June 3, 2012: Red Sox @ Blue Jays

[SoxFanForsyth]

Bard vs Hutchison.

 

Brooms.

[redsoxbeatz]

win wIN WIN!!!

 

How many walks will bard have? taking bets.

[Palodios]

Better yet, the Yankees face Verlander today. A win today, and a Yankee loss puts the Red Sox ahead of them in the division.

 

Just win.

[VA Sox Fan]

RED SOX (28-25)

 

Podsednik CF

Nava LF

Gonzalez 1B

Ortiz DH

Youkilis 3B

Sweeney RF

Aviles SS

Punto 2B

Shoppach C

 

Pitching: RHP Daniel Bard (5-5, 4.56)

[Station 13]

win wIN WIN!!!

 

How many walks will bard have? taking bets.

 

Against a free swinging lineup, he'd better not walk anybody.

[Station 13]

RED SOX (28-25)

 

Podsednik CF

Nava LF

Gonzalez 1B

Ortiz DH

Youkilis 3B

Sweeney RF

Aviles SS

Punto 2B

Shoppach C

 

Pitching: RHP Daniel Bard (5-5, 4.56)

 

Middle of order going to have to come up big here.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Middle of order going to have to come up big here.

 

Seems like that's what we always say, then guys like Punto and Nava come up with a 3-4 or 4-5 game.

 

It's time that Gonzo carries the team. The torch shall now be passed.

[NativeBostonian]

If the Red Sox get it, would this be the first sweep of the year?

[Cocos Disciples]

If the Red Sox get it' date=' would this be the first sweep of the year?[/quote']

 

They swept the Twins on the road in April, and a two-game set from Seattle.

[Bellhorn04]

Seems like that's what we always say, then guys like Punto and Nava come up with a 3-4 or 4-5 game.

 

It's time that Gonzo carries the team. The torch shall now be passed.

 

It would be very nice to see him go deep today. Rogers Centre is a good place for him to do it. As we saw with Punto going upper deck.

[Brennan]

Maybe the division blows so much as a whole this season that the Sox climb on top? The new york jack offs are about as complete as they are gonna be this season and we can only get better. TB loses an arm or two and their done. Can only hope for the best now.

[a700hitter]

Every team in the division has serious flaws. Tampa has great starting pitching -- that is its strength. There offense is not very good, especially without Long and Jennings. Matsui could be a nice pickup for them. Their bullpen is nothing special.

 

The Yankees have a so-so rotation with Pineda being injured and Hughes continued inconsistency, but they have a powerhouse offense. Their bullpen is still strong, but it took a major hit with Mo going down.

 

The Orioles are vastly improved. They have good balance, but are not spectacular in any aspect of the game. Their offense is pretty strong, but not on a level with the Yanks, Sox or Toronto. Their starting pitching has done surprisingly well, but they are not deep at all, and the talent level there is not high. They lack a big stud in the rotation. Their bullpen looks pretty good.

 

Toronto has a very strong dangerous linup. Encarnacion is coming into his own, but Bautista is still looking for his stroke. Their starting pitching with Morrow, Romero and Alvarez is decent but not deep, but their pen is weak.

 

Because each team has some big weaknesses, the Sox are able to stay close playing what is really a band of misfits. The Sox rotation has the capability of being the best in the division with the emergence of Doubront. That plus four excellent offensive players: Ortiz, Youk, Pedroia and Gonzo could carry them through on a nice streak even while a lot of guys are on the DL.

[VA Sox Fan]

One thing that worries me about today's game is that no one on the Sox has faced the Jays pitcher, Drew Hutchinson. That tends to be a challenge.

[evilhand]

If they can get healthy, I think there's an argument for the Sox being the best team in baseball. The problem is, they can never seem to actually get healthy. At some point you have to look at the ability to stay healthy as a skill of sorts, and the Sox are lacking in that department.

 

That said, the timing of the injuries this year, and the ability to weather them so far has me hoping for a perfect storm type finish where they get the majority of their injured players back in time to gear up for the playoffs and go on a run.

[SoxFanForsyth]

One thing that worries me about today's game is that no one on the Sox has faced the Jays pitcher' date=' Drew Hutchinson. That tends to be a challenge.[/quote']

 

Well, he's got a 4.84 ERA, and he throws about 91-92. That's pretty good hitting speed for the Sox. I think they will unload on this guy.

[VA Sox Fan]

Well' date=' he's got a 4.84 ERA, and he throws about 91-92. That's pretty good hitting speed for the Sox. I think they will unload on this guy.[/quote']

 

I hope you're right.

[KCBRUIN]

2 games out after a horrendous start, and that's without Ellsbury, and Crawford. Now that the pitching is settling down for the most part when we're healthy I think we are gonna runaway with the division.

[evilhand]

Not just Ellsbury and Crawford... they're missing Matsuzaka, Bailey, Cody Ross and went a month without Youk in the lineup. None of that was in the game plan coming out of spring training.

[FredLynn]

If they can get healthy, I think there's an argument for the Sox being the best team in baseball. The problem is, they can never seem to actually get healthy. At some point you have to look at the ability to stay healthy as a skill of sorts, and the Sox are lacking in that department.

 

That said, the timing of the injuries this year, and the ability to weather them so far has me hoping for a perfect storm type finish where they get the majority of their injured players back in time to gear up for the playoffs and go on a run.

 

There is not a single team in baseball that is completely healthy. And the majority of our injuries have been to position players this year. Lackey and DiceK, whatever value you assign them, were hurt last year and were not part of this year's starting team. Fortunately, our starting five have remained fairly healthy. Their health is the key to any success our team has this year. We all saw what happened last year when we had to use our 7th and 8th SP options excessively.

Regardless, injuries should never be used as an excuse for failure. They are part of the game, a part the Red Sox do seem not to play well.

[redsoxbeatz]

No WMB but Punto & Podsednik? Interesting. Seems like V is crippling the lineup there more than helping it.

 

But like we've seen, these bench guys have really come through for us. But I'd like to see WMB in there.

[TylerD]

Bard looking a bit shaky to start things off. :s. needs to settle down a bit.

[FredLynn]

Bard had to open his big mouth about wanting to be left in games longer-then he walks the first guy he faces. All talk Bard.

[BornToRun]

Verlander is pissing all over himself.

[FredLynn]

MotorMouth Danny.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Well then.

[Station 13]

No control or velocity again.

[FredLynn]

Bard about to walk the bases loaded. And he wonders why V takes him out of games so soon.

[TylerD]

s***....

[SoxFanForsyth]

92 mph. Middle. Middle.

 

GTFO Bard. You're not a starter.

[Palodios]

Dicek -> rotation.

Bard -> bullpen.

 

== Win.