Second Guesser's Club - The Spawn of Satan Visit The Fens

[absintheofmalaise]

Game 1: 4/22 7:10pm Tanaka RHP vs. Lester LHP MLBN
Game 2: 4/23 7:10pm Pineda RHP vs. Lackey RHP ESPN
Game 3: 4/24 7:10pm Sabathia LHP vs. Doubront LHP MLBN

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Sox line up:
 
Sizemore RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Pierzynski C
Bogaerts SS
Holt 3B
Bradley Jr. CF
Lester LHP

 

[Reverend]

Satan is the great deceiver. Aren't the Yankees and their fans pretty clear about their awfulness?
 
I think I like this lineup. But mostly because I don't understand Nava and Carp.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

SoS line up:

Ellsbury CF
Jeter SS
Beltran DH
Soriano LF
Teixeira 1B
McCann C
Solarte 3B
Suzuki RF
Roberts 2B
Tanaka RHP

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Line ups

Sizemore RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Carp LF
Pierzynski C
Bogaerts SS
Holt 3B
Bradley Jr. CF
Lackey RHP


Ellsbury CF
Jeter SS
Beltran DH
McCann C
Soriano LF
Teixeira 1B
Gardner RF
Roberts 2B
Johnson 3B
Pineda RHP

 

[trekfan55]

I understand that they needed a pitcher fir today  But seeing Sizemore in RF (especially in Fenway) gives me the heebejeebes.
 
The limited amount of the game I saw last night (last night of Passover, plus my son finishing up packing and preparing to participate in the March of the Living trip helped not watch much of that) I saw too many balls falling for hits that should have been outs in RF, those are not recorded as errors, nor are the runs unearned, but put Victorino there and maybe the Yankees don't get 4 or 5 outs in an inning.

 

[Plympton91]

Line ups

Sizemore RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Carp LF
Pierzynski C
Bogaerts SS
Holt 3B
Bradley Jr. CF
Lackey RHP


Ellsbury CF
Jeter SS
Beltran DH
McCann C
Soriano LF
Teixeira 1B
Gardner RF
Roberts 2B
Johnson 3B
Pineda RHP

 
Interesting move by Girardi to put Gardner in RF to maximize the range benefit even though his arm is just as weak as Ellsbury's. 

 

[normstalls]

I love Farrell but the non move of Gomes to face Thornton was beyond idiotic and indefensible! That one really ticked me off because the outcome of a Carp at bat was so obvious. Ugh

Edit - Gomes only OF left. Maybe scared of injury? Only 4th inning - I just hate Carp so much.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

I understand that they needed a pitcher fir today  But seeing Sizemore in RF (especially in Fenway) gives me the heebejeebes.

 
There is some irony that "they needed an extra pitcher" on the day that it turned out they least needed an extra pitcher. But lacking a crystal ball or time machine, that's what we got.  
 
At least Sizemore crossed home plate.

 

[derekson]

 
Interesting move by Girardi to put Gardner in RF to maximize the range benefit even though his arm is just as weak as Ellsbury's. 

 
Gardner has a much stronger arm than Ellsbury. It's not strong for a RFer, but it's pretty average for a CF/LF.
 
Not PHing Gomes in the 4th when Carp was up and Girardi brought in Thornton seemed like a missed opportunity tonight. Get a chance for Gomes to drive in 2 insurance runs against a LHRP, and then upgrade the defense in LF for the rest of the game. Instead Thornton dominated Carp and then cruised through another inning facing 2 more lefties and Bogaerts.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I love Farrell but the non move of Gomes to face Thornton was beyond idiotic and indefensible! That one really ticked me off because the outcome of a Carp at bat was so obvious. Ugh

Edit - Gomes only OF left. Maybe scared of injury? Only 4th inning - I just hate Carp so much.

 
This is why we have Game Threads.  Posts derived from "hate" of certain ballplayers belong there.

 

[lexrageorge]

I can understand Carp hitting in that situation.  It was the 4th inning of a game where the team only had 4 outfielders on the roster.  Carp hitting there isn't ideal, but you can't pinch hit for every unfavorable hitter vs. batter matchup that comes along.  
 
Not sure why Napoli had a green light to steal in the 7th, however.  
 
EDIT:  Didn't realize it was a failed hit-and-run.  I was watching on a distant screen with no sound.  Can't really 2nd guess the hit-and-run play in that situation. 

 

[Adrian's Dome]

I can understand Carp hitting in that situation.  It was the 4th inning of a game where the team only had 4 outfielders on the roster.  Carp hitting there isn't ideal, but you can't pinch hit for every unfavorable hitter vs. batter matchup that comes along.  

 
Not to mention if you PH Gomes the Yankees probably IBB him to let Thornton face AJ, then you're left with no bench OFs. When Victorino comes back this becomes less of an issue, but for that exact moment I was OK with not making the move (much as I hated the matchup.)

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

I can understand Carp hitting in that situation.  It was the 4th inning of a game where the team only had 4 outfielders on the roster.  Carp hitting there isn't ideal, but you can't pinch hit for every unfavorable hitter vs. batter matchup that comes along.  
 
Not sure why Napoli had a green light to steal in the 7th, however.  

It was a hit and run, and AJ swung through the pitch.

 

[normstalls]

 
This is why we have Game Threads.  Posts derived from "hate" of certain ballplayers belong there.

