8/24 Red Sox @ Chicago White Sox

[a700hitter]

I could tell how awful it was, but I don't think it qualifies as "worst since the 1910's". I'm pretty sure there have been worse just in the short time since I've been a Red Sox fan.

I still can't find the reference to the 1910's but I did find this:

 

Mr. No-so-perfect: Daniel Bard's final start for the Red Sox (June 3 against Toronto) was a whopper, all right: 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2 HBP, 55 pitches, 24 strikes. How tough is it to maneuver six walks and two hit batters into an outing that didn't even last two innings? The Elias Sports Bureau tells us it had never been until that night.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8134086/handing-baseball-midseason-awards

[Youk Of The Nation]

I still can't find the reference to the 1910's but I did find this:

 

 

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8134086/handing-baseball-midseason-awards

 

Okay, so it wasn't the worst start overall, it was just the first time that someone had walked 6 and hit 2. That's really, really specific. Other guys have given up way more runs with even less outs, so I wouldn't consider it the worst.

[BigPapi]

Bradley has had a a couple of those this year. He hasn't been too great this year at judging balls off the bounce.

[Jasonbay44]

Why is this dumb ass closing

[Bellhorn04]

Okay, so it wasn't the worst start overall, it was just the first time that someone had walked 6 and hit 2. That's really, really specific. Other guys have given up way more runs with even less outs, so I wouldn't consider it the worst.

 

Yeah, it is pretty specific. It belongs more in the category of most horrifying starts. It signaled that a guy's career was suddenly ruined.

[Bellhorn04]

Why is this dumb ass closing

 

Because we now have one of the worst bullpens in history.

[Station 13]

Kelly with his 5 straight win.

[a700hitter]

Okay, so it wasn't the worst start overall, it was just the first time that someone had walked 6 and hit 2. That's really, really specific. Other guys have given up way more runs with even less outs, so I wouldn't consider it the worst.

No wrong again. It is just an article that I found. They factoid communicated at the time was that it was the worst Red Sox start since some time in the 1910's. Apparently, there had been a worse start. This link presents a different factoid altogether.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I mean, you can't really quantify "worst start". One guy gives up 6 walks and 5 runs in 1.2 innings, another guy doesn't walk anyone and gives up 8 hits and 6 runs in 1.2 innings. You can argue that giving up more runs is worse for your team, obviously, but objectively, which is the "worst start"? I'd say the worst start to any game ever is 2003, when Carl Pavano couldn't even get the first out in that game the Sox beat the Marlins 27 to I think 8 or 9?

[a700hitter]

I mean, you can't really quantify "worst start". One guy gives up 6 walks and 5 runs in 1.2 innings, another guy doesn't walk anyone and gives up 8 hits and 6 runs in 1.2 innings. You can argue that giving up more runs is worse for your team, obviously, but objectively, which is the "worst start"? I'd say the worst start to any game ever is 2003, when Carl Pavano couldn't even get the first out in that game the Sox beat the Marlins 27 to I think 8 or 9?

Your mind is mush from your recent trios. The factoid dealt with Red Sox starters, not all starters. Here is an article that I found from around that time. I am still pretty sure the 1910's were mentioned, but this article claims that you have to go back only to 1923:

 

http://fenwaypark100.org/2012/06/04/of-bard-and-odoul-and-ehmke/

Edited August 25, 2015 by a700hitter

[iortiz]

4 innings is a long time for this pitching staff. Don't count your winnings yet.

 

Yeah it was close but fortunately I won.

[Bellhorn04]

Your mind is mush from your recent trios. The factoid dealt with Red Sox starters, not all starters. Here is an article that I found at the time. I am still pretty sure the 1910's were mentioned, but this article claims that you have to go back only to 1923:

 

http://fenwaypark100.org/2012/06/04/of-bard-and-odoul-and-ehmke/

 

Here's a boxscore from 2006 where Beckett gave up 7 earned runs in 1.1 innings. That does appear to be worse than 5 earned runs in 1.2 innings.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200606050.shtml

[a700hitter]

Here's a boxscore from 2006 where Beckett gave up 7 earned runs in 1.1 innings. That does appear to be worse than 5 earned runs in 1.2 innings.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA200606050.shtml

It wasn't worse. Both pitchers faced 12 batters both allowed 9 base runners. And Bard didn't even make 8 of them earn their way on. He walked 6 and hit 2. Beckett walked only 2.

 

I am pretty sure that the author of the article that I cited would have been able to find a 2006 start by Beckett. So, now that you are clear on the criteria; i.e Base runners allowed/batters faced, go fish. Let me know if you find anything later than 1923.

