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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2021 15:31:38 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Mutts Tuesday, 27th April 2021 7pm @ Citi Field
Richards 0-2/ 6.48
This clown pitched like Charlie Brown since the season started. First time in his 11 year career facing the Mutts. However, his spin rate as always is wicked pissah.
Peterson 1-2/ 6.75
Was drafted by the Red Sox in 2014 in the 28th round. He beat Boston last July, like many others did.
Red Sox visit Mets for two-game, interleague series
Discouraging losses Saturday left the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox eager to get back on the field Sunday -- when much-needed series-clinching wins allowed them to enjoy Monday's off-day.
The Mets and Red Sox both look to maintain their momentum Tuesday night, when New York is scheduled to host Boston in the opener of a two-game interleague series.
Left-hander David Peterson (1-2, 6.75 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Mets against right-hander Garrett Richards (0-2, 6.48 ERA).
Both teams produced rubber-game victories at home Sunday, when Taijuan Walker tossed seven scoreless innings in the Mets' 4-0 win over the Washington Nationals and Eduardo Rodriguez allowed three runs over seven innings as the Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners, 5-3.
The Mets aided Walker with timely hitting and impressive defense -- two elements they've largely lacked this season and particularly Saturday, when a 7-1 loss began with Michael Conforto committing a two-base error on Josh Harrison's leadoff single.
On Sunday, J.D. Davis hit a two-run homer in the first inning and James McCann delivered an RBI-single in the fourth for the Mets.
Also, Conforto began a nifty 9-4-5 relay that cut down Victor Robles as he tried extending his leadoff double in the third. With two on and two out in the sixth, centerfielder Albert Almora Jr. preserved Walker's shutout by making a leaping catch and crashing into the wall to rob Kyle Schwarber.
"It was a point of opportunity for us to go into the off-day, win a series and get ready for Boston," Davis said. "I think everybody did their part."
The Red Sox, who fell to the Mariners 8-2 Saturday, completed an eventful 5-5 homestand with Sunday's win. Boston had four multi-run wins and four losses by two runs or more during the homestand, which began with series against a pair of 2020 playoff teams, the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, before the arrival of the Mariners, one of baseball's early surprises.
The Red Sox almost squandered a four-run ninth inning lead in Friday's 6-5 win, and their pitchers combined to issue three wild pitches and hit two batters Saturday before the Sox scored four first-inning runs via four walks, two singles and a hit batsman Sunday.
"We're not thrilled but we're not upset," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We know we have to keep getting better. And we will. We'll take this one, enjoy the off-day (Monday) and go at it in New York."
Peterson took the loss in his most recent outing for the Mets on Wednesday, when he gave up six runs (three earned) over 3 1/3 innings in a 16-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Richards also took a defeat Wednesday, when he surrendered four runs over 4 2/3 innings as the Red Sox lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3.
Peterson's lone appearance against the Red Sox was a memorable one last July 28, when the southpaw won his big league debut by allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings as the Mets earned an 8-3 victory at Fenway Park. Richards has never faced New York.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2021 15:34:09 GMT -5
Wednesday Probables
Pivetta 2-0/3.48 vs de Grom 2-1/0.31
or as I like to call it.
Pray for rain.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2021 16:00:03 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Garrett Richards focuses on delivery as he looks for bounce-back start against Mets
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald April 26, 2021 at 4:14 p.m.
Garrett Richards has had a difficult start to his Red Sox career, but he and his coaches are working hard to fix his early issues.
The biggest focus? Finding the veteran’s command again.
Richards issued six walks — the most he’s thrown in a game since September 2013 — over 4 ⅔ innings in the Red Sox’ 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays last Wednesday, a product of what he thought were problems with his delivery and release point. That’s been the greatest area of emphasis during his work with pitching coach Dave Bush as he gets ready for his next start on Tuesday against the Mets.
“He’s trying to take command of his delivery a little bit, just to find some more consistency,” Bush said. “The other day, he just felt off a little bit. His timing wasn’t quite right. He always throws across his body. He always has, it’s big stuff. The command comes and goes. When he gets his command dialed in, he’s really consistent with his left lift, I think it syncs up and times up much better so that’s been the focus of our work in the bullpen between starts.
“Just clean up delivery, be more consistent, making sure he can stay on line and have a little better posture and then just let the ball go and trust it’s going to be in the strike zone.”
Richards, who signed for $10 million guaranteed this winter, has been the weak link of the Red Sox’ rotation so far and could use a bounce-back start in a big way on Tuesday. The right-hander, who has a 6.48 ERA and 12 strikeouts to 13 walks in his first four starts, hasn’t lost confidence in himself and knows he’s better than what he’s shown.
“He feels good about it,” Bush said. “He wants to pitch better than he has been. He knows that. He’s very talented, he has good stuff, he’s making the adjustments, and I’m excited to see him pitch again soon.”
Friendly competition
Alex Cora and Mets star Francisco Lindor share a deep connection and friendship with each other as natives of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and the Red Sox manager is excited to face the shortstop for two games this week in New York.
Lindor is in his first season in New York after being traded there from Cleveland, where he spent his first six seasons, and Cora thinks the Big Apple is the ideal spot for the shortstop.
“This is kind of like perfect for him,” Cora said. “Not only on the field but off the field. He’s going to take advantage of the opportunities that are going to present off the field. He has this big personality and he’s not afraid of the spotlight. I’m very happy for him, I’m very proud. …
“It’s amazing what he does on a daily basis. I hate playing against him because he is that good, but I enjoy playing against him because although I’m a manager, he feels like he needs to kick my ass for two days and I feel the same way. It should be fun, it will be good to see him there. Obviously it’s not a packed house, but that place is absolutely perfect for Francisco Lindor.”
Asked why Lindor, who’s batting .207 with just one double, one homer and three RBI, is off to a slow start this season, Cora had a wisecrack.
“I don’t know, but I hope he’s hitting like .150 by the time we leave New York,” Cora joked.
First-inning woes
The Red Sox’ first inning troubles continued in Sunday’s win over the Mariners as they continued their theme of falling behind early. They’ve given up 19 runs in the opening frame this season, including one run in four of their last five games. It’s an issue they’d like to solve as they’ve been forced to constantly come from behind this season.
“We focus on the preparation pregame and making sure when they come out of the bullpen they’re ready to go,” Bush said. “As you said, if I make too big of a deal out of it, it becomes a bigger issue. But yeah, we’ve struggled in the first inning and put ourselves in a hole a little bit recently so I just want to make sure when they come out of the bullpen, they’re physically and mentally ready to go and ready to attack with their best stuff from the first pitch of the game and trust it’s going to be there and really just sticking with their game plan right from the get go.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 3:01:44 GMT -5
Red Sox at Mets Tuesday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 60° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 5 MPH wind blowing right to left in New York City at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 3:34:00 GMT -5
Red Sox are winning without relying on the long ball By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated April 26, 2021, 4:21 p.m.
Christian Vázquez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the Red Sox’ Sunday afternoon contest against the Seattle Mariners. The previous batter was Xander Bogaerts, who struck out on a Nick Margevicius 90-m.p.h. heater that he chased off the edge of the plate. The Red Sox were down, 1-0, in the bottom of the first — a usual occurrence for the squad in this young season.
Yet the Red Sox still found themselves in the driver’s seat with just one out, and on the first pitch of the at-bat, Vázquez capitalized. Margevicius tried to go with that same fastball, but this one caught enough of the outer edge of the plate for Vázquez to shoot it to right field for a base hit.
The single tied the game at one apiece, and helped propel the Red Sox to a 5-3 win, giving them a series split with the Mariners. Vázquez’s approach was the most important piece in that moment and illustrated something manager Alex Cora and hitting coach Tim Hyers have preached: situational hitting and putting the ball in play.
Despite missing the playoffs in 2019, the Red Sox on paper had one of the best offenses in baseball. They ranked third in batting average (.269) and on-base percentage (.340), fifth in slugging (.466) and OPS (.806), and 10th in homers (245). Yet when it came to situational hitting and putting the ball in play, they struggled mightily. With a man on third and less than two outs, the Red Sox had the fifth-worst OPS (.797). Their .294 batting average ranked 23rd in those situations.
During an eight-game losing streak against the Yankees and Rays in late July/early August that essentially derailed any hope of reaching the postseason, the Red Sox had 17 plate appearances with a man on third and less than two outs. They drove in just four of those runners — one on a single, one on a ground out, two on sacrifice flies.
Cora, who was dismissed by the Red Sox after the season for his involvement in the Houston Astros 2017 cheating scandal, went back to the drawing board with his coaching staff just days before that.
“I had a meeting with Tim and [assistant hitting coach Peter Fatse] about X amount of bats are for the team, and the rest are for the player,” Cora said.
Cora and his staff want their hitters to be aggressive, but calculated in that aggression. Even though Vázquez had a breakout season in 2019, the Red Sox believed he surrendered his bat-to-ball skills at the expense of launch. Vázquez wasn’t the only one, which is why the team repeatedly emphasized the value of putting the ball in play and forcing the defense to work.
“Pitchers are going to bring their A game,” Hyers said. “They’re going to bring their best stuff at you to minimize runs. So it’s not that we can just swing. You’ve got to get a quality pitch and stick to a plan and go from there.”
The Red Sox have some of the most complete hitters in baseball. In a league ruled by home runs and strikeouts, their lineup can beat you in multiple ways.
“I don’t like to consider myself a slugger,” J.D. Martinez said. “I consider myself a hitter who can drive the ball. And I think a lot of guys kind of have that same identity here.”
