5/17 @ Rays

[SoxFanForsyth]

I can't wait for the Sox to be facing the Phillies, tie game, top of the 9th, Pap comes in.

 

Splat. Pap Smear all over the mound. Ortiz yacka. Sox win.

[jung]

Geez I never thought I would do this...I knew a guy once that was so torqued about umps that he used to know which crews were coming in for a series. I sure hope these clowns don't catch to many of our games.

[jung]

Ya know we will see Paps....wouldn't be just to bad to stomp the s*** outta' him

[kapsis21]

I can't wait for the Sox to be facing the Phillies, tie game, top of the 9th, Pap comes in.

 

Splat. Pap Smear all over the mound. Ortiz yacka. Sox win.

 

sweet music if that happens.

 

but good WIN tonight. lets keep mojo rolling Station 13

[seabeachfred]

sweet music if that happens.

 

but good WIN tonight. lets keep mojo rolling Station 13

 

This was a very good win tonight guys and gals. We could have let last night's loss act like a bone in our throat but we came out swinging tonight and when the game got close we added insurance runs to help put the game away. I wish Doubie would have shown better control but he did outpitch Moore and we needed him and the team to come through.

 

Again good win---we all go to bed happy tonight.

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[a700hitter]

Some interesting and some funny lines from Peter A's column today:

 

• It's amazing that on May 17, the Red Sox have two players on their roster — Daniel Nava and Mauro Gomez — who weren't considered good enough for major league spring training.
  
• The Adrian Gonzalez home run drought is beyond worrisome at this point. He has 12 home runs in 411 at-bats since the 2011 All-Star break. He predicted after the game on Wednesday that he would hit one today. Home runs are not everything, but you don't pay a first baseman that kind of money without some expectation of power. Then again, Mark Teixeira has 19 homers in his last 406 at-bats and Albert Pujols 21 in his last 429.
  
• Mark Melancon has not allowed a run in 13 innings since being sent down to Pawtucket and he has struck out 21 without a walk. But he seems buried deeper than Jimmy Hoffa at this point.
  
• Granted, it's only for $3 million. But Nick Punto has a two-year contract. He also has one more hit in the last month than you do
  
• Does anybody else wonder if Theo Epstein feels any guilt for saddling his long-time friend and lieutenant Ben Cherington with this team? Nobody said Epstein had to hang around forever, but he is the baseball equivalent of that Italian captain who jumped off the sinking cruise ship in January.
  

[Bellhorn04]

Some interesting and some funny lines from Peter A's column today:

[*]Does anybody else wonder if Theo Epstein feels any guilt for saddling his long-time friend and lieutenant Ben Cherington with this team? Nobody said Epstein had to hang around forever, but he is the baseball equivalent of that Italian captain who jumped off the sinking cruise ship in January.

 

But is it really that bad of a team? All depends how they're playin', right? They're playing decent ball right now and without Ellsbury, Crawford, Youkilis, Bailey and Melancon, and with Gonzo hitting like a chump.

[yeszir]

I can't wait for the Sox to be facing the Phillies, tie game, top of the 9th, Pap comes in.

 

Splat. Pap Smear all over the mound. Ortiz yacka. Sox win.

 

Dude....this isn't the optimism thread

[Station 13]

$3M is a hefty price for sparkplug.

[VA Sox Fan]

May the Station13 MOJO keep on rolling!

[Laser Show]

The Adrian Gonzalez home run drought is beyond worrisome at this point. He has 12 home runs in 411 at-bats since the 2011 All-Star break. He predicted after the game on Wednesday that he would hit one today.

 

The power is definitely there though. He absolutely crushed a ball late in the game, but he was just a bit early on it.

[a700hitter]

The power is definitely there though. He absolutely crushed a ball late in the game' date=' but he was just a bit early on it.[/quote']He just missed a couple of pitches last night. That's a good sign.

[a700hitter]

But is it really that bad of a team? All depends how they're playin'' date=' right? They're playing decent ball right now and without Ellsbury, Crawford, Youkilis, Bailey and Melancon, and with Gonzo hitting like a chump.[/quote']He left Cherrington with a team that easily could go either way-- very good or very bad. They have demonstrated a lack of consistency early in the season and have been more bad than good. The biggest challenge that Theo left Cherries with is the financial limitations which severely limit the teams flexibility in dealing with its roster.

