Out of gas....can this team survive?

[Peter Backgammons]

I know that Ells, Drew VMart and Pedroia are all expected to return, some sooner than others, but can this team really survive this rash of injuries? Are we really expecting these players to play 100% when they return?

 

I think this past series showed just how out of gas they really are. We were all hoping they could tread water until the injuries passed, but now it looks like they're sinking fast. Seriously, who is Eric Patterson and why is he playing CF for the Red Sox?

[BSN07]

s*** happens. I don't care who you are and how good of a GM your are. You don't and can't plan for 1/3 of your opening day roster to be on the DL at the same time. So when it does happen, Eric Patterson winds up starting in CF. And who's to say TB or NY doesn't hit a bump in the road? Still a whole lot of games left. Relax, take off the life preserver and stow it back in it's place. it's not over yet

[Palodios]

It seems like the team's weaknesses are becoming quite clear thanks to the injuries. Their starting pitching is great, but the bullpen can't protect a lead to save its life. I said it months ago that if one of Bard, Pap, MDC went down, the bullpen would be in serious trouble, and when MDC went down, now the pen is pretty worthless. Two nights ago when Youk was hurt, their 1, 2, 3, and 4 hitters were all hurt, plus Drew and Cameron haven't had healthy seasons.

 

Personally, I think they need to firesale. It was supposed to be a bridge season, and now the whole team is hurt. It looks doubtful that they're resigning Beltre or VMart, and Papelbon is expendable now, so maybe its time to trade those chips to contenders and find a permanent solution for corner infield.

[Peter Backgammons]

s*** happens. I don't care who you are and how good of a GM your are. You don't and can't plan for 1/3 of your opening day roster to be on the DL at the same time. So when it does happen' date=' Eric Patterson winds up starting in CF. And who's to say TB or NY doesn't hit a bump in the road? Still a whole lot of games left. Relax, take off the life preserver and stow it back in it's place. it's not over yet [/quote']

 

I wasn't really blaming the team for starting Patterson. I understand WHY he's out there it's just disheartening to know that he has to be. I'm not quite wearing the life preserver yet, I'm just in the process of putting it on.

[italstallianion]

This was like 2006 when we had so many no-names starting for us. Jason Johnson for example.

[BSN07]

It seems like the team's weaknesses are becoming quite clear thanks to the injuries. Their starting pitching is great, but the bullpen can't protect a lead to save its life. I said it months ago that if one of Bard, Pap, MDC went down, the bullpen would be in serious trouble, and when MDC went down, now the pen is pretty worthless. Two nights ago when Youk was hurt, their 1, 2, 3, and 4 hitters were all hurt, plus Drew and Cameron haven't had healthy seasons.

 

Personally, I think they need to firesale. It was supposed to be a bridge season, and now the whole team is hurt. It looks doubtful that they're resigning Beltre or VMart, and Papelbon is expendable now, so maybe its time to trade those chips to contenders and find a permanent solution for corner infield.

 

They're not even 5 games back. Let's wait and see what happens over the next couple weeks. I would however be on the phone finding out who to call if they did really fall back and decided to be sellers.

[BSN07]

I wasn't really blaming the team for starting Patterson. I understand WHY he's out there it's just disheartening to know that he has to be. I'm not quite wearing the life preserver yet' date=' I'm just in the process of putting it on.[/quote']

 

Well like I said, if they are reasonably out of it then I don't mind trades if it's bringing back the right talent.

[Palodios]

I'm not down on this team-- I don't remember the last time I enjoyed watching baseball this much, because you have absolutely no clue who is going to be the hero, or what's going to happen. But there's a point where they have too many holes. With Bard reaching high innings, they need two, maybe three quality bullpen guys, and I just don't think its practical to drop that many prospects, especially since they might have other needs at the end of the month.

[yeszir]

It's fun to watch the surprises contribute, but it's nerve wracking to know that the team has to rely on them for an undetermined amount of time.

 

I agree about the bullpen guy. I think that was the thinking behind the Bowden transition.

[Rdsxmbnt]

We just lost three games by only -4 runs (to a top 3 team in baseball), while starting Doubrout, Matsuzaka, and Wakefield (Tampa started their three best), and playing without Martinez, Pedroia, Youkillis (for a game), and Ellsbury.

