NY Choke

Fantasic Favre? Get a grip ESPN...

2010-01-26T22:18:00.013-05:00

This slight departure from MLB is because we needed a little filler now that the Hot Stove has cooled off and spring training awaits...

For those of us without a horse in the race, the Saints are probably the team you have been and will be rooting for come Super Bowl Sunday. But more to the point, most of us were rooting against Favre this past weekend.

The hope is that he’s finally resigned himself to the fact that he will end yet another season with an interception. But the reality is that he had one of his best seasons ever especially from a statistical standpoint. Favre has become more than that bad rash that just won’t go away. He’s now herpes. Now we hear his return is very unlikely. Um, hey Brett, we’ve been paying attention. Cut the crap. Don’t retire, just disappear.

Even the biggest donkey on the planet has had enough...

There have been many great players who have played past their prime. Jordan was absolutely amazing in his prime. But he’s stint with the Wizards diminished his image. It became “all about Mike” as he had something to prove – that he could still play at a high level at age 40. Great, you can. Move along...

But Jordan and others also had what Favre does not. Integrity. You can’t believe anything the guy says. He puts his selfish interests before his team. He’s a fraud. How many more offseasons does he need to prove this?

It’s sickening that ESPN loves this guy. There is so much ball-washing going on it makes you want to throw up in your mouth. Whether or not you like Tom Jackson, you now have to question his credibility. The following quote is simply mind blowing:

“That’s the thing about Brett Favre, he’s not afraid to throw an interception. That’s one of the things I most admire about him”. (This quote is not taken out of context.)

Uh, what? You admire that he has a tendency to throw a back breaking and game changing interception to lose a big game? Shouldn’t your biggest fear be to turn the ball over at the most critical point in a game?

Jackson rants on and on about his “courage” and how he “kept bringing his team back” and how he “almost” led his team to victory. Seriously? Freaking “Almost”? Yeah, I “almost” drove to Bristol, CT to put my foot in your ass.

Hey Tom, let us all know once you get those incriminating pics back from Brett. Maybe we'll take your word again at some point... But good luck with your next career in janitorial services, at least you'll look good doing it...

Congratulations to Veruca Salt, uh, I mean the Yankees...

2009-11-05T10:12:00.009-05:00

Well it finally happened. Congratulations. Welcome to the 21st century.

After an offseason of spending an unprecedented $500 million dollars, obtaining the 3 biggest free agents available, all while compromising an entire neighborhood and taxpayers, they did it.

Yankee fans are again beaming. But how does it feel to beat a hollow chest?

After not making the playoffs for the first time in a long time, the new Steinbrenner’s were embarrassed enough into spending a fortune in the offseason. This gluttony reared its ugly head at the same time many Americans were struggling and out of work. Great timing boys. If you didn’t think it was possible for more people to loathe the Yanks, well, keep telling yourself that.

All that aside, winning a championship is very difficult. Just ask the Phillies who had to twice trot out a Pedro Martinez we let go five years ago. But quite frankly, it would have been a monumental blunder if the Yanks didn’t win it all this season. Girardi would have been tarred, feathered, and probably banned from the state of NY forever. Cashman would have been handed his walking papers, and George probably would have stroked out.

Now you can say that there are many teams - including the Sox - that are considered “the have’s”. However, the Yanks still outspend this “group” by $70-$80M every season. If you haven’t figured it out yet, the Yankees are the “rich kid” of the class that everyone loathes. They get what they want simply because they have money.

“I want an Oompa-Loompa NOW Daddy!”

Oh, but you ask why is this year different if the payroll is the same? Well smarty pants they were able to grab the top 3 free agents on the market which included a #1 starter, a #2 starter, and one of the best hitters in the league. Who can’t win a championship by doing that?

