I was really pissed when Drew tried to steal third with two outs in the ninth, up one. What was the point? You score on a base hit anyway, and it's not like you could've scored on a sac fly anyway. However, Pap made it moot with a brilliant performance, to save Schilling's win. It was good to see the "Pap face" back in action. As well as the over-the-back multi-butt-slap between Little and Big Papis. The pitching portion of this game was classic '07 Red Sox: An awesome start, a shaky set-up job, and Pap saving the day.
There has been much talk about how to use Papelbon, especially on Joy of Sox. Joy Boy says he should pitch the eighth instead of the ninth, if the situation calls for it. Tito recently said he would indeed do this. In fact, it was almost as if they were trying to play out Joy's hypothetical situation tonight: Eighth inning, no outs, up one, men on base. I had said (in the hypothetical situation) to go with Pap maybe if there were two outs, whereas Joy said go with him with none out, and have someone else pitch the ninth if necessary. They split the difference and brought him in with one out tonight. He proceeded to get the next two, and three more after that for a five-out save.
But this whole thing is premised on the fact that no one else can get the job done between the starters and Pap. And while that's actually kind of true right now, it doesn't mean we have to settle for it. What we should be doing, instead of having to figure out when to use Pap, is trying to find someone who can be that guy in a tough spot in the eighth. Then Pap has a set role as the man in the all-important ninth, and we never risk blowing a game by messing with the plan. It doesn't look like we'll get anyone new soon, so we've got to just see who steps it up for that eighth inning spot. Maybe Timlin can do it when he gets back. Pineiro certainly stepped it down tonight. We shall see. I guess all this comes from the whole thing with Pap's arm, but, they don't have a problem with having him get five outs, and he seemed as sharp as ever. All I know (besides a million other things) is that that Pap performance has me psyched for '07. Next game is the home opener on Tuesday, and then I'll be there Wednesday night for Dice's first Fenway start.
Scroll down for Tex's pics from Friday and Saturday in Texas. More to come soon from tonight, I think.
[If on mobile, scroll to bottom and click "view web version" for the classic yellow-style look, with all the sidebar stuff like photo galleries!] Red Sox blogger from 2004-2014 & 2025-, Sox fan/anti-Yanks fan womb to now. In Rhode Island now but CT 1975-2005, NYC 2005-2007, Somerville 2007-2008. (U of Nebraska 1993-1995.) This blog is intended for the reading/viewing pleasure of female, male, and all other humans. And cats and sharks.
Papelbon's mean face is very similar to the Sta-Puft marshmallow man's mean face.
ReplyDeleteHe was so, so good tonight.
It was a great game tonight. No question we need to work out that middle relief problem to get us to the ninth though. I think Piniero can do it even though he stunk up the joint tonight. Timlin is timlin. He is going to have his streaks of briliance mingled in with streaks of getting lit up, that is just Timlin.
ReplyDeleteBD
We have to thank the "goodness gods" for this....Joel Piniero is NOT our closer. He would have been disaster. Tito, put him in with a four plus lead in the late innings.....Mike Timlin will help us get from that 2 out in the 7th inning situation, while Paps warms, and then steps into his phone booth, and becomes Supercloser. Feared by every baseball team on Earth. Able to blow any batter away, in any situation. Ensuring the Red Sox of a victory. Jere, I hope your holiday was great. And today? A needed off-day. Hey to Chan.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good performance by Papelbon yesterday, I just don't know how many times Tito can send him out there for 4 or 5 outs without his shoulder starting to bark at him. Pineiero (sp) and Romero the lefty are shaky at best, maybe getting Lester into the rotation and moving Tavarez back into the bullpen seeing as he is only effective for maybe 3 innings is he was lights-out would be the thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan, but Lester is not ready yet. A few more starts in the minors and he will be.
ReplyDeleteAs for Pap, he didn't throw a lot of pitches, has today off, etc. It may have been 5 outs, but it was only 15 pitches. They'll be careful with him but it shouldn't be a problem.