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Post by redsox04071318champs on Apr 12, 2014 20:40:52 GMT -5
All, JF is not the problem. We can't drive in runs. Nobody in the AL has more than 7 wins. It's nip. and tuck so far. I'm struck at how many sox have higher OBP than Slug. We gots to drive home the runs. Despite that it only seems that the Sox score runs when they hit homers. Seems like they have trouble stringing hits together to score runs (too many LOBs and GIDPs and some dumb running like Carp's steal attempt). That kind of thing kind of tends to even itself out over time. I hope Doubront has his A game tomorrow and the Sox score him runs because losing three out of four to this Yankee team would be bad. This isn't a scary good Yankee team. They have good starting pitching. Their bullpen is pretty anonymous and their offense has a lot of dead spots in it. This is a beatable Yankee team, even on the road. The Sox have been lethargic thus far this season. Hope they snap out of it soon and I hope the injuries don't continue to mount. The Uehara thing is very worrisome. He's practically a virtual lock when he enters the game. His absence means the bigger possibility of losing a game in late innings, something that had been clamped down while Uehara was in charge.
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Post by semperfisox on Apr 12, 2014 21:20:13 GMT -5
It's pretty clear.
time to get Stanton
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Post by taftreign on Apr 12, 2014 23:22:16 GMT -5
You'd like to think that your 6 hole hitter in a solid offense could at least luck into an RBI through 12 games. Seriously though 0 RBI for Bogaerts. I know it's not a great indicator of performance as Xander has been doing fine at the plate. Just seems to be quite a few oddities to the offense so far this season. Everything just seems out of sync. Once it starts falling into place I can see the team rolling off a 8 of 10 type of streak.
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Post by grandsalami on Apr 12, 2014 23:34:56 GMT -5
SNL did an Ortiz sketch.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2014 0:16:07 GMT -5
Anyone freaking out 12 games into any season should automatically be stripped of the right to ever again use the term "small sample size."
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Post by ikonos on Apr 13, 2014 1:24:54 GMT -5
Anyone freaking out 12 games into any season should automatically be stripped of the right to ever again use the term "small sample size." I am not one to worry about their win loss record in April, but a professional team with high payroll not being in sync and continue to make mental mistakes after two months of being together (including ST) should raise some concern. I think the pitching inconsistency is a bigger surprise to me so far than the offense. And slotting CB to pitch the 5th game to start the season is another surprise.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Apr 13, 2014 2:02:39 GMT -5
While not completely arbitrary, the fact is that stringing hits together has a big component that is just that - random. Players have a batting average on balls in play that differs depending on how prone they are to hit line drives. But there is year to year variation around that average for each player. In other words, even when they make contact, players don't have absolute control over exactly where the ball is going to go - into a gap or into a glove. That difference is just a few degrees of angle off the bat, after all.
That also means that getting two or three players to string together hits also has a random component. And that implies that they should, at some point, work their way back to the mean of that likelihood given enough at bats.
There have studies done about "clutch hitting". The consensus is that it's unlikely there is such a thing. What we can hope for, is that a good hitting team will eventually string a bunch of those together. For the same reason, worrying about Bogaerts' inability to drive in runs is misplaced. Given a good contact rate, if he has people on base in front of him he'll drive a few of them in given enough time.
It's best not to infer too much from 30-40 at bats. Those at bats don't carry enough weight to tell you very much. As one example, Bradley had no walks in his first 20 at bats. He's had six since then. That's variation about some theoretical mean, his actual walk rate. We'll never know precisely what that walk rate is but, given that he stays in the game long enough, after a 1,000 or so at bats, we can start to bound it with some confidence. Twenty at bats isn't enough to do that, and neither are 30-40.
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ericmvan
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Supposed to be working on something more important
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Post by ericmvan on Apr 13, 2014 2:57:15 GMT -5
You'd like to think that your 6 hole hitter in a solid offense could at least luck into an RBI through 12 games. Seriously though 0 RBI for Bogaerts. I know it's not a great indicator of performance as Xander has been doing fine at the plate. Just seems to be quite a few oddities to the offense so far this season. Everything just seems out of sync. Once it starts falling into place I can see the team rolling off a 8 of 10 type of streak. Xander has 32 PA with the bases empty and is hitting .444 / .531 / .519. With runners on, he's 0/15, 2 BB. The former line includes 7/12, 2B, 2 BB with 0 on and 0 out, which includes 6/10, 2B, BB leading off innings. Maybe he's a short-term solution to a different problem?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2014 4:28:15 GMT -5
I still don't see any reason to fret. The team isn't going to bat .190 with men in scoring position all season long.
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Post by thelavarnwayguy on Apr 13, 2014 11:33:10 GMT -5
Eric's numbers could indicate pitchers just not wanting to give Xander anything to hit with RISP and maybe he bites prematurely. That would seem to be an experiential development which will take time to improve. Even JBJ seems to be given plenty of respect at the plate, with fewer inside pitches now. These guys can both do some damage if given the wrong pitch.
It might be considered a better fit for Xander to be a lead off guy for a while. If he is pitched to he probably will put up much better numbers.
I'd even consider hitting him in front of Papi for a few AB. That would seem to help any hitter.
