AL East Regular Season Thread

[eepstein0]

AJ Burnett just called looking for his talent. Have you seen it? Perhaps it was on one of those rockets that just left the BOB in succession.

It's good the bleachers were in the way of Upton's and LaRoche's HRs, otherwise those might have landed somewhere near Tuscon or Flagstaff.

[twballgame9]

16 for Ortiz, this one off of Lincecum. I guess he can still hit good pitching.

Speaking of which, do you think Lincecum is glad he pitches in the NL? I do.

[Shredder]

With Pedroia on the DL and Martinez banged up and possibly headed there as well, "pitching and defense" become more important than ever. It isn't dire as the starting pitching can keep the team in the race while the position players return. Lester and Buchholz have been dominant, Lackey strong (albeit with heavy run support), Matsuzaka returning to form (bad first inning in his first start back but ok the rest of that game and good before the latest injury) and Wakefield being more or less himself, with Beckett on his way back. So far it's looking like six weeks for Pedroia and just extra rest or a missed start for Buchholz. Martinez might be able to play with the thumb injury but will probably need more rest.

On the other side in the AL East, the Yankees caught a Dodgers pitching and fielding meltdown lastnight but Pettite didn't look good and Burnett got bombed by two NL teams on the trip. The real key is: are the Joba Rules still in place?

[branchinator]

The Yankees are winning the AL East. The only question is who takes the Wild Card, the banged up Red Sox or the completely dysfunctional Rays.

[twballgame9]

The Yankees are not in the least bit a lock for this division. After Jaba (Sabbathia, not Joba, which is Chamberlain) and Rivera, the Yankee pitching is terrible, they have a minor league outfield, and ARod has a nagging injury that won't go away and which is making him less of a power threat than Adrian Beltre. They can still win it, but this team is nowhere near as good as last year's team.

I think you can put a fork in the Devil Dogs. They will hang in a little longer, but their two best players were beating the shit out of each other on the bench yesterday.

[branchinator]

The Yankees are not in the least bit a lock for this division. After Jaba (Sabbathia, not Joba, which is Chamberlain) and Rivera, the Yankee pitching is terrible, they have a minor league outfield, and ARod has a nagging injury that won't go away and which is making him less of a power threat than Adrian Beltre. They can still win it, but this team is nowhere near as good as last year's team.

I think you can put a fork in the Devil Dogs. They will hang in a little longer, but their two best players were beating the shit out of each other on the bench yesterday.

I see the Yankees making a splash at the deadline (Lee). They're not a lock by any means but they're also the best team in the division. The fact that Mariano Rivera will never, ever decline or get hurt is a large reason for this. If the Red Sox could just stay healthy, they'd have a really good shot of taking the division because the starting pitching has been really solid due to Lester/Buchholz emerging as Cy Young candidates and the offense has out-performed expectations. But the loss of Pedroia kills any chance of this. It's too bad Ellsbury continues to be a massive vagina.

[flyingelvii]

What do the Yankees have to trade for Lee? They have Montero in the minors but unless they throw Hughes in there (not gonna happen) I highly doubt Seattle will want to take on Joba. The Yanks have given up their best prospects (Jackson, Tabata, and a couple I'm forgetting) in their past few trades and their mL is looking pretty barren, at least for what Lee will probably command.

[eepstein0]

The Yankees are not in the least bit a lock for this division. After Jaba (Sabbathia, not Joba, which is Chamberlain) and Rivera, the Yankee pitching is terrible, they have a minor league outfield, and ARod has a nagging injury that won't go away and which is making him less of a power threat than Adrian Beltre. They can still win it, but this team is nowhere near as good as last year's team.

I think you can put a fork in the Devil Dogs. They will hang in a little longer, but their two best players were beating the shit out of each other on the bench yesterday.

