Second Guesser's Club - The West Sox

[absintheofmalaise]

Game 1: 10:05 6/19
Game 2: 10:05 6/20
Game 3: 4:05 6/21 MLBN
Game 4: 4:05
 
[tablegrid= Probable starters ] W L G GS IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 BABIP LOB% GB% HR/FB ERA FIP xFIP Jake Peavy RHP 1 4 14 14 87.1 6.9 3.4 1.34 0.303 76.50% 40.40% 12.00% 4.53 4.7 4.37 Scott Kazmir LHP 8 2 14 14 88 7.36 2.05 0.51 0.251 81.90% 50.00% 5.80% 2.05 3.02 3.55                                 Felix Doubront LHP 2 4 9 9 45.2 6.11 3.74 1.38 .296 65.9% 38% 10.9% 5.12 5.05 4.87 Jesse Chavez RHP 6 4 14 14 86 8.16 2.2 0.94 0.294 77.10% 44.70% 10.30% 2.93 3.48 3.43                                 Rubby de la Rosa RHP 2 2 4 4 25.1 8.17 2.49 1.07 0.273 84.00% 55.10% 18.80% 2.84 3.65 2.93 TBA                                                               Jon Lester LHP 8 7 15 15 98.1 9.61 2.29 0.73 0.332 71.60% 38.70% 8.10% 3.2 2.81 3.06 Tommy Milone LHP 5 3 13 13 78.1 5.63 2.53 1.03 0.267 75.80% 37.80% 8.60% 3.56 4.33 4.58 [/tablegrid]
 
[tablegrid= A tale of two offenses ] RS RS Diff BABIP Avg OBP Slg wOBA wRC+ Oakland 373 241 132 287 0.254 0.337 0.413 0.332 113 Boston 278 292 -14 0.298 0.244 0.323 0.371 0.309 90 [/tablegrid]

 

[ivanvamp]

How the heck did Scott Kazmir get good again?  For a while he was just awful, with a completely broken down body.  What happened to him?

 

[Dogman]

How the heck did Scott Kazmir get good again?  For a while he was just awful, with a completely broken down body.  What happened to him?

 
 
That cavernous park, a BABIP of .251 this year vs. a career of .301, a GB% of 50% vs a career of 39.9%, good defense behind him and a change in delivery/release point all are helping him this year.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

How the heck did Scott Kazmir get good again?  For a while he was just awful, with a completely broken down body.  What happened to him?

 
He got hooked up to the same machine that rejuvenated Bartolo Colon...Oakland Alameda County Coliseum.
 
Edit: Or what Dogman2 said...

 

[bobesox]

Where wall ball doubles go to die. And foul territory that has its own zip code.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

He was pretty good for Cleveland last season too, FIP of 3.51, K rate north of 9, K/BB rate of more than 3:1.
 
It's not just Oakland. He stopped walking people beginning last year, and his walk rate this year is even lower than last.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

Tonight's line ups.
 
Holt RF
Bogaerts 3B
Pedroia 2B
Napoli 1B
Pierzynski DH
Gomes LF
Drew SS
Ross C
Bradley Jr. CF
Peavy RHP
 
Crisp CF
Jaso DH
Cespedes LF
Moss 1B
Donaldson 3B
Lowrie SS
Norris C,
Vogt RF,
Callaspo 2B
Kazmir LHP

 

[BosRedSox5]

The fact that Pierzynski is the DH against a tough lefty is mind boggling. Not that I can suggest a better option.

 
I was in the middle of posting this same thing when your reply came up. It's a read head scratcher. AJ has had trouble against lefties his whole career. Not that he's done all that great in AAA, but with Cecchini doing nothing, I'd just as soon stick him in there. Maybe DH Bogaerts and let Garin play 3B. At least that would showcase him a little bit. 

 

[nattysez]

Brad Mills, who was acquired from the Brewers for $1 earlier this week, will start for the A's on Saturday.

 

[ookami7m]

Was at the game but why was peavy left in after the walk to open the inning. Capuano was ready (was sitting right in front of him). Seemed one batter too late.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

Farrell has spoken of the value of a starter who can get 21 outs. (I expect that's even at a higher premium at a road game you're losing.)

 

[Adrian's Dome]

The fact that Pierzynski is the DH against a tough lefty is mind boggling. Not that I can suggest a better option.

 
How about that Ortiz guy? Sure would've been nice to have him batting more than once that game.
 
I mean, AJP saw 7 pitches in his 4 ABs. Quite literally any other batter could've at least helped wear Kazmir down, hitting AJP 5th as DH against a tough LHP is indefensible. I would've had less of a problem with frigging Herrera in that spot.

 

[richgedman'sghost]

 
How about that Ortiz guy? Sure would've been nice to have him batting more than once that game.
 
I mean, AJP saw 7 pitches in his 4 ABs. Quite literally any other batter could've at least helped wear Kazmir down, hitting AJP 5th as DH against a tough LHP is indefensible. I would've had less of a problem with frigging Herrera in that spot.

Before the game, Farrell had said that Ortiz needed an off day. Seems like a game against a tough lefty is as good as any to sit him.

