Maxbialystock

I'm not that big a fan of Leon or Vazquez's, but I sure like the team ERA--3d best in MLB and best in the AL. So you could well be right--whatever those two are doing, it ain't hurting the pitching staff. Except for Fister of course. He has great stuff and I was delighted when he started yesterday, but Leon just called all the wrong pitches and wasn't framing the ball right.

Good stuff, thanks. I also like the Warren Spahn quotation, which I emphatically believe.

Agree on all points, but would add--again--that Fenway looks great on TV. Also, the fact that those attendance figures remain high--and they do--is partly great marketing, partly a large potential fan base in New England, and partly some kind of insanity left over from the Salem witch trials. I mean these are the same people who tossed perfectly good tea into Boston Harbor, started the American Revolution by themselves and way before the Declaration of Independence, and--I am always astounded at this--like to call themselves the "hub of the universe." Youkofthenation, feel free to respond.

Can't disagree, moonslav. They are making it work and I sure wish we were too. However, the Sox currently have the third lowest ERA in MLB and the lowest in the AL, so somebody has to be doing something right.

Meh. I completely agree with the basic point and have seen it done to us countless times this year. But guess what? We all saw it way back in 2006, Josh Beckett's first season in Boston (after great success in Miami) when his ERA was 5.00 largely because he loved his fastball and opposing hitters loved it even more. And wasn't it like 5 years ago when rookie Daniel Nava hit a clean, sharp single off Verlander's 100 mph fastball? One of the things that made Sandy Koufax so great during his brief (but HOF) career was that he had a great curve--it dropped off the table--to go with a great fastball. What sometimes infuriates me about Sox pitchers is how few of them have really good breaking stuff. On the other hand, that kid Stroman from the Jays had a slider that our guys never came close to hitting. What I don't like about the article is its stupid claim that the Sox have a really great lineup and can hit anybody. Also that the Yankees have discovered something no one else knew about.

I'm sure you're right, moonslav, and I myself have relied on their write-ups. However, sometimes when I read their stuff I remember that early scene in Moneyball when the Oakland Athletics scouts are sitting around the table commenting on various players. They seem to pride themselves--as does soxprospects.com--on never mentioning stats. Instead they say things like, "the ball really sounds great coming off his bat." You, on the other hand, provide a plethora of stats, and I think you also track the age of prospects with respect to which level (A, AA, AAA, etc) they are at. I periodically rage against sabermetrics and especially Bill James, but I also think stats can tell you a whole lot. And I could really care less about some of the subjective, impressionistic bs I sometimes read, including in soxprospects.com.

Actually, not so good news. This year Sale is way better at home than on the road and better pitching day games than night games. Plus starting Sale yesterday would have saved the bullpen.

I still say starting Fister yesterday was mindless. It turns out Sale's splits say he is better at home than on the road and better in day games than night games. In other words, that extra day of rest guaranteed that Sale would have one less start at Fenway and one more on the road. But what really frosts me is the signal--starting Fister over Sale--being sent to the lineup players and the bullpen. Those are the guys who played/pitched in both games of the double header and in the extra inning games. In no games was a starter required to pitch on short rest or to pitch extra innings, etc. The game did not turn on that ball in the sun for the simple reason that we don't know what would have happened in subsequent innings if Holt had caught it. Fister had plenty of walks and hits left in that pathetic right arm of his, and Farrell was more than happy to leave him in the game until at least 100 pitches. I do agree with spudboy that maybe Farrell knew/knows something we don't know. Maybe he and the pitching coach have seen things that indicated an extra day of rest was warranted or whatever. But there are also a wealth of facts that say starting Fister was the wrong move, especially on the eve of a six game road trip to the West Coast.

Not to worry. All part of Farrell's plan. Give up the sure win today to guarantee a winning road trip thanks to a very well rested rotation.

I thought I'd bump this up to the front page one time because of that disastrous loss today, July 20, when Farrell started Fister in order to give Sale, et al, an extra day's rest as if we didn't just have the 4 day ASG break. So I blame this 8-6 loss entirely on Farrell, who not only started Fister, but left him in long enough to cough up 6 runs and then, when Pedey's 3 run dinger got it to 7-6, refused to use a good reliever in the later innings. Plus of course he ended up playing Vazquez at 3b. The only justification I can see for starting Fister instead of Sale today is it ensures success on the upcoming 6 day road trip--3 at the Angels and 3 at the Mariners. So in my view the Sox need to go at least 4-2 on this road trip because today, thanks to Farrell, they gave up a sure win.

This is a lot like one of those spring training games when the only point is to get some pitches and at bats in and winning and losing are unimportant. This is the first loss in about a month in which the Sox scored 4 or more runs--in this case, 6 runs. The Sox have lost a game in which they scored 6 or more runs just twice this year. The other time was April 18. In other words, Farrell had to really go out of his way to ensure the Sox lost this one. He not only started Fister, but kept him in the game long enough to give up 6 runs. Then, when the game got close, 7-6, he was careful not to use any good relievers--none of whom were used last night. Oh, and he ended up sending his spare catcher to play 3b. How smart was that?

Not at all. In fact, I would be happier if Lin were back and Holt were still on the DL.

Holt cleverly strikes out so that Bett can get to bat with a man on first, but Betts lines out to RF. One inning left. If the Sox lose, it is still on Farrell.

Leon walks, Moreland flies out. Please, please, Holt, no GIDP which is what you really want to do.

They have now scored 3 of our 6 runs, so they are not a disaster. HanRam and JBJ are hitless and scoreless. 8th inning with Leon, Marrero, and Holt coming up and a 1 run game. Let's see what happens.

Pedroia didn't get the word about taking a dive! 1 run game!

Sure they were lucky. But don't forget that line from Bull Durham when Costner's character says the difference between a .300 hitter and a .250 hitter is one hit a week. I checked the math: it's true. I don't disagree that Marrero and Holt aren't much in the way of hitters, but I also don't think batting leadoff has hampered Betts rbi potential all that much.

It's not just the loss, it's the signal to the lineup players who are playing in 88 degrees: "we're going for the price on Wilson." Here's some of the rest of what Brando/Terry Malloy said to Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront: : Terry: It wasn't him, Charley, it was you. Remember that night in the Garden you came down to my dressing room and you said, "Kid, this ain't your night. We're going for the price on Wilson." You remember that? "This ain't your night"! My night! I coulda taken Wilson apart! So what happens? He gets the title shot outdoors on the ballpark and what do I get? A one-way ticket to Palooka-ville!" If Sale starts today, the Sox take the Jays apart. Instead, DD and Farrell are going for the price on Wilson.

Meh. Mendoza x 2 scored 2 runs and Betts had 2 rbi's today. Way above par for him.

Don't forget that Farrell also left Fister in there after it was apparent he didn't have command of his pitches. Are you suggesting DD said something like, "I want Fister to start and to throw at least 100 pitches no matter what?"

I never, ever say this, but there's always the exception. No way, no how is this loss not on Farrell.

Suddenly Farrell can't use too many pitcher--Taylor in for Abad.

Meh. Young was about to GIDP anyway. If Betts makes it to 2d, Pedroia's single brings him home.

Funny thing is, Toronto actually wants to win this game and replaced their starter while Farrell insists on keeping Fister out there. My box score says he has 53 strikes and 47 balls--horrible.

A plus in today's game is that Fister should be gone for good--better late than never--and Holt might be as well. Everyone who raves about his versatility forgets that old saying, "jack of all trades, but master of none." I cannot think of a single position on this team that he plays really well, and his hitting is also suspect.