6/2-Beat the birds

[VA Sox Fan]

Boston:

 

Ellsbury-LF

Lugo-SS

Youkilis-1B

Ramirez-DH

Lowell-3B

Drew-RF

Crisp-CF

Cora-2B

Cash-C

Wakefield-SP

 

Orioles:

 

Roberts-2B

Markakis-RF

Mora-3B

Huff-DH

Millar-1B

Scott-LF

Hernandez-C

Jones-CF

Bynum-SS

Guthrie-SP

 

Go Timmaaah!! GO RED SOX!!!!

[The Dustball]

Lugo batting second is a little weird, and the bottom of the lineup looks really weak tonight. Hopefully Tim can turn in another performance like he did last time out.

[ksushi]

How about a little Debbie Clemens mojo? No? Ok.

[Jayhawk Bill]

In 11 starts this year, Tim Wakefield has allowed 4 or more earned runs only three times. In the 8 starts where he's allowed three or fewer earned runs, he's got a record of just 2-2. That's really bad luck: contrast Wakefield to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has 10 such starts and has accumulated a 7-0 record in those games.

 

Part of that, though, is run support. Boston is averaging 5.07 runs per game, but just 4.87 runs per 27 outs in Wakefield's starts. That's not Kevin Cash's fault--he's been hitting fine thus far in 2008--but it seems that Tito uses Wakefield's starts to rest his better batters. Tonight Big Papi and Pedroia, as well as Tek, are out of the lineup.

[ksushi]

Ortiz and Tek are kind of a given to be sitting right now.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Ortiz and Tek are kind of a given to be sitting right now.

 

Which might make it a good time to keep Dustin in the lineup for another couple of games until Big Papi is better, or at least one more game until Tek is back in the lineup.

 

BTW, Will Carroll estimated a total of three games out for Big Papi at BP today.

[ksushi]

Yeah. Questionable call. He really looks like he needs to be in there and get some kind of rhythm going. He isn't exactly tearing the cover off the ball right now.

 

Does Will Carroll have the MRI info? His MRI was today. Regardless, that would be great if that is the time table.

[VA Sox Fan]

A few things....

 

Posted by Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff June 2, 2008 04:49 PM

 

BALTIMORE - Dustin Pedroia is getting a breather tonight with Alex Cora filling in at second base.

 

Pedroia has not started two other games, but was able to get into both of them and was hoping to get into tonight's game as well.

 

Pedroia has made a some sensational plays on this trip and this season, often throwing his body on the infield dirt. Terry Francona, who returned from his one-day absence to attend his daughter's graduation, said that he thought Pedroia could use a day because he thought he was "beat up" from all of his tough play.

 

Asked if was hoping to play all 162, Pedroia said, "Absolutely. I love playing every day. I always want to be in there."

 

Francona was still awaiting word on results of David Ortiz' MRI and examination by Dr. Thomas Gill. Francona didn't want to say too much and offered there wasn't much to say or speculate on until he knew. He said he's talked to Ortiz the last couple of days and feels Ortiz had had a wide range of emotions to being a little worried to feeling the left wrist felt well enough to go with.

 

Francona said Ortiz' absence would allow the team to use Manny Ramirez as a DH. Ramirez has been battling a hamstring issue so not being out in the field should help the cause and still keep Ramirez' bat in the lineup. It also will allow the Sox to use a better defensive outfield with Jacoby Ellsbury-Coco Crisp- J.D. Drew.

 

Justin Masterson will come up and pitch tomorrow night's game vs. Tampa Bay at Fenway. The Sox will wait on Ortiz' condition to announce a move. If Ortiz does not go on the DL, it looks as if Jeff Bailey would be the player sent back to Pawtucket.

[BSN07]

Manny is wearing a #34 arm band:lol:

[YAZMAN]

Great throw by Drew

[redsoxrules]

Nice play by JD

[ksushi]

I know this is reactionary, but this is a reaction to almost a year and a half of god awful play in the field and at bat... Can we just dump lugo? When I'm 5-5 on GIDP calls against a particular player, thats just atrocious. He is terrible.

[ksushi]

For those of you who like to keep track of what guys are on pace to do a third of the way through the season by taking their totals and multiplying them by three (makes us all feel like sabremetricians): Julio Lugo is almost exactly on pace to tie the major league record for GIDP at 24. Wooo, yeah.

[redsoxrules]

off topic but the could have 5 starters on the all star game , manny,youk,ortiz,pedroia and Vtec lead their positions in votes

[ORS]

Tito uses Wakefield's starts to rest his better batters.

Yep, he does this frequently and it makes no sense. If you are already resting a starter to play Wake's caddy, the rest of the lineup should be the A-squad (the healthy ones).

[TheKilo]

Lugo does indeed suck but he's the only one able to play a consistent SS for them. Lowrie isn't ready.

 

That said, I'd still like his bat in the lineup.

[ksushi]

I'm not sure I saw anything from him in the field at SS that made me believe he wasn't ready. I certainly didn't see anything at the plate.

[ORS]

Guthrie is the new Rodrigo Lopez. A guy with nothing that this team can't hit.

[Cocos Disciples]

I wouldn't say he has nothing. Last year he had a 3.70 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP and has nearly identical numbers this year.

[ORS]

Ca$h is King.

[Beaneater]

Even the guy on first base is in scoring position when legendary masher Kevin Cash is up!

 

Seriously, though, is this guy exceeding expectations or is he exceeding expectations?

[yeszir]

Just got back to watch the game and man, is Manny out of his mini slump or what. 500 was a good hump to get over.

[Beaneater]

Just got back to watch the game and man' date=' is Manny out of his mini slump or what. 500 was a good hump to get over.[/quote']

 

Yeah, if he continues to hit a homer a game he'll end up with respectable stats.

 

IIRC, the last three or four Manny HRs have all been to right or right-center. You have to love opposite field power.

[ORS]

I wouldn't say he has nothing. Last year he had a 3.70 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP and has nearly identical numbers this year.

And the guy I comped him to, Rodrigo Lopez, also had a couple of good statistical years by ERA (years that beat his FIP by about .75 runs, just like Guthrie). I was never impressed by Lopez, not by his stuff at least, but he always seemed to have our hitters looking for something other than what he was throwing.

[Cocos Disciples]

Hmm yeah I overlooked Lopez's 2002 and 2004. Not bad.

[redsoxrules]

Lowell! sox take 3-2 lead

[TheKilo]

http://bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view/2008_06_02_Source:_Ortiz_out_at_least_a_month:_Season-ending_wrist_surgery_a_possibility/srvc=home&position=0

 

Don't care what happens with this game. This is not good.

[ORS]

Yeah, that kind of sucks. Bring Moss up, let Manny DH full time, start pitching better (starting now Okajima).

[Youk Of The Nation]

Jesus Okajima how about, I dont know, strikes?

[TheKilo]

Okajima has disappointed this season. It was expected (no one thought he'd be that good last year) but it's still wicked depressing.