After last night's 4-2 extra inning win over the Angels, Terry stated:

"We had a few opportunities. We've not been doing very well with a runner on third with less than two outs. That's an understatement."

They had bases juiced in the eighth inning, one out, with Crawford on third and Drew at the plate.  If ever there was a time for a safety squeeze that was it.  All Drew has to do is put wood on the ball and Crawford waltzes home (he struck out). When you're having trouble getting runs in and one run can make the difference, it's time to shake things up.  What good is it to have speed on the base paths if you're not going to use it?  Given Crawford's slow start and lack of chances to make a difference, an instance such as this would have been the perfect opportunity, especially given their admitted troubles getting that run home from third. 

I don't mean to be offering up sour grapes here.  I'm thrilled we got the win, and I'm pleased with the job Terry is doing.  I'd just like to see him get creative now and then.  Maybe he'll use the squeeze before this series is over.  And props to him for going against his norm and letting Josh go out there for the eighth inning.  That totally surprised me.

Brett Gardner and Carl Crawford are tied for an AL worst .162 wOBA,

The speed boys were compared all winter, maybe it's the pressure to have a good start.

I'm sure there is big time pressure on Crawford, but I have no doubt that he will break out. 

Yes, a safety squeeze play might have been a good move. The Indians took a game from the Sox using the suicide squeeze. Sometimes, you have to get creative.

Francona's wife told me that Terry is very creative.

He built a playhouse for the kids using pumpkin seeds and left over splinters from broken bats.

and...

...He made a life size replica of the Liberty Bell using Legos.

Not shocked to see Gardner struggle this year. When you have a guy at the plate who's no threat with the bat, a pitcher should never throw him anything other than strikes.

His ONLY tool is the ability to draw a walk, which is negated when pitchers are throwing him strikes and he can't do anything with them.

Joel, Crawbury was a lot like the Edsel, a lot of hype without a lot of substance. Speed is the most overrated skillset in baseball. Starting pitching is turning this team around, and offense wasn't a problem last year and it won't be a problem this year. They could trade Crawford and Ellsbury and still be in the lead or near it in offense production. AGon was the correct move, Crawford was not.

In Response to Got to use the speed:


Joel, most baseball minds would be thinking that as well as the defense.  I'm not so sure it would be that easy to execute given that the defense would be ready for it too. 

In Response to Re: Got to use the speed:

Depends on how deep they were at first and third, los.  If they're even with the bag, it should be easy to get Crawford in.

In Response to Re: Got to use the speed:

That's a pretty bold statement eighteen games in.  I believe you will be eating those words.

Who is more predictable in what you would expect them to post, Bosox-11 or BaseballGM / Softlaw? Don't waste time getting irritated with them and posting a serious reply. You will feel better and lower your blood pressure by just humoring them. Toy with them like they are toying with you.

I think the squeeze would have surprised the "D" simply because it's not Tito's style. And if the squeeze fails (it is riskier than you think), Tito's blamed for taking the team out of a possible big inning.

It all comes down to how well a mgr. knows his players...and his margin for error.

That's a pretty bold statement eighteen games in.  I believe you will be eating those words.

Nothing bold about saying AGon was the correct move buy 142M on Crawford wasn't. One is a superstar, the other isn't. Crawford near his career highs wasn't worth a 142M contract. Ellsbury, as bad as he's been, was a better value option. The Red Sox need a solid young RH corner OF'er. Now that Crawford is married to the Red Sox, Ellsbury will need to be traded to get a missing future part.

joel, I thought the same thing at the time and agree with everything you said.

OK,Ill bite once just to see what kind of answer Ill get. GM; If they didnt get crawford ,who theos wanted for a while now, who would they have had to choose from? Where would you have spent that money instead of CC? Be realistic please.

Cameron for 2011, Mac for 2011 off the bench. Beyond that, the list is too long on young RH corner OF'ers that could have been obtained on 4 year contracts or less. If Theo was going to be this lazy and just flash the credit card, he should have signed Holliday a year earlier, instead of Cameron.