2012 Red Sox Spring Training Game Thread

[Station 13]

Bard had a very bad outing:

 

The final line on Bard: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. 66 pitches, 34 strikes.

 

That walks.......... hopefully it's only because he's working on his offspeed stuff. Throwing his fastballs would get more outs than any of his other pitches at the moment.

[a700hitter]

Bard had a very bad outing:

 

The final line on Bard: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. 66 pitches, 34 strikes.

That's horrendous. I wonder how much the rain delay bothered him.

[SoxSport]

You might see a few pitch counts into the 120's but I don't think you'll see it with any consistency. Verlander is one of the few guys a manager would be comfortable doing that with. Sabathia had 3 pitch counts of 120 and over last year, but the first wasn't until August 30.

 

I do agree that Valentine will try to increase a bit from Tito's limits.

 

Forget about absolute pitch counts. Halladay says it depends on the game--how a pitcher feels, how hard he has thrown. Pitch count varies, game-to-game.

 

You don't look at the pitch count machine, you look at the pitcher.

[seabeachfred]

In April and September last season Bard was BARF. Nine times when he was entrusted with a tie or a lead he folded like a tent. He lost nine games for us and that's bull!!!!! He has the stuff; he had to learn how to harness it; in other words, pitch, not throw. He certainly needs to step up and I will just kiss this bad session off as a bad day at black rock.

[SoxSport]

Bard had a very bad outing:

 

The final line on Bard: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. 66 pitches, 34 strikes.

 

So here they are gearing up Bard to start. And then they throw him into a setup situation--coming in the 8th. That's not the right mental situation for him. He is mentally geared to start.

 

Cmon, Bobby. You can do better than that. If you want the kid to start, start him. You don't put Beckett or Lester in the 8th, do you?

 

And no more kids trying to steal home on the first pitch after circling the bases on a triple.

[mvp 78]

It's spring training. The plan all along was to have him pitch innings 5-8. It's not like he wasn't prepared to pitch.

[Bellhorn04]

Somewhat lost in Bard's outing is that Aceves continues to pitch beautifully. It's only one game but it certainly must have moved the needle toward Aceves being the guy who earns a rotation spot.

[a700hitter]

Somewhat lost in Bard's outing is that Aceves continues to pitch beautifully. It's only one game but it certainly must have moved the needle toward Aceves being the guy who earns a rotation spot.

If we had acquired a starter, Bard and Aceves would be competing for one spot. The odds would be better that 1 of them will adapt well to the new role rather than both of them being successful. Also, the pen would be greatly strengthened by one of them being in the pen.

[Station 13]

If we had acquired a starter' date=' Bard and Aceves would be competing for one spot. The odds would be better that 1 of them will adapt well to the new role rather than both of them being successful. Also, the pen would be greatly strengthened by one of them being in the pen.[/quote']

 

I think it would be Doubront who gets the starting gig. He's a lefty and always been a starter. Bard has not in 5 year. It's an experiment. If we remember how long it took Lester and Buchholz to established as a major league starter, yeah that's going to be a while for Bard if they do go ahead with the plans.

[a700hitter]

I think it would be Doubront who gets the starting gig. He's a lefty and always been a starter. Bard has not in 5 year. It's an experiment. If we remember how long it took Lester and Buchholz to established as a major league starter' date=' yeah that's going to be a while for Bard if they do go ahead with the plans.[/quote']That would have been even better. If Doubront won the 1 available rotation spot after competing with Bard and Aceves, Bard and Aceves would go back to the pen giving the Sox a very strong pen.

[redsoxfan3]

I have been looking for the lineup for tonight's game. I have tickets to go. I am just worried that we since we played a lot of our starters last night that we won't be tonight. I wanted to see Pedroia play tonight, but if he doesn't I might be interested in selling my two tickets and I will just go to another game. If anyone finds it and can post it that would be greatly appreciated.

[VA Sox Fan]

I have been looking for the lineup for tonight's game. I have tickets to go. I am just worried that we since we played a lot of our starters last night that we won't be tonight. I wanted to see Pedroia play tonight' date=' but if he doesn't I might be interested in selling my two tickets and I will just go to another game. If anyone finds it and can post it that would be greatly appreciated.[/quote']

 

They haven't posted the line up in the Globe yet but here are tonight's pitchers:

 

Friday vs. Twins: Lester (5), Miller, Bailey, Carlson, Atchison

 

I would assume Pedey is playing.

[SoxSport]

It's spring training. The plan all along was to have him pitch innings 5-8. It's not like he wasn't prepared to pitch.

 

Maybe he was just giving Bobby V the finger for putting him in a setup spot again.

 

The guy wants to start. He wants to be like Beckett.

 

It's ST, and Halladay got bombed yesterday, too. No big deal.

