2013 Spring Training - Page 25 - Talksox

Bellhorn04 · 02-23-2013, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitball

This is kind of rambling, but I believe you are saying that it does not matter when quality relief pitchers are used. Is that corrcect?

I believe that the manager should be responsible for determining when is the best strategic situation for the best relief pitcher to face the best batters in order to win a given game.

If the manager decides his best relief pitcher should just face the last three batters (even if they are the 7, 8, and 9). then he is avoiding a strategic decision.

Ah yes, but one of the beauties of baseball is that it forces you to make irrevocable decisions that can come back to haunt you. If you use your best reliever to get out of a bases loaded jam in the 7th, you're usually going to have to use somebody else to get those last 3 outs in the 9th, when it might still be a very close game. That's what scares the manager.

You need 2 closer types really. The Sox had a great setup with Papelbon and Bard. Francona did use Bard earlier than the 8th to get out of jams several times.

Bellhorn04 · 02-23-2013, 09:47 AM

Does anybody think it would be good to have a separate 'baseball strategy' thread here? I think it would be great for topics like this.

Palodios · 02-23-2013, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bellhorn04

Ah yes, but one of the beauties of baseball is that it forces you to make irrevocable decisions that can come back to haunt you. If you use your best reliever to get out of a bases loaded jam in the 7th, you're usually going to have to use somebody else to get those last 3 outs in the 9th, when it might still be a very close game. That's what scares the manager.

That's the beauty of using Bard as the relief ace. You still have Hanrahan for the 9th. You also still have some combination of Uehara/Bailey/Tazawa for the later innings, and Miller/Breslow for lefties.

Dojji · 02-23-2013, 09:57 AM

No.

If we have a guy who is going to do the relief ace thing, it's probably going to be Tazawa.

Count on nothing from Bard. Nothing.

Palodios · 02-23-2013, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dojji

No.

If we have a guy who is going to do the relief ace thing, it's probably going to be Tazawa.

Count on nothing from Bard. Nothing.

This is with the assumption that he returns to form. If he's still hitting batters, and having control issues, he stays in Pawtucket.

Bellhorn04 · 02-23-2013, 10:28 AM

Pedro Martinez: Rubby De La Rosa has chance to be ‘someone special’
02.23.13 at 7:47 am ET
By Rob Bradford

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Pedro Martinez has taken to Rubby De La Rosa, and not only because the pair just discovered they’re related (cousins on Pedro’s mother side).

The new Red Sox special assistant and the 23-year-old pitching prospect have been inseparable throughout camp, with Martinez constantly at the ready whenever De La Rosa might need a round of advice. And, besides bloodlines, there’s a reason for the former ace’s interest — he sees a bit of himself in the youngster.

“Anything you want to do in baseball, as far as pitching, that kid has a chance,” Martinez said. “He has an opportunity to be someone special. Not just a regular player, but special. When you see someone like De La Rosa you think someone special, like a [Roger] Clemens, a Juan Marichal. You think about elite players. That’s the type of stuff he has.”

De La Rosa — one of the players who came to the Red Sox in the August trade with the Dodgers — has been the talk of Red Sox spring training. While he is being limited two two-inning outings throughout the Grapefruit League schedule while returning from Tommy John surgery, and will see his innings total hover just over 100 innings in the coming season (most likely for Triple-A Pawtucket), there is an excitement in the organization regarding the righty.

“He’s been impressive, not just in terms of the sheer stuff, but his ability to manipulate the baseball,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after his team’s workout Friday. “He’s got a good feel for his changeup. He can throw his breaking ball for strikes. But we’re dealing with a set of circumstances that are different than [John Lackey's], coming off Tommy John. We’ll be a little bit more slow-paced with Rubby, but he’s been impressive early on.”

It isn’t the first time De La Rosa has impressed, as was evidenced by comments made by his former minor league pitching coach, Chuck Crim, to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier early in the offseason. (That was when Pedro’s name first came up.)

“Very few guys have that arm speed that Rubby has and still are able to start, carry innings and have a tremendous out-pitch,” said Crim. “I would say a guy like maybe Pedro Martinez. The throw is different, but the stuff is there. You could probably compare his actual stuff but not his [throwing motion] to a guy like that. Granted, it’s going to take Rubby a few years to have all the experience and knowledge of major league pitching, but the stuff you could probably compare to Pedro. I consider the attitude the same — the mound presence is very confident that he can get anybody out. With that guy’s stuff, who wouldn’t be confident?”

And while Martinez prefers to reference the likes of Clemens and Marichal, he isn’t averse to getting in line with Crim’s analysis.

“What really impresses me is his progress,” Pedro said. “He’s a young kid. Very young. The way he changed physically, and the way he improved … His velocity went from day night and day. It’s unbelievable how he changed. Also, his will to work. You rarely see a young kid like that so willing to work, and so open to work to do things things nobody expects a young kid wanting to do.”

Dojji · 02-23-2013, 11:57 AM

Nice to hear from a pitcher as intelligent as Pedro.

I've said this before, but one of my fondest hopes is that a kid like de la Rosa can absorb some of Pedro's experience and wisdom about how to pitch and become the best pitcher he can.

iortiz · 02-23-2013, 12:01 PM

Hopefully he is the ace we are waiting for.

SoxSport · 02-23-2013, 06:06 PM

Iggy hits a dinger.

seabeachfred · 02-23-2013, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dojji

If ifs and buts were candy and nuts...

Seriously. Take Bard as he comes. Even if he comes out of the gate a lot stronger than I actually expect, I don't want him anywhere near high leverage innings until halfway through the year or later. I'd like to give him a full year to recover his stuff and confidence if it's possible to do it.

While I told Palodios that I would be elated to see Bard come back strong, we're on the same wave length here Dojii. Frankly I think Bard is close to the end of the line and it would be totally criminal if he were made the set-up man or even put on the Red Sox 25 man roster if he can't show that he has come all the way back. He shouldn't even start the season with us. He was absolutely pathetic last year and he did even worse when sent down. I know the Red Sox front office loves these comeback story lines but the fact is we have six or seven relievers who are right now better than Bard is, and the emphasis is on winning not making someone feel good.

Dojji · 02-23-2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoxSport

Iggy hits a dinger.

To quote Lou Brown, "against a guy who'll be bagging groceries in a couple weeks."

BSN07 · 02-23-2013, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dojji

To quote Lou Brown, "against a guy who'll be bagging groceries in a couple weeks."

nice

NativeBostonian · 02-23-2013, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoxSport

Iggy hits a dinger.

Right when I was saying he was shit on offense to my friend he hits it out of the park. Way to make me look like a jackass.

NativeBostonian · 02-23-2013, 08:57 PM

I liked what I saw out of Lackey today. I can't wait to see more then one inning from him.

jacksonianmarch · 02-23-2013, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dojji

Nice to hear from a pitcher as intelligent as Pedro.

I've said this before, but one of my fondest hopes is that a kid like de la Rosa can absorb some of Pedro's experience and wisdom about how to pitch and become the best pitcher he can.

Pedro had the perfect mix for Boston. He took his lumps in Montreal, learned how to pitch and how to act. He added to that by having some of the nastiest stuff on planet earth. There are guys who have his fastball, change, and curve combo but they don't have the "Fuck You" attitude of Pedro and aren't as successful. Pedro was a throwback in a time where players all intermingle and are buddies off the diamond. He didn't give a shit who you were when he pitched. He'd buzz the tower, buzz you again then strike you out in the same AB. You will not see another pitcher like him again