I wonder about the impact of an almost complete lack of speed in the lineup now with no Ellsbury or Victorino. It could be that Ellsbury had residual effects throughout the first half of the lineup.
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Post by godot on Apr 13, 2014 12:04:20 GMT -5
You are correcto about the absence of Ellsbury ( and Shane). They not only could create runs, create confusion and shake up the picture, but also by getting on base, they usually had to pitch to Dustin and Papi. ( Dustin seems to be chasing more, not sure?) Shane by himself will not change things. No two ways about it, they are missing Ellsbury. He was a unique offensive talent. I hope it is worth not spending the money and giving the years. They will also send Lester packing.
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Post by sarasoxer on Apr 13, 2014 12:06:41 GMT -5
I was amazed at how little effort Soriano put into the swing that resulted in a homerun to the opposite field. It was hardly a wrist-flick. Either he has immense bat speed or it was so easy to park one (or both) but I don't think I have ever seen a homerun hit with such ease.
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Post by semperfisox on Apr 13, 2014 12:45:29 GMT -5
Come on Doubront, don't embarrass yourself tonight.
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Post by FenwayFanatic on Apr 13, 2014 12:54:36 GMT -5
Slightly off topic but I've seen some teams had a lot of success bunting so far this early season. Braves just tried to bunt Heyward over and after a botched throw they now they have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Could be a useful weapon for the Sox when we have guys like Herrera at the plate, given our RISP trouble.
EDIT: Both runs ended up scoring. Blue Jays just scored on a suicide squeeze.
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Post by Guidas on Apr 13, 2014 14:30:01 GMT -5
Slightly off topic but I've seen some teams had a lot of success bunting so far this early season. Braves just tried to bunt Heyward over and after a botched throw they now they have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Could be a useful weapon for the Sox when we have guys like Herrera at the plate, given our RISP trouble. EDIT: Both runs ended up scoring. Blue Jays just scored on a suicide squeeze. As could the old, turn your back to the ball like you're getting out of the way and instead take one between the shoulder blades. Esp for Herrera.
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Post by jmei on Apr 13, 2014 15:44:46 GMT -5
Slightly off topic but I've seen some teams had a lot of success bunting so far this early season. Braves just tried to bunt Heyward over and after a botched throw they now they have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Could be a useful weapon for the Sox when we have guys like Herrera at the plate, given our RISP trouble. >Problem: the Red Sox are making too many outs with runners on base >Solution: the Red Sox should make more outs with runners on base Oh, and for every time the opposing team fields a bunt poorly and either doesn't get the man at first or throws the ball away, there's a pretty equal chance that the bunt is popped up or it's a bad one and they get the lead runner or that the first two attempts result in foul balls and now it's an 0-2 count. Bunting is almost always a terrible tactic, and I'm glad the Red Sox and John Farrell are smart enough to not do so too often.
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Post by godot on Apr 13, 2014 15:49:52 GMT -5
Interesting lineup today, Sizemore leads off in left field and Dustin resting, with Herrera at second batting ninth. Of course Nava is in right. It is Yankee stadium. I am glad that they are giving Jr. time to show his worth.
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Post by FenwayFanatic on Apr 13, 2014 16:04:49 GMT -5
Slightly off topic but I've seen some teams had a lot of success bunting so far this early season. Braves just tried to bunt Heyward over and after a botched throw they now they have 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Could be a useful weapon for the Sox when we have guys like Herrera at the plate, given our RISP trouble. >Problem: the Red Sox are making too many outs with runners on base >Solution: the Red Sox should make more outs with runners on base Oh, and for every time the opposing team fields a bunt poorly and either doesn't get the man at first or throws the ball away, there's a pretty equal chance that the bunt is popped up or it's a bad one and they get the lead runner or that the first two attempts result in foul balls and now it's an 0-2 count. Bunting is almost always a terrible tactic, and I'm glad the Red Sox and John Farrell are smart enough to not do so too often. Even if your batter is speedy and a good bunter but also happens to be a double play machine? Not saying they should always do it but there is a time and a place.
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Post by jmei on Apr 13, 2014 16:27:35 GMT -5
If Herrera's at the plate and the Red Sox are down one run or tied and it's the seventh inning or later and he's facing an elite reliever and you can't pinch-hit for him for whatever reason, I'd probably do so. Otherwise, I wouldn't really consider it.
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Post by jmei on Apr 13, 2014 17:21:32 GMT -5
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Post by jdb on Apr 13, 2014 17:35:37 GMT -5
Olney tweet
Lots of concern in Boston clubhouse about Pedroia's wrist, as they wait to learn more from his tests Monday. 6:29pm - 13 Apr 14
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Post by grandsalami on Apr 13, 2014 17:42:55 GMT -5
I would call up Betts
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Post by rjp313jr on Apr 13, 2014 18:35:27 GMT -5
Cobb is a stud.
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Post by grandsalami on Apr 13, 2014 19:18:44 GMT -5
Grrrrr
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Post by FenwayFanatic on Apr 13, 2014 19:23:14 GMT -5
Maybe call up Garin, DL Pedroia, use Roberts/Herrera at 2nd?
Add: Wow that was awesome taking a look at Ellsbury's face when Jackie threw him out and Beltrán failed to score. What a great double play!
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