Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Jacoby!!


2014 - Jacoby will look good in pinstripes - Yuck!! 
Jacoby and his buddies were officially eliminated last night
with a Yankee win  and a Sox loss. Typically, the Sox had the lead
and lost it in the 8th and 9th innings.
The night before they had the lead and Papelbon coughed it up.
So goes the season. Loads of things went into it and
there's not enough space here to go into it -
it's well documented elsewhere.
Jacoby has had his replacements and Kalish
seems like a keeper.  2 Grand Slams - not too bad.
Nava Is hanging in there and doesn't look too bad 
with the bat. Josh Reddick who has had every chance
looks loads more confident at the plate. Just the way he
looked the other night - I knew he was going to get a 
hit. But, the season is winding down and I'm afraid we are
out of it. Pitching just now is coming around. Beckett, Buchholtz
and Lester had 3 good outings. We just couldn't fit
all the pieces together fast enough or long enough.
Jacaby has taken a beating this year in more ways than one
The first question was - why move him from 
CF  for an over the hill player like Mike Cameron?  
That should never have happened. LF at Fenway 
is a confined space! You don't want Ellsbury in a confined space!
Then he gets his ribs crushed by colliding with Beltre, then he gets
misdiagnosed, then he comes back too soon and he takes more
time off and gets a second opinion and takes more time off,
takes rehab assignments, starts in again slowly and gets hurt again.
The fans are not exactly on his side questioning his mental and physical toughness.
His popularity index has taken a huge hit. Plus he's a Boras guy which
definitely doesn't help. I have no idea how many CFers the Sox ran out there this 
year - 8-10? Somewhere in there -  that's for sure. His season was a complete
washout. And coincides with the success of the Red Sox. Wild Card this year? I don't think so.
Way too many holes to fill. Petey's just coming back, Youkilis is gone for the year.Papi is not
bankable. Drew? C'mon. Lowell is a shadow of what he was, Varitek is hurt. Martinez and Beltre
is where it's at - and that's just not enough. The list of injuries is well documented. It was just so hard to keep filling the roster with the Nava's of the world.

Jacoby Ellsbury should be the Red Sox MVP thus year.
There are so many things to like about him. I guess his
signature moment  this year came against the Yankees
when he stole home. He caught everyone by surprise
even Francona in the dugout where Ellsbury may
never have had to return if he was thrown out. His
Batting Ave. hovered around .300 all year
and he led the league in steals as well as breaking
Tommy Harper's season stolen base record for Boston.
His defense was superb and plays like this were almost
routine.
If he had only made that catch the other night! Mays like!
We may have had a different ending. 2011 was not good
teamwise! Had to go to 162 games to decide Wild Card!
Pap blew save! However, Jacoby had a terrific season and he is in
consideration for a ton of awards. MVP for one! Competition is
tough with Verlander and Granderson and not making postseason
doesn't help!
Now what are we going to do? Tito was let go and he said he
could not reach the players as he used to. What players? Who
reached Ells? Who reached Petey? The only regular player
who really fell off in September was Ortiz! Couldn't reach David?
Hmmm.  Youkilis? He kind of disappeared with numerous injuries
and really wasn't around for the September Collaspe. Aviles played.
Lourie played. Scutoro was very consistent and had a really good year.
At least 5 players had outstanding years. Ortiz, until the final month
was the best DH in the AL - Pitching was one huge problem.
No one could go 5 innings minimum on a consistent basis.
Lackey, Lester, Beckett. Wakefield? Ok, Timmy, by the way,
see you - we love you now go away.