Ortiz? Youklis??

[BigFish]

Do you think Francona made the right call?? I don't! Youkilis is RED HOT and he plays a great defensive first base.....Ortiz, though he is invaluable as half of the "2 Headed Monster" in the middle of the order, he is hurting!! I think he will prove a defensive liability at first and we will miss Youkilis bat bigtime!

Your thoughts?

[basswipe]

I would've preferred to see Youk in the game also.

[BigFish]

Yeah BW.......a healthy Ortiz would be a different story.....but he is rolling on bad wheels!

[BigFish]

Just watching the replay of that "key" pickoff at first the other night....the key there was Youkilis conciously laying the tag right where the baserunner was trying to reach his arm to the base blocking him totally!!! Great, smart play by Youkilis! Ortiz would not have made that play....with his bad knee I don't think he could have gotten down to make a tag like that....never mind making the necessary stretch at first!

[Mike P]

Ortiz won't be there in the 8th inning of a 2-1 ballgame

[Skip N]

I'm confused, wasnt Bigfish the guy calling for the Sox to play Ortiz at first, Youk at 3rd, and have Lowell play Short!? Now you're all concerned about Papi at first? Damn you change your mind on a daily basis!

At least Papi has played first before, you wanted Lowell playing short when he's never even played there before!! Actually you wanted 3 infielders playing out of position!

[vineyardblues]

First off I think their mind was made up a long time ago with who will play or sit.

2nd ...thought I would hide this pic under a Bigfish post !!! GO SOX



VB

Please delete if someone does not like the SOX

[BigFish]

Yeah Skip thats right! But before I was commenting on what might be.....now I am commenting on what is! Thats ok right?? You so sure Lowell has never, ever played short??? Don't be so sure! And I do not believe the 2 positions to be all that different! As far as 3 players playing "out of position" the only one who would have been out of position would have been Lowell as Youkilis is originally a third basemen and Papi used to play first base!

[BigFish]

Sidenote: Lowell played 8 games at 2nd base for the 05' Marlins.....I would find he could play short without too much difficulty! Maybe we will not see it......but maybe we will?

[Mike P]

Larry--short and second are totally different. The throw is different. The throw from short is even longer than the throw from third---let alone second. Going into the hole is different. At second you go into the hole on your glove side, at short you go into the hole on your backhand side. Your weight and momentum are moving in the direction of the throw at second. Once you get to the ball in the hole, it's a flip throw to first from second. At short, you have to stop, set your feet and gun the ball.

Totally different positions--if the transition was that easy, more players would have done it

[BigFish]

I agree with all that Mike....I am saying I do not believe Lowell would have a problem doing it!

[BigFish]

I am gonna bet Youkilis will be coming in about now!

[BigFish]

4th inning....with a 6-0 lead I would be putting Youkilis in right now??

[Mike P]

No--you'd put him in there in maybe the 7th inning of a 3-1 game.

At 6-0, a ball that gets by him just puts a runner on second in a blow-out game.

You might see him in the 8th, with Crisp in center and Ellsbury moving to left.