I really doubt the Sox have a better bullpen.
Darren O' Day - 1.88 ERA, 38.1 IP, 24 H, 9 BB, 39 K
CJ Wilson - 3.20 ERA, 50.2 IP, 45 H, 20 BB, 54 K
Eddie Guardado - 4.09 ERA, 33 IP, 32 H, 12 BB, 17 K
Frank Francisco - 2.09 ERA, 30.1 IP, 19 H, 8 BB, 34 K
Doug Mathis - 2.79 ERA, 29 IP, 25 H, 7 BB, 15 K
Jason Grilli - 1.53 ERA, 17.2 IP, 9 H, 7 BB, 13 K
Neftali Feliz - 1.93 ERA, 4.2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Guardado and Wilson are the exceptions. They suck...but the rest of the bullpen is lights out.
Red Sox Bullpen
Ramon Ramirez - 2.32 ERA, 50.1 IP, 39 H, 21 BB, 36 K
Jonathan Papelbon - 2.17 ERA, 49.2 IP, 42 H, 20 BB, 54 K
Hideki Okajima - 3.00 ERA, 48 IP, 40 H, 17 BB, 45 K
Takashi Saito - 3.07 ERA, 41 IP, 35 H, 20 BB, 34 K
Daniel Bard - 2.88 ERA, 34.1 IP, 25 H, 14 BB, 44 K
I'm shocked at how many innings the Sox Bullpen has had to pitch. Their BB/K ratio is horrible. The only guys that have good BB/K ratios are Bard and Okajima. By looking at this, I think people always sell the Rangers short is becuase of the lesser known guys (Grilli, O'Day, Mathis, Francisco). Overall, the Rangers bullpen is far better than the Sox's.
Texas Rotation
Kevin Millwood - 9-7, 3.38 ERA, 144 IP, 140 H, 46 BB, 89 K
Scott Feldman - 11-4, 4.01 ERA, 125.2 IP, 115 H, 41 BB, 65 K
Derek Holland - 5-7, 5.04 ERA, 91 IP, 97 H, 30 BB, 76 K
Tommy Hunter - 5-2, 2.26 ERA, 55.2 IP, 46 H, 17 BB, 35 K
Dustin Nippert - 3-1, 3.62 ERA, 32.1 IP, 28 H, 12 BB, 30 K
I think Texas's rotation is built for 2010 or 2011. Holland has carried a No Hitter into at least the 5th inning in 2 of his last 3 starts against Seattle and Los Angeles. Hunter should win ROTY. Nippert was just moved into the rotation this week since Padilla is gone. Millwood has been horrible over the past month or two. Feldman's ERA has went up, but he's got 11 wins. Not a very good K total for the starters.
Boston's Rotation
Josh Beckett - 14-4, 3.10 ERA, 157 IP, 132 H, 42 BB, 145 K
Jon Lester - 9-7, 3.67 ERA, 147 IP, 140 H, 46 BB, 165 K
Brad Penny - 7-6, 5.16 ERA, 122 IP, 142 H, 37 BB, 79 K
Tim Wakefield - 11-3, 4.31 ERA, 108.2 IP, 113 H, 37 BB, 67 K
Clay Buchholz - 1-2, 5.33 ERA, 25.1 IP, 34 H, 16 BB, 17 K
Boston's rotation is mainly built on veterans (Beckett, Lester, Penny Wakefield), and they're all performing well (lol, Brad Penny). The only 2 guys in the rotation that go deep into games are Lester and Beckett. If the Sox made the Playoffs, I wouldn't be happy with this rotation. If the Sox offense was working the first two days, they would be up 2-0, but I'm not so sure about the next 3 games if the offense doesn't come through. Buchholz is young, so he's obviously going to improve, and I've seen a bit of him. He looks very impressive.
Overall, I think it's a tossup for starting pitching. If you were going with the Sox argument, you could point out Beckett and Lester. If you were arguing for the Rangers, you could point out how only 2 guys have an ERA over 4.00.
Here's the normal lineup for the Rangers
1. Ian Kinsler
2. Michael Young
3. Josh Hamilton
4. Nelson Cruz
5. Hank Blalock
6. David Murphy
7. Andruw Jones
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia
9. Elvis Andrus
I feel that only 3 of those guys truly know how to hit (Andrus, Murphy, Young). Most of the other guys just try to go yard all of the time (Blalock, Jones, Cruz), 1 guy I've never EVER seen hit the ball to right field (Kinsler), 1 is probably a bust (Hamilton), and 1 just doesn't know how to hit a baseball (Salty). Part of the blame goes to the Rangers hitting coach, who goes with the "all or nothing" approach, and also teaches hitters to swing at the first good pitch, no matter what the count, and no matter what the situation. That allows opposing pitchers to get TONS of first pitch outs.
Here's the Sox's lineup
1. Jacoby Ellsbury
2. Dustin Pedroia
3. Victor Martinez
4. Kevin Youkilis
5. David Ortiz
6. Jason Bay
7. Nick Green
8. JD Drew
9. Mike Lowell
(Not in order, becuase idk their batting order)
Tons of OBP guys who can hit for power (Pedroia, V-Mart, Bay, Youk, Drew, Lowell). These guys are just studs at hitting. They have a great plate approach, and if I had a choice, I would want any one of these guys on my team (except Youk and Green...and Pedroia...I just hate them >_>). Great group of hitters, and probably the best hitting team in the Majors.
In hitting, I'd have to go with Boston
Overall, they're about the same, and with the Rangers leading the head to head 5-1, I'd have to say that the Rangers are the better team this year. September is going to be interesting for the Rangers and the Sox. I can't wait for the Sox/Rangers series this weekend.
lol, it only took me 15 minutes to do this...thought it'd take me longer :dry:
no: