SinceYaz

Stopper, closer, oh yeah, how about a fielder ... (Not Prince) ... Hembree's ERA will still look good even though he was tagged for 3 runs. Again, not DDs fault that the team seems to have forgotten how to field. But the team ERA as a bull pen is in the best three - but we lose because of mishandled balls. The ERA looks good, so the mystery remains, even to the talking heads, about what's wrong. I hate to put it this way, but "see the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball to the right place on time." Not DDs fault that somehow we have dropped the ball, literally, 8 times in 2 of the last 3 games. The pitchers have helped nail themselves ... Moreland is a Gold Glover, so is Pedey and Mookie, JBJ should be and Beni is good in the field too. Vaz and Sandy are both good behind the plate but both have had a hand in significant scoring opps for the opp. We have got to start fielding well again. Hitting well again. Pitching well again. Edgy each game, I am. I know it's still early. I know we have been playing high calibre teams. But we are supposed to be winning against these teams. Oh my gosh, I've turned into a whiner. I hate whiners. I know we can play better and that is what I'll hang my hat on. But the curse of DD (bull pen issues) seems to be influencing this team, even though we who went through an extended drought of WSCs know nothing of curses. I don't really believe in them, but that doesn't disallow for certain patterns to come to the fore. If JF ends up last, fourth or even third with this team, we will know we should have kept Lovullo. Oops, there goes the whiner again. Damn curses. Oh yeah, Abad "helped" again ... that is directly DDs fault.

Really? Interesting, Dusty. I remember the consternation among the Mets concerning this matter. One of my two best friends was from Nanuet, NY and was a die hard Mets fan. My other best friend in Rochester, NH, where I lived, was a better baseball fan than I was, but he had Ryan's Strat-o-matic card and I loved using it. '69 card ... full of k's and bb's! It was fun to bend the rules and let him start. (He did spot start)

[quote=soxhop;1058169 i miss ugando........ The home runs he would give up were beautiful to watch.... lol!!!

Dunno I'd claim to be a spoiled Red Sox fan, but I am old enough and have been a Sox fan long enough to qualify as rotten, past my prime, over the hill ... but that can only endear an over the hill, past his prime reliever who is still mostly effective to one such as me. I have seen my fair share of poor relievers since 1962. Koji is still better than most.

I miss him too. He was amazing during the 2013 run. Baltimore cast off and Red Sox hero!!! Wheeeee! He even made the good wife laugh. He is so much better than Abad. (You can' t tell I have a problem with him, eh?) He wouldn't have cost much to sign. Wrigley/Chicago ... where Red Sox heroes go to retire in further glory.

Maybe because he made Manny duck? And got a foul ball out of it (oh yeah, suspension and fine, too) He can bring heat. That's always fun. But Koji was like watching a magician. Everyone knew he didn't have heat but he got em anyway. His energy and bright, oversized glove were all part of the act.

Nononono, good Mr. Bellhorn. Nononononono..... You cannot propose such a possibility to Cubs fans. One of my best friends is a Cubbie lifer and the only reality until last October was that they did not, had not, maybe could not win it. "What ifs" are injured with quick and mortal blows. They are not allowed air to breathe. The only reality now is that Theo brought the end to the curse in Wrigley. Chapman was an integral and necessary cost, worth whatever. I am only saddened that the effort richly rewarded the Yanquis so ....

I agree. The good wife could hardly care what the Sox do but she knows what they mean to me. She keeps me sane and every once in a while she pays my addiction some tidbits ... we were going by the grocery store last week and she noticed the sporting goods place had a 50% off sale, with just one or two Sox items out to be seen (I live among a host of NYY and Phillies fans) and we stopped in and picked up a folding chair and two good new lids. She would have gotten me more, but I resist the urge to outspend ... I don't have many vices but the Sox have been one since the earliest days... I watched them on my tablet at work the last two seasons, WHILE I worked, of course. I was on second then, now I'm on first shift and get to watch like "normal" people. Who wants to be called normal? But I'll take the frequency of watching relaxed and nerve-wracked. I think the rest of the baseball world loves it when the ALE isn't in the WS push because they get a break from us. But we never get a break from us. Which division could have a rivalry as brutal as the O''s - Sox and it be delegated into oblivion because the other rivalry is Bombers - Sox?

Don't you always hear the angels break into a chorus of hallelujahs when that last thought is provoked? Heheh

The talking heads on tv the other day were noting how empty high BAs are, when one looks at the Red Sox and the fact that the team BA is 11 points higher than any one else's but the run production was so low. I can tell you that I feel MUCH better about a team that is hitting well and not (yet) scoring than a team that is hitting poorly and not yet scoring. I am, however, disturbed by the oddity. I think the runs must be coming ...

We have a couple good possibilities coming up out of the farm. Bobby Dalbec, Sam Travis, Josh Ockimey ... with Travis being the heir apparent at first base and the main reason we didn't sign EE, if I understand things properly. Really, Travis is first to arrive, then Dalbec, then Ockimey ... again, if I understand things right. There is also Michael Chavis.

