2nd Half (or last 2/5)
The Red Sox have played 97 games. That leaves 65 to go, only 65!
Let's make this simple. Good, Ok and Bad for the regulars and the pitching staff.
Offense
Good; J.D. Drew, Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell
OK: Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz
Bad: Jason Varitek, Julio Lugo, Coco Crisp
Varitek has been fine defensively, but his offense is a concern. He is 3-11 which isn't spectacular but a sign of progress. Of course me being happy with 3-11 tells you how bad he has been.
Lugo just needs to...retire. Too much money for the errors and the lack of any offense (1 HR, 27 runs, 22 RBI in 82 games).
Pitching (current roster):
Good: Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon, Javier Lopez, David Aardsma
OK: Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen
Bad: Mike Timlin, Clay Buchholz, Craig Hansen
The rotation has been great. Where we are seeing issues is the middle relief. Lopez and Aardsma (despite Aardsma's wildness) have been good. Where the Red Sox are struggling is the 8th inning. Manny Delcarmen has been inconsistent as has Okajima. In fairness to Okajima, there is no way to fairly expect a repeat of 2007, but his inability to prevent inherited runners from scoring has been tough.
Pinning it down, the Red Sox need to improve their middle relief. Be it improvements by the current personnel or a trade. With David Ortiz due back next Friday, the offense should be OK. Pretty simple.
Rumors: Mark Teixeira for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen. Help me understand this. Youkilis has a higher average, obp and slg. In 88 games, Youkilis has 56 runs, 15 HRs and 63 RBI. In 93 games, Teixeira has 54 runs, 17 HR and 69 RBI. So in more games, Teixeira has slightly more production, but Youkilis leads the other categories. He also leads in the the money category getting paid about 1/5 what Teixeira makes.
Why make this move? No reason. You don't make this move.
Expect more of these silly rumors to pop up.
Comments
I have some revisions to your grading IMO:
Manny resides somewhere between Good and OK, he hasn't been "Manny good" but he may be good relative to mortals.
I've said it before, Lopez scares me as much as anybody in the bullpen, despite his stats. I would put him in "OK".
Delcarman to me has been bad. Can he get back to where he was last year (regular season)? That would be a jump to "good" IMO.
I hadn't heard the Teixeira rumor to the Sox (odd with me in Atlanta) but it makes no sense to the Sox. The Braves will move him unless they are within 4 games or less the last week of july. If they cling to that hope of catching the Phillies or Mets then they will be doomed with nothing in return. Tex has underperformed since arriving, he was supposed to be the second coming of Fred McGriff (Crimedog literally set Atlanta on fire when he arrived, lol).
If/when Ortiz is contributing, Youk might see less good pitches without Manny behind him. Sometimes timing is everything...
Posted by: blmeanie | July 17, 2008 07:43 AM |
I think it is just to block the Yankees at years end, he will be a free agent, but you are correct why trade cry baby and a young pitcher for a guy who may sign with Atlanta for less money. Youk has been a major part of Bostons run, a clutch hitter, but I think he has emotional problems and lack of major league class, He alwalys is whining, I hope they make the trade... Yankee fan..
Posted by: michael danza | July 17, 2008 11:07 AM |
blmeanie, Delcarmen was good, then really, REALLY bad for a week or two, but has since settled a bit. Not enough to put him in the bad catagory...yet. I keep my catagories simple, as in only 3 because it is easier for me to defend my grade.
In fact, I think a 1-catagory rating system is easiest. I could lump all players into the "current member of the Red Sox" catagory and leave it at that!
Gammons reported the Teixeira thing. No way it happens.
Posted by: andy![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 18, 2008 11:08 PM
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Michael Danza, said like a true Yankees fan. I appreciate your Yankee slant, and in fact, would expect nothing less from a true Yankees fan.
Youkilis isn't so bad in front of the cameras, but apparently in the dugout, he can be a monster...kind of like Paul O'Neill. Don't tell me you didn't love O'Neill. Drove me nuts, but I'm a Red Sox fan. Anything called a strike against O'Neill was a federal crime in his eyes. You've got to like that.
Posted by: andy![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 18, 2008 11:12 PM
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I guess I am not a true Yankees' fan, but Youkilis doesn't bother me. The guy plays hard, doesn't take any crap and that's ok by me. I will take him over some other guys in the dugout anytime.
Posted by: Peter![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://yankeesredsox.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 18, 2008 11:33 PM
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