No Bull
One of the biggest reasons the Sox bullpen struggles have been so noticeable is that the pen continues to grow more important in baseball each year. It's the biggest change to the game I've seen in all my decades playing and broadcasting.
Forty years ago, you might see one or two guys who were decent relief pitchers and the other guys in the pen were starters who were trying to work something out. They didn't send them to the minors as much then and the guys who were starting threw a lot more innings than the "five and fly" philosophy we see so often now. The game has changed with specialization so that you need quality arms down there and several guys who know their roles. The advance of the bullpen is one of the reasons teams are tougher today.
Our division is also loaded with good bullpens. Detroit and Minnesota can match up with anybody in the late innings, and I think the Cleveland pen has performed much better than anyone would have predicted.
Hawk
Comments
My dearest "Hawk",
Welcome to baseball for the last 20 years. And try reading the rule book if you're still confused about the "BS" call during the Cubs' 8th inning on Sunday. Idiot.
Posted by: Serenity Now | June 25, 2007 4:18 PM
Whats really amazing, is that this no talent, brainless twit has a job with a major league sports team. hawk, you are an idiot. put that on the board.
Posted by: stretch | July 5, 2007 1:46 PM
I don't see why it's necessary to trash Josh Fields again and again throughout the course of the game (Red Sox game on Sunday) for a baserunning mistake. He has mentioned it at least 10 times and it's only the fifth inning as I write. "I bet Manny checks the outfielders when he's on second," Hawk says...okay, we get the picture.
Two thoughts:
*What was the 3rd base coach doing that made JF turn around like that? My guess is he wasn't giving him the pinwheel. But the 3rd base coach is probably Hawk's bud, so he trashes the rookie the whole game and doesn't mention the coach.
*At least JF was ON BASE in the first place.
Posted by: Matt | July 22, 2007 3:00 PM