The Official Boston Red Sox Thread

[ionaVOL]

Forgot to ask you jmoore...how short do you think Bard's leash as a stater is? If the bullpen continues to struggle early I would guess Bard has to be pretty much perfect to stay in the rotation. By perfect I mean at least 6+ innings per start and absolutely no horrific outings. The first chance they get I think Cook is up and Bard is closing. Next year he will get his shot in the rotation IMO.

 

[mooreaj21]

I would like to see Crawford up top, that would be the best if he was committed to it. I gotta be honest tho, I am over the Youk era and ready to move on. I know its splitting up the lefties, but Youk's best years are behind him IMO. I'm also not convinced with Ellsbury yet either, but I think in his mind his leadoff days are over. I would just switch Youk and Ortiz and for now stick with the Sweeney/Ross platoon. Sweeney looks like he could find a home here in Boston along with Ross. That could be a real effective tandem.

I know its only one game, but I am far more worried about the bullpen and the tough early schedule. I hope things don't spiral out of control early this year like last year.

Youk is now 0-8 at the plate w/ 4K's in no BB's, he looks awful. In the meantime, Middlebrooks went 3-4 last night in Triple-A.

I really like the idea of Crawford leading off, it's something he is use to & would be comfortable w/. My only worry would be how does Ells react batting down in the order a little. We have to find a way to get Crawford going, he could really boost this lineup & speed on the base paths.

I agree w/ the Ross/Sweeney platoon in RF once Crawford is back. I'm liking Ross a little more right now though. Although I'm anxious to see how Kalish does once he is healthy & getting some AB's, he was on the face track to being the RF for us before the injuries.

 

[mooreaj21]

Forgot to ask you jmoore...how short do you think Bard's leash as a stater is? If the bullpen continues to struggle early I would guess Bard has to be pretty much perfect to stay in the rotation. By perfect I mean at least 6+ innings per start and absolutely no horrific outings. The first chance they get I think Cook is up and Bard is closing. Next year he will get his shot in the rotation IMO.

I agree w/ you. Bard is going to have to give us some quality outings to remain in the rotation, especially w/ the way the bullpen has pitched the first two games. We need that stability in the backend.

Speaking of Cook, he threw a 7inning complete game last night giving up 1 unearned run, K'd 4, & got 13 groundball outs. If he keeps doing that you have to get him in the rotation & put Bard in the pen.


Also speaking of the bullpen, Rich Hill & Andrew Miller had 2 solid rehab outings in Single-A last night. Looks like both are on the track back to Boston, I really hope Hill can come back & pitch the way he did last year, he was dominant in a specialty situation.

 

[mooreaj21]

Valentine said yesterday that Crawford has continued to take BP on the field & is close to getting into some extended Spring Training games. Crawford could be back up in May.

Iona, Youk is out today & Punto is starting at 3B & batting leadoff!! Youk is struggling BAD.

How many more outings like yesterday before Beckett starts blaming it on his thumb?

This team is killing me right now, looks like they decided to pick back up where they left off last year.

 

[TBrown]

Pretty sure Crawford has directly stated he prefers not to bat leadoff and isn't comfortable with it.

 

[ionaVOL]

Not even through three games yet and I'm so pissed off at this team haha

I love that Youk has a seat on the bench today but look at this lineup. We're talking about the freakin Boston Red Sox not the Royals or something

Punto, Aviles, Shoppach, Ross, Sweeney all bench players and starting today.

I'm looking forward to Crawford coming back, I really think he'll accept a leadoff role and flourish. Basically because that's the only way he will bat above 7th in the lineup.

 

[mooreaj21]

This crap is getting hilarious at this point, yea it's only 3 games into the season but we should have took 2 out of 3 from Detroit if we had a bullpend.

Bard should be the closer, case closed. Yet this Ownership & Front Office are hell bent on making Bard a starter & it's BS. You let Papelbon walk (which is somewhat understandable w/ the $ he was asking for) & had Bard ready to take over the 9th inning & you screw it all up by trying to make him a starter then going out to get Melancon who had 1 decent year & Bailey who is injury prone. I'm beyoned pissed at this point.

