619 replies to this topic

[cshea]

I'm listening to the game. Is Fairchild's strikezone giving much? Or did Burnett just struggle mightily with the zone?

Burnett was all over the place. Nothing was really close. The Martinez AB really killed the inning. 4 pitch BB, and Martinez follows it up with a GIDP on a 1-0 pitch out of the zone.

[FredLynnsGlove]

Beckett looks on it tonight.

RedOct-- Burnett was all over the place in the 1st. The strike zone looks fine so far.

[Laser Show]

I'm listening to the game. Is Fairchild's strikezone giving much? Or did Burnett just struggle mightily with the zone?

Burnett wasn't close.

Fairchild did give Beckett a fairly generous strike call on the outer half though.

[Fratboy]

Now that was a slick pitch that nailed Tek there.

[Laser Show]

Burnett looks better. Though that might have just been Tek.

[cshea]

Burnett seems to have settled down a bit. Fastball command was good, which is not a good sign.

Of course, it was Drew, Varitek, Reddick.

[EvilEmpire]

Is Varitek really that much better of a defensive catcher than Martinez? I know Varitek knows the staff better, but it really seems like the Sox could be getting more out of that trade.

[Laser Show]

Burnett seems to have settled down a bit. Fastball command was good, which is not a good sign.

Of course, it was Drew, Varitek, Reddick.

Hopefully it wasn't just the bottom of the order. If not, we've missed out on our best chance to score.

[Dogman2]

There was no way for Tek and Reddick to take a few more that inning?

[CrackpotTheory]

Burnett seems to have settled down a bit. Fastball command was good, which is not a good sign.

Of course, it was Drew, Varitek, Reddick.

Burnett can go from "settled down" to "giving up a slam to Tek" faster than Carl Crawford gets to the park when Varitek is in town. You just have to make him work.

[Lynchie]

Beckett working quickly this evening. This is a good thing

[Laser Show]

Is Varitek really that much better of a defensive catcher than Martinez? I know Varitek knows the staff better, but it really seems like the Sox could be getting more out of that trade.

FWIW, Martinez has "allowed" 11 runs or more in both starts behind the plate. Of course, it was Smoltz and Buchholz, so it means nothing.

Martinez has a better arm, but besides that I think they're pretty similar.

Beckett's 2-seamer might be my favorite pitch to watch.

[RedOctober3829]

Sounds like some amazing movement on the two-seamer. Does Jnai not recognize his two-seam fastball? He just lists the four-seamer and the curveball for PitchFX.

[Fratboy]

I'm checking out Cot's free agents list. Think Scutaro's a good fit here for SS? I'd imagine the FO would make him a priority with his breakout season and whatnot.

[cshea]

I'm checking out Cot's free agents list. Think Scutaro's a good fit here for SS? I'd imagine the FO would make him a priority with his breakout season and whatnot.

Is he worth it as a Type A free agent? Assuming the Jays offer him arbitration, that's what he's going to cost, and I'm not sure that a guy who has a OPS this season that is more than 100 points higher than his career average would be worth the compensation picks.

Edited by cshea, 07 August 2009 - 06:47 PM.

[Laser Show]

I'm checking out Cot's free agents list. Think Scutaro's a good fit here for SS? I'd imagine the FO would make him a priority with his breakout season and whatnot.

I'd rather not, unless maybe it's a one year deal. He'll be 34, coming off a career year. Until this year, the only .700+ OPS seasons he had were .701 and .747 in '05 and '06.

EDIT: And then there's the matter of being Type A like cshea said. I don't know much about his fielding (I know he's been good this year), but it'd be hard to believe it'd be good enough to make up for the rest.

Edited by Laser Show, 07 August 2009 - 06:48 PM.

[Fratboy]

Oh, man. Pedey had no chance there. He hasn't had good success on the basepaths lately, and you never want to end an inning that way.

[cshea]

OK, there was zero reason to send Pedroia there. I don't get the logic behind that.

[Laser Show]

Oh, man. Pedey had no chance there. He hasn't had good success on the basepaths lately, and you never want to end an inning that way.

Especially for a team that's having trouble scoring as is.

[Titoschew]

OK, there was zero reason to send Pedroia there. I don't get the logic behind that.

Ditto. Was he going on his own? Disappointing regardless.

[CaptainLaddie]

I think they're playing for that one run for now.

That said, yeah, Pedey's been getting caught a lot more this year (only a 66% success rate) and that's never good.

[Fratboy]

Oh jeez, he's 34? Really? I honestly had no idea he was that old. I'll pass on that then. Is there a Japanese SS they've got their eye on or something?

[Laser Show]

Sounds like some amazing movement on the two-seamer. Does Jnai not recognize his two-seam fastball? He just lists the four-seamer and the curveball for PitchFX.

I noticed that too. Very odd, considering Beckett's two-seamer and four-seamer are very distinct pitches.

[Stuart Scott's Lazy Eye]

Beckett's struggles vs Cano continue. It's fascinating that someone like Cano has Beckett's number.

[EvilEmpire]

Beckett's struggles vs Cano continue. It's fascinating that someone like Cano has Beckett's number.

