5/15 @ Tampa

[SoxFanForsyth]

Alright clowns. It's time for a lineup shuffle. Do it, Farrell.

 

I'm tired of this stupid losing. We got the top 2 guys going for us tonight and tomorrow.

 

I'm calling it now. This team is going to go streaking. Starting tonight. At least 7 wins in a row.

[Bellhorn04]

Alright clowns. It's time for a lineup shuffle. Do it, Farrell.

 

I'm tired of this stupid losing. We got the top 2 guys going for us tonight and tomorrow.

 

 

Not unless you consider Doubront one of our top 2 - he's going tomorrow night.

 

Sorry to get your thread off to a crappy start like that.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Not unless you consider Doubront one of our top 2 - he's going tomorrow night.

 

Sorry to get your thread off to a crappy start like that.

 

Aw crap. I forgot about that.

 

Bruins game tomorrow fellas.

[redsoxfan3]

Aw crap. I forgot about that.

 

Bruins game tomorrow fellas.

 

haha, I am just happy I will be working tomorrow night. Fortunately, the restaurant I work at will have both games on. Let's just hope we get a W tonight, then we will worry about tomorrow night when it comes. We really need to figure out something. If Doubront shits his pants one more time, then it is time to give Webster one more chance, then if he completely sucks again, we really need to look at potential trades for another starter.

[mvp 78]

Alright clowns. It's time for a lineup shuffle. Do it, Farrell.

 

Cafardo said as much today. His only idea was to have Pedey hit 2nd.

[SoxFanForsyth]

haha, I am just happy I will be working tomorrow night. Fortunately, the restaurant I work at will have both games on. Let's just hope we get a W tonight, then we will worry about tomorrow night when it comes. We really need to figure out something. If Doubront shits his pants one more time, then it is time to give Webster one more chance, then if he completely sucks again, we really need to look at potential trades for another starter.

 

Even after last start, I still very much think that Webster is a superior option than Doubront.

 

And honestly, I don't think it's close.

[BSN07]

He got the controversy going and kept the bats warm at the beginning of the season, the teams in a funk and it's time once again for...

 

http://cdn1.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/joboo.jpg

 

Joboo mojo!!!!!!!

[redsoxfan3]

Our lineup for tonight:

 

Ellsbury CF

Victorino RF

Pedroia 2B

Ortiz DH

Napoli 1B

Gomes LF

Middlebrooks 3B

Saltalamacchia C

Drew SS

Pitching: LHP Jon Lester (5-0, 2.73).

[jung]

This discussion started in last night's game thread but while I go to the game threads as long as there are posts to read there, I really don't know what everybody else does.

 

Looking at the numbers for April and May, while it looks like we are leaving a ton of guys on base and that it is the LOB numbers that are at the center of our run scoring problem, LOB is actually deceiving.

 

We had 188 LOB for April while scoring 135 runs in 26 games. At the half way mark of May we have 98 LOB but have only scored 47 runs. So while our LOB rate is only slightly higher in May we are scoring far fewer runs. At this pace we will only score 94 runs for the month. Runs scored has tumbled off a cliff but LOB is only slightly higher. We will leave 12 more runners on base for a whole month at this pace but will end up short a whooping 41 runs for a month.

 

So 29 of those 41 runs (41-12) are locked up in run scoring opportunities that we are not creating this month because we are putting fewer guys out there on the bass paths. Hence it is not really LOB that is the problem for this offense.

 

Where are all those other runs? They are not in HR's. We are actually hitting HR's at a slightly better pace in May than in April. We had 26 total HR's in April. We have 16 HR's so far in May. We are hitting more 1 run HR's in May than we did in April. 17 out of the 26 April HR's were of the 1 run variety. 11 out of the 16 May HR's have been 1 run HR's at the half way mark. So the missing runs are not in HR's either. Although a clue to the problem is in the number of 1 run HR's we are hitting in May as compared to April.

 

We look at the LOB number as the cause of our run scoring problem. But, if LOB is about the same, and our HR rate is actually higher then we are simply not putting runners out there on the base paths at the same rate in May that we were in April.

 

As for what happens to us as fans, it is only human nature. When you are desperate for runs, you really miss every runner that gets on that does not score. But as you can see from the numbers, the number of runners we are putting out there in the first place is the bigger problem by far. Actually in the interest of accuracy, I should say it is by far the bigger difference from April's success to May's lack of success. If you think about it, these numbers fall more in line with some of the comments we have made about the offensive approach changing. The fact that we are hitting 1 run HR's at a higher rate and putting fewer runners out there on the base paths to begin with are numbers that substantiate that concern. We gotta' go back to what we were doing in April. We are not doing it now.

[redsoxfan3]

Even after last start, I still very much think that Webster is a superior option than Doubront.

 

And honestly, I don't think it's close.

 

That is fine with me. If we can get decent starts from Webster, that is a huge step forward over just throwing out Doubront out there for batting practice. All I know that if Doubront completely sucks again tomorrow, then it is time to find a replacement. Webster is the next option. I am all for giving him the opportunity.

 

Also, how close is Morales? I know he is in the process of rehab and that they are stretching him out. I wonder if he might get a realistic opportunity down the road.

 

We are out of options with Doubront, so it is either stick him in the pen, try to trade him, or DFA him. The trade options for him would be laughable. If we DFA him, somebody is probably going to pick him up.

[Bellhorn04]

Tonight is the night for some Gomes Magic!

[Bellhorn04]

Orioles lost anyway...

[jung]

Bell if you mean Gomes is going to position himself back in the clubhouse with Aladdin's Lamp, a rabbit's foot, a four leaf clover and a horse shoe trying to make with the magic, I believe you. If you are saying he is going to be magical in the batter's box.......mehhhhhhh.....not so sure.

[WMB16]

Tonight is the night for some Gomes Magic!

 

Yeah maybe if he was in AAA. Same shot lineup just a new day.

[Thunder]

Price has struggled this year, and typically struggles against the Sox. Lets hope that continues! We need a big performance from Jonny though.

[jung]

Honestly I don't know why we continue to sit Nava for Gomes. Yes, Nava seems to do better from the left side. However Gomes has not been either as reliable in the field nor as solid at the plate and this team is struggling to win games right now. Last time I said that, Gomes hit a HR his first time up. So maybe my big mouth will come in handy again tonight.

 

As for Carp, they would do just as well to buy Carp a pair of cement overshoes and dump him into the Charles River. He is not getting even a sniff of a place in the lineup even for a game.

 

I really don't think there is a reason to panic but I do not consider shuffling the lineup a bit being in panic mode. I would consider it an effort to get back to the offensive approach they had in April.

 

Farrell admitted today that there are cases where hitters are getting "frustrated" and changing their approach. However honestly I think there were some changes going on before frustration would have set in. I just think guys sort of abandoned something that takes a fair amount of discipline to maintain. That is really the thing in my mind that separates that ******* Joe Maddon from other managers. That Rays team is always offensively disciplined. They may not be offensively good but they are always disciplined.

[TylerD]

Won't catch the game tonight have to follow on my phone. Please get. Win anyway you can.

[Station 13]

Ellsbury just can't square up the ball.

[Beaneater]

Totally agree with you, Jung. Nava is better than Gomes at everything, from what I can tell. It's like they decided before the season that LF would be a platoon, so a platoon it is.

 

Nava has won the starter's job, in my opinion. And especially with what you underlined earlier about our inability to get on base this month, why not go with the guy who has the .857 OBP (or something like that -- haven't checked the numbers recently ).

[SoxFanForsyth]

Lester does not appear to have a whole lot of control tonight. He's thrown two middle middle FB's to Jennings.

[Station 13]

Their lead off guy sees 10 pitches, ours can't f***ing hit a softball right now.

[jung]

Lester does not appear to have a whole lot of control tonight. He's thrown two middle middle FB's to Jennings.

 

This is clearly going to be one of those dangerous 1st innings for Lester

[Beaneater]

I know there's a Yankees gamethread, but it's worth noting that Hughes has given up 6 runs while recording only one out. That will damage your ERA.

[Station 13]

Phil Hughes got ran over with a touchdown.

[Beaneater]

Scratch that -- 7 run rule achieved for Hughes. Took him all of two outs to get there.

[jacksonianmarch]

I know there's a Yankees gamethread, but it's worth noting that Hughes has given up 6 runs while recording only one out. That will damage your ERA.

 

7 runs with 2 outs. At least the ERA is dropping, lol. He's got nothing tonight

[jung]

Their lead off guy sees 10 pitches, ours can't f***ing hit a softball right now.

 

Our lead off hitter is a pseudo-lead off hitter. Has never generated enough walks to hit lead off. Some day the Sox might figure this out. Obviously this is not the day.

[Station 13]

Our lead off hitter is a pseudo-lead off hitter. Has never generated enough walks to hit lead off. Some day the Sox might figure this out. Obviously this is not the day.

 

Pedroia would make a good lead off hitter if he wasn't so anal about the phobia of being the first batter in a game.

[jung]

Jeez Lester is catching too much plate tonight so far

[Station 13]

James Loney, really?