Comments on: How’s that for a roller-coaster ride? From Gagne to Lester to Lowell, oh my… http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Fri, 16 May 2008 20:46:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: redsoxrantsfromchina http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-153617 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:09:34 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-153617 Although Wakes will get all of the print following his 6-0 win over the D-Rays, for my money, Mike Lowell is the storyline. Lowell is the Red Sox MVP for 2007. He leads the team (either 1 or 2) in most offensive categories. He is a bargain to re-sign next year at 9-10 million per year. Do not let him walk. See: http://www.redsoxrantsfromchina.blogspot.com for more thoughts on this Although Wakes will get all of the print following his 6-0 win over the D-Rays, for my money, Mike Lowell is the storyline. Lowell is the Red Sox MVP for 2007. He leads the team (either 1 or 2) in most offensive categories. He is a bargain to re-sign next year at 9-10 million per year. Do not let him walk.

See: http://www.redsoxrantsfromchina.blogspot.com
for more thoughts on this

]]> by: midwesterner72 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-148934 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:53:54 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-148934 If I have to have one guy up to bat in a critical bases loaded situation I'd have to take Lowell as well. But recently, I am liking more and more what I am seeing out of Lugo. He is, dare I say, been coming up big in key places, but still prone to the mega- brain fart at times. I think Oritz is battling so many injuries that I will be amazed if he lasts through the rest of the season. Manny has shown nothing this year. I don't know if it is age or whatever, but honestly, much of the time I get the sense that he just isn't trying as hard as he has in the past. He seems almost indifferent alot of times and doesn't seem to be focused much of the time, even when he is batting. I think that, more than the age excuse, is what is happening there. In the best interest of the team i think they should try once again to unload him for a big, solid bat of the future in the off season. The implosions in Baltimore last weekend had me wondering if Sox management ever heard the expression "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The bullpen was working flawlessly all year before the Gagne trade. there was never a question mark there until they tried to mix it up a bit. And finally, good point made by rln42433- why are we not utilizing the speed of Crisp and Lugo more? These guys should be running far more than they are. Especialy as hard a time as this lineup has had driving runs in, it baffles me why they aren't sending them more often when they actually do reach base. If I have to have one guy up to bat in a critical bases loaded situation I’d have to take Lowell as well. But recently, I am liking more and more what I am seeing out of Lugo. He is, dare I say, been coming up big in key places, but still prone to the mega- brain fart at times. I think Oritz is battling so many injuries that I will be amazed if he lasts through the rest of the season. Manny has shown nothing this year. I don’t know if it is age or whatever, but honestly, much of the time I get the sense that he just isn’t trying as hard as he has in the past. He seems almost indifferent alot of times and doesn’t seem to be focused much of the time, even when he is batting. I think that, more than the age excuse, is what is happening there. In the best interest of the team i think they should try once again to unload him for a big, solid bat of the future in the off season. The implosions in Baltimore last weekend had me wondering if Sox management ever heard the expression “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The bullpen was working flawlessly all year before the Gagne trade. there was never a question mark there until they tried to mix it up a bit. And finally, good point made by rln42433- why are we not utilizing the speed of Crisp and Lugo more? These guys should be running far more than they are. Especialy as hard a time as this lineup has had driving runs in, it baffles me why they aren’t sending them more often when they actually do reach base.

]]> by: rln2433 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-148408 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:09:42 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-148408 Is there a guy in baseball that you would like to see less than Brian Roberts in the late part of the game leading off? The O's starting pitching is mucho improved and the O's have something that many teams lack, HEART!!! They don't care who they are playing, they go out and scrap. Youk is a lead off or #2 hitter. He has no business hitting 5th until he can stop taking strike 3 or show that he can sack up and make a play at the plate. Maybe being bounced around the order or being asked to do something he cannot has impacted his game but in looking at the last 10-11 games, in 40% of his plate appearances the ball isn't being put in play. You cannot drive in runs without hitting the ball somewhere. Could Manny show any less heart out there? This team also seems to lack an offensive flow. The speed guys are not stealing bases and manufacturing runs is important when your GM decided that OBP matters more than slugging/OPS and your 3/4/5 hitters cannot pop one out when the plodders are leading off. Oh, and if anyone watched Joba Chamberlain pitch this past week against Baltimore, JUST DAMN. He's got 8th inning shut down stuff and could close if Mo needs a day off. Is there a guy in baseball that you would like to see less than Brian Roberts in the late part of the game leading off? The O’s starting pitching is mucho improved and the O’s have something that many teams lack, HEART!!! They don’t care who they are playing, they go out and scrap.

