Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

[Stu]

I really don't think you can put last night on Francona. Timlin is clearly the only guy they trust out of the bullpen right now and he couldn't come through. Unfortunately, they left a lot of runs off the board, again. They had 7 walks but only scored 4 times which is pretty pathetic for this offense.

This is the 3rd straight game Wakefield has pitched well enough to win only to be let down by their bats. Take away the 15 run game and they've only scored 35 runs in their last 10 games. Thats 2 runs lower than the season average. The bottom line is, this is a team that wins because of their hitting and the bats just aren't producing when it counts.

[GBrushTWood]

Yay! Let's act like Red Sox fans usually do when **** happens, blame the manager!

You guys are too damn predictable. Francona has not been bad this year. He hasn't been great either. All managers make mistakes. Every single one. Francona is fine. It's just for some reason (I happen to think it's because Red Sox fans are sick in the head), people need to find somebody to blame, and they take out their fat Garaputo aggression on the manager.

What happened last night was not even close to a brain fart for Francona. He brought in Timlin to get 1 measly out and go to the 9th inning. He couldn't even get one out. That is NOT Francona's fault. If any of you vultures are looking for someone to blame, it's Timlin.

Removing Wakefield before the 8th inning started, for either Papelbon, Timlin, or other guy in the bullpen is by NO MEANS trivial. Ergo, you can't truly criticize the manager for it. I prefer to criticize the manager when they make a ghastly boneheaded move that everybody in the ballpark realizes (Grady Little in game 7).

[Misfit]

Last night's loss was 90% Mike Timlin's fault, if not more. It's hard to put much blame on Francona given the position he's in. The lefty-righty thing does not work because if Franconca brings in Myers to face Lee they'll just pinch hit with a righty. And Timlin sucks if he can't get Travis Lee out.

Where Franconca did screw up is where he's always screwed up and thats not managing to the situation. He doesn't manage like he's in a penant race because he sticks with guys too long in games. Wakefield had thrown a lot of innings his previous four starts and, to me, it looked like he just wiggled out of the 7th. The otherside of that though, is that the Red Sox do not have a trusted set-up man right now and if the manager thinks he can get to the 9th with his starter he's gonna go for it. Torre drives me crazy with his constant mound visits and quick hooks, but thats almost how one has to manage in September and October. If the pitcher doesn't have it early, you gotta pull him. They should have had someone warming up alongside Timlin in case he faultered, but they didn't. They failed to score in the bottom of the inning so it may not have matterred but it still should have been done.

The only other complain I have is with their use of Hanson. In September, you can't be sending rookies out into tight situations to see what they can do, normally. However, the Red Sox have no bullpen depth and they basically have to see if this kid can help them or not and the only to do so is to throw him to the wolves, basically. We know he has good stuff, and we know a guy with similar stuff (Street) has been able to get it done, but we don't know if Hanson can and the Sox need to find out, especially with the news that Foulke is done for the season coming out today. Because let's face it, even if this team does win the East, there is no way they are winning another title with this bullpen unless they get significant contributions from Hanson and Papelbon.

[Thrasha]

Quote: Originally Posted by GBrushTWood

Yay! Let's act like Red Sox fans usually do when **** happens, blame the manager! You guys are too damn predictable. Francona has not been bad this year. He hasn't been great either. All managers make mistakes. Every single one. Francona is fine. It's just for some reason (I happen to think it's because Red Sox fans are sick in the head), people need to find somebody to blame, and they take out their fat Garaputo aggression on the manager. What happened last night was not even close to a brain fart for Francona. He brought in Timlin to get 1 measly out and go to the 9th inning. He couldn't even get one out. That is NOT Francona's fault. If any of you vultures are looking for someone to blame, it's Timlin. Removing Wakefield before the 8th inning started, for either Papelbon, Timlin, or other guy in the bullpen is by NO MEANS trivial. Ergo, you can't truly criticize the manager for it. I prefer to criticize the manager when they make a ghastly boneheaded move that everybody in the ballpark realizes (Grady Little in game 7).

agreed

On another note: I just read on SOSH that we were offered Jake Peavy, at one point, for Kevin Youkilis. He was spouting off a list of players we were offered at one time or another, for Youk.

Has anyone else heard this rumor because it sure is new to me. If it is true, I'm sure happy we didn't pull the trigger....

[ehh]

Damn that blows about Foulke, he's the reason the Sox won it all last year.

[Stu]

Quote: Originally Posted by Misfit

The only other complain I have is with their use of Hanson. In September, you can't be sending rookies out into tight situations to see what they can do, normally. However, the Red Sox have no bullpen depth and they basically have to see if this kid can help them or not and the only to do so is to throw him to the wolves, basically. We know he has good stuff, and we know a guy with similar stuff (Street) has been able to get it done, but we don't know if Hanson can and the Sox need to find out, especially with the news that Foulke is done for the season coming out today. Because let's face it, even if this team does win the East, there is no way they are winning another title with this bullpen unless they get significant contributions from Hanson and Papelbon.

I agree on Hansen. He needs to be the guy we get a big contribution out of. He's been well rested lately and has the stuff to be succesful. A lot of people would like to see Papelbon but you have to consider he's already thrown 140+ innings so far this year, which is a lot for a young pitcher who was a reliever up until last year.

[ILLCHILL]

Johan is doing the best he can to beat the ChiSox buts it 0-0 right now in about the Sixth.

Yankees lead by 4 over the O's.

Indians lead by 4 I think over KC.

Right now the only positive we can grab out of this night is that the Chisox might lose, and they may become a wildcard factor.

[Thrasha]

Quote: Originally Posted by ILLCHILL

Johan is doing the best he can to beat the ChiSox buts it 0-0 right now in about the Sixth. Yankees lead by 4 over the O's. Indians lead by 4 I think over KC. Right now the only positive we can grab out of this night is that the Chisox might lose, and they may become a wildcard factor.

thats a reach

we just have the division mainly, IMO, as our playoff ticket.