Comments on: Francona http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/ People don't think it be like it is, but it do. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:18:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Cliffy http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-714 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:04:40 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-714 Yup... saw that. I'm likely overreacting, as I'm wont to do, but... who would you feel more confident with starting a playoff game in two weeks: Buchholz or Dice-K? Don't misunderstand, I love Dice-K - and I love that we have both of these guys tied up for the next 5 years (Dice-K under contract, and Buchholz via arbitration, if no contract is signed before he gets to FA). But the way Dice-K's been pitching lately, and the poise and stuff that Buchholz is showing... I dunno - Buchholz might be the better option. Let's see what Buchholz does tomorrow night, and what Dice-K does on Saturday. Yup… saw that. I’m likely overreacting, as I’m wont to do, but… who would you feel more confident with starting a playoff game in two weeks: Buchholz or Dice-K?

Don’t misunderstand, I love Dice-K - and I love that we have both of these guys tied up for the next 5 years (Dice-K under contract, and Buchholz via arbitration, if no contract is signed before he gets to FA). But the way Dice-K’s been pitching lately, and the poise and stuff that Buchholz is showing… I dunno - Buchholz might be the better option.

Let’s see what Buchholz does tomorrow night, and what Dice-K does on Saturday.

]]> by: Jakes http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-713 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:27:12 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-713 He's starting tomorrow night, I believe. DiceK is being moved back to Saturday to both rest him (which he seems to need) and to line up the rotation for the playoffs. He’s starting tomorrow night, I believe. DiceK is being moved back to Saturday to both rest him (which he seems to need) and to line up the rotation for the playoffs.

]]> by: Cliffy http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-711 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:34:02 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-711 I don't specifically recall Friday night, but my recollection is Papelbon was up at *least* as early as after the two bombs... but in fairness to Francona, Giambit hit his HR on the second pitch of the at-bat - and Cano hit his HR on the fifth pitch of the at-bat. So the Sox have a 7-2 lead at the start of the inning, and in a matter of 7 pitches, its 7-4. Again, my recollection is Papelbon was up by then - but I could be mistaken. Melky Cabrera then walked on five pitches. Damon gets his double on the second pitch. Papelbon comes in (rushed or not), and Jeter gets his single on the first pitch. Abreu, hit on second pitch. ARod, hit on second pitch. Point is... that inning (or more accurately, the 5-run lead) went *real* quick. And as I mentioned, bringing Papelbon into that situation was *exactly* the right move. Papelbon is their best reliever, and the game is on the line at *that* point. If Papelbon could get six outs, super... but the important thing was that he get three outs in the 8th before surrendering (at the time he came in) at least three runs. If he expended too much energy, then bring CB or MDC into a clean 9th if you have to. No sense "saving" Papelbon. Francona made the right moves, but his players simply failed to execute (which can happen - see Rivera, Mariano, and the fact that a full 1/4 of his career blown saves are against one team... the Red Sox). One thing on Buchholz: Where's he been? It seems pretty clear that they'll need him out of the bullpen in the playoffs (if not down the stretch)... but he's all but disappeared. I understand the "innings limit" thing, but I don't believe he's close. The only thing I can think of is that he will be getting a start or two before year-end, as they set the playoff rotation. I don’t specifically recall Friday night, but my recollection is Papelbon was up at *least* as early as after the two bombs… but in fairness to Francona, Giambit hit his HR on the second pitch of the at-bat - and Cano hit his HR on the fifth pitch of the at-bat. So the Sox have a 7-2 lead at the start of the inning, and in a matter of 7 pitches, its 7-4. Again, my recollection is Papelbon was up by then - but I could be mistaken.

Melky Cabrera then walked on five pitches. Damon gets his double on the second pitch. Papelbon comes in (rushed or not), and Jeter gets his single on the first pitch. Abreu, hit on second pitch. ARod, hit on second pitch.

Point is… that inning (or more accurately, the 5-run lead) went *real* quick.

And as I mentioned, bringing Papelbon into that situation was *exactly* the right move. Papelbon is their best reliever, and the game is on the line at *that* point. If Papelbon could get six outs, super… but the important thing was that he get three outs in the 8th before surrendering (at the time he came in) at least three runs. If he expended too much energy, then bring CB or MDC into a clean 9th if you have to. No sense “saving” Papelbon. Francona made the right moves, but his players simply failed to execute (which can happen - see Rivera, Mariano, and the fact that a full 1/4 of his career blown saves are against one team… the Red Sox).

One thing on Buchholz: Where’s he been? It seems pretty clear that they’ll need him out of the bullpen in the playoffs (if not down the stretch)… but he’s all but disappeared. I understand the “innings limit” thing, but I don’t believe he’s close. The only thing I can think of is that he will be getting a start or two before year-end, as they set the playoff rotation.

]]> by: Jakes http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-708 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:09:17 +0000 http://www.oscargamblesociety.com/francona/#comment-708 I, for one, love Francona. He's had some gacks this year (like letting Beckett pitch to Arod in the 8th inning at the Stadium last month), but all-in-all I'd say he does a pretty good job in-game, and he does an unbelievable job with the other very important parts of the job, those being player, media and management relations. That said, I didn't stay up for the end on Friday night (thankfully), but I was told that he didn't get anyone up until after Okajima got into more trouble after the two home runs, and that Paps was rushed into the game. Not sure if that's true, but if it is, that's a mistake. With the way Okajima has been going, you've got to get Bucholtz or MDC up after the two bombs. I, for one, love Francona. He’s had some gacks this year (like letting Beckett pitch to Arod in the 8th inning at the Stadium last month), but all-in-all I’d say he does a pretty good job in-game, and he does an unbelievable job with the other very important parts of the job, those being player, media and management relations.

That said, I didn’t stay up for the end on Friday night (thankfully), but I was told that he didn’t get anyone up until after Okajima got into more trouble after the two home runs, and that Paps was rushed into the game. Not sure if that’s true, but if it is, that’s a mistake. With the way Okajima has been going, you’ve got to get Bucholtz or MDC up after the two bombs.

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