Second Guesser's Club - I Need A Scorecard Now

[absintheofmalaise]

[tablegrid= Probable Starters ]   W L G GS IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 BABIP LOB% GB% HR/FB ERA FIP xFIP Game 1: 7:10 Chris Capuano LHP 0 0 1 1 6 6 6 0 0.263 80.00% 41.20% 0.00% 3 4.3 5.56   With Boston 1 1 28 0 31.2 8.24 4.26 0.85 0.326 72.10% 36.20% 9.10% 4.55 4.05 4.13 MLBN Anthony Ranaudo RHP (AAA) 12 4 21 21 119.1 7.47 3.7 0.45 0.249 78.30%     2.41 3.69                                     Game 2: 4:05 Shane Greene RHP 2 1 5 4 24.2 6.93 2.92 0.73 0.26 67.40% 60.30% 12.50% 3.28 3.86 3.63 FS1 Allen Webster RHP 1 0 1 1 5.1 6.75 8.44 0 0.231 75.00% 38.50% 0.00% 3.38 4.44 5.86                                   Game 3: 8:00 David Phelps RHP 5 5 25 16 106.1 7.53 3.22 1.02 0.295 72.80% 41.10% 10.60% 3.89 4.19 4.07 ESPN Clay Buchholz RHP 5 7 17 17 96.2 6.52 3.07 1.21 0.333 64.10% 45.40% 11.50% 5.87 4.64 4.37 [/tablegrid]

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Ranaudo for sure?

I may have to get my butt to Fenway tonight.

 

[absintheofmalaise]

That's what's posted on the Sox site.

 

[semsox]

Jesus, those pitching matchups (for both teams)....

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

The bullpen has just five pitchers as of now, so presumably they'll make at least one move before the game to address that.  Who gets the call?  Britton?  Layne?  Wilson?  Hembree?
 
I assume that they'll probably hold off on adding at least Kelly to the roster today to make that move since he started on Wednesday and would be unavailable to pitch anyway, then send Ranaudo back after the game for another reliever.  Does that make sense?

 

[joe dokes]

Jesus, those pitching matchups (for both teams)....

 
It is wild. Other than Buchholz, if you just saw the matchups, you'd have to think for a minute to figure out which teams are playing.

 

[ivanvamp]

Hard to believe those are the pitching matchups for a Sox-Yanks series the first weekend of August.

 

[OnWisc]

The fact that I don't think I'd mind seeing those same three guys start for the Sox in 2016 or 2017 makes it more palatable.

 

[shepard50]

Hey Mathletes: What pitching line would Webster need to deliver to move his K/BB into a positive ratio? 

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

 
 Per McAdam
 
Holt RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Napoli 1B
Craig LF
Bogaerts SS
Middlebrooks 3B
Ross C
Betts CF
Ranaudo P 
 

 

[TomRicardo]

Did Cespedes get lost on his way to Boston?

 

[MartyBarrettMVP]

Any idea why Betts was brought up and JBJ isn't in?

 

[TomRicardo]

Any idea why Betts was brought up and JBJ isn't in?

 
Lefty on the mound. Giving Bradley a breather.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

 
It is wild. Other than Buchholz, if you just saw the matchups, you'd have to think for a minute to figure out which teams are playing.

If you hadn't paid attention this season, you'd guess it was the Red Sox that were actually the team trying (and who had loaded up prior to the trading deadline).

 

[MakMan44]

Did Cespedes get lost on his way to Boston?

Should be available late game.  
 
https://twitter.com/MaureenaMullen/status/495303562579025921

 

[Plympton91]

So, why is Betts up here? His talent aside, how are they going to keep all these guys in the lineup enough?

 

[Reverend]

Hey Mathletes: What pitching line would Webster need to deliver to move his K/BB into a positive ratio? 

 
It already is a positive ratio.

 

[mt8thsw9th]

Sadly, I think Daniel Bard may actually have a negative ratio this season; though it's impossible, I wouldn't rule it out from him this season.

 

[mabrowndog]

So, why is Betts up here? His talent aside, how are they going to keep all these guys in the lineup enough?

 
A contingency in case Cespedes was delayed in his travels to Boston. Turns out he did get to the ballpark in time, but not early enough to take BP and limber up so Betts got the start. Mookie likely heads back down to Pawtucket tomorrow.
 
LIkewise, Alex Wilson is probably optioned back down once Kelly is activated tomorrow.

 

[mabrowndog]

So with Ross pulling up extremely lame, looks like we'll see Dan Butler making his MLB debut in the coming days.

 

[Plympton91]

Lavarnway has been rehabbing for a while, do they give him one last chance like Middlebrooks?

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Lavarnway has been rehabbing for a while, do they give him one last chance like Middlebrooks?

Last chance? They haven't even given him a First Chance

 

[Rasputin]

Last chance? They haven't even given him a First Chance

 
Yeah, they did. He got plenty of time in 2012 and did squat with it.

 

[Mighty Joe Young]

Yeah, they did. He got plenty of time in 2012 and did squat with it.

In a whopping 164 PAs .. Yeah .. That's a real trial .. The next year, in about half the ABs he did really well. They don't like his catching skills it would appear ..

I'm not saying the apparent evaluation is right or wrong .. But he's never been given a real chance to prove he belongs.

 

[Buzzkill Pauley]

Lavarnway has been rehabbing for a while, do they give him one last chance like Middlebrooks?

 
No.
 
Lavarnway is years removed from his best milb seasons, and the writing's as clearly on the wall for him as it was for Carp.

 

[MakMan44]

I agree, I don't think Ryan has gotten a real chance at PT. I don't see any way he gets it when he comes back though. I think an August deal to a non contending team is probably the best thing for his career. 

 

[Plympton91]

 
A contingency in case Cespedes was delayed in his travels to Boston. Turns out he did get to the ballpark in time, but not early enough to take BP and limber up so Betts got the start. Mookie likely heads back down to Pawtucket tomorrow.

Was that catch as good as it sounded on the radio? Can they send down Bradley instead?

 

[MakMan44]

Was that catch as good as it sounded on the radio?

Check the defensive GIFs thread, it's already posted. 

 

[Rasputin]

In a whopping 164 PAs .. Yeah .. That's a real trial .. The next year, in about half the ABs he did really well. They don't like his catching skills it would appear ..

I'm not saying the apparent evaluation is right or wrong .. But he's never been given a real chance to prove he belongs.

 
You can't perform like he has in AAA the past couple years and say you haven't been given a chance in the bigs. He hasn't played like he deserved a chance in the bigs. 

 

[Rasputin]

Was that catch as good as it sounded on the radio? Can they send down Bradley instead?

 
It was phenomenal, and they can, but they won't and they shouldn't.

 

[mabrowndog]

LIkewise, Alex Wilson is probably optioned back down once Kelly is activated tomorrow.

 
Looks like I'm wrong on this one (I was assuming RLDR would be moving to the pen, and soon). The scuttlebutt seems to be that he's staying in the rotation, so Ranaudo heads back down with career win #1 over the MFY in his pocket and a first-ever-MLB strikeout of his childhood hero Jeter notched on his bedpost.

 

[Reverend]

It was phenomenal, and they can, but they won't and they shouldn't.

It was a great catch that would have been far less exciting had Bradley been in.

 

[bombdiggz]

Was that catch as good as it sounded on the radio? Can they send down Bradley instead?

 
Funny you should bring this up. I just ran into Nick Cafardo on my way back from the 7-11 and he says that his connections in the Liverpool front office tell him that due primarily to how awesome the catch sounded on the radio the Red Sox will be abandoning the half season investment in JBJ. Apparently, the radio listeners are the new Pink Hats. All sorts of talk about new radio revenue. 
 
The fat cats only regret is that they wished they knew how to monetize the radio stream before they let Ellsbury walk. Gentlemen and scholars and all that.

 

[Rasputin]

It was a great catch that would have been far less exciting had Bradley been in.

 
That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking as I just watched the replay.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

Lavarnway would be a good backup catcher behind Vazquez next year. He gets on base, which is rare for a backup catcher. He never had the bat to be a first baseman or DH, but he has a good bat for a catcher, especially a backup.
 
We'd be fine with him catching 40 or so games as the backup in 2016, with Swihart in AAA if there were any injuries. Minimum salary, no acquisition cost, a better hitter than the starting catcher, can also cover first base if you needed him to. Seems to me like a good option to backup Vazquez next year.
 
Clearly the Red Sox disagree with me on this. Who was right about Pierzynski though huh?  :buddy:

 

[Plympton91]

Clearly the Red Sox disagree with me on this. Who was right about Pierzynski though huh?  :buddy:

What's weird is that he was voted best defensive catcher in the IL at least once, and Valentine liked him well enough to keep playing him despite terrible offense. I don't remember any catastrophic anecdotes from that 1/4 season either.

What I wonder is if Farrell remembers Lavar way being terrible as a young catcher at the minor league camp and has never been able to revise that opinion after coming back from the Blue Jays. It doesn't matter much as Lavarnway isn't hitting much anymore, but it's something to consider.

And most of SOSH was right about Pierzynski.

 

[mfried]

 
That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking as I just watched the replay.

Mookie wasn't running at anything like full tilt.  Bradley would have gotten there sooner, no doubt.  The cool thing about the catch was the timing of his leap.

 

[Buzzkill Pauley]

Mookie wasn't running at anything like full tilt.  Bradley would have gotten there sooner, no doubt.  The cool thing about the catch was the timing of his leap.

 
That's because his head was swiveled backwards trying to track the ball like he would on a pop-up to short right.
 
It was an incredibly athletic catch, made necessary by bad technique.  Now, that's something correctible, but it also highlights how recent Mookie's transition to the OF has been.  He needs a lot of reps in the OF before he's able to make that play consistently.
 
JBJ would have been camped under the ball, or at worst made the play at a light jog.