That identity lives at the top of the order, with Alex Verdugo, Martinez, Bogaerts, and Rafael Devers. They can win by the homer, a single that finds a hole, or a double in the gap. Yet Martinez isn’t quick to boast on that, understanding the tough reality hitters face.
“I think what people don’t understand is that this is a stuff-over-command league nowadays,” Martinez said. “It’s guys that throw 100 miles an hour. You see it every day, every team.
“When I was coming up, there was one guy in the league who threw 100 and it was [Aroldis] Chapman. Now there are two guys on every team that throw 100.”
In turn, the hitters who don’t possess elite bat-to-ball skills are left with three outcomes that critics believe have eroded the sport: strikeout, homer, or walk. The reason?
“Pitching is always ahead of hitting,” Martinez said.
For every countermove that an offense presents, pitching presents another counter.
Currently, it’s attacking the strike zone north and south. Fastballs up, breaking balls down, then perhaps expand away with two strikes. Velocity above the hands is tough for most hitters to barrel. Martinez said there’s a counter to that but he didn’t disclose what it was. Hyers, however, did elaborate a bit.
“We try to stay direct, have a direct swing path,” Hyers said. “You have to be direct to the baseball. And that’s not trying to be loopy or lose the barrel on the backside.”
The home run, though, is what pays. Hyers and his staff understand that, which is why they give their players room during an at-bat to produce their A swing, an approach that allows them to slug. But, again, it has to be the right situation, against the right pitcher.
“There are guys that have quality stuff and some arms coming out the bullpen or some starters that you’ve got to battle and survive for that day,” Hyers said.
Despite going through somewhat of an offensive lull, the Red Sox entered Monday first in the majors in batting average (.276), slugging (.455), and OPS (.794). They have the fifth-lowest strikeout rate (22 percent). And while they’re still working to be more productive with runners in scoring position (hitting just .238), there’s more of a willingness to accept lesser contact in those instances. They have a 34.7 percent fly-ball rate with RISP (ranked 16th in the majors).
There’s anecdotal evidence, too. Recently, they pounced on White Sox starter Lucas Giolito for eight runs (seven earned) backed by eight hits in an inning-plus of work. Two of the hits were homers, but the other six were all singles that came in the first inning, including a timely bunt by Vázquez. It was a clear display of beating an opponent in multiple ways.
“That was something that was very nice to see,” Bogaerts said. “Very different, and something that we have in our back pockets.”
The Red Sox have bought into different, or, maybe, they have accepted who they really are: hitters.
“You’ve got to be a hitter before you’re a slugger,” Martinez said.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 3:36:38 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Jarren Duran’s work in left field more than just a minor experiment By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated April 26, 2021, 6:58 p.m.
It’s always tempting to connect the dots.
Red Sox prospect Jarren Duran has started spending time in left field at the alternate site in Worcester. Aside from a half-dozen innings in spring training this year, the appearances by Duran — a college infielder who played exclusively in center field in both the 2019 minor league season and at the alternate site in 2020 — in left represented a novelty.
The prospect’s work at a new position is all the more intriguing given the ongoing struggles of Red Sox corner outfielders Franchy Cordero (.200/.265/.244) and Hunter Renfroe (.176/.241/.255). The Red Sox aren’t at the point of giving up on either, but their outfield situation hardly seems settled for the long haul.
Meanwhile, Duran is a glowing talent with elite speed whose swing changes since the 2019-20 offseason have unlocked the potential for an intriguing power/speed combination in a player with the potential to emerge as an everyday center fielder.
“He’s such a dynamic player . . . It’s been really impressive to see a guy who was dynamic with his old swing really just add another element of a way to beat you,” Red Sox minor league outfield/baserunning coordinator Darren Fenster said. “Credit to him — three years ago, he was an infielder when he was drafted. He’s put himself in the conversation to profile as an everyday center fielder in the big leagues.”
Yet while Duran’s eventual future could be in center, a player’s first big league opportunity usually comes in response to roster need. With that in mind, as the Red Sox try to add roster depth in case of injury or continued struggles, they wanted Duran to get time at a new position.
“If there is an opportunity for [Duran] to get to the big leagues at some point this season or in the future, if he gets put in left field at Fenway Park, we don’t want that to be the first time he’s playing left field in a professional baseball game,” Sox farm director Brian Abraham said. “We want players to feel comfortable in an uncomfortable spot and to prepare guys for the potential for there to be different things that happen, whether it be a transaction or an injury. The more versatile the player, the better chance they have of impacting the big league club.”
While the Sox are trying to increase the number of potential pathways for Duran to the big leagues, that doesn’t mean a callup is imminent. The 24-year-old still has yet to play an official minor league game above Double A.
With the Triple-A season set to begin May 4, the Sox believe Duran will benefit both from a chance to prove he can deliver consistent offensive impact while also improving his defensive reads and routes in center and the outfield corners. The team’s goal is to help Duran develop to the point where he’s capable not just of helping as a brief fill-in but instead where he can be seen as a more permanent outfield option.