 

[Plympton91]

Before the game, Farrell had said that Ortiz needed an off day. Seems like a game against a tough lefty is as good as any to sit him.

And as pathetic as it is to have AJP hitting 5th as a DH against a lefty, I bet that's actually as good an option as Farrell had. It was either him or Gomes or Ross, but then you'd have 4 righties in a row. Drew, Nava, Herrera, and Cecchini can't hit lefties. Bradley can't hit anyone. Ortiz needed a day off. Victorino and Middlebrooks were supposed to be in the top of the lineup vs LH and that hasn't worked out so far.

 

[Toe Nash]

While no one on the team is hitting, Ortiz had a .714 OPS in June going into the game and a .616 OPS since May 15.

 

[Coachster]

So OK, if Doubront is pitching tonight, who gets the Hellenic flu?

 

[Brohamer of the Gods]

I assume Cecchini goes back down.

 

[Rasputin]

So OK, if Doubront is pitching tonight, who gets the Hellenic flu?

Cecchini is on the roster for just this purpose. He goes down for Doubront. After DLRs start tomorrow, he goes down for Alex Wilson who sticks around until Buchholz' start. And somewhere in there Workman goes down for Middlebrooks when he's ready.

Or...Capuano goes on the DL now for Doubront and Cecchini stays until Middlebrooks is ready.

Or...Peavy gets jettisoned instead of Workman.

 

[HillysLastWalk]

Cecchini is on the roster for just this purpose. He goes down for Doubront. After DLRs start tomorrow, he goes down for Alex Wilson who sticks around until Buchholz' start. And somewhere in there Workman goes down for Middlebrooks when he's ready.

Or...Capuano goes on the DL now for Doubront and Cecchini stays until Middlebrooks is ready.

Or...Peavy gets jettisoned instead of Workman.

 
Atlanta just [url="http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11110509/gavin-floyd-atlanta-braves-leaves-apparent-elbow-injury']lost a starter last night[/url].
 
Again, with the return of Doubront and Buchholz, that gives the Sox these seven starting pitching options: Lackey, Lester, Buchholz, Doubront, Workman, Peavy, De La Rosa.  I do think Peavy has value, and I do think Workman will give us Peavy-type results, if not better.  Ignoring those in the minors right now, it leaves De La Rosa as depth for injuries (and potentially Capuano).

 

[MakMan44]

Not the place for it, really, but the Braves have Alex Wood in the minors so they've already got their replacement.
 
That being said, I think we're hitting the point where what you see is the new normal with Peavy and shipping him out for anything of value, in order to let the kids start, is priority number 1 for the next month. 

 

[nattysez]

https://twitter.com/PeteAbe/status/480048455725748224
 
 
Unacceptable.  I really don't know what else to say -- this is antithetical to everything that has made the Sox successful in the past.

 

[Hee Sox Choi]

For 100 years, AJ had never played for the Sox.  Now this happens...

 

[mfried]

For 100 years, AJ had never played for the Sox.  Now this happens...

AJ's one moral principle involves not walking more than 5 times/season.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

I agree that the no walks in the last three games is unacceptable, but they do rank 4th in MLB in BBs with 263. The three in front are Oakland 309, NYM 274 and the Twins 267. Those totals do not include IBBs. In 2013, they were third with 581. Behind the Rays with 589 and Reds with 585. 

 

[joyofsox]

Red Sox have scored 2 or fewer runs in six straight games: 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2.
 
It's the longest such streak for Boston in nearly 36 years (July 25-30, 1978: 2, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1).
 
The team record is seven games. It's been done five times.
 
April 14-21, 1914:           0 2 0 1 2 0 1 (to start the season)
July 6-12, 1920:             1 0 0 0 2 2 2
April 26-May 3, 1926:        2 1 2 0 2 2 2
August 10-16, 1932:          2 2 2 2 1 2 2
August 31-September 5, 1952: 0 1 0 0 2 2 0

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Cecchini is on the roster for just this purpose. He goes down for Doubront. After DLRs start tomorrow, he goes down for Alex Wilson who sticks around until Buchholz' start. And somewhere in there Workman goes down for Middlebrooks when he's ready.

Or...Capuano goes on the DL now for Doubront and Cecchini stays until Middlebrooks is ready.

Or...Peavy gets jettisoned instead of Workman.

 
Wilson got blown up his last two outings (2/3 inning, 5 ER last night, 1 inning, 3 ER on Monday, 3 BB, 3 K total), so this is not the time you bring him up.

Rich Hill has an opt out coming up.  You might see him up next.

 

[geoduck no quahog]

My feelings for Bradley are almost Plymptonian. He is, in my view, the worst hitter in all of baseball.
 
How can you let him hit leading off the 9th with Nava on the bench? Or Lester on the bench?
 
I understand there is no other good option to start in CF, and I don't care if he gets the occasional hit, but you must pinch hit for him late every time if the Sox are behind.
 
There's no other viable option.

 

[Plympton91]

Inexcusable to use Mujica there.

But, what difference, at this point, does it make.