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Post by Jonathan Singer on Jul 3, 2015 7:56:34 GMT -5
7/3 Red Sox (RHP Justin Masterson 3-2 5.88) vs. Astros (RHP Dan Straily NR) 7:10 pm ET, NESN/WEEI7/4 Red Sox (RHP Clay Buchholz 6-6 3.48) vs. Astros (RHP Collin McHugh 9-3 4.51) 1:35 pm ET, NESN/WEEI7/5 Red Sox (LHP Eduardo Rodriguez 4-2 3.92) vs. Astros (RHP Lance McCullers 4-2 2.19) 1:35 pm ET, NESN/WEEIMLB StandingsRed Sox Hitting StatsRed Sox Pitching StatsMLB ScoreboardMLB TransactionsWeatherSeries Thread Disclaimer: The SoxProspects Moderators will be somewhat liberal in policing the Red Sox "Series" Threads. Some of the Ground Rules are applied loosely in here, as we understand that there is a tendency to want to react (or overreact) to every play of a Sox game with one line reactionary posts. Those posts are okay in the Red Sox Series threads to a point - we certainly appreciate the passion. Just try not to overdo it, and try to maintain some semblance of reason. In addition, please don't let those type of posts spill over to other more substantive threads, where they may be deleted. -The Management
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nomar
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Posts: 10,440
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Post by nomar on Jul 3, 2015 8:28:39 GMT -5
These games should be close. Hope we can give Straily a rough first start tonight.
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Post by ray88h66 on Jul 3, 2015 8:36:58 GMT -5
I hope the Sox sweep them, but it's good to see the Astros and Twins back in contention.
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Post by redsox4242 on Jul 3, 2015 8:36:59 GMT -5
No reason why we can't take two out of three, keep winning series and we're back in the AL East race!! Go Red Sox!
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Post by mgoetze on Jul 3, 2015 8:37:53 GMT -5
These games should be close. Hope we can give Straily a rough first start tonight. We'll have to, as Masterson is likely to have a pretty rough start himself.
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nomar
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Post by nomar on Jul 3, 2015 8:55:09 GMT -5
These games should be close. Hope we can give Straily a rough first start tonight. We'll have to, as Masterson is likely to have a pretty rough start himself. Astros have a solid offense, but LHB hit Masterson much harder than RHB, and their bigger bats are RH. RHB: Springer (DL), Gattis, Correa, Altuve, Carter LHB: Valbuena, Rasmus, J Castro, Lowrie, P Tucker Still, all 5 of those LHP easily have the power to go deep off of Masterson, who has been bad in general this year. Hopefully he can replicate his slider from last weekend.
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nomar
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Post by nomar on Jul 3, 2015 9:07:18 GMT -5
Xander Bogaerts' Soft% by month
April: 30% May: 26.5% June: 21.7%
LD% by month
April: 16.7% May: 16.3% June: 20.7%
Anxiously waiting for his raw power to find its way into games.
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Post by James Dunne on Jul 3, 2015 9:10:40 GMT -5
If Masterson's sinker velocity is where it was in his last start I don't think running him out there is so awful. I'd prefer Johnson in the #5 role, but they also seem to be cautious with his innings total. The thing with Masterson is that his durability gives him value as long as his pitching sticks around in the average-ish range.
The bigger problem for tonight is that the Astros are a good power-hitting team in general. They lead baseball in Iso. So if Masterson's sinker doesn't have any kick then they will probably hit him hard.
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Post by okin15 on Jul 3, 2015 9:16:45 GMT -5
The more I think about it, the more I understand not rushing Johnson. He's the kind of guy where his options are going to be very valuable, as he may well never stick full-time in a rotation. Bringing him up now likely means blowing an option this year, and it'll be more useful (to us or to a receiving team in a trade) in 3 years.
Of course the counter-argument is that a) we need to win now, and maybe he's the best pitcher (arguable) and b) maybe he'll be so good that he won't need the options in three years, or this year, or both (I find that hard to believe).
