Been away for a few days, so a few things:
--Don't look now, but the Sox are 7-1 in their past 8 games and are finally out of the cellar.
--Baltimore is now there, being one of the faster teams to go from first to last that I've seen.
--The top 3 are the Yanks, Rays and Sox, which you can bet will be the three playing the shell game for the rest of the season.
--A source tells me that you can bet that the Sox will not be paying Papelbon for his services next year. As they have 3 closers on the roster now, they'll probably try to trade him if they don't think they'll go deep in the playoffs. If they do, he'll stay, but then go bye-bye via free agency.
--I also hear that all indicators are that Papelbon will have a lights-out year, as he's mentioned he'll test the free agent market next year. Nice enough guy, I'm told, and not as nutty as you'd think--but not the brightest bulb, either.
--The Angels will have trouble scoring runs consistently this year. Their pitching and defense will have to be stellar. This series they haven't been.
--Pitchers need to have better poker faces on the mound. I'm getting tired of them showing lots of emotion when a call that's not even close doesn't go their way.
--The word is that some players in MLB are taking substances not being tested for yet, sort of a Stealth HGH. I'm not surprised.
--I also hear that I may be surprised by the support that Manny may get from HOF voters after all. If he gets in within a few years of eligibility, I will be very surprised.
--You have to wonder why Dice-K can't be like this all the time, if he can be unhittable in two straight starts. What's going on in there?
--Varitek can go 0 for the season and still catch Game 7 of the World Series for me.
--Then again, so can Heidi Watney, if you know what I'm sayin'.
--The Yanks have 5 out of the top-10 batters in the league in terms of batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. They'll have to be that way all year in order for them to contend.
--Mike Cameron must have pictures.
--Salty might be too tall to be a catcher.
--Ervin Santana, who could be Pedro, struck out 9 in 7 innings yesterday, but also gave up 9 hits and 5 runs, and some long homeruns. That, in a nutshell, is why he drives his management crazy. I remember when he came up, and he was lights out. Now he's still lights out, but in a different way.
--I just saw Ellsbury thrown out on the second of two consecutive pitchouts. Before the pitch, Scioscia was going through his signs in the dugout, and I thought: He's calling for another pitchout. I swear.
--I called a Jim Rice homerun just like that, when I was 14. A short story due to be in print soon (Space and Time Magazine; look for it in the summer) starts with a reference to the narrator calling a Manny homer, but it's based on me calling Rice's.
--Speaking of which, I was talking to a local former sports reporter yesterday, and when I asked him if he could guess the most perfect homerun swing I ever saw, he said, "Manny's game-winning homer off the Angels in the 2007 ALDS?" Now, how the hell did he know that? That was a little bit creepy!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Dodgers vs. Mets
Bud Selig, who I don't normally defend, has recently been under fire for stepping on Frank McCourt's toes and taking over control of his Dodgers. Those attacking Selig have said that if he's doing that to the Dodgers, he needs to do the same to the Mets. Frank McCourt himself, it seems, is suing MLB for exactly that reason.
These people don't know what they're talking about. As Selig said today, these are two unrelated, different problems and are therefore being treated that way. The Mets are in trouble because, in the process of trying to help the team, ownership gave money to Bernie Madoff, who then made off (sorry) with much of said money. The difference here is that the intent was to help the team. The Dodgers are in trouble because the McCourts are using the team in their divorce squabbles in the same way that some people use their kids and dogs in such squabbles--and the team, the fans, and MLB are suffering because of it. So the situation there is that the mistakes made are not even meant to be in the team's best interest--they're just two rich and spoiled people being bratty. Besides that, there's an illegal situation between the Dodgers and Fox, which is and has been the de facto owner of the team, to the extent that Fox illegally allowed McCourt to borrow $200 million recently just to make payroll, and if the situation there stood, Fox--which has a national baseball television contract--would essentially own the team even more so than it already does. This would be a blatant violation of interest. McCourt has a ton of other legal and financial things going on as well, all of them shady.
Selig did the right thing to step in--and if you don't think that the other owners saw what was happening, and saw how it effected them, you're crazy. And consider this: The Dodgers hold the major league record for most consecutive seasons selling over 3 million home tickets. And with a one year break, they held the same record for many years before that. In other words, they've sold 3 million or more tickets for 81 home games for, let's say, 19 out of the last 20 years. And the Dodgers players don't have the contracts that the Yanks and Sox players do. So how can the Dodgers be losing so much money all this time? There's something rotten in the state of Chavez Ravine, and Selig and the other owners know it. And I suspect that what we know now is only the tip of the iceberg of all things wrong in Dodgerland. Stepping in was the right thing to do.
