OT; SOX' SEASON DEPENDS ON LACKEY BEATING THE YANKEES

[zyron]

Sox pull it out! Now let's see what happens next. This is a nutty season.

Yeahhhhh, the Sox beat a team playing mostly scrubs.

 

[zls44]

Not totally by accident. Money can cover up a lot of mistakes and buy some success. Pitchers are notoriously difficult to predict. What I find baffling is how a team with a payroll this high could have a batting average this low. They have to hit home runs to win most of their games. The problem comes in when you face a great or even very good pitcher who doesn't give up the long ball. They have a very hard time manufacturing runs. There are too many holes. I know 6th in the AL isn't awful. It is just awful when you look at how much they spend to have the 6th best batting average in baseball.

Holy , anyone bitching about how Cashman/Girardi build a bullpen needs to wake up. Torre was totally clueless. The Yankees have 3 dominant guys to end games (DR/RS/Mo). They've got Ayala. In the postseason, theyll have Hughes in there who has been good.

So that's only 5 good relievers.

Also, they lead MLB in runs and run differential. Doesn't matter how you get there, just get there.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Holy darn, anyone bitching about how Cashman/Girardi build a bullpen needs to wake up. Torre was totally clueless. The Yankees have 3 dominant guys to end games (DR/RS/Mo). They've got Ayala. In the postseason, theyll have Hughes in there who has been good.

So that's only 5 good relievers.

Also, they lead MLB in runs and run differential. Doesn't matter how you get there, just get there.

I didn't complain about the bullpen. I only hate proctor. He is horrendous. My main beef is with the lineup. They score a lot of runs and have that sexy run differential. But that is inflated by games where they hit three grand slams against crappy pitching. None of that will mean a damn thing when they get shut down by great or even good pitchers and lose a short series to end the season. The playoffs will more similar to those one run losses (many of which were walk offs) than those blow outs. Can they play small ball and win close games against the likes of Verlander or Lee or Halladay.......

 

[zls44]

I didn't complain about the bullpen. I only hate proctor. He is horrendous. My main beef is with the lineup. They score a lot of runs and have that sexy run differential. But that is inflated by games where they hit three grand slams against crappy pitching. None of that will mean a damn thing when they get shut down by great or even good pitchers and lose a short series to end the season. The playoffs will more similar to those one run losses (many of which were walk offs) than those blow outs. Can they play small ball and win close games against the likes of Verlander or Lee or Halladay.......

Teams should end up around .500 in 1-run games. I think they'll be fine. If they're in a close game 4-3, it means they got a good start out of a pitcher everyone has been bashing (other than CC and Nova), but that won't be the narrative, will it?

Why not?

 

[NHUConnfan]

When is his contract up? If the sox don't extend it for 15 years, the Yankees have to sign him. He is killing them.

He's arbitration eligible for two more years. I imagine Theo will lock him up soon. He did something similar after Pedroia won the MVP in'08. Sadly, unlike Pedroia, Ellsbury has Scott Boras as an agent. <_<

 

[boontonbomber]

Yeahhhhh, the Sox beat a team playing mostly scrubs.

yes, and it will be interesting to see what kind of team the yankees have on the field against the rays this week , since they've wrapped up home field thru the playoffs. c.c. will not be seen for sure. 'tis a shame, and a weakness of the system, that playoff spots can be decided against opponents not playing their starters. and the orioles are going to be enjoying every minute of anxiety that they can inflict on the sox.

 

[billythekid]

I hate proctor. Another brilliant move by Cashman. And how much is this lineup being paid for not being able to score more than a single run in 13 innings? The Yankees are a very good team. They should be better for how much money is being spent.

How much better do you want them to be? They've already locked up the best record in the AL, have an outside shot at 100 wins and are barely off the pace for the best record in all of MLB. All this with major pieces of the puzzle missing major chunks of the season due to injury. They may not be the 1998 Yanks, but this team has out-performed my expectations this season.

 

[Huskymaniac]

How much better do you want them to be? They've already locked up the best record in the AL, have an outside shot at 100 wins and are barely off the pace for the best record in all of MLB. All this with major pieces of the puzzle missing major chunks of the season due to injury. They may not be the 1998 Yanks, but this team has out-performed my expectations this season.

Total wins is as relevant as total number of runs scored. Yes, it means they have a very good team. But what really matters is how well built they are for the playoffs. In that regard, a lineup with a lot of holes in terms of batting average is not a good lineup to matchup with a team that has great starters like the Phillies. What happens when they face a pitcher that simply doesn't give up a lot of home runs and they can't put a lot of guys on base? What happens is few to no runs will be manufactured by playing small ball AND even when they do hit a home run, it will be a solo. In my opinion, you shouldn't have a team with that many holes in the lineup when you spend THAT MUCH money on payroll for position players. It is like paying Ferrari money for a Mustang. Yeah, the car is great at accelerating in a straight line but it can't be driven fast on a road course. If you are spending Ferrari money the car should be able to do a great quarter mile AND be driven fast on winding roads. That's all I'm saying. And to insert a pun, there isn't a lot of "clutch" in this team.

 

[Zorro]

I think that Francona is a good manager, but he pissed away several games back in mid-season in the name of player development/rest. Of course, back then it did not l0ok as if it would matter. The third base coach, whoever he is, ought to be tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. He seems to have no clue at all; has cost them at least a couple of games by blatantly brainless decisions to send runners or by changing his mind too late. One runner (Scutaro,mebbe) almost broke his leg the other night when the light changed from green to red just about the time he hit the bag. Undefensable!!

 

[sinkhole]

Not totally by accident. Money can cover up a lot of mistakes and buy some success. Pitchers are notoriously difficult to predict. What I find baffling is how a team with a payroll this high could have a batting average this low. They have to hit home runs to win most of their games. The problem comes in when you face a great or even very good pitcher who doesn't give up the long ball. They have a very hard time manufacturing runs. There are too many holes. I know 6th in the AL isn't awful. It is just awful when you look at how much they spend to have the 6th best batting average in baseball.

Shocking that the Huskymaniac would harp on BA, the single most overated stat in baseball. Cali has better insight then you, hell a stop sign a stop sign gives a better breakdown.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Shocking that the Huskymaniac would harp on BA, the single most overated stat in baseball. Cali has better insight then you, hell a stop sign a stop sign gives a better breakdown.

This from the guy that predicted that Evan Longoria would be the MVP this year. What's even less shocking is that a delusional Rays homer would not be able to read at a 5th grade level. How you interpreted my comments as "harping" on batting average is beyond me but, then again, I'm not dumb enough to think Zobrist is as good as Cano or Pedroia. If I didn't think my math knowledge wasn't at least 10X as high as yours, I would engage in a debate on statistics. But, alas, I don't suffer fools. Only an idiot couldn't understand that, if a team needs to play small ball and manufacture runs, they need to be relatively free of holes in their lineup. People need to get on base and someone needs to bat them in and/or move them into scoring position. I can create a monte carlo simulation to prove this point but you couldn't understand it so why bother.

By the way, for as "exciting" as this race is with the Red Sox, your pathetic fan base still can't put a$$es into the seats at the "trop". Your team doesn't even deserve to exist. I don't know what will be more enjoyable, watching your team fail to catch the sox or watching your team get contracted.

 

[zls44]

 

[zyron]

Press play and enjoy both together.

 

[sinkhole]

Ouch. He has no fear i'll give him that.

 

[sinkhole]

This from the guy that predicted that Evan Longoria would be the MVP this year. What's even less shocking is that a delusional Rays homer would not be able to read at a 5th grade level. How you interpreted my comments as "harping" on batting average is beyond me but, then again, I'm not dumb enough to think Zobrist is as good as Cano or Pedroia. If I didn't think my math knowledge wasn't at least 10X as high as yours, I would engage in a debate on statistics. But, alas, I don't suffer fools. Only an idiot couldn't understand that, if a team needs to play small ball and manufacture runs, they need to be relatively free of holes in their lineup. People need to get on base and someone needs to bat them in and/or move them into scoring position. I can create a monte carlo simulation to prove this point but you couldn't understand it so why bother.