I see the Yankees making a splash at the deadline (Lee). They're not a lock by any means but they're also the best team in the division. The fact that Mariano Rivera will never, ever decline or get hurt is a large reason for this. If the Red Sox could just stay healthy, they'd have a really good shot of taking the division because the starting pitching has been really solid due to Lester/Buchholz emerging as Cy Young candidates and the offense has out-performed expectations. But the loss of Pedroia kills any chance of this. It's too bad Ellsbury continues to be a massive vagina.

Relying on Bill Hall to man 2B for the next 6 weeks is going to be nothing short of a nightmare. It'll depend where the Sox sit on August 1st, the schedule isn't too bad in July and they just have to hang around.

[twballgame9]

The Red Sox were leading the MLB in scoring with Pedroia slumping. Hall is a terrible defensive player, but he will hit.

The Yankees aren't getting Lee. I bet they aren't even mentioned as in the market. I suspect he will end up with one of the so-so contenders, like the Twins. He'd be a great fit with the Rangers or White Sox.

[pick6pedro]

Hall is a terrible defensive player, but he will hit.

Oh Jesus.

[twballgame9]

Hall is a terrible defensive player, but he will hit.

Oh Jesus.

He's a career .250 hitter with power at second base. He's also a dead pull hitter playing in Fenway. If you were retarded enough to think my point was that he could replace Pedroia, I don't know what to tell you. My point was actually that: (a) Hall will hit a little and (b) the Red Sox lineup has been scoring enough runs to survive the loss of Pedroia.

[pick6pedro]

Hall is a terrible defensive player, but he will hit.

Oh Jesus.

He's a career .250 hitter with power at second base. He's also a dead pull hitter playing in Fenway. If you were retarded enough to think my point was that he could replace Pedroia, I don't know what to tell you. My point was actually that: (a) Hall will hit a little and (b) the Red Sox lineup has been scoring enough runs to survive the loss of Pedroia.

Nope. I was reatrded enough to think you were saying that Hall would be doing something more than what pretty much any MLB player could do. And now you've backed off to "he'll hit a little". OK.

Don't forget Martinez has a thumb fracture. The complexion of the lineup is changing dramatically.

Yawn.

[twballgame9]

Hall is a terrible defensive player, but he will hit.

Oh Jesus.

He's a career .250 hitter with power at second base. He's also a dead pull hitter playing in Fenway. If you were retarded enough to think my point was that he could replace Pedroia, I don't know what to tell you. My point was actually that: (a) Hall will hit a little and (b) the Red Sox lineup has been scoring enough runs to survive the loss of Pedroia.

Nope. I was reatrded enough to think you were saying that Hall would be doing something more than what pretty much any MLB player could do. And now you've backed off to "he'll hit a little". OK.

Don't forget Martinez has a thumb fracture. The complexion of the lineup is changing dramatically.

Yawn.

Have you ever caught? Almost every catcher has a thumb fracture. VMart will be out a few games, as he has already indicated, and Buchholtz is fine.

And not every backup MLB second baseman is capable of 4 straight season of 15+ dongs, as Hall did prior to last year. This year, despite his notoriously low BA, he has a .333 OBP and a .406 slugging pecentage in only 128 ABs. That's a perfectly acceptable OPS from your second baseman for 6 weeks.

Just trying to speak you language.

[Endless Mike]

Have you ever caught?

sounds like the two minute warning bell just went off. gay flu and i need to be moving along to allow teddy and pedro some time in the rape room.

Where did Kirby Puckett go?

[branchinator]

With a healthy Scutaro, Drew, Papi, Beltre, Youkilis, the Sox can still score some runs but their success over the next 6-8 weeks will be predicated on Ortiz/Youkilis/Beltre being .900+ OPS players.

[twballgame9]

With a healthy Scutaro, Drew, Papi, Beltre, Youkilis, the Sox can still score some runs but their success over the next 6-8 weeks will be predicated on Ortiz/Youkilis/Beltre being .900+ OPS players.

I could also be totally wrong about Hall the way I was about Big Papi.

