Kind of a weak complaint considering some of the lineups that the Yankees put out at the end of last season after they had clinched. And I say this as an Orioles fan. Worry about winning your own games.

I'm sure the Orioles weren't real happy but geez, is "a major league source" referencing "Orioles folks" something to be taken seriously? With Pedroia and Ellsbury hurt it's not like the Sox had a lot of options, the team is terrible.

This would be a bit hypocritical for the Orioles to complain about the weak Red Sox lineup one day after sweeping said lineup in Camden Yards. But I don't see any evidence the Orioles are complaining. You've got to go to a National League scout to get a quote? Not much of a scout apparently, since if he's never seen such a weak roster he must not have seen the Astros this year.

Pedroia's finger is broken. Just confirmed. He broke it sliding while down 3 in the 8th inning against the O's. If the O's want the Sox to try hard against the Yankees they can't ##### when a guy gets hurt playing hard against them.

STFU and take care of your own business. Try not losing your own game before worrying that the Sox lineup is too weak for your tastes. Christ.

Yeah, it's virtually the same exact team the Orioles just kicked the crap out of. Were they expecting them to somehow magically become good Monday morning?

“Can’t wait to watch the Pawtucket Red Sox against the Yankees in a game that’s pretty important to the AL East race,” said a longtime National League scout. “Are the Red Sox trying to help the Yankees win this thing? I’ve never seen such a weak roster.”

Why would the Red Sox want to help the Yankees? Makes no sense from any angle. The Red Sox can only use the players they have available.

I don't think the lineup of the 1927 Yankees would have offset the pitching of Clay Buchholz last night.

The Red Sox should have started Youkilis, Gonzalez, Larry Bird, and Bobby Orr, none of whom were gonna walk through that door.

Sox lineup the punchline to sad season
By Michael Silverman / Red Sox Beat  |   Tuesday, October 2, 2012  |  http://www.bostonherald.com

After the last pregame question was asked yesterday, Red Sox [team stats] manager Bobby Valentine flashed a smile and said, “Wow, that was painless.’’Are you kidding me?

Valentine must have an absurd degree of pain tolerance. Surely it came in handy this season, but if a couple of hours before first pitch he was ready to forget the pitiful lineup he presented to the paying public last night, that was truly impressive — if you’re a masochist. ...

If Valentine, no stranger to disguises, needs to create a cloak-and-dagger aura around a team nobody quite cares about anymore in order to deal with the pain of managing it, that’s his prerogative.

But no Ellsbury? Valentine explained.“Ells hasn’t played in a long time,’’ said Valentine, referencing another recent injury that was treated like classified material. “We’ve got the left-hander out there, a big outfield. He’ll play the next two days, hopefully, if he’s feeling good.”

Wow.Either the medical staff was being ultra-cautious or Valentine was telegraphing his own opinion about Ellsbury’s durability and toughness because there is no way the Red Sox could say, with a straight face, they were trying to a) win last night’s game in New York by b) putting out their best lineup.Ellsbury is a career .214 hitter against CC Sabathia, with six hits and one home run in 28 at-bats. Not great, but if Valentine was worried about Ellsbury against a lefty, why not start shortstop Mike Aviles (.375) ahead of Jose Iglesias?

Since when did Ellsbury start being a platoon player, and since when did the size of Yankee Stadium’s outfield matter to a Gold Glover? ...

Taking a one-game lead on the Orioles in the AL East after last night’s 10-2 rout of the Sox, the Yankees approached this game deadly serious.The Red Sox merely seemed to be playing dead.What a wasted shame of an opportunity this final series of the season is. What should have been a stroke of genius by the schedule-makers instead turned into something more closely resembling a joke.

Said another major league official, “The Yankees have five potential Hall of Famers at the top of their order.

The source of this quote: Mark Teixeira.

As a fan, I have no qualms complaining about it, but the Orioles should just forget about the Yankees or Red Sox and worry about winning their own games.

Of, course, that’s probably exactly what they are doing. It’s not clear who “Orioles folks” are, and based on the wording of the article, the conversation (if there was any) with said Orioles folks probably went something like this:

Nick Cafardo: Hey, Orioles folks, are you thrilled with the Red Sox lineup tonight?
Orioles folk A: No
Orioles folk B: No

If you think Oriole folk aren't pleased, you can only imagine how Sox folk feel.

I do wish Bobby V could, at the very least, lead his troops to a nice little two-game winning streak to at least provide something from this lost season, but I ain't counting on it.

After the last pregame question was asked yesterday, Red Sox [team stats] manager Bobby Valentine flashed a smile and said, “Wow, that was painless.’’ Are you kidding me?

Valentine must have an absurd degree of pain tolerance. Surely it came in handy this season, but if a couple of hours before first pitch he was ready to forget the pitiful lineup he presented to the paying public last night, that was truly impressive — if you’re a masochist. ...

