Sox are last in Run Prevention

[Dipre]

Youk -- and we make a deal for a power hitting 1B

 

To be expected.

 

What about "diminishing returns?":(

 

All of this could have been avoided by signing Teixeira.

[redsoxrules]

To be expected.

 

What about "diminishing returns?":(

 

All of this could have been avoided by signing Teixeira.

 

yes but that would of blocked Lars

[Dipre]

This should be worded' date=' "I'm not saying I agree with [Dipre's and redsoxrules's depiction of what Rhet would say'], but the contradiction you guys were trying to show isn't really there."

 

 

I'd agree with this if, well, it really wasn't what you've said numerous times.

 

This is a depiction of what you would say:

 

"OBP SUCKS, I NEED RBI". Get your quotes straight.

[rhet]

I'd agree with this if, well, it really wasn't what you've said numerous times.

 

This is a depiction of what you would say:

 

"OBP SUCKS, I NEED RBI". Get your quotes straight.

 

No, Dipre, I haven't said that, but you keep writing it. Do you have baseball Munchausen Syndrome?

[TheMino007]

I find this hilarious. A team built on preventing runs is last in run prevention, is one of the MLB's worst pitching and fielding teams. The Sox are hovering around .500 and the team is actually hitting right now, I can't image how bad it will be when they don't hit. Things could actually get worse....

[Dipre]

I find this hilarious. A team built on preventing runs is last in run prevention' date=' is one of the MLB's worst pitching and fielding teams. The Sox are hovering around .500 and the team is actually hitting right now, I can't image how bad it will be when they don't hit. Things could actually get worse....[/quote']

 

You were pretty confident about the team's pitching and defense before. Can't have it both ways.

[TheMino007]

I liked what Cameron did in the past, but I've said I'd rather have Bay over him and have Ellsbury in CF, Bay in LF. Beltre has been a defensive bust. I said they needed him for the 3rd, but he shouldn't be out there dicking around when you have Lowell on the bench

[Dipre]

I liked what Cameron did in the past' date=' but I've said I'd rather have Bay over him and have Ellsbury in CF, Bay in LF. Beltre has been a defensive bust. I said they needed him for the 3rd, but he shouldn't be out there dicking around when you have Lowell on the bench[/quote']

 

Right now, who would you prefer on 3rd, Beltre or Lowell?

[jacksonianmarch]

I guess the question is whether you wanted Bay in LF and Lowell at 3b or Cameron in LF (okay, CF, but you get the point) and Beltre at 3b. The money is about even when you factor in the first yr of the contract with Beltre.

[Dipre]

I guess the question is whether you wanted Bay in LF and Lowell at 3b or Cameron in LF (okay' date=' CF, but you get the point) and Beltre at 3b. The money is about even when you factor in the first yr of the contract with Beltre.[/quote']

 

Cameron's injured, Bay's sucking.

[Beaneater]

This thread is as good a place as any to deliver my rant; it does have something to do with run prevention (or the lack thereof).

 

About a month ago, there were a number of posters here announcing the death of the 2010 Red Sox. Cooler heads said that it was too early to make any rash statements. The pessimists said, "Well, at what point of the season can we begin drawing real conclusions about whether this team sucks or not?" The answers clustered around a date of May 15.

 

Well, we're there. And even though I'm a glass-half-full guy, it doesn't look pretty.

 

The whole problem is run prevention, and it's got a lot more to do with pitching than defense, as Dipre has said. We're scoring runs -- not sure what our exact rank is, but I know we're among the MLB leaders in runs scored. We're getting guys across the plate. It's just that the other team is getting even more guys across the plate.

 

It's really hard to believe that a staff of Lester/Beckett/Lackey/Buchholz/Matsuzaka/Wakefield can be this bad, but it is. (Well, the bullpen gets a lot of the blame, too, with 9 losses.) We were constructed to win lots of 3-1 and 2-0 games, but instead were losing 11-9 and 7-6 games.

 

I don't have many ideas, and certainly none that haven't been heard before. But I need a little rant. So here are my non-stunning points:

 

1) I'm all for scrapping Farrell. I don't know that he's the problem; I just know that if you gave our pitching staff to the Cardinals, they'd never lose a game again. There's no way this many good pitchers should be doing this poorly.

 

2) If I hear anyone else saying, "We really need a big bopper in the middle of the lineup," I'm going to stuff my head into a paper shredder. 9 runs should be enough to win. 2nd in the AL in runs scored is more than acceptable.

 

3) I'm not without hope. All of our starters have shown flashes of brilliance. It's not impossible that they get all their crap together for a few trips around the rotation, giving us a nice 13-2 stretch. That would narrow the gap between us and the leaders quite nicely.

 

4) I'm not sold on catcher's ERA as a stat. But does anyone have any clue whether a switch to Martinez as our full-time catcher is part of the problem? Are we pitching any better with Tek behind the dish?

[Dipre]

This thread is as good a place as any to deliver my rant; it does have something to do with run prevention (or the lack thereof).

 

About a month ago, there were a number of posters here announcing the death of the 2010 Red Sox. Cooler heads said that it was too early to make any rash statements. The pessimists said, "Well, at what point of the season can we begin drawing real conclusions about whether this team sucks or not?" The answers clustered around a date of May 15.

 

Well, we're there. And even though I'm a glass-half-full guy, it doesn't look pretty.

 

The whole problem is run prevention, and it's got a lot more to do with pitching than defense, as Dipre has said. We're scoring runs -- not sure what our exact rank is, but I know we're among the MLB leaders in runs scored. We're getting guys across the plate. It's just that the other team is getting even more guys across the plate.

 

It's really hard to believe that a staff of Lester/Beckett/Lackey/Buchholz/Matsuzaka/Wakefield can be this bad, but it is. (Well, the bullpen gets a lot of the blame, too, with 9 losses.) We were constructed to win lots of 3-1 and 2-0 games, but instead were losing 11-9 and 7-6 games.

 

I don't have many ideas, and certainly none that haven't been heard before. But I need a little rant. So here are my non-stunning points:

 

1) I'm all for scrapping Farrell. I don't know that he's the problem; I just know that if you gave our pitching staff to the Cardinals, they'd never lose a game again. There's no way this many good pitchers should be doing this poorly.

 

2) If I hear anyone else saying, "We really need a big bopper in the middle of the lineup," I'm going to stuff my head into a paper shredder. 9 runs should be enough to win. 2nd in the AL in runs scored is more than acceptable.

 

3) I'm not without hope. All of our starters have shown flashes of brilliance. It's not impossible that they get all their crap together for a few trips around the rotation, giving us a nice 13-2 stretch. That would narrow the gap between us and the leaders quite nicely.

 

4) I'm not sold on catcher's ERA as a stat. But does anyone have any clue whether a switch to Martinez as our full-time catcher is part of the problem? Are we pitching any better with Tek behind the dish?

 

Excellent post.

 

As for the last point, Varitek has been catching Beckett almost exclusively, so no.

[TheMino007]

Right now' date=' who would you prefer on 3rd, Beltre or Lowell?[/quote']

Beltre still gets the most the starts, but throwing Lowell out there once or twice a week isn't the worst idea in the world, espically if Beltre doesn't get it together with the glove.

[Dipre]

Beltre still gets the most the starts' date=' but throwing Lowell out there once or twice a week isn't the worst idea in the world, espically if Beltre doesn't get it together with the glove.[/quote']

 

Wait, werent you bashing me about not watching the games last night because if you watch the games you would have noticed that Beltre has put it together defensively over the last couple of weeks, which was the point i was trying to get at.

[TheMino007]

He's having a good stretch big whoop. Do it for a good chunk of the season Adrian, thats why you are here.

[Dipre]

He's having a good stretch big whoop. Do it for a good chunk of the season Adrian' date=' thats why you are here.[/quote']

 

But that begs the question again:

 

Given his recent stretch, who would you rather have starting at third?

[Palodios]

But that begs the question again:

 

Given his recent stretch, who would you rather have starting at third?

 

Considering Beltre's defensive record, it makes more sense to consider april a bad stretch than May a good one.

[YeAuldBroade]

Defensively - Beltre has had an above average career and a really bad April. May is the norm, April was the fluke.

