SoxSport

I have always felt it's not how many outs you make, it's what kind of out you make. For example, a sac fly is not the same kind of out as a strikeout. Any out that moves a baserunner is a better out than one that doesn't. OBP or BA do not distinguish between kinds of outs. The Yankees used to have an outfielder named Hank Bauer. He was a decorated hero of the Battle of the Bulge. He used to hit about .240 every year, but you didn't want to see him at the plate when the game was on the line. He would kill you every time.

Amazing. Though what was more amazing is their lack of hitting for most of the 1st 2 games in this series. They have the best record in Baseball (along with Cards), and they should win. But Papi's heroics and the timely hitting have put some fear into the Tigers. Their BP is vulnerable to big hits from a big hit team. I'm thinking maybe Lackey should have pitched game 2 at home, since he pitches better at Fenway than on the road. But he is a competitor, and he's capable of a good effort in Detroit.

Looks to me like they just lost a little edge after 3 days off. West is a bad umpire, but calls usually balance out. Drew should not have been hitting away in the 9th with the rabbit on 1B. Somebody screwed up there. You don't want to get beat opening game at home against a #3 or 4 starter. The advantage now shifts to the Tigers.

Key may be to get to the Tigers bullpen.

Ells and Vic are clicking in CF and RF. But they both are somewhat prone to injury. They take a hit defensively with the other backups on the roster. That's why next year, you figure Bradley makes the team--or at least sits in Pawtucket for when he's needed. The way the team is playing right now, it would be foolish to break up the chemistry. Though they aren't there yet--by a longshot.

Verlander, 7 2/3rds, 3-0 shutout, 97 pitches. Think Leyland is worried about pitch counts? LOL

Just heard Gammons at Fenway gushing about Hanley Ramirez ("reminds him of Manny") and talking about how Price will wind up with the Dodgers. He mentioned a bunch of prospects hyped much like the Yankee prospects. Except TB doesn't go for media hype. They want the real deal. Gammons used to be a beat reporter for the Globe. Then he became a millionaire TV pundit for ESPN. Times have changed. Expect to hear the Dodgers and the Yankees hyped in the off-season. The big market media tickets to prosperity. The Yankees will need more media hype to get ARod suspended all of next year, so they can use his salary. I guess he is appealing his penalty, which seems odd compared to the other penalties given out. The guy has never been caught. Heaven help us if the Dodgers win this year. When money triumphs, baseball suffers.

One thing I'll say about Farrell: he's always thinking in the dugout--always has an explanation for every move. A healthy contrast to Francoma. Tito's explanation was always manager's decision. And the media bought it.

Good to be out of that place. Vic and Ells clearly sparks in smallball game to counter Rays. Plus they have the pitching. Farrell pressing the right buttons. Suspect we'll see more of Bogaerts platoon with Drew from now on vs lefties. Now the hope is the Tigers can knock off the pesky As. Another Rays type team. Miggy is clearly not himself, and that takes a lot away from their hitting. Verlander seems to have notched it up, but their bullpen is suspect. Like their chances better with the Tigers. The As are a big pain in the ass at home, like the Rays. Can't figure why fatty Colon hasn't been banned for steroids.

Closers never seem to pitch well in a non-closing situation. Maybe mental.

Most people, myself included, had them figured as a close to .500 team this year give or take a few games. Maybe an 85 win team. But they do indeed have some chemistry, which is impossible to predict, and the manager and coaching staff have clicked. Enough good things have happened to overcome the adversity (injuries to 2 closers). The lineup by and large has remained healthy, and some players are having surprisingly good seasons (Nava, Carp, Drew 2nd half). Gomes and Napoli have had big hits--in fact you go down the lineup and everybody seems to have gotten big hits. Plus the pitching has been steady--Nieves and Farrell deserve credit for that. Cherington deserves credit for the FAs (minus Dempster--they'd like to have that $26 mil back). There have been good trades and bad trades. They got stiffed on the two closer deals, but struck gold signing Uehara. Peavy is helping them right now. Just keep in mind this isn't the As or the Pirates. This is a $170 mil team spent to the hilt. They are doing what they are paid to do. But still they have struck gold on team chemistry--on the field. You can't predict that, but once you get it, don't be tempted to change it.

You can't do it with 1 or 2 starters. You need 3 solid starters to win the playoffs--some depth. The Red Sox have 4 good starters--assuming they pitch to their potential. That's as good as any team.

OK, but right now there's a logjam with Gomes, Nava and Carp added to the mix. Carp is mainly a 1B platoon guy right now, but he can play the OF. I don't know where that leaves Bradley, except they take a hit defensively when Ells or Vic go down--which is not uncommon. Bradley is more defensive insurance, and he has speed on the bases. Plus he could be a 5 tool player--better than all of them.

I don't think it's a choice between Bradley and Ellsbury at this point, as I've said before. Bradley can play any OF position. He started the season playing LF. I don't have any problem with his hitting the last month or so in Boston. He's hit 2 HRs off lefties at Fenway over the bullpen. He hit as well as Bogaerts in Pawtucket. One thing he will have to overcome is any perceived stigma about black players in Boston. The local media is tough to deal with, and some black players (most recently Crawford) have had trouble with the Red Sox. I hope that doesn't turn out to be the case. I should add that Papi is afro-Hispanic, and he has obviously had no problems. Plus I think Crawford had other issues --his elbow was bad I suspect when he came here, and he isn't worth close to $20 million/yr at any rate. In fact, neither is AdGon since his power loss. They were lucky to get rid of both. Back to Bradley--I think he figures in their plans, but probably not in CF. Ells will get extended the way he's playing right now. I just hope he puts a short leash on Boras.

Price has a poor career record in the playoffs.

The Sox have kicked it up a notch the 1st two games, beating two tough lefties they had trouble with this year. TB's best pitchers. Now they have a pitching advantage with Buchholz and Peavy going to TB. Their play right now reminds me of the '04 and '07 playoff teams. Amazing that Papi is still a prime contributor.

They got on a roll just at the right time. Same thing happened in 04--won 7 in a row. Reminds me of a story--happened just before the start of the 04 WSeries against the Cardinals. They had just knocked off the Yankees by winning 3 in a row. I run into an ESPN guy at the airport--a guy I knew from high school. He was with that Philly News guy who just won the Spink Award. Forget his name. So I ask them who is going to win the series. Both said Cardinals in 5. I said no way. Red Sox have better pitching. A lot of snooty attitudes about the Red Sox in the sports media. You can still see it now on CBS, ESPN, etc. The CBS guys are moaning about Myers losing game 1 for the Jays. Hell, they lost 12-2.

I read a NY Times story a month or so ago that said the TV networks make up the college football schedule according to their TV needs. I would guess they do the same with MLB, the NFL and the NBA. They are the principal source of revenues for these sports--an enormous amount of money that makes million dollar salaries possible. You can see TVs influence in the scheduling--the highlight night games, etc. Often with a NY or LA team--market size is their priority. So, you can see that the Red Sox or any other team don't have much say in the schedule or how many days they have off. It's probably dictated by the teams-cities that make the playoffs, and has a lot to do with travel time and prime time hours divvied according to market size.

go baby go. beat Price.

This team can go all the way. Tough to beat at Fenway. Dempster will shine in relief.

Good to see Doubront changing his tune and making the roster instead of Thornton. Pretty deep in pitching, but these guys have to show up with their best stuff.

I would take the Dodgers over the Braves. Cards over Dodgers. The Cards never seem to lose these things when the Giants aren't playing. If the Red Sox can get by the Rays, they have a good shot at the Series--Miggy is hurting, Verlander not dominant. If they get there, they can beat the Cards. Home field is big for Boston based on their Fenway record.

The Red Sox should be favored off their record against the Rays. But Price was off form early in the season, and the Rays have gotten better 2nd half. It all boils down to pitching, whether they can hit Price and Moore, and whether their own starters can pitch well. The CBS NY guys are lining up for the Rays on the tweets. It figures. I see Doubront changed his tune about relieving, and is now the 25th man. That improves the BP vs Thornton. The other guys sent to Florida (Bradley et al) I assume may still be called up if needed the next series. Not sure how that works. Vic and Ells have to stay healthy, or the OF will take a hit defensively without Bradley. That would be important with a team like the Rays. You figure Bradley wouldn't be used against the lefties anyways, though he has a pretty good eye and hit a HR off a leftie at Fenway in Sept. Can't figure rookies Perez and Salazar starting for Texas and Cleveland in a one game showdown. Both failed the first few innings, and left their teams behind. You have to go with your veterans--your best starters. The Cards won today with Wainright. Burnett, who had a bad record pitching in St Louis, had another bad game. You have to watch your matchups and play percentages all the time.

Keeping Thornton instead of Doubront or Bradley might blow up in their faces if Thornton costs them a game in a relief appearance. Doubront's selfish behavior undoubtedly will get him traded. It hurts to have your #5 starter left off the team because he's not a team player. Bradley may be their best outfielder--but we won't know until next spring, unless they add him the next playoff series (?) because of an injury. I don't know if Farrell is playing percentages here. Thornton has sucked consistently for them. The next decision is whether to platoon Drew with Bogaerts against Price or Moore. Depends on how Drew has hit against those pitchers. Drew has played very well 2nd half, and they are partial to him anyways with his big contract. But Bogaerts deserves his shot in the right situation--the experience will make him better. Middlebrooks better produce, or he might wind up on the bench for Bogaerts.

Hard to say who was pulling Tito's strings in Boston. The FO does like to control the manager--that's pretty obvious after last year. Valentine was left to hang in the breeze last year. Big difference this year--everybody pulling in the same direction. Plus a much stronger coaching staff. I do think Farrell will win MOY. The Guardians spent a lot of money signing FAs in the offseason--probably as much as the Sox did. Farrell and Tito both had expensive teams to manage, and Farrell won more games. The MOY ballot, I believe is taken before the playoffs, so the playoffs don't count--though they should.