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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 15, 2020 17:26:21 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 23s Tanner Houck is about 30-35 minutes from this his first #MLB pitch and hasn't been officially added to the #RedSox roster.
Boston had a day off yesterday. They're 17-31. It can't be that hard to get organized, IL/DFA someone and move on. There are some easy decisions here.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 15, 2020 17:29:56 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 1m Red Sox activate Tanner Houck, move Kyle Hart to the 45-day IL (hip) and put Andrew Triggs on the 10-day IL (right radial nerve irritation).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 15, 2020 18:59:50 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h #RedSox also released catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who was at Pawtucket. Opens a spot in the player pool.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Sept 15, 2020 20:43:35 GMT -5
Nice debut by Houck. But here's my problem:
“I definitely feel a lot more confident with lefties. I’ve definitely added a new weapon with the splitter,” Houck said. “I banged my changeup about two months ago. I was kind of on the fence with both of them for a while there throwing the changeup and the split. One day they were like, 'Here are the numbers, and your split plays way better to righties and lefties.'
So, maybe he improved his split. But maybe not. Is this something that happened after Bloom got hired, or is this something that was always there, and not discovered by our minor league development staff? It's only one start, so relatively unimportant. And it is the Marlins, and they don't hit hard. But, given the amount of draft capital devoted to our pitchers, i am still suspicious that we did not do a good job of developing them.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 2:24:34 GMT -5
Red Sox 2, Marlins 0: Tanner Houck’s outstanding debut 6 comments
An incredible debut for the former first round pick. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Sep 15, 2020, 9:50pm EDT
With this first game of the series between the Red Sox and Marlins, all eyes were on Tanner Houck. The 2017 first round pick was making his major-league debut in this one, and to put it mildly: He did not disappoint. We’ll have more in-depth analysis on this debut in the morning, but to put it quickly he was very impressive. It wasn’t perfect and there are things to nitpick, but he tossed five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, showing poise and an elite slider. It was the best Red Sox debut by a starting pitcher since Eduardo Rodriguez. The offense didn’t exactly overwhelm him with support, and in fact to make things even more impressive the game was scoreless the entire time Houck was in the game. The Red Sox got a couple of late runs, though, and the bullpen held strong to give Boston their second shutout win of the year.
The story heading into this one was obviously Tanner Houck, and he did not disappoint. Throughout his time in the minors, the biggest issue that the Red Sox were trying to solve with their 2017 first round pick was how to get out lefties. So, it made sense that he got to start his career against a veteran lefty in Corey Dickerson. The Marlins leadoff man won the battle, too, smacking a base hit into left-center field. Bizarrely, however, he decided to try and stretch it to a double and was fairly easily thrown out by Yairo Muñoz. It was a strange decision under any circumstances, but with a guy making his major-league debut, you’d think you’d want to make him pitch with guys on base right off the bat. Instead, Dickerson gave him an early first out, and Houck only ended up needing nine pitches in a three-batter first. He finished off the frame getting Jesús Aguilar with a ridiculously well-placed fastball down and away for his first big-league strikeout.
Houck did indeed continue to look good from there. The righty did give up a two-out single and then issued a walk after that in the second, but he struck out the other three batters he faced to give him four K’s through two. He then came back with a 1-2-3 third to give him three scoreless.
The fourth was the most the rookie had to work in the game and was the first time it really seemed like he had to labor through a frame. He got Aguilar to fly out to start the inning, but then he issued his second walk of the game to put his first man on with less than two outs. He came back from that with a big strikeout — and one that was extra impressive after it started with a truly terrible ball call that he didn’t let unravel him — before issuing another walk. With two men on and Miguel Rojas, Miami’s best hitter this year, at the plate, Hocuk bore down with his fastball velocity ticking down a bit and still managed a huge strikeout to end the inning.
The young righty was up to 77 pitches at this point heading into the fifth, and with the way the fourth went it looked like this may be his last inning of the night. He did toss a quick fifth and had only 86 pitches, but that would be the end of his night. It was a great debut, though, with five scoreless innings under his belt on two hits (both singles), three walks and seven strikeouts.
Unfortunately, as all this was going on, the Red Sox offense wasn’t giving their rookie starter any run support whatsoever. They were going up against another young pitcher (albeit with a full year of experience, plus a bit on top of that) in Sandy Alcantara. And they had no answers. They managed just a two-out single in the first, and the same in the third. They did get a couple runners on in the fourth on a one-out single that was followed by a walk, but they couldn’t come through with the run.
