2013 Spring Training

[seabeachfred]

Aceves reportedly was a model citizen today and spoke highly of Farrell. I think Farrell can keep him in line.

 

Well Bell I hope your right, and Farrell better keep him in line. One advantage we may have this season is that our clubhouse seems to now be made up of some pretty classy people with only Aceves left from the troublemakers and bad actors. Even Lester seems to be ready to move on and do the job he was intended to do. With a tough early schedule it is very important that the team come out of ST with renewed spirit and a determined "can do" persona.

[jung]

I wish these college/Sox squad games were on NESN today. A bunch of the pitchers are going to get an inning each.....probably just indicative of severe Sox baseball starvation on my part.

 

Almost broke down and watched Australian Baseball on some damned channel a few days ago but realized it was not going to do anything to stop the "shakes".

[jung]

Interesting comment from BC regarding Napoli and Ortiz today. Napoli is "a bit ahead of Ortiz" at the moment. Ortiz was just on the air saying he is ready to go. So how is he behind Napoli in progress and ready to go at the same time? Would be good to see Ortiz actually running but I suspect he is not ready for that yet regardless of what he is saying.

[Dom]

""It was just miscommunication. That's all it was," Aceves said. "I apologized for that and now we're on track." Red Sox manager John Farrell said Aceves "had a very good day" Wednesday and was "focused." Rumors had surfaced that Boston was growing tired of Aceves' antics and considering releasing him, but it appears all is well for now."

[Dom]

Bard just struck out the side throwing 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes. Peter Abraham said a scout texted him saying Bard hit 94 on the radar gun. That's encouraging.

[a700hitter]

Bard just struck out the side throwing 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes. Peter Abraham said a scout texted him saying Bard hit 94 on the radar gun. That's encouraging.

Two-thirds strikes is a good sign. Velocity-wise, we'll have to see if he can pump 97-98 bu the end of camp. 94 for the first day out is fine.

[Palodios]

I don't think there is anything that would make me happier than to see Bard prove his naysayers wrong. Especially those throwing around nonsense like "His career is over".

[Station 13]

94 on the first pitch is encouraging. What we need is more details such as movement. When he get his fastball right, he gets groundballs. He struck out the side so we don't know yet if his fastball has sink to it. But K'd the side is great regardless, including a looking on the slide piece.

[mvp 78]

I don't think there is anything that would make me happier than to see Bard prove his naysayers wrong. Especially those throwing around nonsense like "His career is over".

 

Ben the boob ruined this kid's career by having him start!!!

[VA Sox Fan]

Ben the boob ruined this kid's career by having him start!!!

 

Dump Aceves ASAP!!!!!!!

[BSN07]

I don't think there is anything that would make me happier than to see Bard prove his naysayers wrong. Especially those throwing around nonsense like "His career is over".

 

Me too

[SoxSport]

I see Dan Shaughnessy has decided to go after the "Teflon" GM Ben Cherington. Ben probably made as many mistakes his first GM year as any average poster fan could have made in the job. And Henry could have gotten them for a lot cheaper--and found a few better ones.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/02/21/ben-cherington-due-for-some-blame-pie/kRESv1oZE48ZleT36uKQAI/story.html

 

We'll see if going after quantity instead of quality in FAs was a better way to eat up the Dodger money.

 

I hope Ben says a prayer that Bard returns to form. And Bailey doesn't get hit by a meteor.

[Station 13]

http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2013/02/21/daniel-bard-after-outing-i-feel-like-i-have-something-to-prove/

 

Has a reliever get gotten this much scrutiny? If Bard sneezes while on the mound, they want to know more about it.

[Bellhorn04]

I see Dan Shaughnessy has decided to go after the "Teflon" GM Ben Cherington. Ben probably made as many mistakes his first GM year as any average poster fan could have made in the job. And Henry could have gotten them for a lot cheaper--and found a few better ones.

 

Shaughnessy being ridiculous as only he can. Cherington got a free pass in Year 1 but there's plenty of heat on him this year. Anybody that reads message boards knows this.

[Dom]

I closed the link as soon as I realized who the writer was.

[jung]

Shaughnessy and Felger are constantly vying with each other for most outrageous Boston Media guy. They are probably neck and neck.

[Dom]

Bogaerts has gone 0-for-3 with 5 men LOB. DFA him to make room for Iglesias.

[BSN07]

Bogaerts has gone 0-for-3 with 5 men LOB. DFA him to make room for Iglesias.

 

[BSN07]

Bard must have been pitching from 30 ft. No way in hell he learned to pitch again. Can't believe they didn't bring back Atchinson...

[seabeachfred]

I don't think there is anything that would make me happier than to see Bard prove his naysayers wrong. Especially those throwing around nonsense like "His career is over".

 

Yes there is Palodios.....The Red Sox shocking the baseball world by stealing the AL East this season would make you a lot happier than Bard proving me and others wrong who say he is done. And I would be totally elated if that came to pass. His 94MPH on his heater was encouraging today and for the record, I love hearing good news. I want to hear a lot of that kind of news this season.

[Palodios]

Bard must have been pitching from 30 ft. No way in hell he learned to pitch again. Can't believe they didn't bring back Atchinson...

 

In all fairness, I wanted them both.

 

Yes there is Palodios.....The Red Sox shocking the baseball world by stealing the AL East this season would make you a lot happier than Bard proving me and others wrong who say he is done. And I would be totally elated if that came to pass. His 94MPH on his heater was encouraging today and for the record, I love hearing good news. I want to hear a lot of that kind of news this season.

 

I suppose that would. It was really just an expression.

[seabeachfred]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

In all fairness, I wanted them both.

