Sox hitting??

[moonslav59]

I didn't mean right this second.

 

I was thinking more in terms of 2018, but it wouldn't hurt to surprise some Astros pitchers by swinging at the first pitch a little more.

[S5Dewey]

Wait a minute - You and Ted both loved the State of Maine. I saw one 90+ mph fastball. (actually 3 different trips to the plate)- He hit the batter in front of me 3 consecutive times. I struck out 3 consecutive times just as quickly as I could!

I have a son-in-law who got to face Manny Delcarmen in high school. he said that that was quite the treat. not

 

I've always wanted to 'step in' against a major league pitcher, just to see what it looks like. I have no delusions about actually being able to get a hit off him, or maybe even make contact with the ball, but I'd like to see what their curves and sliders look like from 60'6"

[Spudboy]

Wait a minute - You and Ted both loved the State of Maine. I saw one 90+ mph fastball. (actually 3 different trips to the plate)- He hit the batter in front of me 3 consecutive times. I struck out 3 consecutive times just as quickly as I could!

I have a son-in-law who got to face Manny Delcarmen in high school. he said that that was quite the treat. not

 

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!1!1!!

[Spudboy]

I've always wanted to 'step in' against a major league pitcher, just to see what it looks like. I have no delusions about actually being able to get a hit off him, or maybe even make contact with the ball, but I'd like to see what their curves and sliders look like from 60'6"

 

I have never faced MLB pitching but I did play catch ( football ) with a Patriot QB.

 

Back in the early '90s the Pats had a back-up QB named Tommy Hodgeson. I think he had played at Alabama or some other southern football academy.

 

Anyway, my fiend Mike owned a gas station where several Pats players were customers. One morning I stopped by to gas up and mike was talking with Hodgeson and I believe Marv Cook, a Pats TE. Soon we were outside tossing a football around.

 

I have little pussy hands and really can't throw a football well. But I could always catch!

 

f*** me when Tommy would "toss" one to me. That f***ing ball was hard. Not like anything I had caught before. I ended up catching most balls with my chest.

 

None of us have any idea what a ball thrown by a pro pitcher is like.

 

If I had to step in against an MLB pitcher I would piss myself.

[a700hitter]

I have never faced MLB pitching but I did play catch ( football ) with a Patriot QB.

 

Back in the early '90s the Pats had a back-up QB named Tommy Hodgeson. I think he had played at Alabama or some other southern football academy.

 

Anyway, my fiend Mike owned a gas station where several Pats players were customers. One morning I stopped by to gas up and mike was talking with Hodgeson and I believe Marv Cook, a Pats TE. Soon we were outside tossing a football around.

 

I have little pussy hands and really can't throw a football well. But I could always catch!

 

f*** me when Tommy would "toss" one to me. That f***ing ball was hard. Not like anything I had caught before. I ended up catching most balls with my chest.

 

None of us have any idea what a ball thrown by a pro pitcher is like.

 

If I had to step in against an MLB pitcher I would piss myself.

Yep, you got that right.

[S5Dewey]

I have never faced MLB pitching but I did play catch ( football ) with a Patriot QB.

 

Back in the early '90s the Pats had a back-up QB named Tommy Hodgeson. I think he had played at Alabama or some other southern football academy.

 

Anyway, my fiend Mike owned a gas station where several Pats players were customers. One morning I stopped by to gas up and mike was talking with Hodgeson and I believe Marv Cook, a Pats TE. Soon we were outside tossing a football around.

 

I have little pussy hands and really can't throw a football well. But I could always catch!

 

f*** me when Tommy would "toss" one to me. That f***ing ball was hard. Not like anything I had caught before. I ended up catching most balls with my chest.

 

None of us have any idea what a ball thrown by a pro pitcher is like.

 

If I had to step in against an MLB pitcher I would piss myself.

 

If I were to do it there would have to be a rule though - no more than one fast ball. I KNOW I couldn't catch up to that and never could, not even on the best day of my life.

The thing that would scare me is that I know I'm not quick enough to get out of the way of one that got away from him.

 

A friend of mine put it quite well when he said it's like having a car bearing down on you at 100 mph and you know it's going to miss you by no more than a foot. Your mission is to take a baseball bat and put out one of his headlights.

