Some Thoughts on the First Series

This is genuinely just a series of random thoughts;

- This weekend really was a microcosm of this team.  The top of the lineup looked solid save for Kiké (and I really need the e with the accent to be easier to access on my iPad).  They need to get some help at the bottom of the order.  Particularly on Friday the bottom of the order seemed to be leaving a small village out there.  The starters looked good I thought.  Houck struggled to put people away a bit but the Yankees didn’t really do a lot of damage despite that.  Eovaldi and Pivetta I thought both looked good.  The bullpen is a work in progress but Cora has seemed like he is really good at finding the hot hand and riding it out there.  I think he manages the bullpen as well as any manager we’ve had in my lifetime maybe with the exception of Jimy Williams.

- Garrett Whitlock (did anyone catch why he wasn’t used on Sunday night?) signed a 4 year deal this weekend.  That’s pretty encouraging.  I’m curious if the Sox have a long term plan in mind for him or if they are going to keep riding the bullpen thing with the possibility of using him as a starter or if they are going to say “no, he is a starter/reliever.”

- Christian Arroyo understandably looked a bit rough in right field on Sunday night.  We can give him time of course and shouldn’t make too many judgments on his abilities based on one game but at the same time I think Chaim Bloom needs to be searching for a right handed bat off the bench out there.  I don’t think there is anything that highlights how good these guys are as watching other Major Leaguers play unfamiliar positions. 

- Early thoughts on Trevor Story are that he is going to be an excellent second baseman.  This isn’t exactly a shock but I thought he looked a lot more comfortable than I would have expected from a guy who hasn’t played there and didn’t have a full spring training under his belt.

- I am locking in on Kutter Crawford.  He was great Sunday night in relief and I think he can be an effective arm out there.

One series in the books.  Onto Detroit.