The Optimism Thread

[SoxSport]

I'm still wondering why the heck they signed Crawford. Better to lower ticket prices with the savings.

[yeszir]

I'm still wondering why the heck they signed Crawford. Better to lower ticket prices with the savings.

 

ha

[BSN07]

I'm still wondering why the heck they signed Crawford. Better to lower ticket prices with the savings.

 

I've wondering the same thing since the ink dried. I'm not totally against Crawford. But I never got that enthusiastic about the signing. I thought he really only brought what Ellsbury already gave to the team. And he didn't cost 140M+. Boras probably had a boner for a week when that deal was given out. He has his basement comparison all lined up now

 

But I hope he comes around obviously because I want the team to be good. Just like I always hope Lackey pitches well when he's on the mound. But I will probably never like either deal.

[MJantomaso]

You are a moron if you didn't want Crawford on this team. Go look at his career stats. If you know anything about the game of baseball, players go in slumps. Look at Pujols, he is hitting just over .200. Crawford brings speed (which the Sox lack), a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger to Boston. Now explain to me why you wouldn't sign him?

[Palodios]

Crawford and Lackey are two of those baffling signings that drive us all crazy, but help the team a lot more than people give them credit for. Unfortunately, their crummy starts to 2011 have made it much more baffling than usual.

[MJantomaso]

Crawford and Lackey are two of those baffling signings that drive us all crazy' date=' but help the team a lot more than people give them credit for. Unfortunately, their crummy starts to 2011 have made it much more baffling than usual.[/quote']

 

Lackey is coming from a weak AL West to the AL East. I could have seen his struggles coming but Lackey has tremendous work ethic and takes too much pride in what he does to keep up his poor outings. I believe he can turn it around.

 

And all it takes for Crawford I one big hit game to boost his confidence and get him going.

 

Remember when Texeira first arrived in New York? He posted a .136 batting average through the month of April. He seems to be doing some damage ever since.

 

So in my opinion, give Crawford some time and watch how much he makes this team better!

[BSN07]

You are a moron if you didn't want Crawford on this team. Go look at his career stats. If you know anything about the game of baseball' date=' players go in slumps. Look at Pujols, he is hitting just over .200. Crawford brings speed (which the Sox lack), a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger to Boston. Now explain to me why you wouldn't sign him?[/quote']

 

I didn't say I don't want him on the team or would not have signed him. I just wouldn't have given him 140M+. And if that meant missing out on him then so be it.

 

And please don't challenge my baseball knowledge after you have been here for all of 2 seconds. I am in charge of our baseball program here in the Netherlands and just had 2 of my young up and coming players work out for the San Diego Padres before being invited to an MLB tournament here in Europe that had about 20 scouts in the stands. I think I know my baseball and what I'm talking about.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I didn't say I don't want him on the team or would not have signed him. I just wouldn't have given him 140M+. And if that meant missing out on him then so be it.

 

And please don't challenge my baseball knowledge after you have been here for all of 2 seconds. I am in charge of our baseball program here in the Netherlands and just had 2 of my young up and coming players work out for the San Diego Padres before being invited to an MLB tournament here in Europe that had about 20 scouts in the stands. I think I know my baseball and what I'm talking about.

 

This should have been prefaced with "I don't want to toot my own horn, but uh..." :thumbsup:

[BSN07]

This should have been prefaced with "I don't want to toot my own horn' date=' but uh..." :thumbsup:[/quote']

 

I don't normally, but when some noob starts spouting off about my baseball IQ I have to set the record straight

[SoxFanForsyth]

I don't normally' date=' but when some noob starts spouting off about my baseball IQ I have to set the record straight [/quote']

 

I know, I know! That's what I'm saying. It just sounded like the perfect time to use that phrase.

[BSN07]

I know' date=' I know! That's what I'm saying. It just sounded like the perfect time to use that phrase.[/quote']

 

True, I missed out lol

[SoxSport]

I didn't say I don't want him on the team or would not have signed him. I just wouldn't have given him 140M+. And if that meant missing out on him then so be it.

 

And please don't challenge my baseball knowledge after you have been here for all of 2 seconds. I am in charge of our baseball program here in the Netherlands and just had 2 of my young up and coming players work out for the San Diego Padres before being invited to an MLB tournament here in Europe that had about 20 scouts in the stands. I think I know my baseball and what I'm talking about.

 

Hey, that's great. Good luck to you over there. You have us all beat by a mile knowing baseball.

[Palodios]

In the last 5 games, Boston starters have not given up more than 1 run with an ERA of 1.12.

 

Hell, if you count the two decent games before that, in the last 7 games Boston starters have an ERA of 2.07.

 

Lester and Beckett are pitching the next two games. I don't know about anyone else, but I think this rotation could be pretty good.

[SoxFanForsyth]

In the last 5 games, Boston starters have not given up more than 1 run with an ERA of 1.12.

 

Hell, if you count the two decent games before that, in the last 7 games Boston starters have an ERA of 2.07.

 

Lester and Beckett are pitching the next two games. I don't know about anyone else, but I think this rotation could be pretty good.

 

Exactly. What a crazy turnaround.

 

First 12 games - Starter ERA of 7.18. Record: 2-10

Last 5 games - Starter ERA of 1.15. Record: 4-1

 

Hell. Our entire staff ERA over the past 5 games is 2.30.

 

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching.

 

Oh, and we get 7 straight RHP starters to face coming up. Crawford is about to get white hot. He crushed a couple today against a solid LHP.

[Palodios]

Exactly. What a crazy turnaround.

 

First 12 games - Starter ERA of 7.18. Record: 2-10

Last 5 games - Starter ERA of 1.15. Record: 4-1

 

So maybe I rounded a little bit more when doing the math...

[SoxSport]

The front office should be asking themselves why this team starts the season so sucky the past few years.

It isn't just the pitching. The hitting sucks, too. It takes a kid like Lowrie to light them up. The team is too laid back. And they play lousy fundamentals.

[Palodios]

The front office should be asking themselves why this team starts the season so sucky the past few years.

It isn't just the pitching. The hitting sucks, too. It takes a kid like Lowrie to light them up. The team is too laid back. And they play lousy fundamentals.

 

If you went through the offense, you'd realize that almost everyone on this team missed serious time in 2010, had some kind of injury they fought through, or are adjusting to a new team. Ortiz, McDonald, and Drew are the only three that don't fall in those categories, and yes, that includes the bench. Throw in a pile of elite lefties like Price, Sabathia, Gonzalez, Anderson, Wilson, and it certainly makes sense.

 

And the pitching staff? They have a new pitching coach, and a new catcher. Buchholz had a new contract to worry about.

 

It was a perfect storm for a putrid start. They're winning now, so get over it.

[DirtDog]

This team will be .500 for April, mark it down.

 

Over the course of a whole season, this happens all the time for any elite team.

[BSN07]

Hey' date=' that's great. Good luck to you over there. You have us all beat by a mile knowing baseball.[/quote']

 

Did I say my knowledge is superior to everyone's?

[VA Sox Fan]

The front office should be asking themselves why this team starts the season so sucky the past few years.

It isn't just the pitching. The hitting sucks, too. It takes a kid like Lowrie to light them up. The team is too laid back. And they play lousy fundamentals.

 

What is optimistic about this post?:dunno:

[Six4Three]

You are a moron if you didn't want Crawford on this team. Go look at his career stats. If you know anything about the game of baseball' date=' players go in slumps. Look at Pujols, he is hitting just over .200. Crawford brings speed (which the Sox lack), a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger to Boston. Now explain to me why you wouldn't sign him?[/quote']

 

Exactly. There is no better athlete in the entire MLB. He is exactly what the Red Sox and the sport needs. Slow 30 HR hitting outfielders are going the way of the dinosaur. Speed, defense and total bases are more valuable.