[Bellhorn04]

The only current/former MLB pitcher I would step in against is Tim Wakefield. I might not connect with anything but at least I wouldn't get killed.

[S5Dewey]

The only current/former MLB pitcher I would step in against is Tim Wakefield. I might not connect with anything but at least I wouldn't get killed.

 

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I'd like to see what it's like to have one of his pitches coming in.

[SoxHop]

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I'd like to see what it's like to have one of his pitches coming in.

 

Back when the Portland Sea Dogs weren't in downtown Portland in the stadium where pitchers warmed up you could stand right behind the catcher. I got to see an AA guys knuckleball for a while. It was pretty sick.

 

I wonder who that pitcher was.

[harmony]

I have never faced MLB pitching but I did play catch ( football ) with a Patriot QB.

 

Back in the early '90s the Pats had a back-up QB named Tommy Hodgeson. I think he had played at Alabama or some other southern football academy.

 

Anyway, my fiend Mike owned a gas station where several Pats players were customers. One morning I stopped by to gas up and mike was talking with Hodgeson and I believe Marv Cook, a Pats TE. Soon we were outside tossing a football around.

 

I have little pussy hands and really can't throw a football well. But I could always catch!

 

f*** me when Tommy would "toss" one to me. That f***ing ball was hard. Not like anything I had caught before. I ended up catching most balls with my chest.

 

None of us have any idea what a ball thrown by a pro pitcher is like.

 

If I had to step in against an MLB pitcher I would piss myself.

Tom Hodson played collegiately at Louisiana State Unversity:

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HodsTo00.htm

[oldtimer]

We won 93 games with our current strategy. Can they really just change it up at the drop of a hat?

 

I don't think Chili and John used a single approach to hitting in all the games this year. If so, they would have been far too predicatable. I think that is what they used in a majority of games, that grind it out style they are known for. Therefore, I don't think they have to totally change their approach, just implement something they have used numerous times throughout the year. Otherwise, just be flexible to suit the situation that they will face.

[cp176]

I've always wanted to 'step in' against a major league pitcher, just to see what it looks like. I have no delusions about actually being able to get a hit off him, or maybe even make contact with the ball, but I'd like to see what their curves and sliders look like from 60'6"

 

My son by law did not hit the ball off Manny but to be fair Manny was not going to be tackling that boy on the football field either.

[Spudboy]

Tom Hodson played collegiately at Louisiana State Unversity:

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HodsTo00.htm

 

So I was right.

[Bellhorn04]

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I'd like to see what it's like to have one of his pitches coming in.

 

Along the same lines, on the Golf Channel they were advertising this contest where the winner gets to play a round of golf with Dustin Johnson, one of the longest hitters on tour. My reaction was, no thanks, I really don't need that kind of humiliation. Even on a hole where I hit a good drive, he could bomb one 100 yards past me without even trying that hard.

[Larry Cook]

Way back in the day someone told me Jim rice could hit a golf ball longer than most pros.

[cp176]

Way back in the day someone told me Jim rice could hit a golf ball longer than most pros.

 

Whoever told you that was absolutely right!!! Jim might not have known where it was going all of the time but he could pound it. So could Bob Montgomery (remember him).

[a700hitter]

Whoever told you that was absolutely right!!! Jim might not have known where it was going all of the time but he could pound it. So could Bob Montgomery (remember him).

Hawk Harrelson said that Jim Ed frequently had to hit is 3 shot back at the green he overshot on a par 5.

[illinoisredsox]

Hawk Harrelson said that Jim Ed frequently had to hit is 3 shot back at the green he overshot on a par 5.

 

Hey I had to do that. Once. Downwind. During a drought (fairways were rock hard).

[a700hitter]

Hey I had to do that. Once. Downwind. During a drought (fairways were rock hard).

Did you make par?

[notin]

Way back in the day someone told me Jim rice could hit a golf ball longer than most pros.

 

Makes sense. He could also hit a baseball longer than most pros

[notin]

I have never faced MLB pitching but I did play catch ( football ) with a Patriot QB.

 

Back in the early '90s the Pats had a back-up QB named Tommy Hodgeson. I think he had played at Alabama or some other southern football academy.

 

Anyway, my fiend Mike owned a gas station where several Pats players were customers. One morning I stopped by to gas up and mike was talking with Hodgeson and I believe Marv Cook, a Pats TE. Soon we were outside tossing a football around.

