DISQUS

Chuck Waseleski · 2 years ago

Bill, Bill, Bill, a "different tact"??? Surely, your Merrimack education taught you it should be "tack".

But I agree with you completely.

Bill Burt · 2 years ago

Chuck
Don't bring up college, though Merrimack was the best four years of my life. I still have nightmares about finals my senior year. Thanks for the correction ... And thanks for your stats from "clutch" piece that I did. Readers out there should note that Chuck W. i.e. the Maniacal One, has documented every Red Sox pitch (yes, I said pitch) on his computer since 1983 I believe.
Thanks again.

Andy · 2 years ago

Gagne's 3.300 WHIP so far with Boston is, uh...big.

Andy · 2 years ago

Hey Bill, you sure were right. It would never happen again that Okajima and Gagne would falter in the same game.

Bill Burt · 2 years ago

Andy & Co.
As expected, panic is setting in.
But really, Sox are playing well. Other than Gagne, who will turn it around, isn't there much more good than bad?
Check out Monday's ET Publishing papers for a column I wrote on that very subject.

Andy · 2 years ago

Panic? I'm a Yankees fan.
Be sure to check out where Gagne's current streak ranks:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives...

Bill Burt · 2 years ago

Andy
It doesn't look good. But do you really believe Gagne is finished?

Andy · 2 years ago

I don't think (nor did I say) I think he's finished, although he recent serious injury is a concern. What I don't get is why the Sox addressed a strength (bullpen) but not by far their biggest weakness (offense.) Look at the Yankees, who in August have added Hughes to the rotation, Chamberlain to the bullpen, and Giambi to the bench. No team improved more.

Bill Burt · 2 years ago

Andy,
Gagne would not have been my first choice. That was Jermaine Dye. But right now everybody is hitting, even Drew and Lugo. Sox are set at starter and bullpen, even without Gagne, is one of the best in the game.
As for the Yanks improving with Giambi and Chamberlain, I agree, but let's give both of them a chance before sending them to Cooperstown.
Yanks problem, as I see it, is their starting pitching isn't as good as the Sox.

Andy · 2 years ago

Bill, no doubt that the Yanks SP is weaker than the Sox. To my mind, as far as starting pitching goes, the Sox' main advantage over NYY is how much less the starters will wear down come October. Even should the Yankees manage to make the playoffs, it's hard to believe that Mussina, Pettitte, or Clemens will have much gas left in the tank. Hughes will have plenty of gas but has no playoff experience and will be facing excellent-hitting teams in the postseason. Wang is the only reliable post-season starter as far as I see it. Whereas for the Sox, Matsuzaka is still young, not even close to overworked, and has lots of playoff experience in Japan and the WBC. Wakefield, though old, has tons of pitches left in his arm. Schilling, also old, had lots of time off and may excel in the postseason. And Beckett is obviously fine. To me, this is the big concern for the Yankees. Their offense is not going to be able to beat up the best pitchers in the playoffs the way they have thumped sub-.500 team's staffs lately, and their own SP isn't necessarily going to be enough to make up for it.
The Sox offense, by the way, has been fine except for the same lack of power they've been suffering all year.