Aceves named team closer

[jopete19]

I hope Benny Boy isn't dumb enough to get Mike Gonzalez. He had an ERA of over 4 last year.

[seabeachfred]

I for one am not sure if i really like or hate this idea. In a way it makes sense. but we have Melancon Albers and Morales doing 7-8 innings which makes my stomach churn already..

 

I'm not sure either kapsis. I know Aceves is a competitive fireball and mean as hell when he's on the mound, but his multiple innings will be missed. It would be nice if sometimes during the season if Melancon suddenly saves a few games when Ace is not pitching and we make the switch. I think Alfredo will be needed for more than one inning because with guys like Albers, Morales and Bowden down there my stomach will be churning every time we take a lead into the seventh and eighth. Our starters are going to have to go deeper into games this year, that's all.

[a700hitter]

I don't buy into the "wait til the trading deadline" mantra.

Neither do I, but there generally aren't many trades at this time of year unless a team is looking to clear a roster spot like the Angels would like to do with Abreu. Have there been any reports that there are pitchers that teams are looking to dump? I haven't seen any.

[a700hitter]

I hope Benny Boy isn't dumb enough to get Mike Gonzalez. He had an ERA of over 4 last year.

Albers ERA was approaching 5 last year. Gonzalez' lifetime ERA is under 3.

[mvp 78]

Neither do I' date=' but there generally aren't many trades at this time of year unless a team is looking to clear a roster spot like the Angels would like to do with Abreu. Have there been any reports that there are pitchers that teams are looking to dump? I haven't seen any.[/quote']

 

Were there reports prior to the White Sox trade?

 

Just work the phones.

[a700hitter]

Were there reports prior to the White Sox trade?

 

Just work the phones.

I was just curious if you had read something.

[Spitball]

Albers ERA was approaching 5 last year. Gonzalez' lifetime ERA is under 3.

 

I wonder what the deal is with Gonzalez. He and his agent must be asking for crazy money. Left handed relievers who don't have bounce the ball to the plate last forever. Jesse Orosco pitched into his forties. So have others.

 

Now, Gonzalez gave up a .900 OPS against right handers last year, but that was mostly due to a terrible first two months. He was not a bad pitcher after that and was effective the last two months.

[a700hitter]

I wonder what the deal is with Gonzalez. He and his agent must be asking for crazy money. Left handed relievers who don't have bounce the ball to the plate last forever. Jesse Orosco pitched into his forties. So have others.

 

Now, Gonzalez gave up a .900 OPS against right handers last year, but that was mostly due to a terrible first two months. He was not a bad pitcher after that and was effective the last two months.

and he's only 33 years old.

[SoxSport]

On the plus side, I give the FO credit for not overvaluing closers. Closers are a lot easier to replace than starting pitchers or hitters. Any decent pitching staff has a couple of guys in the bullpen who can close--at least temporarily. In the Red Sox case, the best option would have been Bard. But they see Bard a being a very good starter, so Aceves gets the nod. It's only for a few months.

 

Interesting that all those guys at MLB TV who spend a lot of their time stroking biggest market Yankees, have written the Red Sox off because of Bailey's injury. Wow, what a difference a year can make.

Last year, the Sox spent their way right into the media's hearts. This year, they are on the outs.

 

The MLB guys have TB 2nd in the division, but TB needed a September miracle to just catch the Red Sox last year--by a whisker. The Red Sox are still better than TB--provided they play at their potential.

The Yankees are always overrated--not that they aren't a good team.

 

The teams to beat are still the Rangers, Angels and Tigers. But watch out. The playoffs are never predictable.

 

The thing that might kill the Sox this year is management friction. Henry is a lousy executive. He can make big money with his hedge funds and play fantasy games, but I don't think he can manage people and delegate responsibility. And he doesn't have a clue as to how to manage the media.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Good move here. If you're using a RP for 2-3 IP more than you're using a closer, your team is in bad shape, especially the SP.

 

I like the move a lot.

[SoxFanForsyth]

No need for Mike Gonzalez when you've got Rich Hill coming off the DL in a month and a half, and you've got Franklin Morales as your other LHP in the pen.

 

Not to mention when Andrew Miller gets healthy, he could be absolutely filthy with 97 in the pen. Throwing from the stretch, he's finally able to repeat his delivery and I'm going to call it now - He's going to be a huge piece to this bullpen.

[a700hitter]

No need for Mike Gonzalez when you've got Rich Hill coming off the DL in a month and a half, and you've got Franklin Morales as your other LHP in the pen.

 

Not to mention when Andrew Miller gets healthy, he could be absolutely filthy with 97 in the pen. Throwing from the stretch, he's finally able to repeat his delivery and I'm going to call it now - He's going to be a huge piece to this bullpen.

What did you see that makes you think he can repeat his delivery from the stretch? I was at the game when they first tried it. He threw 2 or 3 pitches and one almost went to the backstop. Then he left the game and went on the DL.

[SoxFanForsyth]

For anyone who is questioning this move - Just remember, Aceves had the lowest ERA out of the bullpen of any pitcher on the Sox last year. His 2.03 ERA as a reliever was 1.30 points lower than Bard, and 0.90 points lower than Pap.

 

On top of that, he was lights out against the AL East.

 

Aceves / Bard / Pap's ERA

 

Vs TB 1.59 / 1.13 / 1.29

 

Vs NYY 3.55 / 3.00 / 1.93

 

Vs TOR 0.77 / 7.71 / 3.86

 

Vs BAL 2.21 / 4.70 / 5.68

 

The fact that Ace's worst numbers against a team in the AL East is a 3.55 ERA is pretty amazing. I think he's going to be a very good closer for this team.

 

Also, for what it's worth, Aceves had a 1.50 ERA vs DET last year.

[SoxFanForsyth]

What did you see that makes you think he can repeat his delivery from the stretch? I was at the game when they first tried it. He threw 2 or 3 pitches and one almost went to the backstop. Then he left the game and went on the DL.

 

He threw 3 pitches, one was outside, the other two were right on the corner first off, and second off, I'm not basing my decision on the 3 pitches he threw from the stretch before he got hurt. I'm basing it off of the 3 or 4 games before that when he was throwing from the stretch and was looking filthy.

[iortiz]

For anyone who is questioning this move - Just remember, Aceves had the lowest ERA out of the bullpen of any pitcher on the Sox last year. His 2.03 ERA as a reliever was 1.30 points lower than Bard, and 0.90 points lower than Pap.

 

On top of that, he was lights out against the AL East.

 

Aceves / Bard / Pap's ERA

 

Vs TB 1.59 / 1.13 / 1.29

 

Vs NYY 3.55 / 3.00 / 1.93

 

Vs TOR 0.77 / 7.71 / 3.86

 

Vs BAL 2.21 / 4.70 / 5.68

 

The fact that Ace's worst numbers against a team in the AL East is a 3.55 ERA is pretty amazing. I think he's going to be a very good closer for this team.

 

Also, for what it's worth, Aceves had a 1.50 ERA vs DET last year.

 

He is one of my favorite players but I want to see his performance in the 9th. Hopefully this works out as you said.

[a700hitter]

He threw 3 pitches' date=' one was outside, the other two were right on the corner first off, and second off, I'm not basing my decision on the 3 pitches he threw from the stretch before he got hurt. I'm basing it off of the 3 or 4 games before that when he was throwing from the stretch and was looking filthy.[/quote']I thought that was his first game throwing from the stretch. My bad.