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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2021 15:58:24 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4m Cora said suspensions would likely be staggered if multiple pitchers on the same team are caught doctoring the ball.
Teams won't be allowed to replace suspended players -- they could be short on the 26-man roster for an extended period. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2021 15:59:48 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 12m Replying to @billkoch25 Cora on Rodriguez -- 'He needs to go out there and compete.'
'It's about going out there and giving us quality starts. He knows it.'
'I don't think there's something we have to change now.' #RedSox
Cora on Whitlock -- 'He's just a perfect citizen. He's such a good kid. Very polite.' #RedSox
Cora on Whitlock -- 'It seems like he keeps getting better. Working at his craft. Adding pitches.'
'We're very proud of him.' #RedSox
Cora on Glasnow (UCL tear) -- 'Forget Tampa -- for baseball. This is one of the best pitchers in the big leagues.'
'This guy is one of the best pitchers in the league. I know people enjoy watching him play.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2021 16:00:50 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 6m Cora on Sale -- 'The way he felt after the one he threw at Fenway, it was really good. He keeps feeling better.' #RedSox
Cora said Houck is on a starter's time schedule and will throw three innings in a game for Triple-A Worcester later this week -- likely on Thursday.
Seabold is still going through his throwing progression in Fort Myers. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2021 16:08:55 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 10m Tanner Houck has progressed to a point that his next step will be three innings for Worcester on Thursday.
Big news for the Sox, who have not had a No. 6 starter for a while now and have been fortunate not to have needed one.
Cora said he drew on his own experiences to tell his players about the embarrassment being suspended and how it affected his family.
"Being suspended is hell and you don't want to go through that."
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 15, 2021 16:24:02 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Braves Tuesday, 15th June 2021 720pm @ Truist Park
E-rod 5-4/6.03
Was awful again in his last start vs the Astros as he allowed 6 runs over 4 IP. In 12 starts this season he is 5-0/3.82 in the first 6 games and is 0-4/8.49 since.
Davidson 0-0/1.53
In 3 starts this season, he has impressed with a 1.53 ERA over 17 IP. He has allowed just 3 runs on 10 hits and has 14 k's This pitching matchup looks way lopsided. It feels like a night for Davidson to throw a clunker. Reverse mojo in effect.
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 15, 2021 16:25:59 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 2h The Red Sox would make their lives so much easier if they walked a little more. 7.6% 25th April 6.7% 30th May 7.0% 25th June
JDM is slumping bad in June and has only taken 1 walk which is not like him.
Devers First 132 PA: 15 BB (.371 OBP) Last 133 PA: 2 BB (.308 OBP) Yup. I was thinking this while watching last night's game.
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 15, 2021 16:27:46 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 4m Garrett Whitlock has now been in the majors for 2.5 months (and with the big-league team for 4 months, since camp opened) and is still as giddy as he was on Day 1. Pretty cool to see every time he talks. IMO, that's the way it should be with any player that has recently been called up.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 15, 2021 20:15:38 GMT -5
Bogaerts HRs after Atlanta cuts the lead to 5-4. I like it.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 15, 2021 22:07:32 GMT -5
Good game. Not a pretty game, but we still need to win ugly occasionally. Middle of the order teeing it up with 2-6 going 9-23 with 4 HRs and 10 RBIs. Reasonably good performance by the BP. 8/1 K/W for ERod, but 4 runs in 4 innings is still a concern on quality and length.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 1:58:22 GMT -5
Verdugo the difference-maker in Sox's win Boston tops Atlanta after another shaky Rodriguez start 1:56 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
ATLANTA -- Winning ugly can sometimes feel plenty satisfying.
Just ask Alex Verdugo, who made a lot of sloppiness by his team vanish with one swing.
A three-run homer to center by the fiery outfielder with two outs in the top of the eighth snapped a tie and led the Red Sox to a 10-8 victory over the Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday night.
This was a game the Sox led 5-0, only to have it whittled to 5-4. It was a game they led 7-4, only to have that turn into a 7-7 tie.
In the end, the grind of the night became worthwhile when Verdugo hit a fly ball that just kept carrying … and carrying. They used to call Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium the launching pad because of that type of carry.
And the Braves’ latest home park -- which opened in 2017 -- played like that for the Red Sox on Tuesday. Rafael Devers (444-foot shot to center), Hunter Renfroe (435-foot blast to left-center) and Xander Bogaerts (424-foot rocket to left) joined Verdugo in the homer column.
