Valentine's Big Mouth

[SoxSport]

Arguing that it doesn't hurt performance to allow steals at the rate an in quantity allowed by the Red Sox is like arguing that loading the bases with no one out doesn't hurt performance' date=' because Dice K used to pitch out of those situations on a regular basis. It's just a silly notion.[/quote']

 

The Red Sox played lousy fundamental baseball the last couple of years, and that's probably one of the main reasons why there is a new manager--along with a lack of proper conditioning. They got by and covered it up with a bunch of expensive stars.

[jung]

They got by and covered it up with a bunch of expensive stars.

 

Which can sometimes have a debilitating effect all its own.

[User Name]

CC changes phone numbers more than User Name? changes accounts.

 

I don't buy his story, but feel he's brought a good attitude this year. I'm hoping for a nice bounce back year.

 

Kind of uncalled for, and also not true FYI.

[mvp 78]

not true FYI.

 

Yeah, no s***.

 

It was a joke based on your sig.

 

Err, your old sig.

[User Name]

Yeah, no s***.

 

It was a joke based on your sig.

 

But it gives ammo to douchus-maximus to keep calling me out while hiding behind the safety of the ignore button.

 

"Ignore is for pussies".

[seabeachfred]

The Red Sox played lousy fundamental baseball the last couple of years' date=' and that's probably one of the main reasons why there is a new manager--along with a lack of proper conditioning. They got by and covered it up with a bunch of expensive stars.[/quote']

 

This is certainly true Sox Sport, and this will change with a real field manager in charge. Frqncona's strength was dealing and handling his players, running a good clubhouse and keeping the press off the players backs. It was NOT in the dugout or in stressing fundamentals. That should improve drastically this season as he emphasizes them in ST. He also doesn't take the view that allowing stolen bases isn't that dangerous. It is very dangerous to concede another team a base at any time. As for conditioning that has to improve because, face it, we were not physically or mentally prepared for the start of the season last year. I feel more optimisitic that won' be the case this season.

[a700hitter]

I guess it must be a slow sports news day everywhere. Bobby V's snide remarks about Jeter's flip throw and ARod getting his ass kicked by Varitek have made the news this morning in NY.

[SoxSport]

Well, the "big mouth" so far in the pre-season is turning out to be Francona, not Valentine.

With his comments about drinking bans being "PR". Apparently PR for most major league clubs.

But not for Tito's, unfortunately for him.

 

The Globe is beginning to take sides. Guess which side. This morning the sports internet headlines say

"Tito meant no harm..." in one place and "Valentine has his critics" in another.

 

OK. Well, this year they've switched roles. Tito's in the media at ESPN--Bobby's old job, and Bobby now has Tito's old job as Red Sox manager. That means Bobby is now the media target. Tito is one of their own. Plus his bio is being ghosted, I hear, by Shaughnessy. So the Globe's position is no surprise.

 

Just be glad you aren't in the media crosshairs. Keep low and out of sight.

[SoxSport]

This is certainly true Sox Sport' date=' and this will change with a real field manager in charge. Frqncona's strength was dealing and handling his players, running a good clubhouse and keeping the press off the players backs. It was NOT in the dugout or in stressing fundamentals. That should improve drastically this season as he emphasizes them in ST. He also doesn't take the view that allowing stolen bases isn't that dangerous. It is very dangerous to concede another team a base at any time. As for conditioning that has to improve because, face it, we were not physically or mentally prepared for the start of the season last year. I feel more optimisitic that won' be the case this season.[/quote']

 

I think they missed Brad Mills as bench coach the past couple years. That may have been the difference. Tito just isn't a very proactive-type guy. He didn't get that "coma" nickname in newsgroups by accident.

[jung]

Not sure if this belongs in the "Valentine's big mouth" thread but I was surprised by this and would not have done it.

 

During Bard's post stint presser tonight, Bard revealed that before his stint, V asked Bard if "he was still up for this" meaning starting. Bard offered words to the effect that he was. However if I were V, I would not have asked the question.