 

[TennVols423]

This crap is getting hilarious at this point, yea it's only 3 games into the season but we should have took 2 out of 3 from Detroit if we had a bullpend.

Bard should be the closer, case closed. Yet this Ownership & Front Office are hell bent on making Bard a starter & it's BS. You let Papelbon walk (which is somewhat understandable w/ the $ he was asking for) & had Bard ready to take over the 9th inning & you screw it all up by trying to make him a starter then going out to get Melancon who had 1 decent year & Bailey who is injury prone. I'm beyoned pissed at this point.

2 out of 3?

 

[mooreaj21]

2 out of 3?

We had a chance to win Friday nights game also.

 

[ionaVOL]

I wish they would trade Youk to the Reds for Chapman, sign Oswalt and move Bard to closer. Enough is enough, they better get their ish together, I just found out I'm going to opening day at Fenway and they better not ruin this for me.

Its getting back to the point now where I not only expect them to blow games, but to do it in spectacular fashion like today.

 

[mooreaj21]

I wish they would trade Youk to the Reds for Chapman, sign Oswalt and move Bard to closer. Enough is enough, they better get their ish together, I just found out I'm going to opening day at Fenway and they better not ruin this for me.

Its getting back to the point now where I not only expect them to blow games, but to do it in spectacular fashion like today.

Same for me.

Hell, putting Cook or Padilla into the 5th spot & moving Bard to the pen is fine w/ me.

 

[ionaVOL]

Same for me.

Hell, putting Cook or Padilla into the 5th spot & moving Bard to the pen is fine w/ me.

Padilla looked awesome today. Its going to be interesting to see what the back end of the rotation does in Toronto, I'm expecting next to nothing after this disaster of a weekend. This team is going to look completely different come the summer, thankfully.

 

[mooreaj21]

Padilla looked awesome today. Its going to be interesting to see what the back end of the rotation does in Toronto, I'm expecting next to nothing after this disaster of a weekend. This team is going to look completely different come the summer, thankfully.

I keep reading on Boston websites that we shouldn't expect Dice-K to come back & be in the rotation, that we should expect him to make spot starts. Uh......why can't he be the 5th starter & that way Bard & Aceves can be in the pen?

How long before Lavarnway gets the call up? He could add some power depth to our lineup!

 

[ionaVOL]

Question to Valentine: "Is Bard an option?"

Valentine: "Might be"

Thank god...and don't get me wrong I think Bard in the rotation is the best option longterm, both talent wise and cost effective. But if they want to win this year, fix the bullpen, its trash, I feel like I can't emphasize it enough.

Red Sox bullpen is equal to, or worse than the UT running game last year, or Matt Simms, whatever works for you.

 

[ionaVOL]

I keep reading on Boston websites that we shouldn't expect Dice-K to come back & be in the rotation, that we should expect him to make spot starts. Uh......why can't he be the 5th starter & that way Bard & Aceves can be in the pen?

How long before Lavarnway gets the call up? He could add some power depth to our lineup!

Bullpen needs Rich Hill and Bard in a bad way. Third base needs Middlebrooks, SS needs Iglesias, RF needs Kalish. Just suck it up and make the team younger, they will bring energy and stop being so freakin robotic and boring.

 

[mooreaj21]

Question to Valentine: "Is Bard an option?"

Valentine: "Might be"

Thank god...and don't get me wrong I think Bard in the rotation is the best option longterm, both talent wise and cost effective. But if they want to win this year, fix the bullpen, its trash, I feel like I can't emphasize it enough.

Red Sox bullpen is equal to, or worse than the UT running game last year, or Matt Simms, whatever works for you.

IMO Valentine wants Bard in the pen & knows he has a better shot at winning games w/ him there but front office/ownership have his hands tied as him being a starter.

 

[mooreaj21]

Bullpen needs Rich Hill and Bard in a bad way. Third base needs Middlebrooks, SS needs Iglesias, RF needs Kalish. Just suck it up and make the team younger, they will bring energy and stop being so freakin robotic and boring.

I agree, I think it's inevitable that Middlebrooks is the 3B in '13 barring a injury. I want to see how Kalish comes back before I put him in RF.

Aviles hasn't been to bad at the plate. His question mark & struggles will be defensively.

Imagine this possible lineup:

L-Ellsbury
R-Pedroia
L-Gonzalez
L-Ortiz
R-Youkilis
L-Crawford
R-Lavarnway
R-Ross
R-Aviles

 

[ionaVOL]

IMO Valentine wants Bard in the pen & knows he has a better shot at winning games w/ him there but front office/ownership have his hands tied as him being a starter.

I agree. Bard better show out when he toes that rubber this week then hah. Just sucks, a couple injuries threw a lot off this year. Kinda the perfect storm happening right now. Hopefully they get a couple W's in Toronto and start to put this in the rearview mirror.

 

[ionaVOL]

I agree, I think it's inevitable that Middlebrooks is the 3B in '13 barring a injury. I want to see how Kalish comes back before I put him in RF.

Aviles hasn't been to bad at the plate. His question mark & struggles will be defensively.

Imagine this possible lineup:

L-Ellsbury
R-Pedroia
L-Gonzalez
L-Ortiz
R-Youkilis
L-Crawford
R-Lavarnway
R-Ross
R-Aviles

I'd like to see them try the one you had earlier with Crawford leading off to be honest. But I really like Lavarnway's potential, he will be around for a while when he gets his chance.

Youk is my least favorite Red Sox in a long time. My brother met him in Pawtucket and he said he was a huge prick, acted like he was a hall of famer, wouldn't sign anything or talk to anyone.

 

[mooreaj21]

I'd like to see them try the one you had earlier with Crawford leading off to be honest. But I really like Lavarnway's potential, he will be around for a while when he gets his chance.

Youk is my least favorite Red Sox in a long time. My brother met him in Pawtucket and he said he was a huge prick, acted like he was a hall of famer, wouldn't sign anything or talk to anyone.

You could do this:

L-Crawford
R-Pedroia
L-Ellsbury
L-Gonzalez
R-Youkilis
L-Ortiz
R-Lavarnway
R-Aviles
R-Ross

Youk has really fell off the past two seasons, I see no way he is back in '13. Especially if Middlebrooks continues to progress.

Lavarnways potential is through the roof, his bat could be dangerous.

 

[ionaVOL]

You could do this:

L-Crawford
R-Pedroia
L-Ellsbury
L-Gonzalez
R-Youkilis
L-Ortiz
R-Lavarnway
R-Aviles
R-Ross

Youk has really fell off the past two seasons, I see no way he is back in '13. Especially if Middlebrooks continues to progress.

Lavarnways potential is through the roof, his bat could be dangerous.

I think we'll see Crawford at the top at least a little when he comes back. Maybe use the excuse that they want him to get more at bats to get his timing back or something.

At least this team will be a lot more fun to root for in the coming years with all these home grown players coming up.

 

[mooreaj21]

I think we'll see Crawford at the top at least a little when he comes back. Maybe use the excuse that they want him to get more at bats to get his timing back or something.

At least this team will be a lot more fun to root for in the coming years with all these home grown players coming up.

Yea. Now if only we could get some homegrown starting pitchers like Lester & Buchholz.

Losing Casey Kelly hurt, but hey we got A-Gon out of the deal

 

[ionaVOL]

Yea. Now if only we could get some homegrown starting pitchers like Lester & Buchholz.

Losing Casey Kelly hurt, but hey we got A-Gon out of the deal

Amen!

I have high hopes for Ranaudo, and maybe Felix can show something this year. Plus hopefully Bard gets his shot NEXT year hah.

 

[Heebs]

Yall gotta sign Oswalt and send Bard to the pen. Hopefully you don't tho. Although Bard certainly looked human a lot last year; I think that's what management is afraid of.

 

[ionaVOL]

Yall gotta sign Oswalt and send Bard to the pen. Hopefully you don't tho. Although Bard certainly looked human a lot last year; I think that's what management is afraid of.

Yea this team needs to have Bard in the pen at least for the first half. They just need to keep their heads above water early till the pitching can get healthy and settle in.