Why we shouldn't freak out just yet.

[MANNYHOF24]

1.) It looks like Wake is coming back soon, from what I heard the other day. With Wake going 6 or 7 every time that gives us 3 starters saving our bullpen. If Wake doesn't come back soon, we are totally screwed, but I think he will.

 

2.) Yesterday could have very well been a turning point for Clay Buchholz. He looked pretty darn good against that Yankees lineup. If he turns it around, this pitching staff is going to be awfully good again.

 

3.) Our offense isn't this bad. It's just not. Pedroia, Youk, Drew, V-Mart and Ellsbury will all hit. Jason Bay is the key. He needs to come back healthy and productive. If this happens our offense will be fine. Hopefully either Lowell or Ortiz will be semi-productive down the stretch, that would help.

 

I don't think we can win the division, but honestly we can win the wild card. So don't give up just yet.

[jacksonianmarch]

1.) Wakefield is set to throw a simulated game within the next few days. But, he has been out for 32 days now. Chances are, he'll need a 2 game rehab assignment to get his stamina back. And assuming everything goes well there, he is likely not going to be used as he was prior to his injury. You probably wont see him going 7 innings on return. He will likely be kept in the 5-6IP mode assuming this injury doesnt cause him to alter the path of that knuckler. As we have seen with Wake, he is affected by even the slightest back or lower leg injury/tiredness. So, in summary, he is likely going to return to the rotation after another 2-3 turns, which means another 2-3 starts from Tazawa or Bowden. And, there is the very real possibility that he is not the knuckler he was prior to injury. But, him coming back is still a much needed reprieve for a sox rotation that has found itself 2 men deep.

 

2.) Buchholz was lucky, but good enough to get through 6 hard fought innings in the Bronx. The 11 baserunners in 6 innings is pretty bad. But he made quality pitches when he needed to and avoided the big inning which has been his problem this yr. So I agree, this is a potential turning point. It is certainly something to build upon, but he is still far from being a dependable member of the rotation.

 

3.) The Sox offense isnt this bad. Losing your best RBI man who just happens to be right handed makes things more dicey vs lefties. That being said, the offense has been disjointed for weeks now. They will put up 18 in Baltimore then go 24 consecutve scoreless vs NY. The sox will hit. The question is, can they hit quality pitching. That remains to be seen, but it would seem the answer is leaning towards no.

 

Overall, sox fans, I think the division is the yankees mostly because even if the sox get their s*** together, NY is just loaded for bear against out of division foes. That being said, the sox are in the driver's seat in the wild card and still have the chance to take that due to the maddeningly inconsistent Rays and the overachieving Rangers.

 

And, the sox control their own destiny in the WC. They have 6 games left vs TB (3 at home) and 3 games in Arlington. Whomever takes the majority of those games will take the lead in the WC. If the sox get ANYTHING out of their #3-5 slots in the rotation, then I think the wild card will be won in Boston. If they dont, it is gonna be a fun finish to the yr with any team capable of securing it.

[ORS]

That being said' date=' the [b']sox are in the driver's seat in the wild card[/b] and still have the chance to take that due to the maddeningly inconsistent Rays and the overachieving Rangers.

 

And, the sox control their own destiny in the WC. They have 6 games left vs TB (3 at home) and 3 games in Arlington. Whomever takes the majority of those games will take the lead in the WC. If the sox get ANYTHING out of their #3-5 slots in the rotation, then I think the wild card will be won in Boston. If they dont, it is gonna be a fun finish to the yr with any team capable of securing it.

And....how the Sox play will determine if they win the WC.

[example1]

And....how the Sox play will determine if they win the WC.

 

ORS, I'm pretty sure Jacko already made that point. quite being redundant.

 

My opinion is that the Sox really control their own destiny. If they play well enough to warrant a wild card spot they will probably get one. Of course, it totally depends on how well they control their own destiny. They are in the driver's seat, so to speak, by which I mean that they can drive themselves into the playoffs with good play, and drive themselves into the offseason with poor play. Other teams are not so much in the driver's seat because the Red Sox have the lead currently and are riding their destiny like a rented mule. Thus, they control their own destiny.