I think Beckett throws too many strikes to him.

[RedOctober3829]

His last two pitches to Swisher were so filthy. Two seamer on the outside black and a curve inside where you could only foul it off.

[cshea]

His last two pitches to Swisher were so filthy. Two seamer on the outside black and a curve inside where you could only foul it off.

1-2 looked very similar to the 1-0 called strike.

[RedOctober3829]

1-2 looked very similar to the 1-0 called strike.

That was a BETTER pitch.

[OCD SS]

Is he worth it as a Type A free agent? Assuming the Jays offer him arbitration, that's what he's going to cost, and I'm not sure that a guy who has a OPS this season that is more than 100 points higher than his career average would be worth the compensation picks.

I don't see him being offered arb, that said I think that the bigger problem is what would the Jays want for him. JP has got to know he'd have Theo over a barrel...

[Laser Show]

Oh jeez, he's 34? Really? I honestly had no idea he was that old. I'll pass on that then. Is there a Japanese SS they've got their eye on or something?

Not that I know of. Is there anyone else that might be worth a shot this offseason?

[NomarRS05]

Losing Swisher there might really come back to bite.

[Laser Show]

I don't see him being offered arb, that said I think that the bigger problem is what would the Jays want for him. JP has got to know he'd have Theo over a barrel...

Why would this matter if he's a free agent?

Not good losing Swisher there. That could hurt. Still no outs.

[RedOctober3829]

Beckett is really keeping the ball down tonight. I've seen 2 ABs on TV and haven't seen a ball above the belt. Good strategy in this bandbox. He needs to come inside a bit more to hitters with the fastball especially under the hands of these lefties.

This is the best movement I've seen Beckett have since Game 5 of the ALCS in Cleveland.

[Stuart Scott's Lazy Eye]

Not that I know of. Is there anyone else that might be worth a shot this offseason?

OCab will be available according to Cots.

[Titoschew]

Nice work there by VMart and Beckett.

[SeanBerry]

Burnett at only 44 pitches after 3.

Jeter looked like he wanted to mount Beckett. To be honest, after that inning, I also wanted to mount him.

[Mystic Merlin]

That was an excellent play by Martinez. He clearly isn't as nimble defensively as Youkilis, but he cut the ball off. Pedroia wouldn't have had a good shot at retiring Jeter.

[Fratboy]

OCab will be available according to Cots.

I see that too. But if they didn't re-sign him after 04, why would they after 09? Theo doesn't seem too keen on re-acquiring players, Mirabelli and Bard being exceptions, ironically.

[Blacken]

OCab will be available according to Cots.

After last go-'round (which is admittedly mostly rumor), I don't think OCab will ever be back in a Sox uniform. Not because of his on-field behavior, but his off-field.

[cshea]

The Swisher AB hurt the pitch count, but a nice recovery, and a gift from Intangibles swinging away on the 3-1. 51 through 3 for Josh.

[OCD SS]

Why would this matter if he's a free agent?

Sorry, I thought we were looking at options for now if he makes it through waivers, my bad.

I think the Sox can only look for depth through FA, there isn't anybody worth really paying on the FA market who you'd want to start. Which means we're going to be looking at hoping Lowrie recovers or a big trade.

I'm not thrilled that our best option is to pray that Escobar takes repeated dumps on Bobby Cox's desk through the remainder of the season...

[Laser Show]

After last go-'round (which is admittedly mostly rumor), I don't think OCab will ever be back in a Sox uniform. Not because of his on-field behavior, but his off-field.

He's getting up there in age too.

It'd be big to get a couple runs here after Beckett pitched out of that jam.

[Blacken]

You know, I normally hate interviews during the game, but this Lucchino piece is actually a pretty nice complement to the game.

[RingoOSU]

Did I miss the Ortiz statement today? Or did that not happen yet again?

[RedOctober3829]

Sounds like some amazing movement on the two-seamer. Does Jnai not recognize his two-seam fastball? He just lists the four-seamer and the curveball for PitchFX.

Jnai now has the two-seamer on the PitchFX.

[SeanBerry]

He will speak tomorrow at 12:30. The press conf. will be on ESPNews.

[Mystic Merlin]

Did I miss the Ortiz statement today? Or did that not happen yet again?

12:30 tomorrow

[OCD SS]

Did I miss the Ortiz statement today? Or did that not happen yet again?

I thought he was going to make a statement before the game on Saturday.

[Laser Show]

Sorry, I thought we were looking at options for now if he makes it through waivers, my bad.

I think the Sox can only look for depth through FA, there isn't anybody worth really paying on the FA market who you'd want to start. Which means we're going to be looking at hoping Lowrie recovers or a big trade.

I'm not thrilled that our best option is to pray that Escobar takes repeated dumps on Bobby Cox's desk through the remainder of the season...

I'd be willing to bet Theo takes another hard charge at Hanley again. I don't think the Marlins will cave though.

Agreed on Lucchino.

Oof Youk, you gotta be swinging there. You got lucky.

[Blacken]

delayed yuku

Edited by Blacken, 07 August 2009 - 07:12 PM.