Second Guesser's Club - The Lovable Losers!

[absintheofmalaise]

Game 1: 7:10
Game 2: 7:10
Game 3: 7:10 ESPN
 
[tablegrid= Probable Starters ] W L G GS IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 BABIP LOB% GB% HR/FB ERA FIP xFIP Jake Arrieta RHP 4 1 10 10 57 10.11 2.37 0.32 0.309 81.40% 51.00% 4.90% 2.05 2.1 2.57 Jake Peavy RHP 1 6 16 16 98.2 6.75 3.47 1.46 0.3 73.60% 39.90% 12.80% 4.93 4.93 4.44                                 Edwin Jackson RHP 5 8 16 16 89.2 8.53 3.91 0.9 0.344 64.90% 39.80% 10.60% 5.22 3.92 3.83 Clay Buchholz RHP 3 4 11 11 57.1 6.44 3.77 1.57 0.362 64.50% 40.10% 12.20% 6.75 5.25 4.82                                 Travis Wood LHP 7 6 16 16 95.2 7.24 3.67 0.85 0.298 69.60% 38.40% 7.20% 4.52 4.1 4.55 Brandon Workman RHP 1 1 9 6 41.1 7.19 3.05 0.87 0.226 76.10% 40.50% 9.10% 3.27 3.85 3.96 [/tablegrid]

 

[glennhoffmania]

When did Arrieta learn how to pitch?  I remember watching this guy 4 years ago when he was supposed to become a solid starter for Baltimore and he never panned out.  Now he's striking out 10 per 9 and walking about 1.5 less than his career average.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

[tablegrid= vs. RHP ] G AB PA H 1B 2B 3B HR R RBI BB IBB SO HBP SF SH GDP AVG Starlin Castro 79 256 274 72 42 19 0 11 11 41 15 2 48 3 0 0 8 0.281 Anthony Rizzo 78 214 255 59 35 11 1 12 12 29 36 6 45 4 1 0 4 0.276 Luis Valbuena 67 193 219 53 28 18 2 5 5 16 26 1 44 0 0 0 0 0.275 Welington Castillo 46 139 148 34 23 6 0 5 5 23 2 0 37 4 1 2 4 0.245 Justin Ruggiano 35 69 81 16 12 3 0 1 1 6 9 0 18 2 1 0 0 0.232 Junior Lake 59 178 187 40 26 6 2 6 6 15 7 0 62 0 1 1 1 0.225 Ryan Sweeney 35 97 104 19 15 4 0 0 0 7 4 0 14 1 1 1 2 0.196 Nate Schierholtz 72 195 216 38 25 8 2 3 3 19 14 0 41 3 4 0 3 0.195 Chris Coghlan 41 81 89 15 9 3 2 1 1 2 7 0 18 0 0 1 0 0.185 Darwin Barney 51 119 124 22 14 6 0 2 2 10 3 1 17 1 1 0 1 0.185 John Baker 34 83 92 15 13 2 0 0 0 4 7 1 25 1 1 0 2 0.181 Mike Olt 48 115 131 15 7 3 0 5 5 18 11 0 56 2 3 0 2 0.13 [/tablegrid]

 

[absintheofmalaise]

[tablegrid= vs. RHP ] PA BB% K% BB/K OBP SLG OPS ISO BABIP wRC wRAA wOBA wRC+ Anthony Rizzo 255 14.10% 17.60% 0.8 0.388 0.505 0.893 0.229 0.297 42 14.5 0.385 144 Luis Valbuena 219 11.90% 20.10% 0.59 0.361 0.466 0.827 0.192 0.333 32 8.6 0.363 129 Starlin Castro 274 5.50% 17.50% 0.31 0.328 0.484 0.813 0.203 0.31 39 8.8 0.354 122 Justin Ruggiano 81 11.10% 22.20% 0.5 0.333 0.319 0.652 0.087 0.294 8 -0.7 0.3 85 Welington Castillo 148 1.40% 25.00% 0.05 0.274 0.396 0.67 0.151 0.296 14 -2 0.295 82 Junior Lake 187 3.70% 33.20% 0.11 0.253 0.382 0.635 0.157 0.306 15 -5 0.278 70 Chris Coghlan 89 7.90% 20.20% 0.39 0.25 0.309 0.559 0.123 0.226 5 -4.2 0.251 51 Nate Schierholtz 216 6.50% 19.00% 0.34 0.255 0.303 0.557 0.108 0.226 13 -10.4 0.25 50 Mike Olt 131 8.40% 42.70% 0.2 0.214 0.287 0.501 0.157 0.175 6 -8.6 0.227 35 Darwin Barney 124 2.40% 13.70% 0.18 0.21 0.286 0.495 0.101 0.198 4 -9.3 0.215 27 Ryan Sweeney 104 3.80% 13.50% 0.29 0.233 0.237 0.47 0.041 0.226 3 -8 0.213 25 John Baker 92 7.60% 27.20% 0.28 0.25 0.205 0.455 0.024 0.254 3 -7.4 0.209 22 [/tablegrid]

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Interesting line up for tonight. 
 
