Comments on: Sorry, dude: you’re on the bench tonight… http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Sat, 17 May 2008 05:52:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. » You’re leaving that guy on the bench? http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-259564 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:14:32 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-259564 [...] Way back on Monday, I raised the question of which of the big four bats—Manny, Ortiz, Lowell, and Youk—was going to be on the bench when the Series moved to Denver. In 2004, this wasn’t a problem; as Bob Ryan put it, your Aunt Ethel knew to start Ortiz over Millar and Malphabet. This year, not so easy. Sitting Youk, as Francona has announced he’s doing, is without a doubt the easiest way out; Lowell’s a veteran entering into free agency; Papi has fully earned his reputation as one of the best playoff performers ever; and Manny is, well, Manny. [...] […] Way back on Monday, I raised the question of which of the big four bats—Manny, Ortiz, Lowell, and Youk—was going to be on the bench when the Series moved to Denver. In 2004, this wasn’t a problem; as Bob Ryan put it, your Aunt Ethel knew to start Ortiz over Millar and Malphabet. This year, not so easy. Sitting Youk, as Francona has announced he’s doing, is without a doubt the easiest way out; Lowell’s a veteran entering into free agency; Papi has fully earned his reputation as one of the best playoff performers ever; and Manny is, well, Manny. […]

]]> by: Sox Fan in CO http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-254122 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:30:17 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-254122 Given: Lugo HAS to go. Question: Who can play short? Options: Lowell. Youk at 3rd. Youk? Lowell at 3rd. Hell, I'd put Papi there, lose virtually all fielding range, but have that bat in the lineup. I have as little faith as anyone in Drew, but I'd take his bat over Lu-ser any time. GO SOX! Given: Lugo HAS to go.
Question: Who can play short?
Options: Lowell. Youk at 3rd. Youk? Lowell at 3rd. Hell, I’d put Papi there, lose virtually all fielding range, but have that bat in the lineup.
I have as little faith as anyone in Drew, but I’d take his bat over Lu-ser any time.

GO SOX!

]]> by: thecuban78 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253715 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:44:26 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253715 I say what's the rush? We have two huge ballgames to play in Boston before Francona has to make a decision. If Youk continues on this tear, then Francona has one of the biggest decisions of the season to make. But can you sit Papi? I don't think you can. Not in October. I say what’s the rush? We have two huge ballgames to play in Boston before Francona has to make a decision. If Youk continues on this tear, then Francona has one of the biggest decisions of the season to make. But can you sit Papi? I don’t think you can. Not in October.

]]> by: blitzburgh http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253561 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:41:57 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253561 Call me crazy, but why not give Youk a shot in RF? Trot and Wily Mo could not have been that much faster(if any) than Youk. We kill two birds w/one stone w/this solution...keep Youk in the line-up and get JD Drew out of the line up. Get Youk shagging some fly balls over the next few days. I know his offensive differential over JDD would far outweigh any defensive liabilities. Call me crazy, but why not give Youk a shot in RF? Trot and Wily Mo could not have been that much faster(if any) than Youk. We kill two birds w/one stone w/this solution…keep Youk in the line-up and get JD Drew out of the line up. Get Youk shagging some fly balls over the next few days. I know his offensive differential over JDD would far outweigh any defensive liabilities.

]]> by: Hudson http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253403 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 02:11:27 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253403 Note: Whatever the idjuts on the Fan may think, all five of the ESPN analysts picked the Sox (in 5, 6 or 7 games). Effin' jinxers. Note: Whatever the idjuts on the Fan may think, all five of the ESPN analysts picked the Sox (in 5, 6 or 7 games). Effin’ jinxers.

]]> by: Hudson http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253399 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 02:08:54 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-253399 How about moving Lowell to short, so that all four can bat? Francona will never do it, I know, I know. But I suspect the difference between Lowell and Lugo's bats is bigger than the difference in their performance at short. Don't forget that Lugo flubbed at least one, maybe two potentially big plays in Game 7. How about moving Lowell to short, so that all four can bat?

Francona will never do it, I know, I know.

But I suspect the difference between Lowell and Lugo’s bats is bigger than the difference in their performance at short. Don’t forget that Lugo flubbed at least one, maybe two potentially big plays in Game 7.

]]> by: milneedham http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-252758 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:07:43 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2007/10/22/the-odd-man-out/#comment-252758 OK, no shortage of tough calls on this one. Dont you think however this decision needs to be made after game 2 is played? Where is the series at that point 2-0, 1-1, 0-2? Who has the hot hand at that point, or maybe more importantly, who has gone cold (if Youk or Lowell or Papi goes 0-10 in the first two games, the decision sure would be easier -- lets just hope it isnt some combination of those guys going 0-20)? How is Papi's knee at that point? Fly ball or ground ball pitcher? All things to consider, however not right now. Its a long flight from Boston to Denver, and I'd guess the answers to these questions will be a lot easier to answer late Thrusday/early Friday, than they are today. More pressing questions really are, 10 or 11 pitchers (if 11 stick with Gagne (please no), and who in his place (Tavarez gets my vote; expereinced, played for COL in 2000, on good Cardinals teams that got to the WS), and who throws out the 1st pitch tomorrow night? If I were Executive Producers at Fox Sports, I'd be pushing hard for either Bill Buckner or Doug Mientkiewicz, no shortage of pre-game hype footage on either of those. OK, no shortage of tough calls on this one. Dont you think however this decision needs to be made after game 2 is played? Where is the series at that point 2-0, 1-1, 0-2? Who has the hot hand at that point, or maybe more importantly, who has gone cold (if Youk or Lowell or Papi goes 0-10 in the first two games, the decision sure would be easier — lets just hope it isnt some combination of those guys going 0-20)? How is Papi’s knee at that point? Fly ball or ground ball pitcher?

All things to consider, however not right now. Its a long flight from Boston to Denver, and I’d guess the answers to these questions will be a lot easier to answer late Thrusday/early Friday, than they are today.

More pressing questions really are, 10 or 11 pitchers (if 11 stick with Gagne (please no), and who in his place (Tavarez gets my vote; expereinced, played for COL in 2000, on good Cardinals teams that got to the WS), and who throws out the 1st pitch tomorrow night? If I were Executive Producers at Fox Sports, I’d be pushing hard for either Bill Buckner or Doug Mientkiewicz, no shortage of pre-game hype footage on either of those.

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