8/29 @ Angels

[SoxSport]

Well, they certainly are trying their best to keep the Angels in the playoff hunt. The FO probably started this guy because they got him for Youkilis. But he isn't paying dividends tonite. I say the FO, because I think at this point Valentine is a non-factor--even less than earlier in the season.

[BOSOX11]

Local game for me, however I turned the channel after the first inning. Republican Convention and Big Brother provide more entertainment than this game.

[SoxSport]

But they did have Iggy bunting last night and he failed to do that and then failed to do anything positive that particular at bat.

 

Can't judge the kid on a few at bats or games. His AAA manager says he is an improved hitter. You look for what he does defensively. That's where he has to pay dividends.

And you play him in September--every game. And then again in ST. Same with Lav as catcher. Both these guys need some ML experience.

[jung]

Except as it relates to using the bullpen. V is a factor there. Funny, V seems to have been less effective using the bullpen when he has had more arms to rotate in than earlier in the season when he had what he had.

[wyo-sox]

Welcome to the bigs Stewart.

[wyo-sox]

Can't judge the kid on a few at bats or games. His AAA manager says he is an improved hitter. You look for what he does defensively. That's where he has to pay dividends.

And you play him in September--every game. And then again in ST. Same with Lav as catcher. Both these guys need some ML experience.

 

I'm not convinced I want to watch three ugly non productive at bats as I hope for one cool defensive play every five innings. We'll see.

[wyo-sox]

This game sort of indicates.....IT IS ALL ABOUT PITCHING

[Taz]

9-1... http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/images/smilies/31.gif

 

This just gets worse and worse.

[jung]

Can't judge the kid on a few at bats or games.

 

The point is not whether Iggy succeeded or not although he is really being overpowered up here so far...the point is the Sox were willing to give up the out in that particular instance. It is a factor of the team that you have. If you are always going to want for some big bopper to come up and hit a HR then you are very reluctant to give up outs. I have never quite seen the Sox as reluctant to move runners along than they were with the lineup they had earlier this year although they have always been somewhat reluctant as a consequence of being a team built to play in Fenway Park. They have no choice with this lineup. There are no boppers to wait for.

 

I have been as supportive of getting Iggy up here as anybody on this board. However he has to at least be somewhat better than a pitcher in a league that does not let pitchers bat. Right now he is about what a pitcher represents at the plate.

[Taz]

Tazawa into the game... long relief & hopefully hang a few zeros.

[wyo-sox]

I am enjoying the fan I can hear in the background. He's pretty funny.

[jung]

The shame of it tonight is that Steward lost them the game in three innings of work. So the pen will get worked in a losing effort in game where our starter gave us no shot....sound familiar?

[Emmz]

This game sort of indicates.....IT IS ALL ABOUT PITCHING

 

Yeah, the score doesn't show anything indicative about superior offense.

[wyo-sox]

Yeah, the score doesn't show anything indicative about superior offense.

 

What is that? Isn't that sort of two sides to the same coin? Don't you think either teams offensive numbers, nine or one, has anything to do with the quality of pitcher they were facing?

[a700hitter]

This season has been about the pitching. None of the injuries hurt the run production much except for Ortiz's injury, and by that time it was too late.

[a700hitter]

Pods brings a lot of tools and professionalism to the team.

[wyo-sox]

Here we go! Nice bat Dustin!!!

[wyo-sox]

Pods brings a lot of tools and professionalism to the team.

 

Here here

[jung]

As I have said before, all hitters are mistake pitch hitters with the better hitters doing more with the pitcher's mistakes than poor hitters will do. But it all starts with mistake pitches. You rarely see a game with more than one possibly two hits off a good pitch in a good location. it is all about the hitters doing what they can with the mistakes the pitchers make. Case in point, other than that Beckett start against Detroit way early this year, I am not sure I have seen a Sox pitcher make as many mistake pitches as we saw tonight in as short a span as three innings.