Youk is a lead off or #2 hitter. He has no business hitting 5th until he can stop taking strike 3 or show that he can sack up and make a play at the plate. Maybe being bounced around the order or being asked to do something he cannot has impacted his game but in looking at the last 10-11 games, in 40% of his plate appearances the ball isn’t being put in play. You cannot drive in runs without hitting the ball somewhere.

Could Manny show any less heart out there?

This team also seems to lack an offensive flow. The speed guys are not stealing bases and manufacturing runs is important when your GM decided that OBP matters more than slugging/OPS and your 3/4/5 hitters cannot pop one out when the plodders are leading off.

Oh, and if anyone watched Joba Chamberlain pitch this past week against Baltimore, JUST DAMN. He’s got 8th inning shut down stuff and could close if Mo needs a day off.

]]> by: HFXBOB http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147646 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:00:05 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147646 How bout those Baltimore Orioles. You have got to appreciate the way they took it to the Yankees. They treated Mariano Rivera like he was Joe Brower. And yes, the Yankees' handling of their bullpen personnel this year is one of the strangest sagas in recent baseball history. They have been shuttling guys in and out of town in a mad flurry. Cutting loose Proctor is something that's going to come in for a lot of scrutiny at some point. How bout those Baltimore Orioles. You have got to appreciate the way they took it to the Yankees. They treated Mariano Rivera like he was Joe Brower. And yes, the Yankees’ handling of their bullpen personnel this year is one of the strangest sagas in recent baseball history. They have been shuttling guys in and out of town in a mad flurry. Cutting loose Proctor is something that’s going to come in for a lot of scrutiny at some point.

]]> by: ygbluig http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147576 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:22:11 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147576 "It’s absurd to think that the Yankees were playing Cleveland, supposedly one of the better teams in the bigs this year and cleaned up. The Sox played the Orioles, one of the worst teams of the decade, and wind up losing two of three. WTF? " Even more amazing is that after the Yankees swept the Indians, the lost 2 of 3 to the O's. WTF, indeed. Oh, and Rivera got the loss as Torre trotted him out for the 3rd day. “It’s absurd to think that the Yankees were playing Cleveland, supposedly one of the better teams in the bigs this year and cleaned up. The Sox played the Orioles, one of the worst teams of the decade, and wind up losing two of three. WTF? ”

Even more amazing is that after the Yankees swept the Indians, the lost 2 of 3 to the O’s. WTF, indeed.

Oh, and Rivera got the loss as Torre trotted him out for the 3rd day.

]]> by: rog http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147322 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:42:46 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147322 I really think that the whole Ortiz/Manny-are-the-best-hitting-combo-on-the-planet thing has come to an end and after Ortiz has his surgery in the off-season, that they find a way to trade Manny. His salary is considerably less than it was even before this season. They need much bigger bats next year. I really think that the whole Ortiz/Manny-are-the-best-hitting-combo-on-the-planet thing has come to an end and after Ortiz has his surgery in the off-season, that they find a way to trade Manny. His salary is considerably less than it was even before this season. They need much bigger bats next year.

]]> by: kinshane http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147143 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:47:51 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/08/15/hows-that-for-a-roller-coaster-ride-from-gagne-to-lester-to-lowell-oh-my/#comment-147143 I actually mentioned to my wife after yesterday's game that I prefer Mike Lowell, Scrappy Ped, or even Coco coming to the plate in big situations rather than Manny Ortez. They just seem hungrier lately. I actually mentioned to my wife after yesterday’s game that I prefer Mike Lowell, Scrappy Ped, or even Coco coming to the plate in big situations rather than Manny Ortez. They just seem hungrier lately.

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