Ah, we can always count on you to show up at times like these! Thanks for not letting us down!Originally Posted by Blackout
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Ah, we can always count on you to show up at times like these! Thanks for not letting us down!
Circle of Bosses
he's on my fantasy team, i root for him.
great day for him today btw, 2 for 5
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Thats what the Red Sox still can do: scoring a lot of runs. With Ellsbury and Crawford in the lineup, it would be really scary. With Middlebrooks hot, Youkilis could move to LF :-)
Even with his injuries, I'm only half kiddin'.
Bard has to dominate tonight and get us on a winning streak.
#firelarrylucchino
Since you are only half kidding, my answer is only semi-serious ;-)
If Youkilis were to play in LF (It's not going to happen, don't worry, this is only hypothetical) I would assume Sweeney and Ross would man CF and RF. Youkilis has played a total of 148 major league innings over 20 games in LF, and UZR tells me he's not just bad at it, he's Manny Ramirez in the field! I'd rather see WMB in the OF than Youkilis.
Last edited by Therwil Flyer; 05-08-2012 at 08:56 AM.
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
US Air Force Retired
maybe Youk can spell AGone every now and then at 1B. If Middlebrooks keeps playing the way he is playing, then Youk will never see the starting lineup again. I doubt he can keep this level of play up all year, but the kid is a big time ball player for sure.
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If we can play the rest of our games on the road this season, maybe we will have a shot at the postseason.
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Think next time Youk is in the lineup, the crowd will yell "Piiiiiip" instead of "Youuuuuuuk"?
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I love the picture on the Globe's baseball front page of Middlebrooks and Papi.
The kid is off to a great start, and this team has no need for "rookie/veteran" coldness. They need to gel, and young players and seasoned veterans pulling together is going to need to happen to save this season.
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Historically great actually! He is the first player in MLB to have 6 XBH in his first 4 games with at least one in every game! It will be really interesting to see how he fares when challenged more with breaking stuff and pitches around the corner. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to criticize him or anything, but we must remember that it's only been 4 games in MLB for him so far. WMB comes with a bit of a reputation for swinging at to many pitches out of the zone (which is a main reason for his low walk rates). He's looked better in that regard in Pawtucket this year, but he still needs to show that he can lay off breaking balls and pitches just off the corners (which is why earlier this season I argued he shouldn't be rushed to the majors just yet; which obviously with the injury to Youk has - as these things do so often - solved itself).
It will be interesting to see what happens when Youkilis is fully healthy, but at the moment I'm happy to give him as much time for that as needed, and just enjoy another homegrown player look good in Boston.
Interesting (or annoying) fact of the day: The Sox are 8 - 6 away from Fenway but only 4 - 10 at home!
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
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It's nice to see Middlebrooks off to a fine start but it'll only be a matter of time before the scouting reports circulate and the pitchers catch up. Hopefully he can stay ahead of the curve and be productive as the season chugs along.
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Maybe i'm alone on this, but if Middlebrooks keeps up the great play, I want to see the sox do away with Youk. He can't stay healthy anymore.
#firelarrylucchino
Kevin Youkilis is 33. He is a .288 .389 .489 career hitter and hit .258 .373 .459 last season. He can play adequate 3B and is an excellent 1B. He earns $12.25m this year and his contract is up after the season (option with $1m buyout).
I like Middlebrooks and he has been absolutely great so far, but I'm not convinced they could get anything in return that is more valuable than Youkilis is. Unless they can, I don't see any reason to trade him (now). As great as Middlebrooks's start to his MLB-career was and as disappointing as Youk's 2012 season has been to date, it's still Kevin Youkilis we are talking about!
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
Registered User
middlebrooks had a great start and he is certainly the future but I would wait a little more before I declare him the starting 3B.
If a new guy comes up pitchers will usually throw him heat and make him prove he can hit their fastball. they are not analyzing a lot but just try to blow it by you. this is an ego thing I think. pitchers don't want to give in to the rookie by throwing their whole arsenal.
so middlebrooks did prove he can hit a major league fastball. this is great (most players that come up cannot hit MLB fastballs) but we should wait how he does if pitchers pitch him with a game plan using off speed stuff and his supposed weaknesses.
I think walks are overrated unless you can run. If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps, but the guy who walks and can’t run, most of the time he’s clogging up the bases for somebody who can run. – Dusty Baker.
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I get your thinking. But according to Fangraphs its not accurate. Fangraphs says, Middlebrooks has seen less fastballs than Ortiz, even in this short period of time. About 51%. That's pretty low. Kemp sees about 50%. He has just been hitting well.
If you ask me he will cool down eventually and sent down, because he can be sent down. Youkilis will be the regular 3rd baseman in July if he doesn't get hurt.
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I wonder when Melancon gets the call again...
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Have to figure next time a guy gets hurt, is ineffective, etc, he's the guy they go to. He's throwing great with Pawtucket, although it's only 8.2 IP so far.
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View my autograph collection at Mike D's TTM Page.
#firelarrylucchino
Please delete!
Last edited by Therwil Flyer; 05-09-2012 at 01:58 AM.
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
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So, Bobby V left another starter in too long. Way to go Bobby V!
#firelarrylucchino
This might come as a shock to those who know how I feel about BV, but I see nothing that he did wrong yesterday. It didn't work out, but ex ante it were the right decisions he made, I think (although rotoworld said something about Bard looking noticeably tired).
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
Registered User
On to Middlebrooks again...
I read somewhere that the Sox brass are thinking of moving him to the OF when Youk comes back. To my knowledge, he has never played a game in the OF down in the minors.
US Air Force Retired
he only threw 85 pitches when he started the inning. No need to take him out.
US Air Force Retired
they were talking about it and decided not to. They said when Youk is healthy, Middlebrooks will be sent back down to Pawtucket. dont know how i feel about that
Circle of Bosses
is Youk on his way out of town now that Middlebrooks is on fire?
#firelarrylucchino
It is beyond me how such a talented group of baseball players can possibly be that bad! I'm usually to first to tell everyone that it's only 30 games and to be patient and let the team find "its soul" and then they will start to win some series and be alright. But if they can't win a series against the Royals then against whom are they supposed to win exactly? Right now it's just very very frustrating! I'm slowly but surely starting to lose faith!
Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)
Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)
Registered User
The Red Sox lost now 7 of their last 9 against BAL, OAK, KC. That's pretty bad. Our star outfielders are missed, as is the bullpen help. Injury have been a huge part of the Red Sox the last few years, but even with them, there should be better results.
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