BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: RedSox (71-43) @ Twins (51-64), Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:10pm

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Tuesday, August 09, 2011

RedSox (71-43) @ Twins (51-64), Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:10pm

BOS: Erik Bedard (32, LHP, 4-7, 3.55)
MIN: Francisco Liriano (27, LHP, 7-9, 5.03)

The Primer Chimp Posted: August 09, 2011 at 01:00 PM | 145 comment(s)
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1. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: August 09, 2011 at 04:16 PM (#3896302)

I have no idea which Liriano we'll be seeing tonight, but he's been very Jeckyl-and-Hyde. For example, in his last eight starts, he has four starts that look like this:

15.1 IP, 30 hits, 21 ER, 17 Ks, 12 BBs, Twins lost those four games by a combined score of 35 to 9.

Then the other four starts in his last eight looked like this:

27 IP, 21 hits, 7 ER, 20 Ks, 10 BBs, Twins won all four games by combined score of 25 to 12.

A quick look at his last eight starts, to try to identify a pattern in this seemingly random assortment of outcomes, is this - in virtually every one of these eight starts, he starts the first couple of innings off well. The difference appears to be that in the "poor" performances, the lineup starts pounding him the second time around. In the "good" performances, he obviously allows fewer runners, but he also appears to have scattered a number of runners successfully in the second time around the lineup.

You never know, but given the Red Sox abundance of lefties, I suspect Liriano will start off strong - but given the depth and talent of this lineup, I also think the Red Sox will eventually wear him out. All Bedard has to do is give them 6 innings of 3 of 4 runs, and they'll probably be OK...

2. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:19 AM (#3896599)

Lowrie's been surprisingly aggressive this season. During the crazy hot streak that was good, but during the cold streak it was bad, and during that at-bat it was also bad.

3. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:27 AM (#3896606)

Damn the Twins and their small ball.

4. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:29 AM (#3896607)

Where the #### did that miss?

5. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:30 AM (#3896608)

Wow. Bedard's not getting much from McClelland.

6. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:30 AM (#3896611)

And Kubel walks on strike 5.

7. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:32 AM (#3896612)

This is ridiculous.

8. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:32 AM (#3896613)

WHAT THE ####? THATS A BALL?

9. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:34 AM (#3896616)

So I guess Bedard is getting squeezed, from what I see in this Chatter.

10. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:35 AM (#3896617)

I can sort of see why Bedard's temperament gets questioned a little. He doesn't really have a bulldog look out there.

11. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:35 AM (#3896618)

Are you ####### kidding me?

12. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:36 AM (#3896620)

OK. I just started watching and 2 of the 3 "balls" in this at-bat to Young have been strikes.

13. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:36 AM (#3896621)

What does a man have to do to get a strike called?

14. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM (#3896624)

Unbelievable.

15. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM (#3896625)

You're shitting me. That's a ball???

16. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM (#3896626)

If this is going to be the strike zone, the Red Sox should be swinging at virtually nothing from Liriano.

17. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM (#3896627)

Are you ####### kidding me? That was a ####### strike. Is this for ####### real?

18. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3896630)

I mean, that's just ridiculous. ####### ridiculous. This game will never end.

19. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3896631)

This is ####### absurd.

20. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3896632)

Really, ump, do you really want to hear the conversation Bedard and Young are having?

21. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3896633)

Pitch 1 to Nishioka was a strike...

22. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3896634)

Really? That one too?

23. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:40 AM (#3896636)

McClelland is supposed to be one of the best umps in MLB, but he is really having a bad game so far here.

24. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:41 AM (#3896637)

Bedard's going to get tossed out of this game at some point. He has to. This is ####### ridiculous.

25. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:41 AM (#3896638)

Bad umpires are ruining baseball.

26. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:41 AM (#3896639)

Is Bedard an unusually even-tempered guy? Because if not, he's going to get run no later than the third inning after cursing McClelland out.

27. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:41 AM (#3896640)

I liked that little shot of Bedard saying "wow" as he walked off the mound.

28. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:43 AM (#3896641)

According to the strike zone charts on Brooks Baseball (if I'm reading it correctly), Bedard has already had 5-6 pitches in the strike zone called as balls.

29. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:43 AM (#3896642)

All right, guys, swing at friggin' nothing.

30. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:44 AM (#3896643)

I saw the "wow" comment, too on NESN. So there were six walks in the first inning, between the two teams. Even Carl Crawford might walk twice tonight!

31. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:47 AM (#3896646)

This is actually somewhat encouraging, since Bedard is painting corners but the ump is just dumb.

32. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:47 AM (#3896647)

Liriano's strike zone appears to be pretty normal. Does this umpire just hate Bedard or something? Does he have money on the Twins?

33. ray james Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:48 AM (#3896648)

The small strikezone should benefit Boston, if it's called consistently.

34. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:49 AM (#3896649)

Hey look, red squares farther out of the strike zone than several green triangles.

35. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:49 AM (#3896650)

The small strikezone should benefit Boston, if it's called consistently.

It isn't being called consistently. Liriano isn't really getting squeezed at all. He's gotten two borderline pitches called strikes already this inning.

36. ray james Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:50 AM (#3896651)

He might bear a grudge against Bedard from a previous encounter. Umps can be pretty small sometimes.

37. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:54 AM (#3896655)

Called strike three!

38. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 12:55 AM (#3896656)

Umps can be pretty small sometimes.

Not Joe West.

39. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:04 AM (#3896663)

Double ####### play machine. Ugh.

40. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3896670)

Here we go again.

41. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3896671)

For pity's f'ing sake...

42. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:13 AM (#3896672)

Count 3-1 when NESN strike zone shows all 4 pitches as strikes.

43. Benji Gil Gamesh VII - The Opt-Out Awakens Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:14 AM (#3896673)

Why are people cheering the douche who ripped the bat away from people in the row behind him?

44. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:14 AM (#3896674)

Bedard still getting squeezed.

45. ray james Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:14 AM (#3896676)

I'm not watching the game but the mlb pitchtracker has all four pitches to Thome as strikes.

46. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:18 AM (#3896678)

We're through 3 already after that disaster of a first inning? The last 2 have really breezed by.

47. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:21 AM (#3896681)

HOW THE #### IS THAT A STRIKE TO CRAWFORD AFTER THE ZONE YOUVE BEEN CALLING ALL NIGHT? GO ####### FUCK YOURSELF WITH A RUSTY STEEL ROD, MCLELLAND

48. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:22 AM (#3896683)

...and Crawford swings at 3 ball fours.

49. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:33 AM (#3896686)

Okay, no complaining about McDonald for the rest of the game.

50. Fly is talking about film ####ing magic Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:33 AM (#3896687)

DARMACK!

51. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:34 AM (#3896688)

Holy ####### #### McDonald...that was ####### demolished

52. Mattbert Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:37 AM (#3896693)

"Ellsbury grounded out to right."

The hell?

53. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:38 AM (#3896696)

Liriano finally getting the squeeze.

54. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:39 AM (#3896697)

Stupid ####### Angels.

They blew a 4-1 lead and now it's all tied up in NY.

55. Benji Gil Gamesh VII - The Opt-Out Awakens Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:47 AM (#3896711)

I don't know if Bedard is on a pitch count tonight, but it's borderline miraculous that he has a shot to get through 6 innings after that awful first inning.

56. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:47 AM (#3896714)

Wow. That's probably it for Bedard, but he pitched pretty impressively despite not getting any borderline calls.

57. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:48 AM (#3896719)

Great recovery for Bedard after getting totally ###### over by the home plate ump in the first inning.

58. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:52 AM (#3896728)

Do not swing.

59. ray james Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:53 AM (#3896729)

You know, despite McDonald's numbers, he's certainly had his moments this year.

60. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:54 AM (#3896731)

Dammit, Carl.

61. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 01:55 AM (#3896732)

Not smart baserunning by Crawford.

62. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:03 AM (#3896747)

I see it was the standard Jeter flare that tied it for the Yankees.

63. Steve Balboni's Personal Trainer Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:05 AM (#3896749)

I hate Carl Crawford. Does he just look a lot more awesome on SportsCenter?

He seemed to be on base all-the-f###ing-time with Tampa, stealing bases every five minutes, making a routine grounder to SS a scary experience defensively. Now, he looks like he has no idea what he's doing.

What was he thinking on the baserunning out?

Why does he swing at everything?

Also, great job by Bedard not getting kicked out of the game in the first inning tonight. What many perceive as an indifference on the mound (fair or not) sure was an asset tonight. He kept it real when most of us would've gone all Joaquin Andujar on the umpire's ass tonight.

64. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:06 AM (#3896750)

####### awful 0-2 pitch there, Albers.

65. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:12 AM (#3896760)

Nishioka had 4 2B, 0 3B, and 0 HR in 172 AB going in tonight's game, and he hit one that hard off Albers. Nice.

66. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:12 AM (#3896761)

Nuts.

67. Gamingboy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:14 AM (#3896763)

Holy crap, Nishioka. Obviously having a kid did wonders for him. For an at-bat.

68. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:14 AM (#3896765)

And now the guy with a .473 OPS coming into the game just got walked.

69. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:17 AM (#3896766)

It's hard to blame Albers for that "walk."

70. Gamingboy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:21 AM (#3896769)

On Twins feed they are calling it the "Postage Stamp Strikezone"

71. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:21 AM (#3896770)

Matt Capps with this strike zone should be quite hilarious to watch.

72. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:23 AM (#3896772)

Lol Bobby Abreu just went deep for the 2nd time tonight, this time off Rivera, to give the Angels a 2 run lead in the top of the 9th.

73. Mattbert Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:23 AM (#3896774)

Abreu homers off Mo in the top of the ninth with Aybar aboard! Angels up 6-4.

74. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:25 AM (#3896775)

Man, you got scooped there.

75. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:26 AM (#3896777)

Nice to get back from Canada and see that Adrian Gonzalez is still pretty good.

76. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:27 AM (#3896778)

Decent play there by Delmon Young to cut that off. I thought that was gonna get to the wall.

77. Mattbert Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:27 AM (#3896779)

I took the time to report the identity of the baserunner, and it burned me. But I take pride in my work and will not be cowed into rushed or sloppy journalism just to appease the 24-hour instant news monster.

78. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:28 AM (#3896780)

Now that's a strike??

79. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:28 AM (#3896781)

You didn't even mention that it was his 2nd home run of the night! Weak reporting IMO

80. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:29 AM (#3896782)

Seems I have missed an annoying game. Not even worth asking how Bedard went judging from above

81. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:31 AM (#3896783)

Bedard was amazing. Had trouble in the first inning due to the postage stamp strike zone, but after that he somewhat adapted to it and kept the Twins at bay.

82. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:32 AM (#3896784)

Everybody but the home plate ump thinks Bedard pitched pretty well, Phil. And I admire him more for not throttling McClelland at any point.

83. Jay Seaver Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:32 AM (#3896785)

Slapstick run!

84. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:32 AM (#3896786)

So that's how to score a run with the bases loaded.

85. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:33 AM (#3896787)

Well, that worked out ok.

This game has been very silly, much like Pedroia's haircut.

86. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:33 AM (#3896788)

Small ball run there - love it

87. Mattbert Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:34 AM (#3896790)

"Ortiz reached on infield single."

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

88. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:34 AM (#3896791)

Time for a Jed Lowrie sac fly

89. Mattbert Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:36 AM (#3896792)

Tying runs are aboard in NY. Come on, Walden.

90. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:37 AM (#3896794)

Thanks Dan and Jay

91. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:39 AM (#3896795)

Jed needs to go back to his patient approach. This swing at everything #### ain't working.

92. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:39 AM (#3896796)

Tex up - expect a homer in 5,4,3,2,1

93. Gamingboy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:41 AM (#3896797)

"Ortiz reached on infield single."

Words I never expected to see, yep.

94. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:41 AM (#3896798)

Walden looks like he is shitting himself

95. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:42 AM (#3896799)

L-R-L-L

This is Morales' inning. Don't #### it up, kid.

96. Biff, highly-regarded young guy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:42 AM (#3896800)

...the 0-1 to Mauer is a ball somehow?

97. Dan Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:43 AM (#3896801)

Morales in a game with this strike zone is just ####### insanity.

98. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:43 AM (#3896803)

Yankee game ended on a caught stealing?

99. Phil Coorey. Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:43 AM (#3896804)

Those who had "Granderson gets picked off to end the game" please collect your winnings...

100. Gamingboy Posted: August 10, 2011 at 02:47 AM (#3896807)

Those who had "Granderson gets picked off to end the game" please collect your winnings...
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Words only slightly less likely than Ortiz.

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Tuesday, August 09, 2011

RedSox (71-43) @ Twins (51-64), Tuesday, August 9, 2011, 8:10pm

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