The Red Sox Thread

[sweet_lou_14]

Ellsbury might be taking over the MVP race.

[hellonewman]

Ellsbury again. 2-1 Sox.

[bnorris85]

Ellsbury is the only one on this piece of ................ team with any heart.

[ArodEra]

Just watched Gonzalez hit an indifferent ground ball to second base and it occurs to me, his bat has looked a little slow.

All things being equal, I take AGon over Tex, but I read an interesting article in either the Boston Globe or Herald saying that the Sox were better off signing Tex for what they had to go through to counter the Yanks signing him and the price paid. The Yanks signing had a reactionary and snowball effect, including trading for and eventually losing Victor Martinez to FA, signing and then losing Beltre (because of the AGon trade) and stripping the farm and losing some good players in the Martinez and AGon deals.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

All things being equal, I take AGon over Tex, but I read an interesting article in either the Boston Globe or Herald saying that the Sox were better off signing Tex for what they had to go through to counter the Yanks signing him and the price paid. The Yanks signing had a reactionary and snowball effect, including trading for and eventually losing Victor Martinez to FA, signing and then losing Beltre (because of the AGon trade) and stripping the farm and losing some good players in the Martinez and AGon deals.

Interesting equation, although you'd have to also factor in all the picks they got for losing Beltre and Gonzalez as well.

[hellonewman]

Lavarnway blows it open sort of. 5-1 Sox in 4th.

[Mr Coffee]

I think the O's just remembered they're the O's.

[teknetic]

pgammo Peter Gammons @



@redsoxgirl46 I have met few who love the game more than Ryan. Or discussed Friedrich Niezsche. Just a great person with huge upside

It begins.

[sweet_lou_14]

pgammo Peter Gammons @



@redsoxgirl46 I have met few who love the game more than Ryan. Or discussed Friedrich Niezsche. Just a great person with huge upside

It begins.

Makes you wonder what Gammons was doing to the kid while he was holding forth on Nietzsche.

[bnorris85]

So nesn just posted three tweets about the red sox ....99% sure one was from tommyk who was/is on here .....he had the gas mileage signature for his vw in his Sig

[JDPNYY]

So nesn just posted three tweets about the red sox ....99% sure one was from tommyk who was/is on here .....he had the gas mileage signature for his vw in his Sig

He doesn't even get that great of gas mileage.

[sweet_lou_14]

OK, so I assume we get to see Lester on short rest tomorrow night?

[teknetic]

Yea, he was the scheduled starter regardless if they won or lost tonight.

[hellonewman]

pgammo Peter Gammons @


@redsoxgirl46 I have met few who love the game more than Ryan. Or discussed Friedrich Niezsche. Just a great person with huge upside

It begins.

ESPN already prepping the Hollywood-derived "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES???" treatment if the Sox pull this off. Late-night guy on ESPN Radio a few hours ago, talking to a Red Sox beat reporter: "The Red Sox tonight used a journeyman pitcher and a kid making his first major league start behind home plate. How did Boston EVER win this game?"

Yeah, because it's such a lightning bolt out of the blue for a team with a winning record to beat a 90-loss team while using a so-so pitcher and a recent call-up. I'm sure nothing like that has ever happened before.

[hellonewman]

Just had a crazy thought ... won't happen but it's fun to think about. Building off the Chris Capuano thing that never came to fruition, how's this for the ultimate short-term rental? It would be unprecedented in baseball history, and I think it would be legal.

Lester's going to pitch Wednesday night in Baltimore ... OK. Let's say Theo's optimistic of a win there, but he knows that with the Yankees doing the biggest Florida tank job since Sea World, the Sox are likely going to have to win Thursday too.

Old warhorse Miguel Batista is scheduled to start Wednesday afternoon's season-ender for the Mets, presumably preparatory to retiring. He's actually pitched pretty creditable ball for them during his September call-up, 3.74 ERA (albeit with an ominous 1.47 WHIP) in 21.2 innings over 3 starts (last one on Sept. 11) and 5 relief appearances.

Call the Mets. Offer them some small amount of cash (unlike with Capuano I'm sure Alderson has no possible plans for Batista next year - why they even have plans for Capuano I don't know but they said they do) and tell them to pull Batista from his start and put him on a plane to Tampa. If there's no game Thursday you lose a little cash. If there's a game Thursday all you really need is a guy to keep you in the game 3 innings or so until you can get the ball to rubber-arm Aceves, and sad to say Batista might actually be a better bet to do that than Wakefield or Lackey on 3 days rest.

Play-in games are considered regular season games for statistical purposes so wouldn't they be considered as such for roster moves?

I'm largely joking here but if they were actually serious about acquiring Capuano for one start, is this that much crazier?

[cptcarl]

If both Boston and Tampa win tonight, whatever dogmeat the Sox throw up against the Rays Thursday is going to get hammered, so that a line-up without Youks, with only Ellsbury and Scutaro hot, some cool (Ortiz, Gonzo), some meh (Midget), and a Lugo-esque embedded Ray will have to score about 12 runs to give us a chance. Could happen.