[BSN07]

Exactly. There is no better athlete in the entire MLB. He is exactly what the Red Sox and the sport needs. Slow 30 HR hitting outfielders are going the way of the dinosaur. Speed' date=' defense and total bases are more valuable.[/quote']

 

You have to get hits for total bases to come into effect. Hopefully he's started slow because of the numerous LHP the Sox have had to face so far. Like I said before, I'm still hoping for the best.

[Palodios]

Kevin Youkilis's X-rays came back negative!

[SoxSport]

You want optimism? Beckett is Beckett again. 3 straight good starts. The Angels still can't beat them. The Henderson curse, maybe. Drew shows he's a pro. He can hit and play RF. Overpriced, but good. Lowrie is a nugget. Stay healthy, kid. Scutaro is history. Youks power is back. Pap is eating his Wheaties again. Contract year. Papi can still hit RHders well, but he needs to sit against LHders. Ellsbury is close to leading the team in RBIs--a sign it's still early.

[SoxFanForsyth]

In their last 6 games, the Red Sox are 10 for 56 (.178) with RISP. They are 5-1 in that stretch. That's a stat that is going to normalize.

 

BA with RISP:

 

2010: .269

2009: .283

2008: .280

2007: .283

 

We should be in the .275-.280 range with this team when the year is done. A .275 BA with RISP over our last 6 games (56 total AB) would have resulted in 5 more hits, and anywhere from 6-8 more runs scored.

 

The thing is. For that stat to normalize to around .275, we're going to go through week long or two week long spurts where we're hitting .390 with RISP. Can't wait for that to happen.

[BSN07]

It's just going to take a bit for the lineup to settle. Once everyone has an established spot it should gel.

[ORS]

In their last 6 games, the Red Sox are 10 for 56 (.178) with RISP. They are 5-1 in that stretch. That's a stat that is going to normalize.

 

BA with RISP:

 

2010: .269

2009: .283

2008: .280

2007: .283

 

We should be in the .275-.280 range with this team when the year is done. A .275 BA with RISP over our last 6 games (56 total AB) would have resulted in 5 more hits, and anywhere from 6-8 more runs scored.

 

The thing is. For that stat to normalize to around .275, we're going to go through week long or two week long spurts where we're hitting .390 with RISP. Can't wait for that to happen.

Calls for a "normalizaiton" of situational hitting really benefit from showing their aggregate vs. situational performance. For example...

 

[table]Year|BA|RISP|Delta

2007|.279|.283|+.004

2008|.280|.280|.000

2009|.270|.283|+.013

2010|.268|.269|+.001

2011|.237|.190|-.047[/table]

 

Not only will they start to hit better with RISP, but they'll start to hit better overall (there's no way the talent on this team puts up an aggregate under .240 for the year).

 

Good times to follow.

[Palodios]

I'm starting to think it would be better for this team if Tito simply said "You're not going to bat in the same place two days in a row. I'm putting the best lineup on the field for the given pitcher, and base things on the momentum of each player." If each player gets into the mentality that they're not going to have to have stability--or, that they have to earn stability, like Pedroia, A-gon, and Youk seemed to have-- it'll go a long way for the offense.

[SoxSport]

Tito is just grasping for straws, doing what he should have done in spring training instead of playing all those minor leaguers. Fortunately, he is pretty good at massaging lineups. But batting Crawford and Ellsbury 7th and 9th is disturbing--and embarrassing. Crawford needs a shrink. The front office can't be too happy about him.

[RedSoxFaithful]

Tito is just grasping for straws' date=' doing what he should have done in spring training instead of playing all those minor leaguers. Fortunately, he is pretty good at massaging lineups. But batting Crawford and Ellsbury 7th and 9th is disturbing--and embarrassing. Crawford needs a shrink. The front office can't be too happy about him.[/quote']

 

Haha now tonight Crawford is batting 8th, I still think he will turn his season around and sooner rather than later. He seems to be striking out less and making some decent contact sometimes usually right at someone though. If we can win like we have been (6 out of the last 7) without Crawford hitting and, for that matter most of the lineup besides pedroia and lowrie, then when we do click we should go on a tear.