Joel Pineiro

[scaffolds]

I know that its very early in Spring training, but so far Pineiro no only hasn't shown Closer results, but not even set up results, but lets put a sides results for a minute, Pineiro's stuff has been very ordinary.

[Ray10]

Yeah like you said it's too early. It's only the third game of Spring Training. By the 2nd or 3rd week of Spring Training if he is still pitching poorly then we should start talking about this.

[scaffolds]

If it was that he was pitching poorly its one thing, but the problem its lack of stuff.

[ORS]

Watch Papelbon from week 1 of ST last year if you can find archived footage. He looked (and was) as hittable as they get. If Piniero still sucks in 2 weeks, then he isn't going to be the closer. Not earth shattering.

[TGov]

I remember today, when he gave up that homerun, it was on a 2 strike fastball right over the middle of the plate, I believe... it had no movement, I was surprised, I didn't expect a fastball in that situation especially anywhere near the plate... but it is early like everyone says...

[a700hitter]

Righht now wPiniero command is off completely. He has no idea where he is throwing the ball. I don't think he'll be the closer when they break camp, but he'll be a serviceable srm on the staff. Romero, on the other hand, will be this year's Seanez. He just stinks.

[ksushi]

Guys like to work on very specific things in spring training. They tinker with things, and aren't neccessarily going out there trying to get outs. Give it time.

 

Romero is awful, though. I hope he doesn't make the team. Okajima will be a much better option.

[a700hitter]

Romero is awful' date=' though. I hope he doesn't make the team. Okajima will be a much better option.[/quote']...or Breslow

[scaffolds]

...or Breslow

 

Breslow isn't any better than Romero, i know that Breslow is a New Englander, but he's very ordinary pitcher.

[a700hitter]

Breslow isn't any better than Romero' date=' i know that Breslow is a New Englander, but he's very ordinary pitcher.[/quote']One advantage is that he is cheaper than Romero. I honestly think he is better thqan Romero. Out of the lefties looking for the one available job in the pen, I'd rate him 4th with Okajima, Lopez and Breslow ahead of him.

[VA Sox Fan]

IMO, Donnelly has looked the best so far.

[ksushi]

Donnelly looks good. Timlin to Donnelly might not be horrible, but I'd like to see someone else step up. When Hansen gets back I'd like to see how he fares, cause if Hansen goes back to mowing people down like he did before his call up, I think he deserves a look. If

Timlin, Donnelly to Hansen makes sense come april, we could have something special on our hands. I think Papelbon is going to proove to be more valuable than any of us think out of the rotation, and Hansen has been touted for awhile now. If he lives up all of a sudden we have D-mat, Beckett, Papelbon and Lester in the rotation for a good long time getting the ball to Hansen, all well under 30, mostly very affordable. Thats the dream scenario we should be rooting for.

 

MDC might have a turn around, but I doubt it. I'd rather see him traded before the ceiling caves in. Piniero looks flat out ordinary.

[jacksonianmarch]

Does anyone have the feeling that loyalty will play a huge role in who closes early on? If Pineiro continues to suck and runs himself out of town, then what is the chance that Tito hands the job to Timlin out of yrs of service?

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Does anyone have the feeling that loyalty will play a huge role in who closes early on? If Pineiro continues to suck and runs himself out of town' date=' then what is the chance that Tito hands the job to Timlin out of yrs of service?[/quote']

 

Pretty damn good.

[ANiMAL]

One advantage is that he is cheaper than Romero. I honestly think he is better thqan Romero. Out of the lefties looking for the one available job in the pen' date=' I'd rate him 4th with Okajima, Lopez and Breslow ahead of him.[/quote']

 

id rank it okajma, breslow, romero, then lopez

 

lopez never "wow"ed me

 

 

pineiro's poor performance could be a good thing in one way, lets see how he handles his next outing mentally after getting rocked.

[ksushi]

Yeah, the jury has to be out on Piniero still. ST is a different kind of beast. Guys aren't going out trying to win games, they're trying to get themselves into game shape for the season. Papelbon last year had bad numbers and good stuff in ST, he said himself he wasn't worried about results, and when he came out and said he expected a good outing, he came out and had one. If two weeks from now Joel is still throwing beach balls, thats another thing, but right now its not a big deal.

 

I do think he sucks though. And the thought of JC Romero makes me feel sick.

[adam123]

Why cant we just use Donally to close .. he looks most reliable .

[ANiMAL]

Why cant we just use Donally to close .. he looks most reliable .

 

jsut cause he looks good now doesnt mean he wont perform this way in a week, or during the season in a real game

im not saying he wont be reliable, but he may be a different pitcher in the bottom of the ninth [ex) Timlin]

[adam123]

jsut cause he looks good now doesnt mean he wont perform this way in a week, or during the season in a real game

im not saying he wont be reliable, but he may be a different pitcher in the bottom of the ninth [ex) Timlin]

 

I dont think timlin can last a whole season as the closer .. hes 41 and had a bad season last year I think I would Rather have donnally

[TGov]

I dont think timlin can last a whole season as the closer .. hes 41 and had a bad season last year I think I would Rather have donnally

 

He wasn't saying he wants Timlin to close, he said that Timlin is a guy who isn't a reliable closer... I hope they find someone reliable out of camp, if not... then I have no clue what there gonna do...

[VA Sox Fan]

Don't give up on Papelbon being a possiblity, at some point, if needed. But, it's still WAY too early to name a closer.

[seabeachfred]

Guys like to work on very specific things in spring training. They tinker with things, and aren't neccessarily going out there trying to get outs. Give it time.

 

Romero is awful, though. I hope he doesn't make the team. Okajima will be a much better option.

 

ksuschi, I had the advantage of seeing both Romero and Pineiero last season since my wife's a big Angels fan and I pacified her with a 27 game package. I saw JoEl three times with the Mariners and he was terrible on all those occasions. The average hitting Angels tore into him, that is, when he wasn't walking half the ballpark. The guy hasn't pitched worth a damn since 2003. Why he's even on the team is a mystery to me. As far as Romero is concerned, he sucked in Minnesota in 2005 and couldn't get the job done with the Angels last year, failing time and again to get key lefties out. His control is also abominable. Those two along with Delcarmen should he the Red Sox version of the Three Stooges and use for comic relief only. A pox on our house if we have to depend on these clowns this year.:dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

[ksushi]

I don't think hes good. I'm just saying, how many games have we played so far? I'm not ready to say who i think should pitch in what role. I don't see how anyone could.

 

Toying with the idea of Pineiro as a reliever is fun, but might not pan out.

[jacksonianmarch]

We are in the 2nd week of ST. I dont think anything should be cemented in stone. The only thing I look at this early is velocity and location. You see if it improves from here to the end. Right now a lot of guys dont look very amazing. Hughes velocity was low and his control was off. Igawa, who walked only 50 in 200IP last yr walked 3 of the first 5 he faced. Clippard, who is a control king, drilled a dude in the head. And you dont see me worried. It is way too early for that.

 

That is the thing with this closer competition. As much as you want to determine things in ST, you really cannot unless there is something blatantly obvious (pineiro sitting in the 80s, timlin walking the park, etc). The front runner can be determined by ST, but eventually, the winner will win this thing in season. So ST does little if anything in that regard. You guys just better hope the first guy who gets the ball in the 9th is the guy to win this thing. A long battle for "Who will be the red sox closer" means blown saves. And the yankees are going to win a lot of games this yr, blown saves will cost them a shot at the ALE.

[BSN07]

We are in the 2nd week of ST. I dont think anything should be cemented in stone. The only thing I look at this early is velocity and location. You see if it improves from here to the end. Right now a lot of guys dont look very amazing. Hughes velocity was low and his control was off. Igawa, who walked only 50 in 200IP last yr walked 3 of the first 5 he faced. Clippard, who is a control king, drilled a dude in the head. And you dont see me worried. It is way too early for that.

 

That is the thing with this closer competition. As much as you want to determine things in ST, you really cannot unless there is something blatantly obvious (pineiro sitting in the 80s, timlin walking the park, etc). The front runner can be determined by ST, but eventually, the winner will win this thing in season. So ST does little if anything in that regard. You guys just better hope the first guy who gets the ball in the 9th is the guy to win this thing. A long battle for "Who will be the red sox closer" means blown saves. And the yankees are going to win a lot of games this yr, blown saves will cost them a shot at the ALE.

 

As much as I hate to admit to it, he does bring up a good point. But we might make up a few of those if Igwa is pitching every 5th day.

[jacksonianmarch]

As much as I hate to admit to it' date=' he does bring up a good point. But we might make up a few of those if Igwa is pitching every 5th day.[/quote']

 

I liked what I saw from Igawa believe it or not. He had a lack of control in one inning. I am fine with that. He has an entire resume saying he has control, so I'll take that until he proves otherwise in the season. The fact that he K's the side in the first was encouraging. That changeup is downright unhittable. I havent seen many like that. And his fastball was in the 88-91 range, so I wont take too much away from it. We'll see how he does as the ST progresses, but there are tools there that I didnt know he had.

[a700hitter]

Yeah, the jury has to be out on Piniero still. ST is a different kind of beast. Guys aren't going out trying to win games, they're trying to get themselves into game shape for the season. Papelbon last year had bad numbers and good stuff in ST, he said himself he wasn't worried about results, and when he came out and said he expected a good outing, he came out and had one. If two weeks from now Joel is still throwing beach balls, thats another thing, but right now its not a big deal.

 

I do think he sucks though. And the thought of JC Romero makes me feel sick.

Last year the closers job was Foulke's to lose, and he wasn't going to lose it in spring training. When he started off with a blown save in the regular season, he lost it. This yer there is no closer. Someone will have to step up by the end of the spring and win the job. While I agree that ST is for getting in shape and not for winning jobs, the bullpen guys are trying to win jobs. THe competition for bullpen jobs is fierce. These guys are out there to impress not just to get in their work.

[jacksonianmarch]

Foulke didnt blow a save last yr to start the season. The sox used Paps from day 1.

[Mr Crunchy]

timlin is 41 and has sucked his entire career as a closer,not to mention he hasnt really pitched well in a while

he can no longer pitch with runners on base and that isnt suitable for a closer

 

pineiro has been falling like a meteor for 2 years

hes the only pitcher in the american league that i know took a pay cut this season

of course it makes sense that the sox,,with a 200M payroll,,would pencil this guy in as a closer...

 

donnellys #s have been falling for a couple years as well

 

of the 3

i like him so far

 

of course theyre a week into the competetion so lets hope someone steps up and claims the job as opposed to winning by default

[a700hitter]

Foulke didnt blow a save last yr to start the season. The sox used Paps from day 1.

He lost the closers job on opening day when he had a terrible outing and he was in the process of blowing the save when Crisp made a fantastic leaping catch on the dead run with his back to the infield. That poor outing in which he was topping out at arournd 84-85 coupled with Papelbon's great 8th inning performance caused the change.