Chuck HRed Sox Say… Baby We Were Born To LET YOU Run
September 29th 2009 12:47
Check this excerpt out from Peter Gammons’ blog…He might have that weird flap of loose skin that wiggles around under his chin when you watch him on TV that can be annoying to look at, but it’s stats like these and other tid-bits that he tracks down that make him the master…
Scouts following the Red Sox have timed Jason Varitek's throws to second base at 2.2 seconds, which is at best well below average…. The pitchers can undoubtedly do a better job slowing opponents down by holding balls, throwing to first more and using step offs. Maybe rest in the final week will help Varitek, but right now 2.2 seconds to second base isn't going to be more than a flashing yellow light to the Angels.
After watching some of the Sox/Yankees game on Friday night and seeing New York steal four bases in just TWO innings off of the Jon Lester/Jason Varitek battery, this is something to be very concerned about moving forward and especially when facing the Angels in the playoffs. The Sox allowed SEVEN stolen bases in total on Friday in that game. Yes, a partial chunk of the blame rests on the shoulders of Captain V-Tek’s inability to throw runners out on the bases. His 2.2 seconds to second base is factual and can not be defended, even by the most loyal of ‘Tek jock sniffers, as ‘quick release’ material when discussing catchers and their release times. That being said, it doesn’t all rest on his shoulders. Keep in mind that when the aforementioned Jeter and A-Rod both stole second base with ease, left-handed pitcher John Lester was on the mound. What does this mean? It means that the Red Sox organizational theory of placing importance on ‘getting the batter out’ and not worrying about base runners is currently killing them at a time when their captain isn’t at his quickest delivering the ball to second base. When there is a left-handed pitcher on the bump and people are swiping bases that easily, we have a problem. Is ‘Tek’s time to second base sub-par? Yes, absolutely, but if runners were held on at least a little more effectively by the pitchers on this team, ‘Tek would still have a fighting chance of throwing somebody out from time to time. He would never say that because he is a great team guy and he ‘tows the organizational line’ shall we say, but trust me, he’s frustrated at it all because most of the blame ends up being thrown his way when in reality he’s only a part of the problem.
As a baseball purist, and someone who has played the game a little bit albeit never past junior college, I have never understood this way of thinking when it comes to the Sox brass. They’ll tell you that they do in fact hold runners on, but if they do, it’s half-assed effort and they know it. Not holding runners on by your pitchers is flat out stupid. I don’t care what Theo tells me when we hoist a few beers together on weekends in Brookline and I don’t care what anyone else tells me in that regard.(no, we don’t really hoist beers together…humor people… humor!) You can not convince me that letting up a single to someone like Chone Figgins and letting him steal second and third base while you ‘work on getting the batter out’ and barely pay attention to him is to your advantage. No way. It makes zero sense. If your catcher has a lightning quick release then maybe you don’t have to be quite as careful with holding runners on, but that’s not the case now with ‘Tek or even with Victor Martinez if he’s behind the plate. You’ve now in essence turned what could’ve been a ground ball to second base for a double play, into a run scoring ground out to second base because you were ‘working on getting the batter out’ and ignoring the base runner. As coach Herm Edwards would say “HELLOOOO..you play to win THEE game!”
The Angels are third in all of MLB when it comes to stolen bases. They love to run on opposing teams and you can be damn sure that they will try like hell to exploit this glaring weakness in the Red Sox come October. They have 5 guys with 12 or more stolen bases, led by Chone Figgins with 42 and Bobby Abreau checking in with 29. This is something to watch closely when playoff hardball begins for the Red Sox in a week and a half.
Chuck
~TCFB~
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Comment by Schmoozer
Schmoozer
I saw that game where the Yanks stole seven against Varitek; if the Sox were trying to get the wild card, why didn't they play Martinez? Varitek has no confidence in his arm or his bat. He is the captain, but he is hurting the team.
Mike Kindel
Schmoozer
Comment by Chuck H
Two Cents From Beantown
TCFB