“Off the bat, I knew I hit it well,” Verdugo said. “The ball just kind of kept carrying and I was fortunate to get it over the fence. The thought process behind that at-bat was, the at-bat before [in the sixth], I chased an offspeed pitch and hit it weakly to first base and my goal was just basically, let the ball get deep, let it travel, and try to stay up the middle as best I could.”
Verdugo unloaded on a high, 2-0 changeup by Braves righty Chris Martin and sent it flying at an exit velocity of 104 mph and a projected distance of 409 feet. It was Verdugo’s ninth homer of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“He’s a good hitter,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora, “he goes the other way, he drives the ball all over the place, he hits for average, he gets on base, he’s patient, he’s just a good hitter. And when he hit it, we thought he missed it, but it just kept going, kept carrying and it was huge for us.”
It was a nice pick-me-up for the weary Red Sox, who checked into their Atlanta hotel at roughly 4 a.m. ET after their walk-off win in Boston on Monday night. At 41-27, the Sox trail the Rays by two games in the American League East.
However, Cora was the first to admit that this wasn’t one of the better-played games of the season by his team. Eduardo Rodriguez once again had a flat start. In the sixth inning, the defense betrayed reliever Garrett Whitlock with two errors and also a passed ball by Christian Vázquez.
“It was an ugly win, but it was a big league win,” said Cora. “We didn’t give up. We kept putting good at-bats, at the end the bullpen shut down the door, but it wasn’t pretty. We did a lot of bad things today on the field. We had a five-run lead and to go through our guys [in the bullpen] because of what happened throughout is tough.”
More trouble for E-Rod Given that early lead, Cora had visions of sitting his high-leverage relievers during this grueling stretch of games, which finally ends after Wednesday’s contest in Atlanta with a much-needed respite on Thursday.
What frustrated Cora the most was that Rodriguez, who came into the season as the staff ace, had yet another sub-par performance as his ERA swelled to 6.21.
In the fourth, a three-run frame for Atlanta, Rodriguez didn’t take care of business when he walked pinch-hitter Ehire Adrianza with two outs.
Up came the great Ronald Acuña Jr., who smashed a two-run double to cut Boston's lead to 5-4. It is hard for the Red Sox to figure out why Rodriguez can’t get better results.
“Right now, I don’t know,” Cora said. “Honestly, I think stuff-wise he’s good. The changeup was good, velocity was good, elevated fastball was good. He wasn’t able to finish them off in that spot and he needs to be more aggressive in that situation with the ninth hitter there with a pinch-hitter. And that walk put us in a bad spot.”
Rodriguez struck out Freddie Freeman to end the frame with his team still in front, but that was his last batter of the night.
“He had a five-run lead and you saw what happened,” said Cora. “He had the bottom of the lineup and didn’t do the job. I think early on, he established his fastball in. He did a good job. But then wasn’t able to execute.”
Over four innings, Rodriguez generated 17 swings and misses and had eight strikeouts. But he also gave up six hits and four runs.
“I don't feel good at all because I just went four innings. I'd prefer to go seven innings with no strikeouts than go four innings with eight strikeouts and give up four runs. I don't feel good at all with that,” said Rodriguez.
In four of his last five starts, Rodriguez hasn’t been able to pitch five innings. He has a 9.13 ERA during that span. E-Rod has given up four runs or more in six of his last seven starts.
“It's been tough, the last month and a half, to just go out there and give up runs and go back and forth every time,” said Rodriguez. “For me, my job is to go out there and put zeroes up there and go deep in the game to win the game.”
The Red Sox are winning plenty of games. But they are currently doing so despite their projected ace, instead of because of him.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 2:00:34 GMT -5
Whitlock's ATL homecoming a hit -- literally 45 minutes ago Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
ATLANTA -- In this season of exciting firsts for standout Red Sox Rule 5 Draft pick Garrett Whitlock, there were two more on Tuesday night.
Not only did the pride of Snellville, Ga., pitch in Atlanta for the first time as a Major Leaguer, but he also ripped a line single to left in a 10-8 victory for the Red Sox.
All this with his mom and dad and many other family members and friends on hand for the first time to see him pitch in a Boston uniform.
