Pinch Hitting

[Banix12]

DJ mentioned during the game last night how poor a pinch hitting team the sox were. Anybody find it sad that in his short time on the roster Joe Borchard seems to have become one of the better pinch hitters on the team? I think with the hit last night he is up to 3 for 4 as a PH.

Timo leads the team in PH with 4 hits... in 23 attempts. Ozuna probably has the best average off the bench from the guys who have been on the team all season at 3 for 8. Willie 1 for 9. Gload 1 for 4, but it was his specialty last season as I recall. And the number i'm sure you all want to hear. Blum 2 for 16 here and in San Diego.

I know pinch hitting isn't easy so I'm not really getting on the backs of these guys. Well maybe Timo, who has never been good at it but keeps getting opprotunities. I'm just saying that Borchard is doing in a month in this category what some of these guys couldn't do in 5.

It's been awhile since that Rockies series but Politte for PH?

[Soxfanspcu11]

Of course Ozzie knows this team better then any of us, but I really have no clue what he was thinking pinch hitting Blum in that situation. I go to college and I had a late class on tuesday nite so I had to leave the class on our break to get updates and on our break was when Blum was pinch hitting in the 8th. Im getting the updates over the phone and my friend tells me Blum is pinch hitting and I just had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the double play ball. If ozzie wanted the lefty matchup then he should have brought in Gload, Borchard, Willie, or the best option, Timo, who has been Mr.Clutch all year. That was a TERRIBLE call. The only thing that Blum really brings to this team is the fact that he is a utility player on defense(which is a good thing) but he should NOT be pinch hitting when you have 4 lefties on the bench that are much more likely to get the job done.

[BainesHOF]

Blum should not pinch hit for anyone on this team. Ever.

[hold2dibber]

Originally Posted by Soxfanspcu11

Of course Ozzie knows this team better then any of us, but I really have no clue what he was thinking pinch hitting Blum in that situation. I go to college and I had a late class on tuesday nite so I had to leave the class on our break to get updates and on our break was when Blum was pinch hitting in the 8th. Im getting the updates over the phone and my friend tells me Blum is pinch hitting and I just had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the double play ball. If ozzie wanted the lefty matchup then he should have brought in Gload, Borchard, Willie, or the best option, Timo, who has been Mr.Clutch all year. That was a TERRIBLE call. The only thing that Blum really brings to this team is the fact that he is a utility player on defense(which is a good thing) but he should NOT be pinch hitting when you have 4 lefties on the bench that are much more likely to get the job done.

Ozzie's thinking was that if he hit a lefty, Detroit would bring in a lefty reliever and the Sox would not have the lefty/righty advantage. Since Blum is a switch hitter, he knew he could pre-empt that from happening by using Blum. Not saying it was the right thing to do, just explaining the motivation.

[JRIG]

Originally Posted by hold2dibber

Ozzie's thinking was that if he hit a lefty, Detroit would bring in a lefty reliever and the Sox would not have the lefty/righty advantage. Since Blum is a switch hitter, he knew he could pre-empt that from happening by using Blum. Not saying it was the right thing to do, just explaining the motivation.

Of course, if Gload or Perez or anyone came into the game, then Trammell went for Walker, the Sox still had Brian Anderson on the bench. But don't tell Ozzie. I don't think he knows Anderson is still on the roster. Don't want to disturb him.

[Iguana775]

I think when Ozzie sent up Blum, something got lost in the translation. Ozzie said, "come one Blum, hit a double." but Blum heard, "Come one Blum, hit in to a double play."

where the hell is Anderson? Isnt he on the roster? Blum is a waste of space. I'd rather have Royce Clayton.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by JRIG

Of course, if Gload or Perez or anyone came into the game, then Trammell went for Walker, the Sox still had Brian Anderson on the bench. But don't tell Ozzie. I don't think he knows Anderson is still on the roster. Don't want to disturb him.

All I kept saying was, "why isn't Anderson in?" We needed BA, and instead we got BS.

Deuce

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Iguana775

I'd rather have Royce Clayton.

Don't say that out loud, Iguana, or... ah hell...



"The Sox players love me. The Sox fans love me. Hey, what's not to love?"

[Banix12]

Originally Posted by Soxfanspcu11

If ozzie wanted the lefty matchup then he should have brought in Gload, Borchard, Willie, or the best option, Timo, who has been Mr.Clutch all year

Borchard and Willie were already in the game. As I showed Timo is 4 for 23 as a pinch hitter this year and his career stats aren't a whole lot better so when pinch hitting he isn't always Mr. Clutch, he's no better a pinch hitter than Blum. Gload was a great pinch hitter last year so I really can't argue with him coming in.

[Sad]

Originally Posted by BainesHOF

Blum should not pinch hit for anyone on this team. Ever.

yep... Blum is a defensive replacement.

[nordhagen]

I think what all this says is a big priority for next year will be to upgrade the bench. Even though he ultimately got hurt at the end of the year it would be nice to have a professional hitter type like a Todd Walker who wants to be on a winner. Right now we don't have a heck of a lot of options.