The main problem is the media--they treat spring training like it's the playoffs. Everything has to be under a microscope.

 

Having said that, I question Bobby bringing him in the late innings like that. If he wants to get the kid used to starting, he should be starting him every appearance--in the first inning. No sense in confusing him about his role. The kid needs to build confidence as a starter. And confidence is 50% of the game.

[Elktonnick]

Maybe he was just giving Bobby V the finger for putting him in a setup spot again.

 

The guy wants to start. He wants to be like Beckett.

 

It's ST, and Halladay got bombed yesterday, too. No big deal.

The main problem is the media--they treat spring training like it's the playoffs. Everything has to be under a microscope.

 

Having said that, I question Bobby bringing him in the late innings like that. If he wants to get the kid used to starting, he should be starting him every appearance--in the first inning. No sense in confusing him about his role. The kid needs to build confidence as a starter. And confidence is 50% of the game.

 

The problem wasn't when he pitched. If anything it was the fact that there was a rain delay.

[seabeachfred]

It is a possibility that Bard is not wired to pitch after a rail delay. Some pitchers are and some aren't, but I see no need to panic after one lousy performance. We have other pitchers who will have them down there in Florida when the dead arm stage hits them. Bobby can try him again in that spot when there is no rain delay and see if he performs well enough, or he can just start him when his turn comes. BV is treading a fine line here because none of us are sure that Daniel will be in the rotation. Aceves and Doubrant could wind up getting those two spots and put Bard back in the pen. I'm not saying that is going to happen but it could if he is found wanting.

[redsoxfan3]

The rain delay could have had an impact on him, although that should not be a justifiable excuse as to why he pitched bad. He might face another rain delay this season, so hopefully it was just a one time thing. I am not worried with the one bad performance from Bard.

 

Lester didn't pitch great yesterday. If I can take anything positive away is that he got out of a couple of jams that he got himself into by only giving up two runs. We only scored one run, but we had a lot of minor leaguers playing yesterday, so that is why we did not have a lot of offense.

 

Today I am excited because we play one game at 1:05 and one game at 1:35. I am not sure which game I want to follow more. I want to watch Beckett pitch, but I also want to see how Cook does. I will probably just flip back and forth and follow both games.

[VA Sox Fan]

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

 

 

Grapefruit League Games 12 and 13: Red Sox (ss) vs. Orioles (ss)

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 17, 2012 08:30 AM

Happy St Patrick's Day. Here are the lineups for a busy day of baseball:

 

GAME 12

Red Sox (ss) at Orioles (ss)

RED SOX (7-4-1)

Darnell O'McDonald CF

Josh O'Kroeger RF

Kevin O'Youkilis DH

Adrian O'Gonzalez 1B

Ryan O'Lavarnway C

Pedro O'Ciriaco SS

Nate O'Spears 2B

Jason O'Repko LF

Jon O'Hee 2B

 

Pitching: RHP Aaron O'Cook, RHP Doug O'Mathis, RHP Will O'Inman, RHP Clayton O'Mortensen.

 

Game time: 1:35 p.m.

 

TV / Radio: None.

 

GAME 13

Orioles (ss) at Red Sox (ss)

RED SOX

Jacoby O'Ellsbury CF

Dustin O'Pedroia 2B

David O'Ortiz DH

Cody O'Ross LF

Kelly O"Shoppach C

Nick O'Punto 3B

Mike O'Aviles SS

Lars O'Anderson 1B

Alex O'Hassan RF

 

Pitching: RHP Josh O'Beckett, RHP Ross O'Ohlendorf, RHP Junichi O'Tazawa, RHP Michael O'Bowden, RHP Brandon O'Duckworth.

 

Game time: 1:35 p.m.

 

TV / Radio: WEEI

 

Notes: The Orioles will start lefty Wei-Yin Chen in Sarasota and righthander Armando Galarraga in Fort Myers. ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia (left hip) and Jose Iglesias (right groin) are scheduled to get some at-bats in a minor league game in Fort Myers. ... There are likely to be some cuts after the game.

[VA Sox Fan]

Pitching plans for the next few days

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 17, 2012 09:41 AM

 

 

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Here's how the pitching lines up for the next few days:

 

Today vs. Baltimore: Beckett

 

Sunday at Tampa Bay: Buchholz, Padilla

 

Monday vs. Minnesota: Doubront, Melancon, Bailey (Aceves starts a minor league game)

 

Tuesday vs. Toronto: Bard, Miller

 

Wednesday at Pittsburgh: Lester, Tazawa, Carlson

 

Thursday vs. Yankees: Cook, Ohlendorf (Beckett starts a minor league game)

 

Also: Morales and Hill pitch live batting practice on Wednesday. Morales has yet to get in a game and, at the earliest, won't until late next week based on this schedule. You can count him out for Opening Day.

