Boston Red Sox: 2007

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

JD Drew finally steps the hell up.

[Misfit]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Romer has been designated for assignment. I'm a little surprised by this move.

[Stu]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

This might be considered blasphemy, but does anyone else think Timlin should've been the odd man out? He just doesn't have it anymore IMO.

[Misfit]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

I don't comepletely disagree with that. Timlin hasn't shown much since coming off the DL last year. I think they should have sent Lopez back down just because he still has an option(s) on his contract. Then after seeing what Timlin brings to the table over the course of a few weeks, make a more permanent move. Pineiro has been hit and miss as well. Romero had a nice record and ERA, but his walks were terrible. However, in the past he has always done this, even during his good years, and then at somepoint everything clicked for him and he got rolling. We'll see how it all works out though.

Julian Tavarez last night: 1-1 with bunt single and walk, 6 IP, 3ER.
He's definitely not the best pitch on this roster, but he may be the most entertaining. Part of me will be a little sad when he comes out of the rotation for Lester.

[Dispatch]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Yea, I definately don't think they should of signed Timlin for another year this year. You could tell last year he was starting to get old.

[Misfit]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Pretty terrible return from the DL from Timlin today. His throwing error pretty much ended the game. A 3-4 road trip where the bats only showed for one game, let's see if home series against the largely mediocre Rockies and Giants can get this team rolling again. The good news is that the pitching was strong on this west coast trip and if it remains so they'll likely continue to win more than they lose.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Meh, a 3-4 west coast road trip following a tough Yankees series with no off days. Not to mention some solid pitching throughout and some close games even in our losses.

Call me a homer but that doesn't seem all that bad. The only reason anyone in Boston is concerned is because the Yanks are rolling, and while wins are wins they won't be facing Pittsburgh 12 more times this year.

I'm looking for a one or two games above .500 home stand against COL and SF. Can't wait for some great moments with Barry. I'm going to be getting some tix to one of these games against SF.

[Misfit]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Dropping 2 out of 3 at home to the Rockies is downright embarassing.

[GBrushTWood]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Dropping 2 out of 3 at home to the Rockies is downright embarassing.

I wouldn't say that. I think they have a legitimately solid offense. Matt Holliday is growing into one of the best hitters in baseball, Todd Helton still has some left in the tank, and Garrett Atkins finally seems to be snapping out of his season long slump. That's a damn strong 3-4-5, in my opinion. Put any one of those 3 guys in the 5 hole for the Red Sox, and Sox fans would be splooging their drawers. And no, I probably wouldn't know any of this if I didn't draft Holliday and Atkins in rounds 2 and 3 for my rotisserie team.

I think if this was about one month ago, the Red Sox probably would have swept the Rockies, but the ebb and flow of a long season result in unpredictability when facing teams (i.e. - just because a team was kicking *** one month ago, does not have future predictability). Despite this, I think there are some serious red flags with this 2007 Red Sox team that were masked when Youkilis was hitting like Ted Williams, and the pitching staff were concurrently on hot streaks..

I know this is being beaten into the ground, but Coco Crisp is an absolute abyss of unbridled failure this year. He doesn't look like he belongs in Single A ball, never mind MLB. I haven't seen him drive the ball with authority in over a calendar year. This is not just the ebb and flow of a season, it is a distinct trend, and his black hole offensive contributions do not look to increase going forward.

Obviously, Lugo and Drew are also killing this team right now. Combine that with the inevitable Lowell slide, and there are serious question marks with nearly half the lineup. This is and the lack of power righty setup guys in the bullpen seem to be the biggest problems going forward. I think Timlin retires by the all-star break (or at least I hope he does, it looks like he's got nothing)

Hate to say it, but I see the Yankees in first by July 4. :-(

[twflawless]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

If we dealt both crisp and pena, we could get some set up help and it's not like we don't have 3 decent hitters in AAA. I would like to see moss get a call up, possibly ellsbury, murphy does not seem to have too much pop in his bat.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

HUGE win tonight. Coupled with a Yankees loss it's 8 1/2. First time we distanced ourselves form them in weeks in seems like.

Concerns: The 3-9 hitters were 1 for 24. Everyone needs to contribute in order to win in the long haul and Ortiz and Manny need to click. Drew was a nice suprise in the leadoff spot but he needs to be a productive 5 hitter unless Lowell keeps up his pace. Also, Ortiz got ejected for a strike call. He has been out biggest whiner as much as i love him over the last two years. Every strike call he feels that he needs to look back at the ump.

Good stuff: Everything else. If Tavarez can be a solid .500 pitcher in this rotation as our five starter we are in great shape. One thing is for sure, he leaves it all on the field every day. I love his approach. Pedroia is maybe proving this isn't all an abberition, collecting 5 hits and knocking in five. Drew also gave another good game and has at the very least been hitting the ball well. The bullpen was also amazingly solid as always.


In other news, Bill Mueller was named today the Dodgers hitting coach

[Misfit]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

If we dealt both crisp and pena, we could get some set up help and it's not like we don't have 3 decent hitters in AAA. I would like to see moss get a call up, possibly ellsbury, murphy does not seem to have too much pop in his bat.

I think if Ellsbury was lighting it up at Triple A there would be a very good chance he'd get a shot at some point this season. Right now though, he's only slugging .377 and I'd expect his OBP of .371 to drop noticeably at the major league level if called up today. Still, I think if Crisp wasn't far and away the league leader in defensive win shares among AL outfielders Ellsbury would get a look. Moss has shown promise with the bat, but I don't think he's regarded as a centerfielder. Needless to say, Crisp has looked brutal at the plate with no signs of improvement and I don't think his defense can make up for his lack of offense if he keeps going like this.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

I think his defense CAN make up for his offense if he is our number nine hitter and Lugo starts doing his thing. Just because we are an AL power it doesn't mean our number 9 hitter needs to be hitting .275 with 13 homers. He can be doing what Crisp has been doing with great speed at the bottom of the lineup. If everyone contirbutes like they can (Lugo, Drew, Papi, Manny) then I wouldn't mind having a guy who once showed power in Cleveland and is making great plays in Center in the number 9 spot. Think Alex Gonzalez.

[CWood2]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

Right now though, Lugo's "thing" is to be the worst everday player in major league baseball since Rey Ordonez ... and he doesn't have his glove. That's saying something.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Boston Red Sox: 2007

I don't wanna look up the numberd and I'm sure I'm wrong, but when I think of worst everydayers over the last few years I think of Tony Womack for the Yankees a couple years back.