[redsoxbeatz]

Some interesting and some funny lines from Peter A's column today:

 

• It's amazing that on May 17, the Red Sox have two players on their roster — Daniel Nava and Mauro Gomez — who weren't considered good enough for major league spring training.
  
• The Adrian Gonzalez home run drought is beyond worrisome at this point. He has 12 home runs in 411 at-bats since the 2011 All-Star break. He predicted after the game on Wednesday that he would hit one today. Home runs are not everything, but you don't pay a first baseman that kind of money without some expectation of power. Then again, Mark Teixeira has 19 homers in his last 406 at-bats and Albert Pujols 21 in his last 429.
  
• Mark Melancon has not allowed a run in 13 innings since being sent down to Pawtucket and he has struck out 21 without a walk. But he seems buried deeper than Jimmy Hoffa at this point.
  
• Granted, it's only for $3 million. But Nick Punto has a two-year contract. He also has one more hit in the last month than you do
  
• Does anybody else wonder if Theo Epstein feels any guilt for saddling his long-time friend and lieutenant Ben Cherington with this team? Nobody said Epstein had to hang around forever, but he is the baseball equivalent of that Italian captain who jumped off the sinking cruise ship in January.
  

 

Interesting bullet points.

 

Gonzalez, Teixeira, Pujols all screwing their respective teams out of wins. At least I was at the game where Pujols hit his first angels HR, that was cool.

 

Punto sucks so hard. I want to tell his sister (work w/her @ nordstrom) to call her brother up and tell him to quit baseball asap.

 

We just need CC, Ells, Bailey, DiceK back... (can't believe I included DiceK in a list of people I want to see playing for us again)

[a700hitter]

Gonzalez, Teixeira, Pujols all screwing their respective teams out of wins. At least I was at the game where Pujols hit his first angels HR, that was cool.

 

Punto sucks so hard. I want to tell his sister (work w/her @ nordstrom) to call her brother up and tell him to quit baseball asap.

 

We just need CC, Ells, Bailey, DiceK back... (can't believe I included DiceK in a list of people I want to see playing for us again)

You lost your credibility with your Dice K comment. H will not be part of the solution for this team. He was not very good before he hurt his elbow. He'd been sucking it since 2008.

[redsoxbeatz]

The power is definitely there though. He absolutely crushed a ball late in the game' date=' but he was just a bit early on it.[/quote']

 

Early or Late is all Adrian ever is now. How about being on time for once [in 400+ ABs.]

[FredLynn]

The power is definitely there though. He absolutely crushed a ball late in the game' date=' but he was just a bit early on it.[/quote']

 

Even Marlon Byrd crushed a ball last night.

Gonzalez has been a major disappointment this year. His OPS this year is .756; JD Drew in his last really full year of playing, 2010, had an OPS of .793. His act is getting really old. Its high time he earned his keep around here.

[FredLynn]

You lost your credibility with your Dice K comment. H will not be part of the solution for this team. He was not very good before he hurt his elbow. He'd been sucking it since 2008.

 

We ought to trade DiceK for pitching

[BornToRun]

Even Marlon Byrd crushed a ball last night.

Gonzalez has been a major disappointment this year. His OPS this year is .756; JD Drew in his last really full year of playing, 2010, had an OPS of .793. His act is getting really old. Its high time he earned his keep around here.

 

Dude. It's been not even 2 f***ing months. His act is getting old? Are you high?

[FredLynn]

Dude. It's been not even 2 f***ing months. His act is getting old? Are you high?

 

You're right. Lets give him until October to come around. After all, a player as great as he is deserves a full season to snap out of it.

[a700hitter]

Dude. It's been not even 2 f***ing months. His act is getting old? Are you high?

I don't know what act he is referring to, but he has been underperforming since last year's All Star Break-- 4 months.

[FredLynn]

I don't know what act he is referring to' date=' but he has been underperforming since last year's All Star Break-- 4 months.[/quote']

 

Its sufficient that we all KNOW he is a great player. There is no need for him to actually go out and perform to prove it.

Right?

[kapsis21]

You're right. Lets give him until October to come around. After all' date=' a player as great as he is deserves a full season to snap out of it.[/quote']

 

and some players might have a cold season never heard of something like that? i do agree that he is having too many first swing hacks.. but its just an off 1+ month i think he will rebound.. he needs to if this team wants to be in any spot of contending.. and he knows that

lets wait till June end and if by then his numbers are not rising i say he needs to change his approach or get a lighter bat or something..

 

btw a700 you compare him to Pujols/Tiexera who are having a super drought of a season too!

