think?
Tom, Middlebury, Vt.
This question was asked prior to Middlebrooks’s three-run homer Monday, but he’s a guy in his second year and pitchers are definitely not giving him much to hit after a good rookie season. All players have to make major adjustments as they go along to remain good hitters, and Middlebrooks is going through his growing pains.Has anyone ever suggested that he not swing at those crappy pitches? (Career ML OBP .301, career MiL OBP .333).But here is the thing: Cafardo is right. There are going to be growing pains – for him and fans. e was never Bryce Harper or Mike Trout. That is perfectly ok. He may make a few All Star teams in his career, but some improvement needs to be made before he gets there. Please, please calm down, Red Sox fans.
How long do you think the Red Sox will wait before trying to add some pop to the lineup? Between the catcher position, third, and short, we’re getting nothing. You would think something’s got to give pretty soon, especially with Iglesias, no matter how much they’re paying J.D. Jr.
Tod, Kennebunk, Maine
They’re committed to the players at all the positions you mentioned. Salty and Middlebrooks have power they feel will show up, and they’re paying Drew $9.5 million. Iglesias has slumped in Pawtucket. So right now, nothing will give.
As easy as it is to make fun of Nick Cafardo, he isn’t given much to work with. J.D. Jr.? The team is 18-7, right? I mean, the Angels have a ton of pop, and they are 9-15.
And who has not dug Stephen Drew’s two RBI triples this week?
Can you tell us more about the strike zone that appears on the screen on NESN with each pitch? Is it customized for each batter or is it a one-size-fits-all template? That could explain some of the frequent differences between the display and the umpire’s call.
Larry, Wakefield
Umpires tell me that the “Amica strike zone” isn’t accurate. There are pitches that land outside the zone that look to be balls, but umpires call strikes on pitches that cross the plate as strikes.
Nick does not even come close to answering the question. “Can you tell me how it works?” No, I can tell you that umps do not like it.
Thanks.
But the thing is, we all suspect that the Amica Pitch Zone is a bit off, right? The plate is a pentagon and the strike zone is, therefore, three dimensional, whereas the Amica zone is two dimensional. Plus, the umps can’t be this bad, can they?
There is a chance, in Cafardo’s answer, that all he finds is that umpires shun accountability.
It seems to me Sox pitchers and hitters have quelled their expressions of dismay on close (or bad) calls this season. Did Farrell take a look at last year’s crybabies and lay down the law?
Glenn, Holliston
One of the first things he told Jon Lester: Stop your bellyaching.
So…….yes?
Also, pretty awesome that he said nothing to Lackey, Aceves, Buchholz…
How in the world did the Red Sox let Rich Hill go? He is one of the best lefty relievers in the game — 1.84 ERA over 20 innings when with the Sox, lights out now for Cleveland.
Dana, Los Angeles
He was a free agent, and they couldn’t guarantee him a major league deal. They had Miller, Morales, Breslow at the time, and he’s been hurt quite a bit.
Good, good, helpful answer!
I saw the vote for closer between Hanrahan and Bailey; what about Tazawa? Also, if Bradley becomes the everyday left fielder and with Ortiz at DH, would the Sox trade Gomes? Finally, if Bradley does play full-time, would Ellsbury be agreeable to moving to left field since Bradley is a much better center fielder?
Eric, Granite Bay, Calif.
Tazawa definitely has closer stuff, but he’s not going to break through unless there’s an injury. Bradley is in Pawtucket playing center, and I may disagree that he’s a better center fielder than Ellsbury. He does have a better arm than Ellsbury, but Ellsbury is really good. I’ve never seen Bradley play major league center field.
Whoa, Eric from California, getting your money’s worth with this question!
Why are you trying to put Tazawa in the closer’s role? Haven’t you noticed that a very good pitcher needs to be available for the highest leverage moment of the late innings? If Bailey (who has been great) is going to be 9th inning only, then there needs to be a Tazawa/Uehara on a great team who can come in in a close game with runners in scoring position to maintain the lead. That may not get the press, but it is typically more important than pitching the 9th.
As for the Bradley/Ortiz/Ellsbury question. Wouldn’t you love scout Cafardo to tell you more than “I think Ellsbury is better at defense because I have never seen Bradley play center in the Majors? (Also, I have never seen LeBron James play basketball as a Celtic, so I am unsure if he could. I have never seen him do something he has never done before, and the evidence and the scouting that tells me he could, does not matter in my evaluation BECAUSE MY TWO EYES HAVE NEVER SEEN IT!).
Anyway, your legitimate (albeit 15th) question is dismissed off hand, Eric from California.
At what point, if any, does management raise the white flag and bring Iglesias back in the fold, assuming Drew’s bat continues to plague the offense? Gomes is on the bench and Nava is playing more and more, so there doesn’t appear to be an issue with that swap. Here’s hoping that Drew does come around and contributes at the plate as well as on defense.
Lester, Chesapeake, Va.
Like I said, they’ll stick with Drew for quite a while. He’s basically having his spring training right now, because he missed so much of it. It could reach the point where they deal Drew at the deadline if Iglesias is decent offensively. Iglesias is a run saver.
I’m already tired of Red Sox fans hating Stephen Drew because they irrationally hated his World Series winning/contributing brother.
Why does Saltalamacchia lob the ball back to the pitcher? Why doesn’t someone tell him to put some mustard on the ball? I believe I saw a runner steal home a couple of years ago because of this.
