AL East 2010

[BillD1984]

Beckett and Lackey underperforming? Yup


Injuries to key players? Absolutely


But for my money, the #1 reason the Sox will be watching the 2010 postseason on TV......................the AWFUL bullpen after Bard and Papelbon (and even he has been shaky at times this year).

 

[Jimbo]

In all fairness, the Red Sox have been decimated with injuries all year this year.

 

[SabresRule]

In all fairness, the Red Sox have been decimated with injuries all year this year.

Yet they have the same record as the AL West leading Rangers.

 

[AntAltMike]

Yet they have the same record as the AL West leading Rangers.

Because with an annual payroll of $160 million, they can have $100 million worth of players injured and still have more value on their roster than the Texas Rangers.

 

[Hart5150]

Yet they have the same record as the AL West leading Rangers.

In all honesty, the west and the central aren't nearly as deep as the east. I believe if the Blue Jays were in either division the could compete for a division title.

 

[AntAltMike]

The Red Sox trail Tampa Bay by seven in the loss column with 30 games to play. If Tampa Bay keeps winning 6 out of 10, as they have all year, then the Red Sox need to finish 25-5 to tie them. Fat chance.

At the start of the eighth inning last night, I actually said to someone, "This is where Doubrant gives up a couple of runs to put the game out of reach", and then he did. The hold and blown hold statistics, which I don't think are even officially recognized by MLB, do not meassure what we would like them to measure. When a pitcher comes into a game late with his team trailing by a run or two and then gives up another run or two, he has failed to "hold" the opposition's score to a level at which his team is still poised to get back into the game.

 

[Jimbo]

In all honesty, the west and the central aren't nearly as deep as the east. I believe if the Blue Jays were in either division the could compete for a division title.

I don't.

 

[BillD1984]

In all honesty, the west and the central aren't nearly as deep as the east. I believe if the Blue Jays were in either division the could compete for a division title.

I don't.

Hart said the Blue Jays could COMPETE for a division title in the Central or West, not necessarily win.

YOU don't think the Blue Jays could COMPETE for a title in the Central or West?

 

[Jimbo]

Hart said the Blue Jays could COMPETE for a division title in the Central or West, not necessarily win.

YOU don't think the Blue Jays could COMPETE for a title in the Central or West?

Compete, yes, just about anyone can compete there.

How many games out do you consider Contending ?

 

[BillD1984]

Compete, yes, just about anyone can compete there.

How many games out do you consider Contending ?

I consider anything 5 games out or less to be contending (but that's me ).

The reason I agree with Hart is this: The Blue Jays play 54 games against the Yankees/Rays/Red Sox. That constitutes exactly 33% of their schedule. If they played in the Central or West that number drops all the way down to 18 games.

Now granted, they get to play the lowly Orioles 18 times, but if they were in the other divisions they would get Seattle, Kansas City and/or Cleveland 18 times.

Now I'm not saying the Jays (or the Red Sox for that matter) would win either of those two divisions but they would certainly be a strong contender.

 

[Jimbo]

I consider anything 5 games out or less to be contending (but that's me ).

The reason I agree with Hart is this: The Blue Jays play 54 games against the Yankees/Rays/Red Sox. That constitutes exactly 33% of their schedule. If they played in the Central or West that number drops all the way down to 18 games.

Now granted, they get to play the lowly Orioles 18 times, but if they were in the other divisions they would get Seattle, Kansas City and/or Cleveland 18 times.

Now I'm not saying the Jays (or the Red Sox for that matter) would win either of those two divisions but they would certainly be a strong contender.

I just don't think the Jays are nearly as strong as the Twins, Rangers, Rays, a healthy Tigers team I would put ahead of them as well.

 

[vurbano]

In all fairness, the Red Sox have been decimated with injuries all year this year.

Oh please, They had NOTHING in the bullpen to start the season. They did Nothing to improve their pitching and threw in the towel before the season started. Makes me sick.

 

[Jimbo]

Oh please, They had NOTHING in the bullpen to start the season. They did Nothing to improve their pitching and threw in the towel before the season started. Makes me sick.

What, losing 7 of your starters is not suppose to effect your team ?

 

[AntAltMike]

My boy Papelbon just came on in the bottom of the 9th in Baltimore, leading 6-4, and he gave up singles to the first two men he faced. Stay tuned...

 

[Jimbo]

My boy Papelbon just came on in the bottom of the 9th in Baltimore, leading 6-4, and he gave up singles to the first two men he faced. Stay tuned...

Sounds like Todd Jones and Fernado Rodney, usually they gave up runs , but still won the game.

 

[vurbano]

What, losing 7 of your starters is not suppose to effect your team ?

It wouldnt have made any difference in that they may have gotten a wildcard and then been booted out of the playoffs. Their lack of bettering the pitching staff before the season started was a clear signal that management has no intention of winning any championships time soon.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

It wouldnt have made any difference in that they may have gotten a wildcard and then been booted out of the playoffs. Their lack of bettering the pitching staff before the season started was a clear signal that management has no intention of winning any championships time soon.

An appropriate use of the winking smiley, because you really can't be serious.

Lackey was an obvious attempt to bolster the staff with him being one of the top free agents available. And, while I know spending a lot of money doesn't guarantee championships, if the $162M spent on payroll was not an "intention of winning", I don't know what would be.

 

[AntAltMike]

How many games this year have the Red Sox lost due to an unearned run made possible by a pitcher's fielding error? Seems like a lot of them.

In the top of the seventh today, with the Red Sox leading Chicago 2-1, both Becket and reliever Bard made errors, leading to two unearned runs. Fortunately, for now, the Red Sox scored two more in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead.

Meanwhile, ESPN no longer mentions the Red Sox in its daily features on the playoff races.

 

[BillD1984]

Meanwhile, ESPN no longer mentions the Red Sox in its daily features on the playoff races.

And why would/should they?

If ESPN mentions the Red Sox and "pennant race" in the same sentence they lose all credibility (what little they have )!

 

[SabresRule]

IMHO, the Red Sox could still be making a run at the playoffs if they never let Jason Bay go in free agency.

I said it then, and I'll say it now- he was a great fit in Fenway, and his presence/hitting may be sorely missed in 2010.