5/7 @ Royals

[FredLynn]

Nothing like winning.

[jung]

Nice job by Doubront and Padilla and Middlebrooks joins Pedey and Ortiz thank God. We did not need those two guys starting to press trying to carry this team on their own.

[ellsburyforMVP]

I actually feel bad for youk..... Gonna miss him

[FredLynn]

I actually feel bad for youk..... Gonna miss him

 

Youkilis will be back in the lineup as soon as he is ready, unfortunately. So will Salty.

[NZSox]

They dont have the pitching that would match up in that deal. You're not getting Hamels for Youk

 

I was thinking Halladay ;-)

 

Just playin'. Hmmm. Will be interesting to see if WMB's form continues, whether management seriously consider trading Youk. This team's pitching roster has major flaws, and could really do with some patching up.

[Bellhorn04]

Just to keep it real' date=' yes, Middlebrooks looks great and he is hot right now. He is a rookie, and pitchers will be probing to see where his weaknesses are. He probably won't be able to keep this up. Sure has a lot of upside from what it seems. I remember when Daniel Nava came up and was crushing the ball for us too. Now look at him.[/quote']

 

Nava's only home run was his first AB, poor kid. WMB has already gone deep 3 times. Tonight he pushed one into the right field seats and then crushed one to left. He has a really impressive swing and he looks relaxed up there like Longoria.

 

But you're right. AL pitchers will be studying up and looking for whatever weakness he has.

[jung]

No doubt pitchers will find WMB's weaknesses and work to them. But that is the way it is with everybody. I don't expect him to fall completely apart. This kid is a player at least. He has a nice stroke and some real pop in his bat. If he had been some AAA fluke I would be much more worried about his downside but he has worked his way up to here....made progress the whole way and this looks more like a natural progression than anything else. Sure he won't keep this up but I think he is for real.

[ORS]

Just to keep it real' date=' yes, Middlebrooks looks great and he is hot right now. He is a rookie, and pitchers will be probing to see where his weaknesses are. He probably won't be able to keep this up. Sure has a lot of upside from what it seems. I remember when Daniel Nava came up and was crushing the ball for us too. Now look at him.[/quote']

Nava went undrafted and made a name for himself in the independent leagues. WMB is a bonus baby who got drafted out of HS with a very positive scouting report. You are comparing apples to orangutans.

 

Also, to keep it real, pitchers will adjust if he continues to show he can punish them when challenged. He's not a very patient hitter, so his approach will get challenged. All that said, his developing power is legit. He's not a finished product, but getting excited about him is fair. I can see him ending up like the good version of Beltre with the bat. He'll frustrate us with some of his aggressiveness at the plate, but he'll hit his fair share of moonshots along the way.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

We need to play every game on the road

[a700hitter]

Nava went undrafted and made a name for himself in the independent leagues. WMB is a bonus baby who got drafted out of HS with a very positive scouting report. You are comparing apples to orangutans.

 

Also, to keep it real, pitchers will adjust if he continues to show he can punish them when challenged. He's not a very patient hitter, so his approach will get challenged. All that said, his developing power is legit. He's not a finished product, but getting excited about him is fair. I can see him ending up like the good version of Beltre with the bat. He'll frustrate us with some of his aggressiveness at the plate, but he'll hit his fair share of moonshots along the way.

Middlebrooks could fit Nava in his pocket.

[Bellhorn04]

I actually feel bad for youk..... Gonna miss him

 

Youkilis had some excellent seasons for us.

[Station 13]

on NESN broadcast they said Dice-k has 1 rehab left. How is it possible to return from TJS so quick? He had the procedure last June.

[a700hitter]

Impressions of tonight's game:

• Will Middlebrooks is a big strong kid. He looks as big and strong from the right side as Ortiz is from the left side.
  
• Can Middlebrooks play LF for when Youkilis comes back. Our substitute OFers have terrible range and instincts as it is. How much worse could WMB be? Added bonus of finally getting rid of DMac.
  
• When Ortiz hits, they score runs, but he can't do it every night.
  
• Bobby V is clearly mentally challenged when making the lineup. Was he trying to take the bat out of the hands of his best hitter by putting Ross up in between Ortiz and Gonzo? The walk of Ortiz and the DP in the 6th inning kept the game within stiking distance. My head would've exploded if Ross didn't come thru later.
  
• Padilla wasn't thinking when he picked up the infield hit that was clearly going to spin foul.
  

[a700hitter]

on NESN broadcast they said Dice-k has 1 rehab left. How is it possible to return from TJS so quick? He had the procedure last June.

Rehab assignments cannot go more than 30 days. Maybe he will be at the 30 day mark after his next start.

[ORS]

Middlebrooks in LF makes a lot of sense. He's young and athletic, and none of the current LF corps has been so good out there defensively to make the learning curve all that painful. Plus, he can get accustomed to MLB pitching. Do it.

[jung]

Yea I wanted Agons either in front of Pedey or farther down in the lineup. I would not be surprised to see V put Middlebrooks where Ross was cause they are going to see more LH pitchers from KC. I don't think you want Gonzo behind Ortiz right now cause it will just entice pitchers to do to Ortiz what they were doing to Pedey...pitch around him to get to Gonzo.

 

They still did not give Pedey much on the inner third tonight but Pedey definitely got better pitches to hit and they could not just pitch around him tonight which they have been doing lately.

[a700hitter]

Middlebrooks in LF makes a lot of sense. He's young and athletic' date=' and none of the current LF corps has been so good out there defensively to make the learning curve all that painful. Plus, he can get accustomed to MLB pitching. Do it.[/quote']I'd hate to take a power threat like him out of the lineup when Youkilis comes back. Even if pitchers catch up to him, he is so strong that he can muscle out balls without getting the sweet spot on the ball.