Holt RF
Nava LF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Bogaerts 3B
Drew SS
Betts CF
Ross C
Peavy RHP

 

[KillerBs]

It is hit now or sit for 1/2 the lineup. Still waiting to see if X gets moved to SS, to give Drew a day off, sooner or later.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Unless I'm mistaken, Herrera has been playing SS against LHPs since Drew has been on the team. And based on what Farrell has said, I don't see them moving X between 3B and SS.

 

[Plympton91]

I love the idea of Betts replacing Bradley. Promise or not, this is do or die time. It's time to prioritize production over promise for the month of July, and reassess where we are in the 48 hours before the trading deadline. If they end up sellers, that's plenty of time for Bradley to get another 200 plate appearances and show whether he deserves to be penciled in as a starter in 2015.

 

[Rasputin]

Unless I'm mistaken, Herrera has been playing SS against LHPs since Drew has been on the team. And based on what Farrell has said, I don't see them moving X between 3B and SS.

Yeah, but it's about time that changed.

 

[BosRedSox5]

As Betts is new to the outfield, I wonder if it wouldn't be more beneficial to keep him in one spot, say RF, when possible. 

Obviously Ferrel doesn't see it as a problem, so I guess it's fine, but it seems like it would be better to keep him getting the same angle on the ball as he learns to judge positioning, taking good routes and play responsibilities. 

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

As Betts is new to the outfield, I wonder if it wouldn't be more beneficial to keep him in one spot, say RF, when possible. 

Obviously Ferrel doesn't see it as a problem, so I guess it's fine, but it seems like it would be better to keep him getting the same angle on the ball as he learns to judge positioning, taking good routes and play responsibilities. 

 
He's got more practical experience than Holt had (i.e. minor league time) in the outfield before he got shuffled around from left to right to center to right to left.
 
There are nuances to becoming highly proficient in the outfield, but athletes like these guys don't need a hell of a lot of time to acclimate.

 

[JMDurron]

Raise your hand if you had projected Nava-Betts-Holt as the starting OF combination in any MLB game in 2014.  
 
I'm not complaining, it's just a little surreal.  

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Runs guys. 
 
Holt LF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Pierzynski C
Bogaerts 3B
Drew SS
Betts RF
Bradley CF
Buchholz RHP

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Coghlan LF
Sweeney DH
Rizzo 1B
Castro SS
Valbuena 3B
Castillo C
Schierholtz RF
Ruggiano CF
Barney 2B
Jackson RHP

 

[mfried]

Raise your hand if you had projected Nava-Betts-Holt as the starting OF combination in any MLB game in 2014.  
 
I'm not complaining, it's just a little surreal.  

Tonight it's Holt-Bradley-Betts - even more surreal.

 

[Plympton91]

Tonight it's Holt-Bradley-Betts - even more surreal.

Nava's been getting hot lately; we can't have that continue, time to start jerking him around again.

And the Cubs have Starlin Castro hitting clean up. How long is Theo's leash out in Chicago?

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Nava is 1 for 13 in the last four games.  He's really not that hot.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Maybe this one can score some runs:
 
Holt RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Bogaerts 3B
Pierzynski C
Betts CF
Herrera SS
Workman RHP

 

[DanoooME]

It did, but the pitchers took that as a challenge and gave up more.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

Looks like Theo can still build a great Fenway team.

 

[Rasputin]

That was one of the most aggravating non Yankee series I can remember.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

That was one of the most aggravating non Yankee series I can remember.

 
You've repressed the 10-game losing streak, haven't you?

 

[Rasputin]

[QUOTE="Hriniak]
 
You've repressed the 10-game losing streak, haven't you?
[/QUOTE]
I did say "one of" but yeah, I did a bit of repressing, and who can blame me.

 

[Soxfan in Fla]

Who were the lovable losers in that series? I'm confused.

 

[Adrian's Dome]

Who were the lovable losers in that series? I'm confused.

 
"Lovable" is an adjective you'd use to describe our team?