LorfTVP

It's really the whole team though, prior to all the injuries the entire team flat out sucked, only now have they started to pick it up and it looks like Young is gonna be the last to fully break out of his funk. I mean he's hitting near 300, but they're all fucking singles, like you said later, he's too good not to find his groove. Maybe when Hank gets back and starts hitting well he'll get there. One thing is for sure, with everyone hurt we got a good look at some of our younger players, that should pay off next season.

Well, Michael Young's problem is that he's hitting groundballs in over half his at bats.

And AdmiralAwesome, bravo. I keep on forgetting that the year is only half over so that leaves plenty of time for improvement from everybody...and hopefully a regression to the mean for the non-Sox players on the teams leading my league.

I just picked up Troy Tulowitzski to have as insurance to a severly slumping JJ Hardy, I suggest you do the same for Young(if he is still available in your league)

He's still 169 in Yahoo but that's because of this damn slump he's in. He's too good a hitter to not pick it up.

So far I've missed out on some of the better pickups because I questioned how good they really were (Pence, Hart) but managed to snag Ryan Braun, who is SO good right now, Lincecum, and Gallardo.

I know, i don't get it.

Ichiro's picked it up...which means that it's time for Michael Young to look at his divisional opponent and start smashing the ball. Haven't really watched too many of his ABs this season but MLB Extra Innings on cable is free now until the 18th so I'm gonna try to catch all my fantasy players. Hey, as nerdy as it is, it's nice to know your guys and it's nice to get a grasp on how and why they're performing well/struggling.

Watching the Mets game for Beltran's AB and this guy suggested raising the mounds for offensive purposes...acks.

The difference is that Pujols is not on my team and broke his homerless streak while Michael Young, who is, hasn't hit a homerun since May 6th! God dammit, VG.

lol I was thinking the exact same thing. Hadn't they won the first two of that series, then Papelbon blew it in the 9th and they lost in like 17 innings?

Make it 19 innings, over two games. Our old friend Rudy Seanez took the loss in his third inning of work.

So yah, Papi's gonna play through his torn meniscus because there isn't any inflammation. This could be interesting.

Horribly painful. All I wanted was one win in Detroit. Once they lost the first two, another loss meant four days of torture. I hate when they play badly right before the all-star break, which they always seem to do. You can't even enjoy the game or any of the hoopla surrounding it. I've hated baseball for the last four days.

Exact same thing went through my head! But it wasn't nearly as bad as going into last year's All Star Break vs. the White Sox...now that was a tough game.

As many have pointed this year, it's frustrating that Manny has never looked as "into the game" as he has this year (hustling out ground balls, etc.), yet he's having his worst season. Sometimes I'm just totally perplexed watching him take a called third strike right down the middle.

I've been trying to figure out whether Manny's performance is more closely related to A. His diminishing skills as a baseball player, B. The lack of protection in the lineup, or C. Lack of enthusiasm and/or drive with the significant lead or for other reasons. Manny is still suffering from patella tendinitis and is a year older but he's been healthy and playing games this year. For B, as of right now, we have the 9th best AL OPS in the fifth slot, which isn't good. Manny hasn't had a consistent hitter behind him since 2005 when he was protected by a platoon of Millar and Nixon. Of course last year we had the worst 5th spot OPS in the majors and we all know how that affected Manny who is on pace for another 100 walks this year (after his first 100 BB season last year). Is there a trickle down effect from Drew to Manny to Papi or are these just three individual struggles? I'd have to think that because of the situation, they pitch around Papi, take their chances with Manny, and when he draws his eventual walk (not swinging at the perfect 3-0 pitch all season), Drew gets an out on a dinky grounder to the left side. As for C...same thing as before...this isn't the same Manny that takes control of the game and just dominates.

Like I said, I was really, really getting excited about his pitching over the last 6 or so starts before the break, then he had that terrible start, when we really needed a good one, in Detroit. Some of that, I think, you can attribute to the Tiger hitters being locked in. Like he said, every pitch he missed that start they crushed.

Well, you watched that game, right? The Tigers, who suffered a complete game 1 R loss to Matsuzaka earlier in the season, definitely teed off of Matsuzaka who didn't have his normal control...but control is one of his strong points. As long as I see the same movement on his pitches and intensity on the mound, I'm not worried, because control sometimes comes and goes and against one of the best teams in the majors, I'd like to see better, but that's Round 3.

""The problem was with my control," Matsuzaka said. "I felt I left a lot of my pitches in soft locations.

"I wasn't able to throw the fastball for strikes."

How painful was that game btw? Poor Wily Mo, getting robbed all the time (of multiple HRs and XBH this season) and hurting his trade value.

I'm not ready to write off old Mike just yet. I've always loved this guy, but I had finally decided that if he didn't have it after his latest DL stint, it was tiome to go. Lo and behold, he's looked great, albeit for a short amount of time. Him pitching well down the stretch could be huge.

His stats have been good recently but I haven't gotten a good look on what he's doing. He's not striking people out but if his sinker is working then he's one of the best pitchers for that slot still.