“It’s some of the smaller things we’re working on to help push their games to the next level so it’s not just a short-term callup,” Abraham said. “To put a timeline on [when a player is big league-ready] is certainly hard, but I think the consistent work, the ability to get reps every day and be able to make adjustments, gain consistency in Triple A is so important before a guy gets that opportunity.”
Meet the Mets
With the Red Sox in New York to face the Mets, manager Alex Cora will get a chance to visit with Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. The two enjoy a close relationship that was strengthened during the 2017 World Baseball Classic, when Cora served as the GM and Lindor a star contributor for Team Puerto Rico.
“The passion for the game is amazing,” Cora said of Lindor. “He cares about winning. He understands on a daily basis what he needs to do and what his team needs to do to win.”
Lindor, in his first season with the Mets following an offseason trade from Cleveland, is off to a slow start, hitting .210/.324/.274. Nonetheless, Cora believes Lindor — who signed a 10-year, $341 million extension with the Mets that takes effect next year — is a hand-in-glove fit for his new team and city.
“When he got traded to New York, I was like well, this is kind of like perfect for him, not only on the field but off the field . . . He has this big personality and he’s not afraid of the spotlight,” Cora said. “I hate playing against him because he is that good, but I enjoy playing against him because although I’m a manager, he feels like he needs to kick my [tail] for two days and I feel the same way. It should be fun. It will be good to see him there.”
The Red Sox will get a glimpse of Mets ace of aces Jacob deGrom in Wednesday’s finale The 32-year-old righthander — whose fastball has averaged 98.9 mph, the highest velocity of any starter this year — is off to one of the most dominant starts in big league history, carrying a 2-1 record with a 0.31 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and three walks in 29 innings.
“He’s really fun to watch. His delivery is so smooth and so efficient, that’s part of the reason he creates velo and has the command to go with it,” Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush said. “We saw him last year, too, and we held our own. We actually won the game when he pitched against us last year so it’ll be fun to watch and I’m glad we get to face him and see how we do.” Extra credit for Martinez
J.D. Martinez is tied for the major league lead with seven homers and leads the big leagues with 17 extra-base hits, the second-most extra-base hits ever by a Red Sox through 23 team games. Mike Napoli had 18 extra-base hits in the first 23 games of 2013 . . . Righthander Matt Barnes closed out his fourth save of the season Sunday by blowing a 98.4 mph fastball past Mariners outfielder Dylan Moore. It was the hardest pitch Barnes had thrown since he hit 99 mph on the final day of the 2019 season . . . Christian Arroyo is considered day-to-day after X-rays taken on his left hand — drilled by a pitch from Mariners righthander Drew Steckenrider — came back negative Sunday. Outfielder Alex Verdugo, who sat out Sunday’s game after experiencing discomfort in his left hamstring Saturday, will be re-evaluated by the team’s training staff Tuesday, but to date, the issue hasn’t been considered serious enough to require imaging . . . The alternate site rosters of the Red Sox and Mets will hold a pair of scrimmages Tuesday and Wednesday in Brooklyn, overlapping with the two-game series between the major league teams.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 6:43:23 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Mets preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (April 27-28) Today 6:00 AM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
The Red Sox treaded water during their 10-game homestand, finishing 5-5 after a stellar opening road trip. After having the day off Monday, Boston is back in action Tuesday night as they kick off a six-game road trip to New York and Texas.
First up is a quick visit to Citi Field to face the Mets in a battle of first-place teams. Here’s a preview: Boston Red Sox (14-9) vs. New York Mets (9-8) · Citi Field · New York, NY
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Tue. April 27, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN, ESPN
Wed. April 28, 6:40 p.m. ET -- NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Tue. April 27, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, ESPN+, MLB.tv (out of market)
Wed. April 28, 6:40 p.m. ET -- NESN (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
The Mets were a bit disappointing in 2020, finishing tied for last place in the NL East with a 26-34 record. The winter was one of change for the long-suffering franchise, as Steve Cohen took over as the owner and Sandy Alderson was brought back as team president. New York hired Jared Porter as its general manager then fired him once sexual harassment allegations surfaced; longtime Red Sox executive Zack Scott is now the club’s acting GM.
Roster-wise, the Mets made a bunch of aggressive moves, including a blockbuster trade with Cleveland that netted shortstop Francisco Lindor and starter Carlos Carrasco. In late March, the Mets locked up Lindor with a 10-year, $341 million contract.
New York also added free agents James McCann, Taijuan Walker, Trevor May, Kevin Pillar, Jonathan Villar, Aaron Loup, Albert Almora Jr. and Sam McWilliams, committing more than $90 million on the open market before locking up Lindor. The club also acquired Joey Lucchesi from San Diego and shipped Steven Matz to the Blue Jays; Justin Wilson, Rick Porcello, Michael Wacha, Todd Frazier, Yoenis Cespedes, Wilson Ramos and Jed Lowrie were among the free-agent departures.