(And the Sox were lucky to win last night against the Angels, too. They haven't played well--the As and Angels just squandered more and played even worse.)
These people don't know what they're talking about. As Selig said today, these are two unrelated, different problems and are therefore being treated that way. The Mets are in trouble because, in the process of trying to help the team, ownership gave money to Bernie Madoff, who then made off (sorry) with much of said money. The difference here is that the intent was to help the team. The Dodgers are in trouble because the McCourts are using the team in their divorce squabbles in the same way that some people use their kids and dogs in such squabbles--and the team, the fans, and MLB are suffering because of it. So the situation there is that the mistakes made are not even meant to be in the team's best interest--they're just two rich and spoiled people being bratty. Besides that, there's an illegal situation between the Dodgers and Fox, which is and has been the de facto owner of the team, to the extent that Fox illegally allowed McCourt to borrow $200 million recently just to make payroll, and if the situation there stood, Fox--which has a national baseball television contract--would essentially own the team even more so than it already does. This would be a blatant violation of interest. McCourt has a ton of other legal and financial things going on as well, all of them shady.
Selig did the right thing to step in--and if you don't think that the other owners saw what was happening, and saw how it effected them, you're crazy. And consider this: The Dodgers hold the major league record for most consecutive seasons selling over 3 million home tickets. And with a one year break, they held the same record for many years before that. In other words, they've sold 3 million or more tickets for 81 home games for, let's say, 19 out of the last 20 years. And the Dodgers players don't have the contracts that the Yanks and Sox players do. So how can the Dodgers be losing so much money all this time? There's something rotten in the state of Chavez Ravine, and Selig and the other owners know it. And I suspect that what we know now is only the tip of the iceberg of all things wrong in Dodgerland. Stepping in was the right thing to do.
(And the Sox were lucky to win last night against the Angels, too. They haven't played well--the As and Angels just squandered more and played even worse.)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Last Few Days
A few quick things:
--Okie-Dokie isn't ready. Or, he's as ready as he's going to be, if you know what I mean.
--The McCourt situation with the Dodgers is a disgrace. They're choosing their bitterness towards each other over the team, the fans, and everyone else. A travesty.
--Let's hope Youk didn't break a bone tonight. Looks exactly like Pedroia's injury last year.
--The Sox pitching looks A LOT better. It's all about the starters, who've strung together five or six straight starts of five innings and one run or less. They haven't done that since the 50s. Lots of pitching and hitting firsts this year, most of them not good.
--The Sox tried to give the game away last night, but the A's didn't want it. They left 15 on base.
--Nobody in the A.L. East is hot out of the gate, or for more than 4 or 5 straight games. That's why the Sox are only 6-11, but just 4 or so games out. Had a team started out 12-4 or so, they'd be at least 7 or 8 out, as they should be.
--I'm sick of the texting and driving commercial, though it needs to be said. My barber got his expensive Jeep crushed in the street-side back corner by a young girl from CT who was texting and driving.
--I miss the AFLAC duck, but I'll say again that if I run AFLAC, I fire Gottfried, too. Dumb.
--Angels pitching and defense look really good. Their offense, a little less so.
--Umpiring has been ridiculously awful this week. Pedroia slid past the bag and was tagged out--very obvious to the naked viewing eye, even with the bag, players and umpire blocking the camera view--but he was called safe anyway. Even now, nobody knows what the call was on the Cameron/Ellsbury play. (Though Cameron obviously obstructed the catcher, so he and Ellsbury should have been out.)
--The Sox finally agreed with me that Varitek needs to catch more. The Sox brass obviously reads this blog.
--The Angels stadium looks great, too, but the excessive water beyond the outfield bothers me there just like it does in Royals Stadium. What a waste, when a couple of cities in my state have lousy drinking water. Why am I fixing my faucets when they're just wasting tons of gallons? I hope they have the larger version of a smaller self-sustaining water system that keeps using the same water.
--Speaking of the Royals, they're doing much better than I, or anyone, thought they would.
--The Sox have 5 everyday players hitting at or below the Mendoza Line (speaking again of the Royals).
--So....Kendys, not Kendrys? Whatever. Break a leg, man. (Sorry.)
--Rumor has it Trump wants to buy the Mets. Didn't he file for bankruptcy several times?
--Let the circus begin when the potential buyers for the Dodgers line up.
--The relief you hear is Big Papi being happy about his start this year.
--Ellsbury leads the team in homers and yet is hitting below .200. He shouldn't be hitting flyballs at all. I want to see all of his hits be on a line somewhere. I don't want him hitting homers. Every time he hits it in the air, he owes me 20 pushups.
--Leave a comment below or send an email if you know who said the Mendoza Line reference and the movie and character I alluded to in the last sentence of the last bulleted item. No looking them up!