I hope you're right. The only thing that worries me is that the Yankees have the ability to hit their way to wins even when the pitching is inconsistent.

Well, they have scored the most runs in the majors so far and they're still a significant distance behind. It's going to take something cataclysmic for the Yankees to overtake the Red Sox but bigger things have happened and if Ortiz has surgery, that could be their chance to pounce.

I worry about the Red Sox no matter what, but I have to say that I have major concerns going forward. Among them:

 

1.) Papi and Manny not hitting. This team won't go anywhere if they don't hit, they haven't show signs of breaking out anytime soon, and Ortiz is playing hurt (and doesn't figure to get any better until the season is over).

 

2.) Starting pitching- Who knows what we'll get out of Schilling the rest of the way, Tavarez has come back to Earth, and I was all ready to declare Matsuzaka "adjusted to the Majors" when he had another bad start right before the break.

 

3.) The Yankee pitching, both starting and relief, is starting to come around. Clemens has looked good his last two starts, Wang is Wang, Pettite and Mussina will be fine, and Hughes might be back by August. Proctor, Farnsworth, and Vizcaino have also looked better lately.

 

The easy schedule should help, but this team really scares me on the road. They just seem lifeless.

Lifeless, bored, lazy...but they're the Red Sox. Ortiz just said that his knee is bothering him and he's going back to Boston for an MRI. I just want the man healthy, honestly. And Manny...he's had a ton of bad luck but other times he just doesn't look like he cares which pisses me the fuck off. But yah, despite having the best SLG and OBP (and of course OPS) in the AL and the 6th best BA, we're 7th in RS and that's due to our poor ability with runners in scoring position. The law of averages says that it won't continue, along with JD Drew's lack of power. Honestly, Julio Lugo can't be nearly as bad in the second half as he was in the first half and he just came off of one of his best games before the All Star break. We have a team of high OBP guys so even if we do lose Ortiz, we can survive with clutch hitting.

As everyone knows, we went 17-18 in our last so and so games but in that time period we've been missing Schilling and in the end, Youkilis. God dammit, I'm jumping all over the place. But yah, our starting pitching has been impressive with Beckett and Matsuzaka leading the pack. I honestly hope that during his DL stint that Schilling decided to lose some weight but that's...sigh. We have one of the best 1-2 in baseball now and there's no denying what Matsuzaka is capable of but just with some inconsistency so far. Overall, for his first half season in the majors, he's fifth in strikeouts, has ten wins, an ERA under 4, a WHIP of 1.24, and a .242 BAA. Beckett has the right mindset now, Schilling is up in the air, Wakefield is performing as predicted, completely average, and Julian Tavarez has performed admirably as well with a call up of Lester a given for later in the year.

Our bullpen, which has been our biggest strength, still has Papelbon and Okajima with Delcarmen who has pitched well in some key situations of late. We have Donnelly, another power arm coming off of the DL and even Timlin, who shouldn't be on this team anymore, has done well. Don't forget that we have Craig Breslow eating up competition in the minors and Clay Buchholz also a possibility for a cup of coffee in the bullpen for September and beyond.

The Yankees pitching, even if it has performed better of late, is still too inconsistent. Honestly, I'm afraid of the Yankees but not nearly as much as I am afraid for the Red Sox if they don't get it together. Still, this team has all the right pieces and is a couple hot players away from regaining their dominant play. I hate to depend on hot players but...at least players at their career norms.

i wish you guys would trade gagne or otsuka, i've had otsuka on my bench for weeks now in anticipation of him being a closer again--whether it's as a ranger or another team

I have Gagne on my team and he's been doing me plenty of good. VG, just make sure you trade him to the Tigers so I can get plenty of saves.

Nah he's available for arbitration after this year I think.

Trust me on this, if we deal Tex, we will not get the better end of the deal.

Well, look at it this way, the only impact corner infielders on the market are Mike Lowell and Mike Lamb and neither are worth much. No offense to Lowell who is a great guy, but with players or A-rod and Teixeira's caliber out on the market, they're both gonna get their dues.

Ahh, what a game. Actually, it was rather bland and ordinary all things considered, but you can't turn down either the ballpark experience or the victory. How did you get Desi Relaford? I thought he was out of the majors when lo and behold, his name is up on the scoreboard. I mean, we thought there was an error or something but holy crap, it's actually him. Oh well, good game. How does it feel knowing that you rolled with the big boys and split the series?

What can I say, our offense has completely lost their ability to hit. I mean, honestly, this isn't the type of performance that either of us expected and it's a shame since our guys are pitching well. Well, going for even now.

I would generally start a thread boasting my confidence about how my team is about to kick your teams ass, but even though we've been hot lately that confidence just doesn't exist anymore so I'll just say i'll wait till after the series before i open my mouth.

Good plan. Tough loss tonight, although it wasn't pretty for both sides when they had their chances.

Season Series

Red Sox - 5

Rangers - 2

I'm just hoping that my presence will help Gabbard outpitch Eyre. For the time being, I have a perfect record at games, but that streak has gotta end sometime. Good luck against Beckett.

