Remember what was supposed to be the biggest weakness of the Red Sox going into the season? Well I guess this is why we play the games. I said all offseason how you can’t judge a bullpen until they actually start pitching because relief pitching is the most inconsistent aspect of the game from year to year. You simply can’t project it. Through their first 20 games of the season, the Red Sox relievers lead the league in bullpen ERA. While much has been said about the impressive Red Sox rotation, the rotation hasn’t even been the best part of our pitching staff to this point. In just over 50 innings of work, Red Sox relievers have an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.17. They’ve allowed only 42 hits while walking 18, striking out 38 and allowing 0.70 home runs per 9 innings pitched. Theo Epstein, who typically has quite a bit of trouble putting bullpens together, seems to have done a rather superb job this year. The back end of the bullpen, consisting of Donnelly, Okajima and Papelbon, has allowed a single run through 20.1 innings pitched. Over that span they’ve allowed only 5 hits while striking out 29. Best of all, the three relievers all together only cost the Red Sox a base salary of $3.0255 million for 2007. An above average bullpen would give the Red Sox a big edge that they’ve lacked for quite some time.
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Agreed. I mean, let’s say the blood was fake. Who cares, he was still injured (post season surgery) and still won. As a Yankee fan, I think its a pointless story, unless it is true and this creates friction between Doug and Curt.
Did you hear what Gary Thorne said? I think we need some DNA testing on the bloody sock.
Thorne and cynics like him are what is killing the glory of our national pasttime. Blood or no blood did not change the outcome, everyone would agree on that so what is the pupose of the “oh by the way” statement Thorne threw out there. He knew exactly what would happen when he said it. As far as throwing Mirabelli under the bus — how many conversations are MLB players going to have with their “friends” in the media now. Was there really blood on the sock? Did Ruth really point just prior to hitting a monster shot over the fence? Did a promise to a dying fan really inspire someone to hit a game winning home run? The answers to these questions are simple — YES!! I say yes because these are the stories I tell my sons and as their eyes get wide as the story builds I realize I am giving them a little of what got me so passionate about baseball and the Red Sox. I think instead of DNA we need LSA (leave stories alone) so I can continue to pass on these epic tales of baseball and slaying dragons
[...] Andy Pettitte will make his fifth start of the season on extra rest. Pettitte typically pitches very well against the Red Sox. Over his career he’s gone 13-5 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and .259 BAA. Even so, a shaky Yankees bullpen has blown a lead for him in each of his last 3 seasons. If this game does come down to the bullpens, the Red Sox, who lead the league in bullpen ERA, would have a clear advantage. [...]
About that bullpen, and specifically Brendan Donnelly. The Sox acquired him for lefty Phil Seibel, who is now set to undergo his second forearm surgery in three years. Pretty good heist for Theo, no?