--Okie-Dokie isn't ready. Or, he's as ready as he's going to be, if you know what I mean.
--The McCourt situation with the Dodgers is a disgrace. They're choosing their bitterness towards each other over the team, the fans, and everyone else. A travesty.
--Let's hope Youk didn't break a bone tonight. Looks exactly like Pedroia's injury last year.
--The Sox pitching looks A LOT better. It's all about the starters, who've strung together five or six straight starts of five innings and one run or less. They haven't done that since the 50s. Lots of pitching and hitting firsts this year, most of them not good.
--The Sox tried to give the game away last night, but the A's didn't want it. They left 15 on base.
--Nobody in the A.L. East is hot out of the gate, or for more than 4 or 5 straight games. That's why the Sox are only 6-11, but just 4 or so games out. Had a team started out 12-4 or so, they'd be at least 7 or 8 out, as they should be.
--I'm sick of the texting and driving commercial, though it needs to be said. My barber got his expensive Jeep crushed in the street-side back corner by a young girl from CT who was texting and driving.
--I miss the AFLAC duck, but I'll say again that if I run AFLAC, I fire Gottfried, too. Dumb.
--Angels pitching and defense look really good. Their offense, a little less so.
--Umpiring has been ridiculously awful this week. Pedroia slid past the bag and was tagged out--very obvious to the naked viewing eye, even with the bag, players and umpire blocking the camera view--but he was called safe anyway. Even now, nobody knows what the call was on the Cameron/Ellsbury play. (Though Cameron obviously obstructed the catcher, so he and Ellsbury should have been out.)
--The Sox finally agreed with me that Varitek needs to catch more. The Sox brass obviously reads this blog.
--The Angels stadium looks great, too, but the excessive water beyond the outfield bothers me there just like it does in Royals Stadium. What a waste, when a couple of cities in my state have lousy drinking water. Why am I fixing my faucets when they're just wasting tons of gallons? I hope they have the larger version of a smaller self-sustaining water system that keeps using the same water.
--Speaking of the Royals, they're doing much better than I, or anyone, thought they would.
--The Sox have 5 everyday players hitting at or below the Mendoza Line (speaking again of the Royals).
--So....Kendys, not Kendrys? Whatever. Break a leg, man. (Sorry.)
--Rumor has it Trump wants to buy the Mets. Didn't he file for bankruptcy several times?
--Let the circus begin when the potential buyers for the Dodgers line up.
--The relief you hear is Big Papi being happy about his start this year.
--Ellsbury leads the team in homers and yet is hitting below .200. He shouldn't be hitting flyballs at all. I want to see all of his hits be on a line somewhere. I don't want him hitting homers. Every time he hits it in the air, he owes me 20 pushups.
--Leave a comment below or send an email if you know who said the Mendoza Line reference and the movie and character I alluded to in the last sentence of the last bulleted item. No looking them up!
Monday, April 18, 2011
4-10
Well, two in a row for the second time this year. Let's not get too excited--let's at least reach .500 first--but here's what I saw yesterday:
--It begins and ends with starting pitching. This was a close game for awhile there, but Lester had them all the way. It helps that the Jays are a largely undisciplined hitting and running team.
--But if your starter goes 6 innings (and he could have gone 7 but for some questionable defense) and has the lead, you will win more often than not. If your starter has to leave in the 4th or 5th, you will lose. The Sox have done much better when their starters have done much better. It's not brain surgery.
--Crawford continues to press. The boos are loud on television now. In today's (Monday) game, he came up with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out, and couldn't at least hit it to the right side to move them over. He's doing horribly with the fundamentals right now--as I mentioned in a recent blog; he needs to do the basics before he can drive the ball with authority right now.
--Jenks, Bard and Wheeler pitched last night like they're always supposed to. This bullpen can be great if these guys only have to pitch one inning each, preferably with nobody on base.
--Bard seems to be the de facto save guy, the guy you bring in the 6th-8th innings right when the game is on the line. Papelbon will do the 9th, but any fan knows that is often not where the save happens.
--Speaking of which, something must be done with hold and save rules and stats, as they are often indicative of nothing. Bard may actually get 2 to 3 times more saves than Papelbon will, but they count as holds. Both stats seem ridiculous, but I'm sure their agents have someone keeping tabs of how they perform in all situations.
--I'm not impressed by Gonzalez's hitting so far. He needs to be more aggressive up there. Let's start earning all that money, big guy.
--Speaking of that, his contract seems to be a good move to me. But the Sox had better saddle up with Pedroia and Youkillis, too, or I'd have a bad feeling in my mouth if I were them.
--Papelbon is 30, which is older than most of the Sox players, for those keeping track.
