2013 Spring Training

[BSN07]

Bard seems like a headcase still. It doesn't help the media is following him every day and prodding they do doesn't help. Give him 2 months to work it out before a change of scenery is needed.

 

His velocity is back close to where it was but he is struggling to find a rhythm. I believe he went through the same thing when first trying to convert to the BP from being a SP when he was coming up in the minors. I agree that he should get more time to sort it out in the minors. He has options and power arms don't grow on trees. So sticking him in AAA this season to see if he sorts it out is not a big problem.

[reYoukilis]

From Scott Lauber's Twitter.

 

 

 

a700hitter is right, 2012 Bard is back. He was doing decent at the beginning of Spring Training, but now it seems he has taken a major step back his last two outings. The walks and hit batters has got to go. His control is still a huge concern.

 

He only had one bad outing hasnt he? He had a 0.00 ERA before the game against Baltimore where he raised his avg to 4.50. Wheres the other bad outing? Did he get relieved with bases loaded and get rescued?

 

If he got out of his own jam, I think we should hold judgement until he's had some more chances to redeem himself.

[seabeachfred]

If the Red Sox are determined to put this guy on the Major League 25 man roster and damn the critics, my take would be punch his ticket out of town. If, however, they start him out at Pawtucket where he most certainly belongs right now, I see no reason not to give him every chance to make it back to the show even though I still feel he is pretty much beyond hope. He could fool those of us who think this way, or he can prove us painfulluy right. Either way it doesn't hurt if he is in the minors either succeeding or failing. If he is failing with the Red Sox, it might be another case of the front office botching another thing up.

[Bellhorn04]

It's expected that the Red Sox will have Bard start the year in Pawtucket, and Mortensen will get the last spot in the pen for now.

 

Hanrahan

Uehara

Bailey

Miller

Tazawa

Aceves

Mortensen

 

When Breslow gets healthy he will take one of those spots. Morales will also be part of the picture when he gets healthy.

[jung]

Its a pretty tough spot for Bard. I still pretty much feel like they can not pressure him beyond just going out and trying to make his pitches. I just do not think he can do more than that. However, i can also see why it would be hard to give a guy a spot on the roster under those conditions. If he can go out there and throw and get outs and not go backwards while at Pawtucket if one of the guys on Bells list go down (bound to happen) I would not be reluctant at that point to give a shot. That does not mean I would bring him up and insert him into pressure packed, high leverage situations. I would let him come in and start clean innings and be a bridge to that later innings in games where the starter failed to get farther than three four or maybe five innings.

[Dojji]

I agree, I said at the outset that Bard should start in the minors.

 

I think Bradley should too, but with the exuberance he's generating from his strong spring, it looks like i'll have to be proven right.

[jung]

NESN has got the game today. My stuff says 1:30 in the afternoon but that sounds like an odd start time to me. Maybe if you're interested you might want to tune in at 1:05. Worse case you get a half hour of Sox talk from somebody....although you would think the Sox are gonna' be JBJ and 24 guys names Smith or Jones.:D

 

Watching the Mariners, Padres and MLB Net just flashed up what must be a tape delay announcement for the Sox game for 8:00 Eastern tonight.

[Station 13]

Bard is a complete mess who can't admit that he has issues to ironed out. He blames the lack of 'adrenaline' in a AA game for his struggles. He walked 2 and hits batter, got taken out the inning. Get this guy some help first, see some counseling.

[jung]

Did Bard give an interview after one of these stints 13? Just wondering what gained him entrance into the Bobby V Home for Terminally Whacked MLB Players.

 

I have to admit that even when Bard is at his worst, he tends to seem a little detached from it all. That is regardless of where he is pitching. There have been times when he has reminded me of one of the lines from "Silence of the Lambs". Somebody comments that "Lector's pulse never went above normal" as he was carving somebody up for lunch. In Bard's case he almost looks that sort of detached as batters are carted off to the waiting ambulances.

[BSN07]

Bard is a complete mess who can't admit that he has issues to ironed out. He blames the lack of 'adrenaline' in a AA game for his struggles. He walked 2 and hits batter, got taken out the inning. Get this guy some help first, see some counseling.

 

He's not the only guy to point to that as an issue. The excuse was valid for Paps and many others. Or is it only valid for P who had good season the year before?

 

idk I don't see it as impossible it's hard to get up for a AA game when you've been a high leverage late inning reliever in the majors. Yes he does have issues to iron out, but part of it could also be he's the type that needs that extra kick in the pants to get everything flowing.

[jung]

Just watching MLB Network's top 50 prospects show. They have JBJ coming in at #32...Barnes just a little lower.

 

They have not gotten to the top 20 yet. Will be interested to see if they rank a Sox prospect higher than JBJ at 32.

[Station 13]

He's not the only guy to point to that as an issue. The excuse was valid for Paps and many others. Or is it only valid for P who had good season the year before?

 

idk I don't see it as impossible it's hard to get up for a AA game when you've been a high leverage late inning reliever in the majors. Yes he does have issues to iron out, but part of it could also be he's the type that needs that extra kick in the pants to get everything flowing.

 

He's here to get himself straightened out. At this moment he can't pitch in anything more than a blowout game. Why don't he just go about his business when called upon: get hitters out. Block out everything else. That's step one on the road to recovery.

 

If he can't do that, then he need a change of scenery.

[Station 13]

Did Bard give an interview after one of these stints 13? Just wondering what gained him entrance into the Bobby V Home for Terminally Whacked MLB Players.

 

It's on WEEI.com

 

The excuses are just mind blowing.

[SoxSport]

Boy did they screw this guy up changing roles for him.

 

The Reds shouldn't risk the same with Chapman.

 

It's really a case of overmanaging--trying to fix what isn't broke. It's done all the time with pitching these days.

[BSN07]

Just watching MLB Network's top 50 prospects show. They have JBJ coming in at #32...Barnes just a little lower.

 

They have not gotten to the top 20 yet. Will be interested to see if they rank a Sox prospect higher than JBJ at 32.

 

Bogaerts will be in the top 20.

 

 

Side note: MLBTR has a piece up about the Rangers being interested in Bailey. Pure speculation on my behalf but if the Rangers are serious maybe some sort of deal can be worked around Bailey for Moreland. He's a solid LHH to compliment to Napoli and Gomes. It also gives the Rangers a spot for Olt. Just a thought.

[Station 13]

Boy did they screw this guy up changing roles for him.

 

The Reds shouldn't risk the same with Chapman.

 

It's really a case of overmanaging--trying to fix what isn't broke. It's done all the time with pitching these days.

 

It must be a shock still for him outside looking at the window with just 8 days to opening day. They given him time since last June to get his s*** together and he still has not. Part of it is his head is not in the right place.

[jung]

I think when they got to it Bogaerts came in at exactly #20 on the list.

[Station 13]

Middlebrooks is killing the ball this spring.

[redsoxrules]

Boy did they screw this guy up changing roles for him.

 

The Reds shouldn't risk the same with Chapman.

 

It's really a case of overmanaging--trying to fix what isn't broke. It's done all the time with pitching these days.

 

Bard screwed himself up, he's the one who wanted to be a starter .

I'd be a headcase too if I was him at this point as he f***ed himself over with Millions of dollars for his future because he made the wrong choice.

[mvp 78]

Bard screwed himself up, he's the one who wanted to be a starter .

I'd be a headcase too if I was him at this point as he f***ed himself over with Millions of dollars for his future because he made the wrong choice.

 

If a prospect flames out = FO's fault

 

If a player is injured = FO's fault

 

OF drops a can of corn = FO's fault

 

Player goes 0-5 = FO's fault

 

Rainout = FO's fault

[Station 13]

This Ellsbury+Victorino so far is ghastly to watch in spring. Bad AB, worse results.

[iortiz]

If a prospect flames out = FO's fault

 

If a player is injured = FO's fault

 

OF drops a can of corn = FO's fault

 

Player goes 0-5 = FO's fault

 

Rainout = FO's fault

 

Yup, it is their fault. They choose the players.

[a700hitter]

Yup, it is their fault. They choose the players.

I guess it must be the fault of the fans for putting too much pressure on them.

[mvp 78]

No, sometimes it's just the players' fault or s*** luck.

 

I didn't think I'd have to spell it out for you numbnuts.

[User Name]

How do these people function?

[jung]

Luck..you make your own luck. I just got back from a visit to the local "Cliches' are Us" store and bought a few on sale. Can't ya' tell?

[a700hitter]

"Luck is the residue of design." Branch Rickey

 

Good organizations seem to experience more good luck than inferior organizations. Bad organizations and their fans whine about bad luck. A 162 game season evens out the breaks. Bad luck is the most pathetic loser's lament.

[seabeachfred]

It must be a shock still for him outside looking at the window with just 8 days to opening day. They given him time since last June to get his s*** together and he still has not. Part of it is his head is not in the right place.

 

And the odds are strong that it may take a lot of time before Bard gets his s*** together. Since baseball is also a mental game whatever Daniel's ability does for him is cancelled out by his head being up his ass and I think it would be idiotic for anyone to still insist that his and Cherington's decision to make him a starting pitcher last season was a good idea. It was a disastrous decision and we may have another Craig Hansen on our hands. You can't always blame the front office for everything that goes wrong but the Bard thing you can certainly lay on them.

[seabeachfred]

"Luck is the residue of design." Branch Rickey

 

Good organizations seem to experience more good luck than inferior organizations. Bad organizations and their fans whine about bad luck. A 162 game season evens out the breaks. Bad luck is the most pathetic loser's lament.

 

Once again we see a complete reluctance to place any blame on the those running the team for the disaster that has engulfed our team the past four seasons. Certainly you can't blame them for some of the injuries we've sustained, though you could hang the medical staff with it, but some decisions boggle the mind. We all knew that Papelbon was gone when the 2011 season was over because the front office was not going to hand him such a contract as the Phillies did. The guy who might have moved into the closer's role was Bard. We will never know how he would have done but it is too much to expect that he was the heir apparent? Instead Cherington and Bard himself decide to turn the guy into a starting pitcher. He's been sucking wind since.

 

Well that's piss down the porcelan and we have to hope these kind of haired brain decisions are a thing of the past. For the good of all our sanity Ted we have to just put the past behind us and look ahead to what we hope will be better days.

[SoxSport]

Bard screwed himself up, he's the one who wanted to be a starter .

I'd be a headcase too if I was him at this point as he f***ed himself over with Millions of dollars for his future because he made the wrong choice.

 

Yeah, he didn't object to the change--though he had failed at starting in the minors. That should have been a flag for the FO, but they seemed intent on saving money by not signing a FA starter, and trading for a closer.

 

Fortunately, Chapman said he wanted to close, so that sealed the decision for him.