Foulke must go...

[foxsox]

Foulke is not the answer in the closer role. mid 80's fastball, horrible control, mmm...

 

how many blown saves does he have this year already?

[Sox fan in Tex]

I was going to post the same thread except I was thinking it would be called, "Foulke, you suck" but this works. Myers can close games, end of story... trade him.

[example1]

Does anyone else wonder whether Foulke tips his pitches? Is he somehow giving away what he's throwing with some small difference in hand position or motion? It basically starts as a 50/50 guess, given that he has a fast ball and change. If they were able to know which is coming they would suddenly be able to rock him, as has been the case all year.

[Sox fan in Tex]

I'm sure it's not all that hard to figure out. I mean, he only has three pitches, a two seem fastball, a four seem fastball and a changeup. Batters must have figured something out on him because they are just drilling his pitches.

[GodzillaKilla36]

I definitely agree that Foulke must go. I was thinking that in the beginning of May. When a guy only has a fastball and a change-up, his fastball better be upper-90s. I am a huge fan of Mike Myers (as you can tell from the name i use on here ,but i think Myers is doing great just coming in the game in certain situations. We need to bring in a new guy to close, or even Mantei could close. He has good velocity. Speaking of Mantei, i havent heard much about him lately. Where the hell has he been??

[joe]

Definitely, Foulke must go NOW!!!, along with his stupid manager (Terry Francona), and

Alan Embree.

 

It is time to do some house cleaning.

 

joe,

[Sox fan in Tex]

Speaking of Mantei, i havent heard much about him lately. Where the hell has he been??

 

He pitched on the 25th and 26th in Philly, so I think we just decided not to use him tonight.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Definitely, Foulke must go NOW!!!, along with his stupid manager (Terry Francona), and

Alan Embree.

 

It is time to do some house cleaning.

 

joe,

 

See, I agree with you on Embree and mother Foulking Kieth. But when you trash Tito it just shows that, yes, even Boston Red Sox fans can be totally asinine.

[VARITEK4PRESIDENT]

See, I agree with you on Embree and mother Foulking Kieth. But when you trash Tito it just shows that, yes, even Boston Red Sox fans can be totally asinine.

 

How right you are "Youk". Come on Joe, that mentality is what put us in the hole 86 friggin years. :thumbdown

[riverside sluggers]

oh cmon why why why get rid of Tito, hes a great manager. Although I dont agree with his decisions after seeing the way embree has been playing, recently been sending him to the mound when theres a slim lead..and oh my god last night when foulke was up on the mound with two men on, they had embree warming up, it wouldve been 17 - 5 had embree gone up there--Im leaning towards embree, mantei, and vazquez going--Mantei is a great guy, but he has no control of the location of where the ball goes--He hits a lot of batters with his wild pitches and course that means a lot of walks

[riverside sluggers]

Wade Miller I think is another candidate they should decide to get rid of or something. In his first 10 starts in a red sox uniform, has given up 11 runs just in the 1st inning of each game. True somehow he keeps getting the home plate umpires that squeeze him on his strike out zone. gotta admit guys, that couple of times when it was 9th inning 2 outs, 2 strikes were already up, some that were counted as balls were clearky in the strike zone, stupid geriatric umpire--Miller just signed a one year contract, thank god, im leaning moreso for the sox to get aj burnett or schmidt end of next month

[RedSoxRooter]

Was it on this board I read something about Shoppach for Guardado?

[riverside sluggers]

oh yea about that, nesn pre-game report yesterday was discussions that the mariners are scouting shoppach in pawtucket. seattle willing to trade for shoppach and couple of other players in return sox get guardado

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

CRAZY IDEA....

 

Arroyo as the closer????

Has a 1.20 ERA in the first inning he pitches, 1.64 ERA vs. leadoff batter....translation...he would pretty much always get the first out which puts the other team in a big hole when closing games.

 

Plus....22 walks in 94 innings so far this year...anyone think this would work??

[riverside sluggers]

seattle's closer guardado and colorado rockies closer brian fuentes will both be on the market--im just confused, 8th and 9th inning our bullpen collapsed

[elsrbueno]

CRAZY IDEA....

 

Arroyo as the closer????

Has a 1.20 ERA in the first inning he pitches, 1.64 ERA vs. leadoff batter....translation...he would pretty much always get the first out which puts the other team in a big hole when closing games.

 

Plus....22 walks in 94 innings so far this year...anyone think this would work??

 

Not that crazy an idea if you ask me. He's been right there in some of the more pressurized situations for the Sox, and done well. The only question in converting him from starter to reliever would be how durable is he going back to back to back days. We know he's capable of pitching multiple innings.

 

The one thing that worries me about Bronson is the .291 average that lefties have against him. He might be best suited as a setup man who can get crucial righties out late in games (ala Mike Myers vs lefties) or be a long man if needed.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Timlin as the closer either, as he's been the best reliever on the team by far this year.

 

Mantei's been just as inconsistent, he's had great stuff, but no command.

[joe]

For those who do not know why Francona has to go:

Francona is the one to blame for yesterday’s loss to Cleveland.

1-Why did he take Myers out too early? Myers is good consistent pitcher. If he gave up a hit, you don’t rush to take him out early in 7th! You do that with inconsistent pitchers like Foulke, Embree, Mantei.

