4/18 vs Rangers

[BornToRun]

OK so we want to focus on the fact that the pen allowed the Rangers to extend a lead that they already had when Beckett (who pitched a fantastic game tonight) gave up the ball and we could be looking at a walk off win but for that.

 

That hope rests on Salty with is monster offensive production? Not sure that hanging this stuff on the pen makes much sense.

 

It was always going to be a team that was going to give up many runs this year. Our hope was always going to be wining enough 10-8, 8-6 games. We were never going to be 2-0, 1-0 game winners very often. The pitching overall is not strong enough and neither is our defense.

 

I would say the one element of the game that was expected to play better so far that has not is the offense.

 

One inch higher and we're looking at Salty on second with the score 6-5, I don't blame him. We just need to take the day tomorrow, team and fans, to clear our heads and get ready for New York who I guarantee youl will win the series from if not sweep. We were 0-6 heading into our series with them last year, we came out with 2 wins. I'm livid too but the one thing keeping me on the level headed path is knowing that we'll be okay. We'll be laughing about this is in a couple of weeks.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

BornToRun is the only one with a streak this year. We need him to make it bad.

[Pedroia2]

Nobody ever said rooting for this team was easy. We'll get there' date=' one thing that's nice knowing for the future is that this team isn't going to lay down and die like they did last year. They fight tooth and nail in the late innings.[/quote']

 

ya that is true and it def showed against the rays and even tonite it showed. with almost a rally in the bottom of the 9th

[ellsburyforMVP]

OK so we want to focus on the fact that the pen allowed the Rangers to extend a lead that they already had when Beckett (who pitched a fantastic game tonight) gave up the ball and we could be looking at a walk off win but for that.

 

That hope rests on Salty with is monster offensive production? Not sure that hanging this stuff on the pen makes much sense.

 

It was always going to be a team that was going to give up many runs this year. Our hope was always going to be wining enough 10-8, 8-6 games. We were never going to be 2-0, 1-0 game winners very often. The pitching overall is not strong enough and neither is our defense.

 

I would say the one element of the game that was expected to play better so far that has not is the offense.

 

You have to admit, going into the bottom of the ninth down 1 and down 4 are 2 completely different situations.... For one, maybe youk takes off on contact on sweeneys hit etc.... Maybe we bunt youk over... Etc etc .... I put this loss more on the pen than Beckett .....

[ellsburyforMVP]

I'm not saying we lost BECAUSE of the pen, just saying beckett did what you you want out of your starter EVERY time they took the mound...7 IP 3 runs? I'll take that all yr from all 5 starters

[jung]

woulda....coulda....shoulda...an inch there a foot here c'mon.

 

You want to tell me this was hitting you thought would win games for this team?

 

OK so here are the team batting avg. to date

 

Our regular catcher is batting .083. One of our current everyday OF is batting .095. Youk who you would have to believe HAS to hit because we are so weak from the right to begin with is batting .176. Avlies is a stand out in this offense so far with a whopping .256. Punto is batting .333 and Shoppach is batting .357 but they don't get enough at bats to effect to many outcomes at this point and if you tell me we need to depend on those two guys for offense I will tell you that will be pretty tough road to go down.

 

Ortiz is ripping the ball but again he is a guy that was expected to hit.

 

While we can say that we have injuries to a number of offensive players that simply does more to make my point. Of the three elements it is the offense that has performed least like it was expected at least to this point. Saying that the pen does not hold down the competition when it is regularly handed the game when behind is a little like saying the horse has already left the barn and these guys aren't getting the horse back in there.

 

If they are not going to change the way this team is constructed, then it needs more offense than it is getting because it was constructed as an offensive team and it is not getting enough offense to win that way. I mentioned the SP vs the Pen because we seem so focused on who closes and who is the middle reliever and that is not where we are losing these games so far based on the way the team was constructed. If it were me I would likely try to keep as many bats on the roster as I could and stiffen the defense somehow because I still think this team is going to bleed runs defensively. It's pitching staff simply does not prevent enough contact to have poor defense behind it.

 

Youk is starting to make headway. However if he is still exactly where he is in ten more games, I would likely try to find a way to still get him some at bats while trying to fill the hole he is leaving and as I said earlier, if Lavarnway can continue to hone his skills as a catcher up here as well as he can in Pawtucket, I would get him up here pronto to catch.

 

 

Ryan Sweeney .406

David Ortiz .395

Kelly Shoppach .357

Nick Punto .333

Adrian Gonzalez .318

Dustin Pedroia .295

Cody Ross .270

Mike Aviles .256

Jacoby Ellsbury .192

Kevin Youkilis .176

Jason Repko .143

Darnell McDonald .095

Jarrod Saltalamacchia .083

[iortiz]

Forget the platoon ******** and let Sweeney start everyday for once and for all, and let Schopach catch everyday as well. If you want to share the other OF spot with McD/Repko, fine but I would prefer experiment with Ciriaco/Repko and DFA McD's ass or send him to AAA.

