The Red Sox Thread

[bmxstreetrider86]

I didn't think he'd struggle too badly with it since he was a starter at Carolina.

Have they not named Aceves as a starter yet? I think that's crazy.

And Valentine is a ................ing lunatic to be bitching about this tie game .................

but then when he started in the minors it was an absolute train wreck

[philleotardo]

Have they not named Aceves as a starter yet? I think that's crazy.

Aceves today

3 IP, 10 H, 9 ER

[snapple]

I was about to call bs on that.


Wow.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

I think Valentine is trying to accomplish two things (aside from winning):

1. He sees himself as being part of an entertainment industry, and stirring up both fan bases is a way for him to maximize the entertainment value.

2. He likes to make himself the center of attention.

IMHO, he's gone a long way towards achieving both of those things in a short time.

Agreed 100%. I found this kind of nonsense a lot more entertaining back when Pedro used to do it. Bobby V. needs to ease back a bit, especially when he knows full well that everybody is expecting this kind of bull................ out of him in the first place.

[Carbon Fiber]

Agreed 100%. I found this kind of nonsense a lot more entertaining back when Pedro used to do it. Bobby V. needs to ease back a bit, especially when he knows full well that everybody is expecting this kind of bull................ out of him in the first place.

Yes, I'll admit it... any starter who can repeatedly put up a WHIP under 1 pitching in the AL East can pretty much do whatever the &*#! they want and I'll still support them... But I thought some of Pedro's stuff was funny --- his prima-donna stuff got old, but his sense of humor was great.

Bobby V could much more quickly become tiresome.

[ieddyi]

Yes, I'll admit it... any starter who can repeatedly put up a WHIP under 1 pitching in the AL East can pretty much do whatever the &*#! they want and I'll still support them... But I thought some of Pedro's stuff was funny --- his prima-donna stuff got old, but his sense of humor was great.

Bobby V could much more quickly become tiresome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEMPZ...feature=topics

[MassNYYfan]

Aceves today

3 IP, 10 H, 9 ER

Heh. I saw that. Still just a ................ty spring start. Given their other options I'd still have him in the rotation to begin the season. Especially if they are gonna put Bard back in the pen.

[MassNYYfan]

but then when he started in the minors it was an absolute train wreck

Massive control issues, but why?

[Jersey Yankee]

This Sox/Valentine marriage will end in a very messy divorce. Bank on that.

Good.

How much time do you give them before Bobby V gets shown the door?

[hellonewman]

How much time do you give them before Bobby V gets shown the door?

2014ish. It's not going to unravel as quickly as Yankee fans seem to think.

[False1]

2014ish. It's not going to unravel as quickly as Yankee fans seem to think.

I agree. It would take the wheels coming off entirely for them to do anything resembling a panic move after what RSN went through last year.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

Massive control issues, but why?

It's so much harder to consistently control your stuff over a period of innings than it is to go in there and just nail some spots for 2-4 batters. That being said, being a starter gives you a mild advantage in that, if your control sucks coming into the game, you can improve it as you go along. A reliever does not have that luxury. Overall, though, stuff is easier to control over shorter periods.

Let me know if I misunderstood the context of your question and I'll try again.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

Yes, I'll admit it... any starter who can repeatedly put up a WHIP under 1 pitching in the AL East can pretty much do whatever the &*#! they want and I'll still support them... But I thought some of Pedro's stuff was funny --- his prima-donna stuff got old, but his sense of humor was great.

Bobby V could much more quickly become tiresome.

He was ................ing hilarious. Growing up, I always got a kick out of the villainous characters of pro wrestling... they were willing to do or say any outrageous, over-the-top thing they could think of just to rile me up. As I got older, I began to notice that a lot of pro athletes in legitimate sports do the same thing toned down a little bit.

Some guys are definitely better than others, but I've come to appreciate the entertainment value in guys like Tito Ortiz, Muhammed Ali, John McEnroe, Ozzie Guillen, Terrell Owens, Allen Iverson, Chael Sonnen, Al Hrabowski, Bill Laimbeer, Keving Garnett, Brian Wilson, Rashad Evans, etc. beyond their actual ability.

[MassNYYfan]

It's so much harder to consistently control your stuff over a period of innings than it is to go in there and just nail some spots for 2-4 batters. That being said, being a starter gives you a mild advantage in that, if your control sucks coming into the game, you can improve it as you go along. A reliever does not have that luxury. Overall, though, stuff is easier to control over shorter periods.

Let me know if I misunderstood the context of your question and I'll try again.

I was referring to his stats as a starter at UNC versus the disaster that was him starting in the minors in 2007.

[4bronxbombers]

It's so much harder to consistently control your stuff over a period of innings than it is to go in there and just nail some spots for 2-4 batters. That being said, being a starter gives you a mild advantage in that, if your control sucks coming into the game, you can improve it as you go along. A reliever does not have that luxury. Overall, though, stuff is easier to control over shorter periods.

Let me know if I misunderstood the context of your question and I'll try again.

So true - and I'm guilty of being inpatient with relievers. I should remember this a bit more......

[b-ball-lunachick]

So...any truth to the rumor that Beckett took a limo home from a spring training game after Bobby V had declared that everyone would ride the bus together back in February? Maybe it was a special circumstance for Beckett?

[Bronson'sCornrows]

I was referring to his stats as a starter at UNC versus the disaster that was him starting in the minors in 2007.

Oh, I see. On the one hand, a lot of guys in college can get by just on their stuff alone, particularly guys with stuff as good as Bard's, and this is what my gut is telling me. On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be such a drastic jump between D1 and A ball, so I'm not sure that's the most logical answer. I don't remember reading anything about any mechanical changes or anything like that. There is no obvious answer here.

[MassNYYfan]

Oh, I see. On the one hand, a lot of guys in college can get by just on their stuff alone, particularly guys with stuff as good as Bard's, and this is what my gut is telling me. On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be such a drastic jump between D1 and A ball, so I'm not sure that's the most logical answer. I don't remember reading anything about any mechanical changes or anything like that. There is no obvious answer here.

This is basically the conversation I've had with myself on the subject several times at this point.

[teknetic]

..and it begins.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...l-win-96-games

Let's do some position-by-position analysis for the Boston Red Sox. They won 90 games a year ago. I went through all the numbers and can't come up with a solid reason why they won't win more games in 2012.

[pleasepassthesoup]

Honestly, I don't see why they shouldn't be very good. They're very similar to the team from last year that was excellent for most of the season. Even if they only have a moderate collapse down the stretch this year instead of having the biggest collapse in baseball history, they could win 93-95 games.

Edit: that's not to say that the analysis in the article was good. It was complete crap.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

..and it begins.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...l-win-96-games

So, basically, he has the offense the same, and the bullpen slightly worse. The improvement is in the rotation, and Bard is by far the biggest contributor to that -- pitching nearly as well as Buchholz, and slightly better than Beckett.

Seems a tad optimistic.

[aeromac76]

..and it begins.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/po...l-win-96-games

It's funny you bring this up, the most frustrating part of spring training every year for me is this type of stuff.
Obviously everyone in baseball has questions, but for some odd reason, every year the national forecasters predict that all the questions will be all good for Boston and terrible for the Yankees.

I read a publication recently that called Tex and Arod major questions, because one had a bad year and one had an injury plagued year, and they doubted a rebound from Tex and doubted a return to health for Arod.
Two pages later, I read that Carl Crawford will be a major reason why Boston comes back and wins big time. This guy had a crap year AND has injury concerns, but it was a foregone conclusion that he'll be fine and dandy.
So Tex is incapable of rebounding, Arod is incapable of bouncing back to health, but Crawford will do both with no problems.
I read huge doubts about Nova repeating his year, and what Pineda really is. But same publication, Clay Buccholz was a sure bet to be a near ace type pitcher.

Sometimes I wonder if I am reading predictions or desires simply printed under the guise of predictions.

Yes, if the Sox get positive answers to every question and ours all go in the tank, they'll beat us.
But damned, if I can do that, I could make a case for the Royals finishing better than us. It's not realistic.

[NerfBall55]

Honestly, I don't see why they shouldn't be very good. They're very similar to the team from last year that was excellent for most of the season. Even if they only have a moderate collapse down the stretch this year instead of having the biggest collapse in baseball history, they could win 93-95 games.

Edit: that's not to say that the analysis in the article was good. It was complete crap.

I won't be concerned about this team until they give me a reason to. I don't find their SP all that compelling, bullpen is weaker, and while the offense 1-5 has the potential to be awesome, it will take a rebound from Crawford, Ellsbury not regressing from LY, and Youkilis being healthy.

[CalYankeeFan]

I won't be concerned about this team until they give me a reason to. I don't find their SP all that compelling, bullpen is weaker, and while the offense 1-5 has the potential to be awesome, it will take a rebound from Crawford, Ellsbury not regressing from LY, and Youkilis being healthy.

Any team that follows The Greatest Team Ever is bound to be a letdown.

[Yankees13]

I'd expect them to win in the low-90's. Problem for them is that puts in the play-in game at best and a good chance of being out entirely.