*** Official Boston Red Sox @ Kansas City Royals Game Thread (6/19) ***

[alnorth]

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
BOS (30-39)	0	5	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	7	16	0
KC (38-26)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	3	10	1

Win, (3-1) Eduardo Rodriguez 6⅓IP 1R 1ER 1BB 5K
Alexi Ogando ⅔IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K
Robbie Ross Jr. 1IP 1R 1ER 1BB 1K 1HR
Steven Wright 1IP 1R 1ER 0BB 0K

VS.



Loss, (0-2) Yohan Pino 5⅓IP 6R 6ER 1BB 0K 1HR
Brandon Finnegan 2⅔IP 1R 1ER 2BB 2K
Luke Hochevar 1IP 0R 0ER 0BB 0K

Home Runs

BOS

Hanley Ramirez, (14) - Top 5th solo shot to center

KC

Eric Hosmer, (8) - Bottom 8th solo shot blasted to deep center

AL Central

Final: DET 2, NYY 7
Final: TB 4, CLE 1
Final: CHC 2, MIN 7
Final: TEX 2, CWS 1

Starting Lineups

BOS

1. Brock Holt, 2B
2. Mookie Betts, CF
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Hanley Ramirez, LF
4. Rusney Castillo, RF
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
7. Mike Napoli, 1B
8. Alejandro De Aza, RF/LF
9. Blake Swihart, C

KC

1. Alcides Escobar, SS
1. Christian Colon, SS
2. Mike Moustakas, 3B
3. Lorenzo Cain, CF
4. Eric Hosmer, 1B
5. Kendrys Morales, DH
6. Alex Gordon, LF
7. Salvador Perez, C
7. Drew Butera, C
8. Alex Rios, RF
9. Omar Infante, 2B

[Hootie]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/.../rick-porcello

Porcello has had 1 "good" year his entire career and that just so happened to be last year ... and even then, he was basically about a #3. Like a shittier Ervin Santana.

[Hootie]

he's like a very, very, very shitty right handed version of Mark Buehrle

he's durable, that's his pro

his con? He's not good.

But congrats, you have another 4 years of Jeremy Guthrie at $25M / per.

!

[Hootie]

he was so good that, in the postseason, Detroit used him out of the bullpen because he wasn't deemed good enough to start

$100M contract !

Wow. That makes Boston's contract to John Lackey years ago look like a bargain

I had NO idea they signed him to a $100M extension

[Hootie]

oh, only 4 years $82.5M (just looked it up)

what a steal !

would you guys rather have 4 years of Porcello at $4M (total) or 4 years of Chris Young at $8M (total)?

Honestly?

Give me Chris Young. Hahaha.

But that is at $1M per year. Imagine extending Vargas to another $82.5M

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

Pitching is expensive, he got the market rate. If he pitches at his past average he will earn that contract.

$20 million/year is the market rate for a legit front of the rotation starter.

A King Felix, Kershaw, Price, Hamels, Cueto, Wainwright, Jon Lester, etc.

It is nowhere close to the market rate for a back-end guy who doesn't strike out anyone and who - if he has a good defense behind him and good BABIP luck - tops out as a solid No. 3 type starter.

The Red Sox significantly overpaid for a pitcher who has only posted one full season ERA under 4.00 in his career while playing in a pitcher's park in a weaker division, who had a 4.51 career ERA entering his contract season and a career 5.45 K/9 rate.

It's honestly one of the dumbest contracts I've ever seen.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

he's like a very, very, very shitty right handed version of Mark Buehrle

he's durable, that's his pro

his con? He's not good.

But congrats, you have another 4 years of Jeremy Guthrie at $25M / per.

!

He's a white, tall, skinny Jair Jurrjens. Control guy who doesn't strike out anybody and who needs good BABIP luck to be good at all.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

Pitching is expensive, he got the market rate. If he pitches at his past average he will earn that contract.

Chris Young says hello.

[BWillie]

I really don't think Boston is as bad as we think they are, they aren't good, but it won't be a push over. I mean, they aren't the Brewers I don't think.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I really don't think Boston is as bad as we think they are, they aren't good, but it won't be a push over. I mean, they aren't the Brewers I don't think.

They aren't that bad, but they aren't much better.
Everything about that team right now is off of the tracks. Is Sandoval going to be back in the lineup tonight after he was caught on instagram during a game?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

They aren't that bad, but they aren't much better.
Everything about that team right now is off of the tracks. Is Sandoval going to be back in the lineup tonight after he was caught on instagram during a game?

Not sure, but I don't quite understand the hate Sandoval is getting. Saying he's not living up to his contract and is playing just oh so bad. Did they think they were getting Barry Bonds or somethings?

He's batting .270 with .734 OPS. Last year he hit .279 with a .739 OPS. His OPS had declined every year since 2010. He's an overweight 3B who won't age well but he's playing to his recent level of production, for the most part.

[Demonpenz]

Pablo Sandavals cholestoral is higher than his batting average.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I really don't think Boston is as bad as we think they are, they aren't good, but it won't be a push over. I mean, they aren't the Brewers I don't think.

Their rotation is an epic disaster, and the offense hasn't been nearly as good as expected.

Betts and Castillo are major disappointments so far, Ortiz has fallen off considerably, Sandoval has just been OK, and they have a lot of aging/declining guys in general.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

In all fairness, they were a bit of a disaster last year too, but still managed to take 6 of 7 from us during the season.

So I'll just hold my tongue till we get the first couple under our belt . . . . .

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Their rotation is an epic disaster, and the offense hasn't been nearly as good as expected.

Betts and Castillo are major disappointments so far, Ortiz has fallen off considerably, Sandoval has just been OK, and they have a lot of aging/declining guys in general.

Betts is a 22 year old converting to CF and hitting .257 while learning on the job. I think his situation is more a matter of unrealistic expectations than him being a truly disappointing player. Swihart's catching in the bigs before he was ready because of the injuries at the position, too, so I wouldn't criticize him. However,

Ortiz
Napoli
Ramirez, post-shoulder
Castillo
Craig
Victorino
Sandoval, in the field
Nava

Have all either been injured or big disappointments, to date. The only players in the lineup that are really getting it done are Pedroia, Holt (Utility player and semi-starter) and Bogaerts.

And, dear God, you are so right about that starting rotation. The bullpen is thin, too.

[AndChiefs]

Betts has been hot the last few days. Hopefully can hold him down.