Will the real Sox please stand up

[60'sfan]

2012 Dead last. Terrible team. Off-season moves, nothing to get excited about. Thinking about taking up the arts.
2013 World Champions. Great team, great attitudes. Lost Jacoby in the off-season but a ton of talent on the way. I'm done with the arts.
2014 Two games out of last (thank you Tampa Bay). Terrible hitting, defense and base-running, erratic starting pitching. Introduced three young talented players to the lineup and they have all, more or less, flopped. Forgive me arts, I may be coming back.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Every season is a gamble when you try to bring a steady stream of new players through the system thereby balancing the payroll and the age distribution of the roster. So far, even with players that really looked can't miss such as Bogaerts and, to a lesser degree, Bradley, it hasn't worked well. Middlebrooks looked like he'd finally found himself in spring training but that hasn't translated to the regular season (injuries haven't helped him either). Nava suddenly looked lost early this year. It happens. The Blue Jays shot for the stars last season and it backfired. The Rays may have finally run out of luck over-achieving on a meager payroll. Even the Yankees had to essentially trash their entire organizational plan when things imploded last season sending them racing back into the market with a checkbook that was supposed to be locked in a vault. They've played fairly well but age and resulting injuries (plus unexpected injuries to some of the younger guys like Nova and Pineda) may be too much to overcome. Perhaps Baltimore will finally be rewarded for two decades of pain as they've gradually built a pretty strong roster over the last 5 or 6 years.

 

[Husky25]

2012 was a dead year before it got started. Leaders stopped leading, emerging leaders weren't ready yet or respected, and Valentine was a disaster. It's obvious to me why he called out one of his most productive players. But in the age of social media, it's much harder to keep problems in-house and foster an, enemy of my enemy is my fried/players galvanized vs. the manager environment (A la early 70's Oakland A's).

The Dodgers should get a World Series Share for 2013. At the end 2012, The Red Sox under went an addition by subtraction renaissance. It didn't help them in 2012, but freed up a ton of payroll space. That said, they did not make any big splashes in free agency. The whole was definitely better then the sum of the parts, but that is because some players played (for some, well) above their norms.

I was not enthused by this years moves either, and players have proved to be at or below their norms (See: Buchholz, Clay, See also: Nava, Daniel). It's also difficult to lean on three new every day players, let alone all of them being up the middle. IMO, they should have tendered Salty along with Drew, Jacoby, and Napoli and then sign Salty for 2-3 years. Ross is only on the team through this year and one of the kid catchers could replace him in 2015, before taking over as the Starter in 2016. A.J.P. is a colossal failure and an A55hole to boot. One of the most unlikable Red Sox in my history of fandom. Salty knew the pitchers, is a hard worker, and better game caller.

 

[mauconnfan]

2012 Dead last. Terrible team. Off-season moves, nothing to get excited about. Thinking about taking up the arts.
2013 World Champions. Great team, great attitudes. Lost Jacoby in the off-season but a ton of talent on the way. I'm done with the arts.
2014 Two games out of last (thank you Tampa Bay). Terrible hitting, defense and base-running, erratic starting pitching. Introduced three young talented players to the lineup and they have all, more or less, flopped. Forgive me arts, I may be coming back.

Welcome to the AL East……..what is the difference in most of the teams? Very little, all in trouble in areas although despite the Rays being last for now the Yanks and Sox may be vying for that spot come years end…….it's ugly baseball and injuries to good players on crappy teams leave you little or no chance.

I guess the good news is you never know with this division………hey you have your SS back!! LOL

 

[G0UCONN]

yes....ugly start but good thing is no one is dominant or running away with it....LONG season.

 

[Danzz]

The acquisition of Drew may spell the end of Bogarts at SS which also may mean that Middlebrooks will be traded and that is too bad. The Sox won't be sending Bogarts down so there is no place for him to get the chance to develop . IMO Middlebrooks has the talent to become a very good ML hitter with right handed power. He just has to learn to stay away from breaking pitches down and away.
Drew brings steady D at SS but he is just awful against LH pitching.
I think what we are seeing compared to last year is the lack of timely hitting. Gomes, Nava and Karp had great years last season but have been nonfactors this season. Still plenty of time to turn it around and as Go said, nobody in the AL East is running away with the division.

