Bailey and Once was, this back and forth about the Yankees and Red Sox is too much. Let’s stick to Joba. So far ,so good with Joba. He looks like a potential ace ,someone who can become a number one BUT I still need to see a bigger sample size of his pitching. Barring any injuries, this kid looks like he can pitch as a NO !. Once was , I understand your point and understand it, but diagree with it to a certain degree. The last time I checked all the teams you mentioned are still in the MLB. Yeah, they are not in the upper tier of offensive clubs BUT this kid has done a really good job pitching to them. Is he the real deal ? Maybe not BUT for the time being he has a lotta poise, stuff and grit.

Baileywalk, do as I do, ignore the Bosox fan. I haven’t read a single tortured post of his. Why engage that?

As for the Pirates offense, they have been clutch, but really, they aren’t that good. But you still have to get them out.

I couldnt believe it when I found out that Pitts had the 5th best offense in baseball.

It really changed my opinion of Joba’s start from good to very impressive.

Did I make this a comparative study of the Red Sox? Was I anymore negative than Steve is when I point out that the competition Joba has faced is significantly weaker than what he will face in the AL from now on?

And this “negative” – you can go back on virtually any post I’ve made and there is no unremitting negativism about the team or the players. In fact there are often respectful comments like the one I made above:

He’s going to be an ace? Without question he can be.

Its lovely to see that we are back to “Yankee opinions welcome only.”

Unfortunately for you, your host doesn’t agree.

but unsurprisingly, you bring up something unrelated like “he’s no Buchholz, right?”
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You’re a hypocrite. I said “he’s not Buchholz” because you always take a Yankee discussion and make it a comparative study of the Red Sox. I was mocking you. I guess you didn’t see that.

And speaking of “unsurprisingly” — have you ever noticed how everything you write on here is either negative toward the Yankees or is somehow meant to correct our “ill-informed” way of thinking? I guess I just don’t get that instinct. For instance, I would never go to a Rays’ blog and tell them the “truth” about their team — I might offer an opinion, ask a question or two, seek out their perspective… but I wouldn’t make any declarative statements or step on anyone’s toes, since it is THEIR team after all. But I guess that’s just me.

Well bailey you might ask yankeemonkey if its a relative point. He doesn’t have a problem understanding it, but unsurprisingly, you bring up something unrelated like “he’s no Buchholz, right?”

And yes, I am aware that the Pirates (and in fact Houston) are pretty good run-scoring teams. But there is a big difference not only in facing a pitcher and not a DH but also the batters occupying the 8-spot.

OPS of Pittsburgh’s eighth hitter who Joba faced: .683
OPS of Houston’s eighth hitter who Joba faced: .541
OPS of San Diego’s eighth hitter who Joba faced: .628

Compare that to the OPS of the Rangers eighth hitters (not sure if Texas has a regular eighth hitter, here are the OPS of the guys who have played in the last two games:
.783 and .915

Crisp has mostly batted eighth for the Red Sox, his OPS is .749.

So not only has Joba benefited from facing pitchers instead of DHs, he’s faced significantly lighter hitting 8-spot hitters than he will going forward.

He’s going to be an ace? Without question he can be. He can prove it starting now against the tougher lineups of his league.

Is it to be completely ignored that all three games were against NL clubs, two on the road where he got to face the pitcher instead of a DH, and the other at the Stadium against a team so pitiful on offense it hasn’t yet scored 300 runs on the season?

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Obviously it’s not to be completely ignored. However, and I realize this is very bizarre, the Pirates happen to be the 5th-best scoring team in the majors (Thanks to RAB for the link):

http://tinyurl.com/6yayq

What a shocking reaction from you, RedSoxFan. Truly shocking. He’s no Buchholz, right?

“Liriano was lights out for the Twins, and now it’s been two years since they got anything out of him. I’m usually a glass half full guy, but I can’t get too excited about this yet.”

Um, huh? Liriano blew out his elbow — that’s why they haven’t gotten anything out of him. Unless you’re predicting a similar injury to Joba, I don’t see the connection.

Is it to be completely ignored that all three games were against NL clubs, two on the road where he got to face the pitcher instead of a DH, and the other at the Stadium against a team so pitiful on offense it hasn’t yet scored 300 runs on the season?

Yeah, he’s had good results over the last three games. Call me when he has three straight good results against AL teams. In fact the next two will be a nice start: The Rangers and the Sox, the two highest scoring teams in the league.

Your ace shuts them down, I’ll give him all the credit in the world. Right now he gets a B+ with a huge asterisk.

~~This is what I would have liked to have seen from Hughes, fwiw.~~

I wanted to say that – but, figured I would get killed for it…so, I kept it in my pocket.