The Mets have dealt with a handful of postponements and have completed just 17 games -- six less than the Red Sox. After being swept by the Cubs in a three-game series last week at Wrigley Field, New York went back above .500 by taking two of three from the Nationals at home.
Mets ace Jacob deGrom is off to an otherworldly start, allowing one earned run in 29 innings (0.31 ERA) in his first four starts of the year. deGrom has struck out 50 batters while walking just one; his last outing was a two-hit, complete game shutout in which he had 15 strikeouts against Washington on Friday night. He’ll pitch Wednesday’s finale against the Red Sox.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. -- RHP Garrett Richards (0-2, 6.48 ERA) vs. LHP David Peterson (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Wednesday, 6:40 p.m. -- RHP Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.48 ERA) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 0.31 ERA)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Franchy Cordero
Cordero had hits in seven straight games from April to 2014, but his bat has gone ice cold since. In his last eight games, the outfielder is 1-for-22 (.045) with 14 strikeouts; he struck out five times in seven at-bats against the Mariners. Cordero will likely get the start Wednesday night in an attempt to break out of his slump but will have to do so against deGrom.
Garrett Richards
Richards has now had two stinkers in four starts with the Red Sox and walked six batters his last time out against the Blue Jays on Wednesday night. It’s probably too early to say his leash is getting short, but with Tanner Houck at the ready in Worcester, the Red Sox can’t let Richards be ineffective forever. Tuesday’s start will be Richards’ first career outing against the Mets.
Christian Vázquez
Vázquez got off too a torrid start but has cooled off significantly, posting a .152 average (7-for-46) and .356 OPS in his last 12 games. He’ll look to get things going against the Mets after hitting three homers in two games at Citi Field last summer.
SERIES NOTES:
The Red Sox went 2-2 against the Mets in 2020, losing to them in back-to-back games in Boston on July 27 and 28 before beating them twice in a row on the road on July 29 and 30. Boston has only played five games all-time at Citi Field, going 4-1. The Red Sox took two of three from the Mets in Aug. 2015 then swept them in two games last year. The Red Sox and Mets will face off again on Sept. 21 and 22 at Fenway Park. Boston will play 20 interleague games this season, facing the Phillies (6), Mets (4), Braves (4), Nationals (3) and Marlins (3). The Red Sox were 10-10 against the National League last year. The Red Sox are 14-6 in their last 20 games and are 3-0-3 in their last six series. Sunday’s win over Seattle was the club’s MLB-leading 11th come-from-behind win. Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar played for the Red Sox in 2020 before being traded to the Rockies at the trade deadline. Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki played for the Mets from 2015 to 2018.
UP NEXT:
After a pair of games at Citi Field, the Red Sox will take their first-ever trip to Globe Life Field, the two-year-old home of the Texas Rangers. The Sox and Rangers will face off four times before the Red Sox return for a quick three-game homestand before hitting the road again and heading to Baltimore.
Thu. 4/29 - Sun. 5/2: @ Rangers (4)
Mon. 5/3: OFF DAY
Tue. 5/4 - Thu. 5/6: vs. Tigers (3)
Fri. 5/7 - Mon. 5/10: @ Orioles (4)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 10:25:14 GMT -5
Red Sox at Mets Series Preview
A look at this week’s two-game set down in Queens. By HPJoker Apr 27, 2021, 10:30am EDT
SB Nation Blog
Amazin’ Avenue The Opponent in one sentence
A team that saw its fortunes dramatically change with a change in ownership last offseason, the Mets come in armed with the best shortstop in baseball and a pitching staff with renewed depth to complement their homegrown offensive talent. Record
9-8 Head-to-Head Record
0-0 Trend
Steady. The Mets are 5-5 in their last ten games with some disappointing losses in Chicago, but they did take two of three from the Nationals with a pair of shutouts. Pitching Matchups
4/27: Garrett Richards vs. David Peterson, 7:10 PM ET (ESPN for out-of-market)
Richards’s season so far has been a disaster, as he’s been battling inconsistency and wildness. This Mets lineup is good, so they’ll be able to take advantage of him if he’s not on his game. To illustrate some of the issues here, Richards is one of five starters in all of baseball to have a negative strikeout to walk ratio.
David Peterson is filling in for injured starter Carlos Carrasco, and the righty’s been hit or miss so far this year. He got bombed in his first start, then threw six one-run innings while striking out ten against the Phillies, then got bombed in Chicago by the Cubs. The stuff isn’t outrageous, and in order to succeed he needs good command. He doesn’t really have anything to challenge right-handed hitters with second and third time through the lineup. Peterson will feature a sinker, a slider, a changeup and a four-seam.