Doug, Tampa, Fla.
He’s had a throwing yip in the past. It may be a mechanism thing.
I guess then the Old Towne Team is is 18-7, we need to find something to complain about. May as well take shots at how Salty gets the ball back to the pitcher.
As inconsistent and shaky as Hanrahan and Bailey appear to be, don’t you feel Uehara and Tazawa would be better in those roles, especially Koji?
Robert, Palm Coast, Fla.
I can see Tazawa but not Uehara. Koji is old (38) and has had too many injuries to rely on him in that type of role. He’s excellent where he is.
Since when did a 1.46 ERA with a 0.811 WHIP constitute as shaky? Can we give Bailey a run? And when did we all get on a first name basis with Koji Uehara?
What are the Red Sox thinking in terms of the ceiling with Allen Webster and Rubby De La Rosa? What are their plans in bringing De La Rosa along?
Joseph, Louisville, Ky.
Webster will be a fixture in their rotation sometime this season. De La Rosa will come a little slower. They are trying to decide whether he’s a starter or a future closer.
Is there an answer, in terms of “ceiling,” here? “A fixture in the rotation.” “…come along a little slower.” Typically, ceiling answers, by Keith Law or Jason Parks is “Number 2/3 starter.” No help here. Why ask Cafardo, again?
Why didn’t Carp start the game the other day? Why didn’t he hit for Gomes with the bases loaded? Farrell is a little better than Francona in putting his team in the best position to win at each crucial decision, and he certainly knows how to handle the pitching staff (exception: leaving Aceves in too long).
Larry, Encinitas, Calif.
Good question. I thought the same thing. I think Farrell wanted to avoid them bringing in the lefty if I can recall the situation correctly.
ONE MONTH IN AND WE ARE SAYING FARRELL IS BETTER THAN FRANCONA AT SOMETHING?????? FRANCONA WON TWO WORLD SERIES. WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FARRELL AFTER ONE MONTH!
(Now that I got that off my chest. I really, generally, like Farrell so far. But, why the poo-pooing of Francona. He is the best manager in team history. He brought us two of what we longed for just one of!)
Why can’t the Dodgers score? Gonzalez and Crawford have both had hot starts and yet only the awful Marlins have scored fewer runs than the Dodgers’ 3 per game. Kershaw is 2-2 despite a 1.88 ERA and Beckett took a 1-0 complete-game loss in his only decent start thus far. I know it’s early, but if the Red Sox had only scored 54 runs through 18 games, people would be calling for Cherington’s head.
Max, Sparks, Nev.
The Blue Jays of the NL, I guess. Don’t get too excited one way or the other in April would be my advice.
April, indeed.
Who typically holds the advantage, pitcher or hitter, when facing one’s former team (re: Bailey vs. Oakland)?
Jesse, Via Mito, Japan
Depends who the pitcher is, but I would always say the pitcher.
This is the dumbest answer, EVER!!! The argument is: it is conditional, except that it is always the pitcher. Wait, what??
Surely, we could submit this to the Guiness Book of World Records and confirm it as the worse use of logic, rhetoric, answer, or something.
Are hot dogs or hamburgers the better choice for a cook out? It depends on the attendees, but Burgers are ALWAYS the better choice.
Should I date the homecoming queen, or the Math Team Captain? Depends on the boy, but always the queen!
What?
Watching Josh Beckett’s free fall the last year and so far this season, I can’t help but see the similarity between him another former Red Sox ace from days past, Dennis Eckersley. I wonder if anyone has considered moving Beckett to the pen?
Richard, Pownal, Vt.
The only fly in the ointment there is that Beckett is pitching well for the Dodgers as a starter.
No kidding. Where do people come up with these questions? And does Cafardo just choose these questions in order to look smart? Maybe he has a low self-esteem, and has a need to one up people with his “baseball connections” and general ability to “look up stats on the internet.”
What is with Jonny Gomes and his batting helmet? I have always considered Nomar to be the greatest fidgeter of all time in the batter’s box, but Gomes clearl exceeds him. Not only does he adjust his gloves and his elbow pad on each pitch, but he then goes through multiple gyrations with his batting helmet. Maybe he should get
one that fits.
Bob, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Everyone has his own routine in the batter’s box. Could care less. The important thing is what he does during that at-bat.
Thinking/saying/writing “I have always considered [player X] to be the greatest fidgeter…” is a sure-fire sign that one has too much time of their hands and needs a life.
The bullpen is already looking taxed, having thrown four or more innings eight times in 18 games. After watching Allen Webster get through six innings with well under 100 pitches and showing good poise in his first big league start, I’m looking for more from him. Any chance the Sox bail on Doubront, who in the last two years hasn’t shown the ability to get past the fifth inning?
Nate, Nashville, Tenn.
They would only bail on Doubront is there’s an injury or if he’s completely ineffective. Finally got deep into a game on Monday. If he keeps doing that, he sticks.
Does the bullpen look taxed? They seem to be pitching really well, and frankly, the Astros series allowed Mortenson, Miller, and Wilson to pitch more than Uehara, Bailey, and Tazawa. It allowed Farrell to give the bullpen a bit of time off.
Anyways, until, next time, when we consider new ways to skewer Stephen Drew and create new dreams of how to promote a couple of .200 hitters in AAA. (BTWs…Bradley is not exactly tearing the cover off the ball in Pawtucket. Maybe he just needed more development all along. Who’d have thought?)