--It's good to see Okie-Dokie coming back up. I hope he can stay and show the form of a few years ago. Doubront has promise--and I have his autograph, too--but he hasn't been severely impressing, and I feel that they're trying to make him attractive trade bait. In the meantime, he's an emergency spot starter, if necessary. Makes you wonder what they feel Wake is better doing at this point.
--They're looking better, but let's wait until they're at .500 before we say they're in the playoffs.
--It begins and ends with starting pitching. This was a close game for awhile there, but Lester had them all the way. It helps that the Jays are a largely undisciplined hitting and running team.
--But if your starter goes 6 innings (and he could have gone 7 but for some questionable defense) and has the lead, you will win more often than not. If your starter has to leave in the 4th or 5th, you will lose. The Sox have done much better when their starters have done much better. It's not brain surgery.
--Crawford continues to press. The boos are loud on television now. In today's (Monday) game, he came up with runners on 1st and 2nd and nobody out, and couldn't at least hit it to the right side to move them over. He's doing horribly with the fundamentals right now--as I mentioned in a recent blog; he needs to do the basics before he can drive the ball with authority right now.
--Jenks, Bard and Wheeler pitched last night like they're always supposed to. This bullpen can be great if these guys only have to pitch one inning each, preferably with nobody on base.
--Bard seems to be the de facto save guy, the guy you bring in the 6th-8th innings right when the game is on the line. Papelbon will do the 9th, but any fan knows that is often not where the save happens.
--Speaking of which, something must be done with hold and save rules and stats, as they are often indicative of nothing. Bard may actually get 2 to 3 times more saves than Papelbon will, but they count as holds. Both stats seem ridiculous, but I'm sure their agents have someone keeping tabs of how they perform in all situations.
--I'm not impressed by Gonzalez's hitting so far. He needs to be more aggressive up there. Let's start earning all that money, big guy.
--Speaking of that, his contract seems to be a good move to me. But the Sox had better saddle up with Pedroia and Youkillis, too, or I'd have a bad feeling in my mouth if I were them.
--Papelbon is 30, which is older than most of the Sox players, for those keeping track.
--It's good to see Okie-Dokie coming back up. I hope he can stay and show the form of a few years ago. Doubront has promise--and I have his autograph, too--but he hasn't been severely impressing, and I feel that they're trying to make him attractive trade bait. In the meantime, he's an emergency spot starter, if necessary. Makes you wonder what they feel Wake is better doing at this point.
--They're looking better, but let's wait until they're at .500 before we say they're in the playoffs.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
3-10
Here's what I saw that worked yesterday:
--Beckett pitched. He owns 2 of their 3 wins, and is by far the most impressive pitcher on the team. His success now as compared to the past few years is simple to see: he's not throwing 100% fastballs (of any of the three types he throws) and he's getting his off-speed stuff over very consistently. Before he dogheadedly threw the #1 all the time, to every hitter, and it didn't move much, so if you're a professional hitter and you're sitting on it, you can hit it. And they did. A lot. Because he's throwing much more off-speed stuff (getting them over for strikes is a big plus), they can't sit dead-red. Gives them something else to think about, and they're also not so comfortable hitting off of him. I can see the difference in the confidence on their faces; they don't feel they can hit him as easily as before. Now that he's getting the off-speed stuff over, they have to look for that. But if they're looking for that, he can blow his #1 by them, thereby getting even more outs. I'm tellin' you, it's that simple: If you can throw 93+ and get off-speed stuff over consistently, you can pitch in the major leagues. (Another improvement is that he's not walking everyone. Those totals are down because he's not missing with his off-speed stuff, which leads to an avalanche of positive things for him. Dice-K should learn from this.)
--Varitek caught. I know that one leads to the other these days, that Beckett wants Varitek catching him, but I still stand by my opinion about how important pitch-selection is. Varitek knows all the hitters, but he can out-smart them back there, too. (He also might be a little bit of Jake Taylor back there, too, for those of you who get the reference.) NESN showed the stat yesterday that Varitek is 2-2 and the staff has an ERA below 3.0 when he catches. Salty is 0-8 with an ERA over 6. Granted that Varitek has half the control group that Salty has, but I can see what I see, and he is better back there overall. He threw someone out yesterday, too.
