Final Score:
8-2 Red Sox over Yankees
Stats:
Lester (W): 5.0 IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 7SO
Bullpen: 4.0 IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 3SO
Ellsbury: 3 for 6, Triple, 1 Run, 2 RBIs, 0 BB, 0 SO, 5 LOB
Victorino: 2 for 6, 0 Runs, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3 LOB
Pedroia: 2 for 6, 0 Runs, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 SO, 5 LOB
Napoli: 0 for 5, 0 Runs, 0 RBIs, 0 BB, 2 SO, 4 LOB
Middlebrooks: 0 for 4, 1 Run, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 LOB
Saltalamacchia: 1 for 2, 1 Double, 2 Runs, 0 RBIs, 3 BBs, 1 SO, 0 LOB
Gomes: 2 for 4, 1 Run, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 0 SO, 2 LOB
Bradley Jr: 0 for 2, 2 Runs, 1 RBI, 3 BBs, 1 SO, 1 LOB
Iglesias: 3 for 5, 1 RBI, 1 Run, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6 LOB
Overall:
I thought the game went well for the Red Sox, especially considering how bad last year was. The Sox showed a lot of life, particularly their younger players, like Bradley and Iglesias. Lester pitched respectively, giving up 2 runs in 5 innings, which is pretty good for his first outing. The bullpen was pretty much lights out, after a few shaky pitches by Miller.
I think Bradley Jr. showed remarkable patience at the plate, especially going against CC Sabathia, for his first major-league showing and drew 3 walks. Most young players I’ve seen have wanted to get that first hit out of the way so quickly that they end up getting out somehow (strike out, fly out, ground out, etc.). Bradley Jr. also made a great running catch in the outfield.
I think the surprise was Iglesias, who is notorious for having a tremendous club with a very sub-average bat. He hit 3 infield singles, showing speed on the bases. He also had a few nice plays at short. I say “nice” because Iglesias is such a remarkable shortstop defensively that he makes hard plays look routine. He currently leads the team with a .600 batting average.
Jonny Gomes also showed some speed on the bases when he ran home from second base on an infield single in the 9th inning. Gomes isn’t exactly known for his speed, and he didn’t stop let up rounding third to see where the ball was in play.
This is a team that looks completely different from how it did last year. Here’s the comparison:
2012 Lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Ryan Sweeney, RF
Cody Ross, LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Mike Aviles, SS
Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester
2013 Lineup:
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Shane Victorino, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Mike Napoli, 1B
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Jonny Gomes, DH
Jackie Bradley Jr., LF
Jose Iglesias, SS
Starting Pitcher: Jon Lester
Was this the best the team will look this season? By no means, but I think they have a lot more potential than they have in the past. They have prospects in Triple-A that could come into play this year. They have some great pitching in the bullpen (my personal opinion), and I think this team will be the surprise of the season.
Showing posts with label Opening Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opening Day. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Random Thoughts
There are 5 days left until the season starts, roughly 120 hours until the first pitch to the Red Sox’s opening day. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited. I have a few things on my mind regarding this Red Sox team that I thought I would share in this post. Enjoy!
- Jacoby Ellsbury is not in today’s lineup after jamming his ankle on Sunday. It was originally reported that the Sox would give Ellsbury Monday off to rest, there was an off day yesterday, and he should be ready to go today. That’s not the case. I haven’t seen/heard anything to indicate that his injury is more serious, but it’s a little unnerving considering we’re five days away from Opening Day.
- With Ellsbury out of the lineup today, Jackie Bradley Junior will be playing center field and leading off. Bradley’s hitting .444 for Spring Training in 65 plate appearances. He’s making this team. Bradley is by far the most exciting story to come out of Spring Training. With the success of young, exciting players like Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg, Giancarlo Stanton, and Bryce Harper, the Red Sox really can’t afford to NOT have Bradley on the team.
- The Red Sox are dropping the prices of concessions during April, in a part to lure fans to Fenway. It’s sad, really, that things have gotten so bad that Sox fans won’t want to go to every game. I live in Iowa, and I try to make it to at least one Sox game a year, whether that’s in a city in the Midwest or a chance to head to Boston. If I lived in or around Boston, I’d be going to as many games as possible. Fans love the team, not the drama that has encompassed them the past few years.
- I plan on going to two Red Sox games this year, one in May in Minneapolis and one in September in Boston. The game in Boston will be against the Yankees, which will be a first for me, and I’m really excited about it.
- Jon Lester was officially named the Opening Day starter today. Is this really significant? Not really, considering the Sox have pretty much been going with a rotation of Lester, Buchholz, Dempster, Doubront, and Lackey all of Spring Training.
- There are a few reports out there that David Ortiz won’t be ready til around May 6th (again, estimate). Depending on how quickly Ortiz progresses, the beginning of May does seem likely for a return date. Remember, he needs to get his swing ramped up as well, which Ortiz has said takes about 50 at-bats.