The Yanks have screwed the pooch in prior years by overpaying all stars on the back 9 of their careers, and typically grabbing one big free agent per year. Those contracts are crippling especially in those players last couple of unproductive seasons. This trend isn’t going away. But the Yanks have enough money to survive these bad deals on the back end. If any other team had these resources, the additional $70-$80M per season would be spent on 4-5 all star and/or impact players. Who couldn’t win with that much talent?

No, but really, enjoy it. Who knew it was the most expensive trophy on the planet?

It's a Steroid Spring Training...

2009-02-18T12:51:00.008-05:00

Is apologizing for steroid use now a right at Yanks spring training? For three years running it’s been Giambi’s puzzling speech, a contrite Pettite, and now a less than believable A-Rod. Made you forget all about Jaba’s DUI huh?

It can’t get much lower can it? After spending $430M in the offseason you would think things would be looking up. There won’t be any business as usual in Tampa. Cashman was quoted as saying "If you want to use the analogy that this is Humpty Dumpty, we've got to put it back together again." Girardi is the one with this daunting task, and don’t be shocked to see him go if things aren’t going well. The questions will keep coming especially when they travel to a new city. Think there will be any tension in the clubhouse? Yikes.

Some may argue that the support shown by some of the players will help galvanize this squad. I would normally agree, but that only works if they like the guy they are supporting. If the questions keep coming, distraction and resentment will build.

Through all of this, the bottom line is that A-Rod is not believable. He’s a transparent phony. The more he speaks, the less credible he is. He does not deserve credit for admitting and apologizing. There was no other choice. Just ask Clemens, Bonds, and Marion Jones. While he wouldn’t have their legal issues, he would be just as vilified.

There are many parts of his news conference that just don’t make sense. The “young, naïve, and stupid” thing just doesn’t fly as he was 26, 27, and 28 in those seasons. He heard that “Boli” was an energy boost you could get over the counter. But “captain contradiction” first stated he didn’t think he did anything wrong for all these years. But shortly after said he knew he wasn’t taking tic tacs and that it could potentially be wrong. So which is it?

Boli supposedly accounts for the Primobolan (steroids) but you also tested positive for testosterone. So what else did you take?

You told Gammons last week you didn’t know what drugs you took, so what made you remember Boli & Ripped Fuel all of a sudden?

If you didn’t think it was banned or wrong, why were you so terrified to ask or consult anyone?

If you weren’t sure it was working or being administered properly, why did you continue to inject twice a month for six months over 3 seasons?

How often did you take the drug that tested positive for testosterone?

Are the things available “over the counter” in Mexico or the Dominican available in the US?

Does this cousin really exist?

Even Yanks announcer Suzyn Waldman was a skeptic. She said A-Rod won’t even eat a snickers or a cookie. But not investigating a substance he’ll inject himself with is something that just isn’t believable. Cashman was blunt about the young and naïve comment, stating his actions were simply stupid. Johnny Damon’s best attempt was that he didn’t commit murder. Not exactly dazzling support on the home front. Just ask the NY papers what they think...

For those of you clamoring about the remaining 103 players, they will all come out in time. Just doing the simple math, there would be between 3-4 players from each team in the majors. So if you think your favorite team is in the clear you are kidding yourself. Remember too that the Mitchell Report listed almost 90 players associated with HGH, steroids, testosterone and other banned substances. Don’t be surprised if a fair number of them are included in the 103. So the number of new names might not be as dramatic as first thought.

There are many reasons why everyone is picking on A-Rod. The Katie Couric interview probably did the most damage. Torre’s book painted him as a version of Single White Female in his pursuit of Jeter. His journey through the tabloids has been ugly, and he’s widely thought of as a phony. He tries to hard to fit in and doesn’t. It’s truly a sad commentary for a guy that had the world at his feet.

So if you are asking will we be as harsh to “one of our own” if the names come out, the simple response is “no”. It will also depend on how the player responds to it. But A-Rod has provided a blueprint of how not to do it. You have to think that anyone following him will learn from his mistakes.

