The Playoff Roster

[Kimmi]

He also stole 40+ on the farm ... i have no real conviction here, Merrero makes sense also, as does Hernandez. Now, the bigger question is 12 pitchers or 11 - I go with 11, so you can get an extra specialist out there.

 

Why not go with 12 pitchers and let one of the pitchers also serve as a pinch runner?

[bosoxmal]

So Moncada made one mental mistake or two and now he's vanished forever? This is why I hate JF. He has his favorites and he keeps couple of guys in his dog house.

 

Of course no one else on this roster ever made running errors this season. And they were seasoned veterans. Good f***ing grief.

 

He fanned 9 straight times. How can he be on this roster ahead of Vasquez?

[bosoxmal]

Why not go with 12 pitchers and let one of the pitchers also serve as a pinch runner?

 

Say what?

[Kimmi]

Say what?

 

LOL

 

It was a joke, in response to all the undeserved flack Farrell got for using Wright as a pinch runner.

[Maxbialystock]

I am glad I tuned in to read such novel insights about Moncada's personality. These are the sort of insights which is colored with the bias associated with players in his demo through baseball history. The guy cannot hit a big league curveball yet - but you are talking about (for the playoffs) a roster with 25 roles.

 

What does putting him on the roster mean? It means that all hands are on deck - including yours. Farrell was excited to see what Moncada could do - it turned out he struggled, which kids do - so Shaw got his job back. Nobody got hurt - and it wasn't really a dumb move by Farrell, just executing a piece of organizational business.

 

I have no insights into Moncada's personality and was just pointing out why his mind might drift a little. He is the quintessence of inexperience, yet he's already been paid a king's ransom and moved directly to MLB despite the 18 month gap and no AAA and indeed very little experience at 3B --a position Farrell seemed prepared to hand over to him. Who knows? Maybe benching him woke him up. But me, I'm skeptical. Plus I'm pretty sure that, as fast as he is, he won't try to steal a base, which is one reason to keep him as the pinch runner.

 

For at least the first five years he was on the active roster, Buchholz was the fastest runner on the team. They even used him now and then as a pinch runner, but soon gave it up because he was completely clueless out there. Moncada isn't that bad, but his inexperience will affect his ability to optimize his undeniable speed.

Edited September 24, 2016 by Maxbialystock

[sk7326]

fwiw i do think this is moot as he is headed to the AFL ... which is just as well. Kid clearly needs reps.

[Jasonbay44]

LOL

 

It was a joke, in response to all the undeserved flack Farrell got for using Wright as a pinch runner.

I don't get how it was undeserved..

[cp176]

Berry did not see the field - only basepaths. Of course arguing over the 25th man is a good thing.

 

Not the point at all and Spud is right - weak sauce. Need to move on.

[oldtimer]

Well, Pedroria hit tonight so no rest was given but good to see him come out of the slump. JF also sat Shaw tonight. Maybe the threat of not playing will light a fire under him.

[Maxbialystock]

I don't get how it was undeserved..

 

A very good point. Kimmi is dead wrong for once. The pitching has been an absolute disaster without Wright and proven that Buchholz should have been DFA'd, that Price is a bust, etc, etc. Without Wright the Sox have barely hung onto a 5 game lead in the AL East and the second best record in the AL. If Farrell had not made that fatal mistake of pinch running with Wright, the Sox would already have 110, maybe 120 wins. I usually defend Farrell, but not on this boneheaded move. Thanks to that one stupid decision, this season stinks all over and I have no idea why Farrell is still managing.

[Nick]

A very good point. Kimmi is dead wrong for once. The pitching has been an absolute disaster without Wright and proven that Buchholz should have been DFA'd, that Price is a bust, etc, etc. Without Wright the Sox have barely hung onto a 5 game lead in the AL East and the second best record in the AL. If Farrell had not made that fatal mistake of pinch running with Wright, the Sox would already have 110, maybe 120 wins. I usually defend Farrell, but not on this boneheaded move. Thanks to that one stupid decision, this season stinks all over and I have no idea why Farrell is still managing.

 

Had Moncada been called up sooner, he would have just stood there instead of diving back to second and getting hurt. Stupid mental error by Wright.

[greenwell]

A very good point. Kimmi is dead wrong for once. The pitching has been an absolute disaster without Wright and proven that Buchholz should have been DFA'd, that Price is a bust, etc, etc. Without Wright the Sox have barely hung onto a 5 game lead in the AL East and the second best record in the AL. If Farrell had not made that fatal mistake of pinch running with Wright, the Sox would already have 110, maybe 120 wins. I usually defend Farrell, but not on this boneheaded move. Thanks to that one stupid decision, this season stinks all over and I have no idea why Farrell is still managing.

 

I don't necessarily put all the blame on Farrell for the Wright injury, but how the red sox are doing has nothing to do with whether or not the criticism was deserved. Unless you're saying that this was all part of Farrell's plan.

[Spudboy]

I don't get how it was undeserved..

 

Neither do I.

