OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - A Red Sox Dynasty: 1995-????

Moriarty9 · 06-14-2008, 10:59 PM

Fans react to Sizemore injury
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Despite the dynasty that has become the Boston Red Sox of the late 1990s and into the 2000s, fans outside Fenway Park this morning expressed a fear of the worst.
While the Red Sox sit 4 games up on the New York Yankees in the American League East with the third best record in all of baseball, a number of injuries to key players has many Boston fans sure the team is destined for disaster.
Centerfielder Grady Sizemore hyperextended his knee during last night's ballgame and was placed on the 15-day disabled list, joining thirdbaseman Miguel Cabrera and shortstop Hanley Ramirez.
Sizemore, 28, is hitting .321 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI with 19 stolen bases in 90 games this season. Cabrera had been hitting .281 with 12 homers and 58 RBI in 77 games before being placed on the disabled list. Ramirez was at .269 with 33 doubles, 7 homers, 44 RBI, 55 runs and 15 stolen bases in 85 games before fracturing his foot.
In their place have been a few players getting their shot at the big leagues.
Bill Hopkins, a 26-year-old career minor leaguer, was brought up after Cabrera's injury. He has hit .261 (6-for-23) with 7 RBI in seven games. He has played 34 innings at shortstop, making one error with 19 chances while playing a flawless thirdbase for 27 innings. He has managed to hold his own in Cabrera's absence.
Having spent all of last season in Boston's minor league system, veteran shortstop Bobby Crosby was brought up after Ramirez' injury. Crosby has seen little time in the lineup, picking up one hit in his six at bats (.167 average) with a RBI and a run scored. In 20 innings at shortstop, Crosby has cleanly fielded each chance.
The Red Sox have now brought up Antonio Andres, who had been acquired along with Willy Taveres after Ichiro Suzuki went down for the season last year. In 189 at bats over 86 games with AAA Pawtucket this year, Andres has gone .317 with seven home runs and 45 RBI with 21 stolen bases. Andres hit .277 with six homers and 33 RBI in 70 games with Boston last season, .280 with eight home runs and 38 RBI in 87 games on the season.
"We can't get along without these big studs," said Andrew Higgins, a 27-year-old Sox fan from Brighton. "How are we gonna hold off the Yanks without these big bats?"
James Hogan, 53, of Peabody, was more optimistic about the team's chances.
"We've got some great pitching, a deep bench, a deep farm system and we'll get through it. Even if we drop a little bit we'll rebound and be back there in the end."
Cabrera is eligible to come off the disabled list in three days and is expected to return to the lineup at that time. Ramirez is eligible to return June 29 but the team has indicated it has not made any decisions on the shortstop's return as of yet.
Sizemore was placed on the disabled list after last night's game and the team does not know when he'll return just yet.

06-14-2008, 10:59 PM	#129 (permalink)
Moriarty9 Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 413	The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling! Fans react to Sizemore injury Thursday, July 21, 2011 Despite the dynasty that has become the Boston Red Sox of the late 1990s and into the 2000s, fans outside Fenway Park this morning expressed a fear of the worst. While the Red Sox sit 4 games up on the New York Yankees in the American League East with the third best record in all of baseball, a number of injuries to key players has many Boston fans sure the team is destined for disaster. Centerfielder Grady Sizemore hyperextended his knee during last night's ballgame and was placed on the 15-day disabled list, joining thirdbaseman Miguel Cabrera and shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Sizemore, 28, is hitting .321 with 17 home runs and 69 RBI with 19 stolen bases in 90 games this season. Cabrera had been hitting .281 with 12 homers and 58 RBI in 77 games before being placed on the disabled list. Ramirez was at .269 with 33 doubles, 7 homers, 44 RBI, 55 runs and 15 stolen bases in 85 games before fracturing his foot. In their place have been a few players getting their shot at the big leagues. Bill Hopkins, a 26-year-old career minor leaguer, was brought up after Cabrera's injury. He has hit .261 (6-for-23) with 7 RBI in seven games. He has played 34 innings at shortstop, making one error with 19 chances while playing a flawless thirdbase for 27 innings. He has managed to hold his own in Cabrera's absence. Having spent all of last season in Boston's minor league system, veteran shortstop Bobby Crosby was brought up after Ramirez' injury. Crosby has seen little time in the lineup, picking up one hit in his six at bats (.167 average) with a RBI and a run scored. In 20 innings at shortstop, Crosby has cleanly fielded each chance. The Red Sox have now brought up Antonio Andres, who had been acquired along with Willy Taveres after Ichiro Suzuki went down for the season last year. In 189 at bats over 86 games with AAA Pawtucket this year, Andres has gone .317 with seven home runs and 45 RBI with 21 stolen bases. Andres hit .277 with six homers and 33 RBI in 70 games with Boston last season, .280 with eight home runs and 38 RBI in 87 games on the season. "We can't get along without these big studs," said Andrew Higgins, a 27-year-old Sox fan from Brighton. "How are we gonna hold off the Yanks without these big bats?" James Hogan, 53, of Peabody, was more optimistic about the team's chances. "We've got some great pitching, a deep bench, a deep farm system and we'll get through it. Even if we drop a little bit we'll rebound and be back there in the end." Cabrera is eligible to come off the disabled list in three days and is expected to return to the lineup at that time. Ramirez is eligible to return June 29 but the team has indicated it has not made any decisions on the shortstop's return as of yet. Sizemore was placed on the disabled list after last night's game and the team does not know when he'll return just yet.