Red Sox bullpen is horrible

[Landshark]

I was watching the Yankees-Red Sox game today with a buddy who is a diehard Red Sox fan.  I watched the Red Sox take a 9-1 lead into the seventh inning only to see their starter get pulled and the bullpen proceed to give up 14 runs over the next two innings.  Needless to say, my friend was ready to tear his hair out and I had to take him out and feed him a few whiskeys to calm him down. 

It's safe to say that todays game was a microcosm of last season for the Red Sox.  I'd love to hear some thoughts on this, especially from Maine and Sportschick.

[SportsChick]

Valentine is an idiot

[SCFinfan]

A few years ago I would've loved every second of innings 7 - 9, but as they are presently constituted, the Sox would barely be competitive in the Japanese Leagues. I expected them to implode as soon as Doubront was extracted.

[Landshark]

Valentine is an idiot

You may be right, but Valentine didn't assemble this roster.

[Brian Fein]

The roster isn't much different than seasons past.  Its not the talent on the team its likely more of a management of talent/motivation issue.

Saturday's starting lineup:
Aviles - 2nd season with the team
Sweeney - New this season
Pedroia - Former MVP been with the team for years
Gonzalez - Lead the league in BA for most of last season, 2nd year with the team
Ortiz - Been with the team forever
Youkilis - Been with the team forever
Saltalamacchia - 2nd year with the team
Ross - New to the Sox but not a slouch of a player
McDonald - 3rd season with the Sox

So what about this roster is Bobby Valentine responsible for?  They've been successful with these same players in the past.  The only change is in management of said talent.

[Landshark]

The roster isn't much different than seasons past.  Its not the talent on the team its likely more of a management of talent/motivation issue.

Saturday's starting lineup:
Aviles - 2nd season with the team
Sweeney - New this season
Pedroia - Former MVP been with the team for years
Gonzalez - Lead the league in BA for most of last season, 2nd year with the team
Ortiz - Been with the team forever
Youkilis - Been with the team forever
Saltalamacchia - 2nd year with the team
Ross - New to the Sox but not a slouch of a player
McDonald - 3rd season with the Sox

So what about this roster is Bobby Valentine responsible for?  They've been successful with these same players in the past.  The only change is in management of said talent.

That talent took advantage of Terry Francona to the point where you basically had the inmates running the assylum.  Valentine comes in and starts cracking the whip and a lot of the long time players are not responding well.  Some people are going to be on their way out the door.  It's just a question of who.

Reminds me of when Jimmy Johnson first took over the Dolphins. 

[Brian Fein]

Are you related to Bobby Valentine? 

[Landshark]

Are you related to Bobby Valentine? 

Nope.  Just looking at it from an outsiders perspective.  I've always been a Braves fan.

I will say this though.  If I was an MLB manager, there would be no drinking or eating junk food in the clubhouse during games.  Matter of fact, no one would be allowed in the clubhouse during the game unless they were injured and had to get treatment

[Cathal]

Nope.  Just looking at it from an outsiders perspective.  I've always been a Braves fan.

I will say this though.  If I was an MLB manager, there would be no drinking or eating junk food in the clubhouse during games.  Matter of fact, no one would be allowed in the clubhouse during the game unless they were injured and had to get treatment

What else are they going to do when a game is on? They just sit there and spit in the dugout.

[Landshark]

What else are they going to do when a game is on? They just sit there and spit in the dugout.

Sit on the bench and support their teammates, that's what

[mboss]

The roster isn't much different than seasons past.  Its not the talent on the team its likely more of a management of talent/motivation issue.

Saturday's starting lineup:
Aviles - 2nd season with the team
Sweeney - New this season
Pedroia - Former MVP been with the team for years
Gonzalez - Lead the league in BA for most of last season, 2nd year with the team
Ortiz - Been with the team forever
Youkilis - Been with the team forever
Saltalamacchia - 2nd year with the team
Ross - New to the Sox but not a slouch of a player
McDonald - 3rd season with the Sox

So what about this roster is Bobby Valentine responsible for?  They've been successful with these same players in the past.  The only change is in management of said talent.

I didn't think Valentine was the right choice for them, but he can hardly be responsible for a bad pitching staff that the GM put together. The poor decisions of Management to do a Joba to Daniel Bard and shift him from the BP(where he is suited) to the rotation, and back again. He'll be down with an elbow injury within 12 months.

Valentine may be a self serving idiot, but when your BP gives up 14 runs in 2 innings how is the manager really to blame? Players have to be responsible too.

I'm happy the Red Sox are sucking right now....but they'll turn it around, but will it be enough to make the playoffs with Tampa, Yanks, Angels, Rangers, Detroit all clearly better? Don't think so....

[MaineDolFan]

16 games into the season is a little early to early to declare anything a disaster. The starting pitching has been pretty darned good.  Lester, minus one start, has been great.  Beckett has been good (great start last night).  I've been really impressed with Doubront.  There are reinforcements on the way.  Matsuzaka will start in AA this weekend (Portland) and could be back by mid-May, or June. 

Bullpen issues will sort themselves out.  I believe you'll see Aaron Cook moved into that 5th slot soon, which opens the door to move Bard back into the bullpen where he belongs.  He (Cook) is 3-0 in AAA with an ERA under 2.00 right now.  Rich Hill, who was almost un-hittable out of the pen before going down with Tommy John last season, is bouncing back nicely.  He threw his 2nd scoreless last night in AAA and is touching the mid 90's.

Boston has the offense to run with anyone.

After the All-Star break they will get Ellsbury back, along with Andrew Bailey.  Right now Boston is heading into a portion of it's schedule where they don't face a lot of AL East type teams.  If they can make some head way and be around .500 (or at .500) by the All-Star break...watch out.  They'll be in a position to make some moves.

Furthermore, statements like this:

That talent took advantage of Terry Francona to the point where you basically had the inmates running the assylum. 

Are utterly ridiculous.  Boston was the best team in baseball for the better part of the season last year and fell apart late.  Yes, there were some club house issues.  They also lost Youkilis (only a .300 / 30 / 100 guy) for the last two months of the year, lost Dice-K (their #2 pitcher) for the last three months of the year, lost Buchholz (their #4 pitcher last year) for the last four months of the year...shall I continue?

Take away any team's #2 and #4 pitcher for the year, take away their clean up hitter (for the year) along with other valuable pieces...sooner or later it's going to catch up to you (fried chicken and beer or not).  Factor in John Lackey's historically bad season and it all goes down the tubes from there.

But to say the "inmates are running the asylum" under Francona is asinine.  It just wasn't true.  Don't believe everything you read in the New York Post.