Free Advise to the Rest of the AL East

[oldskool138]

Here's a nickel's worth of free advise to the Yankees, Devil Rays, Orioles and Blue Jays.

You want to beat the Red Sox? Just put either a junk throwing lefty or a pitcher that less than half the team has faced and you should win easily. You should be able to find 18 or 19 of these types of pitchers to throw out there during the season.

Seriously, why is it that Red Sox hitters can't hit rookies or junk throwing lefties? I mean, shouldn't these types of pitchers be the kind that the Sox hammer all over the park? Other teams don't seem to have these problems...

[Mikiemo83]

it is the curse of Jamie Moyer

[EverettsTheoryOfEvolution]

My theory about the Red Sox hitting is this.....


The Sox are built around the "Moneyball" approach (this is Theo's passion). This stresses being patient at the plate, taking pitches, going deep into counts, making the pitcher work, waiting for that mistake and hitting it hard, or taking your walk if it doesn't come. We've seen how successful this approach can be - our batters tire out a lot of pitchers, and if a pitcher is not on his game, he'll throw alot of pitches, leave early, and then we get to work on the bullpen similarly. The problem with this approach is that it works great against poor to average pitchers, but it kinda backfires against good pitchers (or an average pitcher on a good night), or against new pitchers. If you are up there not swinging, waiting for the mistake to come, and the pitcher is having a good night - well, all of a sudden you are falling behind in the count very quickly, 0-2, 1-2, etc. Now the batters are on the defensive, with the odds greatly against them, and the mistake doesn't come. Or, in the case of a pitcher you've never seen before, you don't recognize the mistake when it comes, or is about to come, so you are unable to take advantage of it. Anyway, that's my theory.

Edit: Ok, I see Oldskool posted something similar in the hitting coach thread, so I'm not alone on this.

[NEM]

My theory about the Red Sox hitting is this.....


The Sox are built around the "Moneyball" approach (this is Theo's passion). This stresses being patient at the plate, taking pitches, going deep into counts, making the pitcher work, waiting for that mistake and hitting it hard, or taking your walk if it doesn't come. We've seen how successful this approach can be - our batters tire out a lot of pitchers, and if a pitcher is not on his game, he'll throw alot of pitches, leave early, and then we get to work on the bullpen similarly. The problem with this approach is that it works great against poor to average pitchers, but it kinda backfires against good pitchers (or an average pitcher on a good night), or against new pitchers. If you are up there not swinging, waiting for the mistake to come, and the pitcher is having a good night - well, all of a sudden you are falling behind in the count very quickly, 0-2, 1-2, etc. Now the batters are on the defensive, with the odds greatly against them, and the mistake doesn't come. Or, in the case of a pitcher you've never seen before, you don't recognize the mistake when it comes, or is about to come, so you are unable to take advantage of it. Anyway, that's my theory.

Edit: Ok, I see Oldskool posted something similar in the hitting coach thread, so I'm not alone on this.


Excellent response and well thought out, and, IMO too, right on the money.

[SteelerFan87]

Seriously, why is it that Red Sox hitters can't hit rookies or junk throwing lefties? I mean, shouldn't these types of pitchers be the kind that the Sox hammer all over the park? Other teams don't seem to have these problems...

LOL, try watching the Pirates. This year, we've been DOMINATED by Chuck James (twice), Buddy Carlyle, Kameron Loe, Kip Wells, and Jeff Weaver. I'm convinced opposing teams should just put out a batting tee, and it'll shut out the Bucs.

So, yeah, you are not alone.