BBTF's Sox Therapy Discussion :: How Fun Is That?

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1. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 14, 2016 at 10:58 PM (#5221298)

I've talked about it a lot but the base running. There is a dynamism to this team that is so great. With the exception of Ortiz a runner on first base is in scoring position. I just watch these guys play and it's like my little leaguers. They are so aggressive on the bases so different from any Red Sox team I can remember. Obviously there is a lot of lumber but this team just seems to be able to generate offense in a way I don't remember seeing from a Red Sox team.

2. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 14, 2016 at 10:59 PM (#5221299)

Oh one other little thing. If you are at a game watch as they take the field. Every inning Bogaerts runs out, steps on first and does something to Hanley, grabs his ass, gives him a nudge, it's a hoot. They are having fun together.

3. villageidiom Posted: May 14, 2016 at 11:04 PM (#5221302)

I've talked about it a lot but the base running.

Only Jane's Addiction have been caught stealing fewer times.

4. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 14, 2016 at 11:07 PM (#5221306)

Vi wins the thread.

5. Chip Posted: May 14, 2016 at 11:53 PM (#5221329)

So is it the gif that ##### the formatting of this page?

6. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 15, 2016 at 12:21 AM (#5221345)

I think it's the photo, looks wide enough that it's squeezing the sidebar.

7. Pleasant Nate (Upgraded from 'Nate') Posted: May 15, 2016 at 02:17 PM (#5221479)

My favorite things so far:

Jackie Bradley killing it after the 'Wait, you're not getting more than a middle reliever for him' trade stuff from fans of a certain other team on this site.

Back to mashing. I like big hitting teams, and boy can this team hit.

Pedroia/Ortiz partying like its 2007 again.

Life is more fun when you have a knuckleballer.

Legit reasons for optimism: David Price will get better, Mookie Betts hasn't hit his established stride yet, Eduardo coming back. Some things will go less well, but when you're off to a good start and there's still more reasonable and incremental good things that can happen, that's super exciting.

8. The Anthony Kennedy of BBTF (Scott) Posted: May 15, 2016 at 03:53 PM (#5221517)

This team is going to score 900 runs.

It's going to give up 800, but I don't think anyone expected things to be great on that front.

9. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 15, 2016 at 06:46 PM (#5221606)

6-1 home stand. They have been making hay against bad teams. That seems like something they haven't done the last couple years.

10. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 09:41 AM (#5221971)

I think it's the photo, looks wide enough that it's squeezing the sidebar.

Edited to reduce the size of the photo. Let me know if that makes things better. (It never was a problem for me.)

11. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 16, 2016 at 09:45 AM (#5221976)

Yeah, much better.

12. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:15 AM (#5222104)

Y'know what's fun? Practical page widths.

That aside, here's another thing I'd found to be fun. Yesterday they blew an 8-4 lead and were down 9-8 in the 6th. My reaction? "Yeah, they can come back from that. No problem." At no point did I think they wouldn't. That's a fun feeling.

13. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:24 AM (#5222114)

That aside, here's another thing I'd found to be fun. Yesterday they blew an 8-4 lead and were down 9-8 in the 6th. My reaction? "Yeah, they can come back from that. No problem." At no point did I think they wouldn't. That's a fun feeling.

I had the same feeling.

14. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:29 AM (#5222122)

Thirded. With the bullpen pitching so well there is also the sense that if they do come back and take the lead they are going to hold it.

15. Nasty Nate Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:30 AM (#5222123)

The Sox DFA'd Sean O’Sullivan. Who are they likely to activate today? I assume a pitcher.

16. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:38 AM (#5222136)

I think a position player with the expectation that Rodriguez will start on Saturday. I'd assume Hernandez.

17. covelli chris p Posted: May 16, 2016 at 01:16 PM (#5222290)

I think a position player with the expectation that Rodriguez will start on Saturday. I'd assume Hernandez.

or a bullpen arm?

edit: it appears they are already carrying 8 (!!!) relievers. that's crazy, but i guess they can pull it off when all their bench guys can play 5 positions.

18. Nasty Nate Posted: May 16, 2016 at 01:21 PM (#5222295)

I was thinking pitcher because the bullpen has been taxed by the short outings by starters, the extra innings game, and the lack of a recent off-day.

19. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 01:33 PM (#5222316)

edit: it appears they are already carrying 8 (!!!) relievers. that's crazy, but i guess they can pull it off when all their bench guys can play 5 positions.

That is the advantage of having who they have. Holt is essentially a 2nd option for all standing infield positions (directly at 3B, SS, and 2B, with Young subbing for him in LF; and 1B by going to 3B with Shaw taking 1B). If someone is out for a longer period they need Holt to cover the position just for one game, after which point they can call someone up from Pawtucket.

