Why are the Sox playing so poorly at USCF?

[caulfield12]

We're currently on a streak where we've lost 6 of our last 7 at home (3-7 on the year after winning the first two against DET)....

 

14 of our last 20 (.300)

15 of our last 22

16 of our last 23 (7-16, .304)

 

 

I guess I could have added mental errors/preparation and lack of hitting with RISP to the list, but I stopped.

 

 

Edited April 29, 2012 by caulfield12

[knightni]

Is there going to be a weekly questionnaire?

 

 

 

[caulfield12]

Nope.

 

Just curious what theories were out there.

 

127-126 at home since the beginning of 2009, there has to be SOME type of explanation.

 

 

[Marty34]

Nine possible answers and the most logical one is missing. Come on, C!

[Greg Hibbard]

Perhaps good pitching and suspect hitting is a bad combination for a team that plays in a hitters park.

 

I do think this trend will straighten itself out. I also think the 2009-2012 teams being about .500 overall and about .500 at home is really not that alarming.

[Marty34]

In their three wins at home the Sox have out-homered the opposition 6-2 and out-scored the opposition 6-3 on those homers. In their 7 losses at home the opposition has out-homered the Sox 13-4 and outscored the Sox 23-4 on those homers. Sox have not hit a multi-run homer at home so far this season (haven't checked the road.)

[Dick Allen]

I will say sample size is the reason for the discrepancy over the home and road record. Overall, they are probably at where a lot of people project them, right around .500. How they handle the division will determine whether they have a shot at the postseason this year. Even in 2005, they were just .500 against the AL East and AL West during the regular season.

[elrockinMT]

Nine possible answers and the most logical one is missing. Come on, C!

 

 

The weather needs to be a tad bit warmer so those hard hit balls go farther for the Sox. Is that it? At lest that's what we are always told

[SI1020]

The main problem is lack of MLB quality players. I also think at this point that they dread playing at home, get wound up tight as a drum, play lousy, get booed by smaller and smaller crowds, and the situation just continues to spiral.

[daa84]

we stink at home because 1.) we are not a good team, and 2.) we are a team that is not built for our stadium (pitching and defense oriented, in a hitters ballpark)

Edited April 29, 2012 by daa84

[SI1020]

we stink at home because 1.) we are not a good team, and 2.) we are a team that is not built for our stadium (pitching and defense oriented, in a hitters ballpark)

Yes, I've thought that too. The Sox historically have been a pitching/defense oriented team. Now they have this launching pad stadium (at least in the warmer weather) and the Sox don't have the personnel that fits. This organization continues to shoot itself in the foot time and time again.

[caulfield12]

Well, that definitely make sense.

 

If you take away Dye/Thome/Quentin from the equation and see what has replaced it (particularly Dunn's 2010 season) and Rios' lack of consistent office for most of his time on the SouthSide, that explains 75% of it.

 

That, and just the lack of offensive talent and orientation more towards pitching.

 

I guess Marty would have preferred that I stuck up "bad moves by the GM" as the main reason...but it's more than that clearly.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

Psychological weakness. Metrodome Syndrome.

 

The weather needs to be a tad bit warmer so those hard hit balls go farther for the Sox. Is that it? At lest that's what we are always told

 

The thing about that is the opponent plays in the same conditions. I'm not sure why this excuse isn't scrutinized anytime it is used. It isn't just the Sox who hide behind this either.

[southsider2k5]

In their three wins at home the Sox have out-homered the opposition 6-2 and out-scored the opposition 6-3 on those homers. In their 7 losses at home the opposition has out-homered the Sox 13-4 and outscored the Sox 23-4 on those homers. Sox have not hit a multi-run homer at home so far this season (haven't checked the road.)

 

I'd bet that is a pretty universal theme. Most teams lose when outhomered.

[LittleHurt05]

Yes, I've thought that too. The Sox historically have been a pitching/defense oriented team. Now they have this launching pad stadium (at least in the warmer weather) and the Sox don't have the personnel that fits. This organization continues to shoot itself in the foot time and time again.

 

That was the worst thing about the small ball, Kotsay, Pierre plans of the last few seasons. It's a hitters park and you are trying to move runners along and score one run at a time. Even in 2005, when they supposedly played small ball, they were 5th in MLB with 200 home runs.

[caulfield12]

That was the worst thing about the small ball, Kotsay, Pierre plans of the last few seasons. It's a hitters park and you are trying to move runners along and score one run at a time. Even in 2005, when they supposedly played small ball, they were 5th in MLB with 200 home runs.

 

 

Get out to early leads with Pods and Iguchi, pound away with the bombers, lockdown bullpen.

 

Now, if you're playing small ball to add on runs to a 2/3/4 run lead, that can be effective, AT TIMES. But, once again, you're taking yourself out of lots of big innings, especially at a park more well-suited for homers.

[Balta1701]

Get out to early leads with Pods and Iguchi, pound away with the bombers, lockdown bullpen.

 

Now, if you're playing small ball to add on runs to a 2/3/4 run lead, that can be effective, AT TIMES. But, once again, you're taking yourself out of lots of big innings, especially at a park more well-suited for homers.

Have we really done much of that in early innings so far this year? And if we were doing that, was it taking the bat out of Morel/Beckham's hands (i.e. who cares?).

 

I think the answer to why they stink at home is that both the pitchers and the hitters let the park get into their heads. The Pitchers get a runner on base and realize that now, one swing can be a two run home run, so they go into trying to prevent that and it causes mistakes.

 

The Hitters see a runner on base, realize how close those walls are, and start swinging for the fences.