Edited August 25, 2015 by a700hitter

[VA Sox Fan]

You don't like Porcello?! Holy s***, why didn't you say so earlier? I had no idea! Luckily you managed to inform us with a post during a time when no one had been discussing Rick Porcello or even the Red Sox pitching for the last half-hour. Normally I would consider it weird that you would go out of your way to remind us that you don't like someone, but since I've never heard your opinion on this, I'm glad you spoke up. Now if I could just get Ted's opinion of Sandoval's weight, Thunder's opinion of high-school baseball, or JE's opinion of literally anything, I'll finally be in the know!

 

Awesome, just AWESOME!!

[Bellhorn04]

It wasn't worse. Both pitchers faced 12 batters both allowed 9 base runners. And Bard didn't even make 8 of them earn their way on. He walked 6 and hit 2. Beckett walked only 2.

 

I am pretty sure that the author of the article that I cited would have been able to find a 2006 start by Beckett. So, now that you are clear on the criteria; i.e Base runners allowed/batters faced, go fish. Let me know if you find anything later than 1923.

 

Well OK, that's just this guy's arbitrary criteria. Screw him. On this site we normally used good old Earned Run Average, and Beckett's ERA for his start was 47.26. Bard's was 26.99.

[a700hitter]

Well OK, that's just this guy's arbitrary criteria. Screw him. On this site we normally used good old Earned Run Average, and Beckett's ERA for his start was 47.26. Bard's was 26.99.

It's as good a criteria as any. The goal of pitching is to get outs and prevent baserunners.

[Bellhorn04]

It's as good a criteria as any. The goal of pitching is to get outs and prevent baserunners.

 

Which gets talked about more here, Rick Porcello's ERA or his WHIP?

[Kimmi]

It wasn't worse. Both pitchers faced 12 batters both allowed 9 base runners. And Bard didn't even make 8 of them earn their way on. He walked 6 and hit 2. Beckett walked only 2.

 

I am pretty sure that the author of the article that I cited would have been able to find a 2006 start by Beckett. So, now that you are clear on the criteria; i.e Base runners allowed/batters faced, go fish. Let me know if you find anything later than 1923.

 

Personally, I think Beckett's start was worse. He lasted 1/3 less inning and gave up 2 more runs. IMO, if a pitcher is not getting hitters out, it doesn't really matter whether the batters are getting on via a walk or a hit.

 

It's impossible to define "worst" anyway. That is such a subjective term. Bard's outing was horrendous. Saying it was the worst since 1910 is a bit of a hyperbole.

[a700hitter]

Personally, I think Beckett's start was worse. He lasted 1/3 less inning and gave up 2 more runs. IMO, if a pitcher is not getting hitters out, it doesn't really matter whether the batters are getting on via a walk or a hit.

 

It's impossible to define "worst" anyway. That is such a subjective term. Bard's outing was horrendous. Saying it was the worst since 1910 is a bit of a hyperbole.

It caught my attention when I heard it; which is why I remember it. I would also chalk it up to hyperbole, except that I heard it on a Ref Sox radio broadcast and they don't usually engage in hyperbole. I would also think earned runs would be the standard by which to judge a start, but they were clearly pointing to one factor -- getting batters out versus putting them on base. In that regard, I have no reason to doubt their research that it was the worst effort since 1923 or before by a Red Sox pitcher. Edited August 25, 2015 by a700hitter

[Kimmi]

It caught my attention when I heard it; which is why I remember it. I would also chalk it up to hyperbole, except that I heard it on a Ref Sox radio broadcast and they don't usually engage in hyperbole. I would also think earned runs would be the standard by which to judge a start, but they were clearly pointing to one factor -- getting batters out versus putting them on base. In that regard, I have no reason to doubt their research that it was the worst effort since 1923 or before by a Red Sox pitcher.

 

You stated that both pitchers (Bard and Beckett) faced 12 batters and allowed 9 baserunners. First of all, what am I missing here - some DPs? That aside, Bard got 5 outs in doing so and Beckett only got 4 outs. So even pointing to the getting batters out versus putting them on base criteria, Beckett was worse.

[a700hitter]

You stated that both pitchers (Bard and Beckett) faced 12 batters and allowed 9 baserunners. First of all, what am I missing here - some DPs? That aside, Bard got 5 outs in doing so and Beckett only got 4 outs. So even pointing to the getting batters out versus putting them on base criteria, Beckett was worse.

Bard did get a DP. It states it in the article.

[mvp 78]

I remember the Bard game. It was scary to watch.