[kapsis21]

Salty almost brought in two with the tying run on 2nd.

 

Yep he had loud outs yesterday and thumped the ball today too. Wish he could get better at missing the fielders.

[jung]

I agree about the platooning business because the guys that are coming in to effect the lefty/righty change are not hitting well enough even against the pitching match up that favors them. Salty is batting .083. Who gives a damn what he is doing against right handed pitchers. Most of his at bats are against right handed pitchers to begin with and he can't manage better than .083

 

In my view Sweeney deserves to play and should not be platooned for basically what is the same reason. You are going to bat d-mac with his whopping .095 instead or Repko with his monster .143?

[example1]

The positive spin is that a week ago if I could have said the Sox could go 3-3 in 6 games with TB and TEX most of us would gladly take it.

 

The season is young and there is still considerable hope.

[kapsis21]

If nobody minds me jumping back in so early' date=' I'd like GT duties for the Skanks series.[/quote']

 

Aall yours

[Station 13]

DFA McD's ass or send him to AAA.

 

MacDime is 1 for last 18.

[Soxfan1]

I propose trading/DFA'ing Salty if he doesnt pick it up in a week and trying to get the Phillies to take on his salary for someone like Scott Pods, who can play a little while Ells is out and he can be a late inning runner. Bring up Lavarnway and we have some pop in the lineup.

[a700hitter]

MacDime is 1 for last 18.

He McStinks. He sucked last year too. At best, he should be a #5 OFer or an emergency option from AAA. The fact that he is a starter for the Sox speaks volumes. I have seen plenty of Sox teams with poor pitching, but it is hard for me to remember a time when we trotted out such horrible OFers. Pinch hitting for one of our OFers wit a light-hitting utility IFer journeyman is not something I have seen very often in 45 years.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Youkilis: .184/.238/.289/.528, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 13 K, 3 BB (42 AB)

 

Middlebrooks: .365/.389/.654, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 K, 2 BB (52 AB)

 

Salty: .080/.148/.240/.388 (!!!), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 K, 2 BB (25 AB)

 

Lavarnway: .267/.400/.422/.822, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 K, 10 BB (45 AB)

 

I think it's time to get some young blood up here, some kids who can provide a spark to this team.

[a700hitter]

Youkilis: .184/.238/.289/.528, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 13 K, 3 BB (42 AB)

 

Middlebrooks: .365/.389/.654, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 K, 2 BB (52 AB)

 

Salty: .080/.148/.240/.388 (!!!), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 K, 2 BB (25 AB)

 

Lavarnway: .267/.400/.422/.822, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 K, 10 BB (45 AB)

 

I think it's time to get some young blood up here, some kids who can provide a spark to this team.

It might be too soon for that, but we should explore sending Salty to the Cubs for Marlon Byrd. Theo always had a mancrush on Salty. He still might believe in his potential. We could get a good OFer in return plus bring up Lavarnway.

[SoxFanForsyth]

It might be too soon for that' date=' but we should explore sending Salty to the Cubs for Marlon Byrd. Theo always had a mancrush on Salty. He still might believe in his potential. We could get a good OFer in return plus bring up Lavarnway.[/quote']

 

Marlon Byrd is OPS'ing .231 right now. Salty would be an overpayment, I think. He had a lower OPS than Salty last year, too, and offense from your C is much more rare than offense from your OF.

[a700hitter]

Marlon Byrd is OPS'ing .231 right now. Salty would be an overpayment' date=' I think. He had a lower OPS than Salty last year, too, and offense from your C is much more rare than offense from your OF.[/quote']Maybe the Cubs could give us a relief pitcher plus Byrd.

[The Boomer]

I know you can find almost anything on the Internet.... Has anyone ever come across a study of players in "contract yrs " and their stats that yr compared to other yrs?? I really don't see how someone can just " turn it on " for a yr' date=' but it does seem to happen alot.... Would make for a good read[/quote']

 

BR has done it or check out "Baseball Between the Numbers". The upshot is that it does happen, but it's not as drastic as the media makes it out to be.

[BornToRun]

Youkilis: .184/.238/.289/.528, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 13 K, 3 BB (42 AB)

 

Middlebrooks: .365/.389/.654, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 9 K, 2 BB (52 AB)

 

Salty: .080/.148/.240/.388 (!!!), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 7 K, 2 BB (25 AB)

 

Lavarnway: .267/.400/.422/.822, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 K, 10 BB (45 AB)

 

I think it's time to get some young blood up here, some kids who can provide a spark to this team.