 

[60'sfan]

The acquisition of Drew may spell the end of Bogarts at SS which also may mean that Middlebrooks will be traded and that is too bad. The Sox won't be sending Bogarts down so there is no place for him to get the chance to develop . IMO Middlebrooks has the talent to become a very good ML hitter with right handed power. He just has to learn to stay away from breaking pitches down and away.
Drew brings steady D at SS but he is just awful against LH pitching.
I think what we are seeing compared to last year is the lack of timely hitting. Gomes, Nava and Karp had great years last season but have been nonfactors this season. Still plenty of time to turn it around and as Go said, nobody in the AL East is running away with the division.

Actually, Gomes is having a pretty typical year for him. He has never hit for a high average, but he works the pitchers and gets a lot of walks. There are a lot of things contributing to the Sox demise but if I had to lay it on just a few, I would say that two players are contributing the most. Buchholtz has been a disaster this year. In his history he has always limited the number of hits he gives up but this year, he is being hit around like a batting practice pitcher. No one including himself seems to know what is going on. I think the Sox would like to see him go on the DL for about a month and see if someone can figure it out. Problem is that he has no obvious injury. The other big change is the loss of Ellsbury. I did not think it would be this painful. But last year Jacoby was on the bases all the time and wreaked havoc with the opponent's pitchers. This year we do not have a lead-off hitter, we cannot steal bases and can no longer manufacture runs.

 

[G0UCONN]

The other big change is the loss of Ellsbury. I did not think it would be this painful. But last year Jacoby was on the bases all the time and wreaked havoc with the opponent's pitchers. This year we do not have a lead-off hitter, we cannot steal bases and can no longer manufacture runs.

Agree 100%. His loss is the biggest single thing. He is a great ballplayer/leadoff hitter.

 

[mauconnfan]

Agree 100%. His loss is the biggest single thing. He is a great ballplayer/leadoff hitter.

Napoli had a career start and finish…..last year this time almost 2X the rbi I'm guessing. That would hurt also…….

 

[G0UCONN]

The Ellbury loss is greatly exacerbated by fact Bradley, who I think/hope will be good someday, cannot hit at all right now. And the Grady Sizemore experiment has semi-failed so far too.

And that is true about Napoli..he had huge RBI numbers, especially early, last year. Due in large part to Ellsbury being great at leadoff. Plus a 1-2 combo of Ellsbury-Pedroia is about as good as it gets...

 

[Husky25]

The acquisition of Drew may spell the end of Bogarts at SS which also may mean that Middlebrooks will be traded and that is too bad. The Sox won't be sending Bogarts down so there is no place for him to get the chance to develop . IMO Middlebrooks has the talent to become a very good ML hitter with right handed power. He just has to learn to stay away from breaking pitches down and away.
Drew brings steady D at SS but he is just awful against LH pitching.
I think what we are seeing compared to last year is the lack of timely hitting. Gomes, Nava and Karp had great years last season but have been nonfactors this season. Still plenty of time to turn it around and as Go said, nobody in the AL East is running away with the division.

Middlebrooks is on the DL for the next month, but rumor has it that Drew and Middlebrooks will be in an offensive platoon with Bogaerts switch defensive positions, depending on who's in. I don't think this necessarily means the end of Middlebrooks. Drew's contract is only for the next 3/4 season. and they can start fresh next year. The Red Sox however have a 3B in waiting and will be pushing Middlebrooks. That is a bigger factor on Middlebrooks' Red Sox career than Drew, IMO. Also, where is Mookie Betts going to play in 2016? At the end of the day, the Red Sox are defending WS Champs and these are not really bad problems to have.

 

[60'sfan]

Middlebrooks is on the DL for the next month, but rumor has it that Drew and Middlebrooks will be in an offensive platoon with Bogaerts switch defensive positions, depending on who's in. I don't think this necessarily means the end of Middlebrooks. Drew's contract is only for the next 3/4 season. and they can start fresh next year. The Red Sox however have a 3B in waiting and will be pushing Middlebrooks. That is a bigger factor on Middlebrooks' Red Sox career than Drew, IMO. Also, where is Mookie Betts going to play in 2016? At the end of the day, the Red Sox are defending WS Champs and these are not really bad problems to have.

Mookie played center field the other day. I wonder why.

 

[Husky25]

Mookie played center field the other day. I wonder why.

 

[Fishy]

The Sox stink.