Finally, in the sixth, they were able to give some help to Houck. The rally started with a one-out single from Xander Bogaerts, his second hit of the day. A couple batters later, Christian Vázquez drew a walk to extend the inning and put a pair on for Jackie Bradley Jr. The latter continued his hot streak at the plate, slapping a liner down into the left field corner that brought Bogaerts around to score, giving the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. They couldn’t build off of that, but it was indeed a lead.
Now it was up to the bullpen to try and keep this Marlins lineup off the board, and Dylan Covey got the first call. He got it done with a quick 1-2-3 sixth. He’d come back with another perfect inning in the seventh, too, this one featuring a pair of strikeouts and a very nice play on both ends between Rafael Devers and Bobby Dalbec.
The Red Sox were now looking for some more insurance heading into the eighth, and Devers got them off to the right start thanks to a leadoff double. The Marlins were then inexplicably concerned with Devers taking off with one out and attempted a pick off. That attempt ended up in center field, putting the runner at third. After intentionally walking J.D. Martinez (another weird decision, they served up a base hit to Vázquez to make it a 2-0 game.
With the extra insurance run now in tow, Ryan Brasier came on to protect the eighth. He gave up some very loud contact to start things off, but was bailed out by Muñoz making a very nice grab going back and crashing against the wall. Miami did get a two-out single, but Brasier got out of the inning thanks to another strong play from Devers, keeping the lead at two.
That left it up to Matt Barnes to close things out in the ninth. The righty got a couple of quick outs, but it’s never easy with him so of course he had to give up a two-out double, which brought the tying run to the plate. He got Garrett Cooper swinging a breaking ball to end the game, though, securing Houck a win in his big-league debut.
The Red Sox and Marlins continue their series on Wednesday. Mike Kickham is getting the start for Boston while Trevor Rogers goes for Miami. First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 2:25:06 GMT -5
OverTheMonster @overthemonster · 6h Zero confidence in the bullpen holding onto this lead. But I like the call to take out Houck. Very rare for Red Sox pitchers to actually feel confidence after their first start. Let him feel good and build off that next time out
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 2:56:31 GMT -5
Houck's debut nets win, $700 donation
By Ian Browne @ianmbrowne September 15, 2020
The taste of promise that Red Sox No. 10 prospect Tanner Houck delivered at Marlins Park on Tuesday night was exactly what his team needed.
Let’s face it: The 2020 season has not been pretty for Boston in any way, shape or form.
Challenged by season-long injuries to their top two starters (Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez), the Sox have been lacking in pitching.
• Box score
For a night, Houck changed that with a tremendous effort in his MLB debut in which he fired five innings, holding the Marlins to two hits while walking three and striking out seven in Boston's 2-0 victory over Miami.
“Big game, big [first] impression. It was something we needed,” Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said. “We needed to see a starter go like that and throw up all those zeros. Pretty cool.”
There was also a cool human-interest component to the performance. The seven punchouts means Houck will donate $700 to his Pitch for Adoption campaign.
“The reality is definitely everything I could have imagined,” Houck said of getting a win in his debut. “Especially now, getting to pitch for my cause and my charity is definitely a bonus on top of gaining this experience. It was … I can’t even put it into words.”
Houck has held adoption near and dear to his heart, ever since he gained a sister named Reanna when he was a freshman in high school.
“Definitely having my sister come into my life was such a big thing for my whole family,” Houck said. “I’ll never forget the day that she came in. I was pitching in high school on the J.V. field as a freshman. I remember watching my mom walk up with a stroller and a little girl in there.
“I was like, ‘Who is that?’ She said, ‘It’s your new sister.’ Just being able to help her change her life was just so inspiring for me. I want to continue to do that for other kids. They’re our future. I was lucky enough to have parents that gave me everything I wanted and helped me get to this to live out my dream. I want to continue to help kids like that fulfill their dreams.”
Without question, it was a dream-like debut for the 24-year-old Houck, a first-round Draft pick by the Red Sox out of the University of Missouri, a program that also produced Max Scherzer and Kyle Gibson among others.
His performance was the best for a Red Sox starter making his MLB debut since Rodriguez fired 7 2/3 scoreless innings at Texas on May 28, 2015.
Houck showed poise wiggling out of traffic, stranding two Marlins in both the second and fourth.
“Getting that win was truly amazing,” Houck said. “The guys went out there and did what they had to do. Swinging the bat, they did absolutely everything they could, and then the bullpen coming in was amazing. But for me, getting to go out there, getting to warm up the first time, definitely had the heart pounding a little bit more than usual. It was a surreal moment.”
Houck was able to mix it up, utilizing 35 fastballs, 30 sliders, 15 sinkers and six changeups, inducing nine whiffs in his 86 pitches.
“It seemed like we didn't see that breaking ball very good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “You didn't see too many good swings on the breaking ball. The guy is halfway, effectively wild. He can be a little bit all over, and then he is throwing strikes. We didn't do a whole lot with him.”
The Red Sox weren’t able to get much offense going against talented Marlins righty Sandy Alcantara, who allowed just one run in six innings, but they produced enough to win. Jackie Bradley Jr. belted an RBI double to break a scoreless tie in the sixth. Christian Vázquez added an insurance RBI single in the eighth.
More important than the win, however, was that Houck provided hope that he can be of help in 2021 and beyond.
“That’s why we have him pitching right now is to see what he’s like and see if he would fit in next year, or what we think of him,” Roenicke said. “So it’s good to have him out there and yes, if we could get him a couple more [starts this season], that would be great. So we’ll see what happens. But what a great start for him. You want to make an impression, and he made an impression on all of us.”
Even on a night he was successful, Houck grasped what he needs to improve on.
“Definitely it’s more executing pitches. Up here, you’ve got a fine line, and I know that and I’ve got to continue to hone in,” Houck said. “I definitely didn’t execute all my pitches to the best of my ability. I left some a little bit more middle. I got lucky enough that I got the ball back sometimes. Yeah, I’ll definitely be able to take it all in and embrace it all and grow from this.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:15:49 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 8h Tanner Houck's seven strikeouts are the third-most for a Red Sox starter in 49 games this season.
Eovaldi had 10 on Aug. 9 and Kickham had eight on Sept. 10.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:17:53 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 8h Tanner Houck through 5 shutout innings with 7 Ks. It's the longest debut by a Sox starter since 2017 (Velazquez, 5 IP), the longest scoreless debut by a Sox starter since 2015 (Rodriguez, 7 2/3 IP), and tied for the 9th most Ks ever by a Sox in his debut.
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 7h Red Sox pitchers with 7+ strikeouts and 0 runs allowed in a major league debut:
Larry Pape – 7/6/1909 vs. WSH-g2 (9.0 IP, 7 SO) Dave Morehead – 4/13/1963 at WSH (9.0 IP, 10 SO) Eduardo Rodriguez – 5/28/2015 at TEX (7.2 IP, 7 SO) Tanner Houck – 9/15/2020 at MIA (5.0 IP, 7 SO)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:25:54 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 7h
Tanner Houck -- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K, 86-49 9 swing/miss.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:28:56 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 6h Ron Roenicke joins up on Zoom. #RedSox
Roenicke said facing some right-handers and being in a less intimidating environment -- Marlins Park as opposed to a place like Yankee Stadium, even without fans -- helped factor into debuting Houck tonight. #RedSox
Roenicke on Houck's behavior/presence during the trip -- 'I've watched him around and I thought he's handled himself really well.' #RedSox
Roenicke notes the composure and command from Houck.
'He looked calm out there.'
'That's why we have him pitching right now -- to see what he's like and see if he would fit in next year.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:31:12 GMT -5
was a great catch at the wall
Guerin Austin @guerinaustin · 7h WOW.... Munoz!
but I hope he’s ok...
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:33:13 GMT -5
Guerin Austin @guerinaustin · 6h Tanner Houck:
“Right now I’m kind of high on life...getting that win was truly amazing.”
Houck on warming up in the bullpen: “definitely had the heart pounding a little bit more than usual but it was a surreal moment.”
“The reality is everything I could imagine... especially pitching for my cause & charities... I can’t even put it into words.”
As I mentioned in my report tonight, Tanner’s family adopted a little girl, Reanna, when she was 4. Tanner was in high school and first met his new sister at a game. Reanna is Tanner’s biggest fan and his mom told me they have a very special bond.