 

All hitters can be made to look pretty feeble if the pitchers do not make any mistakes. That if nothing else is why if you don't have pitching or maybe I should say competitive pitching, it does not matter what else you do have.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

People still make game threads lol

[jung]

Oh good Aceves is up again in the pen. Boy now I'm excited. I might get the chance to see V chasing him around The Big A with a bat in his hands looking to bop him with it.

[Taz]

This could be a long road trip... The A's currently are in pole position for one of the WC spots and even the Mariners, the worst of the 4 teams in the AL W, have a better record than us atm... http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/images/smilies/54.gif

 

On the bright side, it's almost September, so the expanded roster might see a few youngsters get a run out & we can gauge some new blood.

[jung]

I think I heard somewhere that of the 35 or so games remaining, only something like 12 of them are at home. This season is going to come crashing to an end. Remember when folks were wondering about whether we would be at 89 or 90 wins? Looks more like we will end up at 75-80 wins and we will have to fight tooth and nail to do that. UGLY

[Taz]

Aceves into the game... gives up a hit & then walks the next man up with 4 straight balls.

 

Can we just be done with this guy already?

[DocHolliday]

I think I heard somewhere that of the 35 or so games remaining, only something like 12 of them are at home. This season is going to come crashing to an end. Remember when folks were wondering about whether we would be at 89 or 90 wins? Looks more like we will end up at 75-80 wins and we will have to fight tooth and nail to do that. UGLY

 

Right now, we are looking at getting the 10th-12th pick in the draft next year. There are several teams in the NL (Phillies, Mets, Marlins, and Padres) who could possibly finish with a better record than us. I don't see us falling behind Cleveland, KC, or Minnesota. At best, we end up with the 7th or 8th pick in the draft next year.

 

Draft position is something I want to very rarely speak of again when trying to bring a positive light to the end of a season.

[Taz]

I think I heard somewhere that of the 35 or so games remaining, only something like 12 of them are at home. This season is going to come crashing to an end. Remember when folks were wondering about whether we would be at 89 or 90 wins? Looks more like we will end up at 75-80 wins and we will have to fight tooth and nail to do that. UGLY

 

Not even that... only 11 more games at Fenway:

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=bos#y=2012&m=9&calendar=DEFAULT

[Taz]

Well stick another nail in the coffin of 2012.

 

Really never had a chance after the first 3 innings from Stewart.

[kapsis21]

Well stick another nail in the coffin of 2012.

 

Really never had a chance after the first 3 innings from Stewart.

 

you are dedicated man for living in Scotland ..up late in the night and watching this BS team loose one game after another..

hats off to you!

[a700hitter]

Right now, we are looking at getting the 10th-12th pick in the draft next year. There are several teams in the NL (Phillies, Mets, Marlins, and Padres) who could possibly finish with a better record than us. I don't see us falling behind Cleveland, KC, or Minnesota. At best, we end up with the 7th or 8th pick in the draft next year.

 

Draft position is something I want to very rarely speak of again when trying to bring a positive light to the end of a season.

It's amazing to me that the Sox are among the worst teams in baseball. You have to really suck to be out of contention in August when there are 2 Wild Card spots available. We may not be a last place team, but that is only because Toronto lost their entire team to injury. We are definitely closer to a last place team than a playoff team. I guess those people who declared that we are not a last place team were right in a way, but they were way wrong about being a competitive team. The 2012 team is so bad that they are incapable of being even a good spoiler down the stretch like the 2011 Orioles. The 2012 Red Sox are patsies-- a team against which other teams can fatten their records and batting averages. We have pulled many teams out of slumps this season.

 

Am I excited about a high draft pick? No, I never want to have a high draft pick, because it means you suck and had no interesting baseball to watch for an entire season. Also, our guys are horrible talent evaluators. Benny thought Zach Stewart will be a big league starter for goodness sakes. Any team that he starts for will be a very bad team.

[Klare]

I also wonder about Aviles at DH. It seems like little papi. We'll see tonight.