Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

[Chappy]

How much long are the Sox gonna stay with this guy?

who's next in line or will they land someone in a trade?

[Beantown]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

they certainly SHOULDN'T try and get a new closer, or have Timlin/Mantei start closing out games. The only thing you can do is let Foulke figure it out by keep sending him out there. He was the difference between the 2003 season and the 2004 season, and trying to go back to the closer-by-comitte or switchign closers mid-season will do more harm than letting Foulke stay in there.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

I don't know, it seems like he has just been figured out. Maybe a trade would be good. make Timlin a closer. You could still get something out of Fouke on the market. I love the guy, I have a ball he was warming up with. We owe him (and many others) our world series, he was untouchable. But NE sports have become so very successful these past 3 or 4 years because we don't allow past achievements or sentimals stuff get in the way or business decisions. The last straw was me announcing to the entire mvoie theatre that I watched Tuesday's game in that Foulke would blow the save, and he did just that. With two outs. A playoff team needs a shutdown closer, and TImlin knows how to close and if he performs in the closer role as he did in the set-up role, it will be game over in the ninth. The only concerns about him is how much he already worked this year. But I am confident he could do it.

[Stu]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

How much long are the Sox gonna stay with this guy?

who's next in line or will they land someone in a trade?

They're going to stay with him at least through July. Francona is a very loyal manager and I think will stick with him until he either works through his problems or management forces him to make a change.

Despite his struggles, Foulke really isn't hurting us too badly. He only has 3 blown saves, because the Red Sox don't have a lot of save opportunities. In his 35 apps he has allowed 0 runs in 24 apps and 25 runs in 11 apps. This obviously isn't good enough and if it continues, they'll make a change but aren't going to rush into anything.

With Schilling coming back and Arroyo likely headed to the pen I think their options at closer are this, in order of most likely to happen.

- Stick with Foulke
- Mantei straightens out and make him the closer
- Trade at the end of July (Danys Baez?)
- Give Arroyo a shot
- Make Timlin the closer, Arroyo setup man

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

they certainly SHOULDN'T try and get a new closer, or have Timlin/Mantei start closing out games. The only thing you can do is let Foulke figure it out by keep sending him out there. He was the difference between the 2003 season and the 2004 season, and trying to go back to the closer-by-comitte or switchign closers mid-season will do more harm than letting Foulke stay in there.

Switching closers mid-season is muhc different from a closer-by-comitte.

[Beantown]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

They're going to stay with him at least through July. Francona is a very loyal manager and I think will stick with him until he either works through his problems or management forces him to make a change.

Despite his struggles, Foulke really isn't hurting us too badly. He only has 3 blown saves, because the Red Sox don't have a lot of save opportunities. In his 35 apps he has allowed 0 runs in 24 apps and 25 runs in 11 apps. This obviously isn't good enough and if it continues, they'll make a change but aren't going to rush into anything.

With Schilling coming back and Arroyo likely headed to the pen I think their options at closer are this, in order of most likely to happen.

- Stick with Foulke
- Mantei straightens out and make him the closer
- Trade at the end of July (Danys Baez?)
- Give Arroyo a shot
- Make Timlin the closer, Arroyo setup man

Exactly...he's only blown 3 saves, that's not bad at all. He had an off night the other night and couldn't get his fastball up past 85, and when you have that bad of a night, i don't care who you are, you're going to get rocked, and he did.

[Beantown]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

Switching closers mid-season is muhc different from a closer-by-comitte.

I realize that, I didn't say they were the same thing, I said they would have the same negative effect.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

I realize that, I didn't say they were the same thing, I said they would have the same negative effect.

Oh, my bad. I misunderstood you.

[Beantown]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

No problem, I just can't help thinking about to 03 and getting Kim mid-season and making him our closer...that didn't work one bit.

[Stu]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

I don't know, it seems like he has just been figured out.

I disagree. He was dominant for 6 years, so teams didn't just all of a sudden figure him out. Something is physically wrong with him. I don't think its an injury, but maybe he was just overworked and he's got a dead arm. It happens at some point to most pitchers so it's not too hard to believe.

His major problems this year are:

- The 85 mph fastball. He needs to get that back up into the low 90's for his 78-80 mph changeup to be effective. Early in the season, he couldn't locate the fastball so maybe he's taking something off it in order to throw it for strikes.
- He has no command of his changeup. 0-2 count to Hafner an he leaves and 80 mph changeup middle in? That's not the Keith Foulke of last year. In his previous bad outing, the game they won 10-9, he couldn't even throw it for a strike. When he can't throw it for strikes and hitters can sit on his 85mph fastball he's going to get knocked around.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

IP ERA BB SO
vs LHB 22.2 4.76 8 22
vs RHB 14.2 7.98 6 6

Look at the ERA. That's brutal.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

I disagree. He was dominant for 6 years, so teams didn't just all of a sudden figure him out. Something is physically wrong with him. I don't think its an injury, but maybe he was just overworked and he's got a dead arm. It happens at some point to most pitchers so it's not too hard to believe.

His major problems this year are:

- The 85 mph fastball. He needs to get that back up into the low 90's for his 78-80 mph changeup to be effective. Early in the season, he couldn't locate the fastball so maybe he's taking something off it in order to throw it for strikes.
- He has no command of his changeup. 0-2 count to Hafner an he leaves and 80 mph changeup middle in? That's not the Keith Foulke of last year. In his previous bad outing, the game they won 10-9, he couldn't even throw it for a strike. When he can't throw it for strikes and hitters can sit on his 85mph fastball he's going to get knocked around.

I dont think he is overworked. Like you said, 6 years and he pitched ALOT of innings all those years. Why would all of a sudden he have fatigue problems? He never has before.He pitched more innings with Oakland in his last year there than he did last year with us, and was money.

[Stu]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

I dont think he is overworked. Like you said, 6 years and he pitched ALOT of innings all those years. Why would all of a sudden he have fatigue problems? He never has before.

True, but it's obvious something is wrong. Somebody who has been as consistent as Foulke doesn't just lose his stuff like he has this year.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

Well I really doubt it is health-related. Maybe a move in bullpen structure, make Foulke a setup guy and Timlin close for a week or so, see how he responds. That however comes with big risks. But I dont think sending him out there hoping he fixes himself is the way to go.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Redsox and Keith Foulke

And just a stat, he has let up 25 ER this year. He let up 20 each of the last two years. This is obviously a major problem and something needs to be done to rectify the situation.