 

Now, seen from another perspective, other teams really have to wait and see what happens for the Sox. If the Sox can win, then they are in, that's how I see it. Basically, they are driving their own destiny from the front left-hand seat in this American made season-car. We don't know how good the gas milage is, but we know that the Red Sox are driving and that they have a map to the playoffs, if they only choose to use it. That map, produced by Rand McDestiny, shows them exactly how to get where they want to go. They just need to win and they can get into the playoffs.

[BSN07]

I'm not worried yet. This series had bad news written all over it. The Yanks have been playing good ball. And the Sox pitching had been suspect outside of Lester and Beckett. Add in they were in NY. If the Sox could have split it would have been a win in my book. I'll be happy if the get a win today. But if they lose it won't be the end of the world. Although Magadan might be looking for work soon:D

 

Yesterday was a solid start from Buchholz. He fought out of a couple jams and gave up only 2 runs in Coors east. If you had asked any fan before the game if they would take 6IP, 2ER from Buchholz? They would have taken it, kicked you in the nuts and ran away laughing with it. Although he got the loss, I'm sure that did a lot for his confidence. Hopefully he carries that with him for the rest of the season.

 

The offense is okay. Bay being out really doesn't hurt too much since he hasn't hit since May. Ortiz is slumping again, I don't think they can let him work out of it this time though. It took just too long last time. Lowell should be getting some AB's at DH IMO.

[example1]

The offense is okay. Bay being out really doesn't hurt too much since he hasn't hit since May. Ortiz is slumping again, I don't think they can let him work out of it this time though. It took just too long last time. Lowell should be getting some AB's at DH IMO.

 

I'm just gonna contend this point. I think Bay being out DOES hurt them, whether he has hit since May or not. He is better than Youk in LF and he's bound to hit the ball when he is at the plate. It makes a big difference in my opinion that the guy we dealt Manny Ramirez for is a non factor. it puts this team steps behind before the race has started.

[BSN07]

I'm just gonna contend this point. I think Bay being out DOES hurt them' date=' whether he has hit since May or not. He is better than Youk in LF and he's bound to hit the ball when he is at the plate. It makes a big difference in my opinion that the guy we dealt Manny Ramirez for is a non factor. it puts this team steps behind before the race has started.[/quote']

 

I agree defensively it does effect the team. But offensively I honestly don't see it. Yes he's a big name to have in there. But he's been pretty irrelevant at the plate for a couple months now.

[BSN07]

Well I take that back he had a good July. May through June was putrid though.

[example1]

This isn't really debatable. Jason Bay needs to be in the middle of the lineup. Without that one of the Sox best pieces isn't playing. It is akin to not having Youkilis or Pedroia.

 

**EDIT: Hey, 6,000th post. How about that?**

[BSN07]

This isn't really debatable. Jason Bay needs to be in the middle of the lineup. Without that one of the Sox best pieces isn't playing. It is akin to not having Youkilis or Pedroia.

 

**EDIT: Hey, 6,000th post. How about that?**

 

I know where you coming from. I was more voicing my frustration with Bay's inconsistency's really.

 

 

 

Congrats:D

[ElMaestro]

The Red Sox have look THIS bad because they are struggling and met what IMO is the best team in the league, and also the hottest. Actually they are a good team with big problems. If you ask me, I can compare yesterday's performance for Clay as a typical Joba's performance: always in trouble, but avoiding the big hit. So I don't know if its a turning point for him. Against a team who didn't play 15 innings 12 hours before that should have being the same? I really don't know.

 

I think Boston has 2 teams to be concerned: Tampa (because is in the same division) and Texas. The Rangers have a very easy schedule from now on. They have 48 games left, with 29 games against the likes of Oakland, Cleveland, Baltimore, etc... Texas has a real shot at the wildcard.

[BSN07]

The Yanks are hot right now. But if one of CC/AJ/AP goes down, and the offense comes back to earth, they will be in the same predicament as the Sox. It's far from over.

 

But see you wouldn't know that would you? This is about the point in the season when your team is struggling that you normally bail out.

[Ray10]

I'm not even close to panicking just yet. It's still early August, there is still almost 2 months of baseball left. The offense is in a slump right now it's as simple as that. Once this offense does get going again watch out cause they are going to come back on a tear. Bucholz looked good yesterday if he keeps that up we'll be in good shape there. Wake should be back soon so he's gonna be a big help. It's not time to panic just yet.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Wow, good to see not everyone is throwing in the towel then. I was getting concerned.

