BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: Rays (27-18) @ RedSox (22-22), Friday, May 25, 2012, 7:10pm

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Friday, May 25, 2012

Rays (27-18) @ RedSox (22-22), Friday, May 25, 2012, 7:10pm

TBR:Alex Cobb (24, RHP, 1-0, 2.57)
BOS:Jon Lester (28, LHP, 3-3, 3.95)

The Primer Chimp Posted: May 25, 2012 at 10:00 AM | 174 comment(s)
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1. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 03:20 PM (#4140200)

Sox lineup is out. Noteworthy for Gonzalez NOT being in right field;

Aviles SS
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Saltalamacchia C
Nava LF
Byrd RF
Podsednik CF

2. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:09 PM (#4140347)

I guess it works in terms of handedness matchup tonight, but in general, is there a whole lot of upside in starting Podsednik over Lin?

3. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:10 PM (#4140348)

Really would've liked to see one of Gonzalez, Youkilis, or WMB playing LF at Fenway with Gonzalez in RF on the road still.

Podsednik wasn't a competent CF at 27, but Valentine is playing him there at age 35? That reeks of ignorance of defensive analysis. Or even open eyes.

4. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:11 PM (#4140349)

Lin should be playing CF everyday for his glove. Podsednik is a joke in CF and Byrd looks a bit below average out there.

5. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:16 PM (#4140352)

Efficiency!

6. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:16 PM (#4140353)

Agree with above and good morning

7. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:17 PM (#4140354)

So other than Pena in recent days what leadoff hitters have had the shift played against them?

8. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:17 PM (#4140355)

Mornin' Phil and belated birthday greetings.

9. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:24 PM (#4140356)

So other than Pena in recent days what leadoff hitters have had the shift played against them?

Granderson when he's hit leadoff, probably. That's the only one that comes to mind.

10. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:25 PM (#4140358)

Did the Rays ever shift on Ellsbury last year? I bet they would this year, if he comes back, with how frequently they've been employing big shifts.

11. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:26 PM (#4140361)

Should've taken third base. No one was covering.

12. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:27 PM (#4140363)

Yep. Would have been amusing to see how far around the bases Aviles could get on pure defensive screwing up.

13. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:29 PM (#4140365)

Last year, he hits that ball with enough authority to hit the Monster. This year, it's a chip shot right to Joyce.

14. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:29 PM (#4140366)

I'm imagining my grandfather in Zephyrhills yelling "throw strikes" at the TV right now.

15. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:30 PM (#4140367)

Youk's looking pretty good off the DL.

16. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:31 PM (#4140368)

Youk!

17. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:31 PM (#4140369)

I'm imagining my grandfather in Zephyrhills yelling "throw strikes" at the TV right now.

What a coincidence. I'm drinking Zephyrhills water right now!

18. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:32 PM (#4140372)

17 - Piling on coincidence: He used to live in Poland Springs, Maine.

19. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:34 PM (#4140375)

Mornin' Phil and belated birthday greetings.

Thanks mate - appreciate it!

20. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:35 PM (#4140376)

Salty should've hit that ball into the bullpen.

21. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:36 PM (#4140378)

17 - Piling on coincidence: He used to live in Poland Springs, Maine.

That's pretty funny, especially since they're both owned by/branded by Nestle Waters as regional brands.

22. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:37 PM (#4140379)

Joe Maddon pretty cool about the guy with the camera in his face. Francona would've lost his ####.

23. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:38 PM (#4140380)

Nice curve! Lester's velocity looks good on the 4-seamer, and cutter and curve are both moving nicely.

24. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:41 PM (#4140381)

That's a real nice play by Youk.

25. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:42 PM (#4140384)

Gotts not pitch around to Drew freaking Sutton

26. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:43 PM (#4140385)

That's just a horrible and unacceptable walk - typical Lester

27. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:45 PM (#4140386)

Nava, Byrd and Pods - good chance for a morning shower after Nava bats

28. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:47 PM (#4140387)

Pods went deep the other day, he's powering up!

29. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:49 PM (#4140391)

Is Cobb always this much of a nibbler?

30. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:51 PM (#4140393)

I don't know if I'd classify this as "nibbling", as he doesn't really seem to be near the zone most of the time.

31. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:51 PM (#4140394)

Joe Maddon is cool

32. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:52 PM (#4140395)

Is tht Stephen King sitting next to Joe Maddon? Would explain why he wasn't bothered by the picture.

33. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:52 PM (#4140396)

The Rays as nerds actually look like hardcore fans from the aughts

34. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:53 PM (#4140398)

Not nearly enough ink has been spilled on the Sox failure to retire Boggs' number. He deserves it.

35. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:54 PM (#4140399)

I don't remember Cobb throwing this many balls. Last year when he say him he looked like a sinkerballer who mostly pounded the strike zone.

36. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:54 PM (#4140400)

Wow, have they not retired it? What's the explanation for that? His Yankee time?

37. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:55 PM (#4140401)

Technically a player has to retire a member of the Red Sox to have his number retired. The only guy they broke that rule for is Fisk, IIRC.

38. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:56 PM (#4140402)

I suppose. Pods is wearing it now, so did Merloni for awhile and I think Raniro Mendoza (26).

39. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:57 PM (#4140403)

Retired with sox and a hall of Famer. They've broken the rule for two of the last three retired number I think, Pesky, Fisk and Rice.

40. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:57 PM (#4140404)

And Fisk got a no-work front office job so they could use the goofy "finished his career with the Red Sox" rationalization.

41. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:57 PM (#4140405)

And I will take a human life if not multiple lives if they don't retire Pedro's.

42. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:59 PM (#4140408)

That's ridiculous. Sign him to a one-day contract or some crap if that's really what's holding them back. Was he there at the anniversary thing?

43. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 07:59 PM (#4140409)

Personally I'm not a fan of retiring numbers at all. Taken to extremes like the Yankees, they're going to have a whole team wearing numbers over 30 within the next 20 years, because no sub-30 number won't be retired.

44. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:00 PM (#4140410)

According to this, the only criteria are:

Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame
At least 10 years played with the Red Sox

45. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:00 PM (#4140411)

That 2-1 was a strike

46. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:00 PM (#4140412)

Lester is getting squeezed something awful.

47. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:02 PM (#4140415)

Pedro only played 7 years for the Red Sox, but those were amazing years. They better bend that rule for him.

48. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:02 PM (#4140416)

That's ridiculous. Sign him to a one-day contract or some crap if that's really what's holding them back. Was he there at the anniversary thing?

No he wasn't. One of the things this ownership group has done very well is honor the club's past and Boggs is conspicuous as the one meaningful living player who has never been celebrated with a day or a first pitch or something like that.

49. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:02 PM (#4140417)

How was Byrd not even in the camera frame when that ball dropped?

50. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:04 PM (#4140419)

Well, Clemens has never been honored but that's a different kettle of fish and they have not distributed his number yet.

51. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:06 PM (#4140420)

How was Byrd not even in the camera frame when that ball dropped?

Which hit? The upton one?

52. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:06 PM (#4140421)

That is kind of weird. I wonder what the deal is with that. Boggs left Boston on a pretty sour note, but that was like 20 years ago.

53. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:07 PM (#4140423)

SQUEEZED

54. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:08 PM (#4140425)

He's not getting some calls, but he needs to throw some better pitches.

55. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:08 PM (#4140426)

Boggs was never beloved, even in his heyday he was popular by virtue of his talent but not embraced. Because of that there is no real groundswell for him like there would be for a guy like Evans or Lynn.

56. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:08 PM (#4140427)

After Jeter retires, no Yankee player will ever again have a single digit number.

57. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:09 PM (#4140428)

Salty is not one of the better framer of pitches , is he?

58. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:09 PM (#4140429)

I haven't seen any egregiously bad calls. A couple of close ones but nothing where he got robbed I thought. Now he's letting his emotions get the best of him.

59. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:09 PM (#4140430)

F&*%$!

60. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:09 PM (#4140431)

Attaboy Jon. Way to keep it together.

61. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:10 PM (#4140432)

Jesus Christ - just horrible

62. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:10 PM (#4140433)

Jesus ####### Christ, Lester. Go #### yourself.

63. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:10 PM (#4140434)

####

64. Chip Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:10 PM (#4140435)

Like watching a lefty Dice-K.

65. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:11 PM (#4140436)

He's got no one to blame but himself really

66. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:12 PM (#4140437)

Sox will surely be shut down now

67. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:13 PM (#4140438)

Every pitcher on this team has the emotional maturity of a 13 year old and crumbles after something doesn't go his way.

68. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:14 PM (#4140439)

Rice wasn't popular with a lot of media either near the end, but I think he put in the time and effort after his playing career to be a real community guy. Boggs doesn't seem much interested in that stuff.

69. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:15 PM (#4140440)

Nice 3-1 swing, Pedroia.

70. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:17 PM (#4140441)

Does Ortiz have a glove tucked into his back pocket with the middle finger sticking out?

71. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:19 PM (#4140443)

Every pitcher on this team has the emotional maturity of a 13 year old and crumbles after something doesn't go his way.

It's amazing isn't it? I never find myself thinking "make a pitch", I think "line drive at someone."

72. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:25 PM (#4140447)

It's amazing isn't it? I never find myself thinking "make a pitch", I think "line drive at someone."

I'm not sure at what point this year it stopped, but I don't find myself thinking things like this at all anymore. I just find myself watching instead of rooting, almost.

73. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:27 PM (#4140449)

Grrr...

74. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:28 PM (#4140451)

There's no chance the Red Sox win a game this weekend.

75. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:29 PM (#4140452)

Jon Lester, doing less with more since 2006. He's a very good pitcher but he should be great and he's not.

76. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:29 PM (#4140453)

Well, that was fun.

77. Chip Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:30 PM (#4140454)

A 1-2 hanging curveball to a guy slugging .379. Talk about a ####### gift.

And then Pena. ####.

78. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:30 PM (#4140455)

Ugh. The weird thing is, Lester has looked better than Cobb.

79. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:30 PM (#4140456)

Couple close calls don't go his way and Lester falls apart.

80. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:31 PM (#4140457)

10 batters, 7 runs.

81. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:38 PM (#4140461)

How is BoB McClure's job safe? The only starting pitcher who's met or exceeded expecations is Doubront.

82. Mattbert Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:45 PM (#4140464)

Has anyone publicly announced Bob McClure's job is safe? Has anyone asked the question? Besides some guys on the internet, I mean.

83. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:47 PM (#4140465)

I'm certainly watching today - even Lu noticed how calm I was after the Grand Slam

84. The Yankee Clapper Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:48 PM (#4140467)

After Jeter retires, no Yankee player will ever again have a single digit number.

Technically, #6 is still available, although it will likely eventually be retired for Joe Torre, as there seems to be a bit of a rapprochement from the antipathy that came from his departure.

85. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:48 PM (#4140469)

McClure is in a weird spot. It seems to me that Valentine doesn't trust him what with all the mound visits. Maybe I'm wrong but that's my take.

86. Chip Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:49 PM (#4140470)

Orsillo refuse to pronounce Podsednik's name properly, and I don't think it's intentional. He's just lazy.

87. Answer Guy. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:50 PM (#4140471)

Funny how this team has to immediately lose a boatload of games whenever they reach a point where their wins equal their losses.

88. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4140472)

Scotty Pods still hitting .500!

89. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4140475)

Seriously, how have the Red Sox not only only managed one run and one hit, but not run Cobb out of the game by driving his pitch count into the triple digits?

90. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4140476)

Funny how this team has to immediately lose a boatload of games whenever they reach a point where their wins equal their losses.

They aren't that good. Im beginning to believe they will never eclipse .500 this year.

91. Mattbert Posted: May 25, 2012 at 08:57 PM (#4140477)

McClure is in a weird spot. It seems to me that Valentine doesn't trust him what with all the mound visits. Maybe I'm wrong but that's my take.

That would be weird, considering McClure was Bobby's hand-picked guy.

92. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:00 PM (#4140479)

Adrian Gonzalez sighting!

93. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4140480)

I used to get excited when AG came to the plate - I desperately want that feeling back

94. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4140481)

Jesus Royster, once a guy slows down you stop him. More importantly you have to be waving him all the way until you throw up the stop sign. If Youk could get into one here that would be nice.

95. Chip Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4140482)

And with that, Gonzalez avoids having his SLG fall below .400.

96. Dan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:01 PM (#4140483)

The players have stopped paying attention to Royster and are deciding themselves whether they should hold at third or try to score.

97. Jay Seaver Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:02 PM (#4140484)

That Yaz footage looks pretty nice; is it off film or something?

98. Phil Coorey. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:02 PM (#4140485)

Ortiz should have scored there

99. Answer Guy. Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:03 PM (#4140486)

That would be weird, considering McClure was Bobby's hand-picked guy.

Good. They can both go at season's end.

100. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 25, 2012 at 09:03 PM (#4140487)

I'm confused, things started going badly but the pitcher got himself out of trouble, is that permitted?

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