--Crawford didn't play and Ellsbury didn't lead off. Crawford will have to come around, and I feel badly about the boos he's getting, but, as he said, they should boo him, he deserves it. But he can hit .300 and have 200 hits and 50 stolen bases, so he absolutely must come around. Yesterday was a good mental health day for him, though. Ellsbury looks more comfortable now batting 7-9, so I would keep him there. I won't pretend to know what ails him; I haven't understood him for years, since just after he came up late in 2007, had a HOF second half...and then I don't know. Sox fans don't, either. A guy at Fenway a few nights ago (when I was there) yelled things at Ellsbury I won't repeat here, but also added the caveat that he hasn't been good for awhile now, that he had that mysterious year last year that people still whisper loudly about, and that he's only popular because women think he's handsome. The guy wasn't all right, but he wasn't all wrong, either. With the glut of outfielders the Sox have, I wouldn't be surprised if the brass grows disenchanted with him and trades him late in the year. Having said that, Ellsbury's upside is only a smidgeon lower than Crawford's, and is therefore way too potentially good to give up on. But now's the time to walk the walk.
--Jed Lowrie has always been a small favorite of mine, though I am still surprised by his hitting and defense this year, and I'm even more surprised to watch him lead off yesterday and not only go 3 for 5, but also hit scalding drives for his two outs. I love the old-fashioned gloves hanging out of his back pocket when he hits; he's scrappy looking, weighs about 170, max, and frankly makes it look like you or I could also get a hit up there. Jeff Frye struck me the same way, that if he can do it, I can do it. I can't, of course, but that's undoubtedly some of Lowrie's appeal. He looks like a throwback player, anywhere from the 1880s to the 1920s, and has the name to boot. He's playing comfortable up there, and I think it's because he knows he's coming back next year and Scutaro isn't. (Don't be surprised to see Scutaro traded, either.) The SS phenom is waiting to be the starter late this year or definitely next year, so you can't keep Lowrie and Scutaro. Lowrie can play short, second and third, and Scutaro can only play short. Lowrie has also shown that he can hit first or second like Scutaro can. His versatility makes him just a little more valuable than Scutaro.
--I'm not down on Scutaro, by the way. He is what he is, which is a singles and doubles hitting, average fielding SS who can lead off or hit lower, bat .275 to .285 at the end of the year, drive in some runs with a good lineup, maybe 80 to 85, max, in a great year, and he comes to play every day. What's not to like? Plenty of teams could use him. The problem for him is that the Sox can't. Lowrie can do all those things, too, maybe a smidge better since he's younger, and he's also cheaper and has better range and versatility. He's also never going to be any better than that, and has been that consistently for awhile now, but to the extent that, for him, there's nowhere else for him to go but down. He's on the downside now, but I'll bet his declining years will be many, as his slow but steady descent will take a few years, too. Still a valuable player for many teams.
--Yesterday the Sox were still terrible with RISP. They were 2 for 12, or something like that, and left close to 11 on base again. That has to stop.
--The umps and fans were dressed like they were watching a game in Siberia.
--Right now, it's Pedroia and Lowrie, Beckett and Lester, and pray for rain. The core has to step up. Now.
--Beckett pitched. He owns 2 of their 3 wins, and is by far the most impressive pitcher on the team. His success now as compared to the past few years is simple to see: he's not throwing 100% fastballs (of any of the three types he throws) and he's getting his off-speed stuff over very consistently. Before he dogheadedly threw the #1 all the time, to every hitter, and it didn't move much, so if you're a professional hitter and you're sitting on it, you can hit it. And they did. A lot. Because he's throwing much more off-speed stuff (getting them over for strikes is a big plus), they can't sit dead-red. Gives them something else to think about, and they're also not so comfortable hitting off of him. I can see the difference in the confidence on their faces; they don't feel they can hit him as easily as before. Now that he's getting the off-speed stuff over, they have to look for that. But if they're looking for that, he can blow his #1 by them, thereby getting even more outs. I'm tellin' you, it's that simple: If you can throw 93+ and get off-speed stuff over consistently, you can pitch in the major leagues. (Another improvement is that he's not walking everyone. Those totals are down because he's not missing with his off-speed stuff, which leads to an avalanche of positive things for him. Dice-K should learn from this.)
--Varitek caught. I know that one leads to the other these days, that Beckett wants Varitek catching him, but I still stand by my opinion about how important pitch-selection is. Varitek knows all the hitters, but he can out-smart them back there, too. (He also might be a little bit of Jake Taylor back there, too, for those of you who get the reference.) NESN showed the stat yesterday that Varitek is 2-2 and the staff has an ERA below 3.0 when he catches. Salty is 0-8 with an ERA over 6. Granted that Varitek has half the control group that Salty has, but I can see what I see, and he is better back there overall. He threw someone out yesterday, too.
