Dojji

Let's call it run creation.

First big league run for Che-Hsuan

It's more like the Run of Redemption IMHO. I mean there you are on base after all.

Well my other obsession is one of our more pleasant surprises this year, so you never know! I'd like to see CSL play center. It's his position and Byrd isn't much to write home about.

Suckholes.

I... I think we may be looking at the end of a career here.

And it is possible that he's overthinking it too -- underthrowing simply because he doesn't know what "pacing himself" looks like over multiple starts yet and he knows that one good arm injury too early in the process will ruin everything.

I wonder if seabeachfred was one of the people who was down on Lester over his first couple half seasons because of the mediocre command he'd displayed up to that point.

And the reason I disagree is because I don't expect Bard to stay at this level. He's doing OK while he's still figuring things out, but I expect him to figure things out. I suspect the K rate thing is overblown because I suspect the team is trying to get him to pitch to contact in order to get him through lineups multiple times. A strategy which Bard has proven at least competent at. Once he masters that, I suspect the K's will go up simply as a facet of his greater mastery of the art of pitching. Right now they haven't taken the training wheels off for reals, so judging him on what you're seeing right now is a bit foolhardy.

Beckett did more than enough today.

Because of course, there's absolutely no solution at all to our bullpe issues that doesn't involve specifically putting Bard back there. Admit it. People wouldn't fixate on the Bard to the pen issue in particular if it wasn't for the fact that they are used to thinking of him as a reliever. It's not about fixing the bullpen (which has been OK for the most part) nearly as much as it is about reestablishing the comfort zone.

Salty will hit, and won't kill you with his glove most nights. This isn't a team that believes in high end defense traditionally so Salty is the kind of catcher you tend to wind up with a lot.

Right now it's a 5th spot. You don't put Bard in the rotation for what he's going to do the first year he's there. If other people aren't performing, that's on them. You can't slot Bard up further at this time because he's probably not going to finish the year in the rotation.

I'm not buying it. He's inconsistent and raw, but that's to be expected given his inexperience. He's showing an ability to go out and do battle that I'd love to see our other more skilled starters emulate. How many people thought that he wouldn't have to be lifted from any of his first 7 starts before the 5th inning ended? How many people thought he'd have more games where he logged 6+ innings (4) than starts where he lasted less than 6? (3?). He's still averaging right around a quality start -- even a half decent outing puts him right on that mark and if you're getting that from your 5th, then you're getting what you need. Yeah the results over the last 4 starts aren't sexy -- but he's doing what a 5th starter needs to do. Go out there and battle into the 6th most nights and give the offense a chance to win. that's what Bard's doing. And he's doing it consistently. This kid has shown all the fight and mental toughness I want to see and he's DURABLE. That's danged important. Proficiency and skill he needs to gain, and he's going about gaining it the right way. I'm very impressed so far -- and if you remember the offseason argument I was a HUGE bard skeptic.

No it isn't. He's yards ahead of what most teams have in the #5 spot. He's not consistent, but that doesn't mean he isn't good.

You can't judge a setup man based on his save rate. They get the blame for blown saves but only get holds when they preserve the lead. If a man only blows 12 leads in 2 years that's NTFB.

THat's player preference. It's not so much about the money for the guy right now.

When did the SCOTUS get involved again? Clemens perjured himself in front of a Senate committee, not in front of 9 robe-clad anacrhonisms.

Tell ya what, Aceves has found his stride as the closer. He's a darn good pitcher, you knew he would eventually but it's just heartening.

“Starting to come together Pepper, starting to come together.”

Looks like Nava's returned to earth. Ahh well, that was fun while it lasted.