Fortunately, the division stinks and a bad team is gonna win it.

Speaking of teams that stink, sinkhole gets real freaking quiet at times, don't he?

 

[60'sfan]

The Sox stink.

Fortunately, the division stinks and a bad team is gonna win it.

Speaking of teams that stink, sinkhole gets real freaking quiet at times, don't he?

The Sox are not the only ones emitting a stench these days. It's just their turn right now. Toronto, the current leader, has the lowest winning percentage of all the other divisions.

 

[G0UCONN]

The Sox are not the only ones emitting a stench these days.

Not the only one for sure but the stench from Boston is strong and particularly putrid right now....

 

[Danzz]

Mookie played center field the other day. I wonder why.

Maybe the Sox thinking Bradley isn't going to be a ML hitter?

 

[60'sfan]

Maybe the Sox thinking Bradley isn't going to be a ML hitter?

I don't think Bradley thinks he is a ML hitter. I am amazed at how poor this whole team is hitting. Two hits in the last 14 innings yesterday is a disgrace. They will probably fire the poor hitting coach soon.

 

[Danzz]

The Sox hitters are all having problems with the same pitch: breaking pitches down and away. Bradley, Middlebrooks, Bogarts and others can't handle that pitch as a strike and can't lay off when it is a ball.

 

[sinkhole]

The Sox stink.

Fortunately, the division stinks and a bad team is gonna win it.

Speaking of teams that stink, sinkhole gets real freaking quiet at times, don't he?

The Sox stink.

Fortunately, the division stinks and a bad team is gonna win it.

Speaking of teams that stink, sinkhole gets real freaking quiet at times, don't he?

A Vikings fan would certainly know something about stinking. Now go ride your Huffy soccer mom.

 

[G0UCONN]

The Sox hitters are all having problems with the same pitch: breaking pitches down and away. Bradley, Middlebrooks, Bogarts and others can't handle that pitch as a strike and can't lay off when it is a ball.

That pitch....if a good one...has given the whole league trouble since Honus Wagner laced em up....

 

[Danzz]

That pitch....if a good one...has given the whole league trouble since Honus Wagner laced em up....

True but they are missing ones that aren't so good.

 

[60'sfan]

True but they are missing ones that aren't so good.

The Sox aren't just swinging at bad pitches. The offense has all but disappeared. They are 13 out of 15 in batting average and runs scored and dead last in stolen bases. Their pitching, which is mediocre, cannot win with that offense.

 

[mauconnfan]

The Sox and the Yanks are eerily similar yet for different reasons. Sox went youth and it may backfire and the Yanks went with experience and they are ;icky to be above .500 with Tanaka being the major reason.

Even a guy like Boagarts who is hitting the ball okay only has 11 RBI thanks to 2 yesterday so even at .282 that's about a 50 pace. I realize no one is hitting if front of him but he still needs to drive in runs when the opportunities are there. Yanks, well they're smoke and mirrors without 2 starters and a couple relievers but even with all back who's to know? A bunch of .250-.270 hitters with even Ellsbury dropping like a lead pipe. Their leading hitter is Solarte lol………good news is so far minus 2 real horrid 0-2 pitches in the 9th Friday Robertson looks like he can close and that helps……not Mo mind you but will suffice I believe. Long way to go but not sure either of these have a chance to contend for a spot in the playoffs

 

[60'sfan]

The Sox and the Yanks are eerily similar yet for different reasons. Sox went youth and it may backfire and the Yanks went with experience and they are ;icky to be above .500 with Tanaka being the major reason.

Even a guy like Boagarts who is hitting the ball okay only has 11 RBI thanks to 2 yesterday so even at .282 that's about a 50 pace. I realize no one is hitting if front of him but he still needs to drive in runs when the opportunities are there. Yanks, well they're smoke and mirrors without 2 starters and a couple relievers but even with all back who's to know? A bunch of .250-.270 hitters with even Ellsbury dropping like a lead pipe. Their leading hitter is Solarte lol………good news is so far minus 2 real horrid 0-2 pitches in the 9th Friday Robertson looks like he can close and that helps……not Mo mind you but will suffice I believe. Long way to go but not sure either of these have a chance to contend for a spot in the playoffs

I agree with you. I don't think either team is going to do much this year. Of course, I thought the same thing last year. Shows you what I know.