- Kind of getting lost in the shuffle is Stephen Drew. He’s been out with concussion symptoms for weeks now, and he was cleared to resume baseball activities last week. However, it appears Iglesias will be the Opening Day starter at shortstop. If Iglesias takes off, will Drew resort to a bench player, traded, or will Iglesias be sent down to Triple-A?
- My goal is to finish Francona’s book by Monday and get a review out next week. It’s taken me a little bit longer than I would’ve liked. I read before I go to sleep; and most nights lately, I’ve pretty much passed out as soon as I’m in bed. Thank goodness for my (almost) weekly trips to Starbucks to read.
- Speaking of Francona, there's a new video out from the Indians featuring the Sox's former manager. You've heard of SIRI? Well, wait to you see TERRi: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25874721&c_id=mlb
- Next weekend, April 6th, I’m doing a 5k sponsored by our local Single-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits (now part of the Astros organization). Here’s the link for the race: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jspymd=20130321&content_id=43071808&vkey=pr_t565&fext=.jsp&sid=t565
It’s pretty cool, the route actually goes through two states (Iowa and Illinois) and goes across 3 bridges. I’m a little nervous about it, since I just completed my first 5k two weeks ago. But, it should be fun. If you live around the area and are interested, sign up.
And that’s about it for now. Hopefully, I’ll get another post out tomorrow or Friday to let you know about my predictions for the season.
- Jacoby Ellsbury is not in today’s lineup after jamming his ankle on Sunday. It was originally reported that the Sox would give Ellsbury Monday off to rest, there was an off day yesterday, and he should be ready to go today. That’s not the case. I haven’t seen/heard anything to indicate that his injury is more serious, but it’s a little unnerving considering we’re five days away from Opening Day.
- With Ellsbury out of the lineup today, Jackie Bradley Junior will be playing center field and leading off. Bradley’s hitting .444 for Spring Training in 65 plate appearances. He’s making this team. Bradley is by far the most exciting story to come out of Spring Training. With the success of young, exciting players like Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg, Giancarlo Stanton, and Bryce Harper, the Red Sox really can’t afford to NOT have Bradley on the team.
- The Red Sox are dropping the prices of concessions during April, in a part to lure fans to Fenway. It’s sad, really, that things have gotten so bad that Sox fans won’t want to go to every game. I live in Iowa, and I try to make it to at least one Sox game a year, whether that’s in a city in the Midwest or a chance to head to Boston. If I lived in or around Boston, I’d be going to as many games as possible. Fans love the team, not the drama that has encompassed them the past few years.
- I plan on going to two Red Sox games this year, one in May in Minneapolis and one in September in Boston. The game in Boston will be against the Yankees, which will be a first for me, and I’m really excited about it.
- Jon Lester was officially named the Opening Day starter today. Is this really significant? Not really, considering the Sox have pretty much been going with a rotation of Lester, Buchholz, Dempster, Doubront, and Lackey all of Spring Training.
- There are a few reports out there that David Ortiz won’t be ready til around May 6th (again, estimate). Depending on how quickly Ortiz progresses, the beginning of May does seem likely for a return date. Remember, he needs to get his swing ramped up as well, which Ortiz has said takes about 50 at-bats.
- Kind of getting lost in the shuffle is Stephen Drew. He’s been out with concussion symptoms for weeks now, and he was cleared to resume baseball activities last week. However, it appears Iglesias will be the Opening Day starter at shortstop. If Iglesias takes off, will Drew resort to a bench player, traded, or will Iglesias be sent down to Triple-A?
- My goal is to finish Francona’s book by Monday and get a review out next week. It’s taken me a little bit longer than I would’ve liked. I read before I go to sleep; and most nights lately, I’ve pretty much passed out as soon as I’m in bed. Thank goodness for my (almost) weekly trips to Starbucks to read.
- Speaking of Francona, there's a new video out from the Indians featuring the Sox's former manager. You've heard of SIRI? Well, wait to you see TERRi: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=25874721&c_id=mlb
- Next weekend, April 6th, I’m doing a 5k sponsored by our local Single-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits (now part of the Astros organization). Here’s the link for the race: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jspymd=20130321&content_id=43071808&vkey=pr_t565&fext=.jsp&sid=t565
It’s pretty cool, the route actually goes through two states (Iowa and Illinois) and goes across 3 bridges. I’m a little nervous about it, since I just completed my first 5k two weeks ago. But, it should be fun. If you live around the area and are interested, sign up.
And that’s about it for now. Hopefully, I’ll get another post out tomorrow or Friday to let you know about my predictions for the season.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Opening Day is Now One Week Away
The Red Sox season opener is one week away, on April 1st at 12:05 PM at Yankees Stadium. It’s not official, but Lester is thought to be the Opening Day starter and will most likely face CC Sabathia.
It’ll be an interesting game without long-time superstars from both teams, as David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Mark Texeria, and Derek Jeter (likely) will start the season on the disabled list. Kevin Youkilis is now the starting third baseman for the Yankees and leads the team in home runs this Spring Training with five. The Yankees also traded for Vernon Wells yesterday, which means they will be paying (part) of one of the worst contacts in MLB history.
The Red Sox’s roster is beginning to take shape. Most likely, it’ll be the following:
Starting Pitchers
LHP Jon Lester
RHP Clay Buchholz
RHP Ryan Dempster
LHP Felix Dubront
RHP John Lackey
Bullpen
RHP Alfredo Aceves
RHP Andrew Bailey
RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer)
LHP Andrew Miller
RHP Clayton Mortensen
RHP Junichi Tazawa
RHP Koji Uehara
Lineup
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (LH)
DH/LF Daniel Nava (SH)
2B Dustin Pedroia (RH)
1B Mike Napoli (RH)
3B Will Middlebrooks (RH)
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (SH)
LF/DH Jonny Gomes (RH)
RF Shane Victorino (SH)
SS Jose Iglesias (RH)
Bench
C David Ross (RH)
INF Pedro Ciriaco (RH)
1B/LF Mike Carp (LH)
OF Ryan Sweeney (LH) or Jackie Bradley Junior (LH)
Disabled List
DH David Ortiz (Right foot)
LHP Craig Breslow (shoulder)
LHP Franklin Morales (back)
SS Stephen Drew (concussion)
OF Ryan Kalish (shoulder)
I honestly don’t know what the Red Sox organization will do with Jackie Bradley Junior to start the season. He is clearly the winner of Spring Training hitting .423 with 2 home runs (1 of Cliff Lee yesterday), 2 doubles, 9 RBIs, and walking and striking out 8 times a piece (a great stat, especially for a young player). JBJ is exciting, but the question is do the Sox want to start his Free Agency clock at the start of the season or wait at least 11 days so they get an extra year out of him?
I don’t know about you, but I’m more excited for this season than I have been in the past. It seems that there’s almost a calmness to this team after last year’s three-ring circus with manager Bobby Valentine as ringmaster. As and added bonus, there are young, exciting players that are pushing their way into the spotlight.
Later this week I’ll give my predictions on where I think the team and certain players will end up this season. I was way off last year, so we’ll see how this year transpires.
It’ll be an interesting game without long-time superstars from both teams, as David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, Mark Texeria, and Derek Jeter (likely) will start the season on the disabled list. Kevin Youkilis is now the starting third baseman for the Yankees and leads the team in home runs this Spring Training with five. The Yankees also traded for Vernon Wells yesterday, which means they will be paying (part) of one of the worst contacts in MLB history.
The Red Sox’s roster is beginning to take shape. Most likely, it’ll be the following:
Starting Pitchers
LHP Jon Lester
RHP Clay Buchholz
RHP Ryan Dempster
LHP Felix Dubront
RHP John Lackey
Bullpen
RHP Alfredo Aceves
RHP Andrew Bailey
RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer)
LHP Andrew Miller
RHP Clayton Mortensen
RHP Junichi Tazawa
RHP Koji Uehara
Lineup
CF Jacoby Ellsbury (LH)
DH/LF Daniel Nava (SH)
2B Dustin Pedroia (RH)
1B Mike Napoli (RH)
3B Will Middlebrooks (RH)
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (SH)
LF/DH Jonny Gomes (RH)
RF Shane Victorino (SH)
SS Jose Iglesias (RH)
Bench
C David Ross (RH)
INF Pedro Ciriaco (RH)
1B/LF Mike Carp (LH)
OF Ryan Sweeney (LH) or Jackie Bradley Junior (LH)
Disabled List
DH David Ortiz (Right foot)
LHP Craig Breslow (shoulder)
LHP Franklin Morales (back)
SS Stephen Drew (concussion)
OF Ryan Kalish (shoulder)
I honestly don’t know what the Red Sox organization will do with Jackie Bradley Junior to start the season. He is clearly the winner of Spring Training hitting .423 with 2 home runs (1 of Cliff Lee yesterday), 2 doubles, 9 RBIs, and walking and striking out 8 times a piece (a great stat, especially for a young player). JBJ is exciting, but the question is do the Sox want to start his Free Agency clock at the start of the season or wait at least 11 days so they get an extra year out of him?
I don’t know about you, but I’m more excited for this season than I have been in the past. It seems that there’s almost a calmness to this team after last year’s three-ring circus with manager Bobby Valentine as ringmaster. As and added bonus, there are young, exciting players that are pushing their way into the spotlight.
Later this week I’ll give my predictions on where I think the team and certain players will end up this season. I was way off last year, so we’ll see how this year transpires.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Lester's the Ace, Right?
Opening Day for the Red sox is exactly two weeks from today. The Spring Training roster is shrinking as prospects are headed to their appropriate affiliates, and players are staying later in the games. The weather may not be screaming “Spring” (it’s snowing at the moment here in Iowa); but in two weeks, Spring Training will be over and the season will officially be underway.
Manager John Farrell hasn’t named the Opening Day starter, but every indication seems to point at Jon Lester. Lester has been dubbed the “Ace” for years now. While some have disputed that he deserves this title, he has remained one of the best pitchers the Red Sox have had over the years. His 2012 stats were anything but “Ace” quality: 9-14 record, 4.82 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and gave up 25 home runs. On a plus side, he did pitch 205.1 innings over the season. Buchholz, arguably the best starter last year, wasn’t much better: 11-8 record, 4.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, gave up 25 home runs, and pitched 189.1 innings.
It’s safe to say that Lester and Buchholz are the Red Sox’s number 1 and 2 starters, no matter which order they’ll end up pitching. They’ll be followed by Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubrant, and John Lackey. Dempster, as I’ve written before, will be an effective member of the pitching staff and an innings-eater for this staff. Doubrant showed last year that he is capable of being a starter, even if it’s been a little slow-going for him this Spring. Lackey is the Wild Card (after recovering from Tommy John surgery last year and having the worst season out of any Red Sox pitcher in history for 2011). Lackey has showed that his elbow is healed this Spring though.
Lester’s been fantastic this Spring, even pitching 6.0 perfect innings and striking out 6 in yesterday’s 5-1 win against the Rays. Lester’s line for the Spring: 3-0 record, 20.0 IP, 0.90 ERA, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 16 SO, .50 WHIP. Yes, this is limited. But, it is very encouraging.
Taking a look at the other four starters:
Buchholz: 2-0 record, 8.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0.96 WHIP
Dempster: 1-1 record, 12.2 IP, 2.13 ERA, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 9 SO, 0.87 WHIP
Doubront: 1-1 record, 8.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 1.27 WHIP
Lackey: 2-0 record, 6.2 IP, 8.10 ERA, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1.65 WHIP
Yes, Lackey’s line is a little disheartening, but he’s also working back from Tommy John surgery and not pitching healthy for years. He’s still a little behind the other starters in terms of innings pitched and such, but from everything I’ve been reading about him, he’s looking much improved from 2011. I guess we (including myself) will have to give him the benefit of the doubt.
My guess is Farrell names Lester the Opening Day pitcher this coming weekend, with the other pitchers lining up as I’ve shown above. He pretty much has the rotation as that in Spring Training anyway, so it makes sense. Lester’s out to prove 2012 was a fluke, and I’m guessing he’s going to be contending for the Cy Young this year. Of course, I made that prediction last year, and Lester did horribly.
Manager John Farrell hasn’t named the Opening Day starter, but every indication seems to point at Jon Lester. Lester has been dubbed the “Ace” for years now. While some have disputed that he deserves this title, he has remained one of the best pitchers the Red Sox have had over the years. His 2012 stats were anything but “Ace” quality: 9-14 record, 4.82 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and gave up 25 home runs. On a plus side, he did pitch 205.1 innings over the season. Buchholz, arguably the best starter last year, wasn’t much better: 11-8 record, 4.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, gave up 25 home runs, and pitched 189.1 innings.
It’s safe to say that Lester and Buchholz are the Red Sox’s number 1 and 2 starters, no matter which order they’ll end up pitching. They’ll be followed by Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubrant, and John Lackey. Dempster, as I’ve written before, will be an effective member of the pitching staff and an innings-eater for this staff. Doubrant showed last year that he is capable of being a starter, even if it’s been a little slow-going for him this Spring. Lackey is the Wild Card (after recovering from Tommy John surgery last year and having the worst season out of any Red Sox pitcher in history for 2011). Lackey has showed that his elbow is healed this Spring though.
Lester’s been fantastic this Spring, even pitching 6.0 perfect innings and striking out 6 in yesterday’s 5-1 win against the Rays. Lester’s line for the Spring: 3-0 record, 20.0 IP, 0.90 ERA, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 16 SO, .50 WHIP. Yes, this is limited. But, it is very encouraging.
Taking a look at the other four starters:
Buchholz: 2-0 record, 8.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0.96 WHIP
Dempster: 1-1 record, 12.2 IP, 2.13 ERA, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 9 SO, 0.87 WHIP
Doubront: 1-1 record, 8.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 1.27 WHIP
Lackey: 2-0 record, 6.2 IP, 8.10 ERA, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1.65 WHIP
Yes, Lackey’s line is a little disheartening, but he’s also working back from Tommy John surgery and not pitching healthy for years. He’s still a little behind the other starters in terms of innings pitched and such, but from everything I’ve been reading about him, he’s looking much improved from 2011. I guess we (including myself) will have to give him the benefit of the doubt.
My guess is Farrell names Lester the Opening Day pitcher this coming weekend, with the other pitchers lining up as I’ve shown above. He pretty much has the rotation as that in Spring Training anyway, so it makes sense. Lester’s out to prove 2012 was a fluke, and I’m guessing he’s going to be contending for the Cy Young this year. Of course, I made that prediction last year, and Lester did horribly.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Who Starts at DH on Opening Day?
David Ortiz had MRIs done on both of his heels this weekend and has been shut-down for 5-7 days with “inflammation” in both heels. The Red Sox have assured fans this isn’t because of an Achilles issue, which has kept Ortiz out of games since July 16, 2012 (minus one game on August 24th.) This injury is due to Ortiz amping up his workload, not because of his Achilles injury (though you could say that because of the Achilles injury, Ortiz wasn’t able to property workout in the offseason, thus causing the “inflammation” issue).
Ortiz is not doubtful for Opening Day and will likely miss the first couple weeks of the season. The Red Sox are pretty much the only team left in the American League with a set designated hitter; every other team seems to be using the revolving door approach to let players have lighter loads when needed. If Ortiz is out on Opening Day (likely), who DHs?
One option would be to have Lyle Overbay play first base and Napoli DH. Overbay is a career .270 hitter over 12 years, with 5 of those years spent in Toronto. Even though it’s limited, Overbay’s hit .261 (6/23) this Spring with 2 Triples, a Double, and 3 RBIs. At first base, he has a .995 Fielding Percentage in 10 years. Overbay is 36 this season though, and he was limited in playing the past two seasons.
Keeping either Lavarnway or Gomez on the roster to fill in at DH or the field is another option. Again, Spring Training numbers are limited (though they should start reflecting more in the coming weeks), but Lavarnway is hitting .143 and Gomez .200. Neither one has hit for much power either; a double a piece.
Another popular option I’ve been seeing is to have Jonny Gomes DH and Jackie Bradley Junior in the outfield. This would be very exciting, but Bradley hasn’t even played at Triple-A yet. Plus, his free-agent clock hasn’t started, so why start it now if it’s just going to be a couple of weeks before he gets sent back down.
Personally, I could see the Sox bringing either Overbay onto the roster or having another outfielder (either Nava or Sweeney, whoever doesn’t make the 25-man roster to begin with). Ross and Saltalamacchia could also DH when they weren’t catching, and they’ve both shown some pop in the bat (Ross hit a 3-run home run in yesterday’s game, and Salty’s hitting .389 with 4 Doubles). Either scenario I think makes sense.
Not much has been said after yesterday’s revealing of the inflammation issues, so either there’s not much to say or not much the Sox want said. Hopefully, this doesn’t become abigger issue like the Achilles issue Ortiz had last year. Let’s all hope that after some rest, Big Papi will feel better and start progressing his way into the line-up.
Ortiz is not doubtful for Opening Day and will likely miss the first couple weeks of the season. The Red Sox are pretty much the only team left in the American League with a set designated hitter; every other team seems to be using the revolving door approach to let players have lighter loads when needed. If Ortiz is out on Opening Day (likely), who DHs?
One option would be to have Lyle Overbay play first base and Napoli DH. Overbay is a career .270 hitter over 12 years, with 5 of those years spent in Toronto. Even though it’s limited, Overbay’s hit .261 (6/23) this Spring with 2 Triples, a Double, and 3 RBIs. At first base, he has a .995 Fielding Percentage in 10 years. Overbay is 36 this season though, and he was limited in playing the past two seasons.
Keeping either Lavarnway or Gomez on the roster to fill in at DH or the field is another option. Again, Spring Training numbers are limited (though they should start reflecting more in the coming weeks), but Lavarnway is hitting .143 and Gomez .200. Neither one has hit for much power either; a double a piece.
Another popular option I’ve been seeing is to have Jonny Gomes DH and Jackie Bradley Junior in the outfield. This would be very exciting, but Bradley hasn’t even played at Triple-A yet. Plus, his free-agent clock hasn’t started, so why start it now if it’s just going to be a couple of weeks before he gets sent back down.
Personally, I could see the Sox bringing either Overbay onto the roster or having another outfielder (either Nava or Sweeney, whoever doesn’t make the 25-man roster to begin with). Ross and Saltalamacchia could also DH when they weren’t catching, and they’ve both shown some pop in the bat (Ross hit a 3-run home run in yesterday’s game, and Salty’s hitting .389 with 4 Doubles). Either scenario I think makes sense.
Not much has been said after yesterday’s revealing of the inflammation issues, so either there’s not much to say or not much the Sox want said. Hopefully, this doesn’t become abigger issue like the Achilles issue Ortiz had last year. Let’s all hope that after some rest, Big Papi will feel better and start progressing his way into the line-up.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
A Few Observations From Opening Day
The Red Sox lost to the Tigers in their first game, 3-2. It would've been 2-0 Tigers if it wasn't for the Red Sox rallying in the 9th. Both Lester and Verlander looked great, but neither factored into a decision. Here's some observations from the first official game of the Red Sox's 2012 season:
* The bullpen may be worse than I thought. Padilla started the bottom of the 8th by giving up a triple to Austin Jackson, and with one out, intentionally walked Fielder. Morales came in gave up a short flyball to Center which Ellsbury botched the throw to home plate. In the bottom of the 9th, Melancon gave up two singles in a row, and Valentine put in Aceves. Aceves hit the next batter to load the bases and gave up a game-winning single to Santiago, costing the game.
* Lester was great. His line: 7 IP 6H 1R 1ER 3BB 4K 0HR 107 pitches, 63 for strikes. That's the way to start the season! I do think Valentine may have kept in a bit too long, but I can't complain with that performance.
* The Sox offense just wasn't firing, but they were also going against Verlander ("Cy Young, MVP!"). Verlander went 8 innings and only gave up 2 hits while striking out 7. Ortiz and Pedroia both had doubles, and Sweeney had a game-tying triple in the 9th. Sweeney was the only player to have more than one hit on the Sox, going 2-4. Youkilis struck out twice.
* Was it just me, or did Francona sound like he wishes he was still on the team? He had a sort of longing in his voice, and I could tell he missed being with the team. He made one comment about Pedroia knowing what's going on at all times. He said, "He (Pedroia) can hold the runner on second and waive to us up here." Francona, we miss you too.
That's all I have for now. I'm hoping the game of Saturday goes better for the Sox. Beckett v. Fister. Let's go Sox!
* The bullpen may be worse than I thought. Padilla started the bottom of the 8th by giving up a triple to Austin Jackson, and with one out, intentionally walked Fielder. Morales came in gave up a short flyball to Center which Ellsbury botched the throw to home plate. In the bottom of the 9th, Melancon gave up two singles in a row, and Valentine put in Aceves. Aceves hit the next batter to load the bases and gave up a game-winning single to Santiago, costing the game.
* Lester was great. His line: 7 IP 6H 1R 1ER 3BB 4K 0HR 107 pitches, 63 for strikes. That's the way to start the season! I do think Valentine may have kept in a bit too long, but I can't complain with that performance.
* The Sox offense just wasn't firing, but they were also going against Verlander ("Cy Young, MVP!"). Verlander went 8 innings and only gave up 2 hits while striking out 7. Ortiz and Pedroia both had doubles, and Sweeney had a game-tying triple in the 9th. Sweeney was the only player to have more than one hit on the Sox, going 2-4. Youkilis struck out twice.
* Was it just me, or did Francona sound like he wishes he was still on the team? He had a sort of longing in his voice, and I could tell he missed being with the team. He made one comment about Pedroia knowing what's going on at all times. He said, "He (Pedroia) can hold the runner on second and waive to us up here." Francona, we miss you too.
That's all I have for now. I'm hoping the game of Saturday goes better for the Sox. Beckett v. Fister. Let's go Sox!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Opening Day Eve
Tomorrow is Opening Day, but the Cardinals at Marlins game is tonight. Last week, the A’s and Mariners played two official games in Japan. No wonder I haven’t been able to find a dependable Opening Day clock on the internet. One of my co-workers, a Cardinals fan, asked me today what the countdown was for the game tonight, and I couldnt find anything. Can’t use real math either.
Anyway, Opening Day for the Red Sox is tomorrow in Detroit. Verlander v. Lester. Games starts at noon, Central time. I am taking a half-day of work tomorrow just so I can enjoy the first game of the 2012 season.
However, I can’t help but be a little concerned about what the Sox chances are this year. I’m trying to be optimistic, but I’m not really sure what this team is capable. They seem like a team hungry to prove all the critics wrong, but I’m not sure, and it pains me to say it, they have the talent this year. The AL East has four legitimate contenders in the same division in the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, and Blue Jays (FYI- the Orioles lost to a college team today. Even if they weren't playing MLB-caliber players, what does that say about the orgainziation?). If the Sox were in any other division, I would say they have a great shot at making the playoffs, but in the AL East, it’s hard to say.
Last year was so disappointing from having the 100-win season predictions staring in December to overcoming the horrible Aprilto being the best team in baseball most of the summer to the historical collapse in September. As a fan, those emotions take a lot out of you, and I can only imagine what it feels like as a player, manager, coach, etc. of that team. This year, there seems to be so many question marks floating around that it’s hard to really grasp what the Red Sox really look like.
I know the Opening Day roster doesn’t mean a whole lot in the great scheme of things, but I thought I’d show what the Sox will look like when they take the field tomorrow:
Lineup:
Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 3B
Sweeney RF
Ross LF
Saltalamacchia C
Aviles SS
SP: Lester
Relievers: Aceves, Melancon, Morales, Padilla, Atchinson, Thomas, Albers, Bowden
Bench: McDonald, Punto, Shoppach
Other Starters: Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard
There are 13 pitchers on this roster, and I don’t see that staying around very long. Obviously, this isn’t the ideal roster either, since Crawford and Bailey are on the DL. Crawford is said to be coming back in May, but Bailey will be out at least 3-4 months. Valentine said today that Aceves will be in the closer role tomorrow, and will be looked at as a closer if he’s not available, then Melancon will be the closer.
I had a quick discussion with one of my fellow Red Sox friends yesterday about being a little frightened for this season. Here are some the things we touched on:
* The starting pitching really hinges on Buchholz- Lester and Beckett will hopefully continue their dominance from last year and Spring Training, and Doubront and Bard are both rookies in starting roles in the Majors. Buchholz needs stay healthy and pitch like people know he can pitch- All-Star-caliber. If one of the starts goes down, then I feel comfortable with putting Aceves in that role or calling up Cook. Matsuzaka will be coming back at some point in the first half of the season too. But, Buchholz is the key.
* The right side of the infield (Gonzalez and Pedroia) is one of the best in the Majors, but the left side (Aviles and Youkilis) is a little shaky. If Youk stays healthy, I think third base will be fine, but shortstop has remained the black hole position (it’s been that way since No-mah). Yes, Aviles impressed me this Spring Training, and I think he’ll do well offensively. Defensively, I’d rather have Iglesias there. Maybe when Crawford comes back and starts hitting around .300 again, Iglesias will be given a shot.
* Cody Ross is going to be an electric personality for the Red Sox, and they should do everything in their power to show that. I saw one report where it said that Cody Ross makes Kevin Millar look like a wallflower. I never thought those words would be used in the same sentence. The Sox need to embrace Ross and show him off the public (not like a show dog though), like they do with Pedroia and Papi. People need to see the Sox in a good light rather than the light they saw them in September.
* The bullpen scares me, much as it does every year. I know the bullpen is a fluid role, pitchers come and go depending on whose hot and not, but looking at it right now doesn’t bring to mind many good thoughts. I’ve heard critics saying that Padilla will be a force and Melancon has the stuff of closers, but I’m not buying it. The past few years, we, as fans, could always think “if (enter starting pitchers name) can make it to the seventh or eighth inning, Bard will pitch the 8th and Pap the 9th.” Can’t say that now. Aside from Aceves, I don’t see a pitcher who can really strike fear into a batter. This, of course, can change as the year goes on. Rich Hill will be coming back from Tommy John surgery in
the next couple months, so there’s that to look forward to.
* The bench looks okay to me. McDonald’s always been one of those guys who can deliver an important hit… or pitch an inning if need be. Punto can play almost any position, but he’s a career .249 hitter (he did hit .278 in 66 games for the Cards last year though). Shoppach will be okay as a back-up, and he’ll probably be traded at some point this season to make room for Lavarnway. When Crawford comes back from the DL, Sweeny and Ross will make a nice platoon in right field.
The Red Sox are going to hit and score runs this season, there’s no way of doubting that. As always, pitching is the key. To really be the team to beat in the East, the Sox need to have their pitcher locked-in. I think Bob McClure has done a much better job as pitching coach this season that Curt Young did last year. The starters, Aceves, Cook, and maybe even Padilla all seem to have a fire in them; and hopefully, the bullpen will look that way as well.
I’ve seen the Red Sox predicted to end anywhere from first to fourth in the AL East this year. I don’t know if I can really predict where the Sox will land because there’s so much uncertainty with this team and with the other teams in the East. Are the Yankees too old and have too many pitching problems (Pineda and Joba are out for some time)? Do the Rays have enough offense to help their pitching? Will the Blue Jays stay around all season or fade at the end? The Orioles… maybe next year.
So, if I had to make a bold prediction, I’ll say the Red Sox finish first, by a game or two ahead of the Yankees because the Yankees will find money/trade chips to acquire what they need. The Sox’s pitching will fall into place around May/June with the additions of Hill and Matsuzaka. Aaron Cook will be traded for bullpen help.
Here are my 2012 predictions:
AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Rangers
AL Wildcards: Yankees, Angels
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Diamondbacks
NL Wildcards: Braves, Cardinals
ALCS: Rangers over Red Sox
NLCS: Phillies over Cardinals
World Series: Rangers over Phillies
Here’s hoping for a great Red Sox 2012 season!
Anyway, Opening Day for the Red Sox is tomorrow in Detroit. Verlander v. Lester. Games starts at noon, Central time. I am taking a half-day of work tomorrow just so I can enjoy the first game of the 2012 season.
However, I can’t help but be a little concerned about what the Sox chances are this year. I’m trying to be optimistic, but I’m not really sure what this team is capable. They seem like a team hungry to prove all the critics wrong, but I’m not sure, and it pains me to say it, they have the talent this year. The AL East has four legitimate contenders in the same division in the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, and Blue Jays (FYI- the Orioles lost to a college team today. Even if they weren't playing MLB-caliber players, what does that say about the orgainziation?). If the Sox were in any other division, I would say they have a great shot at making the playoffs, but in the AL East, it’s hard to say.
Last year was so disappointing from having the 100-win season predictions staring in December to overcoming the horrible Aprilto being the best team in baseball most of the summer to the historical collapse in September. As a fan, those emotions take a lot out of you, and I can only imagine what it feels like as a player, manager, coach, etc. of that team. This year, there seems to be so many question marks floating around that it’s hard to really grasp what the Red Sox really look like.