 

Farrell destroyed a player's season and has cast doubt on that player's future.

 

Much is said about a coach or manager that puts his players in a position to succeed.

 

Farrell put one of his key players in a position to fail and now that player is damaged and can not perform because of it.

 

It was a dumb f***ing move any way you slice it.

 

Statistical analysis can no change these facts.

[Kimmi]

I don't get how it was undeserved..

 

It was a freak accident. Farrell could probably put Wright in to pinch run 100 more times and he would not injure himself. Pretty much all the 'experts' agree that using a starting pitcher to pinch run was the correct call there.

 

Really the only choices Farrell had were Wright or Pomeranz. I can agree that Pomeranz was probably the better option, but regardless, I think blaming Farrell for Wright's injury is unwarranted.

[Kimmi]

A very good point. Kimmi is dead wrong for once. The pitching has been an absolute disaster without Wright and proven that Buchholz should have been DFA'd, that Price is a bust, etc, etc. Without Wright the Sox have barely hung onto a 5 game lead in the AL East and the second best record in the AL. If Farrell had not made that fatal mistake of pinch running with Wright, the Sox would already have 110, maybe 120 wins. I usually defend Farrell, but not on this boneheaded move. Thanks to that one stupid decision, this season stinks all over and I have no idea why Farrell is still managing.

 

I have jokingly said before that, if anything, Farrell should be given credit for Wright's injury rather than blame. This team took off after Wright's injury.

[Kimmi]

Neither do I.

 

Farrell destroyed a player's season and has cast doubt on that player's future.

 

Much is said about a coach or manager that puts his players in a position to succeed.

 

Farrell put one of his key players in a position to fail and now that player is damaged and can not perform because of it.

 

It was a dumb f***ing move any way you slice it.

 

Statistical analysis can no change these facts.

 

This is one debate in which I don't think I've seen a single statistical fact stated to argue the point.

 

And what you have stated are not facts, they are your opinions.

[Maxbialystock]

In all honesty I have to admit the criticism is deserved, but it is also in my opinion way, way out of proportion to the actual effect on the team. The critics act as thought Wright was the team's best starter, the indispensable part of the rotation who could always be counted on to shut down the other team's best hitters.

 

And that just ain't so. Yes, in his last start, Aug 5, he went 9 and gave up 0 runs in LA, a great outing. But his ERA for July was 6.23, which by my reckoning is pretty bad. Oh, yes, in June his ERA was 1.26, but that was thanks to not counting those unearned runs cause by the difficulty in catching that knuckler. He actually gave up 16 runs in June vs. the 6 earned ones. Then there's the whole thing in injuring himself trying to get back to 2B. Had he raced around 3B and hurt himself sliding home, I would be a little more willing to slam Farrell. As it is, I think Wright is some kind of hot house flower who already, at age 32, has said he is simply unable to pitch in a NL park for risk that he might end up on base and hurt himself again.

 

I like Wright the same as I liked Wakefield. He's low cost and could be around for a while and could contribute. But I also like the fact that this team has steadily improved without him. They sure as heck don't miss his 6.26 ERA in July or those 10 unearned runs in June.

 

And I sure as heck would not bring him back for the playoffs--way too risky.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Maxbialystock

[Jasonbay44]

A very good point. Kimmi is dead wrong for once. The pitching has been an absolute disaster without Wright and proven that Buchholz should have been DFA'd, that Price is a bust, etc, etc. Without Wright the Sox have barely hung onto a 5 game lead in the AL East and the second best record in the AL. If Farrell had not made that fatal mistake of pinch running with Wright, the Sox would already have 110, maybe 120 wins. I usually defend Farrell, but not on this boneheaded move. Thanks to that one stupid decision, this season stinks all over and I have no idea why Farrell is still managing.

Yeah, because that's totally what I implied or said at all.

[Maxbialystock]

Yeah, because that's totally what I implied or said at all.

 

True, but the criticism of using Wright to pinch run with the resulting injury should not be considered in isolation. Wright himself has some culpability for taking that "big" lead and then hurting himself trying to get back. And it is simply a fact that the Sox have not been hurt all that bad by the absence of Wright. He was not irreplaceable. Far from it. Right now it would make all kinds of sense, no matter how healthy he might be, not to be use him in the playoffs. He definitely has control issues. Almost as bad, our catchers have a problem catching the knuckler.

[User Name]

What are you even talking about? Your points are all over the place and they're all dead wrong. Wright was an integral rotation piece, fact. Sending out a guy who hasn't run the bases since high school 15 years ago to pinch run was just asking to have what happened happen, and the announcers called it on the spot. Just stop.

[Spudboy]

What are you even talking about? Your points are all over the place and they're all dead wrong. Wright was an integral rotation piece, fact. Sending out a guy who hasn't run the bases since high school 15 years ago to pinch run was just asking to have what happened happen, and the announcers called it on the spot. Just stop.

 

Well that is just YOUR OPINION!!!!!!!

