A Realistic View at 2016

[mvp 78]

You should go back & look at Dempster's individual game logs for the 2013 season. I would gladly take those numbers out of a number 5 every single year.

 

He was also a huge part of Ben Cherington's "We need to change the culture of the clubhouse" mission after the Valentine fiasco. Some players even cited his absence as a key part to their slow start in '14. Some players bring a lot more to the party than just numbers. Ryan Dempster is definitely one of them.

 

My lasting memory of him will be him throwing bp to his friends and family after game 6 of the WS. Solid dude. http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/10/dempster-bp-world-series-fenway

[Kimmi]

Especially since he hasn't run the bases since he was just a little older than a little leaguer.

 

Wright's injury was a fluke accident. You could probably make that call 99 more times, and it wouldn't happen again, regardless of how much base running experience he has. Or you could have had Dave Roberts out there in his prime, and he could have suffered the injury. Fluke. Nothing more.

 

Wright is a professional athlete. He should be able to handle base running. His injury is not on Farrell.

[mvp 78]

Wright's injury was a fluke accident. You could probably make that call 99 more times, and it wouldn't happen again, regardless of how much base running experience he has. Or you could have had Dave Roberts out there in his prime, and he could have suffered the injury. Fluke. Nothing more.

 

Wright is a professional athlete. He should be able to handle base running. His injury is not on Farrell.

 

He's a professional athlete that doesn't run the bases very often and is not overly athletic. Maybe run a younger guy out there, or a guy with NL experience or a more athletic guy like Buchholz? The choice to put Wright in a running situation is just bizarre.

[Kimmi]

You should go back & look at Dempster's individual game logs for the 2013 season. I would gladly take those numbers out of a number 5 every single year.

 

He was also a huge part of Ben Cherington's "We need to change the culture of the clubhouse" mission after the Valentine fiasco. Some players even cited his absence as a key part to their slow start in '14. Some players bring a lot more to the party than just numbers. Ryan Dempster is definitely one of them.

 

Dempster was a class act all the way. I'd take him as part of my rotation any day of the week.

[a700hitter]

Wright's injury was a fluke accident. You could probably make that call 99 more times, and it wouldn't happen again, regardless of how much base running experience he has. Or you could have had Dave Roberts out there in his prime, and he could have suffered the injury. Fluke. Nothing more.

 

Wright is a professional athlete. He should be able to handle base running. His injury is not on Farrell.

i am pretty sure that a base runner like Dave Roberts had a better technique for diving back to a base that didn't involve a face plant and almost separating your shoulder. I am sorry, but that was inexperience on display. And there were other options, so it is on Farrell. Kimmi, you are a good read, but in this case you are defending the stupid and indefensible.

[Kimmi]

He's a professional athlete that doesn't run the bases very often and is not overly athletic. Maybe run a younger guy out there, or a guy with NL experience or a more athletic guy like Buchholz? The choice to put Wright in a running situation is just bizarre.

 

I can agree that Pomeranz was probably the better choice, and probably the only other option. That does not mean that putting Wright in was idiotic.

[Kimmi]

i am pretty sure that a base runner like Dave Roberts had a better technique for diving back to a base that didn't involve a face plant and almost separating your shoulder. I am sorry, but that was inexperience on display. And there were other options, so it is on Farrell. Kimmi, you are a good read, but in this case you are defending the stupid and indefensible.

 

Outside of Pomeranz, there really was no other option. I'm guessing that Farrell has a fair reason for not choosing him.

[Eddy Ballgame]

My lasting memory of him will be him throwing bp to his friends and family after game 6 of the WS. Solid dude. http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/10/dempster-bp-world-series-fenway

 

That was cool. Dempster was the perfect veteran mentor type to bring in after Beckett left. He was the polar opposite. The guy also left a guaranteed 13 million on the table to spend time with his family. He also probably knew it would help the team.

[SoxnCycles]

Wright's injury was a fluke accident. You could probably make that call 99 more times, and it wouldn't happen again, regardless of how much base running experience he has. Or you could have had Dave Roberts out there in his prime, and he could have suffered the injury. Fluke. Nothing more.

 

Wright is a professional athlete. He should be able to handle base running. His injury is not on Farrell.

 

Yup, pretty sure Wright has participated in enough games to know the difference between a step off the bag and a big lead.

He's got only himself to blame.

[sk7326]

Wright's injury was a fluke accident. You could probably make that call 99 more times, and it wouldn't happen again, regardless of how much base running experience he has. Or you could have had Dave Roberts out there in his prime, and he could have suffered the injury. Fluke. Nothing more.

 

Wright is a professional athlete. He should be able to handle base running. His injury is not on Farrell.

 

Of course. The only criticism I'd have is why the starters do not have that comfort - why it is not part of the coaching. When you have the tiny bench the 13 man staffs of this day and age requires, being able to pinch run is something which would actually be useful.

[a700hitter]

Yup, pretty sure Wright has participated in enough games to know the difference between a step off the bag and a big lead.

He's got only himself to blame.

He didn't have a big lead. Blanton went after him, because he saw a clueless guy on the bases.

[a700hitter]

Outside of Pomeranz, there really was no other option. I'm guessing that Farrell has a fair reason for not choosing him.

Leon or any bullpen pitcher.

[mvp 78]

I can agree that Pomeranz was probably the better choice, and probably the only other option. That does not mean that putting Wright in was idiotic.

 

It's baffling to me. I'd rather have a gimpy Ortiz than Wright running the bases.

 

Wright pinch-ran in the sixth inning Sunday for, of all people, David Ortiz. The Red Sox were down 6-5 with two outs and three runs already home in the inning. Ortiz wasn't immediately removed after the walk, coming out once he reached second base on an RBI-single from the next batter, Mookie Betts.

 

1. If Ortiz was left in the game, he would have had one more AB that game.

2. If you are going to pinch run, why not do it right after the walk? Why leave him in to run from 1st to 2nd? Was he less likely to be injured then?

 

It just seems like another case where the game starts to manage Farrell rather than the other way around.

[Kimmi]

Yup, pretty sure Wright has participated in enough games to know the difference between a step off the bag and a big lead.

He's got only himself to blame.

 

Yup. And as a couple of people mentioned, it was really a low move for Blanton to fake a throw 2nd to begin with.

[mvp 78]

Leon or any bullpen pitcher.

 

Barnes had pitched 1 2/3 the day before. Why not have him go in there if you want to use a pitcher?

 

Robbie Ross? How great would it have been to see those glorious locks run the bases?

[a700hitter]

Yup. And as a couple of people mentioned, it was really a low move for Blanton to fake a throw 2nd to begin with.

The game was on the line. Blanton is trying to win. I disagree completely that it was a low move-- not in a 1 run game.

[mvp 78]

Yup. And as a couple of people mentioned, it was really a low move for Blanton to fake a throw 2nd to begin with.

 

I don't really understand putting the blame on Blanton. He's trying to win. Unwritten rules are dumb.

[Kimmi]

Of course. The only criticism I'd have is why the starters do not have that comfort - why it is not part of the coaching. When you have the tiny bench the 13 man staffs of this day and age requires, being able to pinch run is something which would actually be useful.

 

I agree with you. IMO, this is something that should change with the organizational philosophy of the team. Similar to players practicing their bunting skills, pitchers should practice base running skills from time to time.

[mvp 78]

Also:

 

DEAR NATIONAL LEAGUE, STOP HAVING PITCHERS HIT. IT SUCKS AND ISN'T FUN TO WATCH EVER!

[a700hitter]

 

It just seems like another case where the game starts to manage Farrell rather than the other way around.

He has never demonstrated any ability to think strategically beyond the current matchup.

[SoxnCycles]

Yup. And as a couple of people mentioned, it was really a low move for Blanton to fake a throw 2nd to begin with.

 

Agreed.

He knows Wright isn't going anywhere. He just wanted to see him panic, and Wright obliged.

 

And the "he was trying to win" argument is stupid.

If he were really trying to win, he would've thrown it.

He simply wanted to see Wright jump a little, a dick move.

[SoxnCycles]

Barnes had pitched 1 2/3 the day before. Why not have him go in there if you want to use a pitcher?

