Daniel Bard: Better Process, Worse Results as Boston Red Sox lose to Toronto Blue Jays
Starting against the Toronto Blue Jays for the second straight time, Daniel Bard seems to have won over his manager a bit while allowing more runs in a six inning start, his longest thus far. Bard allowed five runs on 6 hits and 3 walks yesterday as he continued his quest to make the starting rotation. Despite another sub-par pitching line, the 26 year old made a positive impression on his manager this time out. Bobby Valentine told Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal, “I liked everything, He threw all of his pitches today. His changeup, at times, was devastating. His slider was sharp at times.” For his part Daniel Bard though he “felt like a starter” for the first time and credited his opponents with hitting some good pitches.
The contrast between this start and Bard’s last one, after which Valentine questioned his scant use of his change up, re-inforces the notion that these spring training games are not about results, especially in Bobby Valentine’s eyes. The new Red Sox manager appears less concerned with Bard’s stat line and more focused on what he wants the former reliever to work on each game. Many people have questioned Bard’s ability to start based on his repertoire. As a reliever, Bard threw two pitches, a four seam fastball and a slider, almost exclusively. Yesterday, by his own account, he mixed two seam and four seam fastballs with a slider and a change, giving him a far more varied arsenal.
Unlike his last start, Bard did not struggle greatly at any one point in the game. Instead, the runs can in a slow trickle. The Blue Jays got one in the second inning on an Adam Lind home run, one in the third when a walk to Jeff Mathis combined with a wild pitch, a fly out and a single to bring the catcher in and one more in the fourth when Lind doubled and scored on a double play ball one batter later. Bard did give up multiple runs in the sixth inning. He hit Jose Bautista to start the inning and then saw pinch runner Rajai Davis steal second. At that point he put the hot hitter, Adam Lind on intentionally. The strategy backfired however, when Edwin Encarnacion doubled in one run and a second scored on a ground out.
Despite the runs he gave up, Bard went a long way in furthering his chances of making the rotation with this start. He was more economical this time out, needing 85 pitches to get through six innings and though the number of base runners was a problem, two runs scored on ground outs and aside from the home run and double, both of the bat of Adam Lind, Bard did not get hit hard in the game.
Mike Aviles continues to be a doubles machine, with two more yesterday in his three hits. While some notable writers believe that prospect Jose Iglesias is Bobby Valentine’s choice for the starting shortstop, Mike Aviles is the more realistic option there. Even if Valentine does favor Iglesias, Aviles has impressed the new skipper- “Mike has made all the plays at shortstop, hit the ball hard most every game he’s played; he’s taken to the position like a duck to water,” Valentine told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. With Iglesias projected to hit .251/.289/.311 (ZIPs Porjections), or around 30% worse than league average, even his stellar defense will not make up for his poor hitting.Aviles is not guaranteed to hit the ball the way he has this spring, but he has been close to average at the plate in his career and he can clearly handle the position.
Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez had RBI’s in the game. Ellsbury got the Red Sox on the board quickly, tripling in the first after one of those Mike Aviles doubles. Gonzalez got him in immediately after with a sac fly. Darnell McDonald continued his fight for the final roster spot with a two RBI triple in the 5th to score Gonzalez andAviles.
Boston is back in action again today with a game against the NL East Champion Philadelphia Phillies at1:05 PM. Jon Lester takes the hill for the Red Sox, hoping to improve on a what has been a wild spring thus far for the lefty ace.
Buy Boston Red Sox Tickets | Buy Boston Red Sox Apparel
Leave a Rant
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
FEATURED PARTNERS
- Pygmy Hippo Giving A Lucky Lady A Kiss
- Making Easter Eggs With Neckties
- Cats Vs. Dinosaurs
- Jets Receiver -- Overjoyed to Give Tim Tebow #15 -- The Number's CURSED!!!
- Charlie Sheen -- I WOULDA Bought the Dodgers ... If I Had the Money
- UFC Champ Junior dos Santos -- Bonafide Baddass ... Superfan of Katy Perry & Adele
- Man Graffitis Own House in Attempt to Retrieve Stolen Truck
- Kids Have the Darndest Homework Answers and the Best Links of the Day
- Excuse Me While I Nerd Out About the ‘Anchorman’ Sequel