From what I saw Dice-K look really good last night. But I've updated my blog, taking a look at Bryce Cox, the Sox prospect. Appreciate any feedback.
Boston Red Sox: 2007
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Papelbon looked excellent today. Great life on the fastball, threw a couple good-looking splits, and was consistently hitting Mirabelli's mit. It's no guarantee he'll succeede as a starter, but at least we know his arm is healthy again.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the early returns on Pineiro are not good. Delcarmen also couldn't get through an inning late in the game.Comment
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Boston Red Sox 2004, 2007 World Series Champions
Nomar's homer off Pedro. Those four words just shouldn't go together. Not even on a day like 6/6/6. ~Bill SimmonsComment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Papelbon looked excellent today. Great life on the fastball, threw a couple good-looking splits, and was consistently hitting Mirabelli's mit. It's no guarantee he'll succeede as a starter, but at least we know his arm is healthy again.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the early returns on Pineiro are not good. Delcarmen also couldn't get through an inning late in the game.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
I'm not too high on Delcarmen either, or Hanson for that matter, though the final verdict for them has yet to be determined. Delcarmen has been given the opportunity to throw a lot of innings for the Sox at the big league level and has shown little to no improvment. He has a rather unimpressive high velocity fastball, the radar gun reads always look nice but the ball just doesn't appear to come out of his hand with much pop on it. And the curve has been nothing but inconsistent and gets hit more than it should. He had that one good stretch last year where he looked like he was putting it all together, but I think that stretch happened to occur while the Sox were playing the NL when all of their pitchers looked good. And being unable to get through an inning where all he faced were guys who will likely be in AA or AAA this year is not encouraging. It is one spring appearance and one can't take too much from it, but unfortunately it is nothing we haven't seen before.
Hanson has only had year of professional ball, so he doesn't need to be a dominant guy at the majors just yet, but he needs to show some improvement this year after being batting practice last year.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
He actually had a 3.5 ERA over 2 entire months last season(July/Aug), and in June only had a 4.35 ERA.
He bombed in Sept/Oct last year though and that made his season look bad. But you are correct on his curve getting hit more than it should. He has probably the second best curve on the team behind Beckett... Isn't it crappy that neither of them locate it well?
Delcarmen isn't ready mentally yet is my theory. I just don't think he is ready to be in the spotlight. It sucks too, because his stuff is nasty. He could be a career AAAA pitcher, or he can be a top flight set-up man/usable closer. I just hope he gets his head screwed on right, and fast!Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Is it crazy to suggest Hansack should be the closer? 4 K's today. I have hardly even watched the dude pitch, but I vaguely recall him having kind of a weird leg kick type hitch in his delivery.
I just know that I really don't want to see Joe-elle Pineiro trotting out from the bullpen in the 9th inning. From all reports in Florida, he is getting knocked around, and can't keep his arm slot consistent. To me, he has disaster written all over him. I'm not a doctor or anything, but doesn't lowering ones arm slot make him likelier to experience shoulder and/or elbow trouble?
What are the other options though? Timlin? No thanks, he seems ready to plunge off the cliff at this point. Donnelly? Err..maybe. Isn't he a proven cheater though? I seem to recall some incident with him scuffing or lubing up the ball. I've never been a big Donnelly guy. He seems like a 6th-7th inning guy at best. Maybe Hideki Okajima?
Does anybody really see Hansen and Delcarmen figuring it out? I'm not really too enthusiastic about either of those ****heads.
