6/2-6/4 Red Sox @ Indians Series Thread

The Red Sox are hitting .254/.350/.397 and have a 13-7 record against left-handed starting pitchers.

Yeah, Boston has actually hit pretty well against lefties this year, and their problems have instead been with righties. That said, the lineup they'll run out tomorrow is a good bit different than the ones they've had most of the year vs. lefties, as they're missing three of their lefty-mashers (Napoli, Victorino, and Middlebrooks) and will likely start Drew at SS, so I think there might be some basis for a little anxiety.

IIRC Masterson struggles against LHP. Could have a lineup with Holt, Drew, Bradley, Sizemore, Nava, Pierz, and Ortiz. Gomes and Pedroia would be the only RHH.

Or play Herrera in place of Pedroia or Gomes (with Holt and Nava sliding around for the Gomes swap.)

ADD: Do we finally have our Zobrist clone in Holt? (only half joking)

Jon Shestakofsky @shesta_Sox

Red Sox have won 7 straight, tying the MLB record for longest win streak immediately after a 10+ game losing streak (1st since DET 1989).



Going for the record tonight

Lineup per WEEI --- Drew starting at SS

RED SOX LINEUP

Brock Holt, 1B

Xander Bogaerts, 3B

Dustin Pedroia, 2B

David Ortiz, DH

A.J. Pierzynski, C

Jonny Gomes, LF

Grady Sizemore, RF

Stephen Drew, SS

Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

John Lackey, SP

fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-Sox/2014/06/02/red-Sox-Lineup-Stephen-Drew-Bats-Eighth-in-Return-Brock-Holt-Leads-off-Plays-First/

I am sorry, can someone make any sense of Gomes getting the start over Nava, because I can't?

Regarding Drew and Bogaerts change...I am going to keep an open mind....but damn if you couldn't have picked a worse time to ask the kid to make a change.

Neither of those lines are representative of the player Salty is. You can't argue that the 89 PA slump is more telling than the 93 PA heater. Salty also has always been a streaky player. Average those lines together and we get something useful to look at. 237/335/404. That is Salty. Low batting average, takes walks but will never have a "good" OBP, and will hit with some power. That is still good for a 106 WRC, which is a lot better than we are currently getting from any one of our outfielder's at the moment.

Let's look at his stats with a little perspective

Against McCann, and Pierzynski www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2014&month=0&season1=2014&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=5557,4810,746

Against all qualifying catchers www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=c&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2014&month=0&season1=2014&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

I was a bit outspoken at the time that the Sox should have gave him a QO. I realize now if he accepted it, it would have been a mistake, albeit a small, non roster crippling Carl Crawford mistake. But the deal he has now is a bargain. At 5M per WAR he was worth 18M last year alone. Without an injury he should easily get 6 war over 3 years which at any rate per WAR will surpass the 21M he will make. He will also be 31 when his contract expires so these are still prime years. And two years from now if we had youngsters ready he would have been a great trade piece at 7M per year.

The biggest reason that Nava isn't in the starting lineup is that he's on the PawSox.

EDIT: Apparently I missed Nava being called up today along with Drew? My bad.

I'm honestly surprised by how reactionary they've been with Nava, especially since his peripherals are not that much worse than they were last year. It's like they're pretending that his 2013 never happened. If they were prepared to move on from him that quickly, they need a better backup plan than Gomes versus RHP.

You didn't need the italics, I knew that that sarcasm. I guess my top line should of been italicized. I was just belaboring my point.

But seriously, unless this is a day off for Nava there is 0 reason Gomes should be starting over him. If anything start him over Sizemore. It even works out better, because Gomes would be available to pinch hit for Sizemore or Nava when they bring in a LHP. Gomes didn't earn a starting spot with his 732 OPS, he has just been surrounded by a terribly performing outfield.