 

I have little pussy hands and really can't throw a football well. But I could always catch!

 

f*** me when Tommy would "toss" one to me. That f***ing ball was hard. Not like anything I had caught before. I ended up catching most balls with my chest.

 

None of us have any idea what a ball thrown by a pro pitcher is like.

 

If I had to step in against an MLB pitcher I would piss myself.

 

Hodgson went to LSU. and your point is spot on. Even the worst professional athletes are light years talent-wise when compared to nearly everyone else...

[notin]

I've always wanted to 'step in' against a major league pitcher, just to see what it looks like. I have no delusions about actually being able to get a hit off him, or maybe even make contact with the ball, but I'd like to see what their curves and sliders look like from 60'6"

 

I played high school ball with a couple of pitchers who played minor league ball (one in the Sox org, one for the Braves) but never made the majors. I had no delusions about hitting them even back then...

[notin]

I'm hopeful it was injury-related and not a prolonged slump.

 

We could really use the "old" Bogey, since nobody else seems to be returning to 2016 form.

 

I'd rather it was a slump. Slumps end. Injuries can linger on forever...

[moonslav59]

I'd rather it was a slump. Slumps end. Injuries can linger on forever...

 

I was assuming he's over the injury and hoping he's not prone to long slumps without reason.

[notin]

I was assuming he's over the injury and hoping he's not prone to long slumps without reason.

 

I get it, but slumps, unlike injuries, can also end without reason. I like his chances better if it's just a slump. Everyone has them..

[moonslav59]

I get it, but slumps, unlike injuries, can also end without reason. I like his chances better if it's just a slump. Everyone has them..

 

I get your point, too.

 

To me, I'd feel better thinking Bogey would have had an .800 OPS had he not gotten hurt.

 

Now, I'm in doubt about just how good a hitter he is (or will be going forward).

[illinoisredsox]

Did you make par?

 

I think that was one of my rare birdies (I'm usually good for 2 or 3 a year).

[illinoisredsox]

I played high school ball with a couple of pitchers who played minor league ball (one in the Sox org, one for the Braves) but never made the majors. I had no delusions about hitting them even back then...

 

I played against a kid from a neighboring town in Babe Ruth ball who ended up at UConn and then was the #1 pick of the Jays; he never made it past AAA. He was a year older than I was per the way youth baseball figured their ages back then, but he was only a couple months older than me on the calendar. I hit him pretty well in Babe Ruth, he was skinny and basically had a curve ball (I could hit those, mostly because my swing was so slow). Two years later, we became teammates on a Legion squad; he had grown about 6 inches, added about 30 pounds and was now throwing in the mid 80s (still had the curve). I couldn't touch him in BP, let alone a game. He played, I mostly sat.

[SoxHop]

I faced a mid nineties throwing guy that made it to AAA then flunked out cause he was a drunk and a gambler. He was a friend of mine.

 

Pretty much what I remember was he threw three fastballs inside about 90 plus mph. He was a prick and would have reach back and gave me, his friend, his best heat. He's a lefty, I'm a righty, he could locate. I thought they were coming at me and semi flinched out of the way on each pitch, and each pitch was a strike. What I remember best was the sound of the whiz of the ball coming in...............

 

I also caught about an hour of batting practive with an AAA guy throwing who could hit 90. I wasn't a catcher, but I could catch. And the coaches were punishing me for not going to practive lately, so it was mid day about as hot as you can get in the north east and I get catching duty for a guy throwing what I thought was ungodly junk and heat. It was freaking torture........ but I loved catching him in a way............ my hand was sore as heck after the session................ And what I remember most is the sound of the whiz of the ball coming in.........

 

whiiiiiizzzzz........ CRACK!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the sound....

Edited October 4, 2017 by SoxHop

[oldtimer]

Pretty clear from the game tonight that arguably our best hitter, Nunez, is gone for the playoffs. That is a tough blow for a relatively weak hitting team to absorb.

 

Tonight, our guys tended to follow the same pattern of taking one or two strikes , mostly fast balls and then being put into a pitcher friendly count. I had hoped they might game plan for a different approach but didn't see that. Two runs won't get it done against the Astros. If Altuve at 5'6" and 165 # can hit it out 3 times, then we should be able to hit one once in a while.