The Sox game last night

[60'sfan]

I went to the game in Anaheim last night. I was expecting a pretty good game with Buchholtz against Weaver. I was disappointed when I saw the starting line-up for the Sox. I didn't think Lavarnway should have been hitting clean-up. That's too much pressure for a young inexperienced player. The whole line-up was fraught with weak hitters. I would have liked to have seen Mauro Gomez and Cody Ross out there. Despite that, this line-up put Buchholtz in a position to win. I thought Bobby dodged a bullet when he let Clay pitch his way out of the 7th. I thought we'd see Padilla in for the 8th but Aceves came out. He looked very good in the 8th and threw only 11 pitches. When nobody was warming up in the top half of the ninth, it was obvious that the Sox were going to let Aceves finish. He got the first hitter but then hit the next batter on the foot. It did not look like the batter was hit at all and it seemed to unnerve Aceves. After a stolen base and a 4 pitch walk, it was pretty clear that Aceves was losing it. No one from the dugout came out to the mound and we had the feeling that Bobby was saying, "you want to close, show me what you can do". Two batters later and the game was over and we had a long ride home. It seemed pretty clear that Bobby was playing mind games with Aceves and none of us liked it.

 

[Danzz]

I went to the game in Anaheim last night. I was expecting a pretty good game with Buchholtz against Weaver. I was disappointed when I saw the starting line-up for the Sox. I didn't think Lavarnway should have been hitting clean-up. That's too much pressure for a young inexperienced player. The whole line-up was fraught with weak hitters. I would have liked to have seen Mauro Gomez and Cody Ross out there. Despite that, this line-up put Buchholtz in a position to win. I thought Bobby dodged a bullet when he let Clay pitch his way out of the 7th. I thought we'd see Padilla in for the 8th but Aceves came out. He looked very good in the 8th and threw only 11 pitches. When nobody was warming up in the top half of the ninth, it was obvious that the Sox were going to let Aceves finish. He got the first hitter but then hit the next batter on the foot. It did not look like the batter was hit at all and it seemed to unnerve Aceves. After a stolen base and a 4 pitch walk, it was pretty clear that Aceves was losing it. No one from the dugout came out to the mound and we had the feeling that Bobby was saying, "you want to close, show me what you can do". Two batters later and the game was over and we had a long ride home. It seemed pretty clear that Bobby was playing mind games with Aceves and none of us liked it.

IMO, Valentine mishandled Aceves all year and now his arm seems tired. His velocity is ok but he is having trouble getting wild in the zone and the result is the long HR you witnessed. If you are a closer you pitch 1 inning, maybe 4 batters and only pitch 2 innings in an emergency with a day off following. Bobby just kept throwing him out there everyday. The problem is when you use a closer more he will lose it about this time of the season. I've been screaming about this all season. Baring injury, Bailey will be the closer next season and Aceves will either pitch long relief or start.
Bobby Valentine has always been a little weird and I agree that he was playing mind games with Aceves. I got the feeling that Bobby was happy Aceves got the blown save and loss.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I like Lavarnaway hitting 4th and don't think there's a lot of pressure in that, but even if there is a little it serves the purpose of trials and evaluations for younger players as they play out the season. Likewise trial for the manager and I 100% buy into this take and I think they'll jettison Valentine IF as it seems Cherington has been given some authority...

 

[60'sfan]

I like Lavarnaway hitting 4th and don't think there's a lot of pressure in that, but even if there is a little it serves the purpose of trials and evaluations for younger players as they play out the season. Likewise trial for the manager and I 100% buy into this take and I think they'll jettison Valentine IF as it seems Cherington has been given some authority...

I agree that this is the time to see what the young players can do. I think the chances of Bobby coming back are becoming less and less with time. Someone suggested that the Angels are thinking that it is time for them to make a managerial change too and they are looking at Tito. Could Scioscia end up in Boston? I could live with that.
I still don't blame Bobby for this season. Ben deserves the lion's share of the blame IMO but he has gone a long way toward redeeming himself with "The Trade".
I don't agree that Bobby has ruined Aceves by using him too much. I just don't think
that Aceves has the personalty to close. He is too emotional. I don't think the Red Sox will bring him back next year.
Do you think that Iglesias will ever get a hit?