[redsoxfan3]

Pitching plans for the next few days

 

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 17, 2012 09:41 AM

 

 

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Here's how the pitching lines up for the next few days:

 

Today vs. Baltimore: Beckett

 

Sunday at Tampa Bay: Buchholz, Padilla

 

Monday vs. Minnesota: Doubront, Melancon, Bailey (Aceves starts a minor league game)

 

Tuesday vs. Toronto: Bard, Miller

 

Wednesday at Pittsburgh: Lester, Tazawa, Carlson

 

Thursday vs. Yankees: Cook, Ohlendorf (Beckett starts a minor league game)

 

Also: Morales and Hill pitch live batting practice on Wednesday. Morales has yet to get in a game and, at the earliest, won't until late next week based on this schedule. You can count him out for Opening Day.

 

That sucks about Morales, I thought he was a lock to make the pen on opening day. I am just hoping that he has a speedy recovery, we could use the extra arm in the pen.

[VA Sox Fan]

For those of you down there:

 

 

You're invited to a postgame party on Monday

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 17, 2012 11:00 AM

 

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — If you're in Fort Myers this Monday, come hang out at Shoeless Joe's with us after the game against the Twins. We'll talk some baseball and have a good time.

 

Here are the details:

 

Time: 5:30 p.m.

 

Where: Shoeless Joe's at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers.

 

Who will be there: Peter Abraham and Nick Cafardo from the Globe.

 

Also: There will be a free buffet, free shirts and other prizes including some great books. I can guarantee at least one free beer per blog reader if you come over and say hello.

 

Hope to see you there.

[redsoxfan3]

For those of you down there:

 

 

You're invited to a postgame party on Monday

Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 17, 2012 11:00 AM

 

 

FORT MYERS, Fla. — If you're in Fort Myers this Monday, come hang out at Shoeless Joe's with us after the game against the Twins. We'll talk some baseball and have a good time.

 

Here are the details:

 

Time: 5:30 p.m.

 

Where: Shoeless Joe's at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 13051 Bell Tower Drive in Fort Myers.

 

Who will be there: Peter Abraham and Nick Cafardo from the Globe.

 

Also: There will be a free buffet, free shirts and other prizes including some great books. I can guarantee at least one free beer per blog reader if you come over and say hello.

 

Hope to see you there.

 

Sounds cool to me. I might stop by and go to this. Everyone in town that hears about this might be there just for the free stuff. Hopefully too many people don't go.

[Station 13]

Luke Scott is a giant ****.

[Station 13]

Hassan draw another walk. I like his plate discipline.

[Palodios]

What's with Padilla throwing 50 MPH pitches?

[Elktonnick]

What's with Padilla throwing 50 MPH pitches?

 

It is called an Eepheus curve. He uses quite a bit and can be quite effective if used in the right spots. He controlled quite well today. He only gave up a hit when he used it back to back.

 

BTW Vin Scully called Padilla's Eepheus curve the "soap bubble"! Now you know why Vin Scully is still the best !

[TylerD]

It's so weird. There is still snow on the ground here where I live. It's so weird watching baseball looking at snow through my window haha.

[redsoxfan3]

I went to the Boston Globe party today in Fort Myers after the game. There was a decent amount of people. I got a free shirt, free stress ball that looks like a baseball, free food, a free beer, and a free book of Nick Cafardo's that he personally signed for me. It was fun and I got the opportunity to meet Cafardo and Abraham.

[a700hitter]

I went to the Boston Globe party today in Fort Myers after the game. There was a decent amount of people. I got a free shirt' date=' free stress ball that looks like a baseball, free food, a free beer, and a free book of Nick Cafardo's that he personally signed for me. It was fun and I got the opportunity to meet Cafardo and Abraham.[/quote']VA sent me a pm about this. Thanks VA! I had other evening plans in Naples, so I didn't attend. Did you tell those two (Cafardo and Abaraham) to stop stealing our ideas here at TalkSox or at least give us some credit. I guess the free shirt and beer was their way of saying thank you. That's pretty cool Nick and Pete.:thumbsup:

[redsoxfan3]

VA sent me a pm about this. Thanks VA! I had other evening plans in Naples' date=' so I didn't attend. Did you tell those two (Cafardo and Abaraham) to stop stealing our ideas here at TalkSox or at least give us some credit. I guess the free shirt and beer was their way of saying thank you. That's pretty cool Nick and Pete.:thumbsup:[/quote']

 

haha, I probably should have. You did not really miss much. The free stuff was cool and it was a good experience overall. There will probably be more parties like it in Fort Myers and Boston.

[TylerD]

Trying to convince my work to plug my I phone in so we can all listen to the Red Sox game on the radio tonight. Not going so well damn professionals......