*Official* 9/16 Over Early Postgamer

[thomas35forever]

I won Sox Math. That's the only good thing about today. Hopefully, they can feast on a last-place Texas team.

[Lipman 1]

This team is just exasperating, just so damn frustrating.

Boston comes to town, playoff atmosphere, they take 2 of 3 and should have swept them.

Angels come to town, mediocre club at best, no Rendon...no Trout, a beat up no-name pitching staff and they embarrass the Sox.

They acted like they didn't even want to show up today and mailed it in. Total garbage.

Since the All-Star break they are 29-28, they are spinning their wheels heading into the playoffs.

TLR keeps playing musical chairs with his lineups and they are running out of time to have a little consistency.

Like I said so damn frustrating. And the "injury" excuse has expired in my opinion the main guys are back...play their asses.

[Tragg]

This one I can deal with - just got beat.
But yesterday was like the Saturday loss - clown at-bats with an easy chance to tie the game.

[LITTLE NELL]

2.5 weeks to straighten this out. The second half has been exasperating but that's what .500 teams do. I thought after the Red Sox series that the team was ready to go on a roll but instead after a nice win Tuesday we stink up the joint the next 2 games. At this point and the way they've played the second half I would not be shocked if they get knocked out in the first round. Lets see what happens down in Texas with a hapless Ranger team.

[WSox597]

At the risk of being called a dark cloud, that's exactly what I'm expecting. A first round KO. That's if they don't piss the lead away before then.

They have not been playing consistently good baseball since the AS break, there's no way to sugarcoat it. I know the saying is "it's a new season" in the playoffs, but as many times as we've been burned, it's hard to expect excellence.

The way they've been playing, if they play Houston in the first round, Houston will beat them like a rented mule. I'd love to be proven wrong, I really would.

[FielderJones]

The way they've been playing, if they play Houston in the first round, Houston will beat them like a rented mule. I'd love to be proven wrong, I really would.

I would love for this post to not age well at all.

[Dumpjerry]

Reality check time.

Our first round opponent's (the Astros) record since the All-Star break:
30-24 (they play tonight)
Our record since the All-Star break:
29-28

What are people getting their shorts all knotted over? The Astros have won ONE MORE GAME than us. We have played three more games than Houston. Who's gonna be more tired come October?

Tony Time!!!!

[Lipman 1]

I would love for this post to not age well at all.

I think we all would but we'll have to wait and see if the way they ended the regular season in 2020 and how that carried over, repeats itself this year.

Abreu has already talked about this after a lifeless effort a few weeks ago.

[Lipman 1]

Reality check time.

Our first round opponent's (the Astros) record since the All-Star break:
30-24 (they play tonight)
Our record since the All-Star break:
29-28

What are people getting their shorts all knotted over? The Astros have won ONE MORE GAME than us. We have played three more games than Houston. Who's gonna be more tired come October?

Tony Time!!!!

They are six over and seem like a very good bet now to have the home field in the playoff series. Sox right now are 15-10 at home vs. teams with winning records as opposed to 10-19 on the road. That's significant in my book. And you are looking at only a five game series, not seven, much less room for error.

The Sox are one over.

That's a difference of five games

The Sox because of the epidemic of injuries have had a number of guys miss a lot of time this season, consistency has been hard to come by, they have 16 games left to get it.

Last year they sleepwalked into the playoffs after clinching and it cost them dearly, we'll see how it turns out this year. Abreu himself publicly said they "relaxed" and weren't able to regain that momentum. But if they haven't learned from last season then they aren't as smart as I thought.

[WSox597]

I would love for this post to not age well at all.

So would I, I'd love for the Sox to smoke the Astros.

[Lipman 1]

Headline at the Sun-Times and the story sums things up pretty well in my opinion:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-s...sox-3-mlb-2021

And to those who dismiss home field, you may want to take note of the following from the story:

"Major league teams with home-field advantage have advanced in nine of the last 12 divisional-round series, a three-year trend that includes five of the last six series in the AL. And who has the best home record in the AL this season? The Sox, at 49-27 (.645)."

[thomas35forever]

But if they haven't learned from last season then they aren't as smart as I thought.

Guess not. Time to tear it down and rebuild with smart players who won't "relax" down the stretch.

[Lipman 1]

Guess not. Time to tear it down and rebuild with smart players who won't "relax" down the stretch.

Talk about overreacting. Sarcasm doesn't address the issue does it? If you don't think its an issue than why did Abreu talk about it?

[fungo bat]

Inconsistency, especially since the All-Star break. The bats are hot one night, and then cold as ice. The bullpen looks good for a few outings and then fails. It would be nice to put together a string of victories and look hungry doing it. It seems like they are just going through the motions and waiting for October. Not a good omen for success in the post-season.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Ehhh.

Obviously I’d prefer that we finish hot and win home field advantage.

But I also recall that in 2005 the Sox kinda stagnated in the second half, compared to the blazing hot first half.

Home field advantage obviously helps. But what’s most important is being healthy, playing well, and getting hot.