I know the Opening Day roster doesn’t mean a whole lot in the great scheme of things, but I thought I’d show what the Sox will look like when they take the field tomorrow:
Lineup:
Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 3B
Sweeney RF
Ross LF
Saltalamacchia C
Aviles SS
SP: Lester
Relievers: Aceves, Melancon, Morales, Padilla, Atchinson, Thomas, Albers, Bowden
Bench: McDonald, Punto, Shoppach
Other Starters: Beckett, Buchholz, Doubront, Bard
There are 13 pitchers on this roster, and I don’t see that staying around very long. Obviously, this isn’t the ideal roster either, since Crawford and Bailey are on the DL. Crawford is said to be coming back in May, but Bailey will be out at least 3-4 months. Valentine said today that Aceves will be in the closer role tomorrow, and will be looked at as a closer if he’s not available, then Melancon will be the closer.
I had a quick discussion with one of my fellow Red Sox friends yesterday about being a little frightened for this season. Here are some the things we touched on:
* The starting pitching really hinges on Buchholz- Lester and Beckett will hopefully continue their dominance from last year and Spring Training, and Doubront and Bard are both rookies in starting roles in the Majors. Buchholz needs stay healthy and pitch like people know he can pitch- All-Star-caliber. If one of the starts goes down, then I feel comfortable with putting Aceves in that role or calling up Cook. Matsuzaka will be coming back at some point in the first half of the season too. But, Buchholz is the key.
* The right side of the infield (Gonzalez and Pedroia) is one of the best in the Majors, but the left side (Aviles and Youkilis) is a little shaky. If Youk stays healthy, I think third base will be fine, but shortstop has remained the black hole position (it’s been that way since No-mah). Yes, Aviles impressed me this Spring Training, and I think he’ll do well offensively. Defensively, I’d rather have Iglesias there. Maybe when Crawford comes back and starts hitting around .300 again, Iglesias will be given a shot.
* Cody Ross is going to be an electric personality for the Red Sox, and they should do everything in their power to show that. I saw one report where it said that Cody Ross makes Kevin Millar look like a wallflower. I never thought those words would be used in the same sentence. The Sox need to embrace Ross and show him off the public (not like a show dog though), like they do with Pedroia and Papi. People need to see the Sox in a good light rather than the light they saw them in September.
* The bullpen scares me, much as it does every year. I know the bullpen is a fluid role, pitchers come and go depending on whose hot and not, but looking at it right now doesn’t bring to mind many good thoughts. I’ve heard critics saying that Padilla will be a force and Melancon has the stuff of closers, but I’m not buying it. The past few years, we, as fans, could always think “if (enter starting pitchers name) can make it to the seventh or eighth inning, Bard will pitch the 8th and Pap the 9th.” Can’t say that now. Aside from Aceves, I don’t see a pitcher who can really strike fear into a batter. This, of course, can change as the year goes on. Rich Hill will be coming back from Tommy John surgery in
the next couple months, so there’s that to look forward to.
* The bench looks okay to me. McDonald’s always been one of those guys who can deliver an important hit… or pitch an inning if need be. Punto can play almost any position, but he’s a career .249 hitter (he did hit .278 in 66 games for the Cards last year though). Shoppach will be okay as a back-up, and he’ll probably be traded at some point this season to make room for Lavarnway. When Crawford comes back from the DL, Sweeny and Ross will make a nice platoon in right field.
The Red Sox are going to hit and score runs this season, there’s no way of doubting that. As always, pitching is the key. To really be the team to beat in the East, the Sox need to have their pitcher locked-in. I think Bob McClure has done a much better job as pitching coach this season that Curt Young did last year. The starters, Aceves, Cook, and maybe even Padilla all seem to have a fire in them; and hopefully, the bullpen will look that way as well.
I’ve seen the Red Sox predicted to end anywhere from first to fourth in the AL East this year. I don’t know if I can really predict where the Sox will land because there’s so much uncertainty with this team and with the other teams in the East. Are the Yankees too old and have too many pitching problems (Pineda and Joba are out for some time)? Do the Rays have enough offense to help their pitching? Will the Blue Jays stay around all season or fade at the end? The Orioles… maybe next year.
So, if I had to make a bold prediction, I’ll say the Red Sox finish first, by a game or two ahead of the Yankees because the Yankees will find money/trade chips to acquire what they need. The Sox’s pitching will fall into place around May/June with the additions of Hill and Matsuzaka. Aaron Cook will be traded for bullpen help.
Here are my 2012 predictions:
AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Rangers
AL Wildcards: Yankees, Angels
NL East: Phillies
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Diamondbacks
NL Wildcards: Braves, Cardinals
ALCS: Rangers over Red Sox
NLCS: Phillies over Cardinals
World Series: Rangers over Phillies
Here’s hoping for a great Red Sox 2012 season!
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