[Dipre]

Considering Beltre's defensive record' date=' it makes more sense to consider april a bad stretch than May a good one.[/quote']

 

Defensively - Beltre has had an above average career and a really bad April. May is the norm' date=' April was the fluke.[/quote']

 

But, but, but, you're using logic. Why are you doing that????

[Dipre]

Not anymore, they're not:

 

The Sox are 14th in Defensive Efficiency:

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/sortable/index.php?cid=69267

 

The Sox are 7th in UZR and UZR/150:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/teams.aspx?pos=all&stats=fld&lg=all&type=1&season=2010&month=0

 

They've still given up the most runs in the AL, but with the SP showing signs of life, Ellsbury and Cameron coming back, as well as the current D settling down (with the exception of Scutaro), that's bound to change.

 

Stay tuned.

[rhet]

Beltre blew a double play last night in the 9th inning by making a high throw. Pedroia got the error because it was catchable, but a good throw from Beltre and it would have been two outs.

 

Not anymore, they're not:

 

The Sox are 14th in Defensive Efficiency:

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/sortable/index.php?cid=69267

 

The Sox are 7th in UZR and UZR/150:

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/teams.aspx?pos=all&stats=fld&lg=all&type=1&season=2010&month=0

 

They've still given up the most runs in the AL, but with the SP showing signs of life, Ellsbury and Cameron coming back, as well as the current D settling down (with the exception of Scutaro), that's bound to change.

 

Stay tuned.

[Palodios]

Well, fortunately the game was already won.

[Dipre]

Beltre blew a double play last night in the 9th inning by making a high throw. Pedroia got the error because it was catchable' date=' but a good throw from Beltre and it would have been two outs.[/quote']

 

Really?

 

The ball hit Pedroia's glove. They gave him the error because it was a throw he should have handled, and at least gotten the out at second. If you're going to bitch, at least bitch with the truth.

 

It was also a well-played game otherwise, and the gaffes (mental or otherwise) have decreased dramatically, while the pitching performances improve day-to-day. Don't know how you can dispute that, but someone will find a way to bitch and whine and moan.

[rhet]

Really?

 

The ball hit Pedroia's glove. They gave him the error because it was a throw he should have handled, and at least gotten the out at second. If you're going to bitch, at least bitch with the truth.

 

It was also a well-played game otherwise, and the gaffes (mental or otherwise) have decreased dramatically, while the pitching performances improve day-to-day. Don't know how you can dispute that, but someone will find a way to bitch and whine and moan.

 

What in my statement wasn't the truth?

[Dipre]

What in my statement wasn't the truth?

 

That Pedroia shouldn't have been awarded the error. The throw was a bit high, but it a was a throw he should've handled, as evidenced by the fact that it actually bounced off his glove.

 

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7794/serrormedium.jpg

 

He was incorrectly positioned at the moment to handle the throw, ergo he received the error. In fact, had he handled the throw, he might have still been able to turn two with a good throw.

[rhet]

That Pedroia shouldn't have been awarded the error.

 

I didn't say that.

You need a reading comprehension course.

[Dipre]

I didn't say that.

You need a reading comprehension course.

 

Actually, because of my awesome reading comprehension skills, i noticed what you were implying. You said Beltre "blew" the DP with a bad throw. And that Pedroia got the error, but a good throw gets it done, never mind the "catchable" part, Pedroia should've caught that, and you're just looking for reasons to whine. If you're not attempting to criticize Beltre, why bring it up?

[Wasatch]

For the money we spent on defense, we suck. This was our number one priority for the new year. I still say we should have gotten Halladay. Now we should go after Oswalt. Josh is doing nothing after signing that big contract, so far.

[a700hitter]

For the money we spent on defense' date=' we suck. This was our number one priority for the new year. I still say we should have gotten Halladay. Now we should go after Oswalt. Josh is doing nothing after signing that big contract, so far.[/quote']That makes a lot of sense.

[Dipre]

For the money we spent on defense' date=' we suck. This was our number one priority for the new year. I still say we should have gotten Halladay. Now we should go after Oswalt. Josh is doing nothing after signing that big contract, so far.[/quote']

 

The Toronto GM was not forced to trade Halladay to the Red Sox. They offered the best package and he didn't take it. Can you name me a plausible scenairo where we can acquire Halladay without the consent of the Toronto GM?