For those of you who have been following the Pale Hose closely this season, I have a question. Does Thornton pitch better in less stressful situations because WHENEVER I see him when the game is on the line he doesn't come through. He almost always comes close to getting out of a jam (that he usually puts himself in) but he can't get that key guy out. It doesn't matter who the hitter is, either. In short, from what I've seen, when he needs to make a big pitch, he doesn't. Am I just catching him when he's at his worst? I've grown to dread seeing him come in close games. Seven losses now.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Both Thornton and Floyd need to be sent packing after this season. Floyd continues to place the Sox behind the eight ball by giving up early runs to put the team in a hole. Thornton has one pitch and his fastball is not that great anymore. You are right he very seldom comes thru and even when he does it's by the skin of his teeth. "They gone" after this year!!!

Perfect post!

Like all Major League Baseball players, Matt Thornton performs the same in all levels of whatever you deem to be "pressure," and whatever variance there might be in this year's numbers is a product of an extremely low sample size, and probably less than you think because your memory of the few games you've tuned into is not any sort of accurate method of judgment.

Yeah those few games that has his record at 4-7. You know, that small sample size.

Agreed 100%. Memories are fickle. I've noticed (and this could possibly be just my perception) that people tend to either remember bad things better, or at least place more emphasis on them.

Although I like these types of gripes. They typically only come in a winning season when there's not much else to complain about.

I guess none of you on here has ever heard the phrase: "one ah sh_t wipes out a thousand at-a-boys!"

BTW, ask Joe Paterno's family about one ah sh_t wiping things out!

I'm sure they'll have some explanation for him completely dominating in a bunch of years before this. It must be that the nerves suddenly got to him THIS year.

Exactly.

Pitcher wins are never wrong. Saturday, tie game in the 10th, Thornton gives up a run. Thornton losing pitcher. Sunday, tie game in the 7th, Jones gives up a run. Jones winning pitcher. Jones did a better job of inspiring AJ to hit that homer.

What's funny is the same guy got both hits!

Every other team in the AL is worried about Trout, and the Sox can't get past Torii Hunter. How many years has it been now?

Record is not really an accurate record (hah) of performance. And yeah... 11 decisions, especially for a reliever, is a small sample size.

Right, so out of 52 games this year he has seven losses. As a reliever who is a set up guy, or a face the lefty guy, IMO, seven losses is a pretty good sample size. And four times he got the win. Well you call it what you want and I'll call it what I want and we'll agree to disagree!

Who would you want setting up the game instead, and who do you want closing (b/c I'm guessing you don't like Reed either)?

Wait until there is a larger sample size of Brett Myers, then you will complaining about him as well.

Relief pitching wins and losses mean very little.

Cliff Politte had 7 or 8 wins in relief in 2005.

Brett Myers= 0-5! Everyone is bad.

Your opinion doesn't matter. For anyone who knows stats, it is too small of a sample size. Even if you think for some reason that his record is of importance, if you want to use stats, you have to acknowledge the sample size.

Glad to see how you stand. LOL!

Reliever W-L is pretty much meaningless.