By the way, for as "exciting" as this race is with the Red Sox, your pathetic fan base still can't put a$$es into the seats at the "trop". Your team doesn't even deserve to exist. I don't know what will be more enjoyable, watching your team fail to catch the sox or watching your team get contracted.

I have to give you credit man you really do know the game. You are correct a good pitcher can shut the mighty Yankee offense down.

 

[zls44]

 

[Zorro]

I wonder if Ellsbury can pitch. No one else seems to be able to.

 

[doggydaddy]

Total wins is as relevant as total number of runs scored. Yes, it means they have a very good team. But what really matters is how well built they are for the playoffs. In that regard, a lineup with a lot of holes in terms of batting average is not a good lineup to matchup with a team that has great starters like the Phillies. What happens when they face a pitcher that simply doesn't give up a lot of home runs and they can't put a lot of guys on base? What happens is few to no runs will be manufactured by playing small ball AND even when they do hit a home run, it will be a solo. In my opinion, you shouldn't have a team with that many holes in the lineup when you spend THAT MUCH money on payroll for position players. It is like paying Ferrari money for a Mustang. Yeah, the car is great at accelerating in a straight line but it can't be driven fast on a road course. If you are spending Ferrari money the car should be able to do a great quarter mile AND be driven fast on winding roads. That's all I'm saying. And to insert a pun, there isn't a lot of "clutch" in this team.

Yanks have 143 stolen bases this year. 3rd in the league. They lead the league on walks. 2nd in HBP. And despite being "only" 5th in batting average, they are 2nd in OBP.

They are 7th in sacrifice hits, 4th in sacrifice flys.

Sounds like small ball to me. Just because they hit a crapload of HR's doesn't mean they don't score other ways. I think you are confusing them with the team that leads the league in runs.

Not clutch? Yeah, they won 97 games on just HR's......lol.

 

[speedoo]

Yanks have 143 stolen bases this year. 3rd in the league. They lead the league on walks. 2nd in HBP. And despite being "only" 5th in batting average, they are 2nd in OBP.

They are 7th in sacrifice hits, 4th in sacrifice flys.

Sounds like small ball to me. Just because they hit a crapload of HR's doesn't mean they don't score other ways. I think you are confusing them with the team that leads the league in runs.

Not clutch? Yeah, they won 97 games on just HR's......lol.

Facts can be a problem in a discussion sometimes.....

 

[Huskymaniac]

Facts can be a problem in a discussion sometimes.....

Facts? Here is a "fact" for you. Bases loaded, no outs and "R Martin grounded into triple play, third to second to first, N Swisher out at third, J Posada out at second."

Martin is one of the biggest holes in the lineup and grounding into a triple play with bases loaded isn't exactly the epitome of clutch.

 

[speedoo]

Facts? Here is a "fact" for you. Bases loaded, no outs and "R Martin grounded into triple play, third to second to first, N Swisher out at third, J Posada out at second."

Martin is one of the biggest holes in the lineup and grounding into a triple play with bases loaded isn't exactly the epitome of clutch.

Typical.

Who would you replace him with?

 

[doggydaddy]

Facts? Here is a "fact" for you. Bases loaded, no outs and "R Martin grounded into triple play, third to second to first, N Swisher out at third, J Posada out at second."

Martin is one of the biggest holes in the lineup and grounding into a triple play with bases loaded isn't exactly the epitome of clutch.

LOL.......wow...one AB.

He's a defensive catcher, one of the best in the game at blocking pitches and throwing out runners. He has 18 HR's. Yanks will live with his low BA.

 

[zyron]

LOL.......wow...one AB.

He's a defensive catcher, one of the best in the game at blocking pitches and throwing out runners. He has 18 HR's. Yanks will live with his low BA.

Didn't you have a charity bet with a Sox fan based on Jeter's BA. What did he have to hit again?

 

[doggydaddy]

Didn't you have a charity bet with a Sox fan based on Jeter's BA. What did he have to hit again?

I don't remember that. Hopefully I said he would hit .290. That looks like a lock.

 

[Huskymaniac]

LOL.......wow...one AB.

He's a defensive catcher, one of the best in the game at blocking pitches and throwing out runners. He has 18 HR's. Yanks will live with his low BA.

Put down the alcohol. Look up the definition of microcosm.