[pick6pedro]

Have you ever caught? Almost every catcher has a thumb fracture. VMart will be out a few games, as he has already indicated, and Buchholtz is fine.

And not every backup MLB second baseman is capable of 4 straight season of 15+ dongs, as Hall did prior to last year. This year, despite his notoriously low BA, he has a .333 OBP and a .406 slugging pecentage in only 128 ABs. That's a perfectly acceptable OPS from your second baseman for 6 weeks.

Just trying to speak you language.

Funny you ask because I played catcher for 8 years. Why mention Bucholz when discussing the lineup around Hall? Speak my language? Where did I bring any stats into this conversation? It's been all you, cowboy. But keep clinging to that as your "go to" against anything I say. P.S. Nice work tying percentages to ABs. Derrrrrrrrrrrr.

[twballgame9]

Have you ever caught? Almost every catcher has a thumb fracture. VMart will be out a few games, as he has already indicated, and Buchholtz is fine.

And not every backup MLB second baseman is capable of 4 straight season of 15+ dongs, as Hall did prior to last year. This year, despite his notoriously low BA, he has a .333 OBP and a .406 slugging pecentage in only 128 ABs. That's a perfectly acceptable OPS from your second baseman for 6 weeks.

Just trying to speak you language.

Funny you ask because I played catcher for 8 years. Why mention Bucholz when discussing the lineup around Hall? Speak my language? Where did I bring any stats into this conversation? It's been all you, cowboy. But keep clinging to that as your "go to" against anything I say. P.S. Nice work tying percentages to ABs. Derrrrrrrrrrrr.

Stat geek: "Percentages can't be tied to ABs". But oops, I forgot, you didn't make any point about stats.

Baseball player: "The more ABs you get, and the more regularly you play the better you hit." Bill Hall himself has said that he has struggled at the plate a little because of the inconsistency of his playing time.

The conversation was about who would win the AL East. Buchholz' injury is as relevant to that discussion as VMart's. Your inane desire to keep the focus of the discussion on some minor dispute, and my response to same, notwithstanding, some of us were discussing the point. Sorry, I don't limit my posting to responding to your pithy shot at the premise that Bill Hall will hit just fine.

And did you ever break a bone in your hand catching? Did you even realize it at the time? Did you play through it like a man, like most catchers do? If he can grip a bat, VMart will play.

[pick6pedro]

Stat geek: "Percentages can't be tied to ABs". But oops, I forgot, you didn't make any point about stats.

Hadn't at the point that I said it and something that atrocious can't go without being acknowledged. You call me a stat geek for pointing out a problem with a stat you throw out? "I'm just trying to speak your language" actually means "I use stats when they work for me, but make fun of others when they use them against me". Seriously, just knock it off.

Baseball player: "The more ABs you get, and the more regularly you play the better you hit." Bill Hall himself has said that he has struggled at the plate a little because of the inconsistency of his playing time.

If he's "struggled" so much, then why best OBP and slugging in 3 seasons as well as an OPS right at his career average? You can't have it both ways T. His average has been mostly terrible his entire career and can't be explained away with playing time despite the "claims" that he makes. But I guess it's gospel since it works for your position.

The conversation was about who would win the AL East. Buchholz' injury is as relevant to that discussion as VMart's. Your inane desire to keep the focus of the discussion on some minor dispute, and my response to same, notwithstanding, some of us were discussing the point. Sorry, I don't limit my posting to responding to your pithy shot at the premise that Bill Hall will hit just fine.

It was when you wanted it to be. Of course you responded to a comment about the changing nature of the lineup around Hall with a Buchholz mention, so there was no point in adding it other than filler. See, when you use the quote function, it's generally assumed you are responding to the quote in question.

You took massive exception to me saying "Oh Jesus" about Bill Hall's hitting? Yikes.

And did you ever break a bone in your hand catching? Did you even realize it at the time? Did you play through it like a man, like most catchers do? If he can grip a bat, VMart will play.

