SoxSport

V lost this game almost single-handedly today by going to the bullpen too soon--instead of letting a strong Dubront pitch into the 7th. The way to beat the Yankees is with good LHP, and Dubront provided that today. I'm unimpressed by Vs handling of pitching so far--seems like warmed over Tito. Too much pressure on a mediocre bullpen that is one Bailey short. The starters simply have got to go deeper to take the pressure off the bullpen. Dubront could have today, and Valentine blew it. When you factor in Vs big mouth, what is there to like over Tito? Nothing so far.

Overheard in the owners box : Henry-- You know, Larry, this kid Tazawa looks like the best pitcher in the bullpen right now. Why don't we make him the 5th starter and move Bard to closer? LL: Sounds sensible. But we'll have to clear it with the front office. Bard really wants to start. Henry: Well, it's about winning, you know. And right now, we don't have a closer. And another thing, why are all those hot prospects winning games in Pawtucket and not here? LL: Sounds sensible, too. But the front office thinks they need more experience. Henry: Don't you think Dubront should have started the 7th inning? Seems like your Bobby V didn't make the right pitching decisions in this game. The fans don't seem to be taking very well to him. LL: Sounds sensible, again. I'll suggest to Bobby that starters should go deeper into games when they are throwing quality starts--to take the pressure off the bullpen. Henry: Sounds sensible, Larry.

Managers lose a lot of games every year nowadays taking out starters who are going good. It just ain't rational. 100 pitches? Bobby V isn't so smart. This will be a long season. Bring back Tito.

Did he take Dubront out after 6 on 100 pitches? If so, they deserve to lose the f**king game. 30 years ago, managers didn't do that. Throwing a RHP against that LHd lineup is like throwing raw meat at a lion. In tennis, they call it an "unforced error." In baseball nowadays, it's managers' folly. Don't fix what ain't broke.

This is true--in the media.

Interesting take. It just shows you how much the Boston Globe media influences the management. Which the management equates to the fans--inaccurately. I think LL is playing a balancing game between V and Ben--and it could blow up in his face. I'm not sure V has the team he wants out there, and he might not be around for long.

Yeah, they did Tito a big favor for letting him walk. But let's not forget that he was the captain who let his ship sail away without him. The one thing I miss about Tito is the way he handled the media. He gave them a lot of BS--the mushroom farm treatment. That takes talent.

This team has no f**king life right now. And I think the front office is getting off scott free. I think V has done a lousy job with his big mouth, but I also think the front office has sucked--for refusing to inject some young blood into this team--opting instead for a bunch of lifeless mediocrities to fill out the lineup. And V has gone along with it--despite his inclinations otherwise in spring training. Another V mistake. Make that Lucchino's mistake, who is trying to please everybody. Those hi-priced veterans could use a few of those young upstarts in Pawtucket right now to inject some life into this team. Instead, the kids are stuck in AAA to get more "experience." Well, experience is now. Wake up, Ben.

Tazawa looked better than Buchholz--for sure. Buchholz isn't ready yet.

Smoltz said Buchholz isn't there yet with his heat, and the straight stuff he threw down the middle was easy to hit because of it. He said he should have his heat back in a couple of starts, and he'll be OK. I read Cook and Ohlendorf are pitching well in Pawtucket. That's a hell of a team they've got there-- a lot more interesting than the Sox right now. They just swept a 4 game series. I think Lucchino has to get some of them up to Boston. His team looks lifeless. The core of Pedey, Papi, AdGon and Youks are surrounded by mediocrity, and the pitching staff needs a transfusion. The sensible thing to do right now is to move Bard to closer, Aceves to setup. And fill the two starter spots with Cook, Ohlendorf, Padilla, Doubront, etc.

Buchholz gets the Bronx cheer.

This team needs an adrenaline shot--in the ass. Bring up Pawtucket. They won their league last year--yet nobody got promoted.

glad somebody else noticed.

Fans deserve a better effort than this.

Buchholz really sucks right now. He's throwing meatballs up there. What's going on? It looks like batting practice. The Yankee hitters aren't that good. Chavez?

Just read Schilling's letter in the Globe saying he can't make it because of other commitments at his 38 studio. He said a lot of nice things about the fans and WS memories, etc. But I think he's wrong for not attending. The management treated him very well--especially considering they handed him $8 mil his last season for not pitching. He gave them back a lot of great pitching memories. A great clutch pitcher. Too bad Henry let things fall apart the last couple years.

Tonite, the bullpen couldn't keep them in a close game. The front office has not done a good job with the pitching. They change pitching coaches like musical chairs, but that doesn't seem to solve the problem. Bobby V is taking all the flak right now for his big mouth, but I think the front office deserves some scrutiny.

Actually, ESPN reminded him that he should attend so they can dig the dagger deeper into the Red Sox.

Tito reminds me of a captain who allowed his ship to sail away from him. Bobby V reminds me of a captain who is throwing his crew off the ship. It's possible Bobby isn't happy about some things. Just possible.

They couldn't have picked a "100th birthday celebration" at a worse time.

Bard looks OK as a starter, but the bullpen right now is a disaster. Melancon doesn't appear to be effective, and Bailey has disappeared on the DL list. That's two guys gone? who were supposed to anchor the bullpen. Aceves looks like he can handle the closer job, but would Aceves-Bard be better in the bullpen as setup-closer? Maybe so, if Melancon turns out to be a bust. The fly in the ointment is the FO' s refusal to accept reality--they need Bard in the bullpen right now. No sense in sticking to your commitment when your replacements, Melancon and Bailey, have become invisible.

All this stuff aside, I think the Red Sox have a management problem. It's not Vs managing in the dugout, it's what he is saying to the media--which is looking for negative stuff to print. Well, Bobby certainly is looking like a good customer. Aside from that, we have a newbie GM who thinks he's Theo Epstein. He's made a couple of trades for pitchers which looked good on paper--but which now don't look so good. He wanted all the young upstarts to sit in Pawtucket for another year, while a lot of journeyman type players stayed on the roster. So far, seems like he's got what he wanted. Maybe LLs efforts to balance the books after yanking the management search rug out from under him. Another example of mismanagement and media over-exposure. You know, the Red Sox just aren't that important. The organization should just clam up and shut up. They have become fodder for the Globe and the rest of those media outlets that clamor for controversy. Henry needs to lower the profile of his team--to about the level encouraged by the Patriots. That means the players as well as the GM and the manager should just shut up and do their jobs.