BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: RedSox (77-49) @ Rangers (73-54), Monday, August 22, 2011, 8:05pm

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Monday, August 22, 2011

RedSox (77-49) @ Rangers (73-54), Monday, August 22, 2011, 8:05pm

BOS: Erik Bedard (32, LHP, 4-8, 3.44)
TEX: C.J. Wilson (30, LHP, 12-5, 3.20)

The Primer Chimp Posted: August 22, 2011 at 01:00 PM | 125 comment(s)
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1. Dan Posted: August 22, 2011 at 11:35 PM (#3906324)

Can we actually beat the Rangers? Or are the Yankees going to have a 4 game lead in the division by this weekend?

2. Dan Posted: August 22, 2011 at 11:36 PM (#3906325)

Also, Crawford is going to K at least twice against Wilson.

3. FancyPantsHandle glistening with foreign substance Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:09 AM (#3906335)

Can we actually beat the Rangers?

With this lineup? No chance...

4. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:12 AM (#3906337)

I know the Sox are banged up, but I refuse to believe that it's bad enough for McDonald to bat second two days in a row.

5. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:15 AM (#3906338)

WIlson's getting squeezed.

6. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:16 AM (#3906339)

McDonald's been killin' it for two months now.

The orthodox MGL method would be to Gonzalez and Pedroia to 2nd and 3rd, but I don't really know what better solution there is beyond that.

7. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:17 AM (#3906340)

What happened to Jed Lowrie's OBP again?

8. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:18 AM (#3906341)

And Lowrie weakly grounds out on a 2-1 count.

At least they're getting his pitch count up.

McDonald batting 2nd against a lefty is really not a big deal.

9. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:20 AM (#3906345)

What happened to Jed Lowrie's OBP again?

Seems like he's trying to do too much to try and earn more PT. Kind of like the "can't walk your way off the island" phenomenon.

10. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:20 AM (#3906346)

The aggressive approach does not suit Lowrie well. He needs to start taking some ####### walks.

11. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:28 AM (#3906348)

This lineup looks like the bad half of an early spring split-squad game.

And yet, we will prevail behind BedAHHHHHHHD.

12. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:31 AM (#3906350)

Lavarnway, by contrast, looks a little passive to me. He doesn't seem to be attacking his pitch, you know?

13. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:31 AM (#3906351)

Even with the K, Lavarnway put on a decent AB. I like it.

14. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:33 AM (#3906353)

Crawford put the ball in play. What a pleasant surprise.

15. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:33 AM (#3906354)

Good news that Buchholz might start throwing soon.

16. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:37 AM (#3906356)

That would be great to see a healthy Lester, Beckett, Bedard and Buccholz in the playoffs.

17. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:42 AM (#3906359)

There's just no quick innings with Bedard. It's a testament to how crap the back of the rotation has been that he isn't annoying me that much.

18. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:42 AM (#3906360)

Lavarnway, by contrast, looks a little passive to me. He doesn't seem to be attacking his pitch, you know?

I made this comment in his very first MLB at bat where he took 2 meatballs down the middle to 0-2.

19. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:43 AM (#3906361)

Wow, Napoli's having a damn good season. The Angels are ####### crazy.

20. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:45 AM (#3906363)

Wow, Napoli's having a damn good season. The Angels are ####### crazy.

So are the Blue Jays! They traded him for Frank Francisco after stealing him from the Angels!

21. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:47 AM (#3906365)

Definitely a HBP. Lucky break for the Red Sox.

22. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:47 AM (#3906366)

Looks like it might have glanced off his wrist then the knob.

23. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:48 AM (#3906367)

Definitely a HBP. Lucky break for the Red Sox.

Except for the part where the pitch was a ####### strike out over the plate. Right call for the wrong reason.

24. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:48 AM (#3906368)

If it hits the wrist and the knob is that still a foul ball?

25. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:50 AM (#3906369)

There's just no quick innings with Bedard.

?? 2/3 of his pitches have been strikes.

26. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:52 AM (#3906370)

?? 2/3 of his pitches have been strikes.

Yeah, but he holds the ball forever. He's like a lefty Josh Beckett.

27. FancyPantsHandle glistening with foreign substance Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:55 AM (#3906372)

Gonzalez and Pedroia got on base, and all the other Jokers did nothing. I know I'm shocked...

28. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:55 AM (#3906373)

You'd hold the ball forever too if you had a catcher who couldn't throw out anyone at 2nd. Salty's catching him today, but his first few starts were Varitek (as are all of Beckett's starts).

29. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:57 AM (#3906374)

The #### were you looking for, Marco?

30. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:58 AM (#3906375)

Don't really get this lineup tito threw out there tonight. Wilson is tougher on righties than lefties. Even if he wants to plays the same guys, he should have structured the lineup a little differently.

31. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 12:59 AM (#3906376)

I don't understand why Aviles isn't in the lineup in LF or RF over CC or Reddick, given Wilson's splits.

32. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:00 AM (#3906377)

When I saw what was written in #28, it started me a bit becauwe I thought he was going to criticize Saltamacchia's throwing. Then I saw Dan was referring to Varitek.

33. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:01 AM (#3906378)

Yorvit Torreabla has DHed in 10 games for the Rangers.

Ron Washington is some kind of special.

34. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:03 AM (#3906379)

Wilson:

vs RHB as LHP: 228/.294/.351

vs LHB as LHP:.261/.344/.366

Not sure what you're getting at in 31, Dan.

35. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:04 AM (#3906380)

####. 0-2 walk.

36. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:06 AM (#3906381)

To friggin' Gentry too.

37. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:07 AM (#3906383)

RE: 34

Look at his career splits. .566 career OPS allowed to LHB vs .715 to RHB.

38. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:07 AM (#3906384)

What's up with Kinsler? His periphs are tremendous yet he only has a 109 OPS+? What gives? Unlucky?

39. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:08 AM (#3906387)

And the 2011 splits are only reverse because of a fluky high BABIP allowed against LHB. .357 isn't going to stay that way going forward.

40. L. M. Gumby Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:09 AM (#3906388)

Ball four to Gentry was clearly a strike according to PitchFX.

41. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:09 AM (#3906389)

Looks like a trap to me. Replay-time.

42. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:10 AM (#3906390)

Blown call. He caught that.

43. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:10 AM (#3906391)

Oooh, that should have been a double play. Makes up for the HBP and then some.

44. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:10 AM (#3906392)

Definitely a catch.

45. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:10 AM (#3906393)

1) That was a catch.

2) The way he caught it made it look like a short-hop trap.

46. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:10 AM (#3906394)

Wait, what the ####? Reddick made that catch. Umps are so ####### useless.

47. plink Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:11 AM (#3906395)

Wow. Not even a question -- Reddick had that. Even Rangers' announcers thought so.

48. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:12 AM (#3906397)

Umpires really are doing their best to force MLB's hand on expanding the use of replay.

49. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:12 AM (#3906398)

And the ump ####-up directly costs the Red Sox at least one run!

50. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:12 AM (#3906399)

#### this ####### ########. Bad umpiring is ruining this sport.

51. plink Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:12 AM (#3906400)

Good lord, what terrible camera-work.

52. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3906401)

(Also, Scutaro should have at least kept that ball in the infield.)

53. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3906402)

Deeply stupid to throw that home.

54. plink Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3906403)

And Kinsler was out! Lowrie dropped the ball after the tag.

55. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:14 AM (#3906404)

And Crawford is a ####### idiot. Why is he even throwing home on that? He had no shot. He just gave away an extra base.

56. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:14 AM (#3906405)

Do umpires just hate Bedard? It feels like he gets ridiculously squeezed every start, and now he's not even given a catch by his outfielder.

57. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:15 AM (#3906407)

Andrus decides to be an idiot for some reason...

58. plink Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:16 AM (#3906408)

The Rangers' camera guys aren't even watching the game. This is awful.

59. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:16 AM (#3906409)

Elvis has left the basepaths...

60. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:16 AM (#3906410)

After his first few games in Boston at least, I wonder what Bedard thinks of "the human element" being a part of the game (remember that horrific first inning?).

At least he got a gift out later, though.

61. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:17 AM (#3906411)

Ray James, Kinsler is sporting a .241 BABIP. (Same as 2009, incidentally.)

62. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:17 AM (#3906412)

I think the umps have a tough time with Bedard's curveball. It has a lot of break to it, but they should be able to call it correctly.

63. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:19 AM (#3906414)

Yes. Ball 4 to Gentry was a strike too, btw. Ump called it low because he gave up on it. So neither of those guys should've been on base, in fact.

64. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:20 AM (#3906415)

Gonzalez is going to hit at least one more home run this year, right?

65. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:21 AM (#3906416)

I love that guy.

66. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:24 AM (#3906419)

Keep swinging at balls at your ankles, Jed. It's really working well.

67. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:24 AM (#3906420)

Kinsler was NOWHERE NEAR the bag!!

68. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:24 AM (#3906421)

Nevermind, retracted.

69. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:26 AM (#3906423)

I guess that pitch wasn't really low, but he pulled a grounder to the left side anyway. Seems like that's all he's done while batting right since coming off the DL.

70. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:28 AM (#3906427)

tfbg9 will be thrilled they're pushing Wake back a day.

71. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:30 AM (#3906428)

BJ Upton just hurt his shoulder trying to make a catch in CF in Tampa.