 

 

 

I suppose that would. It was really just an expression.

 

I knew there was no rancor in that post of yours Palodios, and be sure that if Bard does get his stuff together and has a nice comeback season you can throw all the razberries at me that you can. I would much rather be wrong about a player and see him do well than accurately predict doom for the guy and be right. I mean, what the hell good does that do for our Red Sox? It would be a hoot if we could have a solid Spring Training with no controversies, no bad vibes, no incidents that threaten the well being of the team's morale, and able to enter the regular season on a high. That would be a refreshing change of pace from the past few seasons, wouldn't you think?

[jopete19]

I am going to go off on a rant. Brace yourselves....

 

I am not a supporter of Iglesias. Sure his glove can save us 2 runs a game, (coming from a WEEI listener) but if you hit .118 in 68 at bats then you don't deserve to play in the majors. Now, I know some people will say that isn't enough of a sample size to judge him on. Well, we all know he can't hit a broad side of a barn.

 

Xander Bogaerts is moving to third, "for the WBC". If Middlebrooks goes down with an injury I bet Bogaerts plays third, but if Drew goes down I bet 100% that Iglesias comes up. I don't understand why our fans are so in love with Iglesias. Aviles wasn't the greatest defensive shortstop but he did his job and could (kinda) hit. I know Bogaerts isn't the greatest defensive shortstop and know he needs to develop a bit more, I just think that he would do a way better job than Jose.

[jung]

Whose to say that Bard simply suffers the largest swings in performance of any pitcher we have ever seen. No pitcher is the same pitcher all season long. Surely the really good pitchers are more consistently good and the very best pitchers are more consistently excellent and are mostly very good the rest of the time. Their periods of drop off are relatively short. However their drop offs can be pretty deep. Verlander can totally suck.....for a game or two and then he is back to being your basic animal.

 

Seems to me that most of the things coaches have tried with Bard have been efforts to try to make things simpler for him, making it harder for him to lose it. Bard actually enjoyed marginal success as a starter last year right up till the point when he started to really make an effort to transition from his reliever mind set of just going out there and getting outs until somebody comes to get you off the mound to more of a starters mind set of working his way through lineups and innings. The minute he started to talk about things like letting down with two outs in an inning and not preparing himself well enough for the second time through lineups he just fell totally to pieces. The season ended before he ever got Humpty Dumpty back together again.

 

Bard can probably have some sort of a career if the team he pitches for keeps it simple for him all the time. Starting is obviously a complication he simply has no way to handle. I suspect closing would create a similar problem, maybe not as severe. Keeping it simple may not be the only key to getting something out of Bard but I suspect that if you don't start with that, chances are you really don't get anything out of him for any length of time that is meaningful.

[SoxSport]

It appears Aceves' agent reminded him that his $2.65 million salary is not guaranteed this year.

Since he made only $1.2 million last year, he can hardly afford not to be on his best behavior this spring, and give his utmost effort. In fact, a lot of folks in his shoes would kiss Farrell's feet every morning to make that kind of money. Maybe his agent reminded him of that, too. There's a side of sports these days that's more fantasy than fantasy sports.

[RedSoxNC84]

Bard must have been pitching from 30 ft. No way in hell he learned to pitch again. Can't believe they didn't bring back Atchinson...

 

As much as I wouldn't mind Atchison, where would he go? The bullpen is absolutely crammed right now.

 

It appears Aceves' agent reminded him that his $2.65 million salary is not guaranteed this year.

Since he made only $1.2 million last year, he can hardly afford not to be on his best behavior this spring, and give his utmost effort. In fact, a lot of folks in his shoes would kiss Farrell's feet every morning to make that kind of money. Maybe his agent reminded him of that, too. There's a side of sports these days that's more fantasy than fantasy sports.

 

I really hope this guy gets his s*** together this year and realizes that he isn't some ace closer or top of the rotation starter. His place is in the bullpen, as the longarm. Although I think I'd rather have him as the spot starter than Morales.

[Bellhorn04]

It appears Aceves' agent reminded him that his $2.65 million salary is not guaranteed this year.

Since he made only $1.2 million last year, he can hardly afford not to be on his best behavior this spring, and give his utmost effort. In fact, a lot of folks in his shoes would kiss Farrell's feet every morning to make that kind of money. Maybe his agent reminded him of that, too. There's a side of sports these days that's more fantasy than fantasy sports.

 

You're right, 2.65 million is a serious chunk of change compared to what Aceves has made before this year.

[jung]

It looks like the Saturday game against the Rays will be televised on a delay basis by NESN. The game will be on radio at 1:35. Not sure what time they are going to show the game. Looks like the first live TV game will be Wednesday next week against Baltimore......FINALLY

[SoxFanForsyth]

It looks like the Saturday game against the Rays will be televised on a delay basis by NESN. The game will be on radio at 1:35. Not sure what time they are going to show the game. Looks like the first live TV game will be Wednesday next week against Baltimore......FINALLY

 

According to the tv guide, NESN is showing the Rays/Sox game at 1:35 on Saturday afternoon. They'll also be showing it later that night as a replay, but it will be aired live on Saturday afternoon.

[BSN07]

As much as I wouldn't mind Atchison, where would he go? The bullpen is absolutely crammed right now.

 

 

 

I really hope this guy gets his s*** together this year and realizes that he isn't some ace closer or top of the rotation starter. His place is in the bullpen, as the longarm. Although I think I'd rather have him as the spot starter than Morales.

 

I was jk. I'm a Bard supporter. I'm making fun of the tools around here that are under the impression he will never be able to pitch again after a failed attempt at trying to become a SP.