I was watching a special about Prior/Wood and they said Prior actually has perfect mechanics, he and Wood were both just overworked before they were ready to be worked that hard.

Really? I always heard otherwise...I guess it was just Cubs propaganda.

Haha, Mark Prior's being touted in a video about pitching mechanics!

You guys are starting to sound like Met fans now. "How about two guys past their prime making way too much money for a #1 starter?"

Number one my ass. Number 2 and a fraction?

But yah, what are the Yankees going to do? Rebuilding? God forbid, not with that payroll...and if A-rod does leave, that's so much extra money.

Good series, my Padres compadre, with one of the best pitching matchups of the season for the rubber match. It's a shame we beat on Peavy though. I don't know how much had to do with the two dives but the Red Sox are second in the majors in OBP and have guys who can take pitches. The addition of Alex Cora helped even more, I'm sure he had a couple of 7+ pitch ABs that game. Honestly though, I never realized how top heavy the San Diego Padres lineup was...get some hitting! Dye's on the DL though.

As to Buehrle, he'd be a nice addition considering we have the top of the rotation covered with Beckett and Matsuzaka, but at what price. I don't believe the names we're hearing because the Sox front office doesn't comment on trades. All the names mean is that other teams covet Lester, Buchholz, Bowden, and Ellsbury, nothing more. I haven't heard any updates on Schilling but unless he can actually make an effort to stay in shape, he'll probably be gone after this season. Honestly, best K/BB in the majors last year and he's still a genius...just taking the Rich Garces training regime. The Red Sox like Buehrle, nothing more, but they're smart.

Because he's a mongrel and it amazes people how could a white woman steep so low.

j/k.

Obviously you're kidding but somehow I feel like that's gotta be a part of it. I don't think I've ever seen the cameras focus on a single other MLB parent except on Mothers or Fathers Day. Maybe they just look at it as a novelty...Hey, white women, date black men and you can have a Derek Jeter.

Yeah, although I guess the same could be said about finding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner in the stands at Sox games.

Good point. But hey, I don't find them nearly as repulsive as Billy Crystal or Jack Nicholson.

What a dick! But hey, these guys with talent usually are. Sometimes it helps in their competitive mindset but to not even try and negotiate?

But hey, I got tickets to the Red Sox - Rangers game on July 2nd.

I'll have to root for the Sox, against the Rangers, and for Michael Young so long as he doesn't knock in any runs against Papelbon or Beckett.

Or I might just enjoy the game...haven't figured it out yet.

Has anyone else noticed that they tend to focus on Derek Jeter's parents at least once every ESPN and FOX game? I hope it's not just me imagining it.

i agree with that. and they should replace those rotary phones in the dugouts, too. looks like they are calling pitchers from 1963.

But the AL average ERA was 3.63 and the NL was 3.29 compared to 4.56 and 4.49. I know, different eras and all that...but still...this is the best I could do without bullpen statistics from 1963.

It's a tough job in a game of inches with bang, bang plays, homerun balls hitting the edge of the walls over 300 some odd feet away, and homeruns going over foul poles. Fuck instant replay but bad officiating, so long as it isn't blatant cheating on someone's part, is part of the game.

I still think its worse to not start someone and have them throw a no-no.

And I still think it's worse to pass up on a great pitcher and a sub-3 ERA for the season because of a colored flag.

Ahh, I guess a Sox fan has to reply eventually. I see no reason to rush Lester's development. Our starting pitching issues last year were well documented and Lester was the next gold arm to come through our farm system after the highly polished Papelbon. He was looked to as a hero of sorts, starting off with a great ERA hiding a not so decent WHIP and people gobbled it up. Last year, Lester only gave up 91 hits in 81 innings but the 43 walks were rather alarming. So far in Pawtucket, Lester has a 2.01 ERA in 31.1 innings with 23 Ks, a 1.09 WHIP, and a .198 BAA. I think most people have just assumed that he was in Pawtucket to raise his pitch count rather than actually refine his pitches. I think the actual plan, and the best one considering that Tavarez, although painful to watch, has done adequately, is said best by Francona,

"The mentality we sort of wanted him to take was, 'Hey, force us to have you here,'" Francona said. "And that doesn't mean to go throw one [great] game. This kid went through some traumatic stuff this winter, and then he came back and had forearm cramping. And after that happened, he really cut back on his cutter and is building that back into his arsenal, which is important. We've been pretty consistent in how we've talked about this kid, and we'll continue to be."

He also said that Lester was a long term commitment. Truth is, he is a damn good pitcher, who was ranked 22nd on Baseball America's top 100 in 2006 and would be there had he not exhausted his rookie status by 30 innings. He's a lefty to boot! But hey, no reason to rush these guys, we have a good team. You could see this in the Red Sox draft where we picked 53% High Schoolers compared to 32.7% for everyone else. Because the lead is so comfortable and our farm system is stocked, the organization was comfortable enough to draft pure talent rather than compromise for more polished talent.