8/9 @ NY

[a700hitter]

That was a brutally tough pitch! I still hate Swisher.

Comments after the game:

The pitch he threw to get Swisher was a 99-mph two-seam sinking fastball that broke down and away. It was as good a pitch as you'll see anybody throw this season.

 

"Nobody throws a two-seamer 99," Bill Hall said. "Nobody."

 

Bard actually went to the video room to look at the pitch again. "That was moving," he said. "Never saw that before."

[Station 13]

Comments after the game:

 

Yeah that was nasty. I wish they brought back that nasty pitch segment back on Baseball Tonight.

[a700hitter]

Yeah that was nasty. I wish they brought back that nasty pitch segment back on Baseball Tonight.

That is the nastiest pitch that I have seen Bard throw and I have seen most of them. His fastball while overpowering has been pretty much straight. His 4 seamer rises through the zone. He has the knee-buckling curve, but when I saw the low late sharp movement on that pitch I said "what the hell was that.". When the announcer said that it was clocked at 98 mph, I was in disbelief. I hope he can throw that some more. It's an unhittable pitch and it is in the strike zone.

[VA Sox Fan]

Sometimes I hate being completely right...

 

You should revel in it because it is extremely rare

[VA Sox Fan]

WHY ARE YOU PITCHING TO TEIXEIRA HE KILLS PAPELBON!!!??

 

From the Globe:

 

Some fans here and on Twitter debated the merits of pitching to Teixeira in the ninth inning with a runner on second. Two things:

 

* Teixeira was 0 for 8 in his career against Papelbon and the man on deck, Brett Gardner, was 4 for 5 with two walks. Small sample sizes, no doubt. But that is all Terry Francona had to work with.

 

* It's also crazy to put the go-ahead run on base against a team like the Yankees. If Gardner extends the game, Robinson Cano is next and he has owned the Red Sox this season.

[a700hitter]

From the Globe:

 

Some fans here and on Twitter debated the merits of pitching to Teixeira in the ninth inning with a runner on second. Two things:

 

* Teixeira was 0 for 8 in his career against Papelbon and the man on deck, Brett Gardner, was 4 for 5 with two walks. Small sample sizes, no doubt. But that is all Terry Francona had to work with.

 

* It's also crazy to put the go-ahead run on base against a team like the Yankees. If Gardner extends the game, Robinson Cano is next and he has owned the Red Sox this season.

At least some of Gardner's hits against Papelbon were of the slap variety. I don't recall any extra base hits that he got off Papelbon. Using those numbers as a premise that Gardner has Papelbon's number to justify pitching to Tex is ridiculous. I also believe Gardner is in a horrendous slump. If Papelbon makes a mistake to Tex, the game is over. If he walks Tex, Papelbon would have to make mistakes to Gardner and Cano to lose the game. I'd rather take my chances with Gardner over Tex, and if Gardener gets lucky, I'll take my chances that Papelbon does not make a second mistake to Cano. I'd rather be in a position where it would take two mistakes to beat me rather than one. Also, Tex can hit out the pitcher's pitch if he pulls it. It wouldn't even have to be a Papelbon mistake for Tex to put it in the RF porch. All that being said, Papelbon is still dominant awesome k'ing Grandy, Swisher and Tex in t he 9th. It was still a stupid move.

[a700hitter]

Tuesday's game against Toronto is going to be very difficult. The Sox will be sending their box of chocolates (Dice K) to the mound to go against the Toronto lefty ace, Romero. We have had good success against Romero in the past, but we have been stinking against lefties recently. Both Ortiz and Drew look helpless against lefties.

[Palodios]

Dice-k's stuff has been nasty lately. In his last start, he didn't make a lot of mistakes, but one of the ones he did ended up being a home run. Toronto's still swinging for the fences, so he just needs to keep them in check.

[VA Sox Fan]

At least some of Gardner's hits against Papelbon were of the slap variety. I don't recall any extra base hits that he got off Papelbon. Using those numbers as a premise that Gardner has Papelbon's number to justify pitching to Tex is ridiculous. I also believe Gardner is in a horrendous slump. If Papelbon makes a mistake to Tex' date=' the game is over. If he walks Tex, Papelbon would have to make mistakes to Gardner and Cano to lose the game. I'd rather take my chances with Gardner over Tex, and if Gardener gets lucky, I'll take my chances that Papelbon does not make a second mistake to Cano. I'd rather be in a position where it would take two mistakes to beat me rather than one. Also, Tex can hit out the pitcher's pitch if he pulls it. It wouldn't even have to be a Papelbon mistake for Tex to put it in the RF porch. All that being said, Papelbon is still dominant awesome k'ing Grandy, Swisher and Tex in t he 9th. It was still a stupid move.[/quote']

 

But it worked. We won the game. It doesn't matter.

[a700hitter]

But it worked. We won the game. It doesn't matter.

I guess it's better to be lucky than to be good, but let's not ignore the pattern. They insisted on going right after Miguel Cabrera and Peralta (the only other hitter in Detroit's lineup) with bad results a week ago. We also didn't get burned by the fact that Tito didn't make a late inning defensive substitution for Hall in a 1 run game, but that was also a bad decision, and we have been burned by that non-move in the past.

[CoachC.]

Lucky to get away with it.

[VA Sox Fan]

I guess it's better to be lucky than to be good' date=' but let's not ignore the pattern. They insisted on going right after Miguel Cabrera and Peralta (the only other hitter in Detroit's lineup) with bad results a week ago. We also didn't get burned by the fact that Tito didn't make a late inning defensive substitution for Hall in a 1 run game, but that was also a bad decision, and we have been burned by that non-move in the past.[/quote']

 

What control do we have over what Tito does regardless of a pattern, making the right or the wrong move? Sometimes decisions work and sometimes they don't. Considering what he has had to deal with regarding injuries etc, I think we're lucky to still be in contention at this point.

 

You made it clear our season was over when Youk had season ending surgery, so what difference does the rest of the Red Sox season make to you? Why do you insist on over-analyzing a game that is over regardless of the outcome? Whose fault is it that Lackey and Beckett got rocked? We split a series with the Yankees, I'm pretty happy with that at this point.

 

We have 2 tough series ahead of us with the Jays and the Rangers, on the road. That's what concerns me more than past wins/losses.

[a700hitter]

What control do we have over what Tito does regardless of a pattern, making the right or the wrong move? Sometimes decisions work and sometimes they don't. Considering what he has had to deal with regarding injuries etc, I think we're lucky to still be in contention at this point.

 

You made it clear our season was over when Youk had season ending surgery, so what difference does the rest of the Red Sox season make to you? Why do you insist on over-analyzing a game that is over regardless of the outcome? Whose fault is it that Lackey and Beckett got rocked? We split a series with the Yankees, I'm pretty happy with that at this point.

 

We have 2 tough series ahead of us with the Jays and the Rangers, on the road. That's what concerns me more than past wins/losses.

I don't know. I just like to analyze the manager's moves before, during and after the game. I've been doing it since my father first took me to games and told me when to expect a bunt, a steal, an intentional walk, etc. When I watch Extra Innings on NESN after the game, they discusss and analyze these moves. I can't talk to Tom Carron and Eck about these things, so I come here to discuss them. If they don't interest you, then don't discuss it, but don't invalidate the discussion by saying that it doesn't matter. I wouldn't do that to you.

 

Yes, I do think that our playoff chances ended with Youk's injury. I hope that I am wrong, but it is a devastating blow. Are you suggesting I should stop watching, or that none of what goes on should matter to me? I guess KC and Cubs fans should just take up another sport.

[VA Sox Fan]

I don't know. I just like to analyze the manager's moves before, during and after the game. I've been doing it since my father first took me to games and told me when to expect a bunt, a steal, an intentional walk, etc. When I watch Extra Innings on NESN after the game, they discusss and analyze these moves. I can't talk to Tom Carron and Eck about these things, so I come here to discuss them. If they don't interest you, then don't discuss it, but don't invalidate the discussion by saying that it doesn't matter. I wouldn't do that to you.

 

Yes, I do think that our playoff chances ended with Youk's injury. I hope that I am wrong, but it is a devastating blow. Are you suggesting I should stop watching, or that none of what goes on should matter to me? I guess KC and Cubs fans should just take up another sport.

 

I never suggested you stop watching or not care. Youk's loss is a HUGE blow. I still think this team can make the playoffs and won't throw in the towell until we are mathematically eliminated. And if it comes to that point in this season, I'll be rooting like hell against the Yankees!! :thumbsup:

[Spudboy]

I, for one, have not given up on this season. While I do view the loss of Youk as an obstacle that the Sox will not likely overcome, there is plenty of baseball yet to be played. Even if the Sox are mathematically eliminated, I'll still watch every game. I really enjoy baseball. And my team is the Sox. Watching the Sox is the best waste of time that I've known since 1966.

[a700hitter]

I' date=' for one, have not given up on this season. While I do view the loss of Youk as an obstacle that the Sox will not likely overcome, there is plenty of baseball yet to be played. Even [b']if[/b] the Sox are mathematically eliminated, I'll still watch every game. I really enjoy baseball. And my team is the Sox. Watching the Sox is the best waste of time that I've known since 1966.

I have always stayed hopeful. I thought that Tommy Harper and Marty Pattin were the final pieces of the puzzle in 1972.