Maybe Youks this off-season decided it wasn't worth getting into top physical shape to prevent a late season breakdown for a team who felt that his .900 or so OPS was worth only half as much as the 20+ Mil they're shelling out for a Left Fielder with a Career OPS under .800, average to below average power for a corner outfielder, no plate discipline, and a mediocre OBP, who will be over 30 for 80% of the life of the contract. But of course, I'm feeling critical of the RS Brain Trust. The Lackey contract I can forgive, no one knew he'd be this bad. Always thought of him as Roy Halliday lite -- same type pitcher, just not as good. But the CC contract was insane from the get-go, and because Theo is not stupid, it must have gone beyond the purpose of constructing an effective baseball team, which is to maximize run differential. I suspect there are hot tub photos from Thailand somewhere with Red Sox Brass, Carlos Beltran, Vernon Wells, Barry ZIto, and Carl Crawford all in a meeting of the minds.

[sweet_lou_14]

Play-in games are considered regular season games for statistical purposes so wouldn't they be considered as such for roster moves?

This is actually a very important question, particularly for the depleted Red Sox. Their starting catcher is not on their 25-man. Anyone know for certain?

[cptcarl]

I've tried to find the answer -- unsuccessfully. Maybe someone else knows.

I can't imagine throwing Wakefield against the Rays (they'd steal about 30 bases) or Lackey (got rocked last time against them in 3 innings), both on 3 days rest. Buchholz seems to be ready but Tito insists he isn't. This leads me to think they may pitch the game by committee, using the entire pitching roster if necessary, even Beckett in relief.

Of course they have to win tonight first.

[Yankeeah]

Britton pitched an absolutely atrocious game last night. 84 pitches, 45 strikes, 39 balls. His first inning was ok, but after that he was getting scorched. It was just awful.

[JDPNYY]

This is actually a very important question, particularly for the depleted Red Sox. Their starting catcher is not on their 25-man. Anyone know for certain?

It's a regular season game. They can use the 40 man roster in the play-in game.

[pleasepassthesoup]

It's important for the Red Sox not only to win tonight, but to win handily given the recent pitch totals of Aceves, Bard, and Papelbon. Obviously, they need to try to win at all costs or else there may not be a tomorrow, but if Ace, Bard, and Papelbon all pitch again tonight, I can't imagine them being effective tomorrow if they can even pitch at all. Given what they're likely working with in the starting pitcher department tomorrow, the bullpen would be crucial in that game.

[ieddyi]

It's important for the Red Sox not only to win tonight, but to win handily given the recent pitch totals of Aceves, Bard, and Papelbon. Obviously, they need to try to win at all costs or else there may not be a tomorrow, but if Ace, Bard, and Papelbon all pitch again tonight, I can't imagine them being effective tomorrow if they can even pitch at all. Given what they're likely working with in the starting pitcher department tomorrow, the bullpen would be crucial in that game.

Well, last night they just scraped out an 8-7 win. And remember this is the O's- a 90 loss team

Expecting Lester- considering his recent starts- to dominate on short rest seems like a pipe dream

[ieddyi]

If both Boston and Tampa win tonight, whatever dogmeat the Sox throw up against the Rays Thursday is going to get hammered, so that a line-up without Youks, with only Ellsbury and Scutaro hot, some cool (Ortiz, Gonzo), some meh (Midget), and a Lugo-esque embedded Ray will have to score about 12 runs to give us a chance. Could happen.

Maybe Youks this off-season decided it wasn't worth getting into top physical shape to prevent a late season breakdown for a team who felt that his .900 or so OPS was worth only half as much as the 20+ Mil they're shelling out for a Left Fielder with a Career OPS under .800, average to below average power for a corner outfielder, no plate discipline, and a mediocre OBP, who will be over 30 for 80% of the life of the contract. But of course, I'm feeling critical of the RS Brain Trust. The Lackey contract I can forgive, no one knew he'd be this bad. Always thought of him as Roy Halliday lite -- same type pitcher, just not as good. But the CC contract was insane from the get-go, and because Theo is not stupid, it must have gone beyond the purpose of constructing an effective baseball team, which is to maximize run differential. I suspect there are hot tub photos from Thailand somewhere with Red Sox Brass, Carlos Beltran, Vernon Wells, Barry ZIto, and Carl Crawford all in a meeting of the minds.

I hope you're joking here. Youkillis is nothing if not a gamer. I've said for a while that his body type and playing style would leave him susceptible to back problems and nagging injuries. Playing 3rd didn't help I'm sure. There are plenty of villians in the swoon, but Youkilis isn't one of them

[kan_t]

The Rays can somehow get beat even though the Yankees try everything to lose.

[nnysiny]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/th...y-be-activated

Clay Buchholz, who was originally believed to be scheduled to pitch in an Instructional League game in Fort Myers, Fla. Wednesday if the Red Sox' regular season finale meeting with the Orioles meant anything in the wild card race, will remain with the team.

With Buchholz staying in Baltimore, the team is leaving open the possibility of activating the pitcher for Wednesday's game.