Sox hitting??

[cp176]

I understand how some here want to de-emphasize the importance of the home run but doesn't it make you feel a little better when you think there is at least a chance? Last night - what 4 hits and one was Dever's opposite field shot off Chapman. Benintendi the night before with a couple of big dingers. Come on - it has to make you feel better knowing that there is at least a chance.

[oldtimer]

I understand how some here want to de-emphasize the importance of the home run but doesn't it make you feel a little better when you think there is at least a chance? Last night - what 4 hits and one was Dever's opposite field shot off Chapman. Benintendi the night before with a couple of big dingers. Come on - it has to make you feel better knowing that there is at least a chance.

 

It helps to have guys who are at least a threat. Too many guys didn't do a thing at the plate. The guys that hit the ball hard but come up empty are at least a threat. We got a win with great pitching and timely hitting. On we go and could have won the 3 games with a little more care of the RP.

 

What a turn around for the Sox.

[S5Dewey]

I understand how some here want to de-emphasize the importance of the home run but doesn't it make you feel a little better when you think there is at least a chance? Last night - what 4 hits and one was Dever's opposite field shot off Chapman. Benintendi the night before with a couple of big dingers. Come on - it has to make you feel better knowing that there is at least a chance.

 

Ya. This is what I was thinking at the time, too. I know the Sox are leading the AL East by 5 1/2 this morning but there's still a serious power shortage on this team. Were it not for Beni and now Devers - both rookies - that shortage would be a lot worse.

 

It may not be necessary to have power to win games but it's nice to have at least some power when a team is trailing by one or two runs late in the game. It's a lot easier to capitalize on one mistake pitch from a guy like Chapman than it is to string together two or three hits to score a run off him.

[Bellhorn04]

Any which way you score runs is good. Devers HR last night was beautiful. Beni's bases-loaded rope single wasn't bad either.

[Slasher9]

I understand how some here want to de-emphasize the importance of the home run but doesn't it make you feel a little better when you think there is at least a chance? Last night - what 4 hits and one was Dever's opposite field shot off Chapman. Benintendi the night before with a couple of big dingers. Come on - it has to make you feel better knowing that there is at least a chance.

 

i feel you. but i still say pitching and defense means the most. if mookie makes a fairly routine catch, devers HR isn't critical.

[Bellhorn04]

i feel you. but i still say pitching and defense means the most. if mookie makes a fairly routine catch, devers HR isn't critical.

 

And if we scored a couple more runs earlier in the game Mookie's rare misplay wouldn't matter. Producing runs and preventing them are all good stuff.

[OH FOY]

Weird game tried many ways we let the Yanks back into the game. Devers HR, was huge. See the body language by the Yankees when he hit it. Kimbrel did his job.

[notin]

Weird game tried many ways we let the Yanks back into the game. Devers HR, was huge. See the body language by the Yankees when he hit it. Kimbrel did his job.

 

And that was good use of Kimbrel in a non-save situation. Is it possible Farrell learned from his mistake the other night?

[S5Dewey]

Weird game tried many ways we let the Yanks back into the game. Devers HR, was huge. See the body language by the Yankees when he hit it. Kimbrel did his job.

 

The balance of power in that rivalry swung in 2004. My comment after Friday night's game about driving a stake through their cold hearts was a reflection of pre-2004. Now it's swung back the other way. Yes, the Sox will lose a close one occasionally like they did on Friday night, but on the whole the Sox have now become the f***ers and the Yankees the f***ees in closely contested games.

 

I like this better.

[S5Dewey]

And that was good use of Kimbrel in a non-save situation. Is it possible Farrell learned from his mistake the other night?

 

I do hope you're right, but that's asking for a lot!

[Kimmi]

S5, I like you, but this is a bunch of dribble. First off, most sabermetricians crunch numbers to better understand the game because they love it. Calling a group of people you have had zero interaction with "soulless" just because their opinion does not match yours is both shallow and pedantic. Also, the whole "50 years" of experience point is bogus. Ask Josh Donaldson what "50 years of experience" about hitting got him to. He defied convention by actively challenging the collective advice of people with tens of years of experience with great results (and based on modern research I might add).

 

The fact that some things can't be quantified is true, but it doesn't demerit statistical or modern research.

 

^^ This, times 1000.

[Kimmi]

True if you live and die by batting average, home runs and RBI..

 

Not true if you look at BABIP, LD% and all the other numbers available...

 

My man.

 

Which is exactly why advanced stats are needed.

[Kimmi]

I would not get too bogged down - it's just knowing what the information is saying. After all, there IS no stat which will say everything - if there were, then being a GM would be super easy. Why vote for awards if WAR were that precise? What is true is that the great seasons of yore still are great (like Ortiz 2016) - what the new stuff has done I think is allow us to appreciate a season like Victorino's 2013 (or Ellsbury's) in a way which the old stats did not do nearly adequately enough.

 

Anybody could see 2000 Pedro was amazing - but seeing an 11 win Felix Hernandez season as special, then it helps to have some of the new stuff.

 

A place where the new stuff showed was Pedroia's MVP in 2008. While I am sure most voters voted for scrappy mctufferson and his leadership abilities on a terrific team, advanced numbers end up taking a season that looked good but not amazing, and revealed just how fantastic he really was that year.