This is all unfortunate because every other aspect of this team looks to be competitive. The bullpen, though, looks like it will be a weak point once again for this team. Of course, I could be totally wrong and the lightbulb might flicker for Hansen one day and he could turn into Scott Linebrink v2, but I think that is unlikely.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Hansack is an interesting under the radar guy. I haven't seen him pitch since his "no-hitter" last fall so it is hard to chime in on how he's throwing. Four k's is nice, but were they against a bunch of scrubs? If I were Francona, I'd be looking at location and stuff this spring and whoever locates the best with the most consistent stuff gets the nod. Pineiro doesn't have "it," and neither does Delcarmen. It wouldn't surprise me if Donnelly does get a shot since he pounds the strike zone with a low 90's fastball and keeps the ball down. I think they could get by with him for a bit in hopes that Hansen gets it going early in the season and gets "promoted" midway through or a trade opens up. I expect to hear the Chad Cordero rumors all season long.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Heh:Originally posted by Boston.com Sox BlogJoe Torre said he won't be bringing Andy Pettitte on Monday to face the Sox. Wants to save him the long bus ride, plus wants to keep the Sox from seeing him. Sox will see Ross Ohlendorf instead. He was one of the guys the Yanks got in the Randy Johnson deal.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
I'm not sure how much I can emphasize how positively putrid this 2007 Red Sox bullpen is shaping up to be on paper. I truly think it might be Theo's worst job of assembling a bullpen, and that's remarkable given how bad some of his prior ones have been. At least in 2003 he brought back an effective Alan Embree and found an excellent performer in Mike Timlin.
Right now, here is a list of teams that have their closer job up for grabs in 2007 spring training:
Cincinnati Reds (though they seem to have committed to multiple guys)
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Florida Marlins
Boston Red Sox
Which of these 4 teams does not belong in this list? The Red Sox have a world championship calibre team, and a bullpen filled with no young, proven talent. Of course, the problem isn't just the bullpen because right now, there is literally nobody currently slotted to start the season in the bullpen who I would trust with a lead in the 7th, 8th, or 9th innings of a game.
It is pretty sad when I receive a glimmer of hope after reading Devern Hansack struck out 4 minor league hitters in a B-squad spring training game.
Here are the names currently on the roster from which they need to assemble a 6 or 7 man bullpen:
Mike Timlin (currently injured and 41 years old)
Brendan Donnelly
Joel Pineiro
Julian Tavarez
J.C. Romero
Javier Lopez (LHP)
Hideki Okajima
Craig Breslow
Manny Delcarmen
Nick Debarr
Bryan Corey
Kyle Snyder
Devern Hansack
Craig Hansen
Pretty scary stuff. I honestly can't see how Theo doesn't make a trade before the end of spring training to bring in a closer. They at least can not start the season with Brendan Donnelly or Joelle Pineiro as closer. If you live in Boston, prepare yourself for a ****ton of whining, bitching, and moaning about the state of this pen, because as it looks right now, this will cost them ball games they should be winning.Last edited by GBrushTWood; 03-10-2007, 11:11 AM.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Its gonna suck when we have one of the best rotations in baseball but once our starting pitchers come out the bullpen blows it. Theirs not alot they can do because its not like we just don't have a closer. We don't have an entire bullpen.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
The way I see it, relievers are volatile by nature and someone who is dominant one year is batting practice the next year. At this point they're stuck with what they have and need to hope a couple guys emerge as reliable end of game relievers. Middle relief across the AL is always going to be mediocre, it's just the way it is. The Sox need to hope they can find two quality relievers, plus on lefty specialest, out of their present heap of subpar arms. I think it is safe to say no one in that group will be a dominant closer this year, but perhaps someone is good enough to convert 80% of their save opportunities. Personally, my confidence isn't too high in these guys but I can see why the front office would be reluctant to start trading guys off for a Chad Cordero type of closer who isn't a guarantee either. How many truely great closers are there right now? I count about 5 - Rivera, Ryan, Hoffman, Nathan, and Rodriguez. It is likely a couple of guys will emerge and have big years this year, and equally likely a couple stable relievers of last year will fall off.
I'm willing to wait and see. Let April and May be the trial period and if nothing emerges then they'll have to make a deal. There will likely be a couple guys available somewhere who can come in and attempt to close games for the Sox. I don't see it as a big deal because as Sox fans we've all seen how inconsequential a great April and May can be at the end of a season.Comment
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Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007
Another solid outing by Snyder which is good to see. I'm wondering if the brass stretched him out a bit to give the scouts more time to check him out for possible trade chances?
Not a fan of the SI report on Benitez being looked at by the Sox. When was his last good year? 2004?Boston Red Sox 2004, 2007 World Series Champions
Nomar's homer off Pedro. Those four words just shouldn't go together. Not even on a day like 6/6/6. ~Bill SimmonsComment
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