Is the actual lineup the worst in the last 10Y?

[mvp 78]

Napoli is old and s*****

Papi has slown way down

Panda should stop hitting RH

Holt is a mirage

Pedroia is a punch and judy hitter

Nava should be smothered in his sleep

[Elktonnick]

Napoli is old and s*****

Papi has slown way down

Panda should stop hitting RH

Holt is a mirage

Pedroia is a punch and judy hitter

Nava should be smothered in his sleep

 

In summation they stink!!! They can't hit lefties, they can't hit off speed pitches. They take too many pitches that are strikes and swing and miss at too many pitches out of the strike zone. Right now these guys aren't good enough to be merely mediocre.

[User Name]

I see what you did here.

[Bellhorn04]

There's no way to candy-coat it, it's a shambles. They're averaging 2.3 runs a game in May.

 

The 'outfield overload' situation now appears to be nothing more than management confusion and dysfunction. You've got Castillo in AAA, and last night Victorino excuses himself from play with a sore calf or something, putting Nava in the game. Meanwhile Bradley is with the team for no apparent reason. Crazy.

[mvp 78]

Fire Lily Davis!!!

[mvp 78]

Not sure why we paid Pedroia Silver Slugger money...

[wyo-sox]

Like everybody on here predicted.. the pitching will work itself out but the hitting is going to struggle. LOL, Nobody saw this coming. The at bats are just painful to watch. Just get your bat on the frickin' ball! Pedroia, Oriz, Napoli... those three especially need to step up. Heart of the line-up, veteran leaders... hit the ball fella's, earn your oats.

[Bellhorn04]

Not sure why we paid Pedroia Silver Slugger money...

 

Pedroia is only making about half what the highest paid players do. Which isn't to say he isn't part of the problem with the offense. He's been awful with RISP.

[Palodios]

The Red Sox are full of players from hot weather countries and states. The lineup is made up of guys from the DR, Hawaii, California, Texas, Florida, Aruba. Same for the rotation.

 

Maybe they just need to warm up.

[Elktonnick]

The Red Sox are full of players from hot weather countries and states. The lineup is made up of guys from the DR, Hawaii, California, Texas, Florida, Aruba. Same for the rotation.

 

Maybe they just need to warm up.

 

While I was thinking the same thing, it is their collective approach to hitting that has me concerned. They are taking too many good pitches and swinging at too many pitches later in the count that are out of the strike zone. That isn't explained by being warm weather guys.

[sk7326]

For some reason - the lineup has had trouble squaring up pitches. The at-bats have been largely good - the patience has been good. The team has not struck out a lot - but somehow there has just been a general lack of hard contact. I think some regression is in order, it's just such a weird result so far.

[User Name]

For some reason - the lineup has had trouble squaring up pitches. The at-bats have been largely good - the patience has been good. The team has not struck out a lot - but somehow there has just been a general lack of hard contact. I think some regression is in order, it's just such a weird result so far.

 

^This. It's not pitch selection or AB quality. They are swinging at pitchers in the strike zone, but it's been resulting in weak contact. If you check out last night's Brooks data, you'll be alarmed at the amount of middle-middle fastballs that resulted in weak contact last night. It's inconceivable.

[GomesBeard]

I found this interesting. Implies that the offense should turn around shortly.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/05/21/there-silver-lining-red-sox-offensive-woes/EGRN8ZkEVXyPT5l3HFpjUJ/story.html

[mvp 78]

All you jock sniffing toadies can keep whining about bad luck, bad weather (really? It's been much nicer than most springs) and regression. The fact of the matter is that these pukes can't hit. Plain and simple.

 

I was yelling at the screen so much last night that my dogs ran upstairs and my wife told me to just watch something else. Well I can't!!! I was born a Sox fan and I'll die a Sox fan even if I have to take Nava down with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mvp 78]

I found this interesting. Implies that the offense should turn around shortly.

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/05/21/there-silver-lining-red-sox-offensive-woes/EGRN8ZkEVXyPT5l3HFpjUJ/story.html

 

True newspapers like the Herald are writing the real truthto this problem not like those boot lickers at the Globe. Scott Lauber isn't held under Henry's thumb like all those Globe suckups...

[redsoxfan3]

Napoli is old and s*****

Papi has slown way down

Panda should stop hitting RH

Holt is a mirage

Pedroia is a punch and judy hitter

Nava should be smothered in his sleep

 

I am generally pretty optimistic for this team, but it just seems like there are never ending problems. The problem in April was pitching. The problem this month is the offense. We hired a new PC and the pitching has been solid as of late.

 

The first thing that needs to be done is to call up Castillo. Nava needs to go. I would rather experience growing pains with Castillo in the majors than have to witness Nava continuously suck defensively and strike out. Trade him for a sack of s*** to some team in Japan. I don't care, just get him off of this team.

 

Big Papi will not be the same .300 hitter, 30 homers, and 100 RBI's. However, I fully expect him to hit .250 with 20+ homers and 75+ RBI's. Napoli needs to get back to the basics. I agree with Panda only batting LH. Holt needs to split time with Napoli at 1B once Panda is back. I fully expect Hanley to get back to his offensive production before he got injured. Pedroia will be fine. The lineup needs to be:

 

Betts

Pedroia

Ortiz

Ramirez

Sandoval

Bogaerts

Napoli/Holt

Swihart/Leon

Castillo/Victorino

 

Depending on how Castillo performs and Betts performance, a swap in the batting order may be useful. Please just get Nava off of this team. The team is in a slump offensively, but I think a spark from Castillo will add value. As much potential as this team has I strongly believe the offense will come around. I don't see it happening when we waste 3-4 at bats with Nava in the lineup. Farrell needs to shake things up.

[jacksonianmarch]

It is incredibly hard to win when you have a lot of new blood up the middle. When your SS is a 2nd yr player who struggled in year 1 and your catcher and CFer are rookies, you just wont win consistently. Baseball has proven that success up the middle is imperative for a team trying to win a title.

[mvp 78]

All well and good, but their defense has been fine up the middle. The problem isn't "young guys in the middle of the defense" but rather old guys underperforming and young guys not hitting to their perceived potential. If Betts, Xander and Swihart were playing LF, 3b and 1b, it would still be the same issue. The only defensive hole is in the corner OF spots.

[Spudboy]

All well and good, but their defense has been fine up the middle. The problem isn't "young guys in the middle of the defense" but rather old guys underperforming and young guys not hitting to their perceived potential. If Betts, Xander and Swihart were playing LF, 3b and 1b, it would still be the same issue. The only defensive hole is in the corner OF spots.

 

It's sort of a perfect storm of offensive underperformed and sucktitude. It's a lot like last year. Although injury has not been that much of a problem.

[Behindenemylines]

It's sort of a perfect storm of offensive underperformed and sucktitude. It's a lot like last year. Although injury has not been that much of a problem.

 

This team doesn't get the two out hits to score. Now that it is getting warmer this team has to start scoring more runs. The Sox pitching is not going to win too many 3-2 games.

[Spudboy]

Other teams play in the same weather as the Sox.

 

Maybe they will start getting more hits and runs and thoroughly trounce the Sox. Have you considered that?