2010 MLB Season Discussion

[Arnel]

Does anyone think the Red Sox have a chance any more?

[Viq]

Does anyone think the Red Sox have a chance any more?

What?! Of course not! No team has ever made up a 3.5 game deficit in a month and a half!

[Saga]

What?! Of course not! No team has ever made up a 3.5 game deficit in a month and a half!

I think it's less the deficit and more the fact that our pitching has been FUCKING HORRIBLE in must-win situations. Paps blows a 2-run lead against the Blue Jays, Beckett gives up 4 unanswered runs to make it 8-6 instead of 8-2, and now it's a 1-run game at 9-8 with 2 more innings to go. I'm honestly shocked this team has been able to hang on as long as it has, and I'll give them more credit than most people, but jesus christ, you don't potentially blow an 8-2 lead and look on the postseason with high hopes.

Beckett, Lackey have been underwhelming, Dice-K has been erratic, Bard and Paps are the only two reliable relievers on the team. And Ellsbury is now out again with some mysterious "side injury," most likely related to the ribs he cracked earlier in the season.

Edit: jesus fucking christ. tied up now. Tell me you aren't pissed off, Viq. This is such a poorly played game, on both sides.

[Viq]

Honestly, I think the biggest problem is going to be how overworked Bard has been. There's really no question that he's the best arm in that bullpen, but he's being leaned on far too often.

For the starters, think about the rotation without names for a minute. They have a dominant left-handed ace, and a righty #2 that has a sub 2.50ERA. Their 3rd guy has been off and on, but he'll give you a chance to win more than half the time. #4 has been a disappointment, and #5 is struggling to return from injury. Sounds like a better staff than most teams. If Beckett can find a way to come around (I've pretty much given up on Lackey returning to form this season) then the rotation is more than sufficient.

The problem is that the starters aren't going to give you 8 innings a night. It's just not going to happen. Because of that, they have to dip into an atrocious pool of arms in the bullpen. They have been throwing away games all year because of Okajima, Delcarmen and co. If Dubront can give them any type of consistency then they have some hope, but that's asking a lot of that kid.

Overall the chances are slim, but it's not out of the question entirely that they could overtake the Rays for the wild card. If they make it then I'll obviously be super excited. I won't be crushed if the Sox miss the playoffs though, because it's unreasonable to expect a team with so many injuries to so many key players to even be as close as they currently are.

[Saga]

I'll agree with you on the starters. Aside from the Yankees, I can barely name one starter per team that really qualifies as the ace of their respective staffs, but we are fortunate where our #4 and 5 starters could be a #3, maybe even #2 front of the rotation starter on lots of other teams who are worse off.

I also agree with you about starters not going eight innings, but once our starter's knocked out, it's honestly a pick-your-poison kind of move -- go with Bard, who's solid and consistent, but overworked, or flip a coin on Atchison, Okie (previously), Delcarmen, Ramirez (also previously), etc. In the very few times I've seen Dustin Richardson, I've really liked his stuff and his poise. He seems like he could be a valuable asset to the team at present and down the road, but at the moment, it's still a gamble with anyone but Bard. Even Paps, it seems like, recently. I wish Theo made a similar move as last year in claiming Wagner off waivers to strengthen the pen, but I don't think there are that many good arms on waivers right now with a drastically lower cost than at the trade deadline.

If I had to pinpoint one issue, I guess it would be that the Sox constantly wave this banner in the air after two or three wins and go, "Sup, bitch -- offense is up and running, pitching is clutch as hell right now, time to go on a streak," then they blow some insane lead, stop their win streak at 2 or, even more rarely now, 3, and go on some horrible, nauseating stint of shit games like the Jays last night, and now Texas tonight.

It's such a rollercoaster of a season. I try not to get too invested in each game, but it's difficult to turn on MLB TV, see the RS down by a run, watch them score seven runs in one inning, then squander that lead the rest of the game. I won't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs either, but I won't be thrilled at all the games this team literally handed to its opponents throughout the season.

[Man0warr]

Poor Tim Wakefield

[pohibaba]

So, remember all those "Shut up about what Stanton is doing in the minor he hasn't done shit in the major" posts?

.267/.342/.554/.896 with 13 HRs in 219 PA (rate of 39 HRs over 650 PA).

With his HR and 2B tonight, his ISO jumps from .271 to .287. In the process, he jumps Bob Horner (.271), Alex Rodriguez (.273), and Ted Williams (.281) and now holds the second highest ISO of all time for a 20 year old. Mel Ott, at .306, will be the last to pass. With a month and a half to go, he has enough time to give a nice cushion over Ott

And yet he's still not as good as Buster Posey. Sucks for him.

[Kurp]

Squeeze plays don't get enough credit. The Twins executed one perfectly last night and it hasn't been shown on any replay I've seen. The only other one I've actually seen this year was when the Braves burned the Twins with one earlier in the season.

[Alderaan]

Bobby loves the squeeze play and uses it quite often when he has the opportunity. No one in the AL likes to give up outs for 1 run when they play for 3-run homers. It's probably why i prefer the NL.

[Toth]

Ask any Cardinals fan: The only thing Tino Martinez was ever robbed of was a career in custodial work.

You mean cleaning up after every Knoblachian erstwhile throw?

[Soa]

Chase Utley starts his rehab stint tonight and is expected back by Tuesday, a full 2 weeks before projected. Ryan Howard should also be back by next weekend, marking the first time since early May we've had our full starting lineup healthy.

Maybe now Cole Hamels can get a little run support for once (probably not).

[Conrad]

Chase Utley starts his rehab stint tonight and is expected back by Tuesday, a full 2 weeks before projected. Ryan Howard should also be back by next weekend, marking the first time since early May we've had our full starting lineup healthy.

Maybe now Cole Hamels can get a little run support for once (probably not).

Incoming Ibañez/Werth DL trip.

[Gregorio]

It's nice to see the Mets being the Mets tonight. I think I've seen at least 2 not so top 10 plays for them so far tonight.

Although that Beltran-run-into-the-wall not so top 10 play from last week was hilarious.

[*Shinzon*]

So this dumb bitch david wright refuses to take the advice of well...EVERYONE and move back closer to plate because he was annoyed at being pitched inside. Now he can't hit and he's so frustrated that he can't even make routine plays anymore. Fuck this asshole I mean really. How about move back on top of the plate or you're benched, faggot.

[Soa]

Another awesome at bat for him there.

[Trichocyst]

Utley 1-3 in rehab with a triple. Expected to be back Tuesday all of a sudden.

[Gregorio]

Just looking at the box score of the Braves/Dodgers game...how the hell do the Dodgers have 12 hits in 7 innings along with a Braves error and only 1 run?

[Akiyama]

Chase Utley starts his rehab stint tonight and is expected back by Tuesday, a full 2 weeks before projected. Ryan Howard should also be back by next weekend, marking the first time since early May we've had our full starting lineup healthy.

Maybe now Cole Hamels can get a little run support for once (probably not).

Utley 1-3 in rehab with a triple. Expected to be back Tuesday all of a sudden.

Hm. Also, 2 runs in 2 games for the Braves offense. gg.

[Kyo]

Arod with 3 jobs tonight, looks like he's finally getting hot.

[Headspace]

Only took his entire yankee career