 

Salty should get more time if you ask me. He hit two almost bombs and was almost a hero last night. He seems to be more patient too. I won't lie, I'm a bit of a Jarrod apologist but I think he can still be a productive member of this team and his last two nights swinging the bat helped reaffirm me in my belief.

[SoxFanForsyth]

My dear Lord. Middlebrooks is on absolute fire.

 

So far today, he's 2-2 with an RBI single and a 3 run HR.

 

He's now hitting .389 with a 1.133 OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI.

 

Damn. He's knocking the door down.

[Spudboy]

My dear Lord. Middlebrooks is on absolute fire.

 

So far today, he's 2-2 with an RBI single and a 3 run HR.

 

He's now hitting .389 with a 1.133 OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI.

 

Damn. He's knocking the door down.

 

Yeah but he strikes out about ten times for every walk.

 

They want him to learn the strike zone and control it better.

[a700hitter]

My dear Lord. Middlebrooks is on absolute fire.

 

So far today, he's 2-2 with an RBI single and a 3 run HR.

 

He's now hitting .389 with a 1.133 OPS, 5 HR, 16 RBI.

 

Damn. He's knocking the door down.

Can he play the OF?

[SoxFanForsyth]

Yeah but he strikes out about ten times for every walk.

 

They want him to learn the strike zone and control it better.

 

In the small sample size that we have this year, he appears to be progressing in that aspect - 9 K's in 55 AB (16.36%).

[kapsis21]

Can he play the OF?

 

at this point i will take Middlebrooks over Repko and DMac any given time...

about Sweeney playing everyday he seems like a big guy for an outfielder.. the way he ran the bases that day against Detroit in 9th seemed like he was tired by the time he reached 3rd base...:dunno:

[Spudboy]

In the small sample size that we have this year' date=' he appears to be progressing in that aspect - 9 K's in 55 AB (16.36%).[/quote']

 

And how many BB?

[SoxFanForsyth]

And how many BB?

 

Only 2 - But he's never been a guy who took a lot of walks.

 

Here's an excerpt from Alex Speier's article on WEEI today.

 

Middlebrooks had yet another tremendous game, going 3-for-4 with a homer in five plate appearances. Almost as notable was Middlebrooks’ walk, his second of the year, on a full-count pitch. While it would be easy to look at an OBP (.389) that is just 24 points higher than his average and conclude that Middlebrooks is a free-swinger who will struggle against more advanced pitching, that doesn’t appear to be quite accurate.

 

Middlebrooks has simply shown a consistent ability not to miss the pitches that he feels he can drive. Moreover, he has a well-defined approach when at the plate, looking to get in advantage counts and then to drive pitches that are middle-away from center to right-center. (His homer on Wednesday was to center off of Nats starter John Lannan.)

 

“He’s never been a high-walks guy, but right now he’s getting a lot of pitches to hit. He’s not striking out a lot and he’s not chasing a lot of bad pitches,” said Sox farm director Ben Crockett. “No matter what, to some extent, that’s the kind of hitter he’s going to be with some power, but his approach, more than anything, in terms of being able to use the entire field, it makes it hard for pitchers to pitch to him because of that. It’s really his strength. His ability to drive the ball to right field makes him dangerous.”

 

The 23-year-old ranks fourth in the International League with a .365 average, fourth with a .654 slugging mark, fifth with a 1.043 OPS, is tied for third with four homer runs and second with 12 RBI. He is currently scorching, with four multi-hit games in his last five contests, a stretch in which he’s 9-for-21 with three homers and nine RBI. Anytime that a top prospect goes on such a run — particularly at the start of the year, when there are no slumps on a player’s record to drag numbers down from the stratosphere, it is natural to suggest he’s ready for the big leagues.

 

Crockett, while noting that all players in Triple-A are by definition close to the majors, still has just over 100 plate appearances in Triple-A to his credit.

 

“It’s still really early in the season. Obviously we’re happy and pleased with the way things have started, but we’re [14] games into the season so I think speculation beyond that is premature. [but] If the numbers finish like this,” Crockett mused, “we’ll be pretty happy.”

[jung]

And while Middlebrooks only has 2 BB, Youk once the king of the walk only has 3!

[OriginalUsername]

If you're giving up on Youkilis after 12 games, they can trade him to the Tigers for Delmon Young.

[jung]

I don't think it likely that they would or even should give up on Youk in 12 games. I would want to see where he was in 10 more games. At 22 games you are well past 10% of the season. If he is still where he is, given the way Middlebrooks is hitting and the way Youk is not, and combined with the way Youk has slowed in the field, I would be thinking today about how I can get Youk some at bats, how I can keep him active enough to try to work him through this while having somebody else playing 3rd most of the time and then be ready to act on some plan by game 23 of the season. Maybe that is Middlebrooks, maybe you move Aviles to 3rd for some games.

 

However this team was constructed to win games with offense and it currently does not have nearly enough offense to do that.