Defense Shines As Red Sox Top Twins Again
by Ben Buchanan on Apr 1, 2010 4:29 PM EDT
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PrintJohn Lackey just wasn't at his best today. He wasn't missing a ton of bats, he only struck out two, and he gave up his first walk of the spring.
So how is it he left the game having given up one run over five innings? It's all about the defense. The new left side of the Red Sox' infield went to work, making out after out. Adrian Beltre especially seemed to be all over the place, making plays at third, in front of short, in front of the mound, and even at second. The Twins' only run off of Lackey came on a Jim Thome home run, for which there is, obviously, no defense.
Offensively, the Sox were just as quiet against opposing starter Nick Blackburn, who after giving up a leadoff single to Marco Scutaro retired more than ten straight Red Sox. It was only in the 5th that the Red Sox managed to break through, loading the bases before a Tug Hullet groundout and a Marco Scutaro single plated three runs.
The biggest concern going into the regular season for the Red Sox has to be the bullpen. Manny Delcarmen, relieving John Lackey in the sixth, did nothing to quiet those fears. Manny was wild as can be, giving up a walk and hitting two Twins en route to allowing two earned runs in the process of recording five outs. His velocity remained down around 90 for the entire outing. It's hard to feel good about MDC these days.
While Delcarmen allowed the Twins to tie the game, the Red Sox offense wasn't done. Ryan Kalish blooped a single between three twins defenders, and came around to score from first on a Nate Spears triple to right field. Spears was knocked in himself by an Aaron Bates single, setting up the final 5-3 score.
Following MDC out of the pen, Scott Schoeneweis had his first solid outing of the spring, allowing only a walk in a scoreless inning. Joe Nelson, his competition for the final bullpen spot, managed to keep up, though, allowing two hits in his own scoreless inning.
The Red Sox will play one more game in Fort Myers against the Nationals before heading to Washington to take them on in their park. Then it's on to Fenway for Opening Day.
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I hope the Red Sox
aren’t infected by the penitentiary that holds the Washington Nationals. Maybe they’ll be so happy to get to a real park on Sunday that they’ll blow NY out.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
You mean the convention center-exterior,
cinder block-interior, overlooks-a-parking-garage Nationals Park? No, I don’t. In a long line of questionable HoK parks, it’s the ugliest.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
I'm building a virtual version I like it so much
:)
The Red Sox offense isn't an issue,- until its an issue.
You probably don't need to
there are plenty of convention center models on Google Earth.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
The actual park part looks pretty nice on TV
Different in the real world?
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Apr 1, 2010 7:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The main camera is
about 10 miles up since they decided to take taxpayer money to push the taxpaying visitors as far from the field as possible. The sightlines are awful,and the aforementioned parking garages block the view of the capitol. And like every HOK park, the outfield setup is completely random and overcomplicated.
HOK has done well on occasion, but this is not one of them.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
HoK sport
is the KC company that is behind nearly every new park since New Comiskey. They’re known for overly complex outfield dimensions/stands, a (general) lack of cantilevering, and mostly using red brick and green steel. Lately they’ve been designing parks that look like airplane terminals (NYS, Nationals Park).
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
Not sure what's really terrible about the park
DC didn’t exactly open up it’s best real estate for development, so like many ballparks, you build in an area that can appreciate over time.
For the Nats, there is certainly a lot of appreciation that needs to happen but that’s not really the park or teams fault.
I’m not sure what’s overly complicated in the OF, it’s squared vs curved and there’s a ‘jog’ in LF which pays homage to the Senators original park in DC.
It does appear the grandstand seats beyond 1ST and 3RD bases to look out onto the outfield vs pitcher/batter but that’s the sad truth in nearly all ballparks.
It’s not about the area, plenty of good parks have been built in pits. CBP was put in the middle of a parking lot and it’s great. But when the exterior is totally generic and has nothing at all to do with the architectural history of our nation’s capital, it’s a massive failure. Just another faux-modernist corporate piece of crap ruining our landscape.
As for the outfield, there is nothing at all logical about any of the placement. dead-center is an awkward, meaningless triangular chunk of green concrete that leads to a service ramp, without any attempt to integrate it into the greater whole. The Red Porch is fenced in and has nothing to do with anything else around it. Then the walls in RF are overly tall pushing fans even farther from the field, with the club seats arbitrarily floating above.
They could have built something relating to the architectural legacy of our nation over its first 200 years, which thus connects to the collected knowledge of centuries of designers and craftsmen. Instead, we have an airplane hanger next to parking garages.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
Can MDC be sent down to Pawtucket?
He’s got issues. It would also allow us to keep both Shoeneweis and Nelson. Everybody loves MDC, but I love pitchers getting outs more.
Beltre
I saw him make a nice play early in the game.
So I went to Olympia Sports to buy his shirt.
They didn’t have one.
So I burnt the place down.
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he was absolutely absurd in this game
he proved once and for all that yes, his defense is a game changer.
Manny DelCarmen
Has NEVER made me feel at ease. Every time he comes into the game late in a tight 1 or 2 run game I get nervous.
I have no idea why he is still a Red Sox player. Get rid of him and Ramon Ramirez ASAP. I does a diservice to one of the best front 5 starters in the majors to have such a mediocre bridge to Paps.
And replace him/them with whom, exactly?
Unless there’s an influx of awesome bullpen arms coming from Japan, or space, I don’t think we have many options.
Building Fenway from the ground up - Virtual Fenway
Defense shines Again.
Just saying, this team will win a championship off of their sheer defensive and pitching ability. With the best 1,2,3 in the Majors, and the best infield defense as well, all the Sox need to do is score like 3 runs a game and they will win most. This team will end up winning the division if the pitching holds to form. That means Beckett, Lackey, and Lester all finish with 16 or 17 wins, and sub 3.50 ERAs. Though it seems a little impossible, I think the top three could al win 20 games. They probably won’t. But they can do it.
all 3 certainly have the potential
but I think it would be almost impossible the way the game is today for more than one of them to do it in a year. The questions is, which is most likely?
It is almost impossible.
I believe that no three some has won 20 games since the Baltimore Orioles of old. I forget which year.
I’d say the most likely is Beckett. Contract year.
I don't think this is a contract year
I think they alraedy have an agreement that they’ll be announcing shortly after the season begins.
I think Lester’s most likely personally, just because I think he’ll end up with the most starts over the year.
I think you may be right.
But my thoughts on Lester is that being a lefty, he may have the edge. Who was the last lefty to win 20?
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