SoxSport

Maybe Farrell simply isn't allowed to pitch a reliever more than 1 inning. The FO dictates a lot of this stuff these days. Pretty stupid, isn't it? They throw twice as many pitches in the BP just to heat up.

Too much bullpen night after night. These guys aren't machines. They are going to get hit if they are thrown out there 2 or 3 games in a row. It's the folly of pitch counts. They are locked in a regimen that is counterproductive and consumes a bullpen. Heck, you throw 4 guys out there in 4 innings, one of them's bound to get hit and take you out of a game--like tonite. In the old days, Lackey would be in the bullpen until strong enough to start. Now the FO draws a sharp line between starters and relievers.

This is a yearly problem with the Red Sox. Overtaxing the bullpen. Low pitch counts for starters limits their innings on good nights and wastes the BP. One inning appearances for relievers uses too many relievers in a game.

This 4 relievers per game routine will ultimately kill the BP. Starters have to go more than 5 innings. Or they have to use a reliever more than one inning.

They'll be all right as long as their pitching holds up. Lackey and Doubront look shakey. They need to give Webster a shot. The other 3 guys look solid.

You can question Pedey batting 3rd, since he hasn't shown any power. But Farrell likes speed and OBP at the top, and you can't argue with that. Napoli and Papi are getting plenty of RBI opportunities. Pedey and Middlebrooks could use a day or 2 off.

They all do something to get a better grip. The combination of wet, usually from perspiration, and rosin.

ha. looks the same to me--within standard deviation. no big difference. that's the story.

Verducci is a smart guy, but his analysis is subjective. I don't trust any of these network media types who are based in NY and are "amazed" the Red Sox are doing so well. It is not so amazing when you consider last year they underperformed so badly. A lot of these guys are simply playing up to their potential. The networks have predictably grabbed this story, which is based on pure speculation--not by the Toronto team, mind you, as some have reported, but by a couple of Jays' booth announcers. No team accusation. Wonder why not. If there was anything obvious on Buchholz's arm, the umpires would notice. I suppose they'll dream up a similar explanation for Lester. Maybe Farrell brought a few tricks with him from Toronto? More likely a matter of knowing the Red Sox pitchers and fixing their mechanics. Something the media has yet to point out.

Doubront's loss of heat suggests conditioning may be a factor. Right now, he's the most likely victim of Webster's success, since Dempster is pitching well and Lackey looks like he could return to form. It should be noted that the Red Sox are not in good position to take on a mid-season salary dump should they find a need for an upgrade in pitching or any other position. Not unless they trade some of their salary. They find themselves in more of a buying than selling position at this point, standings-wise, but they are up against the cap. That means they may have to rely on Pawtucket for upgrades.

Salty is clearly not very good behind the plate--it makes you wonder why they are keeping him. He'll be gone option time next year.

Remember when that idiot network TV announcer said outrageously during a game telecast that Schilling had faked the bloody sock? I heard that, and I was stunned at somebody saying something like that on the air without any foundation. We all know the NY bias these network guys have, be it CBS, NBC, Fox or even MLB TV--they are all-NY based. Some of them can't hardly wait to bring up the Yankees or the Jets (the Jets? they suck) while they're talking about something else. This one appeared to be another one of those anti-Red Sox diatribes. And that yokel is still broadcasting TV games. Now these guys aren't NY--at least on the surface of it. Could be just a case of sour grapes, anti-Farrell (now why didn't he do that to our pitchers in Toronto? LOL), or just resentment that the Red Sox have turned the tables on everybody. I recall listening to an MLB TV show, where these guys were gushing over the Yankees start with all their injuries--while not mentioning the Red Sox have the best record in baseball! So there you have it. The media is love-hate. They have to sell their ratings and their advertising. If there isn't any conflict, they will create it. That's entertainment. That's TV.

Nava is about the same size as Yaz.

Those North End restaurants must be very agreeable to Napoli. Southern Italian.

Everything's coming up roses.

It's a good life. Similar to political wives. You just have to look the other way while the groupies, pretty staffers and media girls are gold-digging for your hubby--and hope that the kids will hold the family together.

The Red Sox FO remains unchanged from the Epstein era. Just the money has been turned off--or closely controlled.Notice Epstein hasn't signed a single expensive FA in Chicago after two seasons--and this is a major TV market, behind NY and LA. Maybe he's learned his lesson--or his owner has. Last year, there was no correlation between wins and payroll in MLB. Pure scatter, if you plotted the data. What it suggests is the salary system in MLB sucks. There is no correlation between reward and performance. I suspect the fault is with guaranteed long term contracts. The owners gave away too much to the players. And the money has escalated out of sight due to cable TV--courtesy of you and me and everybody else who watches cable TV. Sports takes about half our cable bill, and rising.

We don't really know what the decision ladder is--the media doesn't talk about it. Cherington being a young GM, you can be sure Lucchino is right over his shoulder. He doesn't breathe without a nod from Larry. Clearly, though, Henry has been stroking Ben, since the media got the word Ben gets the credit for the Dodger deal--though Henry actually made the deal with the Dodger President Kasten at the owner's meetings, as reported in some detail by the national media. I think, however, the FO deserves some credit for picking the prospects that came to Boston. It's pretty obvious a deal of that magnitude and money is made at the ownership level. As for trades and FA signings, Ben has some help in the FO this year (James et al); Lucchino and the higher ups probably sign off on any deals as well. The real conflict traditionally is between the GM and the manager. Last year, clearly V had no say. Tito probably had little say as well. I suspect Farrell has a lot more say--he's highly thought of by the higher ups. The question is who has the final say in personnel, lineups, starting pitching, the way the BP is used, etc. These things are not discussed by the media.

None of those higher ups ever gets blamed for anything. The manager takes the fall.

Cherington was a rookie GM who was told to hold the line in spending. He moved Bard to starter so he wouldn't have to spend money on a FA starter, and traded for Bailey to close. Bard was apparently agreeable (you can't be sure on these things--we don't have enough info), even though he had failed as a starter in the minors. The latter should have been a flag. And Bailey got his yearly injury (keep your fingers crossed.) Prior to this season, Red Sox FO undervalued the bullpen, especially the closer. They moved one of the best setup men in baseball, and have refused to pay big bucks to a closer. Pap, for example. Actually, I think they're correct on this. Closers are replaceable. Right now they have two. If Farrell is smart, he'll use them both and keep them fresh. The bullpen looks pretty good right now.

He gets credit for wrecking Bard, too. The real credit goes to Farrell and Nieves, who have turned the pitching around--so far. Farrell will be the next GM.

If that's the case, Lance is overpaid, too. I think he's playing 1B--at least part-time, and it's a 1 year deal. His knees could go at any time. The Angels are stuck with a declining Pujols. Hamilton will probably untracked. They don't care-they have so much Fox TV money they are looking for ways to spend it--like the Dodgers. The Yankees--watch them weasel out of ARod's ridiculous contract--as only the Yankees can do.

The starting pitching is carrying them. Plus Farrell is turning out to be a winner.

Miggy is truly amazing. Shifts to 3B from 1B, and doesn't skip a beat. Get that HOF plaque ready.

A lot of guys in that organization dating back to the Championships felt entitled. From the players right up the line. Henry strikes me as a pretty lax guy--not much of an administrator, and the reins loosened considerably the last 4-5 years with predictable consequences.