What do you want the 2010 lineup to look like?

[Keeper]

That was the highest WHIP of his career' date=' he threw way to many pitches, and walked way to many guys. He had a career high in walks last year. Paps all but gave up on his slider and rarely used the splitter. He would just pump fastball after fastball down the middle and he was lucky his ERA wasn't higher. Did you even watch him at all last year?[/quote']

 

I watched him. He didn't have too many 1-2-3 innings, but he got the job done. He didn't have very good command of his secondary pitches, but when you're throwing gas with movement you can get away with mistakes.

[Dipre]

I watched him. He didn't have too many 1-2-3 innings' date=' but he got the job done. He didn't have very good command of his secondary pitches, but when you're throwing gas with movement you can get away with mistakes.[/quote']

 

He either completely lost the feel of his splitter or he stopped throwing it for some other reason (saving his arm for a contract maybe?). Bottom line, it was nothing but fastballs with an occasional slider mixed in.

[Dojji]

Stop it with the ridiculously high standard for Papelbon.

 

Yes, his performance in prior years whetted our appetite for excellnce, but that's exactly what Papelbon gave us last year.

 

By ERA and ERA+ Papelbon played exactly to his career averages last year, so I fail to see how he could possibly have "underperformed" last year -- and for pity's sake, most pitchers would KILL for a 1.14 WHIP.

 

Just cut it out. Please.

[Dipre]

Stop it with the ridiculously high standard for Papelbon.

 

Yes, his performance in prior years whetted our appetite for excellnce, but that's exactly what Papelbon gave us last year.

 

By ERA and ERA+ Papelbon played exactly to his career averages last year, so I fail to see how he could possibly have "underperformed" last year -- and for pity's sake, most pitchers would KILL for a 1.14 WHIP.

 

Just cut it out. Please.

 

While i agree with you on this, it's still puzzling why he abandoned his splitter.

[Dojji]

He lost his feel. Splitter's a feel pitch.

 

Point is though, it hasn't really hurt his numbers that much.

[Dipre]

He lost his feel. Splitter's a feel pitch.

 

Point is though, it hasn't really hurt his numbers that much.

 

You lose the feel for it for the entire season? I call BS.

 

There has to be another reason.

[Spudboy]

You lose the feel for it for the entire season? I call BS.

 

There has to be another reason.

 

Yeah, saving his arm.

 

And, while he may have"played to his career averages" in 2009, he clearly was in trouble with too many walks and hits in close situations. He was in trouble , seemingly, more often than not.

 

38-3 is really good. It just does not reach the bar that he had set so high in previous years.

[Dojji]

Actually it reaches it pretty exactly, that's what "played to his career averages" means.

 

You guys are spoiled and can't deal with a down year even when it doesn't even impact on-field results.

[Spudboy]

Seriously?

 

He sure looked hittable in many if not most outings. Lots of shots to the track, some over it. He gave up the lead and looked very pedestrian in many of his efforts. Not just my opinion, either. Every media member in Boston was harping on it during the season.

 

Of course, they know squat.

[example1]

I think the combination of his higher walk rate, his lack of a splitter, and his increasing disregard for holding runners on (even in significant situations) made it seem like he either cared a bit less or was just more sloppy than he has been in previous seasons.

 

If 2009 was a "bad year" then we're in good shape.

[Dipre]

Actually it reaches it pretty exactly, that's what "played to his career averages" means.

 

You guys are spoiled and can't deal with a down year even when it doesn't even impact on-field results.

 

3.23 xFIP.

 

Start throwing the splitter again.

[butterfly]

1). 2B Pedroia R

2). RF Drew L

3). C Martinez S

4). 1B Youkilis

5).Ellsbury

6). Pedroia

7). Youkilis

8). Holliday

[Spudboy]

1). 2B Pedroia R

2). RF Drew L

3). C Martinez S

4). 1B Youkilis

5).Ellsbury

6). Pedroia

7). Youkilis

8). Holliday

 

Did someone clone Pedroia?

[Dipre]

Did someone clone Pedroia?

 

They should clone Lester too.

 

A rotation of:

 

Lester

Lester

Lester

Lester

Lester

 

Would be sick.

[Imperial59]

That was the highest WHIP of his career' date=' he threw way to many pitches, and walked way to many guys. He had a career high in walks last year. Paps all but gave up on his slider and rarely used the splitter. He would just pump fastball after fastball down the middle and he was lucky his ERA wasn't higher. Did you even watch him at all last year?[/quote']

 

Paps hasn't been throwing his splitter much for the past two years. His struggles last year probably had more to do with the adjustment he made in his pitching mechanics to try to save his arm. He struggled in the first half, but in the second half his numbers were actually better than his career averages. Either he got used to the new pitching mechanics or he abandoned them.

[BSN07]

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Martinez

Youk

Drew

Beltre

Ortiz

Cameron

Scutaro

 

 

 

Sorry if it's already been mentioned, still catching up on the new posts.

[CoachC.]

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Martinez

Youkilis

Ortiz

Drew

Beltre

Cameron

Scutaro

[Dipre]

Ellsbury

Pedroia

Martinez

Youkilis

Ortiz

Drew

Beltre

Cameron

Scutaro

 

Two lefties back-to-back then three righties back-to-back would be an opposing manager's dream.

[Imperial59]

I'd start the season off with:

 

*Ellsbury (.770 OPS, 70 SB )

Pedroia (.819 OPS)

Martinez (.861 OPS)

Youkilis (.961 OPS, 1.075+ OPS w/ RISP the last two years)

Drew (.914 OPS, .958 OPS ove his career hitting in the 5th spot)

Beltre (.850+ OPS away from Safeco the last two years he was healthy)

Ortiz (.798 OPS)

Cameron (.795 OPS)

*Scutaro (.789 OPS)

 

The great part about this lineup is that it has no weak spot. The AL average OPS was .763 last year.

 

*If Scutaro posts an OBP that's .10 points better than Ellsbury, I'd make him the leadoff hitter. Ellsbury has been a much better hitter at the bottom of the order over his career. He has a .725 OPS at a leadoff hitter, an .804 OPS batting 7th, a 1.135 OPS batting 8th and a .985 OPS batting 9th.

[BSN07]

I'd start the season off with:

 

*Ellsbury (.770 OPS, 70 SB )

Pedroia (.819 OPS)

Martinez (.861 OPS)

Youkilis (.961 OPS, 1.075+ OPS w/ RISP the last two years)

Drew (.914 OPS, .958 OPS ove his career hitting in the 5th spot)

Beltre (.850+ OPS away from Safeco the last two years he was healthy)

Ortiz (.798 OPS)

Cameron (.795 OPS)

*Scutaro (.789 OPS)

 

The great part about this lineup is that it has no weak spot. The AL average OPS was .763 last year.

 

*If Scutaro posts an OBP that's .10 points better than Ellsbury, I'd make him the leadoff hitter. Ellsbury has been a much better hitter at the bottom of the order over his career. He has a .725 OPS at a leadoff hitter, an .804 OPS batting 7th, a 1.135 OPS batting 8th and a .985 OPS batting 9th.

 

I have no problem's with Elssbury when he is in the lead off spot. But he does seem to have more pop when he is lower int he order.