Tanner’s relationship with his little sister and desire to help other kids has inspired him to raise money and awareness for adoption.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:34:36 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 7h Tanner Houck gives the Red Sox best debut by a starting pitcher since Eduardo Rodriguez (7 2/3 shutout innings) on May 28, 2015.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2020 3:40:02 GMT -5
Red Sox notes: Christian Vazquez keeping it simple as he ends power drought
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: September 15, 2020 at 6:33 p.m. | UPDATED: September 15, 2020 at 6:43 p.m.
It had been 45 days since Christian Vazquez trotted around the bases when he homered in Sunday’s win over the Rays, and the Red Sox catcher looked relieved as he crossed home plate.
Before last season, that kind of power drought might have not been surprising. But after Vazquez belted a career-high 23 homers in 2019 and then started this season with four in his first five games, it was a little troubling to see him go that cold before Sunday’s blast.
“I was struggling a little bit, I went down a little bit,” Vazquez said. “But I was trying to be simple. I don’t want to try to hit homers because my swing gets too big. I was trying to get base hits and line drives. Homers come. I take it. I was trying to be simple at home plate.”
The problem, Vazquez admitted, might have been trying too hard to replicate that success, which forced him into some bad habits at the plate. Though he pressed a little more in a concerted attempt to get to 20 homers last season, which he still got, he knows that’s not the right approach.
“Last year, I was trying to get to 20,” Vazquez said. “I was trying to get it, and it was the same situation this year. It was like a month without a homer but when you try, like I said, you don’t get it. You need to go to home plate and have a plan and try to hit the ball hard no matter where we’re going. The homers come.”
With less than two weeks left in the season, Vazquez seems to be figuring some things out. Going into Tuesday night’s game against the Marlins, he was hitting .324 with a .425 on-base percentage over nine games in September, which has improved his season average from .252 to .271. Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke thinks that’s the foundation his catcher should be working from before the power comes.
“I know he went a stretch without hitting a home run, but I’m not too concerned about that,” Roenicke said. “I think always in a season when you have six months, you’re going to go through stretches, it’s just this year, you look at things differently. I still think he’s a really good hitter. He does have power. But I think he’s a good hitter first. I think he can hit for average, I think he can drive in runs.
“When you try to hit for power, things don’t usually go as well. We’ve got to make sure he feels the same way. I know everybody wants to hit for power, but sometimes you’ve got to be a good hitter first, and that’s what he should be.”
Pivetta stretched out
It’s still possible we see new Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta start a game before the season ends.
Pivetta, acquired by the Red Sox on Aug. 21 in a trade with the Phillies, has been stretched out at the alternate training site in Pawtucket, and seems ready to make his Boston debut soon if called upon.
“We’ve talked about him a lot, so we’re still making decisions on that,” Roenicke said. “We still have a plan in place, but we want to make sure that we’re still doing the right things and that could change. …
“I think he’s stretched out enough, so if everyone feels comfortable with it and where he’s at, then we’ve talked about the possibility of him doing that.”
Valdez stands out
Finding a bright spot in the Red Sox’ MLB-worst pitching staff is hard, but one name that’s stuck out to Vazquez is Phillips Valdez, who’s having a breakout first season with the Red Sox. He’s been the best bullpen arm by a mile, with a 2.73 ERA and 26 strikeouts across 26⅓ innings going into Tuesday night.
“I like Valdez,” Vazquez said. “He pitched very good this year. He’s tough. He’s got two pitches only. He throws the fastball and changeup. But he can make some outs with those two pitches. I like him a lot.”
Odds and ends
Darwinzon Hernandez (left shoulder) threw a bullpen Tuesday that went “really well,” according to Roenicke, and could still return this year. Josh Taylor (shoulder tendinitis) was scheduled to throw Tuesday as the Red Sox decide whether it’s safe or not for him to return… Mike Kickham will start Wednesday night against the Marlins. …
To make room for Tuesday night’s starter, Tanner Houck, on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox placed rookie Kyle Hart on the 45-day injured list with a hip impingement, effectively ending his season. … To get Houck on the active roster, the Sox moved Andrew Triggs to the 10-day IL with right radial nerve irritation. … The Red Sox released catcher Jonathan Lucroy, putting their player pool at 59.
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