Never broke a bone, but was in constant pain with minor injuries while catching guys who threw 85+...and no I didn't come out. I also didn't play 150 games behind the plate nor was I a huge investment for a franchise. If you're saying that most catchers play through fractures in their catching hand, you're sorely mistaken. Just add it to the list.

Teddy, either make an argument you actually believe or don't. It's utterly retarded that you hide behind this "I like to fuck with people" routine.

[twballgame9]

I'm not sorely mistaken. You aren't the only person on the board to have caught for 10 years.

As far as the rest of it goes, it's semantics. Most players hit better when they play every day, and aren't pinch hitting. But that can't be true, because there is not stat for it.

And I didn't say I was fucking with you. I mostly just fuck with commave and OJ, and with commave only about predictions.

[pick6pedro]

I'm not sorely mistaken. You aren't the only person on the board to have caught for 10 years.

As far as the rest of it goes, it's semantics. Most players hit better when they play every day, and aren't pinch hitting. But that can't be true, because there is not stat for it.

And I didn't say I was fucking with you. I mostly just fuck with commave and OJ, and with commave only about predictions.

Sorry about the prior formatting, for some reason the edits to fix it won't stick.

I wasn't saying that my catching experience qualifies me to comment on MLB catchers playing through injuries because it simply can't. I related my catching experience because of a direct question. An injury that not only affects the way you swing, but affects every pitch of every game isn't always one you can man up through nor one that a franchise paying you a hefty paycheck is willing to poo-poo. My comments come from watching tons of baseball over the yearsand knowing injuries from intense fantasy leagues. Many players will play through finger fractures, but catchers aren't usually one of them due to the stress and role they play. Kinda like how a pitcher may miss a game due to a blister but an outfielder never would.

It's not semantics. Most players do hit better when they are consistently at the plate. Too bad we're not talking about most players - we're talking about Bill Hall who throughout his career has hit just as shitty as this season even while in a full-time role. In fact, in some aspects he's done better this season than recent seasons despite not being in a full time role.

You didn't have to say you're trying to fuck with me - changing quotes and going to the stat geek routine tell me all I need to know. You can't even kep focused. It's just silly, man.

[flyingelvii]

If you suck at hitting, you're not going to get better with more ABs. Hall is what he is. Doesn't really get on base, has decent power, and doesn't have much range in the field. Basically he's a slightly better and more versatile Nick Green. Hooray.

[twballgame9]

If he hits .250 with a prorated 18-20 dongs (his average for the four years prior to last) I will take it. At second base, from a back up, that is very good.

[twballgame9]

I'm not sorely mistaken. You aren't the only person on the board to have caught for 10 years.

As far as the rest of it goes, it's semantics. Most players hit better when they play every day, and aren't pinch hitting. But that can't be true, because there is not stat for it.

And I didn't say I was fucking with you. I mostly just fuck with commave and OJ, and with commave only about predictions.

Sorry about the prior formatting, for some reason the edits to fix it won't stick.

I wasn't saying that my catching experience qualifies me to comment on MLB catchers playing through injuries because it simply can't. I related my catching experience because of a direct question. An injury that not only affects the way you swing, but affects every pitch of every game isn't always one you can man up through nor one that a franchise paying you a hefty paycheck is willing to poo-poo. My comments come from watching tons of baseball over the yearsand knowing injuries from intense fantasy leagues. Many players will play through finger fractures, but catchers aren't usually one of them due to the stress and role they play. Kinda like how a pitcher may miss a game due to a blister but an outfielder never would.

It's not semantics. Most players do hit better when they are consistently at the plate. Too bad we're not talking about most players - we're talking about Bill Hall who throughout his career has hit just as shitty as this season even while in a full-time role. In fact, in some aspects he's done better this season than recent seasons despite not being in a full time role.

You didn't have to say you're trying to fuck with me - changing quotes and going to the stat geek routine tell me all I need to know. You can't even kep focused. It's just silly, man.