4/28: Nick Pivetta vs. Jacob deGrom, 7:10 PM ET
Pivetta was very good last time out, but command problems still plagued him by the end. He’s walking 16.5% of batters this year, higher than his teammate Richards and seventh worst among starters with at least 10 innings this season. He’s going to struggle with his fastball command and ultimately for success he needs hitters to chase the breaking ball and swing under the fastball. If he can’t do that, there’s a good chance he will have a rough night.
The line of succession for best pitcher in the world has gone from Clayton Kershaw to Max Scherzer and now to Jacob deGrom, who only seems to be getting better. Going by the 20-80 scouting scale, deGrom has an 80 fastball, 80 slider, and 80 command. You can also make the case for an 80 changeup. In his last start, he threatened to strikeout 20 batters. In the start before that, he struck out 9 consecutive batters. His closest comparison point is peak Pedro Martinez. He’s increased his fastball velocity for the fifth year in a row, sitting now at 99 MPH. Your best hope is that someone runs into a fastball he leaves over the plate or that he has a slightly off night. He’s started throwing way more fastballs this year, cutting his slider usage by nine percentage points and changeup usage by seven points, so opportunities could be there to sit fastball. Not that that makes it any easier when the guy is throwing 99 with pinpoint command. Old Friends
Kevin Pillar. Last year’s Opening Day right fielder in Boston might be playing himself out of a job in Queens. He’s not an all-world defender anymore, isn’t hitting, and is repetitive with Albert Almora, who is a better defender than him. He is 3-22 in this young season with one walk. Notable Position Players
Brandon Nimmo has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season. He’s not going to keep the average up, but his 15.2% walk rate is in line with his career. Nimmo is an on-base machine, always in a hurry to get to first.
Francisco Lindor is the best shortstop in baseball. Acquired in a steal of a deal from the Cleveland Indians, Lindor signed a franchise-record 10-year, $341 million extension to make him a Met for life. He’s gotten off to a cold start with the bat, but he’s been excellent in the field and there’s no cause of concern for the offense. The Mets have struggled to get into a rhythm this year due to a series of rainouts and postponements, which has an effect on players.
Dominic Smith is the everyday left fielder for the Mets. This has gone about as well as you’d expect, and he would greatly benefit from a designated hitter in the National League. He’s shown promise with the bat over parts of the last two seasons, putting up a 148 wRC+ over 396 plate appearances, but questions still linger given the sample size, and playing him in an outfield corner isn’t doing him any favors.
Pete Alonso is back in form after an underwhelming COVID season. He has top-end, 80-grade power and knows how to tap into it. There’s a reason they don’t bench him for Dom Smith.
Michael Conforto, set to become a free agent after this year, has stumbled out the gate to open the season. He’s all out of sorts at the dish. Like I mentioned before with Lindor, the Mets have had their season stop and start so many times and haven’t been given the chance to get into a rhythm yet. He’s a mess right now but he could get it together at any moment.
J.D. Davis is playing third base but is woefully unqualified to play there. He’s a good hitter, but not good enough to make up for the bottom-of-the-barrel defense he provides at the hot corner. Luis Guillorme would be a better fit here if only for his defense.
Jeff McNeil is an exceptional hitter off to a slow start. He’s hitting the ball right at dudes. He’ll get over this and start playing like the role-6 infielder he is.
James McCann signed with the Mets this offseason for four years and $40.6 million and the early returns haven’t been good. He’s looked more like Tigers-era James McCann than White Sox-era James McCann that got him the four-year contract in the first place.
Bullpen Snapshot
Edwin Díaz hasn’t been able to repeat his lights out 2018 with the Mariners since being traded to New York, but the stuff is still there and it is electric. It’s near 100 mph heat and a sharp, 90+ mph slider. Command is his biggest issue. He can leave the fastball down the heart of the plate, leaving it open for punishment if you can time the heat out of his hand.
Trevor May is a fastball/slider reliever that strikes a ton of dudes out. His four-seamer sits in the high 90’s and has good life on it. He’ll mix in a change every now and then, but predominantly relies on the heat and a sharp, darting slider. In Luis Rojas’ push button bullpen, he’s the eighth inning guy. Trevor is also online and has two YouTube channels where you can see him talk about his arsenal among other things.
Miguel Castro throws extremely hard, routinely hitting 100 MPH with his sinker. Unlike May, he is a three-pitch pitcher, mixing in his slider and changeup with regularity. The problem is that he doesn’t know where it’s going a lot of the time so he regularly runs walk rates above 10 percent. A fun thing about the relievers I mentioned is that none of them throw as hard as Jacob deGrom.
Injuries
Carlos Carrasco strained his hamstring late in spring but is expected back by the second week of May.
Seth Lugo underwent surgery to remove a bone spur in his pitching elbow early in spring. He’s thrown two bullpens and is on track to return in May.
Dellin Betances was moved to the 60-day IL on Saturday with his right shoulder impingement. Things aren’t looking good for him.
