Boston Red Sox

Monster Rain

I wonder if it's a coincidence that Youkilis wasn't in the starting lineup today. Valentine's comment was a pretty crappy thing for a manager to say publicly, but to do it the day before sitting the guy for a game is just making matters worse.

:corn:

Monster Rain

I'm not sure what Valentine was thinking today. He left Bard in the game when he had clearly run out of gas. After getting 2 outs in the 7th he walked a guy and gave up a single, then walked Pena on 4 pitches to load the bases and bring Longoria up to the plate. He was over 100 pitches at this point and that's probably his limit right now since he hasn't been a starter in ages before this year. Valentine left him in and he walked Longoria on 4 pitches to bring in the game's only run. Rays win 1-0. I wonder if Bobby will be ok if his players question whether he was in the game emotionally.

FenwayFaithful

Things to be encouraged about: Cody Ross killing it defensively and with the bat, Mike Aviles looking comfortable at short, the bullpen has performed well the last few days, Papi is hitting and Bard and Dubront looked solid for most of their outings this weekend.

Things to be discouraged about: Bobby V running his mouth 10 games into the season, losing Ellsbury (our catalyst) for two months

Regardless of the outcome this year, it's certainly going to be interesting.

FenwayFaithful

Fans can second guess Bobby V for leaving Bard in, but I don't think its too big of a deal. He was showing his faith in the young kid and he was clearly tired (3 of last 9 batters faced were 1st pitch strikes), and it didn't work out.

neilybabes86

BOBBY V..HAHA knew it was coming

PillowPants

wake me in october

:fp:

carolinabeerguy

FenwayFaithful wrote:

Fans can second guess Bobby V for leaving Bard in, but I don't think its too big of a deal. He was showing his faith in the young kid and he was clearly tired (3 of last 9 batters faced were 1st pitch strikes), and it didn't work out.

I'm definitely second guessing this one. Bard should never have been in the game at that point. This was his 2nd career start after leaving the bullpen. He had thrown 87 pitches when the 7th inning started and he had already walked 4 coming into the 7th inning. He proceeds to get 2 quick outs on 5 pitches before walking the next guy on 5 pitches. Next batter singles to center on the 6th pitch of the AB.

(This is the point where he should have been pulled at the latest) Next batter walks on 4 pitches. Obviously, he's done at this point, right? Nope, Bobby V. decides to let him stay in to get the third out despite having allowed 2 walks and a single in the inning. Oh, his pitch count was at 107 at this point and he'd just allowed his 6th walk of the game. So much for letting him gradually stretch himself into the starter's role early in the season.

The next batter walks on 4 pitches allowing the first and only run of the game. Bobby V. finally comes and rescues Bard who pitched great for 6 2/3 innings. The crowd boos loudly both when Bobby V. comes out to the mound and while he returns to the dugout. I understand trying to let a guy go for a shutout, but Bard was clearly done. Terrible management that may have lost the Red Sox the game since the final score was 1-0.

Monster Rain

Melancon and his 49.50 ERA are headed to Pawtucket.

Wobbie

PillowPants wrote:

wake me in october

:fp:

for what? :?

PJ88

PillowPants wrote:

wake me in october

:fp:

At this point I totally agree! I have a feeling this is going to be a long season.

Cliffy6745

Fans headed for the door as bobby v got booed

FenwayFaithful

You Son of a Bitch, Bobby V

Flagg

Sorry about the beat down.

As a life long Rangers fan, I know all about Bobby V. I can't believe y'all hired him.

FenwayFaithful

Cant wait for tomorrow. This looks like its going to be awesome. So many former players etc. expected to attend. Then we get Sox-Yanks Round 1.

81

is this team any good? thinking of catching a game next weekend

FenwayFaithful

81 wrote:

is this team any good? thinking of catching a game next weekend

Oh yeah, they're on the south side next weekend. I don't really know how to answer the question of if they're any good or not, but they're certainly interesting.

polaris_x

81 wrote:

is this team any good? thinking of catching a game next weekend

on paper ... they're great!

Monster Rain

The story of why the cameraman was focused on Fisk during his 1975 World Series HR for that classic shot of him trying to wave the ball fair is quite gross.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/ ... age-on-tv/

I want to say I knew this once. Or maybe posted on it once. But when you post several thousand things a year they all kind of blend together. Oh well.

Anyway, there’s a great story over at Sporting News which tells the tale of the famous shot of Carlton Fisk’s homer in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. It was a shot that wasn’t supposed to happen because back then camermen were instructed to follow the ball, not the player’s reaction. But in this case, something weird happened:

NBC cameraman Lou Gerard, stationed in the Fenway scoreboard and assigned to track the ball wherever Fisk hit it, had a problem.

A big, hairy, ugly, nasty problem.

“There were some rats running around,” he says. “With Fisk coming up, Harry Coyle, who was the director at the time, he told me, ‘Lou, you have to follow the ball if he hits it.’ I said, ‘Harry, I can’t, I’ve got a rat on my leg that’s as big as a cat. It’s staring me in the face. I’m blocked by a piece of metal on my right.’ So he said, ‘What are we going to do?’ I said, ‘How about if we stay with Fisk, see what happens?’

Meanwhile, we all get mad at Luke Scott for calling Fenway Park a dump. Oh well.

FenwayFaithful

No Freddie Lynn
No Trot Nixon
No Wade Boggs

Monster Rain

FenwayFaithful wrote:

No Freddie Lynn
No Trot Nixon
No Wade Boggs

Also, no Schilling. He's busy with his video game company and won't be there. The only reason Boggs isn't attending is because he heard that chicken was banned from the clubhouse.