 

It cannot do anything for the young man's confidence to have his Manager ask a question like that. Questions like that do not come from outer space. If V is asking a question like that it is because he is seeing something that prompts some concern on his part.

 

However, it does not matter whether Bard is up for it or not. What would you expect the young man to say? V still has to decide based on performance whether Bard should start or not.

 

If I were Bard, my immediate thought would be, "What is he seeing that prompted that question?"

 

Bard has not exactly covered himself in glory in this role as yet. However he has not tanked it either. I would hate to see the seed of doubt creep into his thinking because his Manager put it there.

[jacksonianmarch]

Bobby V is trying to motivate him.

[jung]

Bobby V is trying to motivate him.

 

Maybe so but it still says the same thing to me. There is something there that V is not liking. In addition when I see Bard in interviews he does not seem like the kind of kid that just thrives on that sort of thing. Looks more like the "takes it to heart" type and the internalizes it type.

[SCM33]

Bard wont be in the rotation long, not because of spring training performance.....but because he is not a starting pitcher.

 

Whether people like it or not, Padilla will make the team.....and Padilla will be in the rotation. The other spot......is Bard's until either Aceves or Doubront outpitch him.

[example1]

Bobby V is trying to motivate him.

 

Is Bard not motivated already?

[SCM33]

Maybe so but it still says the same thing to me. There is something there that V is not liking. In addition when I see Bard in interviews he does not seem like the kind of kid that just thrives on that sort of thing. Looks more like the "takes it to heart" type and the internalizes it type.

 

Yeah.

 

I said he is not a starting pitcher in reply before this...

 

Hes also not a closer. Closers have nerves of steel and are able to turn the page after a bad outing. Bard is neither of those.

 

Bard is a middle reliever. Hes not a starting pitcher, hes not a closer, hes a setup/middle reliever.

 

It's not a put down......hes damn good at it when his role is defined as such. No pressure, come in to the game with the lead with no runners on base.

[a700hitter]

Bard wont be in the rotation long, not because of spring training performance.....but because he is not a starting pitcher.

 

Whether people like it or not, Padilla will make the team.....and Padilla will be in the rotation. The other spot......is Bard's until either Aceves or Doubront outpitch him.

I heard that Padilla is injured. Doubront did not look like a consistent strike thrower. No one is stepping up to lay claim to the final two spots. I know that SFF is very optimistic and others say that it is just spring training, but there are 2 open spots in the rotation. We have 3 incumbents (Beckett, Lester and Buchholz) who have spots locked up and they just need to get in their work. Results are not important for them. There are no incumbents in the 4th and 5th slots. Those spots have to be won in spring camp. No one is stepping up to claim them and it is March 20th. For them, results count, and they had better pitch like it is a regular season game.

[mvp 78]

Padilla can't stay healthy for a whole season. Long term, he's not the answer.

[Elktonnick]

Padilla can't stay healthy for a whole season. Long term' date=' he's not the answer.[/quote']

 

I agree. But it isn't just physical. I just don't think he has the emotional stability to endure a season in Boston. I hope I am wrong but as I have said before guys like him can't change.

[User Name]

Bard wont be in the rotation long' date=' not because of spring training performance.....but because he is not a starting pitcher.[/quote']

 

Based on what? His stint from six years ago? Or the less than 15 IP he's thrown as an SP this spring?

 

Time will tell whether or not he's an SP, but coming up with a definitive answer as to his ability to be a Starting Pitcher right now is impossible.

 

None of us really know, hell, Bard and Bobby V probably don't know yet. How can you know?

[jung]

Did you hear V on Iggy today.

 

"He has major league hitting and fielding ability but I am not sure he will be able to perform for this major league team....for this group". What the hell does that mean?

 

Does it mean that the FO has committed to these two guys...Aviles and Punto and that is that?

 

What the hell am I supposed to take from that? Frankly I have not been blown away by Avilas so far. That is probably my one issue with sending Iggy back down.