I probably shouldn't have said I hate Carp - that was unnecessary.  That said it was a second guess of the move.  Gomes is better defensively too - I recognize the short bench, but I still would like to have seen Gomes in that spot and for the remainder of the game in LF.  The more I think about it, I really don't see why Carp is on this team.  I will second guess the decision to have him on the roster.  He looks terrible at the plate right now and we all know he is terrible in the field.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

It was a hit and run, and AJ swung through the pitch.

 
I think this was a pretty interesting call by Farrell and I'm not sure why more people aren't in favor of his making this call again in the future. You've got a slow runner at both first and the plate. You're suffering through a run of double plays that has to be frustrating. The one skill that AJ seems to have is not striking out - justifying his completely lack of ability to take a pitch (well, not complete lack - he did walk last night). 
 
And you've got a 2-0 count, so you're relatively assured of getting something around the strike zone that AJ can handle. 
 
Unfortunately, it looked like AJ froze up in the moment and took an awkward swing with the sole intent of making contact. Not surprisingly, it didn't work, he swung through, and Nap was a dead duck. 
 
However, the aggressive tactics by Farrell there are pretty sound, if you ask me. 

 

[lexrageorge]

I probably shouldn't have said I hate Carp - that was unnecessary.  That said it was a second guess of the move.  Gomes is better defensively too - I recognize the short bench, but I still would like to have seen Gomes in that spot and for the remainder of the game in LF.  The more I think about it, I really don't see why Carp is on this team.  I will second guess the decision to have him on the roster.  He looks terrible at the plate right now and we all know he is terrible in the field.

Carp is on the roster because he's been decent as a left handed utility bat off the bench 2 of the 3 seasons he's been in that role.  Unfortunately, he very much has had an "odd year Beckett" aspect to his career to date.  It's hard to judge a guy on 28 at-bats.  The problem is that with the struggles of Nava, Gomes, Sizemore, at the plate and in the field, and JBJ at the plate, Carp's limitations have been magnified.  

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Welcome back Vic Torino.
 
Pedroia 2B
Victorino RF
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Bogaerts SS
Holt 3B
Ross C
JBJ CF
Doubront LHP

 

[absintheofmalaise]

The other guys:
 
Ellsbury CF
Jeter SS
Beltran RF
Soriano DH
Teixeira 1B
McCann C
Gardner LF
Roberts 2B
Solarte 3B
Sabathia LHP

 

[RedOctober3829]

Welcome back Vic Torino.
 
Pedroia 2B
Victorino RF
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Gomes LF
Bogaerts SS
Holt 3B
Ross C
JBJ CF
Doubront LHP

Against a lefty, I'd love to put Xander in the 2-hole and Victorino in the 6 spot but other than that I like this lineup. 

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Against a lefty, I'd love to put Xander in the 2-hole and Victorino in the 6 spot but other than that I like this lineup. 

Pete Abraham @PeteAbe

Farrell on Pedroia hitting 1st and Victorino 2nd: "I’d like to think we take the current lineup and run with it for a while.” #redsox
 
Looks like we might be seeing this one against RHP and LHP for a while. I haven't seen anything lately about Victorino switch hitting.
 
 

 

[trekfan55]

 
Pete Abraham @PeteAbe

Farrell on Pedroia hitting 1st and Victorino 2nd: "I’d like to think we take the current lineup and run with it for a while.” #redsox
 
Looks like we might be seeing this one against RHP and LHP for a while. I haven't seen anything lately about Victorino switch hitting.
 
 

 

 
 
To that:

 

Maureen Mullen ‏@MaureenaMullen 18m
Farrell ok with letting Victorino decide on his own when to hit as LHB or RHB.
 

 
Via Twitter

 

[MakMan44]

So is Farrell making a mistake letting his SP going too long when it's pretty clear they don't have it?
 
I have no clue what's going to happen tonight and pulling starters early too often is a good to burn out your bullpen BUT we would have won that O's game if Clay gets pulled a little earlier and letting Doubront give up 3 more runs in the 3rd feels like a big mistake. 

 

[MakMan44]

He has no choice, you can't keep pulling your starters in the 5th (never mind the 3rd!) and expect to have a winning team.

Yeah, I agree, it's just really rough watching them give up runs without trading them for outs, especially when he ends up pulling them in the 3rd anyway. There's no good solution and I wouldn't call it a second guess per se but it has not been fun watching the SPs this week. 

 

[Curt S Loew]

 it has not been fun watching the SPs this week. 

Last night was pretty fun.  Short memory?

 

[MakMan44]

Last night was pretty fun.  Short memory?

Fine: 3/4 this week have not been fun to watch. 

 

[Plympton91]

Wasn't the defense at least as much of a problem as Doubront, though part of that was Doubront's defense? 

 

[WenZink]

So is Farrell making a mistake letting his SP going too long when it's pretty clear they don't have it?
 
I have no clue what's going to happen tonight and pulling starters early too often is a good to burn out your bullpen BUT we would have won that O's game if Clay gets pulled a little earlier and letting Doubront give up 3 more runs in the 3rd feels like a big mistake. 

The win expectancy of a home team down 4-0, entering the 3rd, is already less than 10%.  You don't really want to expend throwing additional resources at what is almost a lost cause.   At that point, Farrell was less concerned about winning the game and was just hoping that Dubrount could eat some innings. 
 
Of course, as fans, we don't care about saving resources (relievers, in this case) for tomorrow night's game.  We just care about the game we're watching now.