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Post by mgoetze on Jul 3, 2015 9:26:41 GMT -5
a) we need to win now, and maybe he's the best pitcher (arguable) Yep, I'll argue that. The best starting pitcher available is Steven Wright.
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Post by mgoetze on Jul 3, 2015 9:28:17 GMT -5
As for Masterson, if you must play him, it seems abundantly clear to me that his times through the order split is gonna be big, so he absolutely should be done after 18 batters at the very latest. I'll bet John Farrell is incapable of such analysis, though.
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Post by okin15 on Jul 3, 2015 9:31:03 GMT -5
a) we need to win now, and maybe he's the best pitcher (arguable) Yep, I'll argue that. The best starting pitcher available is Steven Wright. I agree with both your points. It should probably be Wright in the 5th starting spot (though it's possible he's replacing Porcello (DL), not Masterson at first.) And Masterson could be a pretty valuable guy in the bullpen instead of Barnes or Breslow.
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Post by jmei on Jul 3, 2015 9:44:00 GMT -5
As for Masterson, if you must play him, it seems abundantly clear to me that his times through the order split is gonna be big, so he absolutely should be done after 18 batters at the very latest. I'll bet John Farrell is incapable of such analysis, though. Farrell pulled him after five innings in his last start even though he had pitched well.
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Post by johnmark on Jul 3, 2015 9:45:26 GMT -5
a) we need to win now, and maybe he's the best pitcher (arguable) Yep, I'll argue that. The best starting pitcher available is Steven Wright. With respect, I will continue to disagree on Wright. I prefer Johnson, although I think Wright can be a fill-in starter and much needed inning eater out of the bullpen given the current makeup of the SP rotation. While the Sox are only 6 games out currently, I see nothing in our rotation that gives me even a glimmer of hope that a move up standings is in the future.
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Post by James Dunne on Jul 3, 2015 9:49:28 GMT -5
The thing with Wright (and Masterson) is he's totally ready. If there's something specific that they want Johnson working on at Triple-A, or they are trying to limit his innings, then it isn't worth whatever that upgrade is. As frustrating as it can be at times, his long-term development is more important than his impact on the 2015 wild card push.
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Post by 1mpaz10 on Jul 3, 2015 10:07:41 GMT -5
The thing with Wright (and Masterson) is he's totally ready. If there's something specific that they want Johnson working on at Triple-A, or they are trying to limit his innings, then it isn't worth whatever that upgrade is. As frustrating as it can be at times, his long-term development is more important than his impact on the 2015 wild card push. ^^^^^ I completely agree. The Red Sox know what they're doing. Just because we haven't heard anything about Johnson working on something, we shouldn't assume that they just refuse to call him up.
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Post by gregblossersbelly on Jul 3, 2015 10:15:39 GMT -5
Who goes when Victorino gets activated? Swihart to AAA? Or, DFA Leon. I'd guess we send Swihart down. If Victorino stays healthy, I know. Quit laughing. Will we play JBJ enough to keep him up?? Especially, given Da'za's hot bat.
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Post by DesignatedForAssignment on Jul 3, 2015 10:50:36 GMT -5
Leon is terrible hitter.
even the Leon fan club is done with him.
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nomar
Veteran
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Post by nomar on Jul 3, 2015 10:57:45 GMT -5
Leon is terrible hitter. even the Leon fan club is done with him. No such thing
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Post by klostrophobic on Jul 3, 2015 12:05:31 GMT -5
Yeah, the Sandy Leon experiment is OK to try for a little while, but I don't care if he's the best defensive catcher in the history of all times and peoples, you can't accept a 9 OPS+. Not with Swihart and Hanigan both available as well. If Hanigan can keep convincing pitchers to walk him despite his inability to ever hit the ball with any power, he's got a place on this team and Swihart is improving every day it seems (he's my best player in OOTP16 so I may be projecting).