 

So far it has been Avilas range at SS that has really been something of a surprise this spring. Did not think it has been this bad in the past but I cannot even call his range at SS average at this point. This is SS we are talking about. How many more balls do you thing Iggy gets to over the course of a season than Avilas for what will likely be a pitching staff looking for help? How many more DP will they turn with Iggy?

 

I guess V has already determined that the outfield arms are such that the middle infielders will be the cutoff men in all cases this season going out to short outfield to relay the throw into the catcher....that sounds wonderful!

[SCM33]

Based on what? His stint from six years ago? Or the less than 15 IP he's thrown as an SP this spring?

 

Time will tell whether or not he's an SP, but coming up with a definitive answer as to his ability to be a Starting Pitcher right now is impossible.

 

None of us really know, hell, Bard and Bobby V probably don't know yet. How can you know?

 

Based on the fact that I was right.

 

Hes not a starting pitcher. Experiment over, Experiment failed.

[a700hitter]

Based on the fact that I was right.

 

Hes not a starting pitcher. Experiment over, Experiment failed.

THe published reports seem to agree with you--- that they will be pulling the plug on Bard as a starter.

[SCM33]

THe published reports seem to agree with you--- that they will be pulling the plug on Bard as a starter.

 

Are you really surprised?

 

They did nothing to upgrade their rotation and weakened their BP this offseason.

 

Now Melancon looks like dog s*** and we have to move Bard back to the pen. If Melancon continues to look like dog s***, Aceves will also remain in the pen.

 

#4 and #5 will be Padilla and Doubront. Yay!!!!

 

Oh, and for good measure Salty has looked like s*** and we still dont have a SS.

 

Offseason plan.......fail.

[jung]

If Bard goes back to the pen Aceves won't unless Cook bails their dumb asses out of this mess.

[example1]

Am I the only one who hasn't seen a regular season game yet this year? Jesus, Judging Melancon after a few bad spring outings? Bard gives up 3 in 5 IP and he's not good enough to start? This is craziness.

[SCM33]

Am I the only one who hasn't seen a regular season game yet this year? Jesus' date=' Judging Melancon after a few bad spring outings? Bard gives up 3 in 5 IP and he's not good enough to start? This is craziness.[/quote']

 

Judging Melancon is premature. I will give you that.

 

Bard is not a starter and they have already moved him right back to the BP. No sense in arguing it, the decision was already made according to reports.

[BigPapiEnFuego]

A lot of people aren't basing the Bard thing off of the 3 runs in 5 IP, they are basing it on the fact that he has just looked like crap. His mechanics are screwed. Even the organization themselves are saying the experiment is pretty much over.

 

 

The likelyhood it would have worked out anyway seemed pretty slim.

[jung]

Bard's mechanics are so fouled up now there are times when he does not even look like a pitcher any more. He looks on occasion like some converted outfielder looking for a new job. I am officially disgusted with the way the Sox have handled this whole thing. The kid is a legitimate pitching talent at a time when the Sox are desperate for more pitching and they basically take one of their announced initiatives from the off season and do what??????.....basically nothing!

 

What are the Sox depending on in order to improve this team....luck? Lets see, if I don't walk under any ladders and no black cats cross my path maybe I will get lucky and Bard's mechanics that were s*** at the end of last year will suddenly be better this year....yea thats' it.....that's the ticket...all I need is a little luck. No wonder they end up sucking Ray's exhaust.

[Station 13]

Judging Melancon is premature. I will give you that.

 

Bard is not a starter and they have already moved him right back to the BP. No sense in arguing it, the decision was already made according to reports.

 

Bard is not a starter after 3 measly start? If they want to commit him as a starter, option him to AAA and he can work it in the minors. He still got all 3 options as they never demoted him.

 

I feel the whole thing was smoke and mirror, they never intended him as a starter.

[jung]

Smoke and mirrors so they could do what....fool who.....themselves? All they have done is screw the kid up and that is a hell of a penalty to pay for smoke and mirrors.