Noah Syndergaard is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He just had his first rehab outing and hit 97. It’ll be June until he returns, however.
Weather Forecast
We’re looking at clear skies both nights with chilly temperatures dipping into the 50’s on Tuesday with a relatively warm reprieve coming on Wednesday with temperatures in the low-60’s.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 13:19:03 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 1h Devers' tough play on Yermin Mercedes in the White Sox series has been justly changed to a hit, so he's down to 2 errors on the season.
When you think of Francisco Lindor from afar don't you kind of think Xander Bogaerts with silky smooth defense? Here's their last 1,000 plate appearances:
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 13:26:28 GMT -5
The Red Sox are up against one of the best in Mets ace Jacob deGrom, but does he really have the stuff of legends? By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Columnist,Updated April 27, 2021, 1 hour ago
The vaunted Red Sox lineup will face the best pitcher in baseball Wednesday night at Citi Field in New York. It’ll be Boston’s turn to take a shot at the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who’ll come into the game with an ERA of 0.31 and 50 strikeouts to go with only three walks in his first 29 innings of 2021.
Reminds me of when Oakland’s 10-1, soon-to-be-anointed MVP and Cy Young Vida Blue faced the Red Sox at Fenway Park in May of 1971 (a year in which Blue went 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA and 301 strikeouts). J.D. Martinez better have his iPad fully charged for this one.
Acting Mets general manager Zack Scott says deGrom is the best he’s seen since Pedro Martinez. Former batting champ Keith Hernandez says deGrom is the best he’s seen since Randy Johnson.
It’s heady stuff. It’s must-see TV. And like everything in New York, it’s larger than life. Perhaps even, dare we say, a little overrated?
Don’t get me wrong, sports fans. DeGrom is on fire, and for all we know, he might no-hit the slugging Sox. But as I sift through the numbers and press clippings, I can’t get past the nagging notion that hungry-for-a-superstar New Yorkers have gotten carried away with deGrom’s meteoric start.
I have read that deGrom is bound for Cooperstown. I am told he was voted New York’s athlete of the decade for 2010-19 (this would vault him past Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Eli Manning, Henrik Lundqvist, and, of course, Rasheed Wallace). The New York Post’s Mike Vaccaro — one of the best sports scribes in America — wrote Sunday that deGrom is performing at a level few will ever reach and invoked the names of Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Mike Tyson, and Serena Williams.
“This is the kind of company Jacob deGrom keeps now,” Vaccaro wrote.
Yikes. When I read that, I knew I had to watch Wednesday’s Sox-Mets game. I also had to give Vaccaro a call to see if he needed to be hosed down.
“It’s been a long time between drinks of water around here,” Vaccaro said with a chuckle. “We embrace what we can. Knick fans haven’t seen good basketball in decades, so when we see Julius Randle, we ask, ‘Is he Kareem or is he Jordan?’
“What I was trying to say was that deGrom has been so much better than everybody else in the game this year. I mentioned that it could only last another week or month, so savor it while it lasts. Certainly Ruth and Gretzky were good for a long time. So from that standpoint, there was probably a little hyperbole. But as long as this lasts, I’m going to ride that wave of purple prose into the ocean.”
As he should. Here in Boston, there may have been a time or two when I overstated the greatness of Drew Bledsoe or Nomar Garciaparra. But perhaps we should feel bad for our New York counterparts. In this century alone, Bostonians have had Tom Brady, Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Mookie Betts, and Kevin Garnett. Let the pitiful New Yorkers have their little fun with a soon-to-be-33-year-old pitcher who is 72-52 lifetime with a 2.55 ERA.
DeGrom is on a fast path to a third Cy Young Award in four seasons and is throwing harder today than he was when he was 28. The guy cracked 101 miles per hour with his 103rd pitch in one game. He struck out nine batters in a row against Colorado. He reminds New Yorkers of Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, which is what we say when Chris Sale pitches like Roger Clemens (1986) or Pedro (1999-2000).
Undrafted out of high school, late bloomer deGrom was a shortstop/pitcher at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., when he hit his only college homer — off Florida Gulf Coast lefty Sale — in the 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference championship. The Mets drafted deGrom in the ninth round that year, and he came to the bigs as part of New York’s stable of starting studs with Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, and Steven Matz. Those four started every game of the Mets’ 2015 World Series loss to the Royals.
Harvey was the ace in 2015, then Syndergaard, but now it’s deGrom — winner of the Cy Young Award in both 2018 and 2019. DeGrom’s 2021 start is drawing comparisons to Gooden’s 24-4, 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeout season in 1985. DeGrom is the first big league pitcher to strike out 50 batters in his first four starts — a stat somewhat reflective of an era in which hitters are encouraged to keep swinging for the fences, even on 0-and-2 counts.
Since the start of the 2018 season, deGrom’s ERA is 2.00 in 80 starts, and he has 678 strikeouts in 518 innings. Despite these overwhelming numbers, he is only 27-20 in that stretch. He is the king of paltry run support. But is he a Hall of Famer?