“I’m on cloud nine,” said Larry Whitlock, Garrett’s father, who was sitting down the left-field line for Tuesday’s game. “Every time I call him, I ask how he's doing, and his response is, ‘I’m living the dream, Dad, I’m living the dream.’ He’s blessed, and we’re blessed to watch him.”
Whitlock grew up about 30 miles from Atlanta and loved making trips to Turner Field to watch the Braves play.
“I used to go to the MARTA station, I would get dropped off there. We'd take a MARTA all the way to underground Atlanta. I had enough money to get in and get the nosebleed seats and a hot dog and it was so much fun,” said Whitlock. “They had the Coca-Cola spray machines you would always run in when you're a kid, so that was super cool. I grew up in the era of Chipper [Jones] and Rafael Furcal and Javy Lopez, so just a ton of great memories.”
When Tuesday’s game started, not even Whitlock could have dreamed of getting a hit in just his second Major League at-bat.
“Yeah, I went up to him after the game, I went, 'Man, it’s that easy, huh?’” said Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo. “The guy I weakly hit a ground-ball to first against, he drives a line drive to left. I said, ‘Oh my God. What’s this guy doing?’ He’s unreal. But no, it was really cool to see Whit do that. He’s a great guy. Somebody I root for any time he goes out there, so it was a big moment.”
Though Whitlock didn’t have the type of pitching performance (1 1/3 innings, two walks and one earned run) he would have preferred, he also had the misfortune of the Red Sox making two errors behind him. In addition, catcher Christian Vázquez had a passed ball and Whitlock allowed two unearned runs in Atlanta’s three-run sixth in which they tied the game.
However, that did little to diminish what has been a stellar start to Whitlock’s career. In his first 19 MLB outings, Whitlock has a 1.95 ERA.
“You saw the stuff,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “He’s been great. We’re very happy with him. The fact that he can see a lot of his friends, it’s just amazing. From the beginning when we saw him, we knew we had a special one and I’m just glad that he’s pitching for us.”
Not only are the Red Sox thrilled about the way Whitlock has pitched in his rookie season, but they are equally excited about what type of person and teammate he is.
“He’s just a perfect citizen. He’s such a good kid. Very polite,” said Cora. “I bet you guys have that sense when you guys talk to him. He’s kind of like perfect, right? I know it’s cool he’s here playing against the Braves. Hopefully we can get him in and he can have a blast out there.
“It seems like he keeps getting better, he keeps working on his craft, adding pitches, using his fastball in certain spots. He’s been great. I joke around, he’s great in the weight room and even with the beer cooler taking [beers to the plane for veterans]. It’s kind of like ‘this is how we do it’ and we’re very proud of him.”
Cora on revised sticky substances guidelines With MLB officially announcing on Tuesday the stricter new policies that will be enforced to players who apply foreign substances to the baseball, Cora is keeping an open dialogue with his pitchers. His main objective is to make sure they have a full understanding of the updated rules, which will be effective as of June 21.
In conversations with his players, Cora was frank enough to use his own recent past as an example of what happens if you don’t stay within league guidelines.
Cora was suspended by MLB for the entire 2020 season for his role as bench coach in the Houston Astros illegally using technology to steal signs in '17.
“I’ll be open about it,” Cora said. “I come from suspension and I know how embarrassing that is and how tough that is, not only on you as a person, but your family, your friends and the people that love you. Ten games, a year, two years, three years, it doesn’t matter. Being suspended is hell and you don’t want to go through that. I was very open to them and hopefully they understand that.”
Cora spent part of Tuesday on a conference call with the other MLB managers in which MLB executives Mike Hill and Theo Epstein both spoke.
“[MLB has] done an amazing job the first days of the season collecting information, watching video and doing the research, and there’s a reason they’re doing it. It starts on Monday,” said Cora. “There’s a few things still, players have questions, we have questions. And over the week we’re going to be able to get clarification on a few things. The timing of it, when they’re going to check pitchers, if it’s after their outing or during and all that stuff.”
MLB’s extensive memo released on Tuesday included the following:
“Any pitcher who possesses or applies foreign substances in violation of the Playing Rules will be ejected from the game and will be automatically suspended in accordance with the rules and past precedent. Suspensions under Rule 3.01 are 10 games. Repeat offenders will be subject to progressive discipline. Clubs and Club personnel will also be subject to discipline for failure to ensure compliance with these rules.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 2:22:53 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 5h Eduardo Rodriguez's last seven starts:
33.2 IP, 47 H, 32 ER. Opponents have hit .331.
Renfroe has a great arm. But sometimes the best play is to hit the cutoff man.