We hear you, brah! That is why I came on, to blow off some steam. It helps. Kimmi is right, the hitting will come around. Not sure about the power as in years past but the hitting is still going to get better. The starters will keep up their good work. Stephen will come around, Drew already has, Rick will, too and Sale is already on the (laser) beam. I am most concerned about Price but am hopeful he and (reliever) Carson Smith will be in full swing by June. Thornburg seems a mystery. But the ALE is still a dadgum dog pound ... the Birds are doing the usual early hot stuff - I look for them to fade some. The NYYs are in a dream land and I hope it isn't a nightmare awakening for us. The Jays will stop stumbling soon. The Rays? I think they will be respectable but 4th or 5th. What some might have thought was gonna be a run away season for us will likely be a high run between Boston, the Bronx and Ballymore. I am still of the mind we will be 1st or 1st WC.

We better pray for more clutch.

They are certainly overvalued when they underperform. And/or are injured (see Melancon, Hanrahan, et al.)

True. IF DD didn't get some things right, he wouldn't be where he is. I gave up on the Sale trade last year. Much to my pleasure, I am made aware again that I an not aware again of much that is really going on. I miss the hype behind the young man we let go, but I am enjoying the reality of Sale. REMEMBER, DD had the starting studs in Detroit, too.

Amen and amen. Maybe not the 86 year run, because free agency has altered the longest part of that 86 year drought. (My humble estimate is @ 52 years were held in place, pre-free agency. But then a few years later, Steinbrenner turned that into the farce we now see.) Good drafting is definitely essential .... Theo drafted Xander, Mookie, JBJ, Vaz (?), and others we are enjoying presently.

In all fairness (but when are fanatics ever accused of that?) the bull pen has been pretty good. Two or three have not been. I am a Kimbrel fan and I am more than happy to see Barnes mature. I even think the enigmatic Joe Kelly has been mostly fun to watch. I pull for the guy all the time and hope some day he becomes the beast he has the makings of. I know DD cannot be held accountable for the injuries to Smith and Thornburg, hence a sense of "curse" follows. I am a man of faith and don't believe in curses but I do understand, for the lack of a better phrase but one Red Sox fans of pre-2004 fully understand, long suffering. It is quite possible that nothing has anything to do with the other, not when we have a rich, young talent core that looks to be a boon for several years and then, from the depths of a long stagnant Bronx Bomber farm system that left some of us sure that NYC would suffer in mediocrity for some years to come, that wizard of a GM they have pulled off a series of trades that sold off old talent for new and all of a sudden there is a Judge and Sanchez among others that appear to be resurrecting the dead giants of old days. In total honesty, the new wave of talent in the big leagues is refreshing and amazing to me. But knowing we really only have a three season window before things may spin out of control here is not lost to me. If we don't secure the B's in some fashion, if we don't extend Sale, if we don't refurbish the farm .... But the areas mentioned are far more than one thread ...

The sins or shortcomings of Detroit follow to the sorrows of Beantown... DD built a powerhouse in Detroit that fell on its face time and time again. The Red Sox even helped derail the teams that had top shelf starting pitching and power hitting batters. DD traded and traded and traded ... but he never seemed to build a bull pen that mattered. I am not googling nor am I claiming to have an encyclopedic memory, but the black hole in Detroit seemed to be the bull pen. It may have been some issues with defense. But the overwhelming thought at the beginning was it could throw and hit their way past any eventual element in its way. I thought last season saw DD trying his best to overcome that black hole that swallowed the Tigers over and over again. Kimbrell and Smith were good steps. Who knew Smith would be lost to TJS? He tried again to bring in Thornburg but again an injury brought him low. Never mind the loss of players in the trades ... that is an area I cannot address at this time. All I know is that it appears like this is a place that is biting us again. The bullpen is a collection of Christmas presents that opposing batters are eager to receive over and over again. I am not throwing them all out, but are we sure there - wasn't there - isn't a better choice than Abad? I sometimes think Farrell is willing to sacrifice certain games ... like when he throws Abad. My head hurts too much right now to pull up other choices to dog, but my goodness, we have had a long time to avert disaster in this situation. We might be getting our value out of Pomeranz. I loved Sales arrival. I hope we start making him happy with something more than a run a game. He's been incredible. I think overall, a lot of good things have happened. I think missing out on EE was a mistake. But I am finally putting it out there that the one thing DD cannot seem to do is put together a quality bullpen. It's not for the lack of effort, but it almost seems a curse. I hope I survive this defeatist attitude. I hope the Red Sox overcome this deadly weakness. Carson Smith, I long for your return! Tyler Thornburg, may your impingement un-impinge. ... DD, whatever you did to tick off the bullpen gods, please find a way to assuage the offense! You have already sacrificed much to them. I stop now before I drift off into complete gibbersih ... gibbershi... gbbbbeer

He's note only good on the mound, but apparently good with scissors as well. Hopefully his foray into "design" last summer didn't foretell of future arm troubles.

Just imagine ... Nolan used to throw so hard he'd tear the skin off his fingers. If they had not found the solution (brine soaks?) for that little problem, that great arm would have gone to waste.

I know he's only had 25 PAs .... but his .478 BA and .520 OBP sure looks good right now. What I like, in reality, aside from his obvious defensive skills, is the way he is swinging the bat. He shows good control, going with the pitch, going to the opposite field. Signs of maturity that are really enjoyable to see. I like his edgy little beard too. heh

It doesn't help now, but sure do miss a big bat. Big Papi left a touch of fear in he minds of the opposing pitchers. I don't think there is a pitching staff that fears us at all right now. Right now the offense is literally "No Sale."

Never could figure out DD's fascination with him ...

Benches will empty then

Nice work, JF .... strike not HB