Boston Red Sox Thread

[MattA75]

Dempster has been very good, he hasnt gotten much run support and one or two bad outings have ballooned his numbers.

his last few starts have hurt his numbers, but he has a couple of 7IP, 1 or 2 ER type of starts that he lost

[elliseamos]

i love the catcher's reaction.

[Green Habit]

i love the catcher's reaction.

I love the reaction of the two Sox fans who got a place immediately behind the plate.

[Coach]

This will be a good test against Texas.

[numbers]

remember when we said that last month?

[philpritchard]

This will be a good test against Texas.

Seems like a solid start.

One of the things I love about baseball is that there always seems to something new happening, or at least something that makes me want to look up when the last time it happened was. Like tonight, checking through some scores, I noticed the Red Sox managed an RBI groundout and two sac flies in the same inning. Obviously one of the sac flies came on an error, but I still find that awesome.

[Simple Torture]

I won't really, really be into the Sox until the Cup finals are over, but I did stay up to watch last night's game

[Green Habit]

I won't really, really be into the Sox until the Cup finals are over, but I did stay up to watch last night's game

Obviously it was easier for me to do, but I'm glad I wasn't the only one to do it.

[Coach]

Tied for the best record in the American League. Bonkers! Love it.

[MattA75]

Tied for the best record in the American League. Bonkers! Love it.

This season feels like 2006 all over again to be honest, minus the Ortiz record setting

[elliseamos]

i don't understand jon lester. at all. i know he's capable of winning it all, but i wonder if he'll ever be able to get out of his own way.

[MattA75]

i don't understand jon lester. at all. i know he's capable of winning it all, but i wonder if he'll ever be able to get out of his own way.

it's amazing that Lackey is pitching the way he is and Lester is where he's at right now

[Coach]

i don't understand jon lester. at all. i know he's capable of winning it all, but i wonder if he'll ever be able to get out of his own way.

agreed. maybe he's a headcase?

[numbers]

I fear Beckett's influence ruined him irrevocably.

[elliseamos]

i don't understand jon lester. at all. i know he's capable of winning it all, but i wonder if he'll ever be able to get out of his own way.

agreed. maybe he's a headcase?

we already knew that from all the times he's pouted about a "ball" call. however, he still won a world series, i'll never understand it.

[numbers]

Well if that's the criteria that doesn't count, then most teams in all sports don't sell out.

sure, but the Sox FO was advertising and promoting this streak while the stadium was noticeably empty during games last year. it's not an accomplishment to sell all available tickets.

THIS

last year they kept going on and on about the sell out streak when fenway was half full, it was absurd

The fake sellout streak was a perfect example of everything that was wrong with the organization.

[MattA75]

Well if that's the criteria that doesn't count, then most teams in all sports don't sell out.

sure, but the Sox FO was advertising and promoting this streak while the stadium was noticeably empty during games last year. it's not an accomplishment to sell all available tickets.

THIS

last year they kept going on and on about the sell out streak when fenway was half full, it was absurd

The fake sellout streak was a perfect example of everything that was wrong with the organization.

Andrew Bailey too

[elliseamos]

pedroia turning a double play = awesome
doubront pitching =

[Coach]

They're looking for bullpen help now....amazing, given how strong it was at the start of the season, but injuries happen.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/09/c ... lpen-help/

BOSTON (CBS) – At the beginning of the season, the Boston Red Sox‘ bullpen was viewed as a strong-point on the team.

Now, injuries have left Boston shorthanded in their pen and searching for arms to fill the void.

On Monday, manager John Farrell revealed that lefty Andrew Miller will need surgery and is likely done for the season — leaving Craig Breslow the lone lefty in the Boston bullpen.

So, GM Ben Cherington has some work to do. He said Monday he would like to explore all options internally before delving into the trade market — which will get pricey leading up to the July 31 deadline.

“You lose a guy, he has to be replaced somehow. We still think we have some internal options to consider and we might look at those over the course of the next few weeks. We have to have an opened mind,” Cherington said from Seattle.

There are options in Pawtucket, but none of them would really give the immediate impact that Boston is looking for. Miller was solid not just against lefties, but also against righties, and Cherington said given Boston’s need, he can’t get too caught up in matchup pitchers.

“I don’t know if its as important that he’s left-right, we just need good pitchers,” he said.

Some options down on the farm include lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith — a 30-year-old Australian with four years of MLB service under his belt. He’s had a solid season in Pawtucket, allowing just 27 hits and five earned runs in 43.2 innings pitched, but is currently on the DL after an emergency appendectomy and won’t be available until later this month, according to Cherington.

The Sox have also had discussions about converting starters to relievers in Triple-A, with Ruby De La Rosa and Brandon Workman two of the players discussed, but both are right-handers and neither have big league experience.

“We cant rule it out,” Cherington said of converting a started to a reliever. “We have a lot of good arms in Pawtucket and we think some of them can help us up here. We have a lot of good arms up here too, so we’ll see where it goes.”

Of course there is always the trade market, which could end up costing Boston a pretty penny given their current need. They were rumored to be interested in Matt Thornton and his 17 holds for the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, and that interest should ramp up now that Miller is likely lost for the rest of the way.

“The most efficient way to do it would be to ignore [the market] completely.” Cherington said, “but then you run the risk of not having enough guys out there. We have to strike the right balance in the middle.”

“I do think it lends to the point that if you can find solutions internally, that’s always the better way to go,” said Cherington. ”We’ve had guys step up all year when the opportunity presents itself, we just need that to continue.”

[Green Habit]

'Twas fun watching the Sox take three of four on TV out here in the Northwest. Hitting impressed me, pitching did not.