Thursday, January 14, 2010
NO NEED TO PANIC - THE RED SOX OFFENSE SHOULD BE JUST FINE
With black holes at catcher, DH and shortstop for two-thirds of last year, the Sox still managed to be third in the American League in runs scored hitting a 270/352/454 line. The huge year-over-year upgrade from having Victor Martinez for a full season and Marco Scutaro replacing a terrible threesome at short essentially makes up for Jason Bay going to the dysfunctional and unhealthy Mets.
If you subtract the ineptitude at SS, C as well as Bay, Lowell and Victor as a Red Sox player from the team totals and add in the 2009 stats from Victor, 50% of Tek plus the three new additions, then the team line would be 272/354/444. The local nine’s power would drop along with runs scored, but the Sox will still average about five runs per game. We are not going to be watching many 1-0 and 2-1 games.
With black holes at catcher, DH and shortstop for two-thirds of last year, the Sox still managed to be third in the American League in runs scored hitting a 270/352/454 line. The huge year-over-year upgrade from having Victor Martinez for a full season and Marco Scutaro replacing a terrible threesome at short essentially makes up for Jason Bay going to the dysfunctional and unhealthy Mets.
If you subtract the ineptitude at SS, C as well as Bay, Lowell and Victor as a Red Sox player from the team totals and add in the 2009 stats from Victor, 50% of Tek plus the three new additions, then the team line would be 272/354/444. The local nine’s power would drop along with runs scored, but the Sox will still average about five runs per game. We are not going to be watching many 1-0 and 2-1 games.
Monday, January 11, 2010
FOURSOME
* You live by the Brady, you die by the Brady. And in nearly all cases, we have lived very well.
* If you found DJ Bean’s piece on Latin American baseball interesting, then you should rent Sugar. It is a nice story on how difficult a transition it is for Latin players trying to make it to the Show.
* Adrian Beltre is great with the glove, but he may not get as many opportunities to flash the leather as the Red Sox were 2nd to last in ground balls induced in 2009. With many of the same pitchers, this trend is unlikely to change much.
* One tidbit from Johnny Damon on his experience on moving from center to left as part of Nick Cafardo’s insightful summary of opinions on Jacoby Ellsbury being slated to play in front of the Monster: “Of course, when I got to arbitration after the season, the first thing they brought up at the hearing was that I’d moved to left and wasn’t worth as much.” It is note worthy that Damon and Ellsbury share the infamous, although may not be warranted, agent Scott Boras.
* You live by the Brady, you die by the Brady. And in nearly all cases, we have lived very well.
* If you found DJ Bean’s piece on Latin American baseball interesting, then you should rent Sugar. It is a nice story on how difficult a transition it is for Latin players trying to make it to the Show.
* Adrian Beltre is great with the glove, but he may not get as many opportunities to flash the leather as the Red Sox were 2nd to last in ground balls induced in 2009. With many of the same pitchers, this trend is unlikely to change much.
* One tidbit from Johnny Damon on his experience on moving from center to left as part of Nick Cafardo’s insightful summary of opinions on Jacoby Ellsbury being slated to play in front of the Monster: “Of course, when I got to arbitration after the season, the first thing they brought up at the hearing was that I’d moved to left and wasn’t worth as much.” It is note worthy that Damon and Ellsbury share the infamous, although may not be warranted, agent Scott Boras.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
POST NEW YEAR’S RANDOM RUMBLINGS
* The Bosstones at The Middle East can't be beat! I still love my old 'hood.
* If your name is one of the about 550,000 in the intelligence database, you should not be able to get on a plane coming to the U.S.A. I see no reason to have a "no fly" subset. No one has a right to fly. I hoped and thought to be, in part, voting for a more competent Executive Branch.
* Watch The League on hulu.com. It is the best "free" comedy.
* For everyone trying to shed a few LBs, given it's the start of a new year, and I hope it is many, the formula is simple: calories burned > calories consumed = weight loss.
* Unless we had a year 0, which I don't believe we have record of, then the decade runs from 2001-2010 and NOT 2000-2009.
* The media needs to calm down with vilification of Scott Boras. If the reports are correct, Adrian Beltre "left money on the table" to sign with the Red Sox. This may not happen often with Boras' clients, but could it be that the players are driving the charge for every last penny and not the agent? Could it be that Boras, his clients and to a lesser extent the MLB owners want the media and fans to blame the agent instead of the product/player for being greedy?
* The Bosstones at The Middle East can't be beat! I still love my old 'hood.
* If your name is one of the about 550,000 in the intelligence database, you should not be able to get on a plane coming to the U.S.A. I see no reason to have a "no fly" subset. No one has a right to fly. I hoped and thought to be, in part, voting for a more competent Executive Branch.
* Watch The League on hulu.com. It is the best "free" comedy.
* For everyone trying to shed a few LBs, given it's the start of a new year, and I hope it is many, the formula is simple: calories burned > calories consumed = weight loss.
* Unless we had a year 0, which I don't believe we have record of, then the decade runs from 2001-2010 and NOT 2000-2009.
* The media needs to calm down with vilification of Scott Boras. If the reports are correct, Adrian Beltre "left money on the table" to sign with the Red Sox. This may not happen often with Boras' clients, but could it be that the players are driving the charge for every last penny and not the agent? Could it be that Boras, his clients and to a lesser extent the MLB owners want the media and fans to blame the agent instead of the product/player for being greedy?
Monday, January 04, 2010
$10 MILLION FOR A FEW SLICES OF BACON ON MY THIRD BASE BURGER
Other than 2007, Lowell has been very consistent with the bat during his tenure with the Sox. He has averaged a half of base per plate appearance [Total Bases + BB] / Plate Appearance. Given his age and health issues, it is realistic to forecast a decrease in production next year. Excluding Beltre’s last campaign in Seattle, he has nearly matched Lowell’s half of base per PA. If we agree with their defensive reps and the recent offensive outliers, Beltre would seem to project as the more productive third baseman. But the upgrade is not worth $10 million.
Even though I have never been a huge supporter of Mike Lowell, it does not make sense to pay $10 million for only a defensive upgrade at the hot corner. Thankfully, it is not a long-term deal according to the early reports. The Red Sox can easily overcome / write-off one year mistakes.
Other than 2007, Lowell has been very consistent with the bat during his tenure with the Sox. He has averaged a half of base per plate appearance [Total Bases + BB] / Plate Appearance. Given his age and health issues, it is realistic to forecast a decrease in production next year. Excluding Beltre’s last campaign in Seattle, he has nearly matched Lowell’s half of base per PA. If we agree with their defensive reps and the recent offensive outliers, Beltre would seem to project as the more productive third baseman. But the upgrade is not worth $10 million.
Even though I have never been a huge supporter of Mike Lowell, it does not make sense to pay $10 million for only a defensive upgrade at the hot corner. Thankfully, it is not a long-term deal according to the early reports. The Red Sox can easily overcome / write-off one year mistakes.
Thank you - Red Sox!
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