AGon has more RBIs and OBP compared to them atleast.

[a700hitter]

Its sufficient that we all KNOW he is a great player. There is no need for him to actually go out and perform to prove it.

Right?

He hit 27 HRs last season and he has 2 so far this year. If he is going to be a 25 HR guy, he is not worth $154 million. Ortiz in his prime was putting up 25 HRs by the All Star break and he is still the better hitter of the two. First baseman that hit 25 bombs are not that hard to find. We expected him to be a 35+ HR guy in the class of Pujols, Miggy Cabrera and Fielder. Thus far, he is not.

[FredLynn]

I don't know what act he is referring to' date=' but he has been underperforming since last year's All Star Break-- 4 months.[/quote']

 

Actually, from the ASB to the end of last season his OPS was .893. I would take that. Gotta be fair about this. Its THIS year's performance that is concerning.

[a700hitter]

btw a700 you compare him to Pujols/Tiexera who are having a super drought of a season too!

AGon has more RBIs and OBP compared to them atleast.

My comparison was based on career numbers. I should have been specific about that. Based on career numbers, he is closer to Adam Dunn than the others.

[FredLynn]

and some players might have a cold season never heard of something like that? i do agree that he is having too many first swing hacks.. but its just an off 1+ month i think he will rebound.. he needs to if this team wants to be in any spot of contending.. and he knows that

lets wait till June end and if by then his numbers are not rising i say he needs to change his approach or get a lighter bat or something..

 

btw a700 you compare him to Pujols/Tiexera who are having a super drought of a season too!

AGon has more RBIs and OBP compared to them atleast.

 

Never said that I don't expect him to come around. Its waiting for him to do it that is getting old; that act, the one he is performing right now, that is getting old. I expect that soon he will start tearing the cover off the ball and no one will be able to get him out for a few weeks. That said, his team needs him NOW. The team is buried in last place six games out of first place. Gonzalez and everyone else on the team has to look at themselves in the mirror and get out and DO THE JOB.

[a700hitter]

Actually' date=' from the ASB to the end of last season his OPS was .893. I would take that. Gotta be fair about this. Its THIS year's performance that is concerning.[/quote']I need a few more bombs out of a first baseman for $154 million, but that is just me.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I don't know what act he is referring to' date=' but he has been underperforming since last year's All Star Break-- 4 months.[/quote']

 

Gonzalez had an .893 OPS after the ASB last year. He OPS'd .957 overall. Going into last season (and not counting his first 2 seasons which he didn't play consistently), he had a career OPS of .888. His career OPS+ (park adjusted) was 141, and taking the first 2 seasons out of the equation actually help the numbers (sub .700 OPS in each of his first 2 seasons).

 

People want to crush him for September. Well, in September all he did was hit .318 with a .977 OPS.

 

I mean, my question is what the hell do you people expect from him? Yes. He's in a power slump. He hit 10 HR after the ASB last season, which is a pace for 24 HR over a 162 game stretch. He hit 27 overall last year.

 

Yes, last year he had 8 HR by the 38th game. But that's also because he went on a tear and hit 7 in 10 games. Do we really all of a sudden think he's incapable of going on the same tear??

 

Come on guys. People expect him to be a 1.000+ OPS guy. He was in the MVP voting last year, and came in 7th. So he was the 7th best player in the MLB, 6th of all position players, and 1st among all 1st Basemen (Cabrera was above him, but he's a 3rd baseman now, semantics).

 

It's just a ridiculous argument. It's one of those things where we watched him last year and he was extremely streaky. He'd hit 7 in 10 games, then he'd go 15 or 20 games without one. It's just the type of player he is.

 

He'll hit his HR. His numbers will be there by the end of the year. So why don't we acknowledge that, and be thankful that this team has grinded out 6 wins and 7 games, and understand that for Gonzo to get to his numbers, he's going to have to do it in a shortened season at this point which is good for us, because we survived without him. Now this team can make a big push with him hitting, which he will do.

 

I'll place a sig bet with any person on here that Gonzalez will hit over .300 this year with over 110 RBI and over 30 HR. Anyone.

[a700hitter]

I'll place a sig bet with any person on here that Gonzalez will hit over .300 this year with over 110 RBI and over 30 HR. Anyone.

Make it 35 HR and I'll take the bet. Most of us expected that he would be a 35+ HR guy when we got him. Right now, we have a Paul Konerko type player for almost twice the price.