Let me focus it for you. The issue is whether the Red Sox can win the AL East, not whether Bill Hall will hit .235 with 8 dongs or .245 with 5 dongs over the next 6 weeks. I just don't care that much about such a small part of the discussion. The discussion of Hall is the sideline distraction. It is only a minor part of the discussion, and you weren't even involved in it for the first 10 posts.

And seriously, I am not fucking with you. Hall will hit well enough. And for a second baseman, where he will be playing, his stats are not that bad.

[pick6pedro]

Let me focus it for you. The issue is whether the Red Sox can win the AL East, not whether Bill Hall will hit .235 with 8 dongs or .245 with 5 dongs over the next 6 weeks. I just don't care that much about such a small part of the discussion. The discussion of Hall is the sideline distraction. It is only a minor part of the discussion, and you weren't even involved in it for the first 10 posts.

And seriously, I am not fucking with you. Hall will hit well enough. And for a second baseman, where he will be playing, his stats are not that bad.

Yes, and I said "Oh Jesus" only to Bill Hall's hitting...how tough is that? Is there a new rule that you can't comment if you didn't within the first ten posts? Is there another rule that you can't comment on one part of something? Jesus teddy, throw in that I'm not allowed to use stats, but you are - and you have more rules than RISK which I'm pretty sure makes you a message board fascist or 74.

As for the AL East crown, it seems very much up in the air right now.

P.S. V-Mart to the DL.

[twballgame9]

Let me focus it for you. The issue is whether the Red Sox can win the AL East, not whether Bill Hall will hit .235 with 8 dongs or .245 with 5 dongs over the next 6 weeks. I just don't care that much about such a small part of the discussion. The discussion of Hall is the sideline distraction. It is only a minor part of the discussion, and you weren't even involved in it for the first 10 posts.

And seriously, I am not fucking with you. Hall will hit well enough. And for a second baseman, where he will be playing, his stats are not that bad.

Yes, and I said "Oh Jesus" only to Bill Hall's hitting...how tough is that? Is there a new rule that you can't comment if you didn't within the first ten posts? Is there another rule that you can't comment on one part of something? Jesus teddy, throw in that I'm not allowed to use stats, but you are - and you have more rules than RISK which I'm pretty sure makes you a message board fascist or 74.

As for the AL East crown, it seems very much up in the air right now.

P.S. V-Mart to the DL.

You are the one that said I was off the argument when I didn't limit my discussion of Sox injuries and chances to Bill Hall. A wise ass comment about "what does Buchholz have to do with it".

VMart is a pussy. No, seriously your "investment" comment makes sense. I suppose there is plenty of time to get him healthy, especially since, as I said, they have enough offense to win the division even without Pedroia and VMart for a while.

[pick6pedro]

You are the one that said I was off the argument when I didn't limit my discussion of Sox injuries and chances to Bill Hall. A wise ass comment about "what does Buchholz have to do with it".

VMart is a pussy. No, seriously your "investment" comment makes sense. I suppose there is plenty of time to get him healthy, especially since, as I said, they have enough offense to win the division even without Pedroia and VMart for a while.

No, I said you were off the argument because you quoted me talking about VMart and the lineup changing drastically, then threw Buchholz in the retort. Didn't make much sense.

They absolutely have enough offense to make up for some absences. While I don't expect the offense to grind to a halt, I don't expect it to be trucking along like it has been with Hall/Tek/Nava in there for Pedroia/VMart/Drew (still DTD and a giant gaping vagina). Just severely lessens the margin for error.

[twballgame9]

3-run dong for Ortiz off of Shields. Through 78 games, 17 dongs, 50 RBI. He's done.

[flyingelvii]

I'll admit I thought he was done. Bat looked slow as hell. Already ate dinner but it's been nice feasting on crow for the past month or however long he's been going.

[twballgame9]

I'll admit I thought he was done. Bat looked slow as hell. Already ate dinner but it's been nice feasting on crow for the past month or however long he's been going.

You weren't alone, don't feel bad.