 

Good stuff sk.

[Kimmi]

Is the Judge hitting himself out of the American League MVP award. If he continues on this pace maybe Benny catches him for Rook of the year. I really thing The Judge will finish up the season on a good note, but you never know. He will really have to tank I would think to lose Rookie of the year with the homers he has already put up. Something to watch..

 

IMO, the current AL MVP is Sale.

 

Thanks Dave!

[cp176]

i feel you. but i still say pitching and defense means the most. if mookie makes a fairly routine catch, devers HR isn't critical.

 

I absolutely agree with you about the role pitching and defense play!

[Larry Cook]

What is wrong with mookie? He did not represent in the loss to Cleveland today?

[cp176]

I get the fact that there are plenty of people who think that the order in which players bat in the lineup makes little difference. The real fact is that yes it can make a little difference. It might be a small thing in the big scheme of things, but it is still a thing. If a poorly constructed lineup costs one game, that would be one game too many. I like Devers in either the 4 or 3 hole where he we can take advantage of some of the power that we do have in this lineup. While I am on the subject, yes I did see the Encarnarcion show last night.

[Emp9]

What is wrong with mookie? He did not represent in the loss to Cleveland today?

 

ehh, we still won the series.

[OH FOY]

Bogaerts is hitting a HR for every 70 at bats at this point, I don't know if I would trash that swing and go to a different approach. Swinging down and slapping at the ball, is something Iglesias would do, not a kid his size. Cant believe some of the Slugging % by some of the SS's this season.

Fenway is made for the pull hitter, good you go to all fields, but it's counter-productive in this Park.

At this point in his career he's losing money, I'm not offering him a huge contract. Keep the money for Benni and Betts, and even Bradley.

Boras is his Agent, I would have a talk to him. Teams want HRS, to pay the big bucks.

Edited August 15, 2017 by OH FOY!

[Slasher9]

The balance of power in that rivalry swung in 2004. My comment after Friday night's game about driving a stake through their cold hearts was a reflection of pre-2004. Now it's swung back the other way. Yes, the Sox will lose a close one occasionally like they did on Friday night, but on the whole the Sox have now become the f***ers and the Yankees the f***ees in closely contested games.

 

I like this better.

 

yup. as of 2004 the nail has become the hammer and the hammer has become the nail.

[OH FOY]

Devers has now tied Bogaerts in HRS, in what 2 weeks maybe more.

[mvp 78]

Devers has now tied Bogaerts in HRS, in what 2 weeks maybe more.

 

Bogaerts isn't a HR hitter. HR's aren't the only value you can add when at the plate.

[OH FOY]

How about this .181 BA 2nd half of season. You want to go by Month next? .277 June, .163 July, .200 August. Steady decline in every aspect. I know BA doesn't mean everything, right? Just like last year, ship is sinking. Edited August 15, 2017 by OH FOY!

[Kimmi]

How about this .181 BA 2nd half of season. You want to go by Month next? .277 June, .163 July, .200 August. Steady decline in every aspect. I know BA doesn't mean everything, right? Just like last year, ship is sinking.

 

It's too bad that Pedroia is on the DL because Bogaerts really needs some time off, more than just 1-2 days.

[Kimmi]

What is wrong with mookie? He did not represent in the loss to Cleveland today?

 

He looked terrible in last night's game. He is striking out a lot recently.

[mvp 78]

How about this .181 BA 2nd half of season. You want to go by Month next? .277 June, .163 July, .200 August. Steady decline in every aspect. I know BA doesn't mean everything, right? Just like last year, ship is sinking.

 

Bogaerts is playing poorly now. I'm not sure that part is up for debate. His OPS since the AS Break is 475. He's also been dealing with an injured wrist. If Pedey wasn't dealing with the Machado injury, maybe Xander would be getting much needed rest.

 

I just don't understand handwringing over Xander not being a power hitter. Not every guy needs to hit 20 HR's a year.

[OH FOY]

Does DWAR mean anything? He's the only SS of the top 21 in a negative number. -0.6.

[oldtimer]

It's too bad that Pedroia is on the DL because Bogaerts really needs some time off, more than just 1-2 days.

 

It seems to start with his plate approach. He continues to wag his bat until the pitch is delivered. One more hitch in the swing is one too many. He doesn't seem capable of getting out of the slump and the coaching he is getting isn't helping. I don't mind the lack of home runs, but would like to see a more consistent hard contact.

[OH FOY]

Not here to argue, just saying if he thinks he's going to make some huge contract, he might be surprised. At this point, might as well develop someone, to do what he produces at this point. Save the money. Nobody pays 20+ Million for a SS who doesn't hit for Power. You would be crazy to do this.

Then again if Yankees could sign Ellsbury, for what they did, anything is possible.

Edited August 15, 2017 by OH FOY!

[Kimmi]

Does DWAR mean anything? He's the only SS of the top 21 in a negative number. -0.6.

 

Bogaerts is not having a good year defensively. He is 21st (out of 21 qualified players) in DRS at -11 and 16th in UZR/150 at -2.3.