Record: 134-128-5 (-15.0 units)
Recap:
What a win. It was shaky but it was a win. Manaea was clutch with a pretty clean three in three out. Olson however was shaky. The 2-2 and then a bullshit graze of the foot hit by pitch to start the inning was not ideal. Then I thought it was dead when he walked Nimmo and still had 0 outs. I was scared because I forgot this is the 2024 Mets. A foul out then a double play and it’s a winner. That’s why you take a NRFI with the Mets. They are shit in the first and shit in general. Loved it. What a way to start the baseball season. Time to run crazy hot on NRFI’s this season.
Lock:Â Red Sox/Athletics NRFI 1u to win 0.8u
Groundbreaking Analysis:
I know this looks bad. Really the Athletics? Yes. Alex Wood is a veteran on the mound. He isn’t as good as he used to be but he is still solid. Although he wasn’t great in his first start this season he also didn’t allow a hit in the first in that game. He hasn’t seen three of the first four batters and he has pitched pretty solid against Story. Bello is young like the rest of this Red Sox roster but he is solid. He didn’t allow a run against the Mariners in the first inning in his first start and his only hit was to Julio Rodriguez and I know there isn’t a Rodriguez on the A’s. He also ended last season pitching really well in the first inning. I am not worried about Bello. If this loses it loses because of the fielding. I am hoping that because of the errors yesterday they will be super focused tonight on that part of the game. It’s one of those things where they hyper focus on errors and they forget how to hit even though they never really knew how to hit in the first place. As long as Wood looks like Wood first inning then I love it. Let’s have a nice quick first inning in an empty stadium. I love this play. I love this spot. I love it all.
Unbiased Stats:
Bello last five starts shutting out the first inning in 5/L5
Bello last five starts only allowing 2 hits in the first inning
Red Sox have been shutout in the first inning 4/5 this season
Wood has only allowed 87 runs in 202 first innings
Athletics have been shutout in the first inning 4/5 this season