72. villageidiom Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:30 AM (#3906429)

Lowrie seems lost at 3B, and now they're taking advantage of it.

73. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:31 AM (#3906430)

Moreland looks like mirror universe Napoli.

74. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:32 AM (#3906431)

huh. The Rangers announcers pointed out that Salty lobs the ball back to the pitcher slowly to counteract his yip problem, and Andrus was probably trying to take 2nd on the slow lob, but Salty noticed him. That actually would have been a pretty heads up play had it worked.

75. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:32 AM (#3906432)

I thought Lowrie looked good at third. That infield single was unplayable.

76. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:35 AM (#3906434)

Brooks Robinson couldn't have made a play on that ball with how deep they had the 3B positioned there. That was not Lowrie's fault at all.

He's been very tentative on defense though. I wonder if he's just not seeing the ball well right now. It would explain his defense and his complete lack of walks.

77. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:35 AM (#3906435)

Lavarnway's swing reminds me a little too much of Mirabelli's sometimes.

78. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:37 AM (#3906438)

Juuuuust got under that.

79. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:37 AM (#3906439)

Rick Helling.

80. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:37 AM (#3906440)

Damn. Lavarnway just got under that a bit.

81. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:38 AM (#3906441)

Rangers announcers can't stop whining about the Sox pitchers.

I agree with every word they say.

82. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:38 AM (#3906443)

Lavarnway's swing reminds me a little too much of Mirabelli's sometimes.

I don't see it.

Nice Crawford! Now steal second! And third!

83. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:38 AM (#3906444)

Steal, Carl.

84. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:40 AM (#3906446)

Yeah, I kind of like these Rangers announcers.

85. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:40 AM (#3906447)

Wilson's got the Jon Lester memorial "I have no pickoff move" delay going.

86. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:41 AM (#3906448)

Why do teams never let popups like that one drop? You'd be able to force Crawford at 2nd and then you'd replace Crawford's speed with Salty's at first.

87. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:42 AM (#3906451)

86 - Wouldn't the infield fly rule be in play there?

88. villageidiom Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:42 AM (#3906452)

I thought Lowrie looked good at third. That infield single was unplayable.

It was unplayable where Lowrie was playing. Might have been a single nonetheless, but he was way too deep.

Lowrie didn't know where to play on the run-scoring single. The throw came in, and he started toward getting in cutoff position, then decided against it; then he had to rush back to the bag to get the runner when Salty threw it to him.

Maybe I'm being too picky.

I'm also thinking back now to the game where Lowrie short-hopped a throw to the plate, and hit another runner with a throw.

89. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:44 AM (#3906454)

Nelson Cruz was hitting - all 3B would be way deep there.

The play at third was a mess, you're right.

90. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:45 AM (#3906456)

Re: 87

No, the infield fly rule is only with runners on first and second to prevent you letting balls drop and getting a double play.

If this game seriously ends 1-0 on that ######## run after that "hit" to RF, I'm going to murder a puppy.

91. villageidiom Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:45 AM (#3906457)

86 - Wouldn't the infield fly rule be in play there?

Nope. Need at least runners on 1st and 2nd. Infield fly rule is intended to prevent a team from giving up one easy out in favor of 2+ easy outs.

92. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:45 AM (#3906459)

I also do not understand why Crawford never even looked like he was thinking about stealing there.

93. ray james Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:46 AM (#3906460)

86 - Wouldn't the infield fly rule be in play there?

No, you have to be in position to get a double play for the infield fly rule to be in effect. There's no double play if you can only get one out (the force at second).

I think the reason teams don't do it is, if you let it drop, it might bounce away from you and you'd get nothing. The dogma is to get the sure out.

94. FancyPantsHandle glistening with foreign substance Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:48 AM (#3906462)

If this game seriously ends 1-0 on that ######## run after that "hit" to RF, I'm going to murder a puppy.

Take it to the Brewers pet thread...

95. Benji Gil Gamesh Rises Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:49 AM (#3906463)

Niiiiiiiiiice quick inning. Bedard could possibly go 7 now.

96. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:49 AM (#3906464)

Ah, that's right. Now that I think of it, I seem to recall that Marty Barrett would occasionally play it that way.

97. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:50 AM (#3906465)

If we don't score a run this inning I will be sad.

98. villageidiom Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:50 AM (#3906466)

The play at third was a mess, you're right.

The other thing getting to me is my son got MLB 2K11 for the Wii, and I swear Lowrie makes an error every game plus can't seem to throw to any base but first. So I'm being totally fair to Lowrie here.

99. Dan Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:52 AM (#3906468)

God ####### damnit.

100. Jay Seaver Posted: August 23, 2011 at 01:55 AM (#3906473)

Man, McDonald is going to be glad when and if Wilson's glove is out of this game.

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