[Station 13]

Middlebrooks in LF makes a lot of sense. He's young and athletic' date=' and none of the current LF corps has been so good out there defensively to make the learning curve all that painful. Plus, he can get accustomed to MLB pitching. Do it.[/quote']

 

Alex Gorden did it. Middlebrooks can learn it too.

[Bellhorn04]

Padilla shouldn't have picked up that ball, but I think it will rate pretty low on the list of this season's Bonehead Plays for the team.

[Station 13]

Can you believe Zambrano is outpitching the entire Sox rotation?

[KCBRUIN]

on NESN broadcast they said Dice-k has 1 rehab left. How is it possible to return from TJS so quick? He had the procedure last June.

 

Ancient Japanese Secret.

 

:thumbsup:

[redsoxbeatz]

Love WMB but guess we really should give it 120+ ABs before we really know what we got.

 

Where was this offense versus the O's? Off On Off On...

[redsoxbeatz]

Middlebrooks in LF makes a lot of sense. He's young and athletic' date=' and none of the current LF corps has been so good out there defensively to make the learning curve all that painful. Plus, he can get accustomed to MLB pitching. Do it.[/quote']

 

Odds of this actually being implemented?

[SoxFanForsyth]

Impressions of tonight's game:

• Will Middlebrooks is a big strong kid. He looks as big and strong from the right side as Ortiz is from the left side.
  
• Can Middlebrooks play LF for when Youkilis comes back. Our substitute OFers have terrible range and instincts as it is. How much worse could WMB be? Added bonus of finally getting rid of DMac.
  
• When Ortiz hits, they score runs, but he can't do it every night.
  
• Bobby V is clearly mentally challenged when making the lineup. Was he trying to take the bat out of the hands of his best hitter by putting Ross up in between Ortiz and Gonzo? The walk of Ortiz and the DP in the 6th inning kept the game within stiking distance. My head would've exploded if Ross didn't come thru later.
  
• Padilla wasn't thinking when he picked up the infield hit that was clearly going to spin foul.
  

 

It's not the question of "How much worse could WMB in LF?"

 

It's the fact that this kid isn't going to be your utility player. He's going to be your future third baseman, you don't want to throw him in LF. You want him to either continue his growth at 3B in Boston or in Pawtucket.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Alex Gorden did it. Middlebrooks can learn it too.

 

And now Alex Gordon is your everyday starting LF.

 

I repeat - You do not want to move him away from his primary position. You keep him at 3B so he continutes to develop there. He's not a guy like Aviles who will end up being a utility player. This is a full time, occasional all star third baseman. Don't mess with that.

[SoxFanForsyth]

While the Sox are facing 2 more against the Royals, and then the Thursday game against the Tribe, the Yanks and Rays will be playing. So this is a big opportunity for the Sox to pick up some games on one or the other.

 

Game 1: Shields vs Nova

Game 2: Niemann vs Phelps

Game 3: Price vs Sabathia

 

Pick up 2 against the Yankees, 1 against the Rays.

 

Also, the Orioles are in a 4 game set with the Rangers. Keep winning and the Sox can pick up 2 more against the O's.

 

Like I said earlier,

 

In 2010, the Sox started 11-14. After that, they went 38-18 (.678) over the next 56 games and were 0.5 games out of 1st place on July 2nd.

In 2011, the Sox started 11-15. After that, they went 72-37 (.661) over the next 109 games and were tied for 1st place on May 30th.

 

In 2012, the Sox started 11-16. Lets see how they rebound.

[a700hitter]

It's not the question of "How much worse could WMB in LF?"

 

It's the fact that this kid isn't going to be your utility player. He's going to be your future third baseman, you don't want to throw him in LF. You want him to either continue his growth at 3B in Boston or in Pawtucket.

I don't see how having him play some OF this season would hinder his development at 3B too much. He could continue to work on his skills at 3B with the major league coaching staff and he could spell Youk on occasion. Lot's of guys play more than one position at the beginning of their careers. Didn't Pedroia play an ocassional game at SS at the beginning?

[redsoxfan3]

I don't see how having him play some OF this season would hinder his development at 3B too much. He could continue to work on his skills at 3B with the major league coaching staff and he could spell Youk on occasion. Lot's of guys play more than one position at the beginning of their careers. Didn't Pedroia play an ocassional game at SS at the beginning?

 

I am not big on playing him in the OF. If he continues to perform well, then I think he deserves playing time at 3B, even if Youk is healthy. Youk has been injury prone and has struggled this year. You might as well go with what is working. Has Middlebrooks even played OF before? I think he has the ability to be a LF because he is so athletic, but I don't think that is the best decision. I would prefer if he stays at 3B. Pedroia played SS, but that was also his position in college. I don't know if you can really compare Middlebrooks possibly playing OF with Pedroia playing SS, because Pedroia was already a proven SS in high school and college. Middlebrooks was a SS and P in high school.

[Laser Show]

I don't see how having him play some OF this season would hinder his development at 3B too much. He could continue to work on his skills at 3B with the major league coaching staff and he could spell Youk on occasion. Lot's of guys play more than one position at the beginning of their careers. Didn't Pedroia play an ocassional game at SS at the beginning?

 

Pedroia is my starting SS in MLB 2K12.

[ORS]

Also, Miguel Cabrera did this in 2003 when the Marlins had Mike Lowell at 3B. He played LF, RF, and occaissional 3B for them after being called up. Cabrera was fine at 3B after that....until he ballooned and had to go to 1B. Gordon got moved to make room for Moustakas, another good bat and better fielder. WMB doesn't have anyone in the system threatening to push him into the OF permanently. It's a waste of an opportunity to have him hitting bombs in AAA just so he can stay at 3B.