Certainly, no pitcher in 2021 is going to win 24 games, but is it too much to ask for a Cy Young honoree to win more than 21 games over his two Cy seasons? DeGrom turns 33 in June and is still 28 wins shy of 100. Maybe we can slow down the Cooperstown Express.
Meanwhile, let’s enjoy the show. It has to be better than Scal making excuses for the Celtics against the Hornets again, right?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 13:33:52 GMT -5
Game 24: Red Sox at Mets lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated April 27, 2021, 10:08 a.m. After going 5-5 on their season-longest 10-game homestand, the Red Sox open a six-game road trip against the Mets Tuesday. After a pair of games at Citi Field, the Sox will head to Texas for a four-game series with the Rangers. Garrett Richards, winless in four starts this season, will get the nod in tonight’s opener. Lineups RED SOX (14-9): 1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. J.D. Martinez (R) LF 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Christian Vazquez (R) C 6. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 7. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 2B 8. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 9. Garrett Richards (R) P Pitching: RHP Garrett Richards (0-2, 6.48 ERA) METS (9-8): 1. Francisco Lindor (S) SS 2. Dominic Smith (L) LF 3. Pete Alonso (R) 1B 4. Michael Conforto (L) RF 5. J.D. Davis (R) 3B 6. Jeff McNeil (L) 2B 7. James McCann (R) C 8. David Peterson (L) P 9. Kevin Pillar (R) CF Pitching: LHP David Peterson (1-2, 6.75 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: ESPN, NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Peterson: Bogaerts 0-3, Devers 1-3, Martinez 0-3, Plawecki 2-2 Mets vs. Richards: Lindor 1-8, Pillar 2-9, Villar 1-3 Stat of the day: J.D. Martinez is just the third Red Sox player with at least 17 extra-base hits prior to May, joining Mookie Betts (19, 2018) and Mike Napoli (18, 2013). Notes: This will be the first time Richards faces the Mets in his 11-year career. He struggled with command in his last start, giving up four runs and walking six over 4⅔ innings vs. Toronto … Xander Bogaerts is batting .418/.453/.657 in 18 games since April 5 (29 for 70, 9 runs, 8 doubles, 3 home runs, 12 RBIs, 5 walks) … The Sox are 3-0-3 in their last six series … In his only start against the Red Sox, Peterson won his big-league debut by allowing two runs over 5⅔ innings as the Mets earned an 8-3 victory at Fenway Park last July 28. Song of the Day: Lou Reed "Walk on the Wild Sidewww.youtube.com/watch?v=oG6fayQBm9w
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 27, 2021 15:16:14 GMT -5
Hopefully, Richards will pitch well enough to give the offense a chance. In other words, let's not give up 5 runs in the first inning or two please.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 15:31:41 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 9m Alex Cora looking for better slider command from Garrett Richards tonight. Feels like that's the key pitch for him. Has worked on it between starts. #RedSox
Cora said the #RedSox will be reluctant to use a pitcher as a pinch hitter or pinch runner.
(This question was posed, of course, because Boston is only carrying three bench players.)
Cora said his pitchers will be allowed to hit during their at-bats. Richards and Pivetta, the expected starters against the Mets, both have recent National League experience. #RedSox
Cora on Matt Barnes -- 'Good fastball. Good breaking ball. Throwing a lot of strikes.'
'He's attacking from Pitch One. He's in total control of the situation on the mound.' #RedSox
Cora on his bench options in the NL ballpark -- 'We'll be very limited.' #RedSox
Cora said Alex Verdugo (left hamstring) will not start but is available. Christian Arroyo (left hand) also available but they'd 'rather stay away from him.'
J.D. Martinez starting in left field. Marwin Gonzalez at second base. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 15:39:46 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 9m Cora said playing in the corner outfield spots is something Jarren Duran 'needs to do.' They want him to be ready in all three places. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 27, 2021 16:24:33 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 27m Matt Barnes -- 'It's about working quick. It's about attacking guys. It's being confident in my stuff.' #RedSox
Barnes on expanding Fenway capacities -- 'It's awesome.'
'That place is rocking with 5,000 people. I think we have such an advantage at home with our fans and how hard they make it for visiting teams.' #RedSox
Barnes declined to offer a best and worst hitter among #RedSox pitchers.
(Brian Johnson used to be a clear favorite for best. Alex Cora consistently tabs Eduardo Rodriguez as the worst.)
Barnes on a more aggressive approach -- 'I would kind of nibble around the zone a little bit. Force guys to expand before they were even engaged.'
'You're trying to get guys engaged and get them active.....even before they expand.' #RedSox
Barnes on a potential at-bat in an NL ballpark -- 'I don't want to hit.'
'These guys are out here throwing 100 mph with sliders.' #RedSox
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