Second Guesser's Club - Maybe They Can Bring Some Cigars Back With Them

[absintheofmalaise]

[tablegrid= Probable Starters ]   W L G GS IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 BABIP LOB% GB% HR/FB ERA FIP xFIP Game 1: 7:07 Clay Buchholz RHP 5 8 21 21 122.2 7.12 3.23 1.1 0.337 62.90% 44.80% 10.90% 5.94 4.37 4.19   JA Happ LHP 8 8 23 19 112.2 7.43 3.36 1.12 0.308 72.30% 39.70% 9.90% 4.39 4.27 4.22                                   Game 2: 7:07 Rubby de la Rosa RHP 4 5 13 13 78 6.69 3.35 1.04 0.311 79.70% 47.50% 12.20% 3.69 4.34 4.03   RA Dickey RHP 10 12 27 27 169.2 7.48 3.24 1.17 0.281 72.20% 42.10% 11.70% 4.08 4.42 4.12                                   Game 3: 7:07 Joe Kelly 0 1 4 4 22 5.73 6.55 0.82 0.23 76.20% 48.40% 10.50% 4.09 5.36 5.26   Marcus Stroman RHP 7 5 20 15 92 7.73 2.35 0.59 0.31 66.60% 50.40% 7.00% 4.11 3.15 3.47 [/tablegrid]

 

[mauidano]

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Holt SS
Pedroia 2B
Cespedes LF
Napoli DH
Craig 1B
Nava RF
Middlebrooks 3B
Betts CF
Vazquez C
Buchholz

 

[nattysez]

I'd cite Farrell's continued use of Holt in the lead-off spot even while his numbers continue their inevitable rapid decline as an indictment of Farrell's acumen as a manager, but I honestly don't know who else he can put in that spot at this point.  I think it'd be unfair to Mookie to stick him there now, though at some point you're going to hurt Holt's confidence by keeping him up there while he struggles.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

I'd cite Farrell's continued use of Holt in the lead-off spot even while his numbers continue their inevitable rapid decline as an indictment of Farrell's acumen as a manager, but I honestly don't know who else he can put in that spot at this point.  I think it'd be unfair to Mookie to stick him there now, though at some point you're going to hurt Holt's confidence by keeping him up there while he struggles.

Why would sticking with him instead of moving him down in the order hurt Holt's confidence?

 

[Plympton91]

I'd cite Farrell's continued use of Holt in the lead-off spot even while his numbers continue their inevitable rapid decline as an indictment of Farrell's acumen as a manager, but I honestly don't know who else he can put in that spot at this point.  I think it'd be unfair to Mookie to stick him there now, though at some point you're going to hurt Holt's confidence by keeping him up there while he struggles.

It's an indication of how bad the rest of the team has been that I read your post as an overreaction and thought to myself, "He hasn't really been that bad." And then I looked at the splits and note that he has put up a .224 / .291 / .266 line since the all-star break. Ugh.

He did get robbed of that home run though. And, I'm willing to bet this is just normal variation in a player who should be a .280 / .340 / .371 player on average. So, as you say, given the available options, it's worth just looking through it. Maybe a few more days off to recharge the batteries would be in order though. Like with Nava, it wouldn't surprise me if Holt's small stature requires more days off to stay at his best.

 

[Montana Fan]

Would someone mind commenting on how Betts has been doing in CF?  Is the OF a viable longterm option for him based on what you are seeing?

 

[Plympton91]

Left Buchholz in one batter too long. It is a pattern. Really sucks for Clay that his great outing was ruined by Farrell and Koji.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Agreed. The two hits he allowed were bleeders but he can't be left in there to face Bautista.

 

[Rasputin]

Would someone mind commenting on how Betts has been doing in CF?  Is the OF a viable longterm option for him based on what you are seeing?

He's doing okay getting by with tremendous athleticism. He takes some funny routes and he hasn't learned all the corners in Fenway yet, but I'd say it's only a matter of time before he's pretty damn good.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

He's doing okay getting by with tremendous athleticism. He takes some funny routes and he hasn't learned all the corners in Fenway yet, but I'd say it's only a matter of time before he's pretty damn good.

I would echo this .. there were a couple of balls recently where I was thinking that JBJ would have gotten to them .. while most possibly true it's not particularly relevant in that we shouldn't be using JBJ as a standard.

He's been OK .. with lots of upside as he learns the position.

 

[MuzzyField]

Left Buchholz in one batter too long. It is a pattern. Really sucks for Clay that his great outing was ruined by Farrell and Koji.

 
 

Agreed. The two hits he allowed were bleeders but he can't be left in there to face Bautista.

 
I concur, but Holt and Pedroia crashing into each other was Clay serving up an out.  The fact that it was scored a hit doesn't excuse them from joining the "ruined" list.  
Also, I spent too much time rewatching the non-catch in LF to go back and look at pitch location on the real bleeder through the left side of the infield, the defense was shifted to pull, was it great hitting to shoot it the opposite way into LF or did Clay serve the ball up away and make it easy for him to go the opposite way? 