--Crawford didn't play and Ellsbury didn't lead off. Crawford will have to come around, and I feel badly about the boos he's getting, but, as he said, they should boo him, he deserves it. But he can hit .300 and have 200 hits and 50 stolen bases, so he absolutely must come around. Yesterday was a good mental health day for him, though. Ellsbury looks more comfortable now batting 7-9, so I would keep him there. I won't pretend to know what ails him; I haven't understood him for years, since just after he came up late in 2007, had a HOF second half...and then I don't know. Sox fans don't, either. A guy at Fenway a few nights ago (when I was there) yelled things at Ellsbury I won't repeat here, but also added the caveat that he hasn't been good for awhile now, that he had that mysterious year last year that people still whisper loudly about, and that he's only popular because women think he's handsome. The guy wasn't all right, but he wasn't all wrong, either. With the glut of outfielders the Sox have, I wouldn't be surprised if the brass grows disenchanted with him and trades him late in the year. Having said that, Ellsbury's upside is only a smidgeon lower than Crawford's, and is therefore way too potentially good to give up on. But now's the time to walk the walk.
--Jed Lowrie has always been a small favorite of mine, though I am still surprised by his hitting and defense this year, and I'm even more surprised to watch him lead off yesterday and not only go 3 for 5, but also hit scalding drives for his two outs. I love the old-fashioned gloves hanging out of his back pocket when he hits; he's scrappy looking, weighs about 170, max, and frankly makes it look like you or I could also get a hit up there. Jeff Frye struck me the same way, that if he can do it, I can do it. I can't, of course, but that's undoubtedly some of Lowrie's appeal. He looks like a throwback player, anywhere from the 1880s to the 1920s, and has the name to boot. He's playing comfortable up there, and I think it's because he knows he's coming back next year and Scutaro isn't. (Don't be surprised to see Scutaro traded, either.) The SS phenom is waiting to be the starter late this year or definitely next year, so you can't keep Lowrie and Scutaro. Lowrie can play short, second and third, and Scutaro can only play short. Lowrie has also shown that he can hit first or second like Scutaro can. His versatility makes him just a little more valuable than Scutaro.
--I'm not down on Scutaro, by the way. He is what he is, which is a singles and doubles hitting, average fielding SS who can lead off or hit lower, bat .275 to .285 at the end of the year, drive in some runs with a good lineup, maybe 80 to 85, max, in a great year, and he comes to play every day. What's not to like? Plenty of teams could use him. The problem for him is that the Sox can't. Lowrie can do all those things, too, maybe a smidge better since he's younger, and he's also cheaper and has better range and versatility. He's also never going to be any better than that, and has been that consistently for awhile now, but to the extent that, for him, there's nowhere else for him to go but down. He's on the downside now, but I'll bet his declining years will be many, as his slow but steady descent will take a few years, too. Still a valuable player for many teams.
--Yesterday the Sox were still terrible with RISP. They were 2 for 12, or something like that, and left close to 11 on base again. That has to stop.
--The umps and fans were dressed like they were watching a game in Siberia.
--Right now, it's Pedroia and Lowrie, Beckett and Lester, and pray for rain. The core has to step up. Now.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
First Fenway Visit of 2011
Was very, very cold. I had on a T-shirt, a Sox long-sleeved shirt, a very comfortable school sweatshirt, and a heavy black trenchcoat--and I was still cold. Though not as cold as the Sox performance! So a few notes of what I saw in person:
--The Fenway Faithful are quickly losing the faith. Several booed most of the night, which isn't helpful for the players. They're pressing enough as it is--and they ARE clearly pressing--and so putting more pressure on them by booing them is counterproductive.
--But when you're paying your mortgage to watch the games, how else can most vent their frustration? I just shake my head and logically say what shouldn't have happened; but, in that, my friend is right when he says that, as a fan, "I'm kind of bland."
--And you're supposed to say that in your best Joe Castiglione voice--and make it very nasal.
--So Defense Exhibit A of a player pressing: Crawford, in the 7th, had a 3-1 count on him, with the bases empty, Sox down by 4. In such a situation, you learn in high school to take that 3-1 pitch. Always. A solo homer by you does no good; you need to get on base, start a big inning, make things happen on the basepaths, and hope your teammates keep the line moving. So you take that 3-1, and if it's a strike, you do what you have to on 3-2. Plus, that's one more pitch for the reliever to throw, and the more relievers throw, the more you can get to them. The worst thing you can do is swing at that pitch. What's he do? He swings and pops it up to third. Crawford knows not to do this. So why do it? Because he's pressing and trying to do too much. (Even players like Ortiz need to take on 3-1 there, though the player I'm speaking of here was Crawford, a leadoff guy.)
--Defense Exhibit B: Ellsbury gets on base in the 8th and steals second base, going to third on the errant throw. At first I told my friend I liked the play because the Sox--yesterday and today--need a spark, anything at all to get them going. While I still believe this, and while this example is not as egregious as the one described above because of that, you still don't steal 2nd down by 4 in the 8th inning, with your team pressing. It's a percentage play that, had it failed, would have been disasterous for many reasons.
--The most glaring offensive problem is that they are not playing fundamental baseball when at the plate. They are not swinging smartly, or working the count, or working the pitchers, etc. They're flailing up there, or guessing and thinking too much up there. At 2-10, it needs to come down to: Be smart. Go back to basics. And in a hitting count, don't think too much or guess: See the ball, hit the ball.
--The Sox are missing John Farrell. And somebody needs to get on Curt Young, big-time.
--Francona sent a message to Salty by pinch-hitting Lowrie for him in the 8th. I've said it a ton already this year, but I'll say it again: Salty is not calling a good game, and he's not hitting. Maybe Varitek needs to be a backup, but not to this guy. I want to see Varitek in there for at least the next 10 games. Let's see what he can do. He can't do any worse.
--The brand new Hi-Def screens look great, but the info. put on there is for the fan who otherwise would not know what was going on. In other words, not the serious fan.
--The Sox don't make as much money on tickets as they do on concessions. Our tickets were $30 each, not too bad for Fenway. But a regular plastic cup of Coors Lite is $8, and a Sam Adams Summer Ale (perfect for last night's game) was $8.50. A quick look around you shows you that a vast majority of the 38,000 fans had at least one. And those who had more than one compensated for those who didn't have any, believe me.
--Jencks needs to pitch out of the stretch all the time.
--It's a mystery why J.D. Drew, with that swing, hasn't amassed 3,000 hits. Except, of course, that he doesn't play when he gets a splinter, and he doesn't swing a vast majority of the time. Okay, forget I said that.
--To show how unfaithful the Faithful are, when the Sox trailed by 4, the place emptied out, fast. There was a sparse crowd after the 6th inning, and almost no one saw the 3 runs in the 8th.
--A quick look at today's news shows you that Dykstra has been arrested for stealing from himself (can't do that when you declare bankruptcy) and that he's been defrauding others for years. Don't say I didn't tell you. If you've forgotten, read my blog entry on him here.
--And Gooden got 5 years' probation for being high on cocaine while driving, causing an accident in which a child of his wasn't buckled in. Call it the Curse of '86. Buckner lives a life of guilt-free bliss compared to these guys.
--The Fenway Faithful are quickly losing the faith. Several booed most of the night, which isn't helpful for the players. They're pressing enough as it is--and they ARE clearly pressing--and so putting more pressure on them by booing them is counterproductive.
--But when you're paying your mortgage to watch the games, how else can most vent their frustration? I just shake my head and logically say what shouldn't have happened; but, in that, my friend is right when he says that, as a fan, "I'm kind of bland."
--And you're supposed to say that in your best Joe Castiglione voice--and make it very nasal.
--So Defense Exhibit A of a player pressing: Crawford, in the 7th, had a 3-1 count on him, with the bases empty, Sox down by 4. In such a situation, you learn in high school to take that 3-1 pitch. Always. A solo homer by you does no good; you need to get on base, start a big inning, make things happen on the basepaths, and hope your teammates keep the line moving. So you take that 3-1, and if it's a strike, you do what you have to on 3-2. Plus, that's one more pitch for the reliever to throw, and the more relievers throw, the more you can get to them. The worst thing you can do is swing at that pitch. What's he do? He swings and pops it up to third. Crawford knows not to do this. So why do it? Because he's pressing and trying to do too much. (Even players like Ortiz need to take on 3-1 there, though the player I'm speaking of here was Crawford, a leadoff guy.)
--Defense Exhibit B: Ellsbury gets on base in the 8th and steals second base, going to third on the errant throw. At first I told my friend I liked the play because the Sox--yesterday and today--need a spark, anything at all to get them going. While I still believe this, and while this example is not as egregious as the one described above because of that, you still don't steal 2nd down by 4 in the 8th inning, with your team pressing. It's a percentage play that, had it failed, would have been disasterous for many reasons.
--The most glaring offensive problem is that they are not playing fundamental baseball when at the plate. They are not swinging smartly, or working the count, or working the pitchers, etc. They're flailing up there, or guessing and thinking too much up there. At 2-10, it needs to come down to: Be smart. Go back to basics. And in a hitting count, don't think too much or guess: See the ball, hit the ball.
--The Sox are missing John Farrell. And somebody needs to get on Curt Young, big-time.
--Francona sent a message to Salty by pinch-hitting Lowrie for him in the 8th. I've said it a ton already this year, but I'll say it again: Salty is not calling a good game, and he's not hitting. Maybe Varitek needs to be a backup, but not to this guy. I want to see Varitek in there for at least the next 10 games. Let's see what he can do. He can't do any worse.
--The brand new Hi-Def screens look great, but the info. put on there is for the fan who otherwise would not know what was going on. In other words, not the serious fan.
--The Sox don't make as much money on tickets as they do on concessions. Our tickets were $30 each, not too bad for Fenway. But a regular plastic cup of Coors Lite is $8, and a Sam Adams Summer Ale (perfect for last night's game) was $8.50. A quick look around you shows you that a vast majority of the 38,000 fans had at least one. And those who had more than one compensated for those who didn't have any, believe me.
--Jencks needs to pitch out of the stretch all the time.
--It's a mystery why J.D. Drew, with that swing, hasn't amassed 3,000 hits. Except, of course, that he doesn't play when he gets a splinter, and he doesn't swing a vast majority of the time. Okay, forget I said that.
--To show how unfaithful the Faithful are, when the Sox trailed by 4, the place emptied out, fast. There was a sparse crowd after the 6th inning, and almost no one saw the 3 runs in the 8th.
--A quick look at today's news shows you that Dykstra has been arrested for stealing from himself (can't do that when you declare bankruptcy) and that he's been defrauding others for years. Don't say I didn't tell you. If you've forgotten, read my blog entry on him here.
--And Gooden got 5 years' probation for being high on cocaine while driving, causing an accident in which a child of his wasn't buckled in. Call it the Curse of '86. Buckner lives a life of guilt-free bliss compared to these guys.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sox/Yanks, Game 3
During Game 3, Sox/Yanks
--ESPN announcers now do a good job. I was concerned about Bobby Valentine, but he's toned himself down some. He's okay.
--But I'm not a fan of the K-Zone square. Shocking, considering the baseball purist I am.
--The Sox are below the Mendoza line with RISP, the lowest in MLB.
--Their team ERA and starters' ERA are also the worst in MLB. Not a good combination.
--The Rays have already lost today. And the Mariners have lost 7 straight.
--Sox are 0-2 with RISP tonight at the end of the second inning, to worsen that stat.
--Word has it that Manny's not getting the love from the players. And that he's okay with his retirement, which I do believe. I also wouldn't doubt that the substance abused was pot, at least partially.
--Signing Buchholz to a 4-year deal is a good move. He'll return to form soon.
--Beckett's pitches all have more zip this game than I have seen from him in a long time. He needs to watch the film of these three innings and keep doing whatever he's doing.
--I'll be at Fenway Friday. Maybe 7-10 total games this year. I'll take it.
--Russell Martin looks like a steal so far.
--Big Papi has not been the same without Manny.
--Pedroia is putting on a fielding clinic the last few games. He's hitting great, too.
--I threw the ball around a little today. Felt good. I think I'll start throwing 100 pitches a day again soon, maybe this week, definitely next. When I finish my Masters, I'll play some games again.
--The Indians aren't this good. The Rangers and Phillies are.
--The Sox and Rays aren't this bad. The Mariners are.
--Hershiser does a good job, too.
--The tv ads superimposed over the ballpark ads behind the plate drive me crazy.
--Six hits and a couple of walks in three innings equal one run? That's why they're losing--and the pitching.
--Go Sox!
--ESPN announcers now do a good job. I was concerned about Bobby Valentine, but he's toned himself down some. He's okay.
--But I'm not a fan of the K-Zone square. Shocking, considering the baseball purist I am.
--The Sox are below the Mendoza line with RISP, the lowest in MLB.
--Their team ERA and starters' ERA are also the worst in MLB. Not a good combination.
--The Rays have already lost today. And the Mariners have lost 7 straight.
--Sox are 0-2 with RISP tonight at the end of the second inning, to worsen that stat.
--Word has it that Manny's not getting the love from the players. And that he's okay with his retirement, which I do believe. I also wouldn't doubt that the substance abused was pot, at least partially.
--Signing Buchholz to a 4-year deal is a good move. He'll return to form soon.
--Beckett's pitches all have more zip this game than I have seen from him in a long time. He needs to watch the film of these three innings and keep doing whatever he's doing.
--I'll be at Fenway Friday. Maybe 7-10 total games this year. I'll take it.
--Russell Martin looks like a steal so far.
--Big Papi has not been the same without Manny.
--Pedroia is putting on a fielding clinic the last few games. He's hitting great, too.
--I threw the ball around a little today. Felt good. I think I'll start throwing 100 pitches a day again soon, maybe this week, definitely next. When I finish my Masters, I'll play some games again.
--The Indians aren't this good. The Rangers and Phillies are.
--The Sox and Rays aren't this bad. The Mariners are.
--Hershiser does a good job, too.
--The tv ads superimposed over the ballpark ads behind the plate drive me crazy.
--Six hits and a couple of walks in three innings equal one run? That's why they're losing--and the pitching.
--Go Sox!
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