 

[Drek717]

What I wonder is if Farrell remembers Lavar way being terrible as a young catcher at the minor league camp and has never been able to revise that opinion after coming back from the Blue Jays. It doesn't matter much as Lavarnway isn't hitting much anymore, but it's something to consider.

Lavarnway has been hitting ever since getting back from his injury.  30 PA in AAA since his return and he's got 10 hits (2 - 2B, 1 - HR), 5 BB, and 4 K with a slash of .400/.500/.600.
 
I could see going with either Butler or Lavarnway.  Both have some legitimate potential to turn their careers around and be solid #2 catchers.  Butler has better defense and was starting to turn it around in June before regressing again in July.  Lavarnway has caught one game in the last two months (a real nice outing for Ranaudo in fact).
 
Personally I'd like to see them give Lavarnway the shot.  He won't have any options left after this season while Butler will and can therefore go back to AAA again as Swihart's backup.  Lavarnway either shows something worthwhile over the next ~50 games or he's gone to another club this winter.  I'd rather give the player they're going to otherwise lose a shot over the one they can retain regardless.  Maybe Lavarnway does show something and suddenly we have our catching platoon for 2015 sorted cheap and early.

 

[Plympton91]

 
That's because his head was swiveled backwards trying to track the ball like he would on a pop-up to short right.
 
It was an incredibly athletic catch, made necessary by bad technique.  Now, that's something correctible, but it also highlights how recent Mookie's transition to the OF has been.  He needs a lot of reps in the OF before he's able to make that play consistently.
 
JBJ would have been camped under the ball, or at worst made the play at a light jog.

And therefore it would have counted as 2 outs instead of 1?

Bradley would have gone 0-3, and the Red Sox would have lost in extra innings.

BTW, the idea that I don't like Bradley because he replaced Ellsbury is comical, my whole argument last winter was based around the idea that thay needed both of them. I appear not to like Bradley because he can't hit major league pitching, he's not that young anymore, and I don't value defense anywhere near as much as I value offense. This is the Drew vs. Iglesias debate from last July, not an Ellsbury discussion, m'kay.

 

[Buzzkill Pauley]

And therefore it would have counted as 2 outs instead of 1?

Bradley would have gone 0-3, and the Red Sox would have lost in extra innings.

 
You're right.  I'm sure that's why Farrell played the hot hand, now hitting .243.
 
JBJ must have drawn Frog 8 when the team reported in.

 

[joe dokes]

Lavarnway has been hitting ever since getting back from his injury.  30 PA in AAA since his return and he's got 10 hits (2 - 2B, 1 - HR), 5 BB, and 4 K with a slash of .400/.500/.600.
 
I could see going with either Butler or Lavarnway.  Both have some legitimate potential to turn their careers around and be solid #2 catchers.  Butler has better defense and was starting to turn it around in June before regressing again in July.  Lavarnway has caught one game in the last two months (a real nice outing for Ranaudo in fact).
 
Personally I'd like to see them give Lavarnway the shot.  He won't have any options left after this season while Butler will and can therefore go back to AAA again as Swihart's backup.  Lavarnway either shows something worthwhile over the next ~50 games or he's gone to another club this winter.  I'd rather give the player they're going to otherwise lose a shot over the one they can retain regardless.  Maybe Lavarnway does show something and suddenly we have our catching platoon for 2015 sorted cheap and early.

 

Lavarnway has been hitting ever since getting back from his injury.  30 PA in AAA since his return and he's got 10 hits (2 - 2B, 1 - HR), 5 BB, and 4 K with a slash of .400/.500/.600.
 
I could see going with either Butler or Lavarnway.  Both have some legitimate potential to turn their careers around and be solid #2 catchers.  Butler has better defense and was starting to turn it around in June before regressing again in July.  Lavarnway has caught one game in the last two months (a real nice outing for Ranaudo in fact).
 
Personally I'd like to see them give Lavarnway the shot.  He won't have any options left after this season while Butler will and can therefore go back to AAA again as Swihart's backup.  Lavarnway either shows something worthwhile over the next ~50 games or he's gone to another club this winter.  I'd rather give the player they're going to otherwise lose a shot over the one they can retain regardless.  Maybe Lavarnway does show something and suddenly we have our catching platoon for 2015 sorted cheap and early.

 
we can all look at his hitting and make conclusions.  Not so with his catching. Last year, when they turfed Salty in the summer,  tells us that the team doesn; think much of his receiving.  And this year, given that in he few games I've seen, Vazquez gets a strike on nearly EVERY close pitch, this organization probably doesnt Lavarnway as anything more more than an emergency catcher at this point.

 

[shepard50]

 
It already is a positive ratio.

 
The answer was 1. 1 strikeout would give him 5 Ks to match his 5 walks. 
 
.80 isn't a positive ratio. What am I missing?

 

[Cellar-Door]

 
The answer was 1. 1 strikeout would give him 5 Ks to match his 5 walks. 
 
.80 isn't a positive ratio. What am I missing?

Yes it is a positive ratio. less than 1 doesn't make something negative.