4/21 vs. Texas Rangers - Sweep 'Em

[schillingouttheks]

really cant complain about how this series went. kinda eased the pain a bit from the Habs sucking lately

 

Not that I'm expecting anything glorious to happen, but the Habs have quite a bit of pressure on them tonight, no?

[BoSox21]

Not that I'm expecting anything glorious to happen' date=' but the Habs have quite a bit of pressure on them tonight, no?[/quote']

 

ahhhhh......hard to say really. if im the team, coaching staff and select fans who absolutely reeked of arrogance during the first half of the series, id be embarassed if the Habs completely blew their 3-1 series lead but personally, I had a healthy respect for the Bruins all series long and considering the expectations for the Habs before the season started, this is all gravy to me anyway

[redsoxrules]

Oh and for those of you who were not please with this teams offense a few weeks ago , they have now scored 5 or more runs in 9 straight games

[Mr Crunchy]

texas has a way of making every team a slugging dynamo

[BoSox21]

Oh and for those of you who were not please with this teams offense a few weeks ago ' date=' they have now scored 5 or more runs in 9 straight games[/quote']

 

it was inevitable after they got over that wicked sake hangover

[Thumper]

I had to work, but caught the highlights on FOX Sports this afternoon. Glad to see we swept Texas. Here's to a good series against the Angels this week!

[a700hitter]

Lugo's swinging the bat like his job is on the line or something.

We really can't complain about him. He's hiitng over .300. He's got good speed. He can beat out bunts, play small ball and steal bases. Additionally, he can play a pretty good SS. Lowrie has a good future, but not as a starter on this years team. Maybe he can take Cora's spot. He's definitely an offensive upgrade.

[ORS]

I don't disagree. Today was encouraging, re: Lugo. I will add a caveat. He was hitting .271 going into today, which isn't bad. But that's all he was doing, and with the quality of contact he was making, I'd call it a very fortunate .271. Now, if he can continue to drive the ball like he did today, then I'm on board. If he goes back to the weak 6 hoppers to the left side, then today was just an anomaly.

[YAZMAN]

I was at the game yesterday, gritty comeback and just a great day to be at Fenway. I can't believe they pulled it off after all the early opportunities they had that weren't capitalized on. I would have put this in yesterday's game thread but it's locked.

 

I got my brother tickets for today's game. I'd report something but he hasn't gotten back yet. If I have anything I'll put it in the next game thread after this one gets locked.

[a700hitter]

I don't disagree. Today was encouraging' date=' re: Lugo. I will add a caveat. He was hitting .271 going into today, which isn't bad. But that's all he was doing, and with the quality of contact he was making, I'd call it a very fortunate .271. Now, if he can continue to drive the ball like he did today, then I'm on board. If he goes back to the weak 6 hoppers to the left side, then today was just an anomaly.[/quote']I don't expect much more from him than .260-.270 with some steals. He's far from being worth $9 million/year, but I think he is our best option this year. What do you think about Lowrie sticking and Cora getting released? Lowrie can play 2nd, 3rd or SS.

[ORS]

I'm all for it if they can get him 300+ ABs.

[YAZMAN]

I don't expect much more from him than .260-.270 with some steals. He's far from being worth $9 million/year' date=' but I think he is our best option this year. What do you think about Lowrie sticking and Cora getting released? Lowrie can play 2nd, 3rd or SS.[/quote']

 

Yeah, but Lugo can play OF!

 

WTF was that all about?

[VandaleIndustries]

Oh and for those of you who were not pleased with this teams offense a few weeks ago ' date=' they have now scored 5 or more runs in 9 straight games[/quote']

 

Texas has a way of doing that.... Let's not get too carried away with ourselves. It's funny, they are calling for the head of Ron Washington down here! Personally, I blame Tom Hicks, but that's just me....

[riverside sluggers]

What a game yesterday. Buchholz pitched his best game of the season thus far, and the offense without Casey, Varitek, Manny were still able to pound the Rangers for 8 runs... I love this team

 

Next up the Angels

Josh Beckett vs Jered Weaver

Daisuke Matsuzaka vs Jon Garland

Jon Lester vs Joe Saunders

[Mr Crunchy]

tom hicks takes it in the ass

didnt he give chan ho park 60M and pedro astacio similar coin?

with those bats they need to put together a staff of guys who wont melt in the texas sun thruout the year.'

this has been a problem for them since they moved from washington 40 years ago.

now

how do they make a staff that can throw 6 months a year in texas without dying in august?

i just dont know

i cant recall any pitcher from texas being cy material or amongst the league leaders in pitching stats or even a hot free agent commodity

think about it

when was the last time a texas ranger pitcher demanded a look in the free agent market?

[BudLight]

While Lugo is having a decent year with the bat, at what expense defensively does it cost the Sox. He is currently having the worst fielding percentage of his career with 6 errors already. For a guy who is touted as being one of the best defensively, his upside should be his defense not his offense.

[TheKilo]

While Lugo is having a decent year with the bat' date=' at what expense defensively does it cost the Sox. He is currently having the worst fielding percentage of his career with 6 errors already. For a guy who is touted as being one of the best defensively, his upside should be his defense not his offense.[/quote']

 

He had one atrocious game. I'm of the opinion that small sample size is still in effect.

[Paradisecity]

tom hicks takes it in the ass

didnt he give chan ho park 60M and pedro astacio similar coin?

with those bats they need to put together a staff of guys who wont melt in the texas sun thruout the year.'

this has been a problem for them since they moved from washington 40 years ago.

now

how do they make a staff that can throw 6 months a year in texas without dying in august?

i just dont know

i cant recall any pitcher from texas being cy material or amongst the league leaders in pitching stats or even a hot free agent commodity

think about it

when was the last time a texas ranger pitcher demanded a look in the free agent market?

 

 

Kevin Millwood

Kenny Rogers

 

 

 

Thats all I can think of.

[Jayhawk Bill]

While Lugo is having a decent year with the bat' date=' at what expense defensively does it cost the Sox. [/quote']

 

About three runs, or roughly a third of a win. That's from BP FRAA, the best runs-based fielding stat available and updated daily during the regular season. Conceptually, five more errors than average would be somewhere around three runs, so I'm not quibbling with FRAA this time.

 

He is currently having the worst fielding percentage of his career with 6 errors already. For a guy who is touted as being one of the best defensively, his upside should be his defense not his offense.

 

Who said that he was one of the best defensively? I'd always heard that he was a good hitter who was adequate, not great, with the glove.

 

FWIW, Julio Lugo is batting over .300 and his VORP is +2.1. Here are a few shortstops whose 2008 seasons at the plate are within a run, plus or minus, of Lugo's:

 

Michael Young

Derek Jeter

David Eckstein

Orlando Cabrera

 

Pretty good company, IMO.

 

Considering defense, Julio Lugo isn't yet contributing a whole lot, but his bat is thus far offsetting his glove. Remember, there are lots of shortstops who don't hit .250, let alone hitting .300. Lugo is doing all right...let's pull for him to do better.