Poor defense this inning by the Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 2:24:32 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 5h Sox have kicked their 7-4 lead. It's 7-7 after six innings. Two unearned runs that inning.
Sox played for one with the bunt, got three as Verdugo homered and pimped the hell out of it.
Sox improve to 41-27. They are 9-2 vs. NL teams.
Rafael Devers was 3 for 5 with four RBIs.
Bullpen: 5 IP, 2 ER.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 2:24:59 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 4h Alex Cora: "We're not that great. We just have a good baseball team."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2021 2:32:21 GMT -5
Red Sox hit four homers to put away Braves By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 16, 2021, 12:16 a.m.
Alex Verdugo lifted both his hands and stared toward the Red Sox dugout late in the top of the eighth inning Tuesday. His go-ahead three-run homer off Braves reliever Chris Martin offered a sense of relief after the Sox squandered what appeared to be an easy win.
Yet the opposite took shape.
Nothing was easy in a contest that ended in a 10-8 Sox win. Verdugo’s homer and the reaction afterward proved not only the feat but the range of emotions that took place in Atlanta’s Truist Park. The pitching mishaps, the all-out slugfest by both clubs took center stage. The sloppy defense.
The Sox, though, somehow managed to pull out a victory and will go for the sweep Wednesday in this two-game set.
“It was an ugly win,” manager Alex Cora said after the game. “But it’s a big-league win. We didn’t give up. We kept putting together good at-bats. The bullpen shut the door. It wasn’t pretty. We did a lot of bad things today on the field. To go through our [bullpen] because of what happened throughout is tough.”
The ball didn’t look as if it would be a homer off Verdugo’s bat, but it kept carrying.
“Off the bat, I knew I hit it well,” Verdugo said. “I was fortunate enough to, to get it over the fence. The thought process behind that at-bat was to let the ball get deep, let it travel, and try to stay up the middle as best I could.
It didn’t take long for Devers to make his presence known Tuesday evening.
Fresh off his walkoff single in the Red Sox’ 2-1 win Monday night, Devers stung a three-run homer in the top of the first inning off Tucker Davidson. The Red Sox extended the lead to 4-0 when Hunter Renfroe followed with a solo shot.
Starter Eduardo Rodriguez came in scuffling, carrying a 8.49 ERA in his last six starts. Rodriguez sputtered in his previous outing against the Astros, lasting just 4⅔ innings while allowing six runs. Rodriguez made it through his first two frames unscathed, registering five strikeouts.
A Devers single followed J.D. Martinez’s triple to give the Sox a 5-0 lead, but in the bottom half of the inning, the Braves began to chip away against Rodriguez, starting with Freddie Freeman’s RBI single.
In the fourth, the Braves opened with a pair of doubles to make it 5-2. Later in the inning, Ronald Acuña Jr.’s double scored two more, shrinking the Sox’ lead to 5-4. Rodriguez’s ERA is now 6.21. The lefthander is still searching for answers. Related: Alex Cora appreciates the cost of new MLB penalties
“It’s been tough the last month and a half,” Rodriguez said, “going out there and giving up runs and then going back and forth every time like. It’s just something that I’d need to turn the page and go to my next start.”
Xander Bogaerts’s solo shot in the fifth gave the Sox breathing room, as did Renfroe’s RBI single.
But the Sox ran into trouble in the sixth. Garrett Whitlock yielded a leadoff walk to Abraham Almonte. A Kiké Hernández error on a chopper, followed by a Guillermo Heredia single through the right side, suddenly made it 7-5. Pablo Sandoval negotiated a walk to load the bases.
Whitlock then struck out Acuña, but Cora elected to go with Darwinzon Hernandez to face Freeman, and a wild pitch brought across the Braves’ sixth run. Freeman’s sacrifice fly then tied the contest.
Matt Barnes came on in the ninth and was touched for two hits and a run before securing his 15th save.
“I think from one through nine, anybody at any given point hit a home run and, and drive the ball out of the ballpark,” Verdugo said. “So, that helps a lot.”
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