4/15 vs Tampa Bay

[BornToRun]

RBI is also almost entirely dependent on how much the guys in front of you get on base.

[User Name]

Doesn't matter how u measure it. It is what it is. It measures your capability to produce Rs. Easy. Great to have players that can produce runs this way like Napoli.

 

No, it really doesn't. Because you can't drive runs in if players don't get on base in front of you. RBI's are almost entirely dependent on your teammates.

 

Ask Mike Trout, who had an absolutely monster season last year, yet didn't drive in 100 runs. Hunter Pence sucked monkey balls and still drove 100 because he was hitting in the middle of the Giants' order.

[iortiz]

No, it really doesn't. Because you can't drive runs in if players don't get on base in front of you. RBI's are almost entirely dependent on your teammates.

 

Ask Mike Trout, who had an absolutely monster season last year, yet didn't drive in 100 runs. Hunter Pence sucked monkey balls and still drove 100 because he was hitting in the middle of the Giants' order.

 

Yup, but in the end you have to produce.

[a700hitter]

Nice start to the season. Another slow start would have been very disheartening. The top 3 starters look solid -- Buch and Lester have been great. The question is whether we will get acceptable performance from the 4th and 5th slots. Lackey already has gone down and he hasn't been able to play catch. Why did they skip Doubs spot?

[User Name]

Yup, but in the end you have to produce.

 

But so do the players in front of you, which is the point.

 

Now if you look at production with players on base, AND RBI, then you're talking.

[User Name]

Nice start to the season. Another slow start would have been very disheartening. The top 3 starters look solid -- Buch and Lester have been great. The question is whether we will get acceptable performance from the 4th and 5th slots. Lackey already has gone down and he hasn't been able to play catch. Why did they skip Doubs spot?

 

Wait, what? Lackey is set to resume throwing tomorrow.

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/15/john-lackey-cleared-to-resume-throwing/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[a700hitter]

Napoli would have been a very questionable add at $13M or whatever that was...at $5M he is an absolute steal. He has his issues but most power hitters do. The big dif is his cost is very very attractive for what he can produce. So I don't think he is the end all of power hitters. But how can you complain for $5M.

If he manages to stay on the field and not get injured, I believe that he will get very close to the $13 million, even if he hits .220.

[BornToRun]

If he can get on base at a mid .300's clip and hit for solid power, he'll be worth the 5 million. His average negligible compared to those two things.

[Bellhorn04]

If he can get on base at a mid .300's clip and hit for solid power, he'll be worth the 5 million. His average negligible compared to those two things.

 

If he stays healthy he gets $13 million. I hope he does.

[mvp 78]

Damn...

[iortiz]

Hopefully all posters which live in Boston are ok.

[kapsis21]

Hopefully all posters which live in Boston are ok.

 

did not know until you typed that. hoping the same as well.

[a700hitter]

If he can get on base at a mid .300's clip and hit for solid power, he'll be worth the 5 million. His average negligible compared to those two things.

Hard to have a mid .300's OBP if you bat .220. The point is that he gets $13 million whether he does good or bad. He just needs to suit up.

[jung]

Yes Napoli gets $13M just for suiting up but it is a one year deal. Do you think he will be satisfied with just suiting up? He has every incentive to play solid ball and do his thing. So I think the point is that if he cannot stay on the field, the Sox have gambled $5M. If he stays on the field, he very likely will be worth the $13 as he will be playing for a new contract someplace...maybe here...maybe not. Frankly when all is said and done, I would not be completely surprised if the Napoli deal from a Sox perspective ends up besting the Ortiz deal.

[Palodios]

Was looking at the power rankings today. Apparently everyone on the national level still has the Red Sox outside of the top 10. Hilarious!

[RedSoxNC84]

Was looking at the power rankings today. Apparently everyone on the national level still has the Red Sox outside of the top 10. Hilarious!

 

If it weren't for a few mistakes we would have a better record too

[Bellhorn04]

Hard to have a mid .300's OBP if you bat .220.

 

Napoli almost pulled it off last year. 227/343

[User Name]

Napoli almost pulled it off last year. 227/343

 

Adam Dunn hit .215/.354 in 2003. Napoli also did it in 2006, .228/.360, albeit in 99 games. Carlos Pena .225/.357 in 2011 and .227/.356 in 2009.

[a700hitter]

Napoli almost pulled it off last year. 227/343

It's very difficult to do.

[redsoxbeatz]

Was looking at the power rankings today. Apparently everyone on the national level still has the Red Sox outside of the top 10. Hilarious!

 

Well, they probably want a bigger sample size. Obviously us Boston fans are going to say, "f*** that" cause we love what we have seen so far this year.

 

Also, not everyone (on the national level) has them outside the top 10. You should check out Grantland.com -- their rankings are way, way better. Jonah Keri is really good.

 

anyway:

 

1. Atlanta Braves, 11-1 (+39 run differential ) (Last week: 6)

2. Oakland A's, 9-4 (+21) (LW: 4)

3. San Francisco Giants, 9-4 (+7) (LW: 9)

4. Texas Rangers, 8-5 (+10) (LW: 3)

5. Detroit Tigers, 7-5 (+21) (LW: 5)

6. St. Louis Cardinals, 7-5 (+27) (LW: 8)

7. Washington Nationals, 7-5 (-13) (LW: 2)

8. Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-4 (+17) (LW: 10)

9. Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-5 (+1) (LW: 7)

10. Boston Red Sox, 7-4 (+21) (LW: 13)

11. Cincinnati Reds, 5-7 (+6) (LW: 1)

12. New York Yankees, 6-5 (+13) (LW: 17)

13. Baltimore Orioles, 6-6 (+5) (LW: 14)

14. Kansas City Royals, 7-5 (+11) (LW: 19)

15. Toronto Blue Jays, 5-7 (-20) (LW: 12)

16. New York Mets, 7-4 (+24) (LW: 20)

17. Tampa Bay Rays, 4-7 (-18) (LW: 11)

18. Los Angeles Angels, 4-8 (-19) (LW: 15)

19. Philadelphia Phillies, 6-6 (-10) (LW: 21)

20. Colorado Rockies, 8-4 (+13) (LW: 22)

21. Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-6 (-7) (LW: 26)

22. Cleveland Guardians, 5-6 (-9) (LW: 18)

23. Chicago White Sox, 5-7 (-8) (LW: 16)

24. Seattle Mariners, 6-8 (-12) (LW: 24)

25. Chicago Cubs, 4-8 (-12) (LW: 25)

26. Minnesota Twins, 4-7 (-18) (LW: 23)

27. Milwaukee Brewers, 3-8 (-26) (LW: 27)

28. Houston Astros, 4-8 (-9) (LW: 30)

29. Miami Marlins, 2-10 (-26) (LW: 28)

30. San Diego Padres, 2-10 (-29) (LW: 29)

 

I don't totally disagree with these rankings given most teams have only played 12 games. Actually, I don't disagree with it at all. For right now, it looks solid. Next Monday will probably bring change.

[VA Sox Fan]

Lovin' your mojo King BTR!!

 

Under trying times, keep it going bro!

[Station 13]

Thank god for the walk off. This bullpen has been stressing me out. Now beat the f*** out of Tito team.

[Thunder]

Thank god for the walk off. This bullpen has been stressing me out. Now beat the f*** out of Tito team.

 

Thank god for the walk off because it made everyone in Boston happy just before the explosions. This is one of those moments where people turn to sports for comfort, like Piazza's HR after 9/11. I think the Guardians will try hard but Francona might let them win at least the first game. When they return home on Friday, I hope for another walk off or come from behind win to rejuvenate the city of Boston.

[YAZMAN]

Was looking at the power rankings today. Apparently everyone on the national level still has the Red Sox outside of the top 10. Hilarious!

 

It's a great start, IMO. We need to keep building on it.

[SoxSport]

I have to laugh when I look at the Oakland As. I don't know how Beane does it. They have a bunch of nobodies, but they win. Oh yeah, they have Cespedes. Good sign, Billy.

 

I would rank the Orioles higher. They look pretty good.

[SoxSport]

Nice start to the season. Another slow start would have been very disheartening. The top 3 starters look solid -- Buch and Lester have been great. The question is whether we will get acceptable performance from the 4th and 5th slots. Lackey already has gone down and he hasn't been able to play catch. Why did they skip Doubs spot?

 

Dempster is doing better than I thought, checking his numbers. Good enough today. Their pitching might be OK if Lackey and Doubront can give them .500 W-L or so. Webster figures to fit in there by June.

[SoxSport]

We just out-Rayed the Rays. They scored 3 runs in 3 games. Love it.

 

They finally figured out how to beat them---at their own game.

[Palodios]

I have to laugh when I look at the Oakland As. I don't know how Beane does it. They have a bunch of nobodies, but they win. Oh yeah, they have Cespedes. Good sign, Billy.

 

I would rank the Orioles higher. They look pretty good.

 

Cespedes is on the DL :/

[seabeachfred]

The Rays lineup is so bad that Dice-K could dominate them. I think Dempster has a solid one today, I'm saying 7 IP with 2 ER.

 

Pretty damn good BTR-----hey Ted, maybe you ought to start worrying about this lady. When she can come up with pearls like that you have to think you might have a battle on your hands. Great job.....that's about as close as you can get to perfection and it tells me that maybe Dempster could be that No. 3 starter we need so badly.

[seabeachfred]

Very nice start for Dempster.

 

Off topic: but with all this talk about Jackie Robinson, anybody seen the movie "42" yet? Ive been wanting to see it but haven't had the chance, it looks good.

 

I've seen it twice and will see it again Wednesday with my friend Stan. Well done but with a few inaccuracies. Robinson's homer at Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, 1947 did NOT clinch the pennant for Brooklyn. They won it around the 25th or 26th when the Cardinals lost a night game that put them on top. Gene Hermanski was a LH hitter, not a righty and Bragan was not the starting catcher, Bruce Edwards was. And key players like Joe Hatten, Pete Reiser, and Carl Furillo were never mentioned while Spider Jorgensen was only once.

 

You'll please pardon me for splitting hairs but when I was a kid living in Queens I was about as rabid a Dodger fan as I am now a Red Sox one.