2014 Spring Training Game Thread

[SoxSport]

Caught the game against the Orioles yesterday on MLB network. It's a pleasure to listen to the local team announcers in these games, in this case, the Red Sox, rather than those network announcers who feel obligated, it seems, to mention the Yankees every 5 minutes. Those of you that watch MLB network know what I mean.

 

Bradley and Bogaerts gave a very good account of themselves. A couple of hits each. Moreover, JBJ got his (at least the first one off the wall in left) against a lefty. A good sign. Bogaerts looks as polished at the plate and in the field as a shiny sportscar. Any thoughts of Drew disappear after watching this kid for 5 minutes. Middlebrooks I'm less sure about. Still a bit tentative at the plate trying to figure things out. That other kid Checcini? looks pretty good, and could give Will a run for his money if they want him to.Will has a power advantage, however, and looks good in the field. Britton looked real good, and should make it as a lefty out of the BP. Doubront, too, and Peavy's carelessness with fish knives could cost him.

 

The Sox are playing a lot of kids right now who won't make the team, so it's hard to assess performance based on W-L record. I mean like, 2 losses to the Twins? In this game, that scrub pitcher Farrell stayed with in the 9th almost gave the game to the Orioles' scrubs. Why ST games can be boring. They are "games" only to the media--for the coaches they are an opportunity to look at the young talent they have while the veterans get into shape. Some of it they won't see for the rest of the season. Looks like the positions to watch are CF, SS and 3B. You have to wonder where Sizemore will be at the end of the camp. Even if he makes it as a backup, it will be an accomplishment for him.

[Wasatch]

They were doing really good until the top of the 9th, glad they still won.

[Navafan29]

We're losing badly again.

[VA Sox Fan]

We're losing badly again.

 

It's Spring Training. It doesn't matter. They could lose every game and it doesn't matter.

[Palodios]

Except for the Mayor's Cup. The Mayor's Cup matters.

[seabeachfred]

Except for the Mayor's Cup. The Mayor's Cup matters.

 

HA!!!!! You've got to be kidding Pal. The two Spring Trainings I was down in Fort Myers no one seemed to give a hoot in hell about that cup so I know you're trying to get a laugh. The one thing I do fear though is that if we lose a ton of games in ST we could be sluggish at the start of the regular season as we were in 2011. Remember that one? At one point we lost 12 games in a row with our distracted manager Tito. Last season the Angels had an abominable pre-season record and were flattened almost from the start. In basketball the Lakers got off to an 0-8 pre season record in 2011-2012 and cratered, a process that continued all season. Coming out of ST with a mediocre record doesn't mean beans, but something like six or seven wins and over 20 losses certainly does in my opinion.

[wyo-sox]

It's just practice.

[Palodios]

HA!!!!! You've got to be kidding Pal. The two Spring Trainings I was down in Fort Myers no one seemed to give a hoot in hell about that cup so I know you're trying to get a laugh. The one thing I do fear though is that if we lose a ton of games in ST we could be sluggish at the start of the regular season as we were in 2011. Remember that one? At one point we lost 12 games in a row with our distracted manager Tito. Last season the Angels had an abominable pre-season record and were flattened almost from the start. In basketball the Lakers got off to an 0-8 pre season record in 2011-2012 and cratered, a process that continued all season. Coming out of ST with a mediocre record doesn't mean beans, but something like six or seven wins and over 20 losses certainly does in my opinion.

 

 

Hahaha, Remy is the only one who cares about the Mayor's Cup. The most common argument around here is that the early Spring Training games do not matter. The later games, when all your starters stay in the game and the real pitching is throwing, are still not that significant, but they matter more. Late Spring games also help bring momentum.

 

I pointed it out last year, but the Red Sox's pitching staff dominated 2013's Spring Training, and it shows how hard their work paid off -- especially Lester and Buch.

[SoxSport]

They'll be OK. They like to look at the kids in the beginning of camp. They are being attentive at the key positions--CF,3B and SS. Plus the bullpen. That's where the choices must be made. Farrell will have the starters playing together for the start of the season. They feel no media pressure to win games down here. A luxury the Yankees do not have.

 

My suggestion: follow the Cardinals, too. Plus the Pirates. The model teams now, with the Red Sox and the Rays.

[sk7326]

Spring Training stats do not matter, full stop. All that matters is that the players stay healthy, and to see if any big changes have occured (velocity, bat speed and the like). Obviously these things sharpen up over the spring. The W/L do not matter at all, but how the players look do. Certainly Fred's notion on Spring Training records is silly.

 

Hell, even the April and May games matter only to a point. Certainly a rotten start can kill you, but it's still about health and how you are playing ... and not to lose too much.

[Station 13]

Did you hear that? Koji made quick work of those pesky Pirates, 14 pitches, 10 strikes, 2 punchouts. Perfect spring training start.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Moved, because it's always wonderful to have this forum reopened.

[seabeachfred]

Did you hear that? Koji made quick work of those pesky Pirates, 14 pitches, 10 strikes, 2 punchouts. Perfect spring training start.

 

Did you and anyone else around here catch the game today and see that wonder boy we got from the Dodgers who the front office extolled as a real top notch pitching prospect? You know, the immortal Rubby Delarosa......two innings, five hits and four runs. He got his nipples lit just like his ex-Dodger pal Webster did a couple of days before. Great trade that one in 2012; we dumped a lot of useless salary and three major near cancers to our team, but let's stop there. What we got back in exchange personnel wise wasn't worth a warm pitcher of spit.

[Palodios]

Crazy to think about, but the first game of the season is this month.

[Spudboy]

Did you and anyone else around here catch the game today and see that wonder boy we got from the Dodgers who the front office extolled as a real top notch pitching prospect? You know, the immortal Rubby Delarosa......two innings, five hits and four runs. He got his nipples lit just like his ex-Dodger pal Webster did a couple of days before. Great trade that one in 2012; we dumped a lot of useless salary and three major near cancers to our team, but let's stop there. What we got back in exchange personnel wise wasn't worth a warm pitcher of spit.

 

Well truthfully Fred, the trade was always characterized by the Boston media as "addition by subtraction" anyways....

 

Still, from what I have seen of those two ( not that much, honestly ), I have similar feelings.

[Spudboy]

Crazy to think about, but the first game of the season is this month.

 

And I must add that I'm pretty pumped about this!!! I really can't wait until there is a Sox game on TV everyday.

 

Although I hate west coast games that start at 10:00-11:00 PM EST!!!!!

[Bellhorn04]

Well, it's a good thing these spring games don't mean anything, because so far we are giving up a shitload of runs every single game.

[Wasatch]

Today's game is on FS1HD against the Cards. Bottom of the 5th 7-1 Cards.

[Station 13]

Middlebrooks playing like game 2-3 of the World series where he loses his playing time to Bogaerts.

[Palodios]

Weren't we talking about weird lettering conventions among MLB players in games a while back?

 

Xavier and Xander both homered in a spring training game yesterday.

[a700hitter]

I am not quite sure what is going on with Peavy. He cut his non-pitching hand and he doesn't have to bat. So why are they making such a big deal about it opening up etc? Stitch him up and send him out there. I am starting to think that his reputation as a gamer is overblown.

[Palodios]

I am not quite sure what is going on with Peavy. He cut his non-pitching hand and he doesn't have to bat. So why are they making such a big deal about it opening up etc? Stitch him up and send him out there. I am starting to think that his reputation as a gamer is overblown.

 

Fortunately the Red Sox don't have to worry about it yet. They have the luxury of dealing with him through Spring Training, and if he still needs time to get ramped up they can go with the 4-man rotation through April.

[reYoukilis]

Seems that the Marlins were pissed that the Sox only played prospects today. That had me wondering if only we are playing the prospects and is that the reason for our losing record?

[Station 13]

Seems that the Marlins were pissed that the Sox only played prospects today. That had me wondering if only we are playing the prospects and is that the reason for our losing record?

 

The pitching sucks. But that includes a whopping 3 innings total from the expected 5.

[Palodios]

Seems that the Marlins were pissed that the Sox only played prospects today. That had me wondering if only we are playing the prospects and is that the reason for our losing record?

 

The irony of RookieGate is that Marlin's actual team is just prospects and triple-A minor leaguers. Worse yet, the Marlins scored 0 runs against the Red Sox AAA team.

 

That being said, let's get the champions more innings.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Palodios

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I am not quite sure what is going on with Peavy. He cut his non-pitching hand and he doesn't have to bat. So why are they making such a big deal about it opening up etc? Stitch him up and send him out there. I am starting to think that his reputation as a gamer is overblown.

 

This would have never happened if he didn't have the duck boat.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Remy's not back, is he?

[Spudboy]

Yes, Remy is back as of last Sunday's NESN broadcast.

[seabeachfred]

Amazing what can happen when you pitch the likes of Mujica, Badenhop, Uehara, Tazawa and our good relievers in a game instead of the garbage we've been sending out there----and it even helped the hitters psychologically as our team went out and got 11 hits today. Again, I do not say we have to try and win every game this Spring but we should be out there winning half of them and try to build some Big Mo going into the regular season. Say what you will but we are still in the toughest division in baseball and must act and play accordingly. Finally got a Grapefruit instead of the seeds.

[Spudboy]

Fred I'm with you on this. I think.

 

Yes, Spring training is about getting back and sharpening your skills, timing, etc.

 

Yes, the games do not "mean anything".

 

However, showing up and playing competitive ball is important. It's necessary to reestablish the winning culture of the team. No way would I like to see the Sox start the season with a very poor Spring Training performance.