A lot of you just want to move forward which is understandable. But the problem remains that players are still cheating. There currently is no test for HGH and probably for other designer drugs. The league needs to implement blood testing. It should be stored and when tests become available via technology, the samples should be retested. Until then, people will still be cheating and A-Rod is the figurehead.

Yanks continue shameless spending spree, land Teixeira

2008-12-24T13:33:00.006-05:00

All aboard the Yankee hating express...

"The Yankees do not want to compete, they want to be coronated." That quote by Wallace Mattews of Newsday sums it up nicely. You would think that the Steinbrenners adopted Varuca Salt. I want an Umpaloompa NOW!

This move was predicted in the last entry back on Dec 15th. It just made sense for them to do this. That being said, to spend over $420M in the current economy is simply disgusting. The sad part is that they aren't finished. After grabbing the top 3 available free agents, they will still add another starting pitcher and more. They have more revenue ($100M from new stadium alone) and a payroll that is still less than last year. They obviously have complete disregard for anyone else, so why would they stop now?

Granted they have improved their team significantly, but this in no way guarantees them anything. If nothing else you would think they have learned that in this new century. The huge advantage in payroll has not worked. Cashman has not been able to grow the farm system, so they have gone back to overspending. Ask last years Tigers how that worked out.

The reports about the Sox being surprised are simply nonsense. The Yankees have used this same tactic with Jose Contreras, A-Rod, and Damon. How'd that work out for ya by the way? The Sox did not have to make this move. It would have made them better yes, but they set a price and didn't go past it. If they were really "desperate", you don't think they would have ponied up another $12M over 8 years? They would still be way under their payroll number from last season.

The offseason has a long way to go. The Yanks will add more pieces. But it will be much more entertaining when they come up short again. Just like the A-Rod signing and defeat in the ALCS. Sweet.

Is Cashman a drunken sailor?

2008-12-15T22:34:00.003-05:00

It’s official. Money has now become no object in Steinbrennerland.

If AJ Burnett had been a consistent top of the rotation guy, then this would be a reasonable deal. But it’s a matter of when this guy breaks down, not if.

If you hadn’t noticed, this is eerily similar to the Pavano deal, but with two additional seasons attached. Pavano had a great year for the Marlins going 18-8 with a 3.00 ERA, by far his best season ever before coming to NY. He was often injured and only managed to win more than 12 games once in his 9 year career. He only managed to pitch more than 200 innings twice in that span as well.

The good news is that Burnett has been better. But only marginally. He’s taken nine trips to the DL in his 10 seasons. NINE. He’s pitched more than 200 innings in only three seasons, two of which were contract years, which tells you something. He’s also only won more than 12 games once in his career. He had arguably one of his best seasons ever last year, but still managed only an ERA over 4.

But getting to brass tacks, he is a good pitcher (not great) when he’s healthy. However, his health is the x-factor. The Yanks know that they are not going to get full value from this guy. Nor does he have any postseason experience to draw on. And based on his history, he’s not going to get stronger or less injury prone at age 32. They probably think he’ll average between 20-25 starts per season with a 3.75 ERA which is optimistic at best. Fact is, he may not last into years 4 or 5 of the contract anyway.

Because the Yanks have the money, this isn’t much of a gamble. Assuming they sign a Lowe, Pettite, or Sheets, they still have Hughes and Kennedy waiting in the minors to fill in when needed. But they need that depth to further insure Wang and Chamberlain. That gives the Yanks a formidable rotation and makes them a viable contender. If they have enough depth to cover injuries, they’ll be in the mix in Oct.

Up next is the probable trade for Mike Cameron. Once consummated, that brings the Yanks 2009 payroll into the neighborhood of $175M. They’ll add another arm (Lowe/Sheets/Pettite) for let’s say $15M, bringing them up to $190M.