 

Ya we are being stretched thin but aren't being blown out of the water by any means. This team will be deadly after the ASB IMO.

[Dojji]

Me, I'm OK, because I never take the playoffs for granted. If we have to shut it down and sell off in order to reposition for the next run, fine.

[Keeper]

I think they've shown a lot resourcefulness so far. Their schedule for the rest of the month isn't too bad. Even with the depleted roster, they should be able to take 2 out of 3 against Toronto and Oakland. They also have four games against Seattle, so that's nice. If they can split the 4 games against Texas, they should be in good shape.

[msubulldogs21]

This was like 2006 when we had so many no-names starting for us. Jason Johnson for example.

 

Thanks. I had completely blocked that brief Jason Johnson period out of my mind until just now. Not good times.

[msubulldogs21]

In all likelihood New York will probably take the division, but I still think we're getting the Wild Card. TB is a very good team but once we get healthy I fully expect to overtake them.

[TheMino007]

We migth run out of time though, I mean guys like Beckett and V-Mart could be back soon, but Pedrioa is still a month away and who knows with Ellsbury. I could be the middle of August before the whole team is healthy again, and by then it could be too big a lead with too little time

[jacksonianmarch]

the sox are staring at a 6 game deficit if the Yankees win tonight with DiceK throwing tomorrow and the Yankees throwing CC vs Rowland-Smith. There is a very real chance the sox are down 6 or 7 games by the ASB

[Palodios]

Have you see who Dice-k is pitching against? The bullpens will be warming early tomorrow.

[Rdsxmbnt]

I think it'll be very hard to catch the Yankees a second time after another big deficit but I think we're in very good position for the WC. Plus we stack up very well with the Yankees in October.

[jacksonianmarch]

If you mean rotation wise, I find that hard to believe. You have a legitimate ace in Lester, a solid young pitcher in unprecedented territory and then a bunch of questionmarks. Will Beckett be healthy? Does Lackey really suck this much? And then the middle relief is almost comical. You dont match up with CC, Pettitte, Burnett, Hughes and if Vazquez continues to be solid and Hughes moves to the pen, then we have the pen edge too. Its about time to realize that this Yankee team is equipped to be better than anyone in the playoffs. It is all a matter of playing to potential

[Rdsxmbnt]

If you mean rotation wise' date=' I find that hard to believe. You have a legitimate ace in Lester, a solid young pitcher in unprecedented territory and then a bunch of questionmarks. Will Beckett be healthy? Does Lackey really suck this much? And then the middle relief is almost comical. You dont match up with CC, Pettitte, Burnett, Hughes and if Vazquez continues to be solid and Hughes moves to the pen, then we have the pen edge too. Its about time to realize that this Yankee team is equipped to be better than anyone in the playoffs. It is all a matter of playing to potential[/quote']

 

Lester is better than Sabathia

 

Buchholz is in unprecedented territory but so is Pettitte. Pettitte has been a 4.0+ ERA pitcher for his entire career except for when he went to the NL and when he was 25. Honestly, I'd feel more confident in Buchholz, a guy with actual ace stuff, to maintain a higher level of performance.

 

Burnett has posted similar numbers to Lackey

 

Hughes has been solid but his ERA has gone up an entire 2 points every month this season. Compared to a healthy Beckett this could be a big mismatch. And lets be real with Vasquez, he's had one good month after being terrible for the first two.

 

As for bullpens the Sox are weak no doubt, but they have two legit MR in Papelbon and Bard and have Delcarmen coming off the DL soon. Yankees have Rivera and...Joba and his nearly 5.0 ERA?

[ORS]

Doesn't that, the "It's all a matter of playing to potential" bit, mean that it is a good possibility that the Sox rotation does match up? Brushing aside Beckett and Lackey as question marks in one breath then relying on "playing to potential" for the Yankees in the next is a massive double standard. Be consistent.

[TheMino007]

Vasquez sucks, Hughes is going to have his innings limited, Burnett sucks, Pettite is gonna fall a part. There is 4 issues right there for the Yankees rotation

[SoxSport]

I think it's ovah, unless the Yankees collapse from injuries to Jeter, ARod, Sabathia and Teixiera. That's about what has happened to the Red Sox.