illinoisredsox

The hell with the face; make that punch about 3 feet lower. Alas, he'd be hiding behind Davis or some other large body.

Maybe Leon was banged up a little and Farrell wanted him to have the whole day off before heading for Baltimore. Not hard to imagine a foul tip or something hitting a fleshy or not so fleshy part over the weekend. Not saying he was or wasn't, but it's one of the "inside" knowledge thing that managers know and we as fans are not privy to.

IMO, no, Pedroia is not a Hall of Famer. But then, I have very high standards in this regard and there are many players who are in who I don't think should be. Pedey is very good, but it's not the Hall of the Very Good.

Can't say Napoli didn't earn that one.

Time to get the pen up. Those types of ABs take a toll on any pitcher.

Don't know what he struck out on, but it seems lately when he gets 2 strikes, guys are pounding him down and away with breaking stuff and eventually he swings over it.

Well, he's 11-5 (and the Tribe is 15-6 in games he starts) so he obviously knows how to win and keep his team in games. He's been very bad his last 2 outings (14 ER in 8 2/3 innings) but before that he was pitching to a 3.43 ERA. I'd say he's better than your run of the mill bum.

Agree (not that I can see it). Sometimes I wonder if delays in NY are because a couple of replays come in at the same time. But this is the only game going, so that's not an excuse.

Nope. As a 5+ year vet, he can refuse the minor league assignment; the Sox would then either have the choice of keeping him on the 25 man roster or releasing him outright. If he's released, I'm pretty sure somebody else would take a shot with him for the major league minimum (~$500K) and the Red Sox would be on the hook for the difference in salary (which would count against the luxury tax cap). Castillo and Craig don't have 5 years of service, which is why that move works on them. I don't see anyway the Sox get out of this contract without swapping it for another bad one.

Roster moves: Outgoing - Wright to the DL, Elias optioned to Pawtucket, Hanley to the bereavement list. Incoming - Hembree recalled. Marco Hernandez and Deven Marerro called up as well.

Well, to be fair, he should have had one his last time out, the victim of one of those bullpen meltdowns last week.

I've read that Porcello was already on his way back to Boston, so he was not available. ERod had just pitched the day before, so I can somewhat understand not using him. I could even beleive that holding Pomeranz back for possible use as a pinch hitter later on (he has some halfway decent stats for a pitcher) was a thought, but that may be giving Farrell a little bit too much credit. I suspect it was mostly because Pomeranz was pitching Wednesday and Wright wasn't scheduled until Thursday.

Agree. I had no problem with the decision to run for Ortiz that day. I had no problem using a pitcher. I think Pomeranz would have been a better choice but any of them would have been okay IMO. As far as bullpen guys, Barnes and Ross would have been the only possibilities; Barnes had gone 1 2/3 and Ross 1 1/3 the day before and so were the least likely to be used (Barnes less likely than Ross)

No matter what anyone thinks of the decision/choice, IMO ALL the pitchers need to get some practice in running bases in spring training (and have drills in it during the season as well), if for no other reason than it gives whoever the manager is more options in this day and age of 12 man pitching staffs. NL pitchers pinch run, there is no reason AL pitchers can't.

No matter what, the Sox pay prorated minimum. Might be worth kicking the tires.

Just saw the baseball gods took their revenge on ARod's farewell. 5 minutes in, a massive thunderstrom ended the ceremony. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

At this time of the season, nobody is 100%.

The way they've hit behind him most of the time the past couple months, that might only guarantee a tie game.

I agree. Willis may well be going as well. Either he can't figure the pitching staff out or the entire staff is totally tone-deaf to any instruction. Either is possible.

They didn't sign him to a long term extension to have him go manage somewhere else. He's the next guy,

Of course, that assumes Buchholz wouldn't have imploded as well (he only faced 1 guy). Abad looked good for 1 hitter (struck Gardner out). Barnes has been very good the last 4 times out; I could have seen leaving Buchholz in but I can make a case for using Barnes there as well.

That's easier to do in the off-season; impossible during the year.

Well, like I said I would have used Pomeranz, who as at least been on the bases this year. Although, as I type this, it occurred to me that holding Pomeranz back as a potential PH had the game gone on long enough would not have been a bad idea (he's got 12 major league hits and 9 sac bunts). That was probably beyond Farrell's range though. Given last night, I guess he would have had his choice on "garbage bullpen" guys.

It's a distinct possibility. Pineda can be very good, and the Sox line-up figures to be further depleted with almost certainly no Mookie and likely no Ortiz.

Sunday against the Dodgers,the Sox had pulled to within 1 run. Farrell sent Brentz up to hit for Price. LA countered with the right handed Joe Blanton and Ortiz hit for Brentz. Big Papi walked and once he got to second, Wright ran for him. At that point, Hill had already replaced Holt, so the bench was down to Hanley and Leon, and it makes sense that they would be saved until later in the game. So that left a pitcher, and since relievers might still be needed, by extension, a starter. While Wright was on second, Blanton broke the pitchers' fraternity rules by faking a throw to second, Wright dove back in and hurt himself. I had no issue with a pitcher running for Papi there; NL pitchers are used as pinch runners all the time. I might have used Pomeranz, who has pinch run this year, but Wright had the longer time to the next start so I can see using him. Frankly, AL managers would greatly increase their flexibility by doing so as well, even if it would be less frequently. It would not kill AL pitchers to work on it in spring training and run some drills on it during the year. You've heard of the Midas touch? Right now, Farrell has whatever the opposite of that is, no matter what the move.