Yeah, I'd assume Noe Ramirez or Pat Light are on the way back up.

20. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 03:45 PM (#5222443)

...and Jose called it. Marco Hernandez has been recalled.

21. Nasty Nate Posted: May 16, 2016 at 05:26 PM (#5222511)

I think a position player with the expectation that Rodriguez will start on Saturday. I'd assume Hernandez.

You were correct about Hernandez.
----
The game tonight is postponed; double-header on Wednesday.

22. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 06:10 PM (#5222537)

The game tonight is postponed; double-header on Wednesday.

Back to the theme of the thread... Double-headers are fun!

23. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:05 PM (#5222655)

Kelly apparently pitched well tonight. It looks like he might be first up on the comeback train.

24. villageidiom Posted: May 16, 2016 at 11:18 PM (#5222659)

6.1 IP, 10 K, 1 BB, 5 H. Yep, he seems ready.

25. villageidiom Posted: May 17, 2016 at 09:01 AM (#5222764)

WEEI on Kelly's start:

His fastball stayed steady throughout, holding in the 93-94 mph range after getting warmed up following the first inning on a cool, windy night at McCoy Stadium. Kelly was also able to keep the opposing hitters off balance with his off-speed pitches. He totaled 11 swing-and-misses in the game and retired the last six batters he faced.

Which of those sentences makes you feel the best? He's not overthrowing the fastball at 98 MPH? He relied on off-speed stuff? He got 11 swing-and-misses and finished strong?

Just for context on the 11 swinging strikes... Going through his B-Ref numbers from last season:

13.2% swing-and-miss strike percentage
1465 total strikes
= 193 swings and misses
587 batters faced
= .329 swing-and-miss per batter

Last night he faced 24 batters (19 outs, one by pickoff; 5 hits; 1 BB). Last year's rate would have had him at 8 swinging strikes; he got 11. It's the minors, and it's a strikeout era, and it's one start, so I have no idea if 11 is notable. But it's not a bad sign.

FWIW, Pedro 2000 was around .60 swing-and-miss per batter. That's Pedro Martinez in his 2000 season, but "Pedro 2000" sounds like a cyborg, so I'm sticking with that name.

26. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 09:20 AM (#5222778)

The one walk in 24 batters is the big thing for me. If he doesn't throw strikes regularly none of the other stuff is going to matter.

27. Textbook Editor Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:20 PM (#5222910)

Kelly is just a different flavor of Buchholz Kool-Aid to me... in that who the hell knows what you'll get from start to start with him. I'd argue you can get by with one of those type of guys in the rotation at any one time, but not two... and it looks like we're set to have two. Ugh.

Once EdRod is back, I'm hoping they do something dramatic like have Kelly/Buccholz tandem-start games (maybe Kelly starts and goes 4 and Buchholz then takes over so we can avoid 1st inning Buchholz). That may be the best of both worlds--at least for the time being.

PS - I am not a crackpot.

28. Nasty Nate Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:30 PM (#5222918)

Random Red Sox trivia question:

In 2003, ten different Sox pitchers recorded a regular-season save - Can you name them? Hint: 6 of the 10 pitchers never again recorded a regular-season save in their MLB careers. 2nd Hint: Williamson and Lowe both recorded post-season saves, but are not among the 10.

29. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:35 PM (#5222925)

Kim
Timlin
Embree
Wakefield?
Arroyo?
Fossum?
Hermanson (was that the year the Sox had him)?

30. covelli chris p Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:37 PM (#5222927)

chad fox? he was the flavor of the month coming out of spring training, right?

31. covelli chris p Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:45 PM (#5222933)

if they are going to keep buccholz around, they may as well run him out there to start games and hope he stumbles into one of his grooves. there's just no chance buccholz would be useful in any other role.

kelly, otoh, i can see being useful out of the pen. he strikes me as a bit of a dunce. asking him to focus for shorter periods and on a limited repertoire (what's his best secondary pitch?) seems natural to me.

32. Nasty Nate Posted: May 17, 2016 at 12:52 PM (#5222938)

All except Hermanson of those in 29 and 30 are correct. 3 remain un-named.

33. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:10 PM (#5222950)

Bobby Howry?

34. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:11 PM (#5222952)

Lenny Dinardo?

35. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:13 PM (#5222957)

Todd Jones

36. covelli chris p Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:14 PM (#5222962)

brandon lyon?

37. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:16 PM (#5222963)

Oh, covelli FTW!

38. Nasty Nate Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:19 PM (#5222970)

Lyon is correct, he was second on the team with 9 saves. No to Jose's guesses; Howry and Jones did appear in games that year, but DiNardo debuted the following season.

39. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:22 PM (#5222976)

Two WAGs;

John Burkett
Derek Lowe

Was there a long extra inning game that a starter got a save in?

40. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:22 PM (#5222977)

Oops, just saw the note about Lowe.

41. covelli chris p Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:40 PM (#5223040)

just looked up the answer ... and there's absolutely no way anybody gets the last 2 ...

42. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:44 PM (#5223056)

Was Rolando Arrojo still lurking back then?

43. Textbook Editor Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:49 PM (#5223073)

WAG: El Guapo (I feel like he had a cup of coffee early in 2003; I am likely way wrong).

Avery?

44. Nasty Nate Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:50 PM (#5223076)

Not Burkett or Rolando (edit: also No to Garces or Avery). The last 2 are tough, but one of the guys at least had a career: 206 games, 135 games started - although his stint with the Sox in '03 was his last in the big leagues.

45. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:52 PM (#5223081)

Robert Person?

46. Textbook Editor Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:52 PM (#5223083)

Wow. Yup. Gun to my head I wouldn't have been able to name the last two.

47. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 01:54 PM (#5223085)

I"m still flabbergasted by Howry, I thought I had a winner there.

48. villageidiom Posted: May 17, 2016 at 02:28 PM (#5223118)

Kelly is just a different flavor of Buchholz Kool-Aid to me... in that who the hell knows what you'll get from start to start with him. I'd argue you can get by with one of those type of guys in the rotation at any one time, but not two... and it looks like we're set to have two. Ugh.

That's three: Wright is no sure thing.

49. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 17, 2016 at 02:45 PM (#5223129)

How many teams don't have a couple of those guys in the rotation? Obviously you'd prefer to have some stability but that's tough to do with pitchers. The White Sox have the best ERA in the AL and they started the year with John Danks and Mat Latos. The Indians were the team that a lot of folks thought had the best rotation in the AL at the start of the year and they were rolling Cody Anderson (15 MLB apperances) and Josh Tomlin at the back.

Pitchers are fickle and unless you are rolling out the 1997 Braves you are going to have uncertainty. The trick is to get that uncertainty right.

50. Nasty Nate Posted: May 17, 2016 at 03:54 PM (#5223177)

I will give the 10th guy from the trivia question: Jason Shiell, who got his only career save in extras after Chad Fox had a blown save in the 9th. In the top of the 14th, the lead was gained by a pinch-hit HR (his first in a Sox uniform) by the big man.

51. Dan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 10:29 AM (#5227759)

Not sure which ST thread to put this in, but this one seemed fine: Carson Smith is going under the knife for Tommy John Surgery.

52. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 10:59 AM (#5227798)

I just heard that. That's not great news. Hembree just got a lot more important.

53. Nasty Nate Posted: May 24, 2016 at 11:08 AM (#5227803)

Are the Sox repeatedly getting tricked into trading for injured pitchers?

54. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 11:33 AM (#5227831)

Off the top of my head not really. Who else are you thinking of? That's a sincere question, not being snarky, just no one jumping out at me. I guess Hanrahan three years ago. Others? Kelly says he's been hiding an injury since he was drafted but I'm not sure that quite fits (especially after pitching nearly two years for the Sox).

55. Nasty Nate Posted: May 24, 2016 at 11:39 AM (#5227841)

I was thinking of Hanrahan and Bailey.

56. Dan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 12:09 PM (#5227879)

Are the Sox repeatedly getting tricked into trading for injured pitchers?

Apparently yes. This was my first thought when I read about it too, thinking back to Bailey and Hanrahan.

57. Dan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 12:12 PM (#5227884)

Also, after last night's start, Rich Hill is 7-3 with a 2.18 ERA over 57 2/3 innings. That equals a 56 RRA- and a 67 FIP-. So far he's sitting at 2.1 bWAR.

Not re-signing him is definitely looking like a massive missed opportunity.

58. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: May 24, 2016 at 01:08 PM (#5227932)

Also, after last night's start, Rich Hill is 7-3 with a 2.18 ERA over 57 2/3 innings. That equals a 56 RRA- and a 67 FIP-. So far he's sitting at 2.1 bWAR.

Not re-signing him is definitely looking like a massive missed opportunity.

Honestly that's great, I'm happy for him but I'm not going to mourn his leaving much. If he was here we wouldn't have Wright and I'm guessing Wright will be more valuable over the long haul than the 36 year old Hill.

I was thinking of Hanrahan and Bailey.

Forgot about Bailey (the medication works!). That is interesting. Wonder what's up there. Just generally are TJS rates higher with relievers than starters? Is that just another data point? These are guys who typically are max effort every time they throw a pitch.

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