*Official* 9/3 Bats Break Out of Slumber Postgamer

[thomas35forever]

Not a bad way to get back on track. Now, can Detwiler and Cishek switch their leverage spots?

[BigKlu59]

Yes, but the heartburn ending was something that didn’t need to happen. Keep these reeling Royals in their basement abode with a constant St Louis Browns beat down each time we swing the lumber and scuff the rubber.

BK59

[A. Cavatica]

I hope Flores can learn from Gonzalez and Keuchel. I loved the fast pace, the control, and the strikeout to end his inning.

[Dumpjerry]

Robert's dinger in the 7th was going to be only 430 feet. However, it took so long to come down, the Earth's rotation moved the landing spot to 460 feet from Home.

[voodoochile]

458 feet... does that make the walkway at GRF?

Nice to see the hitting return. Sent 9 men to the plate two separate innings tonight.

Nice to see TA get back on the HR train too.




"458 dubsteps..."

[BRDSR]

Obviously the hitting was there, but I was most interested in Cease's performance going into the game, and I still don't know what to make of it.

His line after 5 innings was 1 run, earned, 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout. Obviously good results. His final line after 5 innings and 2 batters added two earned runs to that total while recording no outs, so the final line doesn't look as good, but it's acceptable. And I don't have a problem with him starting the 6th. The 5th was his best inning, and as long as he feels good, see how deep he can go. Maybe should have been pulled after the first double.

But man, his control. 96 pitches, 58 strikes, 38 balls, but it sure felt worse than that. There were stretches of 2-3 batters at a time when he couldn't get within a foot of the strike zone with either his fastball or slider, and he simply couldn't establish a put away pitch. The 2nd inning was particularly hard to watch. Fastballs were all way high and way away, sliders were all we low and way away. Maybe his stuff is just good enough that he can be somewhat effective without good control, but if so, he's destined for a 4/5 starter at best. Hopefully he can figure that out.

I can understand Foster in the 6th starting with a man on 2nd and no outs, but why Marshall in the 7th up by 7?

People keep talking about Abreu for MVP. Anderson's OPS is currently 18 points higher at .999.

[ChiTownTrojan]

I can understand Foster in the 6th starting with a man on 2nd and no outs, but why Marshall in the 7th up by 7?

The whole bullpen has been pretty taxed lately. Has there been a starter that has made it through 6 innings since the no hitter? Marshall has been relatively underused lately compared to some of the other guys.

[Mohoney]

Obviously the hitting was there, but I was most interested in Cease's performance going into the game, and I still don't know what to make of it.

His line after 5 innings was 1 run, earned, 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout. Obviously good results. His final line after 5 innings and 2 batters added two earned runs to that total while recording no outs, so the final line doesn't look as good, but it's acceptable. And I don't have a problem with him starting the 6th. The 5th was his best inning, and as long as he feels good, see how deep he can go. Maybe should have been pulled after the first double.

But man, his control. 96 pitches, 58 strikes, 38 balls, but it sure felt worse than that. There were stretches of 2-3 batters at a time when he couldn't get within a foot of the strike zone with either his fastball or slider, and he simply couldn't establish a put away pitch. The 2nd inning was particularly hard to watch. Fastballs were all way high and way away, sliders were all we low and way away. Maybe his stuff is just good enough that he can be somewhat effective without good control, but if so, he's destined for a 4/5 starter at best. Hopefully he can figure that out.

I can understand Foster in the 6th starting with a man on 2nd and no outs, but why Marshall in the 7th up by 7?

People keep talking about Abreu for MVP. Anderson's OPS is currently 18 points higher at .999.

That 10-day IL stint looms large for TA, though. It’s tough for a guy to win an MVP when he misses significant time like that.

[ChiTownTrojan]

That 10-day IL stint looms large for TA, though. It’s tough for a guy to win an MVP when he misses significant time like that.

On the other hand he gets a boost for playing a much more challenging defensive position. Anderson is currently the team leader in fWAR (5th in the AL, Abreu is 16th). The Sox have 4 of the top 16 in the league, which is pretty cool (Giolito and Robert are the others).

[HomeFish]

On the other hand he gets a boost for playing a much more challenging defensive position. Anderson is currently the team leader in fWAR (5th in the AL, Abreu is 16th). The Sox have 4 of the top 16 in the league, which is pretty cool (Giolito and Robert are the others).

Fangraphs has an article today about how TA's WAR is way up because he has more power this season

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/tim-andersons-second-quieter-breakout/

Though they note that this may be an artifact of him playing the Detroit Tigers so much this year

[A. Cavatica]

On the other hand he gets a boost for playing a much more challenging defensive position. Anderson is currently the team leader in fWAR (5th in the AL, Abreu is 16th). The Sox have 4 of the top 16 in the league, which is pretty cool (Giolito and Robert are the others).

This morning, Abreu, Robert and Anderson are 1-2-3 in the AL for bWAR for position players. 👍

[BRDSR]

The whole bullpen has been pretty taxed lately. Has there been a starter that has made it through 6 innings since the no hitter? Marshall has been relatively underused lately compared to some of the other guys.

Understood, but that's why I would have trotted Flores out there in the 7th for his major league debut with a 7 run lead. Maybe he kills it and can actually eat 2 innings to help spell that taxed bullpen. If not, then Cishek in the 8th. And then if Marshall needs an inning of work, give him the 9th. I just don't understand bringing out your second best available reliever behind Colome in the 7th inning with a 7 run lead. So many other ways to approach that inning that make more sense.

[BRDSR]

That 10-day IL stint looms large for TA, though. It’s tough for a guy to win an MVP when he misses significant time like that.

Batting leadoff helps offset the time on the IL. Not looking at any numbers, but obviously he averages more plate appearances per game than virtually anyone else in the league when batting leadoff on a team that scores a bunch of runs.

[Mohoney]

Batting leadoff helps offset the time on the IL. Not looking at any numbers, but obviously he averages more plate appearances per game than virtually anyone else in the league when batting leadoff on a team that scores a bunch of runs.

A measly 10-day IL stint is like missing a month. BBWAA voters are a fickle bunch. I fear this may torpedo his chances.

Unless the writers are thorough enough to consider how listless this team was without him in the lineup...

[BRDSR]

A measly 10-day IL stint is like missing a month. BBWAA voters are a fickle bunch. I fear this may torpedo his chances.

Unless the writers are thorough enough to consider how listless this team was without him in the lineup...

You might be right...just saying that batting leadoff on a great offensive team offsets the missed games somewhat.