[Dipre]

Wow' date=' good to see not everyone is throwing in the towel then. I was getting concerned.[/quote']

 

I'll be calling a lot of people out when the Yanks hit a bad stretch (and they will) and this team starts playing to its expected level.

[Cocos Disciples]

I'll be calling a lot of people out when the Yanks hit a bad stretch (and they will) and this team starts playing to its expected level.

 

Of course things will flip around, but to the extent that we take the division? I have my doubts. But still, solid chance at the WC.

[Dipre]

Of course things will flip around' date=' but to the extent that we take the division? I have my doubts. But still, solid chance at the WC.[/quote']

 

You may have your doubts, but stranger s*** has happened.

 

The Yanks are due for a regression.

 

It will happen, and odds are it happens when we start playing up to our potential.

[Teddyballgame10]

You may have your doubts, but stranger s*** has happened.

 

The Yanks are due for a regression.

 

It will happen, and odds are it happens when we start playing up to our potential.

 

Dont tell this to Jacko.

 

If we start to hit and Buch builds on his performance on Saturday we will be ok. If we make it to the playoffs anything can happen. I am comfortable with a 7 game series against the Yanks.

[Dipre]

Dont tell tihs to Jacko.

 

If we start to hit and Buch builds on his performance on Saturday we will be ok. If we make it to the playoffs anything can happen. I am comfortable with a 7 game series against the Yanks.

 

We won't have to because as soon as the Yanks lose a couple of games and the Sox start winning, he'll magically disappear.

[TheKilo]

How about now?

[Dojji]

Now it's time to seriously worry. I dunno about freaking out. But if any one here has fingernails left I'm going to call him or her a pink hatter.

[SCM33]

Its looking pretty grim.

[Dipre]

Just fantasy numbers.

[Dojji]

Its looking pretty grim.

 

I wouldn't say THAT. We're still in line for a playoff appearance after all. It doesn't look the greatest but tell me about "grim" when we're multiple games out of the wild card.

 

It IS time to worry. It is NOT time to panic.

[SCM33]

W L PCT GB RS RA +/- ExpWL

Red Sox 67 43 .609 -- 565 438 127 68-42

Yankees 60 50 .545 7 652 505 147 68-42

 

expwl means nothing.

 

I care much more about being 6.5 games back, in reality, than "fantasy" numbers.

[Dipre]

expwl means nothing.

 

I care much more about being 6.5 games back, in reality, than "fantasy" numbers.

 

Lol now they're fantasy numbers.

 

Ok then.

[example1]

There is definitely something to be said for the Sox having been able to lose 6 games out of 6 and still be tied for the Wild Card lead.

 

Part of me continues to hope that this is simply a second offensive slump that might disappear soon. I believe this is a good team and that they have the players to make a deep run into the playoffs.

 

All that said, if they can't do better against TB and NY then it won't matter, they'll be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

 

I really had a feeling that they were going to blow this one after getting the 2-1 lead. It doesn't bother me too much... just a bad dream.

[SCM33]

I wouldn't say THAT. We're still in line for a playoff appearance after all. It doesn't look the greatest but tell me about "grim" when we're multiple games out of the wild card.

 

It IS time to worry. It is NOT time to panic.

 

Grim means Panic? A grim outlook means I am worrying about the club, well thats what it means to me anyway.

[SCM33]

Lol now they're fantasy numbers.

 

Ok then.

 

Does expwl make anyone feel better about being 6.5 games back? Not me, according to exp w-l records, the sox are equal to the yankees right now, which clearly isnt true since they just got smeared by the Yanks. Dont bring up the 8-0 record earlier this year, bc the Yankees are clearly a different team, and so is Boston.

[Dipre]

Does expwl make anyone feel better about being 6.5 games back? Not me' date=' according to exp w-l records, the sox are equal to the yankees right now, which clearly isnt true since they just got smeared by the Yanks. Dont bring up the 8-0 record earlier this year, bc the Yankees are clearly a different team, and so is Boston.[/quote']

 

It's not supposed to make you feel better.

 

It's an indication of the fact that this team is underperforming, and most of the time, this things correct themselves.