Hey all, sorry I didn’t have time to get to the preview this week. I’ll try to do a bit more in the Gamethread headers.
Today’s Red Sox starter is Nick Pivetta. He’s not the most likely pick for a starter who will rack up wins, but however representative you think they are, he is leading the AL in them with five at this point in time. Pivetta doesn’t necessarily have above-average underlying metrics, and he has walked the most hitters in the league, so we will see if regression starts to hit him and his solid 3.19 ERA.
After a 2020 in which players were not allowed to watch in-game video, that ability has returned in 2021. J.D. Martinez seems to be one of the beneficiaries, as his career .889 OPS dropped to .680 in 2020, hurting him (and my fantasy team). In 2021, he appears back, sporting a 1.044 OPS early.
Other Red Sox that are hitting well include Xander Bogaerts (1.009 OPS) and Rafael Devers (.905 OPS). They are currently 1st place in the AL East.
Angels Lineup: Fletcher 4, Ohtani DH, Trout 8, Rendon 5, Walsh 3, Upton 7, Iglesias 6, Ward 9, Butera 2. Canning 1.
Red Sox Lineup: Chavis 4, Verdugo 8, Martinez 7, Bogaerts 6, Devers DH, Vazquez 2, Gonzalez 5, Renfroe 9, Dalbec 3. Pivetta 1.
Observations: Martinez is in the outfield, which should be fun for us. Anthony Rendon is back. And someone who has influence filling out these lineup cards has a preference for Drew Butera.
Nothing like the bullpen failing to have shut down innings after the Angels score. It was Watson’s job to post a zero. Giving up a 2 run jack to a .200 hitting 9 hole batter is weak sauce.
Not even worth a post game thread. Sounds about right
Dang, I was supposed to write that.
Salt Lake City report:
Adell, 3 for 4 with his 4th HR. Now at .265 with a 1.048 OPS. Marsh, in his 2nd game, 1 for 4 so he’s at .429 (3 for 7) with a 1.698 OPS. His one hit was a triple. Bemboom also homered.
Austin Warren got the win, 4 innings, 2 runs, both unearned thanks to an error by Thaiss.
Got to remember, AAA is a hitters league. Stats are inflated. My eyes tell me these guys need time, a lot of it. I don’t think I can handle watching Adell f-up in the OF anymore than I did last year and spring. There is no way 2-weeks in AAA has fixed that issue. Think next year.
I don’t know if it’s still like it was in 1991 but….
I was doing stats for the radio team on the Portland Beavers broadcasts. It didn’t take very long for my stats to differ from the official PCL stats. Plays that I saw as errors (they were, believe me) were counted as hits. That’s one way to boost offensive numbers as well as ERAs.
Great point. This makes a big difference.
Also, I expect Marsh to be ….was gonna say to be up before Adell. Maybe not, though. I think Marsh is going to be better.
You’re right would rather watch Upton and Ward suck every night…😒
As for Trout. There is literally 0 way to argue back when people say he cant lead a team to the playoffs. Your mega star can hold turds accountable (yes I know hes one right now) but get in someone’s face and show some fire! Players follow there star players lead. And right now they’re following a softy headcase that needs to show some emotion!
Nice take. I’ve said it so often on here and I will keep saying it, Angels display and have no fire. Rendon, Trout, Upton and Fletch… cool customers. Not that they are not trying to win but they do not hate the opposition. No hit batsmen, brush backs, take outs breaking up double plays, chirping at the other team…nothing. Bundy is like the only one who looks like he wants to chew someone ass but it’s Maddon when he comes with the hook. A guy like Carlos Correa, a Wilson Contreras, a Jay Baez, Amir Garret, there are some more…these guys will come at you. I hate them when we play them but they play hard and won’t roll over. We don’t have these types. I was angling for Puig for this lone, single reason but he couldn’t keep his pants on.
Those Royals teams with Hos Moustakas and Cain oozed fiery leadership! We need some of that.
The should be leader took time away to go to Nantucket today.
Like honestly though. Why does Fletcher get this long a leash as leadoff!?..switch it up. I’d have Ohtani Trout and Rendon 1 2 3 ..put him 9th until he earns a portion of that new contract. Hes a trash bucket right and I’m sick of seeing attempt to “set the table”…good job by Canning tho.
`Trout and Fletch 0-8
Had trout had a hit since Albert was cut loose?
I think 3-23
He’s 5 for 31 with 15 Ks since May 3rd against the Rays.
.161
And he hasn’t even looked THAT good. We’ve seen slumps by him before, but with this one, ya gotta wonder.
Which one of those “Mike Trout is in Decline” articles did you read?
This is by far the worst I’ve seen him play. 15Ks in 31 ABs is unheard of for Trout. But it follows a month of playing at another level of greatness. The team needs him, he knows it, count on him to be back soon.
May as well jump on the Padre bandwagon
SF Giants. Kepler and Farhan Zahidi are doing some good shit up there. I would gladly trade Perry for Farhan.
And that is why I’ll never ever be positive about anything this team does. Yes I’m a fan, since the late 70’s but like hell if I’m gonna let them ruin my days like they did in the 80’s, 90’s…
1 WS in 40+ years of being a fan. Yeah, I’ll just keep on expecting the worst. They almost always deliver!
I have been a fan since ’82 and trust me I am getting sick of this crap. I really hope they never come to an agreement on a new CBA because I would be glad if MLB doesn’t exist anymore.
For me, it’s been since the early 70’s. That’s a lot of disappointment. And when they finally did win, I was already out of state. Kinda anticlimactic.
They’ve never really had a winning culture. Most of their good players have been past their prime retreads to put butts in seats. There have been a few. Most of them were there in ’02. Glaus, Erstad, K-Rod, Percy, Anderson, Salmon…. good collection.
Well I could say I might have been the jinx for posting for first time today but 21 losses this year suggest otherwise. Until tomorrow gang!
Falling deeper and deeper into the pits of mediocrity.
The season is long over. Nobody gets it in this organization.
The Western Skies are dark tonight. 🙁
Why bother Upton..
Well that break seems like a good idea now
Omg, that AB was quite the metaphor for this team.
Upton doesn’t see too many pitches in the dirt he doesn’t like.
Wow.. Barnes going through this bottom of the 9th QUICKLY
Imagine having pitchers that can attack the zone with confidence . Fuck all the metrics bs. Looking for ways to make them justify their personnel moves. Fire Perry
Concur.
Shocker
All on Upton…. hahaha
This team is gutless.
I would like to see a little fire. Hell someone should have gone off and been thrown out calling BS on those strike calls. Unfortunately they just walk away.
Trout should have gotten in that umps face after that shit call.
Yep. Show some freaking heart!
These players are gutless. Bring back the 2002 squad. I am sorry to say but Trout is just as gutless as the other players. I don’t feel sorry for someone who makes 426 million dollars.
What a team that was. No real superstars. Just a collection of steady, hard working, give it their all, hustling players.
That team I knew would win even if they were down.
Would I be a bad fan if I said I was glad Trout was not one of the guys batting this inning.