Sox-Rays Series

[Triboy16]

mike timlin should retire. Dummy francona had chris smith and pauley in the pen. Even a double a player is better than grandpa timlin

thanks for everything mike but please retire. knowing francona if you stick around till 50 you will play

[nickagneta]

Last night was a game screaming for some "small ball" and the Sox couldn't/wouldn't do any of it.  Credit the Rays with some good pitching, but the Sox could not move a runner all night long.

It's getting to Big Papi's turn to put the team on his back for a while.  Pedroia can't do it all!

I agree about the smallball.  I think without Manny, and with Papi clearly a shadow of his former self, this team has transformed a bit.  They need to start manufacturing runs a little more.  They have plenty of guys who can drive in runs, but they need to be putting them in better positions to do it, rather than just counting on home runs.

Youk's double play was killer.  That's a bunt in the National League, plain & simple.  Instead, we end up with a runner on third and two outs.

By the same token that then takes the bat out of Bay's hands and would have brought Cora, a lefty, and Tampa had a lefty up in the bullpen ready. I can understand not bunting with Youk in that instance but there were a bunch of other times that I agree something could have been done.

What lost that game, and I hate to try to throw any blame this guy's way because he has been so outstanding since coming here, was Bay's performance last night. He was 0 for 7 with 3 SO's and came to bat with 7 men on base and then sat down without even moving a runner along.

Guy's have bad games. Good thing there's 162 of them.

[Chris]

mike timlin should retire. Dummy francona had chris smith and pauley in the pen. Even a double a player is better than grandpa timlin

thanks for everything mike but please retire. knowing francona if you stick around till 50 you will play

Although I agree that Timlin is done, whats with the anti-Francona stuff?  He has done a tremendous job this year. 

You can second-guess anything, but the vast majority of his moves have come up golden. 

[Chris]

Last night was a game screaming for some "small ball" and the Sox couldn't/wouldn't do any of it.  Credit the Rays with some good pitching, but the Sox could not move a runner all night long.

It's getting to Big Papi's turn to put the team on his back for a while.  Pedroia can't do it all!

I agree about the smallball.  I think without Manny, and with Papi clearly a shadow of his former self, this team has transformed a bit.  They need to start manufacturing runs a little more.  They have plenty of guys who can drive in runs, but they need to be putting them in better positions to do it, rather than just counting on home runs.

Youk's double play was killer.  That's a bunt in the National League, plain & simple.  Instead, we end up with a runner on third and two outs.

By the same token that then takes the bat out of Bay's hands and would have brought Cora, a lefty, and Tampa had a lefty up in the bullpen ready. I can understand not bunting with Youk in that instance but there were a bunch of other times that I agree something could have been done.

What lost that game, and I hate to try to throw any blame this guy's way because he has been so outstanding since coming here, was Bay's performance last night. He was 0 for 7 with 3 SO's and came to bat with 7 men on base and then sat down without even moving a runner along.

Guy's have bad games. Good thing there's 162 of them.

Great post.  Absolutely right about why not to bunt with Youk.  With Lowell already out of the game, it just would have left them taking the bat out of two of their best hitters hands, to give it to a utility infielder, best known for his defense.

Also agree about Bay.  He just didn't have it last night.  He had multiple chances to put the game away, but couldn't get it done.  I definitely don't hold it against him though.  I am fully confident that he will bounce back tomorrow.