amusing article in the nation re: the rockies and their christian ways...

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml ... 05&s=zirin

alandeus wrote:I feel a lot better about the Rockies loss last night after seeing that Beckett was left in for 2 more innings and 25-30 more pitches with a 12 run lead. That's some good managing right there.

He only threw 90-some pitches; let him get his work in.

With a 12-run lead I was feeling pretty okay about Gagne being in there.

STF wrote:With a 12-run lead I was feeling pretty okay about Gagne being in there.

I wasn't... that fucking guy shouldn't even be allowed to ride the bus with the rest of the team!

my girlfriend was asking me about beckett being in there for so long too.

I echoed those same thoughts. They put pitchers on a plan. he only gave up 1 run and was at 80 pitches. Clearly the plan was to keep him in the game for at least 90 pitches if he was throwing well. People get confused w/ innings vs pitch counts.

If it was the 5th inning and he was up at 98 pitches, he would have gone maybe 1 out into the 6th.

Sadly, Eric Byrnsez was right, the rockies really didnt even need to win this game. The rockies just want a split, losing to beckett is a push for them. Even if it was 200-1 They got their bullpen some work.

As odd as it may sound, game 1 for the Red Sox was a 'must win' situation. The sox did what they had to do. Imagine the shit storm if beckett lost in game 1?

Im not saying the rockies planned on losing, its just not a big shocker for them and they are still within reach of the early goal of splitting in fenway.

People are talking sweep, the sox don't think like that, they know full well that schilling has to be perfect in locating his 88mph meatball.

The Who sits in COL issue is indeed a big deal. My guess is

Youk sits game 1
Papi sits game 2
Lowell sits game 3, Youk to 3b

Ellsbury looks a hell of a lot like Bruschi's lil cousin to me

"Lowell sits game 3, Youk to 3b "

This just doesn't make sense to me.

madlee wrote:amusing article in the nation re: the rockies and their christian ways...

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml ... 05&s=zirin

Absolutely as good a reason as any to root for Boston.

TheMilford wrote:"Lowell sits game 3, Youk to 3b "

This just doesn't make sense to me.

How would you work it? Youk came up as a 3b, out of Youk, Pap and Lowell, only Youk can switch positions without much of a drop off. (lowell could play 1b in a pinch and MAYBE SS in an absolute emergency)

Papi playoff OBP - 549
Youk playoff OBP - .491
Lowell playoff OBP - 396

Papi playoff slugging .806
Youk playoff slugging .822
Lowell playoff slugging .538

Obviously Youk has been a GG 1b so Tito being very conservative will most likely not move him to 3b.

But looking at those numbers, its really hard to sit either Papi or Youk if you want great offense. Clearly Papi is your weak link defensively although I think he went the entire WS last time w/ a %100 fielding rating

Youk and Papi are absolutely crushing the ball, and Papi is your team's biggest clutch performer.

If Lowell were 5 years younger and could play a decent SS the obvious sitting would be Lugo, despite his good game last night

its a clear advantage for COL playing 3 straight w/ no DH rules. AL teams often have multiple DH type players, where as NL almost always have PH players who can field multiple positions. NL teams usually have a couple of pitchers who can hit as well.

Given Papi's knee he may even sit 2 out of 3 games in COL, making the decision much easier for Tito

If you go w/ OBPS it brings lowell up a lil bit, but still demonstrates how Papi and Youk are killing pitchers in the playoffs

Papi playoff OBPS - 1.355
Youk playoff OBPS - .1.313
Lowell playoff OBPS - .934

The bottom 4 Sox 'regulars' are of course JD Drew, Crisp, Ellsbury and Lugo.

Many sox fans think youk can play RF and sit JD drew. If it were regular season it might happen, but asking youk to play RF in fenway just aint gonna happen. He could do it, but it would be slightly above Keven Millar type defense

iembalm wrote:

madlee wrote:amusing article in the nation re: the rockies and their christian ways...

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml ... 05&s=zirin

Absolutely as good a reason as any to root for Boston.

It'll take a 29-team plane crash to make me root for Boston.

iembalm wrote:

madlee wrote:amusing article in the nation re: the rockies and their christian ways...

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml ... 05&s=zirin

Absolutely as good a reason as any to root for Boston.

Not so fast. The Rockies don't have a monopoly on this Christian crap. This piece is a little old but still applies to several players on the Sox roster:

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/r ... ny_on_sox/

If you're a baseball fan, and I am, you're just going to have to forget about this kind of nonsense if you expect to enjoy a game.

Hexpane wrote:But looking at those numbers, its really hard to sit either Papi or Youk if you want great offense. Clearly Papi is your weak link defensively although I think he went the entire WS last time w/ a %100 fielding rating

I guess really I'm more worried about Papi's defense with his "injuries"... He was obviously in much better physical shape in 2004... have you seen him limp around the basses?

...obvious sitting would be Lugo, despite his good game last night

yes please!

Given Papi's knee (and shoulder and hamstring and quadriceps) he may even sit 2 out of 3 games in COL, making the decision much easier for Tito