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nomar
Veteran
Posts: 10,440
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Post by nomar on Jul 3, 2015 12:13:05 GMT -5
Yeah, the Sandy Leon experiment is OK to try for a little while, but I don't care if he's the best defensive catcher in the history of all times and peoples, you can't accept a 9 OPS+. Not with Swihart and Hanigan both available as well. If Hanigan can keep convincing pitchers to walk him despite his inability to ever hit the ball with any power, he's got a place on this team and Swihart is improving every day it seems (he's my best player in OOTP16 so I may be projecting). He's a well below average pitch framer too. Really no reason for him to be anywhere near an MLB club.
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Post by kjkramer on Jul 3, 2015 12:28:32 GMT -5
If Victorino is activated today as it appears..... who sits the 3 days versus Houston? They are starting 3 righties. Logic says Vicky doesn't get on the field any of the 3 days but logic doesn't apply with personal moves with the Sox. De Aza has been a spark for us, in my opinion, in our latest offensive surge. He is a lefty at bat killing the ball. I don't want to see him sit with a righty on the hill while Vicky plays and goes 0-4. I don't ever like sitting any player on an offensive roll... I have seen it kill their momentum and run way too often. Betts should never sit either since he is on his own run and way better then Victorino. Hanley has been picking up momentum.... even Papi. Napoli has been terrible still and facing 3 righties. .... now... if they want to get creative (never happen) and sit Napoli a game or two with Papi playing first with HanRam at DH and Vicky in right and De Aza in left.... I would go for it. I am curious to see how this plays out. If de Aza sits a game or two and I have to watch Vicky look like crap and then De Aza loses his run I will be pissed and everyone else should as well. The only person that should sit is Napoli at the expense of fragile Vicky. Be creative or let Vicky sit as the situation dictates. Papi can play 1B a game or two.... or three..... it isn't like Napoli has been playing his usual good defense either... I wouldn't expect much of a drop off if any that is worth the risk to sitting guns on runs... this unit is coming together and the offense is looking great... why mess with it for this Joke that will be hurt soon and not on our team ml next year anyway? TY for 2013 Vicky but now is not your time. Thoughts?
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Post by sibbysisti on Jul 3, 2015 12:32:12 GMT -5
Leon is terrible hitter. even the Leon fan club is done with him. No such thing There's a Lions Club in most major cities, founded years ago in anticipation of Sandy's birth.
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danr
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Post by danr on Jul 3, 2015 12:50:20 GMT -5
Because we have seen so little of him for quite a while, it is easy to forget that Victorino is a terrific player when he can play. He is a tremendous defender and he can hit. That's not saying he will hit, given his long layoff, but he has in the past, and he wasn't doing poorly early in the season (.724 OPS). RF has been a virtual zero most of the season in terms of offensive production - almost literally zero except when Holt plays there. Combined with Napoli's season-long slump, the Sox lineup is missing the hitting it needs to have from those two positions.
However, De Aza has been a lightening rod and not only does he deserve to play, I think the team needs him to play. He is showing the others how the game should be played and it seems to be having a very positive impact.
Ideally, I like the idea of putting Ortiz at first, Hanley at DH, De Aza in left and Victorino in right. That probably is the best lineup the Sox can put on the field right now.
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Post by klostrophobic on Jul 3, 2015 13:07:28 GMT -5
Ortiz at first is just not a realistic option despite how nice it sounds. Maybe a day a week or something, but he'd be broken in a month if you put him out there every day. It's too bad they can't figure out some strict platoon with Ortiz/Napoli/Hanley at 1B/DH. Maybe Hanley and Napoli against lefties and Hanley and Ortiz against righties. Maybe only let Ortiz play first if he has the next day off (LH starting pitcher next day?) But asking Ortiz to play 1B 2 out of every 3 games is a recipe for disaster; there is probably a good reason he hasn't player more than ten games at 1B since 2004.
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