Response to ''Giving it Away'' blog

by 75bandwagon on Sep 25, 2009 1:03 AM EDT Comment 18 comments

markinjapan's words were obviously venting in nature. Lord knows I've been known to do that, but their are some valid points to his ''pithy posting''.

It's a moot point since the Yanks took 2 out of 3 from the Angels, but a 3 out of 4 series win in KC would have been great to go in to Yankee Stadium with. It would have been great to be a couple of games closer going into this weekend series. We are playing great ball right now which makes the game 1 implosion in KC leave me wondering. You need to look at the teams we've been playing in September; all bad for the most part. We were lucky to get 2 out of 3 from the Angels because we all know that Green struck out. I still have reservations about some of our guys in the pen - namely Ramirez, Delcarmen and Bard. And the 12 hits in 6 innings against Becket the other night was a bit alarming for me as well. What would have happened against a playoff team? More than 2 runs I can assure you. Does anyone have a stat on base runners allowed with 2 strikes, and runs allowed with 2 outs? It seems like alot, but that might be because I watch the games every night. And it also seems like our bats get stifled by really good pitching. I know that sounds like a ''no shit'' statement, but I've seen us get schooled by Sabathia, Burnett(before his slump), Halliday(before his slump), Verlander, Freddy Garcia, Buerhly(spelling?), Felix Hernandez, and we saw what Greinke did the other night. We wont be going up against cupcakes in the post season. Maybe I'm concerned about nothing, but I'm just posting what I see when I watch the games. Once again, my biggest concern in the post season will be the bull pen being able to hold leads. Bard and Ramirez are my biggest concern in that area. I still don't think Bard is ready to pitch at this level yet. He still has problems with control and good hitters can hit a 98 mph fast ball all day as long they are patient. Abreau was a great example of that last week at Fenway. Bard will be a tremendous pitcher in a couple more years, but I don't think I trust him to hold a lead in the post season. Once again, I hope I'm wrong. I hope you're recovery in going well, Rem Dawg.

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You're right, we have question marks going into the post season.

We should just leave everyone home who we can’t trust in the playoffs. Green, Lowrie, Wakefield, Byrd, Bowden, Bard, Ramirez, Delcarmen, Varitek, etc. I noticed you mentioned how Beckett gave up many hits against Kansas City. Good point, a true staff ace would never do that. He probably shouldn’t get a start against teams that hit well. Lester can stay. Buchholz had a few games where he got into a lot of trouble, I’m not sure if you can trust him during the really big games. Dice-K is a foreigner and I just don’t trust foreigners.

And I agree, how dare the Sox blow up against Kansas City. That really shows me that the Sox can not be trusted with a lead. Good teams NEVER lose to crappy teams, it literally never happens. The players should be ashamed of themselves by being beaten by the presumptive AL Cy Young winner, absolutely ashamed. All in all, our playoff hopes are very grim, you’re right. There’s no way we’re ready. We should pass on the playoffs and rebuild for next year. I hope Theo’s reading this!

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Sep 25, 2009 1:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are a total jerk off. If anyone posts anything other then glowing things about the Sox they get lambasted out here. I posted some personal observations and opinions and was looking forward to some heady responses and I get two paragraphs of sarcastic, pulpish, nonsense. Go fuck yourself, South Coast Ghost. You’re an asshole.

by 75bandwagon on Sep 25, 2009 1:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boy Who Cried Wolf

When you have a tendency to act like the season is over/the apocalypse is coming every time the Sox lose one badly, people will have a tendency to act more harshly towards your posts regardless of content.

by Ben Buchanan on Sep 25, 2009 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I really am an ass, no deny that

And I may have been overly harsh, so I’m sorry.

I guess I just don’t get what you’re trying to accomplish with this. Why not post this in the actual “Giving it Away” Fanpost instead if that’s what you’re replying to?

I’m not going to argue with you over every single point, because some of them are actually valid, especially in regard to the bullpen. Ramirez and Delcarmen actually ARE having bad months, this is true, but I think we both know Bard is here to stay. He may not be our defacto closer next year, but I can guarantee you he’ll be on the post season roster and be our 8th inning guy next year with an eventual move to the closer’s job eventually (hopefully).

The rest, though, I just can’t agree with. Pitchers like Verlander, Hernandez, Greinke, and Halladay are SUPPOSED to shut down teams, even good ones. That’s why they’re called “aces” and “stoppers”. Buchholz pitched extremely well even when he was facing Sabathia and Verlander, and that’s our #3 versus their #1. I’m quite comfortable with our crew going into the playoffs.

DFA Beckett

by South Coast Ghost on Sep 25, 2009 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That’s all you had to say, brother. Sorry for the profanity and insults.

by 75bandwagon on Sep 25, 2009 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not a lot to worry about, really.

OK, first off, if you’re worried about Beckett giving up 12 hits, that’s ridiculous. 8 of those hits were ground balls. Beckett induced 13 ground balls, and had a ridiculously high 8 go for hits. That’s just an absolutely ridiculous number which comes down to the royals getting lucky and hitting them into the holes. A real number to look at from that start is that he got 7 Ks and walked only 1. A playoff team wouldn’t necessarily have done any better (forget that they Royals have been playing great ball of late) because they would’ve had to stumble into the 38.5% ground ball out-rate (standard out rate for GBs is 74%).

