree with the sentence that starts "win today....."
Unfortunately, I checked. Sonny Gray is still with the team, and starts this game.
I know, I know -- he's been better lately. But Erratic is this guy's actual first name.
Only three back in the "all important" loss column.
Sunny's on the mound tonight, but so is Alex Cobb and his league leading 14 losses.
So endeth the JuJu.
Here's a question: Jonathan Loáisiga was said to be out for "three weeks" on or around July 7th. That means he should be back right around now or even a week ago. Does anyone know his status?
He looked pretty good the few times we got to see him.
Read somewhere he's out until the middle of August.
I liked this young pitcher too and find it odd that he gets so few mentions. I'm actually anticipating his return with the same interest as Tanaka's return from the DL.
Here's the good news about Sonny being on the mound tonight: He won't be on the mound this weekend vs. Boston.
We're going as follows:
Thu: Sabathia vs. Johnson (don't know a lot about Johnson...)
Fri: Severino vs. Porcello (fingers crossed that Severino rights the ship)
Sat: ? vs. Eovaldi (this was to be Happ's turn; kind of disappointing it's not)
Sun: Tanaka vs. Price (let's hope Price continues to gag)
I'd prefer any of the guys above to Gray, including "?".
P.S. The Sunday game is the friggin' late ESPN game. The fans of two east coast teams need to stay up until midnight to watch a home game. This old man lacks that sort of stamina. Screw ESPN. Screw MLB.
Yes, TWW, it is 3 games in the loss column, not 4. But who's counting? All of us!
Loaisiga is out until sometime around mid-late August with what was claimed to be shoulder inflammation. The same injury that will allow Sale to pitch again in 10 days. Hmm...Loaisiga out 6 weeks minimum yet Sale only a week and a half with the same injury. Maybe Sale is getting the Bartolo Colon therapy in Central America. I've said it before: Sale will never pitch the full term of his contract. He has now officially entered the David Price Zone.
I'm glad to see that the Yanks didn't give away more of the farm at the deadline. First place just isn't a very realistic option and there is no reason to them try very hard nor to pick up any more costly rentals. They just need enough to rest their playoff guys really.
Some quick math. The Red Sox needs to become a .500 team and we go at a .700 pace in August. That would make us one game ahead of them by September (not counting make up games). Then we'd face them 10 times in September and we'd have to win at least 5 of them to keep that one game lead. It's very rough and I just don't see it happening.
Either way, I think what will happen is that Yanks will end up 3 games behind the Sox at the end of the season, which was my prediction at the start of the season. The Sox will burn off a ton of games to rest their guys, which will probably see the Yanks drop from 8 behind to that 3 behind prediction. I'm hoping facing them 10 times in September will get us very well used to them for October, but that works the other around too, and they may have our number by then.
But then again I'm thinking the A's will clean our clocks if we have to face them in California for a one game playoff too. We do really badly in California usually in important games. I fear them more than the Sox and 'Stros this playoff season. I really want to see the M's in there instead.
Carl, that comment of yours just gave me a woody. hey. at my age I'll take what I can get.
Soon, our leader of leaders will re-assess exactly what remains in the farm.
I give you food for thought:
1. Jace Peterson was our depth for the OF.
2. The Foggy Frazier would be, except one cannot hit or catch in a fog. Perhaps he has what Drury had. No concussion, but blurred vision.
3. Loaisaga will be nursing that shoulder tweak straight into Dr. Andrews' OR. Mark my words. He was too good to remain healthy.
4. Sheffield is our gem. However; no matter how many injuries and meltdowns occur, the principle of " anyone but Sheffield" continues to prevail. Anyone have a clue?
5. First base is now backed up by Luke someone. The Princeton guy needs to get leverage on Boone or his career is over.
6. Our catching depth is already here.
To tell the truth; our AAA and AA farm depth is like the food store in Venezuela where the shelves have only canned asparagus.
I can't see us beating out the Sox, but who knows? The Dodgers looked unbeatable at one point last year, then went into a slide. In general, though, I think we should be much more interested in just trying to move forward.
What can we get for Sanchez? WTF is Judge hitting .204 on the road? Can we heal Sevvy? Do the Yankees even have a pitching coach anymore? (Speaking of which, a moment of silence for old Tony Cloninger, dead at 77, sacrificed for our 2001 WS loss. Only pitcher ever to hit two grand slams in a single game.)
Unfortunately, with Sonny Gray pitching at home, ANYTHING is an option, including a repeat of the Mets' performance last night.
But hey, Sonny has an "injury," a bruised hand. With choke players, a minor injury is often a good thing. It gives them a built-in excuse, something by which they can say, 'Whattaya expect? I was hurt!'
Let's just hope he can give us his usual, killer five innings, before he swoons with the fantods.
I have questions as well about hand, foot, and mouth disease. Didn't Thor get it the day after the Mets played at YS. And didn't Happ get it there as well?
Shouldn't they be Handi Wiping the whole place right about now?
Also, if it can be transmitted through sweat and toys doesn't a pitcher throwing a ball and then having the other players touch that ball sound like a potential disaster?
Doug K.
KD...this might give you a bigger and stronger woody:
http://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/24243805/buster-olney-grading-2018-trade-deadline-all-30-mlb-teams
Is this guy considered to be a Gammonite? I think he's on crack.
So endeth the juju.
What kind of asshole types this forty times a day and then claims to have an actual life?
CANNED ASPARAGUS MAKES MY PEE SMELL WORSE THAN FRESH.
I GOT NEWS FOR EVERYONE.
WE ARE ONLY 3 OUT IN THE LOSS COLUMN, NOT 4.
LOSING NOT AN OPTION TODAY.
LETS GO!!
no team is so bad that Gray can't turn them into a winner.
oh, look! a new pitcher!!
Rain, rain, come we pray!
Save us from that Sonny Gray!
Hoof-and-mouth disease ripping through the major-league ranks is just the sort of thing that happens when you have ballplayers actually acting as responsible fathers!
Back in the day, assuming a player wasn't still playing the field at 35, he never got closer to his kids' toys or grubby little fingers than a beer stein at the local saloon.
Feminism has killed this game, dammit!!
Amber Lynn came in for one (1!) batter before the rain delay? Now he's toast for the day (if they resume). I smell Russian/Gammonite conspiracy. We need a special counsel for this!
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