SoxFanForsyth

How many times to people have to tell you this?? The medical staff was replaced last offseason.

Watching Buchholz throw, it looks like he's holding back a little. I was watching the Yankees pregame today and Rivera hurt his knee. So that confirmed it. Buchholz is holding back.

Uh. Oh. Could be season ending if it's anything related to the knee (MCL/ACL)

If there is one team that the Red Sox want to destroy this season because of how last season ended.... ....well it'd probably be the Rays. But if there were TWO teams that the Red Sox wanted to destroy this year.... ....well damn, the Yankees come to mind as well. I bet the Red Sox really want to beat the Orioles though. Lester vs Chen It's time that Pumpsie see's how unreliable and small sample size stats really are. Destroy. Their. Pitching.

Especially since Rivera just got carted off the field with a right leg injury. Couldn't put any weight on it. I would guess a hammy tear.

Rivera hurt.

Having said that, I hate to do it, but I agree with Mazz. I've actually said it a few times, but the 2011-2012 offseason reminded me 100% of the 2009-2010 offseason. Minor moves. Waiting for money to move. Bridge year. With the 2nd WC, can this team get healthy, click, and make a run at a WS title? Absolutely. If they can sneak into the 2nd WC slot, the team in October looks 100% different than the team in May. The bullpen will have Bard, Bailey, Aceves, Morales, Hill, Melancon/Wilson, and Albers. That's a bullpen that can get you through October, and that's without any trading deadline bolstering. The rotation will have Lester, Beckett, a hopefully revived Buchholz, and Doubront. I'll take those 4 in a PS match up with the offense we have. Speaking of the offense, lets not forget that Gonzo isn't a .697 OPS guy, Pedroia will be a lot closer to a .900 OPS than a .775 OPS. And we will have Crawford and Ellsbury coming back. I'm not saying this season is a sure thing. Far from it. But if they can manage to stay within striking distance, they can make a lot of noise in the 2nd half. And if they don't? I expect some big moves this offseason. Like a FA signing of Cole Hamels.

So you caught Felger and Mazz today too, huh?

How about the fact that the Guardians wanted to trade Cliff Lee for Clay Buchholz, and Theo said no. EDIT: The deal was straight up, too.

The Red Sox have very good pitchers in their rotation. The reason they are not throwing well consistently is because they are consistently behind in the count. They are consistently 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1. Those counts turn .230 hitters into .300 hitters. They cannot keep working behind in the count, and when they do get ahead in the count and in 2 strike counts, they need to throw their offspeed stuff for strikes. They are nibbling entirely too much once they are ahead and evening up the count. This team is going to hit. If you're worried about the offense, don't be because they will hit. They aren't going to go 0-12 w RISP all year. But the pitchers have to get ahead and execute 2 strike pitches. That's the difference between the Sox SP vs the Rays SP. Aggressiveness in the strike zone. Sox pitchers have he stuff to be effective in the K zone.

Bogaerts is still playing SS. Provided that the Sox have WMB at 3B, they may keep XB at SS until Middlebrooks can prove whether he's an everyday player at 3B or not. If he is, you keep Bogaerts at SS.

Terrible series against the A's. Unacceptable, really. Letting a horrible, horrible A's team come into Fenway and take 2/3 from you is putrid, at best. But, even the best teams go through slumps like that, and the team is still 7-3 in the last 10. You can't start out 4-10 and then expect to be over .500 in a week and a half. Even last year, when this team was going as well as it could possibly go, they still lost 2/3 to the Padres and 2/3 to the Pirates, both of which are teams that I would put in the class of the A's. Lester is coming off a magnificent start against the ChiSox. Continue that trend against the Orioles. It all starts with starting pitching, and hitting is contagious. Take 2/3 from the O's and sweep the Royals, this team will be in good shape. Like I said. Weather the storm. The reinforcements are on their way.

The small sample size puts a pretty big amount of weight on two games in which the pitching allowed 15 runs and 18 runs (NYY and TEX). Because it's such a small sample, those numbers make the pitching staff look distorted and worse than what it is. Say what you want about this pitching staff, but they are not going to throw to a 5.45 ERA all season. If the Sox held the Rangers to 8 runs and the Yankees to 7 runs (ultimately shaving 15 runs off their runs allowed), it would drop their ERA by almost 70 points. Thats why it's a small sample size. One or two bad outings affect the stats entirely too much.

Don't forget his SB. That was a solid game for Middlebrooks, especially against a guy in McCarthy who was clearly keeping all the other hitters off balance. I was very happy with what WMB did tonight. Add on the fact that he plays very solid defense, a huge upgrade over Youk in that department, and I think this team has a lot to look forward to with this kid (not based solely on last night, to be clear).

Sorry. Wouldn't give them to you. Too many pink hats there as is.

This a very easy team to absolutely hate right now.

Adrian Gonzalez is playing absolutely pathetic. That's f***ing pathetic.

This team is so good.

Adrian Pujols.

So typical.

Are. You. Kidding.

Middlebrooks is pretty good.

Adrian Gonzalez is going to have to OPS a little higher than .711 for this team to win any games this year.