2-Why did not he bother to have someone else to warm up in the bullpen during the bottom of 8th when it was clear that Foulke was struggling big time! Those bullpen pitchers are paid very well and should always be ready to pitch.

3-Why did he keep Millar at 1st in the 9th ? Olerud is much better defensively especially with slim lead. Millar missed catching one of the hits by few inches. Olerud is taller than Millar, and would have caught it.

4-When bases were loaded, Francona finally woke up and decided to send Embree to warm up. By then it was too late.

5-Why did he keep Payton ? Nixon is better hitter than Payton.

 

RedSox did not win World Series because of Francona, it is because of the players themselves. With this team, even if your manager is a DOG, you will win World Series!!!

Francona’s performance is masked by the performance of the players. Look at his miserable past records and then judge for yourself.

[riverside sluggers]

When bases were loaded, Francona finally woke up and decided to send Embree to warm up. By then it was too late.

 

what are you talkin about, embree coming in with bases loaded is playing with fire, his ERA has already ballooned up past 8--rather have halamma in there

[CajunSox]

Arroyo would be a great closer. I think we should get rid of Foulke and Embree pick up Burnett or Schmitt and use Arroyo as our closer when Schilling comes back. As for Miller I think they should wait to see if this guy could come around, he is just coming off a major injury, he'll get better (I hope).

[riverside sluggers]

hopefully it all works well, ill report back on tuesday or so--buddies and me are goin down tomorrow to connecticut to stay for the wknd, we get to see schilling's 2nd rehab start for the paw sox on monday

[BigPapiEnFuego]

hm... When Schill comes back wake could be the closer and mirabelli could come catch him in the bottom of the 9th or whenever. It gives Varitek more rest and Mirabelli more playing time. Either him or Arroyo. Arroyo would be a good closer and i remember him getting some saves in 2003, i think it was a perfect 2 inning save too.

[Sox fan in Tex]

If your stats are right (which I'm sure they are), SchillingIsTheNatural, I'm all for Arroyo closing... only problem is I don't think he's ever done that in his career and if he hasn't we may not want to start now. When Schil is back and Arroyo goes to the pen, we just need to bring Arroyo in when we need to get some outs, probably not to close games.

[Ndugu]

If Arroyo is going to close, does that mean Foulke can start? He might be OK.

 

When Foulke was struggling last night, Sean mentioned that he's going to throw a changeup to just about every batter. If you sit on one, you're going to get it. He's gotten by with guile for a long time, and batters might have finally figured him out.

 

Before we trash the guy, let's remember what he did in the post season. I'd love to see him stick around and succeed.

[riverside sluggers]

oh i dont know how that would be at all foulke as a starter :what: , bronson will be going to the bullpen anyway to make way for schilling coming back to the starter pitchers rotation, foulke will probably occasionally work a 7th or 8th inning to see if they get him back to the solid stuff he performed last year and especially in october

[elsrbueno]

At the very least can we option this guy to the minors so he can pitch often-- and get himself straightened out?

[Soxfan1]

OK ,

Joe your f***ing nuts. Tito took us to the world series and it wasn't just the players. everybody behind the scenes did there part too. Everybody but dale sveum. However, i'll agree fouke needs to get his act together or they should get guardado or arroyo to take his place.

[Sizzlin22]

Ok we're not getting rid of Foulke so everyone should just rule that out. Whoever said Myers should be the closer better have been kidding.

 

Foulke proved last year and in his years in Oakland he can be a dominant closer. Pitchers don't just suddenly turn s***** the way he has, something has to be wrong. Whats wrong? I don't know it could be mechanics, it could be an injury, it could be a million things but something is wrong with him wether the Red Sox are aware of whatever it is or not.

 

I say move Foulke down into the setup man position and move Timlin, who has been by far the best bull pen pitcher, up to the closer role. Moving Foulke down to the set up role would take away the pressure of closing out games and give him more time to fix whatever the hell is wrong with him under the radar.

 

Joe, you're a f***ing idiot, go away.

[Sox fan in Tex]

Stop trashing Francona, joe. I'm not even going to read that. He puts his heart and soul for the team... he was up 'til 1 last night talking with Theo about what they should do. Don't be a jackass.

[sarasoxfan]

francona still gets the benefit of the doubt in my book, but his blind loyalty to certain guys is a bit annoying.

I beg to differ sizzlin, pitchers can get s***** in a year...age alone plays a big role, and in keith's case his arm just may be shot...a mere loss of 3-5mph on his fastball has translated into meatball after meatball. IN one year randy johnsons has gone from being superman to just plain very good, and I wonder if age and nagging injuries have simply caught up with him.

 

foulke has the worst numbers of any closer in the american league.

he is also an *******, and if this was anywhere but boston he would have booed a lot more than just thre other night. He is far from being dominant and rarely gets the side 1-2-3, it's always a nail biter.

I know they wont get rid of him, but I wish they would he is washed up in my opinion.

[riverside sluggers]

yea him dissing the fans at fenway saying what does he care about johhny from burger king, then johnny in the locker room--a lil bit putting him above on a pedestal. are we foulke? snap out of it!