CelticsStrong
Other Discussions => Other / General Sports => Red Sox / MLB => Topic started by: PhoSita on April 06, 2016, 07:17:04 PM
-
We are underway!
Sox looked good yesterday in Cleveland. Price is a breath of fresh air.
Today ... ugh.
Why is Buccholz still on this team? I feel like I wonder that same thing every year. So tired of watching his ups and downs. How is he the #2 starter? That doesn't bode well. He should be a wild card #5, if he even has to be in the rotation on this team at all.
-
It's a real problem when Clay Bucholz is your number 2... I get that in reality Rodriguez is the number 2 but it's bad that the lineup is so bad after Price that one injury and Clay is the number 2...
Once again pitching will be the achilles of this team, even with Price and a strong bullpen.
-
We are underway!
Sox looked good yesterday in Cleveland. Price is a breath of fresh air.
Today ... ugh.
Why is Buccholz still on this team? I feel like I wonder that same thing every year. So tired of watching his ups and downs. How is he the #2 starter? That doesn't bode well. He should be a wild card #5, if he even has to be in the rotation on this team at all.
TP for starting the thread.
I'm excited for the new season, but like you I'm disappointed with Buchholz. He's injured half the time (literally), which makes his clunkers (like today) all the more disappointing, because you know he's not going to get a ton of starts. Rodriguez is actually the No. 2 starter but he's injured right now; the sooner he gets back, the better.
-
It's a real problem when Clay Bucholz is your number 2... I get that in reality Rodriguez is the number 2 but it's bad that the lineup is so bad after Price that one injury and Clay is the number 2...
Once again pitching will be the achilles of this team, even with Price and a strong bullpen.
Yeah.
Ace + average pitchers + great bullpen is a good formula. I'm not gonna go all gloom and doom because the Sox aren't loaded with aces.
But I'm not sure which of these starters after Price the Sox can actually depend on to get through five innings in any given night without putting the game out of reach.
So this looks like the same basic team we had last year (where seemingly every night was a depressing adventure), only with an ace at the top of the rotation to stabilize things a bit.
I guess we're really betting big on Porcello to bounce back and Owens and Rodriguez to mature quickly into middle of the rotation starters.
-
It's a real problem when Clay Bucholz is your number 2... I get that in reality Rodriguez is the number 2 but it's bad that the lineup is so bad after Price that one injury and Clay is the number 2...
Once again pitching will be the achilles of this team, even with Price and a strong bullpen.
Price was a big get, but they didn't really address the rest of the rotation. Buchholz has been mostly a disappointment, Joe Kelly had a good spring but I don't see him ever being more than a 12-14-win guy, Rick Porcello was a HUGE disappointment last year, and not too much is ever expected out of a No. 5 starter, which in this case is Stephen Wright. Presuming E-Rod returns soon and continues to improve, Boston might still need to go shopping for a better No. 3 option at the trade deadline (presuming they're in contention).
-
I think Price - ERod - Owens - Kelly - Porcello could be good enough if the two young guys can stay on the field and become more consistent, and Kelly / Porcello hew more toward average than combustible (last year it was the other way round).
At the very least, the defense behind these guys should be excellent now that Hanley is kept on first where he can do the least damage and Sandoval is on the bench.
-
It's a real problem when Clay Bucholz is your number 2... I get that in reality Rodriguez is the number 2 but it's bad that the lineup is so bad after Price that one injury and Clay is the number 2...
Once again pitching will be the achilles of this team, even with Price and a strong bullpen.
Yeah.
Ace + average pitchers + great bullpen is a good formula. I'm not gonna go all gloom and doom because the Sox aren't loaded with aces.
But I'm not sure which of these starters after Price the Sox can actually depend on to get through five innings in any given night without putting the game out of reach.
So this looks like the same basic team we had last year (where seemingly every night was a depressing adventure), only with an ace at the top of the rotation to stabilize things a bit.
I guess we're really betting big on Porcello to bounce back and Owens and Rodriguez to mature quickly into middle of the rotation starters.
I think that's the hope... I'm not going to lie I have less faith in Porcello than Clay... Hopefully Owens can be a decent starter. I really hope they can make a trade for Shields, he'd be a good inning eater #3 behind Price and Rodriguez.
-
Great work by Noe Ramirez. Ugh. I feel like Charlie Brown when he asked if there was anyone who knew the true meaning of Christmas: "Isn't there any Red Sox pitcher today who doesn't stink?"
-
I'm really surprised and impressed with Hanley. He's noticeably thinner, looks good at first, and is swinging the bat well.
-
Everyone remain calm- at least Justin "Give up 8 runs a game" Masterson is no longer a part of the rotation/ballclub at all whatsoever. E Rod comes back in a month and we'll have more fun watching this team without getting gray hairs everywhere from panicking over the starting rotation.
-
Everyone remain calm- at least Justin "Give up 8 runs a game" Masterson is no longer a part of the rotation/ballclub at all whatsoever. E Rod comes back in a month and we'll have more fun watching this team without getting gray hairs everywhere from panicking over the starting rotation.
It's not just the rotation—any Sox reliever not named Kimbrel or Uehara is a total crapshoot.
-
Almost the same team but different vibe this season. David Price addition/able to rely on an ace is huge.
Travis Shaw is a stud.
Pandoval is what is wrong with FA and baseball. What a lazy bum. Doesn't look like he cares about wanting to win or be the best he can be. Already won a ring, rich as hell. I don't care if I chill in the dugout.
Out of Pandoval , things are looking good. The closer is amazing.
I still don't like Bucholz as the #2 , but we will see what happens. Hopefully Erod is back soon
this team has a chance to go far this far. It will be a great ending for Ortiz
-
Everyone remain calm- at least Justin "Give up 8 runs a game" Masterson is no longer a part of the rotation/ballclub at all whatsoever. E Rod comes back in a month and we'll have more fun watching this team without getting gray hairs everywhere from panicking over the starting rotation.
It's not just the rotation—any Sox reliever not named Kimbrel or Uehara is a total crapshoot.
So, after today, I guess I need to amend my above statement to: Any Sox reliever not named Kimbrel is a crapshoot.
Price was awful today, and Kimbrel gave up a 3-run homer. It's looking more and more like Boston's going to have to score 7 or 8 runs a game to have a chance.
-
Price was awful today, and Kimbrel gave up a 3-run homer. It's looking more and more like Boston's going to have to score 7 or 8 runs a game to have a chance.
Good news is, they seem capable of scoring 5-8 runs a game no problem. Heh.
-
Pretty much a picture perfect recipe for worst case opening day doom and gloom. Maybe Hanley running off the bases thinking there were 3 outs or Sandoval showing up in a dump uniform?
-
Pretty much a picture perfect recipe for worst case opening day doom and gloom. Maybe Hanley running off the bases thinking there were 3 outs or Sandoval showing up in a dump uniform?
Yeah, it really couldn't have been much worse, if any. Thing is, they started off strong with 3 runs in the first, and Hanley looked like an actual first baseman.
-
So, don't know if anyone else is following tonight's game, but Buchholz has already given up a 2-run lead ... twice.
This pitching staff is miserable.
It's early, I know, but it seems to me that even if Price gets 25 more starts and throws 25 perfect games, this team is going to struggle to crack .500.
Oh, look—Buchholz just surrendered another run.
-
So, don't know if anyone else is following tonight's game, but Buchholz has already given up a 2-run lead ... twice.
This pitching staff is miserable.
It's early, I know, but it seems to me that even if Price gets 25 more starts and throws 25 perfect games, this team is going to struggle to crack .500.
Oh, look—Buchholz just surrendered another run.
Yeah the pitching staff is a complete joke... we can't rely on any lead, and the offense has actually been great...the pitching is just that bad. It's actually been worse than I expected, every starter has had a meltdown thus far in at least one game...
Price will bounce back but I have no faith in anyone else. It's like a #1 and a bunch of 4-5s. Can we get Lackey back? Thanks Cherington
-
Alright, yeah, I'm already starting to give up hope given what the pitching has done so far. This team needs more than just a PRICEY ace to fix things.
Quite a mess Ben left.
-
So, the Sox still suck. Price is awesome, and I'm glad we have him, but it turns out you need more than one starting pitcher.
-
So, another year where the team is near the top of the league in offense but is absolutely bottom of the barrel in terms of starter ERA and overall pitching.
Guess it shouldn't be a surprise. 2013 was flukey at best and this team is a long way off from sustainable success. I'm losing faith in ownership to institute the changes necessary to fix things. They've got all this young positional talent but it doesn't translate to wins because everywhere else is horrendous.
Well hey, at least we get the David Ortiz retirement tour mentioned at every turn.
-
So, another year where the team is near the top of the league in offense but is absolutely bottom of the barrel in terms of starter ERA and overall pitching.
Guess it shouldn't be a surprise. 2013 was flukey at best and this team is a long way off from sustainable success. I'm losing faith in ownership to institute the changes necessary to fix things. They've got all this young positional talent but it doesn't translate to wins because everywhere else is horrendous.
Well hey, at least we get the David Ortiz retirement tour mentioned at every turn.
The staff was pretty good in 13. Lester and Lackey were a formidable 1-2, and Buchholz had a great season (before he was shut down as part of his yearly tradition of course).
This staff sucks, it's that simple. Have to give Dombrowski more time though, he's working with the epic fail that Cherington left behind. If anything, this team has more bright spots than not...good young players, great offense,an ace, pretty decent bullpen (outside of these past two games). The problem is that pitching is such a huge part of the game, that when you have such a bad staff not much else matters.
-
So, another year where the team is near the top of the league in offense but is absolutely bottom of the barrel in terms of starter ERA and overall pitching.
Guess it shouldn't be a surprise. 2013 was flukey at best and this team is a long way off from sustainable success. I'm losing faith in ownership to institute the changes necessary to fix things. They've got all this young positional talent but it doesn't translate to wins because everywhere else is horrendous.
Well hey, at least we get the David Ortiz retirement tour mentioned at every turn.
It doesn't look good now, but if the following things occcur, we could be just fine.
1. E-Rod and Carson Smith get healthy.
2. We trade for a number 2 or 3 arm without losing any of the big four prospects, giving us a rotation of Price-Trade-Rodriguez-Buchholz-Porcello/Owens/Johnson. We could either move Johnson/Owens and use Porcello, or move Porcello and use the young guys. With Kelly, Taz, Uehara, Smith, and Kimbrel in the bullpen, we'd be in pretty good shape.
Things look bad now, but they could turn around very quickly.
-
Things could easily turn around and we're 7 games into an absurdly long season.
It's just hard not to get that "Here we go again" feeling seeing how the last few years have gone.
-
offense is there but pitching is brutal to the max
Bucholz needs to be traded for a bag of balls. SEriously. we need Erod back ASAP
Price
Erod
Porcello
Kellyl
Wright
Please!
-
So, another year where the team is near the top of the league in offense but is absolutely bottom of the barrel in terms of starter ERA and overall pitching.
Guess it shouldn't be a surprise. 2013 was flukey at best and this team is a long way off from sustainable success. I'm losing faith in ownership to institute the changes necessary to fix things. They've got all this young positional talent but it doesn't translate to wins because everywhere else is horrendous.
Well hey, at least we get the David Ortiz retirement tour mentioned at every turn.
It doesn't look good now, but if the following things occcur, we could be just fine.
1. E-Rod and Carson Smith get healthy.
2. We trade for a number 2 or 3 arm without losing any of the big four prospects, giving us a rotation of Price-Trade-Rodriguez-Buchholz-Porcello/Owens/Johnson. We could either move Johnson/Owens and use Porcello, or move Porcello and use the young guys. With Kelly, Taz, Uehara, Smith, and Kimbrel in the bullpen, we'd be in pretty good shape.
Things look bad now, but they could turn around very quickly.
I admire your optimism, but I have to add another "if" to your list:
3) If Erod and Smith pitch at least as well as they did last season (no guarantee). If they do, and the team acquires a legit No. 2 or 3 pitcher, and that pitcher performs well, the team has a chance.
Heading into tonight's games, Boston was seventh in all of MLB in runs with nearly 6 per game, then put up another five tonight ... yet the team is only 3-4. SMH
-
Things could easily turn around and we're 7 games into an absurdly long season.
It's just hard not to get that "Here we go again" feeling seeing how the last few years have gone.
Exactly. If it wasn't for the fact that we know Dombrowski has taken Cherington's place, and the fact that Price is now in town, this season (so far) would look exactly like last season. Yay, we can score 7 runs a game but we give up 9!! And actually, with Price's and Kimbrel's performance yesterday, the on-field product is a dead ringer for last year's.
-
offense is there but pitching is brutal to the max
Bucholz needs to be traded for a bag of balls. SEriously. we need Erod back ASAP
Price
Erod
Porcello
Kellyl
Wright
Please!
You're right that we need Erod back, but that rotation strikes fear into no one. Porcello and Kelly are, IMO, .500 pitchers or slightly better (at best), and though I admire what Wright's done this season and last, he's nothing to write home about. I'm concerned that Ortiz's farewell tour could end up like Kobe's.
-
I don't think I'll ever understand why Buccholz is even still on the roster. Why keep giving this guy a chance? He's shown time and again he's no better than a 5th starter who sometimes pitches well. Keep him if your rotation is solid. But rely on him to be your #2? Idiocy. Madness.
I'd rather they just bring in random younger guys or reclamation projects like Masterson. At least then there's an argument for why things might be different.
-
So today Buchholz has his once-a-month good start and Koji blows it.
This pitching staff really has trouble getting everyone on the same page in the same game—starter does well, bullpen blows it; bullpen does well, starter blows it.
-
And now Kimbrel issues a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run. Awesome!
-
This is 41 year old Koji's 8th appearance in the 12th game of the season. They need Carson Smith back soon to save him from Farrell.
-
Okay, so this isn't the Craig Kimbrel the Sox paid for. Good to know.
-
So today Buchholz has his once-a-month good start and Koji blows it.
This pitching staff really has trouble getting everyone on the same page in the same game—starter does well, bullpen blows it; bullpen does well, starter blows it.
Its easy to put this all on the pitchers, but heck, our offense hasn't done much of anything today.
-
So today Buchholz has his once-a-month good start and Koji blows it.
This pitching staff really has trouble getting everyone on the same page in the same game—starter does well, bullpen blows it; bullpen does well, starter blows it.
Its easy to put this all on the pitchers, but heck, our offense hasn't done much of anything today.
Yeah, the offense has been quiet for a couple days now. But the pitching staff has stunk about 90% of the time so far this season.
-
I'm not worried about Kimbrel. In 6 2/3 innings, he's allowed 3 hits and struck out 14. He's struggled with his control a couple of times, but that's not really unusual this early in a season. I am worried about starters 2-5.
-
Some of us have wondered how Buchholz is still getting chances; I can't believe Matt Barnes hasn't been shipped to Siberia. He's awful.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He came to Boston and he's a highly paid pitcher, so he turned into a pumpkin like all the other ones.
Being somewhat facetious, but it does seem that the Red Sox have no luck with free agent pitchers.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He was leaving everything up and over the plate today.
I think if the Red Sox have any chance to make the playoffs, Price has to be a sub 3.0 era guy. It's not looking too good.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He was leaving everything up and over the plate today.
I think if the Red Sox have any chance to make the playoffs, Price has to be a sub 3.0 era guy. It's not looking too good.
yes also what is with the offense being so feast or famine. They looked like they could have scored 7 in the first inning today and then get completely shut out.
-
I'm not worried about Kimbrel. In 6 2/3 innings, he's allowed 3 hits and struck out 14. He's struggled with his control a couple of times, but that's not really unusual this early in a season. I am worried about starters 2-5.
starter number five is wright. so far he is the best starter we have and has an ERA of about 2.14.
the rest of the rotation has been unreliable so far. but it is still early in the season. even if they go on to lose today, there are still 147 games left and they are 1 game below .500. it's a bit early to start jumping off buildings for me.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He came to Boston and he's a highly paid pitcher, so he turned into a pumpkin like all the other ones.
Being somewhat facetious, but it does seem that the Red Sox have no luck with free agent pitchers.
you mean like pedro? ::)
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He came to Boston and he's a highly paid pitcher, so he turned into a pumpkin like all the other ones.
Wait, I thought this was all because Swihart couldn't call a game...
-
I'm not worried about Kimbrel. In 6 2/3 innings, he's allowed 3 hits and struck out 14. He's struggled with his control a couple of times, but that's not really unusual this early in a season. I am worried about starters 2-5.
starter number five is wright. so far he is the best starter we have and has an ERA of about 2.14.
the rest of the rotation has been unreliable so far. but it is still early in the season. even if they go on to lose today, there are still 147 games left and they are 1 game below .500. it's a bit early to start jumping off buildings for me.
Maybe, but if you've witnessed the last two Red Sox seasons, it never seems too early.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He came to Boston and he's a highly paid pitcher, so he turned into a pumpkin like all the other ones.
Being somewhat facetious, but it does seem that the Red Sox have no luck with free agent pitchers.
you mean like pedro? ::)
Been a while since Pedro, man.
-
Boston's $217M investment in David Price continues to not pay off.
brutal...has he lost velocity or what?
He came to Boston and he's a highly paid pitcher, so he turned into a pumpkin like all the other ones.
Being somewhat facetious, but it does seem that the Red Sox have no luck with free agent pitchers.
you mean like pedro? ::)
Been a while since Pedro, man.
Well, there's Schilling. At least he waited until after he retired to turn into a pumpkin.
I think they need to fire Farrell and replace him with Lovullo. He's always been a poor in game manager and the team played better under Lovullo last year.
-
Man, this pitching staff is an abomination. Just terrible.
-
Price's pitching today was unacceptable... just an absolutely disgraceful performance against a minor league lineup. Very disappointed with how he's started this season.
-
i hated price when he was on other teams. i may hate him even more now. >:(
-
i hated price when he was on other teams. i may hate him even more now. >:(
Maybe Ortiz should get into another dust-up with him ... maybe it'll light a fire under him.
-
Price's pitching today was unacceptable... just an absolutely disgraceful performance against a minor league lineup. Very disappointed with how he's started this season.
AGREE....totally unacceptable performance today. Farrell needs to go too, we need a new face to lead. This team is going no where right now.
-
Price's pitching today was unacceptable... just an absolutely disgraceful performance against a minor league lineup. Very disappointed with how he's started this season.
AGREE....totally unacceptable performance today. Farrell needs to go too, we need a new face to lead. This team is going no where right now.
Totally agree. As awesome as was to see Farrell overcome some of the obstacles he was dealt with healthwise, Lovullo clearly changed the attitude of everyone and made them better. He also made some pretty decent decisions. I'd be cool with Farrell being a pitching coach again. I think he's still good to have around, just not as a GM.
-
Not going to freak out on Price yet. He has had two good starts and two bad ones (one really bad one). He has plenty of time to figure it out.
I would also love Farrell as pitching coach, but it isn't often that a coaching demotion of that scale takes place in professional sports. Perhaps health would be a good reason for it.
-
I like the interim coach better. Just something about him
Farrell is just too nice . I dunno. Pitching is horrific again this season
Please trade/waive bucholz. And trade Vazquez, panda prospects for another legit pitcher
Bring up Henry owens
-
I like the interim coach better. Just something about him
Farrell is just too nice . I dunno. Pitching is horrific again this season
Please trade/waive bucholz. And trade Vazquez, panda prospects for another legit pitcher
Bring up Henry owens
Oh no I'd say keep Vazquez. He makes the other pitches like Porcello and Bucholz way more comfortable with pitching. I'd say trade Swihart if anything.
-
Not going to freak out on Price yet. He has had two good starts and two bad ones (one really bad one). He has plenty of time to figure it out.
I would also love Farrell as pitching coach, but it isn't often that a coaching demotion of that scale takes place in professional sports. Perhaps health would be a good reason for it.
It's not really Price's fault that our pitching roster is horrible but because it is I'm expecting Price to hold it down and post a mid 2 era. In my mind he has to if we have any chance at making the playoffs. So far he has only been mediocre in his wins.
-
Not going to freak out on Price yet. He has had two good starts and two bad ones (one really bad one). He has plenty of time to figure it out.
I would also love Farrell as pitching coach, but it isn't often that a coaching demotion of that scale takes place in professional sports. Perhaps health would be a good reason for it.
It's not really Price's fault that our pitching roster is horrible but because it is I'm expecting Price to hold it down and post a mid 2 era. In my mind he has to if we have any chance at making the playoffs. So far he has only been mediocre in his wins.
Oh, totally - if we were trotting out Maddox, Glavine, and Smoltz ahead of him, it wouldn't really matter, but we are depending on him to perform in every one of his starts. Two earned runs in each of his wins is decent enough for me; the other starts were putrid. Hopefully he is just adjusting to a new home and atmosphere.
I am certainly not satisfied, but am willing to give him a couple of months. This was as much of a sure thing as there was (and we paid for it), I can't imagine him going all Lackey on us.
-
Different Day, Same Pile of Horse Manure
by Clay Buccholz
-
I like the interim coach better. Just something about him
Farrell is just too nice . I dunno. Pitching is horrific again this season
Please trade/waive bucholz. And trade Vazquez, panda prospects for another legit pitcher
Bring up Henry owens
It's got to be killing Dombrowski having to wait for Ferrell to fail before handing it over to Lovullo. The young core of this team seems ready to run through a wall for Lovullo.
-
Different Day, Same Pile of Horse Manure
by Clay Buccholz
The New York Times best-selling author of Untradeable: So Bad, the Sox are Stuck with Me.
-
Different Day, Same Pile of Horse Manure
by Clay Buccholz
The New York Times best-selling author of Untradeable: So Bad, the Sox are Stuck with Me.
Don't forget the smash hit thriller, For A Moment There You Thought I Was Going to Pitch Like An Ace Again.
-
Different Day, Same Pile of Horse Manure
by Clay Buccholz
The New York Times best-selling author of Untradeable: So Bad, the Sox are Stuck with Me.
Don't forget the smash hit thriller, For A Moment There You Thought I Was Going to Pitch Like An Ace Again.
i assume the author on that one is buchholz. ;D
-
Kimbrel with another gem. >:(
Can this team ever do anything the easy way?
-
Kimbrel with another gem. >:(
Can this team ever do anything the easy way?
Kimbrel has been scary. His two homeruns given up already is interesting. He gave up six last year and before that had never given up more then four. His 18 K's already though in ten innings is seriously impressive. He is actually third on the team in K's. Tells us a lot about our starting pitchers. . .
-
David Price continues to be not impressive: 6 runs on 8 hits, only 3 Ks. Getting owned by A-Rod tonight, yet some fans booed when Farrell came out to the mound to possibly take out Price before facing A-Rod again (he left him in, as it turns out).
Oh, and A-Rod was hitting only .185 coming into tonight's game.
-
We gotta trade for another pitcher. The rotation is slowly solidifying itself. Price, Porcello, and Wright have been good to great. Nabbing one more really solid starter and adding E Rod back to the lineup are gonna make the Sox very very filthy.
I'm also not ready to completely give up on David Price yet. He always sucks in the early spring for some reason.
-
We gotta trade for another pitcher. The rotation is slowly solidifying itself. Price, Porcello, and Wright have been good to great. Nabbing one more really solid starter and adding E Rod back to the lineup are gonna make the Sox very very filthy.
I'm also not ready to completely give up on David Price yet. He always sucks in the early spring for some reason.
I love Price but adding g a guy above him as #1 would all bit ensure us a championship. This team is seriously just 1 lpitcher away...
-
David Price continues to be not impressive: 6 runs on 8 hits, only 3 Ks. Getting owned by A-Rod tonight, yet some fans booed when Farrell came out to the mound to possibly take out Price before facing A-Rod again (he left him in, as it turns out).
Oh, and A-Rod was hitting only .185 coming into tonight's game.
They are now 15-10 and you only have terrible things to say. I get it when they are struggling, but they are playing well. They could be better, but are you reverse jinxing them or what?
-
10 years of Kimbrel.
Sweet.
-
David Price continues to be not impressive: 6 runs on 8 hits, only 3 Ks. Getting owned by A-Rod tonight, yet some fans booed when Farrell came out to the mound to possibly take out Price before facing A-Rod again (he left him in, as it turns out).
Oh, and A-Rod was hitting only .185 coming into tonight's game.
They are now 15-10 and you only have terrible things to say. I get it when they are struggling, but they are playing well. They could be better, but are you reverse jinxing them or what?
To be fair to me, I've had terrible things to say about their pitching—the offense has been great.
But to be fair to you ... you're right, I've said only bad things about their pitching, so here's some good: Porcello has been a pleasant surprise, and Wright has had a really good season thus far. 15-10 is a pretty good record (puts them on pace for about 97 wins), and the pitching does seem to be turning the corner a bit—Owens' last start was good, and I have high hopes for him and E-Rod.
Just don't get me started on the $200M man or the Clay man. ;)
-
I think Price will figure it out. He did have 14 strikeouts in his previous start, so it's not like he lack ability.
And this team should be even better with Carson back in the pen and Rodriguez rejoining the rotation soon. And that could be interesting, since it would likely bump Kelly to the pen, where is strong arm could be interesting.
-
Anyone else starting to get excited? I don't want to get my hopes up high yet but this team has been killing it lately. Taking two of three against a top place team on the road, even early in the season, is huge. Carson Smith looked amazing. Erod should be coming back soon. Lineup is hitting. Xander looks like a gold glove SS and the defense as a whole isn't making too many errors. Team looks great right now, really praying it lasts, I haven't enjoyed watching baseball in years!
-
Anyone else starting to get excited? I don't want to get my hopes up high yet but this team has been killing it lately. Taking two of three against a top place team on the road, even early in the season, is huge. Carson Smith looked amazing. Erod should be coming back soon. Lineup is hitting. Xander looks like a gold glove SS and the defense as a whole isn't making too many errors. Team looks great right now, really praying it lasts, I haven't enjoyed watching baseball in years!
They've got me watching games again; which is a nice start. They're playing aggressively and smart. Just keep rolling with it. Baseball is easily the most infectious sport interns of a team clicking (or not).
-
Hanley seems to be settling in at first base, which would be excellent. Seems to help his bat, and defensively, i like 3rd basemen switcging to 1b in general.
-
Kulpa sends the Sox into second place with his biased crazy strike zone. He is a disgrace to mlb umpires and baseball in general. Does the league ever fine or penalize umpires for bad games? Because this game was the most poorly umpired game behind the plate I have ever witnessed.
-
Kulpa sends the Sox into second place with his biased crazy strike zone. He is a disgrace to mlb umpires and baseball in general. Does the league ever fine or penalize umpires for bad games? Because this game was the most poorly umpired game behind the plate I have ever witnessed.
Looked good to me. Miller has a killer angle going
-
Kulpa sends the Sox into second place with his biased crazy strike zone. He is a disgrace to mlb umpires and baseball in general. Does the league ever fine or penalize umpires for bad games? Because this game was the most poorly umpired game behind the plate I have ever witnessed.
Looked good to me. Miller has a killer angle going
The 3-1 pitch was close. The catcher made it look bad. The 3-2 pitch was clearly too low and it appeared as though Kulpa called it a strike to be vindictive. Ortiz overreacts to bad calls, but Kulpa's reaction to that is unacceptable.
-
I honestly don't understand why umpires are even needed anymore. Why not have a universal strike zone? They can show me on the broadcast if the pitch was a strike or not immediately after its thrown. Why take an umpires word for it?
-
I honestly don't understand why umpires are even needed anymore. Why not have a universal strike zone? They can show me on the broadcast if the pitch was a strike or not immediately after its thrown. Why take an umpires word for it?
Yeah, computers showed the ball almost six inches out of the zone. The ump got 31 of the called strike calls wrong, which is crazy.
-
Strike 2 was a strike. Right?
I've seen a replay and it catches the corner but it doesn't show the height. The ball does appear to drop in over Pappi's knees.
Does anyone have one of those diagrams the tv broadcast uses to show where the ball crossed?
-
Both calls were egregiously bad and should have caused the tying run to come in. The third strike could have been thrown straight into the Yankees dugout and it was still going to be called a strike though. Pretty long tradition in baseball where if you complain too much or show up an umpire on a called strike where the next pitch is going to be called a strike no matter where it is. You learn all the way back in Little League to swing and make contact on that next pitch no matter what because its going to be a strike. That doesn't make it right, but its been happening in baseball all the way down to the Little League level forever.
-
I honestly don't understand why umpires are even needed anymore. Why not have a universal strike zone? They can show me on the broadcast if the pitch was a strike or not immediately after its thrown. Why take an umpires word for it?
Yeah, computers showed the ball almost six inches out of the zone. The ump got 31 of the called strike calls wrong, which is crazy.
This is why I swore OFF baseball until they start using the computer to call balls and strikes. I was watching Boston play St. Louis in the World Series in St. Louis and I think we were up 2-1 and I literally watched about 40 to 50 strike/ball calls go against us to give the Cardinals that game. I swore that I would NEVER watch a baseball game again until they started using the technology that tennis has been using up to that point for about two stinking decades and I have stood by that. I didn't even see us win the Series. I am thrilled that we overcame the fix and won again, but the game lost all integrity in my mind at that point.
BTW, I rarely EVER watched games in the regular season, but would watch IF the Sox were in the playoffs. So, I doubt baseball is missing me too much:-)))
Smitty77
-
Both calls were egregiously bad and should have caused the tying run to come in. The third strike could have been thrown straight into the Yankees dugout and it was still going to be called a strike though. Pretty long tradition in baseball where if you complain too much or show up an umpire on a called strike where the next pitch is going to be called a strike no matter where it is. You learn all the way back in Little League to swing and make contact on that next pitch no matter what because its going to be a strike. That doesn't make it right, but its been happening in baseball all the way down to the Little League level forever.
I disagree. The replay showed the ball cross the corner of the plate and the ball also appears over Papi's knees. Even the sox announcers today said it was a nasty pitch and probably a strike. The third strike is the pitch that was grossly called a strike even tho it was 5 inches too low but the second strike was a strike.
-
I honestly don't understand why umpires are even needed anymore. Why not have a universal strike zone? They can show me on the broadcast if the pitch was a strike or not immediately after its thrown. Why take an umpires word for it?
Well, there is a universal strike zone, clearly outline in the rulebook, but each umpire has his own "interpretation" of the strike zone. In this regard, MLB is asinine; they officially define a strike zone but then let each ump have his own "version" of it.
We've got the technology now; MLB should use it to get every call right, and they can still have an ump stand behind home plate to yell out the calls as they're transmitted from a computerized system to an earpiece he's wearing (plus he'd still make calls on plays at the plate).
-
So, who's worried about Price?
-
So, who's worried about Price?
I suspect he will be fine.
This is a guy who was the first pick in the draft and has always been outstanding. He has good velocity, control, and quality pitches with an easy throwing motion. His velocity has dipped this year, but his big problem has been his command which has been inconsistent from game to game. There was no indication of this problem last year. I think this is just a slow start exacerbated by a cold Spring. I think we (Red Sox fans that is) will love him in a month or two.
-
This Sox offense is something else
-
5 innings into the last game of the series vs the As and the Sox have scored 37 runs in this series.. they still have 4 more innings to go in the series...40+ coming?
Also JBJ is literally on fire
-
5 innings into the last game of the series vs the As and the Sox have scored 37 runs in this series.. they still have 4 more innings to go in the series...40+ coming?
Also JBJ is literally on fire
He is figuratively on fire. If he was literally on fire that would be horrible.
-
5 innings into the last game of the series vs the As and the Sox have scored 37 runs in this series.. they still have 4 more innings to go in the series...40+ coming?
Also JBJ is literally on fire
The As are not exactly world beaters, but this is remarkable.
-
5 innings into the last game of the series vs the As and the Sox have scored 37 runs in this series.. they still have 4 more innings to go in the series...40+ coming?
Also JBJ is literally on fire
He is figuratively on fire. If he was literally on fire that would be horrible.
Of course he isn't literally on fire lol... he's just been so good
-
5 innings into the last game of the series vs the As and the Sox have scored 37 runs in this series.. they still have 4 more innings to go in the series...40+ coming?
Also JBJ is literally on fire
The As are not exactly world beaters, but this is remarkable.
This is definitely a mix of both awful pitching and amazing offense... but it says a lot about the lineup. If they can keep hitting like this they'll be in it even with mediocre pitching.
Imagine where they'd be right now if Price was half as good as his old self? Hope he figures it out...
-
Just about everything for the Red Sox is coming up Millhouse this year. Panda gets hurt for the year, in comes Shaw. Shaw's defense has been superb and his hitting has been outstanding.
Hanley looks lost in LF, he moves to first and has been very solid defensively while he is back to his old self hitting.
Slow starting Papi has started hot.
Betts, Pedrioa, Boagarts, and Holt have all been hitting. JBJ is hitting better than Trout in his last 80+ games.
Meanwhile, ERod goes down and Wright gets a chance to step up and has been masterful. So much so, when ERod does come back, no way Wright comes out of the rotation.
The bullpen has been outstanding.
The only concerns are Price and Buccholz and a little bit of offense from the catching position.
-
Just about everything for the Red Sox is coming up Millhouse this year. Panda gets hurt for the year, in comes Shaw. Shaw's defense has been superb and his hitting has been outstanding.
Hanley looks lost in LF, he moves to first and has been very solid defensively while he is back to his old self hitting.
Slow starting Papi has started hot.
Betts, Pedrioa, Boagarts, and Holt have all been hitting. JBJ is hitting better than Trout in his last 80+ games.
Meanwhile, ERod goes down and Wright gets a chance to step up and has been masterful. So much so, when ERod does come back, no way Wright comes out of the rotation.
The bullpen has been outstanding.
The only concerns are Price and Buccholz and a little bit of offense from the catching position.
Just about everyone is doing a great job. If E-Rod picks up where he left off last season and Price rights the ship, this team is going to be really dangerous.
-
I've been pleased to see the Sox right the ship after some warning signs at the start. They are unreal offensively. Hard to believe Ortiz is getting ready to retire. He looks like he's still in his prime.
JBJ, Xander, Mookie, Shaw... Quite a young positional group they've got.
The lack of a guaranteed good start anywhere in the rotation still worries me, but if they stay healthy I feel good about at least being in the playoff hunt in September.
-
I guess you are never guaranteed a good start but Porcello and Wright have been about as good as you could possibly hope for so far.
JBJ hits his second HR of the night. He might be the third best position player in the last half season. How long does a hot streak have to be before it just becomes the normal?
-
I guess you are never guaranteed a good start but Porcello and Wright have been about as good as you could possibly hope for so far.
JBJ hits his second HR of the night. He might be the third best position player in the last half season. How long does a hot streak have to be before it just becomes the normal?
Porcello and Wright have been GREAT surprises.
As for Bradley, I think he was always a good (.300+) hitter in the minors, but it just hadn't translated to the majors ... until recently. I'm sure he can't sustain his current pace, but hopefully he remains a consistent offensive contributor.
-
I guess you are never guaranteed a good start but Porcello and Wright have been about as good as you could possibly hope for so far.
JBJ hits his second HR of the night. He might be the third best position player in the last half season. How long does a hot streak have to be before it just becomes the normal?
I heard on the radio today that in his last 80 games JBJ has over a .900 ops. He is such a good defender that if he can hit at a .270 clip he is a well above average player.
-
I've been pleased to see the Sox right the ship after some warning signs at the start. They are unreal offensively. Hard to believe Ortiz is getting ready to retire. He looks like he's still in his prime.
JBJ, Xander, Mookie, Shaw... Quite a young positional group they've got.
The lack of a guaranteed good start anywhere in the rotation still worries me, but if they stay healthy I feel good about at least being in the playoff hunt in September.
And Benintendi and Moncada are obliterating high A. Benintendi really could be ready by the end of the year; how crazy is that? Imagine an outfield of Benny-JBJ-Mookie. That would be the best outfield in baseball for a decade.
-
I've been pleased to see the Sox right the ship after some warning signs at the start. They are unreal offensively. Hard to believe Ortiz is getting ready to retire. He looks like he's still in his prime.
JBJ, Xander, Mookie, Shaw... Quite a young positional group they've got.
The lack of a guaranteed good start anywhere in the rotation still worries me, but if they stay healthy I feel good about at least being in the playoff hunt in September.
And Benintendi and Moncada are obliterating high A. Benintendi really could be ready by the end of the year; how crazy is that? Imagine an outfield of Benny-JBJ-Mookie. That would be the best outfield in baseball for a decade.
It's kinda early to get excited about this, but don't forget about Espinoza too. He's got ace potential written all over him.
-
Sox are hitting .293 as a team... I doubt it stays that high but that's amazing
-
Sox are hitting .293 as a team... I doubt it stays that high but that's amazing
I was just looking at their averages—6 of their regulars (Pedroia, Bogaerts, Ortiz, Hanley, Shaw, and Bradley) are hitting better than .300. That's nuts.
-
Sox are hitting .293 as a team... I doubt it stays that high but that's amazing
I was just looking at their averages—6 of their regulars (Pedroia, Bogaerts, Ortiz, Hanley, Shaw, and Bradley) are hitting better than .300. That's nuts.
Crazy... And another 10+ run game
-
This team is on fire... add to that the potential of the 3 young guns (JBJ, Xander and Mookie) and shaw if you want and we could be really good this season.
-
I've been pleased to see the Sox right the ship after some warning signs at the start. They are unreal offensively. Hard to believe Ortiz is getting ready to retire. He looks like he's still in his prime.
JBJ, Xander, Mookie, Shaw... Quite a young positional group they've got.
The lack of a guaranteed good start anywhere in the rotation still worries me, but if they stay healthy I feel good about at least being in the playoff hunt in September.
And Benintendi and Moncada are obliterating high A. Benintendi really could be ready by the end of the year; how crazy is that? Imagine an outfield of Benny-JBJ-Mookie. That would be the best outfield in baseball for a decade.
It's kinda early to get excited about this, but don't forget about Espinoza too. He's got ace potential written all over him.
Yep, he's an elite prospect as well. He just turned 18 and can hit 100! I focused on the other two since they're dominating, while Espinoza's results have been less impressive so far.
-
Sox are hitting .293 as a team... I doubt it stays that high but that's amazing
I was just looking at their averages—6 of their regulars (Pedroia, Bogaerts, Ortiz, Hanley, Shaw, and Bradley) are hitting better than .300. That's nuts.
Crazy... And another 10+ run game
According to MLB.com (http://m.mlb.com/news/article/177802176/red-sox-make-history-with-11-runs-vs-astros), Boston has a whole bunch of crazy streaks going right now.
Some people have started to talk about the Angels considering trading Trout, since they're so bad and figure to be for a while, and saying that Boston is one of the few teams with enough assets to make that trade ... but I'm not sure I'd want that. If Bradley, Betts, Bogaerts, and Shaw continue to develop—man, I know that Trout might be the best player in baseball, but he's only one guy, while those four would go a long way toward filling out a great starting lineup.
-
Congratulations to JBJ on extending his hitting streak to 23 games.
Too bad the Sox offense wasted a complete-game 5-hitter from Steven Wright.
-
So Carson Smith is undergoing Tommy John
-
So Carson Smith is undergoing Tommy John
Disappointing news.
-
So Carson Smith is undergoing Tommy John
Disappointing news.
Not any more disappointing than Dombrowski talking about moving someone not named Clay Buccholtz out of the rotation.
-
So the offense is still a machine
-
So Carson Smith is undergoing Tommy John
Disappointing news.
Not any more disappointing than Dombrowski talking about moving someone not named Clay Buccholtz out of the rotation.
So true...
-
This team is pretty clearly the best in the AL, which is awesome, but I don't know how confident I am in a rotation of Price-Wright-Porcello-Rodriguez-Kelly. Hopefully Dombrowski can bring in another solid arm. There are plenty of good options out there: Rich Hill, Pomeranz, Teheran, Salazar, Gray. The list goes on and on. There are front, mid, and back of the rotation guys available, and maybe Dombrowski will be able to package Swihart and some non-top-four prospects for one of them.
-
I'm surprised people show up to games that Clay is pitching at
-
So Carson Smith is undergoing Tommy John
Disappointing news.
Not any more disappointing than Dombrowski talking about moving someone not named Clay Buccholtz out of the rotation.
So true...
I really don't know how Buchholz still has a job with the Red Sox. I honestly can't fathom even a wild guess as to why they haven't gotten rid of him yet. He's terrible 95% of the time.
And it's a little disappointing that the Sox haven't roughed up Gray more, what with his above-6 ERA.
-
I'm surprised people show up to games that Clay is pitching at
He was amazing in our World Series year (not the ALCS, though) - I think there are a lot of people who will forever stick with him for that.
-
Koji, Koji, Koji. It may finally be time to hang it up. :(
And I see Joe Kelly came back to earth.
-
Mookie is silly hot!
-
Mookie is silly hot!
Indeed he is!
But Joe Kelly is not.
-
Mookie is silly hot!
Indeed he is!
But Joe Kelly is not.
Clay's trip to the bullpen may not last that long.
-
Mookie is silly hot!
Indeed he is!
But Joe Kelly is not.
Clay's trip to the bullpen may not last that long.
The pitching tonight has given me a headache... if we had the 13 staff with this lineup this team would be unstoppable. Cherrington really messed up. Didn't we get Kelly in a trade for Lackey?
-
Mookie is silly hot!
Indeed he is!
But Joe Kelly is not.
Clay's trip to the bullpen may not last that long.
The pitching tonight has given me a headache... if we had the 13 staff with this lineup this team would be unstoppable. Cherrington really messed up. Didn't we get Kelly in a trade for Lackey?
I believe so. Strange to think that right now Boston could have a rotation of Price, Lester, Lackey, E-Rod, and either Porcello or Wright.
-
So, it seems Porcello is reverting to his old self. And Ubaldo Jimenez has been struggling mightily of late, so of course he's shutting down the Sox. ::)
-
So, it seems Porcello is reverting to his old self. And Ubaldo Jimenez has been struggling mightily of late, so of course he's shutting down the Sox. ::)
You were saying?
-
So, it seems Porcello is reverting to his old self. And Ubaldo Jimenez has been struggling mightily of late, so of course he's shutting down the Sox. ::)
You were saying?
Ha! Yeah, guess I spoke too soon about Jimenez.
Of course, Porcello turned right around and gave the lead back, and Ross and Taz have crapped the bed.
-
So, it seems Porcello is reverting to his old self. And Ubaldo Jimenez has been struggling mightily of late, so of course he's shutting down the Sox. ::)
You were saying?
Ha! Yeah, guess I spoke too soon about Jimenez.
Of course, Porcello turned right around and gave the lead back, and Ross and Taz have crapped the bed.
Pen has been awful this last week. Taz especially
-
So, it seems Porcello is reverting to his old self. And Ubaldo Jimenez has been struggling mightily of late, so of course he's shutting down the Sox. ::)
You were saying?
Ha! Yeah, guess I spoke too soon about Jimenez.
Of course, Porcello turned right around and gave the lead back, and Ross and Taz have crapped the bed.
Pen has been awful this last week. Taz especially
Particularly awful against Baltimore, which doesn't even have a great lineup.
-
Redsox look like they have an incredible future
Outfield is set unless Jackie Bradley Jr. falls on his face. His BA has decreased month by month since that ridiculous hitting streak he was on. He is batting about .283 and hopefully he can maintain this avg for the rest of this season. I would be satisfied if he can bat this avg for the rest of his career. Terrific outfielder . Gold Glove
Betts is just incredible. For a 5'9 player he is doing it all right now. Hitting for avg and power. He is on his way to bat over .300, 25 home runs, 100 RBIs, 25 steals. Terrific outfielder
With Benintendi you get that same feeling you had when Pedroia first came into the league. Special player. Incredible what he has been able to do in such a short time. And also jumping straight to the Majors from AA. Special hitter that can hit every kind of pitch to all parts of the field. Very good outfielder
At the infield Moncada (practicing at 3b at the minor league leavel) , Xander, Pedroia, Ramirez (resurgence) look like locks. Travis Shaw and Holt are the extra utility players. Depending on how Shaw progresses (hot at the start of the year and has cooled off as of late) , Ramirez could take over Ortiz at the DH spot
Good depth at the catching position also. Swihart is injured but is suppose to be the future long term catcher
Now where the problem is , is at the Pitching position. Redsox have drafted poorly for the most part. Lack depth at the minor league level. Henry Owens a few years ago considered a top prospect has fell on his face. He is tall , has a good makeup, can throw several pitches with good accuracy, but has a so so MPH fastball and also lacks strength to finish games/that extra to get out of jams. He needs to really improve his conditioning/add muscle.
Redsox starting
Price (Not dominant as years past. And unluckily lacking bat support for some reason. Needs to fine tune off speed pitches and able to throw for strikes instead of depending on the fastball too much)
Porcello (candidate to win CY young award. incredible turnaround. Has put it all together)
Wright (What a surprise. Needs to improve on conditioning)
Kimbrel look solid as the closer.
Relief pitching department has been brutal all season long. One area that needs to improve (likely from FA)
I hope the sox can make the playoffs this season , so that we can see clutch "Ortiz" do his magic before he retires.
-
The Sox young outfield + Xander is nutso, but they're leading the entire MLB by a significant margin in runs scored this season and there's still a solid chance they won't even get a Wild Card spot.
Really tough to have such weak pitching year after year. But they should be fun and score lots of runs for at least the next 5 years, at least.
-
If anyone is watching redsox and oakland, some dude has been loudly heckling for about 3 innings straight. Pretty funny, you can hear him pretty clearly. Super Drunk.
-
The Sox young outfield + Xander is nutso, but they're leading the entire MLB by a significant margin in runs scored this season and there's still a solid chance they won't even get a Wild Card spot.
Really tough to have such weak pitching year after year. But they should be fun and score lots of runs for at least the next 5 years, at least.
It just looks like pitchers forget how to pitch the instant they don the Red Sox uniform. Insane.
Also, I can't get over Farrell pinch-running Steven Wright. Way to ruin a guy's season. >:( >:( >:(
-
The Sox young outfield + Xander is nutso, but they're leading the entire MLB by a significant margin in runs scored this season and there's still a solid chance they won't even get a Wild Card spot.
Really tough to have such weak pitching year after year. But they should be fun and score lots of runs for at least the next 5 years, at least.
It just looks like pitchers forget how to pitch the instant they don the Red Sox uniform. Insane.
Also, I can't get over Farrell pinch-running Steven Wright. Way to ruin a guy's season. >:( >:( >:(
True on both counts.
-
The Sox young outfield + Xander is nutso, but they're leading the entire MLB by a significant margin in runs scored this season and there's still a solid chance they won't even get a Wild Card spot.
Really tough to have such weak pitching year after year. But they should be fun and score lots of runs for at least the next 5 years, at least.
It just looks like pitchers forget how to pitch the instant they don the Red Sox uniform. Insane.
Also, I can't get over Farrell pinch-running Steven Wright. Way to ruin a guy's season. >:( >:( >:(
True on both counts.
Farrell drives me nuts more than anything. Either he is the most snake bitten manager in the history of in game management or he just flat out blows. I lean towards the latter.
Agreed that pitching is their achilles heel although I will admit I was dead wrong on Porcello. I absolutely slammed the Sox when they made that signing. He's been quite the positive this season.
Lastly, just let Moncada go out there & do his thing. Get out of the way.
-
Eduardo Rodriguez no-hitter through 7 innings. Free streams on reddit if anyone wants to try to catch the last two innings. Hes looked terrific, but high pitch count. Interesting to see if they let him chase the no-no.
-
Sigh.
LOL red Sox.
Even when they've got so much talent offensively they are still so unconvincing as a competitive team.
-
Sigh.
LOL red Sox.
Even when they've got so much talent offensively they are still so unconvincing as a competitive team.
Today's game was a huge sigh (of pain and frustration). This team keeps finding creative ways to lose.
-
Sigh.
LOL red Sox.
Even when they've got so much talent offensively they are still so unconvincing as a competitive team.
Today's game was a huge sigh (of pain and frustration). This team keeps finding creative ways to lose.
As someone on twitter said "That's baseball!"
-
Looking forward to the playoffs! I like their chances. :)