5/17 at New York Yankees

[Youk Of The Nation]

If the Sox are less than ten games over .500 on the last home game of the season, I am going to immolate myself and hurl myself aflame from the top of the Green Monster during the game.

[jacksonianmarch]

Wish I wasnt working. The offense was incredible from the sounds of it. I was following on gamecast, it sounded like Hughes had good stuff, but the sox just wouldnt go down. Long AB's, foul balls and eventually they would wear him down and reach base or crush a dinger. I cannot complain, he only allowed 7 baserunners in 5IP, but 5 of them scored.

 

In term of the pen management, WOW. Girardi dodged a massive bullet there. 1 run game, Yankees vs Sox and you hand it over to Boone Logan? Then, Park just comes off the DL, looks solid in inning #1, so he goes out for inning #2 in the 8th with Joba and Mo ready? Then he lets Marte go 2 innings and Vazquez only gets one out? ARod and Thames prevented this from being a crushing loss. Instead, we deal what can only be described as a near mortal blow to the sox. CC looking to right the ship vs Beckett, a guy who injury and ineffectiveness have made made hittable in 2010. Should be fun

[a700hitter]

The sucky potching has been exacerbated by the equally, if not more sucky, defense. Extra runs scored last night because of Hermida and McDonald. Youi don't beat the Yanks if you give them 4 ouits in a couple of innings.

[Dipre]

Well guess what this team needs: Mike Cameron!

[a700hitter]

He's been one of the culprits. He gave away a game to the Rays in April with his glove. We need a 30 year old Cameron, not a 37 year old Cameron wearing a truss to hold his guts together, who hasn't looked good in the field since we acquired him. 228 saw him during ST in a different week than I saw him and he noted that the guy was not getting to balls that he should have been getting.

[Dipre]

He's been one of the culprits. He gave away a game to the Rays in April with his glove. We need a 30 year old Cameron' date=' not a 37 year old Cameron wearing a truss to hold his guts together, who hasn't looked good in the field since we acquired him. 228 saw him during ST in a different week than I saw him and he noted that the guy was not getting to balls that he should have been getting.[/quote']

 

No more hernia.

[a700hitter]

Here's my fearless prediction regarding Cameron. He'll undergo surgery during the season, and he'll be declared fit and ready at age 38 to play CF in 2011.

[Dipre]

Here's my fearless prediction regarding Cameron. He'll undergo surgery during the season' date=' and he'll be declared fit and ready at age 38 to play CF in 2011.[/quote']

 

I bet he's playing as soon as the weekend.

[a700hitter]

As a 16 year old when I went for my working papers, they checked me for a hernia. I guess that part of an exam is not necessary when investing $18 million in a 37 year old athlete.

[Dipre]

As a 16 year old when I went for my working papers' date=' they checked me for a hernia. I guess that part of an exam is not necessary when investing $18 million in a 37 year old athlete.[/quote']

 

Now you're just whining, old man.

[a700hitter]

... And that is your way of saying that a700 is right as usual, and you don't even remember why you were arguing with the old man.

[a700hitter]

We find ourselves in ridiculous arguments about who has been the biggest underperformer. The answer to that question is not the reason why we suck so bad. We are not in 4th place because of Beckett's or Ortiz's slow starts. The truth is that our starting pitching has all to one degree or another underperformed. We have also suffered through other early batting slumps of VMart and a lack of timely hitting that belies the run scored stat. Our bull pen has been bad, not just Papelbon, and our defense has been shockingly bad. Injuries and underperformance are not excuses for sucking this bad. The Yanks have had injuries-- Granderson, Johnson and Pettitte and no one has been a bigger under performer than Vasquez. Tex had a terrible early season slump. So, why are they so much better than us? I have to say that I really don't have the answer to that. I can't come up with a reasonable explanation. I really thought we were seeing the 2010 team turn a corner last night, but I am left wondering if there is a corner for this team to turn or will it keep going in this nightmarish circle.

[yeszir]

This is what happens when an elite pitching staff and bullpen collectively underperform in the first 40 games of a season at the same time that a team suffers several key injuries as early as week two.

 

The Sox's offense has been very consistent, scoring lots of runs, hitting a lot of homeruns, and picking each other up. Our pitching staff, especially the bullpen--that was supposed to be the foundation on which this team would be built--has literally been crumbling right in front of our eyes since last season. I'm curious to see how Theo et al attempt to address these issues this season.

 

The only bright side I can think of, possibly, is that the Yankees pitching staff has been overperforming but likely won't continue to do so, and they're finally starting to show their age. The Rays have strong pitching, but their lineup is overperforming and likely will regress as the season progresses.

 

I'm not giving up, by any means, but this pitching is going to have to go on a very dramatic, sustained run/tear to see this situation improve. If it's any consellation, there really are still ~120 games left. Plenty of time...but oh so frustrating to watch, for sure.

 

Does this mean I have to get a competing hobby this summer? Damn it, I was really excited about baseball starting just 8 weeks ago. That feels like an utter eternity ago.

 

Nice first post!

 

Yes, welcome.

[YeAuldBroade]

Welcome to the Village Idiot.

 

Papelbon still sucks.

[TheMino007]

Sox will be lucky to win 90 games this year

[redsoxrules]

whats Papelbon carreer splits VS the Yanks ?

[Dipre]

We find ourselves in ridiculous arguments about who has been the biggest underperformer. The answer to that question is not the reason why we suck so bad. We are not in 4th place because of Beckett's or Ortiz's slow starts. The truth is that our starting pitching has all to one degree or another underperformed. We have also suffered through other early batting slumps of VMart and a lack of timely hitting that belies the run scored stat. Our bull pen has been bad' date=' not just Papelbon, and our defense has been shockingly bad. Injuries and underperformance are not excuses for sucking this bad. The Yanks have had injuries-- Granderson, Johnson and Pettitte and no one has been a bigger under performer than Vasquez. Tex had a terrible early season slump. So, why are they so much better than us? I have to say that I really don't have the answer to that. I can't come up with a reasonable explanation. I really thought we were seeing the 2010 team turn a corner last night, but I am left wondering if there is a corner for this team to turn or will it keep going in this nightmarish circle.[/quote']

 

Overperformances by the SP, BP and bench is the reason why the Yankees have been better than us.

[a700hitter]

We find ourselves in ridiculous arguments about who has been the biggest underperformer. The answer to that question is not the reason why we suck so bad. We are not in 4th place because of Beckett's or Ortiz's slow starts. The truth is that our starting pitching has all to one degree or another underperformed. We have also suffered through other early batting slumps of VMart and a lack of timely hitting that belies the run scored stat. Our bull pen has been bad' date=' not just Papelbon, and our defense has been shockingly bad. Injuries and underperformance are not excuses for sucking this bad. The Yanks have had injuries-- Granderson, Johnson and Pettitte and no one has been a bigger under performer than Vasquez. Tex had a terrible early season slump. So, why are they so much better than us? I have to say that I really don't have the answer to that. I can't come up with a reasonable explanation. I really thought we were seeing the 2010 team turn a corner last night, but I am left wondering if there is a corner for this team to turn or will it keep going in this nightmarish circle.[/quote']We have good pitchers. Our players (except catcher) are not terrible defensively. The bull pen is always a wild card, but it always is for every team. So, I am baffled at why they are playing so bad.

[Dipre]

... And that is your way of saying that a700 is right as usual' date=' and you don't even remember why you were arguing with the old man.[/quote']

 

No, it means none of us knows when the injury actually happened, so implying that the medical examination was careless is speculation.

[Dipre]

whats Papelbon carreer splits VS the Yanks ?

 

3.69 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, .636 OPS against, 130 OPS+ against, 2.21 SO/BB.

 

The peripherals are not that bad, but he always seems to find a way to implode against them.

[a700hitter]

Overperformances by the SP' date=' BP and bench is the reason why the Yankees have been better than us.[/quote']Logic would tell you that those things can't continue, but is the over performance by Hughes just his nevel level of standard performance. If so, we are in trouble, because Pettite's over performance balances out Vasquez's under performance. Has their bull pen really over performed. Robertson has been spotty. Joba has not exactly been money either. Which of their bench players other than Cervelli have done so great? Don't forget that we squeezed a few wins out of a minor leaguer like McDonald, so can we point to their bench as a big plus at this point?

[redsoxrules]

3.69 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, .636 OPS against, 130 OPS+ against, 2.21 SO/BB.

 

The peripherals are not that bad, but he always seems to find a way to implode against them.

 

saves and blown saves ?

[a700hitter]

No' date=' it means none of us knows when the injury actually happened, so implying that the medical examination was careless is speculation.[/quote']It is speculation, but they missed Schilling's bum soulder and Kotsay's bad back. There seems to be a pattern.

[a700hitter]

3.69 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, .636 OPS against, 130 OPS+ against, 2.21 SO/BB.

 

The peripherals are not that bad, but he always seems to find a way to implode against them.

... and since 2003 Mo has been worse against the Sox than any other team. It makes sense. The Yanks and the Sox have been two of the strongest teams in the game and with the unbalanced schedule, they have much more familiarity with the other team's closer.

[Dipre]

Logic would tell you that those things can't continue' date=' but is the over performance by Hughes just his nevel level of standard performance. If so, we are in trouble, because Pettite's over performance balances out Vasquez's under performance. Has their bull pen really over performed. Robertson has been spotty. Joba has not exactly been money either. Which of their bench players other than Cervelli have done so great? Don't forget that we squeezed a few wins out of a minor leaguer like McDonald, so can we point to their bench as a big plus at this point?[/quote']

 

Its not only the bench, what about Cano and his otherwordly start? Swisher hitting at a near .300 clip, Gardner hitting like Pete Rose?

 

In the bullpen, contrary to your beliefs (specially about Joba) there have been some out-of-character performances. specially before Sunday and yesterday, which helped balloon Chamberlains ERA.

[Dipre]

saves and blown saves ?

 

11 saves, cant find BS.

[Dipre]

It is speculation' date=' but they missed Schilling's bum soulder and Kotsay's bad back. There seems to be a pattern.[/quote']

 

Injuries happen. Still speculating, specially if you call it a pattern.

[a700hitter]

Injuries happen. Still speculating' date=' specially if you call it a pattern.[/quote']

I was just venting about his hernia.

[Dipre]

I was just venting about his hernia.

 

Well blame him. He was probably doing rows at the gym, saw some hot young thing walk by, decided to jack up the weight, bam! DL, here we come!

[Dipre]

11 saves' date=' cant find BS.[/quote']

 

11 saves, 3 Blown saves.