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

I concur, but Holt and Pedroia crashing into each other was Clay serving up an out.  The fact that it was scored a hit doesn't excuse them from joining the "ruined" list.  
Also, I spent too much time rewatching the non-catch in LF to go back and look at pitch location on the real bleeder through the left side of the infield, the defense was shifted to pull, was it great hitting to shoot it the opposite way into LF or did Clay serve the ball up away and make it easy for him to go the opposite way?

From what I remember it was a terrific pitch - down and away about 12 inches off the plate .. just terrific hitting by Melky(?)

 

[MakMan44]

https://twitter.com/PeteAbe/status/504341013335261184
 
Holt SS, Pedroia 2B, Cespedes LF, Napoli DH, Nava RF, Craig 1B, Middlebrooks 3B, Betts CF, Vazquez C 

 

[absintheofmalaise]

The Large Father returns!
 
Holt SS
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Nava LF
Craig RF
Betts CF
Middlebrooks 3B
Ross C
Kelly RHP

 

[Al Zarilla]

We have a discrepancy in left field. Cespedes scratched?

 

[Hee Sox Choi]

After watch Middlebrooks' performance yesterday, I'm ready to call up the red-hot Cecchini and let him have the majority of the ABs at 3b for the rest of the year.  I'm guessing he won't be called up until Sept 1 or whenever the playoffs end, but I have more faith in Cecchini than Middlebrooks going forward.  Let them battle it out for 3b next year with the loser starting in AAA.  I'm not against bringing in a veteran also to play 3b.  

 

[joe dokes]

After watch Middlebrooks' performance yesterday, I'm ready to call up the red-hot Cecchini and let him have the majority of the ABs at 3b for the rest of the year.  I'm guessing he won't be called up until Sept 1 or whenever the playoffs end, but I have more faith in Cecchini than Middlebrooks going forward.  Let them battle it out for 3b next year with the loser starting in AAA.  I'm not against bringing in a veteran also to play 3b.  

 
Allen Craig played the plurailty of his minor league games at 3B -- enough to fully display that he sucked at it. Wouldn't it be great if he could just be a shitty 3Bman instead of a completely incompetent one.  Would alleviate so many problems.

 

[mabrowndog]

RHRP Heath Hembree optioned to the PawSox.
 
LHSP Edwin Escobar, who arrived with Hembree from SF in the Peavy trade, gets the call-up.

 

[benhogan]

RHRP Heath Hembree optioned to the PawSox.
 
LHSP Edwin Escobar, who arrived with Hembree from SF in the Peavy trade, gets his first MLB call-up.

actually Escobar came up Aug 10th for a few days, he didn't pitch.
 
From ESPN:

 
August 10, 2014


Optioned RHP Heath Hembree to Pawtucket (IL). Recalled LHP Edwin Escobar from Pawtucket.

 

[mabrowndog]

actually Escobar came up Aug 10th for a few days, he didn't pitch.

 
Yup, totally slipped my mind. Thanks for catching that.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

And good chance he goes back down to the Bucket after tonight or tomorrow's game so they can bring up a starter for Friday.  Unless they want to give him a start -- he's coming off of a dreadful outing on Saturday.

 

[mfried]

RHRP Heath Hembree optioned to the PawSox.
 
LHSP Edwin Escobar, who arrived with Hembree from SF in the Peavy trade, gets the call-up.

The biggest disappointment in last night's stomp was Hembree who was the perfect Blue Jay slump solver.  Hope for Escobar springs eternal.

 

[geoduck no quahog]

It's still only Fall Training. Hope is always present.

 

[Plympton91]

The biggest disappointment in last night's stomp was Hembree who was the perfect Blue Jay slump solver.  Hope for Escobar springs eternal.

It's kind of disappointing that they sent Hembree down because of a bad outing, and remains disappointing that he has been pretty poor since he was left in to throw 62 pitches in a meaningless game that they lost anyway. I hope that outing didn't cause an injury that gets revealed soon.

 

[mabrowndog]

And good chance he goes back down to the Bucket after tonight or tomorrow's game so they can bring up a starter for Friday.  Unless they want to give him a start -- he's coming off of a dreadful outing on Saturday.

 
I'll take "Things I agree with Lose about" for $800, Alex.
 
Brian MacPherson ‏@brianmacp 29m
Farrell declined to announce a starter for Friday, but it would surprising if it's anyone other than Ranaudo.
 
Brian MacPherson ‏@brianmacp 2m
Ranaudo is no longer listed among the probable upcoming pitchers in the PawSox media notes. PawSox have TBA listed Thursday.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

Left Buchholz in one batter too long. It is a pattern. Really sucks for Clay that his great outing was ruined by Farrell and Koji.

 
So much for personal responsibility.
 
Losing it at under 100 pitches isn't on anyone but Clay. If blame is needed, it's on Gibbons who was able to throw Buchholz off his game by simply challenging a play. Buchholz has pitched well against Bautista, had a double play set up and has groundball tendencies, and completely shit the bed again. There's zero reason to waste the bullpen in situations like that, and if they're working for 2015, it's far more important to see if Buchholz can ever pitch like an ace than to further wear out an "40 year ok reliever".

 

[mabrowndog]

Boston Red Sox ‏@RedSox 57m
RHP @anthony_ranaudo is scheduled to start for #RedSox Friday night in Tampa.