*Official* 8/9 Bad Luck, Bad Night Postgamer

[thomas35forever]

So many things happened the past two innings that just said we weren't meant to win this game. Wasted a great start by Giolito, too. Also shows we still have a ways to go before we match up well enough with the big boys of the division to win.

[voodoochile]

Was fun to watch Lucas seem to find that extra gear those last couple innings he threw. Hopefully that carries over.

[Frater Perdurabo]

It used to be that the Sox would embarrass themselves on a national broadcast.

This time, ESPN embarrassed themselves, but the Sox were at least competitive.

[MrX]

It used to be that the Sox would embarrass themselves on a national broadcast.

This time, ESPN embarrassed themselves, but the Sox were at least competitive.

ARod politicking for JR's yes vote on his Mets bid was embarrassing.

If MLB was going to experiment with all these gimmicks this season, they should have gone with the robot umps calling balls and strikes. I don't remember what inning it was, but that called 3rd strike on Grandal, it was at his shoulders, that ended the inning with runners on was terrible.

[Dumpjerry]

ARod politicking for JR's yes vote on his Mets bid was embarrassing.

If MLB was going to experiment with all these gimmicks this season, they should have gone with the robot umps calling balls and strikes. I don't remember what inning it was, but that called 3rd strike on Grandal, it was at his shoulders, that ended the inning with runners on was terrible.

The umpiring this season has been atrocious. Good thing Hawk retired, he would have had a dozen strokes by now.

[Kittle42]

The umpiring this season has been atrocious. Good thing Hawk retired, he would have had a dozen strokes by now.

There is no reason to have humans calling balls and strikes anymore. It's just terrible.

[ChiTownTrojan]

The umpiring this season has been atrocious. Good thing Hawk retired, he would have had a dozen strokes by now.

It feels like umpires are expanding the strike zones, maybe in an effort to move games along faster. From what I've seen it's been consistently in the direction that borderline pitches are being called strikes, rather than the other way around. As long as it's the same for both sides, the players just need to adjust.

[whitesox5187]

It feels like umpires are expanding the strike zones, maybe in an effort to move games along faster. From what I've seen it's been consistently in the direction that borderline pitches are being called strikes, rather than the other way around. As long as it's the same for both sides, the players just need to adjust.

It would be one thing if they were expanding the strike zone consistently, but the problem is there is no consistency with what is a strike and what isn't. I wonder if the issue is there wasn't a spring training, which is something umpires needs as well evidently.

[FourGoldGloves]

Shades of Game 3 of the 2000 Division series, when the Mariners exploited Frank Thomas at first with a walk-off drag bunt to win the series. You cannot compromise on defense in a game like that if you want to win. The Indians identified and targeted that weakness before the inning began. WHY was Yasmani Grandal playing first?

Not exactly the playoffs, but not that different either. Sox first time on ESPN Sunday night in "several years" -- and playing the team they have got to beat, in a classic pitchers' duel.

[KW1989]

ARod politicking for JR's yes vote on his Mets bid was embarrassing.

If MLB was going to experiment with all these gimmicks this season, they should have gone with the robot umps calling balls and strikes. I don't remember what inning it was, but that called 3rd strike on Grandal, it was at his shoulders, that ended the inning with runners on was terrible.

The Grandal one was a horrible, potentially game-changing call. There was also one a little earlier--I think it was Luis Robert? Where he took three balls but two were incorrectly called strikes and he ended up striking out.

[FielderJones]

The Grandal one was a horrible, potentially game-changing call. There was also one a little earlier--I think it was Luis Robert? Where he took three balls but two were incorrectly called strikes and he ended up striking out.

Most of the bad ball-strike calls against the Sox have come in crucial situations this year. I think a lot of the Sox offensive struggles are related to the horrible inconsistency of the strike zones. Kittle has it right, there is no reason for humans to be calling balls and strikes in this modern era of baseball.