[Maxbialystock]

What are you even talking about? Your points are all over the place and they're all dead wrong. Wright was an integral rotation piece, fact. Sending out a guy who hasn't run the bases since high school 15 years ago to pinch run was just asking to have what happened happen, and the announcers called it on the spot. Just stop.

 

My points aren't dead wrong, in fact they are right. They just don't conform to your version of what happened. Fact: Wright was up and down, especially if you take into account those unearned runs. You keep ignoring the 6.23 ERA in July, but it's real, and the accident happened about a week later. Fact: the Sox have done great without him, including an 11 game winning streak now ongoing. You can try all you want to ignore it but it is a fact. Fact: his injury was the result of taking too big a lead--for him--and then having to dive back to 2B, something plenty of 32 year old men and women, not playing professional baseball at any level, do with ease. Guys in the 50's and 60's run the bases and slide without injury. And what happens if Wright pitches in a NL ballpark and has to bat? He intentionally strikes out every time for fear of injuring himself?

 

Sure, I don't mind saying Wright probably shouldn't have been sent out there to pinch run, poor baby that he is. But it sure as heck didn't hurt the team, which has only gotten better and better without him. What I was his age and on a faculty (assistant professor), I played softball, full court basketball, and flag football--for fun and with a bunch of other guys roughly the same age although a few were younger. It would seem knuckleballers are hothouse flowers with apparently no exercise regimen. At this point, one wonders if Wright runs in the outfield with the other pitchers.

[oldtimer]

Back to the title subject is who will be on the playoff roster. Today's game seemed to be one more audition for the playoffs with JF getting looks at a slightly different lineup, while resting other players. Bradley and Leon got the rest today while Shaw was back in with Young and Benintendi in the outfield and Vaz behind the plate. If I was on the fence about who would be on my playoff roster, Shaw went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts (not so good). Young took the collar as well, while Beni walked 3 times and flew out to right in 4 AB's. Vaz got a double.

 

I don't doubt that Beni and Young are on the playoff team, and Shaw continues his poor hitting but will no doubt make it since there is so little competition for the job. Vaz is the one most in question. I guessing it is Leon and Holaday but easily could be wrong there. It will be interesting to see how JF structures his team lineups for the next 6 games. I wonder how many he has up in the air. Abad was not solid today so perhaps Scott will be the lefty we got with behind Ross. Kelly did the job and may have solidified a spot on the playoff roster.

[Kimmi]

Well that is just YOUR OPINION!!!!!!!

 

Dislike.

[Kimmi]

Rotation is being set for Porcello to pitch Game 1 and Price to pitch Game 2.

[User Name]

My points aren't dead wrong, in fact they are right. They just don't conform to your version of what happened. Fact: Wright was up and down, especially if you take into account those unearned runs. You keep ignoring the 6.23 ERA in July, but it's real, and the accident happened about a week later. Fact: the Sox have done great without him, including an 11 game winning streak now ongoing. You can try all you want to ignore it but it is a fact. Fact: his injury was the result of taking too big a lead--for him--and then having to dive back to 2B, something plenty of 32 year old men and women, not playing professional baseball at any level, do with ease. Guys in the 50's and 60's run the bases and slide without injury. And what happens if Wright pitches in a NL ballpark and has to bat? He intentionally strikes out every time for fear of injuring himself?

 

Sure, I don't mind saying Wright probably shouldn't have been sent out there to pinch run, poor baby that he is. But it sure as heck didn't hurt the team, which has only gotten better and better without him. What I was his age and on a faculty (assistant professor), I played softball, full court basketball, and flag football--for fun and with a bunch of other guys roughly the same age although a few were younger. It would seem knuckleballers are hothouse flowers with apparently no exercise regimen. At this point, one wonders if Wright runs in the outfield with the other pitchers.

 

You couldn't hit right with a sniper rifle from four feet out. I'm not forgetting anything. You're just cherry picking stats to defend a moment of idiocy from Farrell. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Spudboy]

Dislike.

 

You will get over it.

 

We disagree.

[Maxbialystock]

You couldn't hit right with a sniper rifle from four feet out. I'm not forgetting anything. You're just cherry picking stats to defend a moment of idiocy from Farrell. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Call it idiocy or anything you like. The simple fact is that since then the Sox have flourished, which is inarguable. On August 11, not long after the disaster of losing Wright, they were 61-52. Today they are 92-64, which means they have basically gone 31-12 without Wright compared to 61-52, give or take, with Wright. All I'm saying is you can have Wright and I'll take the 31-12, the 11 game winning streak, a 5.5 game lead in the AL East and tied with the Rangers for the best record in the AL. I also continue to believe Wright is a wuss.

[Spudboy]

Lol.

[Maxbialystock]

You couldn't hit right with a sniper rifle from four feet out. I'm not forgetting anything. You're just cherry picking stats to defend a moment of idiocy from Farrell. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Never shot a sniper rifle, but was pretty decent out to 350M with an M1, predecessor to the M14 which was predecessor to the M16, when I shot expert over 50 years ago.