Bumpy Ride
For Boston sports fans, this past Monday, Patriots Day, was a great day.
Boston Marathon
Boston Red Sox - 11:05am start
Boston Celtics - playoff game
Boston Bruins - playoff game
All on the same day, pretty neat stuff.
As for the Red Sox, they've righted their ship somewhat and things appear much better than just a week ago. That said, I find my self impatiently waiting for the return of Julio Lugo. How can that be you ask? Well with Jed Lowrie out for 8-10 weeks (wrist surgery) and Nick Green filling in, the Red Sox need Lugo back.
Green is good with the glove, but doesn't offer much with the bat. He is a nice short term option, but won't give you much more than a .650 OPS over any long stretch.
---
Rocco Baldelli was also put on the DL with a hamstring strain. Jeff Bailey was purchased from AAA Pawtucket to take his place. I love Bailey's bat, but the sad part of this promotion is that Bailey will have to pass through waivers (and accept) his assignment back to Pawtucket when Baldelli returns meaning this might be his last trip to Boston.
---
Since my last post where I moaned and groaned about the lack of offense, the Red Sox have hit .318, gotten on base at a .407 clip and slugged .543. They've averaged 7.6 runs over this 5 game win streak. Not bad.
David Ortiz showed some signs of breaking out in his last game, but he remains the most concerning element.
---
The Red Sox will try to play 2 today, but the night game is questionable with rain on its way. Then the Yankees come to town for a 3 game set starting Friday. Chien-Ming Wang, originally scheduled to throw batting practice to Red Sox batters on Friday, has been pushed back so he can work on his mechanics. Probably a good idea on the Yankees part. Not that the Red Sox line-up is the best in baseball, but they have enough veterans capable of piling it on.
Comments
I was talking with my Yankee fan friend at work about the decision to skip Wang's Fenway start. I think it really isn't something I would do if I had a back to back 19 game winner that struggled out of the gate. I would throw him out there unless he were hurt.
Until the decision was finalized, I actually believed knowing the Sox luck it would be against them that he threw his first good outing.
My friend says it must be something mechanical and they want to make sure he doesn't get pounded again.
I say, if so, you work out of mechanic problems by pitching don't you?
Posted by: blmeanie![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 22, 2009 08:20 PM
|
Say there, fella. I have this really nice bridge I'd like to sell ya - heck, you even get the naming rights when you buy it. Waddayasay? Hmmm??
Tell you what, Wang vs Dice-K.
;-)
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 22, 2009 10:03 PM
|
is it physical or mechanical/mental? If it is something physical, they should sit him down, if not, and you are an established ML player, you work through it, don't you?
I have no use for a bridge, I like to swim...
Posted by: blmeanie![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 22, 2009 10:16 PM
|
His sinker is too tired to sink, sorta like like Dice-K's fastball is too tired to be one.
Can't swim the car and kiddies across the river tho ... and the bridge is really a bargain these days. ;-)
Beckett and AJ should be a fun gathering, tho.
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 23, 2009 07:01 AM
|
I think the pitching matchups are great for an early series.
My kids can swim...maybe just need to get one of the duck boats from the victory parade in Boston this year then I can "drive" across the river if I need to...
Posted by: blmeanie | April 23, 2009 07:33 AM |
Bl and Mitchell...I like it. Keep it up, good trash talking.
Wang's start is somewhat like CC Sabathia's start in 2008. 3 or 4 ver, very bad starts had people wondering if he done, but he bounced right back and I don't think he missed starts.
Wang is either hurt or he has developed (and can't unlearn) a serious flaw in his delivery. With bullpen sessions and side sessions, he could easily fix it while not missing a start, but if things AREN'T getting better in the side sessions, that is perhaps why the are skipping him.
Posted by: andy![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 23, 2009 04:39 PM
|
Hi Guys,
Just goofing around, not really trying to be trashy, but as long as we're having fun and keeping the board lively, it's all good for me. Hope you and BL know that I mean no dissing on a personal level.
Anywho ...
I'm reading that Wang is "tired" which means, to me anyway, that he rushed back to pitch at the bigs WAY too soon after his long recovery from the foot problems. Either the foot and leg are too weak or his upper body conditoning was inadequate during the recovery or home cooking from his new wife has softened him up to a butterball. His sinker is floating, his fastball is off by 3 to 5 MPH so something somewhere is wrong. Whatever the reason for it, my guess is that they DL him and bring up Hughes. We'll know soon enuf.
Posted by: Mitchell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
|
April 23, 2009 05:41 PM
|
Np from, all in good fun
Btw-in an article today on boston.com the writer wondered if DiceK was following his Asian predecessors with body breakdowns after about 2 seasons in MLB
Wang is about same time or even a little longer, right?
Posted by: blmeanie | April 23, 2009 07:00 PM |