Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

by Allen Chace on Jun 8, 2007 4:00 AM EDT in Game Stories Comment 7 comments

Title is not exactly in reference to today's game. I'll explain later.

Image from Yahoo!

The Starter:

Dr. Curtly was on, ladies and gentleman. He took a "no-somethinger" into 8 2/3 innings, only to allow a "something" at that point. What? There's no way I can retroactively jinx him? Terrific. "Something" stands for "hit"

The 'Pen:

Horrid job guys. Didn't retire ONE batter. The game must still be going on, right?

The Lineup:

7 baserunners, and one of those "baserunners" was Papi's solo HR. Have to get the bats going in Arizona.

The Field:

Error by Lugo. Coco's league-leading 568th web gem of the season. Lowell's recovery of a bad hop grounder to 3B.

The Schill. He's been a stopper for us as long as he's been in Boston, and was much moreso today.

No one. And thus we enter...

Soapbox Time:

Red Sox fans: Blame Lugo if you like, but it was, I think the first out of the 9th, where Lugo came out of nowhere to snag a grounder almost directly up the middle. I loved A-Gone as much as anyone, but Lugo's range is far superior (and I think this has been ridiculously clear already this season), and A-Gone may have only gotten close enough to wave at the ball as it skipped its way to a waiting Crisp in CF.
Yankee fans: Wow. You know, I'd like to believe that if Mussina, say, had been going for a no-no only up by a run in the 9th, against the Mariners, I'd be able to root for baseball history to be made. But that's just what I'd like to believe. I'd probably actually hope that Willie Bloomquist or Jose Vidro would hit a HR.
Fans of...other teams: Look. There's no Sox fan that isn't aware that Curt should keep his mouth shut a little more often. But if his biggest crime is having been a Dubya-supporter and being too talkative, then I really can't understand the venom that I've seen from some opposing teams' blogs, whose names I won't mention. If you want to root against a no-hitter from someone like Brett Myers, or heck, hope that Julio Lugo is a single from the cycle, only to have your pitcher either IBB him or throw one at his back, I don't have a problem with that. There were people not rooting neccessarily for their team to win, just wanted Curt to lose the no-hitter.

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Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

I don't think you're going to get any argument about anything in this post, so let me address the

Lugo versus Seabass: In-freakin'-dizzle. AGon never made an error, but watching Lugo's range this season, it's becoming incredibly obvious that part of the reason was that AGon didn't get to as many balls and didn't have as many tough chances. Lugo's error totals are bigger, but he still represents more outs than any shortstop in recent memory, and that is the real measure.

Of course, if he doesn't make that error, Stewart doesn't come up in the 9th and we're crowing about the perfect game.

Jack Roy f/k/a Tony the Pony

by Tony the pony on Jun 8, 2007 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

Agreed on all points. The error was big in terms of this game, and it's one that A-Gone wouldn't have made. But I've generally been very pleased with Lugo on defense, and if he makes a fielding error or small throwing error on a ball that, last season, would've just gone between Lowell and A-Gone for a single, then nothing has changed, except for the fact of Lugo's plus if less accurate arm, because sometimes he'll turn those into outs.

I came off a bit rambling, but I think you get my point.

"Interesting. No wait, the other thing. Tedious." -Bender Bending Rodriguez.

by Allen Chace on Jun 8, 2007 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

Lugo does have the range, but his defensive woes have been centered around his throwing arm. And there is a difference between A-Gon not getting to a ball and Lugo getting to it and making a throwing error: the runner can't get an extra base between Lowell and A-Gon, but definitely can on a bad throw by Lugo.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jun 8, 2007 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

Even still, I think you can make the argument that it balances in a basic sense, because even if a runner takes the extra base, some of those would-be singles are being turned into outs. In a game situation, could it hurt more than a ball just being picked up by Manny in the outfield grass? Sure. But I think the overall effect over the course of the season will end up roughly even.

"Interesting. No wait, the other thing. Tedious." -Bender Bending Rodriguez.

by Allen Chace on Jun 8, 2007 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

True. But I think the reason A-Gon is regarded as being so good is because he gets to the ball, he handles the ball, he throws the ball on a line. A lot of SS can't say that.

And remember, Schilling has said on his blog that A-Gon is one of the best fielders he has ever seen.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Jun 8, 2007 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Game Story: We're Better Than That, Aren't We?

Umm.. I neglected to finish a sentence there. Let's make that: "address the one thing that people may not have noticed about our cold-hitting shortstop."

Jack Roy f/k/a Tony the Pony

by Tony the pony on Jun 8, 2007 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs