AJG, you've been awfully quiet concerning the Red Sox since opening night. I know they've had some injuries with their outfielders. They are currently 11-14, 7 games behind the division leading Rays, and 5 1/2 behind the Yankees? Is it too early to panic? I honestly haven't followed Boston much? What else is the problem besides the injuries? Has the pitching been a disappointment?

Getting swept by Baltimore might make me panic.

Getting swept by Baltimore might make me panic.

 

Kinda like getting swept by the Pirates....:sssh:

They should trade for Masset & sure up their bullpen. :lol:

 

I drafted Marco Scutaro thinking that he'd be brilliant in Boston. He's done okay, but not as well as I had thought / hoped.

 

JD Drew struggled mightily, but has turned it on as of late.

AJG, you've been awfully quiet concerning the Red Sox since opening night. I know they've had some injuries with their outfielders. They are currently 11-14, 7 games behind the division leading Rays, and 5 1/2 behind the Yankees? Is it too early to panic? I honestly haven't followed Boston much? What else is the problem besides the injuries? Has the pitching been a disappointment?

 

Usually when I start a Red Sox thread it doesn't get a whole lot of responses unless the Sox are playing the Yankees that week and end up on ESPN. Most BGPers don't have NESN so there's no one to follow the games with me. Until the Baltimore series they had been playing a lot better going 5-2. Losing Ellsbury and Cameron has really hurt them. They have Hermida who was supposed to play right against tough lefties for Drew and get spot starts in left and center. Now he's having to play every day and they're having to use Darnell McDonald and a rookie in center.

 

As for the pitching, it seems everyone but Buchholz is off to a slow start. That doesn't concern me too much because all the starters that are struggling have proven track records and none of them are injured or old.

 

The makeup of this roster concerns me a little bit. This season figured to be a bridge season where they plugged in some veterans until some younger players are ready to contribute and while I think they are much better than they have played through the first 25 games I'm not sure they have the guns to stay with the Yankees and Rays until the end.

 

Traditionally, the team starts to heat up as the weather gets warmer in Boston. Hopefully that will be the case this year. After watching Big Papi's struggle out of the gate again I think it is vital that the Sox try to get Gonzalez from the Padres at the trading deadline.

They should trade for Masset & sure up their bullpen. :lol:

 

I drafted Marco Scutaro thinking that he'd be brilliant in Boston. He's done okay, but not as well as I had thought / hoped.

 

JD Drew struggled mightily, but has turned it on as of late.

 

 

When Ellsbury gets back it should help Scutaro's numbers. He was brought in to bat 9th, not leadoff. I'm not sure he's real comfortable in that spot in the order.

When Ellsbury gets back it should help Scutaro's numbers. He was brought in to bat 9th, not leadoff. I'm not sure he's real comfortable in that spot in the order.

 

 

What about the Ortiz situation? I did see where he hit two homers the other day. How long will Boston stay with him? I've seen Dunn's name mentioned a few places as a possible replacement for Ortiz. What are your thoughts?

What about the Ortiz situation? I did see where he hit two homers the other day. How long will Boston stay with him? I've seen Dunn's name mentioned a few places as a possible replacement for Ortiz. What are your thoughts?

 

I have to think that Ortiz is on his last legs with Boston as a starter. He's still capable of hitting homeruns but his bat has slowed way down. In order to catch up with a good fastball he has to cheat and start his swing early. He used to be able to sit back and drive the ball all over the park. Almost all of his homers now come to rightfield. By trying to speed his bat up by pulling everything it leaves him vunerable to offspeed pitches and anything hard away. That's why his average has dropped and his strikeouts have went way up. He's really just a mistake hitter now. Its been painful to watch him struggle like he has after all the great memories he provided the last 7 years. A lot of people will blame it on the steroids but I honestly don't think his wrist has every been the same since he hurt it in 2008.

 

As for Dunn, I haven't heard anything solid on that. I think their hope is that the Padres cool down and decide to deal Gonzalez. If not I could see them making a deal for Dunn if they can stay afloat until the All-Star break. I don't think it'll happen until closer to the deadline because it would require that Ortiz, Lowell or both be DFA or traded.

Kinda like getting swept by the Pirates....:sssh:

 

And the Reds have a better record than Boston so.... :lol:

I have to think that Ortiz is on his last legs with Boston as a starter. He's still capable of hitting homeruns but his bat has slowed way down. In order to catch up with a good fastball he has to cheat and start his swing early. He used to be able to sit back and drive the ball all over the park. Almost all of his homers now come to rightfield. By trying to speed his bat up by pulling everything it leaves him vunerable to offspeed pitches and anything hard away. That's why his average has dropped and his strikeouts have went way up. He's really just a mistake hitter now. Its been painful to watch him struggle like he has after all the great memories he provided the last 7 years. A lot of people will blame it on the steroids but I honestly don't think his wrist has every been the same since he hurt it in 2008.

 

As for Dunn, I haven't heard anything solid on that. I think their hope is that the Padres cool down and decide to deal Gonzalez. If not I could see them making a deal for Dunn if they can stay afloat until the All-Star break. I don't think it'll happen until closer to the deadline because it would require that Ortiz, Lowell or both be DFA or traded.

CoughHGHcough.

Dunn would be an absolute monster in Fenway.

When Ellsbury gets back it should help Scutaro's numbers. He was brought in to bat 9th, not leadoff. I'm not sure he's real comfortable in that spot in the order.

 

What does it take to make you think that he's comfortable leading off?

 

Scutaro led off every game that he played last year for Toronto. He sure seemed comfortable then, considering he hit .282 with 12 HR and an OBP% of .379. He also scored 100 runs.

What does it take to make you think that he's comfortable leading off?

 

Scutaro led off every game that he played last year for Toronto. He sure seemed comfortable then, considering he hit .282 with 12 HR and an OBP% of .379. He also scored 100 runs.

 

He's batted 9th more than any other spot in the batting order and his career average there is .290. He had a good year in the leadoff spot in Toronto but batting leadoff for the Blue Jays does not involve the pressure involved in replacing fan favorited Jacoby Ellsbury while under the scrutiny of the Boston fans and media.

He's batted 9th more than any other spot in the batting order and his career average there is .290. He had a good year in the leadoff spot in Toronto but batting leadoff for the Blue Jays does not involve the pressure involved in replacing fan favorited Jacoby Ellsbury while under the scrutiny of the Boston fans and media.

 

Correct, but Scutaro has about 70 less at bats in the leadoff spot than in the #9 hole, so let's not act like it's a huge difference.

 

Also, wasn't Ellsbury's fantasy value in question this year because Francona was going to hit him 9th, essentially having him "leadoff" from the bottom of the order?

Good night for the Red Sox last night. Every starter had at least one hit and run scored in a 17-8 win over the Angels--who are struggling as well. Buchholz wasn't as sharp as in previous starts but he finally got some run support.