The pen shouldn’t be a big concern because of how the playoffs are structured. Wagner and Paps have been VERY good for us of late, and people keep on overlooking the fact that Saito has been absolutely fantastic for us. I agree past those 3 there are a lot of question marks, but given how good our starting pitching is at going 7 innings (at least Beckett, Lester, and Buck all seem to be proficient enough at that now) and that every-other-game there’s a day off, I wouldn’t worry about it. The pen is getting rested and ready to go. We may not be too deep, but it’s not like our competition is stocked either. The Yankees have a good back end but no MR like us, the Angels are closing with Brian Fuentes and the Tigers aren’t much better off with Brandon Lyon as their only really reliable guy.

As for our bats getting stifled by good pitching, yeah, that kinda is a “no shit” statement. But who are you really worried about past Verlander and maybe CC (who has, in limited appearances, sucked in the postseason).

by Ben Buchanan on Sep 25, 2009 2:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and Bard is ready.

He may not be at full potential yet, but he can’t get any better by facing minor league competition. For Clay it made sense because A) he needed to work on composure and get confidence back and B) he needed to work on his fastball control. Give a AAA player 3 ABs to time a 95-mile per hour fastball up-in-the-zone and he can hit it.

The same cannot be said for Daniel Bard. I don’t think he’s got confidence or composure problems, and give a minor league player 1 at bat to time a 100-MPH fastball ANYWHERE and, well…

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/bard-daniel.htm

by Ben Buchanan on Sep 25, 2009 2:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sox Win

and Buchholz pitches a tremendous game to lead us over KC when we definitely needed a win and all you can do is post about how you don’t feel too good about the team? This is why people get their feathers all ruffled when they reply to your posts, it really brings people down in happy times. But I guess you figured you had to say something since you really haven’t had a reason to post for most of the month.

What I see is a team that went from barely in playoff contention a month or two ago take back the wildcard lead and never let go. I see a frontoffice who wasn’t afraid to make some moves to improve them team even if they were a little risky. Did you really expect AGonz to pick his average up 80 points when we signed him or for Wagner to be as dominant as he has been? Neither did Theo but they’ve worked and because of that the Sox have won a lot of games recently but you can’t win them all and occasionally you do lose after being ahead, that is why the game is 9 innings, not just until the first team scores. We are 15-7 this month after going 16-12 in a horrendous August, I see nothing but improvement.

You post a lot of complaints but little solutions. Beckett’s 12 hits, what do you suggest? We bench him? Have you forgotten what his post-season resume is? Do you want to build a time machine and make sure that ump calls that pitch a strike? Do you want us to go around the league and tackle all the best pitchers we may see as they leave the stadium in hopes that we damage some ligaments and are out of the postseason? Are you going to offer up some ways to fix the bullpen? At some point you just have to realize, by rule of the MLB there aren’t going to be any more fresh faces and this is the team we have, is there really any point to complaining about something that no one has the power to change?

"We are not normal, We are Legends. People will tell their kids about us." - Deon Butler before Ohio State Game 2008.

by Rogue Nine on Sep 25, 2009 8:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Beckett's

12 hits=singles and 8 on ground balls (3 infield). Not something to worry about.

by Buzzy on Sep 25, 2009 8:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

Beckett’s outing was unlucky, not bad. It happens. But I’m not going to complain about giving up 12 hits when the result is only 2 or 3 runs—-that means the pitcher worked around his problems, and that’s what you need the ace of a staff to do.

by lone1c on Sep 25, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Every team

gets schooled by the top pitchers when they are on. As for the playoffs, can you name a team in the AL with a better 1-2-3-(4) than Lester-Beckett-Buchholz-Matsuzaka? That is perhpas the most important thing going into the playoffs. I think we are well set up for a good run, even if the pen has been shaky at times in the second half. We are hitting and pitching well, and at the right time, so let’s just enjoy it.

by Buzzy on Sep 25, 2009 8:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What makes me laugh

is the attitude of some fans, err… Yankee fan and Angel fan, who are going into the playoffs relying on guys who FAIL in the playoffs. When has CC ever pitched well in a big game? Not a reg. season game, a game that mattered? AJ Burnett with pressure…LOL!!! Funny. And that bullpen, who is it Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, Phil Hughes and Mariano…impressive.

When has A-Rod ever got a clutch hit in the playoffs?

As an Angel fan how can you think you are better this season v. 2008 and think you can win 3 games out of 5 with that bullpen and frisbee throwing Fuentes as your closer? Mark Teixeira is not around to bail you out this ALDS.

But its the Red Sox who are sucking it up…blah blah blah. Outside of the Yankees home field advantage in that Wind Vortex of a park, Red Sox are right now better than both the Yankees and Angels.

by SoxAcumen on Sep 25, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

to be fair it is not like CC has pitched a lot in the playoffs. His results have been poor but he is a very good pitcher, and I would not be surprised if he pitches well. Pettitte has a lot of playoff experience, and who knows with Burnett. And, actually the Yankees pen is good-Hughes and Rivera at the back, Aceves, Robertson and Coke at the front is pretty good. And they hit well. Same can be said of the Angels-they are not as good as the Yankees, but they are a very good baseball team. I think it is useful to keep in mind that while we like our team, and it is a very good team, these teams are really good too. I would not be overconfident if I was an Angels or Yankees fan, but one should never be overconfident in the playoffs-3 or 4 losses in a series and you are done.

by Buzzy on Sep 25, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs