April 8th @ Texas - Ortiz clocks his first two

[CrespoBlows]

everyone better shut up about Schilling now' date=' he manned up tonight[/quote']

 

OK, but if he gets rocked in his next one, can we speak up again?

[jacksonianmarch]

My take on the game...

 

Schilling was very good. He wasnt vintage, but he battled and worked through 7. He made a lot of mistakes in the zone that didnt get hit, but the split was pretty nice and his curve was working well. Obviously, something to build on. If he can maintain his velocity like he did tonight, he will be very tough to beat.

 

The offense was awful aside from Papi. The guy drives in all the sox runs in the game while the rest cannot hit a guy who got run out of Philly for his suckitude and then came to the ALWest and posted a 4.5 ERA. The offense will likely wake up in the fens though.

 

The middle relief is awful. You get a huge lead, and they should hold it, but Pineiro melted under the pressure. BTW, the only guy I'd expect to be halfway decent in that situation has seen less than one inning all yr. Where is the spectacled one?

 

Overall, 3-3 on a road trip isnt too bad if you think about it, but when you have 3 in KC and 3 in arlinton, you should be up 4-2. Then again, my boys dropped 3 of 5 at home vs the DRays and Orioles, so I am one to talk. For now, its early and Schilling and Papi looked very good.

[Beckett95]

we still need to find a way to get more runs on the board

 

2, 3, 4 runs a game wont cut it everyday

[schillingouttheks]

I'm going to Matsuzaka's first game as well on Wednesday night. Look for me on TV. I'll be the one with the poster that says "TITO: LEARN HOW TO USE A BULLPEN." My seats are first row in the lower of the two sections where the .406 Club (the section behind the class behind home plate) used to be.

[jacksonianmarch]

Jacko is a little upset' date=' because the Yankees starters are pitching worse than KC's staff.[/quote']

 

to this point, yes. They will snap out of it.

[example1]

Middle relief sucks. Middle relief by definition sucks. If someone is good in middle relief its a great find, but they don't last long before becoming a closer. I think about Linebrink, Duscherer, Zumaya, etc., and they are in a pretty rare class.

 

The biggest thing you can do is to NOT WALK PEOPLE. Then its hitting your spots.

 

 

Papelbon is an absolute savior. Seriously. There isn't another reliever in the league who puts people down the way he does. Absolute domination, a man among boys, etc.,

 

He sits down the BEST hitters in just about any lineup. All I can say is WOW! And thank god we have Papelbon. THANK GOD WE HAVE PAPELBON.

[riverside sluggers]

Got a bit nervous at the end...but Paps is a beast.

 

Riveriside, MLB.com says Washburn is pitching Tuesday. Is he scheduled to go in the double header tomorrow?

 

I just got the matchups from the game on nesn yesterday, so at the time didnt know about the reschedued DH for Monday

[jacksonianmarch]

Middle relief by definition does not suck. Nowadays, pitchers are bred to throw 6 and screw. This means that on average, you will need to use 2 middle relievers until you see your closer, every single game. Most every team has some reliable middle relief options. Except Boston. Theo hasnt learned how to build a pen since Foulke decided to crap out. He lucked into Papelbon and hasnt been able to even come close to building around him.

[jacksonianmarch]

I just got the matchups from the game on nesn yesterday' date=' so at the time didnt know about the reschedued DH for Monday[/quote']

 

Not sure if they will get any of the games in. Cleveland is expecting more snow tomorrow. That means you could get King Felix on Tuesday.

[riverside sluggers]

Again its looking bad moreso because how Tito has been managing the bullpen. It was Tito who forced his own hand to call on Papelbon. Pineiro walks the first 2 batters and then up comes lefty Kenny Lofton, why not call Javier Lopez? Of course, like weve been saying tonight, Donnelly shouldve been the better bet over Pineiro

[jacksonianmarch]

Donnelly should be the first in line with Timlin on the rack for now. I just dont see why you should tinker with it. Donnelly had an alright yr last yr and has experience setting up. Pineiro has been on the rag for the past 3 yrs and has no experience with high pressure innings. I just dont get how you put Pineiro in for that situation.

 

Anyone think Donnelly is getting Dave Riske disease? Tito for some reason just passes over him because he looks funny and then the sox deal him away, only he becomes a key cog for the recipient?

[a700hitter]

to this point' date=' yes. They will snap out of it.[/quote']It should not be hard to top KC.

[jacksonianmarch]

It should not be hard to top KC.

 

Right now I could throw better with my dick than the yankee rotation is.

 

But like I said before, this is a team of finesse pitchers who couldnt get their breaking stuff over. If they continue to have that problem we will continue to struggle. I think a return to a controlled environment would help them considerably (in Minnesota).

[TedWilliams101]

Pineiro shouldn't havent even crossed Tito's mind in that situation. It should have been automatic to call on Donnelly. He's our best option for setup by far. I think he's a great setup option. Why on earth wouldn't you use him? Tito needs to get his head examined.

[a700hitter]

Again its looking bad moreso because how Tito has been managing the bullpen. It was Tito who forced his own hand to call on Papelbon. Pineiro walks the first 2 batters and then up comes lefty Kenny Lofton' date=' why not call Javier Lopez? Of course, like weve been saying tonight, Donnelly shouldve been the better bet over Pineiro[/quote']Tito right now is probably telling Theo: "Theo you gotta get me another quality arm out there. I've got no one to turn to in the 7th or 8th."

[jacksonianmarch]

Tito right now is probably telling Theo: "Theo you gotta get me another quality arm out there. I've got no one to turn to in the 7th or 8th."

 

and then he'll package Buchholz and Lester together for Roberto Hernandez.

[riverside sluggers]

settle down Jacko. Theo is not that much of a dunce to trade away 2 stud pitchers for an aging jackass reliever

[a700hitter]

and then he'll package Buchholz and Lester together for Roberto Hernandez.

Not quite. Maybe he'll send Mirabelli for Wheeler.

[jacksonianmarch]

settle down Jacko. Theo is not that much of a dunce to trade away 2 stud pitchers for an aging jackass reliever

 

I am being facetious. Or am I. I remember a few deals that imploded on the young GM.

[jacksonianmarch]

Not quite. Maybe he'll send Mirabelli for Wheeler.

 

Ah, and THEN deal Buchholz and Lester for Mirabelli again when Wakefield is feewing awl wonewy and misses dougie.

[a700hitter]

Ah' date=' and THEN deal Buchholz and Lester for Mirabelli again when Wakefield is feewing awl wonewy and misses dougie.[/quote'] touche.

[a700hitter]

In the heat of the game, I posted my opinion about how teams will start to defend Youk. Any thoughts?

[HeadOfSoxNation]

I get as irritated with Dougie's AWFUL plate performances as anyone...but the fact is, as long as Wake is in the rotation, he's invaluable to this team. Without Doug, the Sox O needs to score 3 more runs a game to account for passed balls. And with the way the O has been performing, another 3 would be doubling what we've been getting.

[jacksonianmarch]

In the heat of the game' date=' I posted my opinion about how teams will start to defend Youk. Any thoughts?[/quote']

 

??? Didnt see it.

[riverside sluggers]

I am being facetious. Or am I. I remember a few deals that imploded on the young GM.

 

I know you still think Beckett will have 2006 line stats

[jacksonianmarch]

I know you still think Beckett will have 2006 line stats

 

I said he'd be a little better.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think we are starting to see how defenses will start playing Youklis. The OFs will pinch in until he starts beating people. The will start catching his little liners that used to fall in RF. He just doesn't have the power to keep OFs honest. He flips the bat at the ball.

 

found it and I agree. For a burly guy, he lacks a lot of power. If he gets one middle in, he can drive it to left, but he lacks the opposite field power that most great hitters have. It is strange, he seems to give up on the ball if it is on the outer half.

[riverside sluggers]

As much as some might say that the Sox have now started to overwork Papelbon for a 5 out save... He still threw just 15 pitches and this is only his 2nd appearance this season, he also has a day off tomorrow.

[jacksonianmarch]

As much as some might say that the Sox have now started to overwork Papelbon for a 5 out save... He still threw just 15 pitches and this is only his 2nd appearance this season' date=' he also has a day off tomorrow.[/quote']

 

the 15 pitches isnt the issue. It is the warmups, the 2 outs in the 8th, the rest inbetween, the warmups in the 9th and the finish of the game. Yeah, they have an off day inbetween, but if the bridge burns like it has to this point, he will do this more often and the rest inbetween is what will do him in.

 

Closers love the warmup, into the game, 3 outs and showers. The extra warmups and wait time really takes a toll if it is done multiple times.

[seabeachfred]

I don't really understand how they are using Pineiro... I mean' date=' long-relief would make sense because he was a starter, but he's a set-up man right here...[/quote']

 

TGov, if you want to know why so many of us roll our eyes in complete disgust at Francona's managing acumen, or lack of it, using Piniero in a close 3-1 on the road speaks volumes. He has Donnelly who had prospered in this role before but he instead chooses to use a chronic loser and underachiever who was close to the worst pitcher in the league last year. Francona costs us at least a half-dozen games a year.