 

Robbie Ross? How great would it have been to see those glorious locks run the bases?

 

Obviously, they all would've gotten hurt.

[a700hitter]

Agreed.

He knows Wright isn't going anywhere. He just wanted to see him panic, and Wright obliged.

 

And the "he was trying to win" argument is stupid.

If he were really trying to win, he would've thrown it.

He simply wanted to see Wright jump a little, a dick move.

He wanted him to shorten his lead by a step. It is a game of inches. He was trying to win the game.

[a700hitter]

Obviously, they all would've gotten hurt.

maybe they would have, but I would be less upset, because they are not as important as Wright.

[mvp 78]

Wright said he hadn't run the bases since 2003 or 2004, when he was finishing up high school or first in college.

 

“My first at-bat was last year at Miami and I went 0-for-1," Wright said. "Dodgers (on Friday) was my second time ever having an at-bat.”

 

Wright took a very big lead, and wasn't expecting a throw to the bag from Blanton.

 

“That's why I more like dove, jump backed to the bag vs. slide, because it caught me off guard," Wright said. "I didn't think my lead was that big and I panicked, I just jumped back. My initial reaction was 'don't get picked off.' That's the last thing I wanted to do. If the ball's hit hard — I wasn't going to try to score like other hitters would on a single, I wanted to make sure I had a good enough secondary where if it's a double, I could score. But that's what I did, I jumped back to the bag, and I just happened to land on my arm the wrong way. One of those things at first, I was thinking the worst, I was thinking labrum because of the way I felt, but I'm glad that it's not.”

 

Wright essentially said he was no better than a station-to-station runner, that in fact to be that on a double he needed something extra. That's not too dissimilar from Ortiz running the bases.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/clubhouse_insider/2016/08/steven_wright_hurt_shoulder_pinch_running_replaced_by_clay

[mvp 78]

Agreed.

He knows Wright isn't going anywhere. He just wanted to see him panic, and Wright obliged.

 

And the "he was trying to win" argument is stupid.

If he were really trying to win, he would've thrown it.

He simply wanted to see Wright jump a little, a dick move.

 

No, he faked the throw to shorten up Wright's lead. You know, the same thing that pitchers always do when they fake a throw. It's not about getting jollies over watching another guy jump. It's about getting that lead cut down by a step or two.

[mvp 78]

I guess from now on, Sox pitchers are dicks when they fake a throw. I'll add that to the game thread repertoire.

[a700hitter]

Wright said he hadn't run the bases since 2003 or 2004, when he was finishing up high school or first in college.

 

“My first at-bat was last year at Miami and I went 0-for-1," Wright said. "Dodgers (on Friday) was my second time ever having an at-bat.”

 

Wright took a very big lead, and wasn't expecting a throw to the bag from Blanton.

 

“That's why I more like dove, jump backed to the bag vs. slide, because it caught me off guard," Wright said. "I didn't think my lead was that big and I panicked, I just jumped back. My initial reaction was 'don't get picked off.' That's the last thing I wanted to do. If the ball's hit hard — I wasn't going to try to score like other hitters would on a single, I wanted to make sure I had a good enough secondary where if it's a double, I could score. But that's what I did, I jumped back to the bag, and I just happened to land on my arm the wrong way. One of those things at first, I was thinking the worst, I was thinking labrum because of the way I felt, but I'm glad that it's not.”

 

Wright essentially said he was no better than a station-to-station runner, that in fact to be that on a double he needed something extra. That's not too dissimilar from Ortiz running the bases.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/red_sox/clubhouse_insider/2016/08/steven_wright_hurt_shoulder_pinch_running_replaced_by_clay

Some people love to cling to losing arguments when the real answer is staring them in the face. As a former litigator, I settled the weak cases and tried the strong ones.

[a700hitter]

I guess from now on, Sox pitchers are dicks when they fake a throw. I'll add that to the game thread repertoire.

Vin Scully: "He steps off the rubber and looks at first"

 

TalkSox game thread: "Dick!"

[mvp 78]

Vin Scully: "He steps off the rubber and looks at first"

 

TalkSox game thread: "Dick!"