I know sometimes you're hurting for a way to kick off a story, but this is pathetic. Yes, because Valentine clearly meant that the season and the current lineup are just A-OK, not that he apparently didn't get grilled in the questioning.

“The Yankees have five potential Hall of Famers at the top of their order.

Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

Ray DiPerna, please pick up the white courtesy phone...

In theory, the Sox were throwing better starting pitchers at the Yankees than they did at the Orioles. In practice, however, Clay Buchholz is a big ol' dog.

“The Yankees have five potential Hall of Famers at the top of their order.


Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

Jeter is an obvious Hall of Famer. ARod should be, but who knows what the voters will do with players tied to steroids. Ichiro is a special case. Cano is on a HOF path, but his most similar batter is Chase Utley and his most similar batter through his current age is Carlos Baerga. Those similarity scores don't mean anything, but they should serve as a reminder of how quickly a second baseman can turn into an pumpkin (or turn pumpkin shaped, in the case of Baerga). Oh, and Teixeira isn't a Hall of Fame caliber player.

The point is that if the HOF voters continue to keep out all players associated with steroids then the one not like the others might just be Jeter.

As a Cardinal fan, I wasn't thrilled when the Giants pulled Cain after 5 innings last night or when they took Posey out late in a tied game. Them's the breaks, though, happens every year. You just have to win and not worry about it.

Red Sox not thrilled with Red Sox lineup

In theory, the Sox were throwing better starting pitchers at the Yankees than they did at the Orioles.

Yeah, it's not like the Yankees get to face Zach Stewart and Aaron Cook.

They get Lester tonight, which hypothetically could be tough, and then Dice K tomorrow, which hypothetically could lead to multiple baseballs landing in my backyard. In Maine.

To be fair, the Red Sox couldn't legally field a much better team than they did yesterday.

Yeah, it's not like the Yankees get to face Zach Stewart and Aaron Cook.

How the #### did Zach Stewart end up in Boston?
How the #### did Zach Stewart end up in the majors?

(checks bbr)

Huh. I didn't know he was part of the Youkilis deal, and I didn't know that Boston actually intended to use him.

and then Dice K tomorrow, which hypothetically could lead to multiple baseballs landing in my backyard. In Maine.

"Don't call us, we'll call you."

-The Red Sox likely final words to Dice K as he's cleaning out his locker in the next couple of days

As a Cardinal fan, I wasn't thrilled when the Giants pulled Cain after 5 innings last night or when they took Posey out late in a tied game. Them's the breaks, though, happens every year. You just have to win and not worry about it.

We have the advantage of playing the Cubs and Astros 30+ times a year, we had plenty of games against AAA teams. It would by hypocritical to complain about another team getting 4 innings of relief.

As mentioned before, win your games, don't worry about the other team. I mean where was the complaint when one of these teams were playing the Thursday getaway lineup in June?

Did Boston clinch a protected 1st rd pick yet?

and then Dice K tomorrow, which hypothetically could lead to multiple baseballs landing in my backyard. In Maine.

"Don't call us, we'll call you."

-The Red Sox likely final words to Dice K as he's cleaning out his locker in the next couple of days

Am I the only one who sees Daisuke doing great in the next WBC and as a result some foolish team decides to pick him up in hopes that he will be able to keep it up when in reality it'll be just his last hurrah?

...

Anyway, I can't really complain about the Red Sox roster. It's the same they sent against the Orioles (sans guys who are hurt). Do I wish they were sending a better lineup against the Yankees? Of course. But, hey...

Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

Teixeira. He's the only one with 0 HOF shot.

Did Boston clinch a protected 1st rd pick yet?

Yes.

Pedroia's finger is broken.

How will he flip people off now?

Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

One of those has admitted to taking steroids.

Was at the O's game a week ago Friday at Fenway and afterwards Pedroia came waltzing out of Fenway in jeans and a sweatshirt with his wife. He was merrily wheeling his kid in the stroller. My brother recognized him and then someone yelled "Hey Dustin!" and people (not us) wanted autographs. Pedroia politely told people, "Sorry guys, I can't sign now, I'm with my family."

My point? I have none - other than his finger wasn't broken then.

Yeah, he broke it in Baltimore over the weekend.

I've spoken to some people who think the Yankees intentionally threw the finale last year by not pitching Rivera in the ninth inning.

My reply is that if Rivera had pitched in that game, and pulled a hamstring, Joe Girardi should have been fired before the ALDS.

I've spoken to some people who think the Yankees intentionally threw the finale last year by not pitching Rivera in the ninth inning.

So have I but I don't think that's the prevailing thought. Given enough people you can always find someone to support any position. It's part of the reason I put little stock in articles sourced this way. "Sources within the organization" could be anyone from the owner to the janitor. I'm sure someone somewhere in the Oriole organization is upset about the Sox' lineup but I'm equally sure that the majority of people in the organization understand that sadly that's the best the Sox can do.

I'm sure someone somewhere in the Oriole organization is upset about the Sox' lineup but I'm equally sure that the majority of people in the organization understand that sadly that's the best the Sox can do.

I'm sure everyone in the Orioles' organization is "not thrilled" that Boston ran out a terrible line-up last night--same as I'm "not thrilled" that TB is eliminated from playoff contention--but I seriously doubt anyone in Baltimore thinks it is part of some vast conspiracy. (Hence, the bizarre quote from "a longtime National League scout.")

I'm not sure how anybody can complain. The Red Sox are a really bad baseball team right now. Does anybody disagree that Buchholz has been their best starter this year? Isn't that pretty much the single-biggest decision, in terms of personnel, that Valentine made last night, in terms of maximizing the competitiveness of the game last night?

Lester is probably the second-best pitcher they've got right now. He's pitching tonight.

If they gave Drake Britton the start last night, because he's already on the 40-man, the games don't matter, and it's a way to give him some big-league experience, then I could see the argument a little better. But the Sox are going in the opposite direction.

What is stunning is that this roster is the best they've got, at the moment!

I'm sure everyone in the Orioles' organization is "not thrilled" that Boston ran out a terrible line-up last night--same as I'm "not thrilled" that TB is eliminated from playoff contention--but I seriously doubt anyone in Baltimore thinks it is part of some vast conspiracy. (Hence, the bizarre quote from "a longtime National League scout.")

Exactly, being anonymously 'not thrilled' is not the same thing as complaining.

Jeter, Suzuki, ARod, Cano, Teixeira Which one of these is not like the other ones?

The one that has a crushed velvet minotaur painting of himself over his bed?

#39, you were only supposed to name one of them.

#15 Ray's never disputed that Ichiro! is going to breeze into the hall. He thinks most people who support his case are either awarding trivia as opposed to value and/or are coming up with one off logic to support an already decided position.

#15 Ray's never disputed that Ichiro! is going to breeze into the hall. He thinks most people who support his case are either awarding trivia as opposed to value and/or are coming up with one off logic to support an already decided position.

Precisely.

And, just to comment on one aspect of this, people _have_ said they're awarding trivia - e.g., 200-hit seasons.

Does anybody disagree that Buchholz has been their best starter this year? Isn't that pretty much the single-biggest decision, in terms of personnel, that Valentine made last night, in terms of maximizing the competitiveness of the game last night?

Good point. All else being equal, a team starting Buchholz/Lester on the mound and Ciriaco at 2B is better than one starting Cook/Stewart on the mound and Pedroia at 2B. Well, at least with a typical Buchholz start and not one giving up a 9 run inning.

Really, you take away that nine run inning and the Red Sox won the game 2-1. You can't ask them to be more competitive than that.

Red Sox not thrilled with Red Sox lineup

I am disappointed that it took until post 19 for this snark. We're better than that BTF.

Both Ellsbury and Pedroia are back in the lineup tonight. I'm glad he's fighting through it but I can almost see the next 12 months;

October 3 - "Pedroia will miss the Sox' final game of the season after aggravating his finger injury last night. No surgery is expected."

December 15 - "Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia underwent a 'minor procedure' at Beth Israel Hospital yesterday to repair a partially torn ligament in his finger. Pedroia is expected to be ready for Spring Training."

March 2 - "Dustin Pedroia is still feeling a little twinge in his finger and is expected to miss the first 3-4 days of games. There is no concern about his coming season however."

March 9 - "Dustin Pedroia made his spring debut against the Pirates and went 1 for 2 and made a diving stop of an Andrew McCutchen grounder."

March 10 - "Dustin Pedroia is being held out of today's split squad game as part of a planned rehab process."

March 22 - "The Sox are hopeful that second baseman Dustin Pedroia will return soon from his finger injury. Thought to be minor at first Pedroia has played just one Spring Training game so far."

April 1 - "Welcome to Opening Day, 2013 at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox enter the 2013 season with an exciting new keystone combination as second baseman Pedro Ciriaco fills in for Dustin Pedroia who was placed on the 60 day DL retroactive to March 10."

September 29 - "The Sox finish up a second consecutive disappointing season tonight in Baltimore. The defending AL Champion Orioles host the 79-82 Sox who really have missed the contributions of Dustin Pedroia who played just 71 games this year and put up a career worst .256/.304/.344 line before seeing his season end in August after he reinjured the finger he first injured one year ago tomorrow right here in Baltimore."

#46,

That seems like a small price to pay for an increased chance at forcing the Yankees into the indignation of a one-game play-in game.

#46,

That seems like a small price to pay for an increased chance at forcing the Yankees into the indignation of a one-game play-in game.

Now that's a Red Sox fan who would have the original Carlton Fisk beaming with delight.