Many baseball executives feel that the Yanks spending is simply irresponsible, especially in light of the current economic conditions. Some writers think that there is nothing wrong with these expenditures because their payroll will be lower than last season. First of all, let’s put things into some perspective…

There is no salary cap in baseball, and the luxury tax is not having the desired affect. Until the rules are changed, the Yankees are allowed to spend whatever they like. If you don’t like it, change the rules. The Yankees are taking full advantage of the economic conditions because they can. They now have $100M more in revenue per season to draw from, due to the new stadium. Smaller market teams have to worry about filling seats while the Yanks are exponentially increasing the gap between the “haves and have nots”. Is it completely unfair? To most of the league, absolutely. But, all the blame goes to MLB for letting it happen.

On the other side of the coin, the Yanks should not be applauded for lowering their payroll. Why would you give credit for having $85M in bad contracts come off the books, but then adding $65M in bad contracts back in? Yup, that’s right, we mismanaged $20M less than last season…

Lastly, what is stopping the Yanks from grabbing Texiera? Nick Swisher is a nice player for $3.6M, but he hit a whopping .219 last season. There have been rumors of Manny in pinstripes, but he’s going to cost over $20M per. I guess you could platoon him with Damon and Matsui in LF / DH. But you’d probably only pay a few million more per season for Texiera. If you’re going to spend $210M with Manny, why not spend $215 with Tex? It’s still less than they spent in 2007, but now with more revenue. You have a place for him at 1B. It’s a no brainer isn’t it?

Let's hope not. Gee, still wonder why no one likes the Yankees?

Yanks land the offseason Whale…

2008-12-12T10:48:00.007-05:00

All 290 pounds of him… The desperate Yanks became bidders against only themselves and raised their original bid from $140M to $161M to land their new ace Sabathia.

Let’s not pretend that this was not a good signing for them, it was. It simply makes them a better team. However, if you put value into the argument it’s clearly not. He’s not even the best pitcher in New York but he’s the highest paid. It now makes the Mets signing of Santana a great deal and even more baffling why the Yanks didn’t get involved.

There are some red flags with this deal. Rumblings were that CC was looking for a reason NOT to pitch in NY. He clearly preferred the West coast, but the Yanks made him an offer he couldn’t refuse – an additional $21M on top of the original $140M that no one else had matched. He’s also getting them to include a player option after 3yrs, and also a no trade clause. So, he can bail out of NY after 3 seasons and also block any potential trades. Handing over that much control to a player simply shows how desperate the Yanks were to sign him.

More Starters?
This is only step one in the Yanks buying process. Sabathia will essentially replace the season the now departed Mussina had. They now have their staff ace but still have several question marks throughout the rotation. Wang & Chamberlain have been injury issues, while Hughes and Kennedy have essentially been no shows. They still need to acquire more starters.

The latest rumor is AJ Burnett for 5yrs and $85M. Talk about desperation. He’s 31 and has only thrown 200 innings in three of his ten seasons. And two of them have been in contract years. Since joining the AL, his best ERA was 3.75. What’s his arm going to be like at age 36? He’s a good pitcher (not great) when he does show up. But will he be another Pavano?

They are also in the mix for Derek Lowe. He had a terrific season with a 3.24 Era. But at age 35 and return to the AL you can expect that to jump significantly. For a guy that had “late night” issues I’m guessing Manhattan isn’t the best environment. Issues aside, he’s probably a better option than Burnett. But you’d still expect diminishing returns on a 39yr old arm.

Position Players?
The Yanks are rumored to be going after Mike Cameron (buddy of Sabathia). He’s certainly an upgrade of the fading Melky Cabrera, but he’s 35. He’ll probably give them .250 / 20 / 75 which is only marginal. It will cost them Cabrera AND a minor league arm.

They have been quiet on the Texiera front, but you’d think they would be all out on this one. It wouldn’t be a shock for them to swoop in at the last minute. They overpay for everything else, so why not. Even if they acquire Burnett & Lowe, they can still fit his $20+M in the mix. What’s a $230M payroll with a new revenue driving ballpark? Why wouldn’t they jump at a chance to overpay a player who will be on the decline in the last 2-3yrs of their contract? It’s standard operating procedure.

Haven’t they learned anything?
With all of these top flight signings (Type A free agents), they continue to surrender first round draft picks. Trading for a 35yr old Mike Cameron? AJ Burnett will be 36 when his contract is up, and CC will be 35. They are trying to win in “the now” and bastardizing the future again. The reason they were so successful in the 90’s is because they had a great core of players come up thru their system. All they needed to do was add a few pieces via free agency. You can't rebuild your system without first round picks. Most current players on the team are past their prime. Here are the impact players at 30 or under: Cano, Nady, Swisher (or replace w/Texiera who would be 38 at the end), and Cabrera who is about to be traded for a 35yr old. The clock is ticking and the window is closing, especially with Tampa Bay now as a factor.

Is it irresponsible?
The Marlin’s President seems to think the CC contract alone was inappropriate & irresponsible based on the current economic climate. He has a clear bias as a small market team, but he does bring up an interesting point. Are the Yanks unaffected by the current economic conditions? Reports say that the new ballpark will generate an additional $100M per year. So yes, the Yanks are not affected. Whether it is inappropriate or not depends on your point of view. The Yanks don’t care either way, as they are doing what they feel is best for business. Any small market team will tell you it is irresponsible and always unfair. Is it time for a change? Possibly. The luxury tax seemed to have no affect. But that’s a discussion for another day…

Sox oust bitter Angels...

2008-10-07T22:28:00.015-04:00

The Sox closed out the favored Angels in dramatic fashion. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a walkoff win of that magnitude. Let’s hope it just getting started…

You could say the baseball gods were smiling down on the Sox after the botched suicide squeeze, but it was simply poor execution. The replay clearly shows the out call was correct. The inning before, a passed ball allowed the tying run to score on a single. And in the ninth the ball took an Angels bounce into the stands on an all or nothing dive, which could have turned into an inside the park homer. Even the pop up that allowed 3 runs to score in game 3 didn’t blow it for the Angels .

No curses. No controversies. No excuses.

The Angels simply didn’t execute as well as the Sox on either side of the ball. When you are 8 for 40 with runners in scoring position combined with an ERA over 4, you aren’t going to pull off many series wins. And boy were they pissed after game 4. Lackey proclaimed the better team lost, then proceeded to throw teammates under the bus for his shortcomings. Classy guy. Hey Lackey, your only win came in a 12 inning dogfight caused by your team's 3 run gaffe. In what way were you better you mental midget?

The Sox were clearly the better team in every facit. Lester was masterful, yielding only 1 unearned run in 14 innings. The bullpen was very good and the defense was solid. And could you be any happier to say “Manny who”? Jason Bay was simply awesome hitting over .400 with 2 homers and 5 RBI’s, including the huge double to help wrap up the series. The Sox didn't make any major mistakes and the Angels did, bottom line.

You can also thank the Yankees. Yup, I said it. All those wars and grind em out games have given this team a real grit and swagger. They just don’t get rattled and no matter what happens, they keep coming at you. Contributions come from up and down the lineup. Theo also gets a pat on the back for his deadline & waiver pickups.

The amazing thing is that only 5 years ago we were waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially late in games. Now with 2 championships under their belt, we’re waiting to see the other teams fold under the pressure. Don’t believe? Ask the Cubs who were head and shoulders above the NL all season.

Up Next, The Rays...

I think the winner of this next series is going to win it all. It should be a great series and more than likely will go to 7 games. There is going to be much debate about the Sox starters and who goes when – before the game starts on Fri. But when you break it down it actually seems simple.
There is no reason to run any pitcher out there on less than normal rest, which eliminates Lester from game 1. It probably also makes sense to give Beckett additional rest based on his last outing and recent oblique injury. Using that logic you open with Dice-K who will be on 6 days rest already. He was very effective last season with extra rest and holding off until game 3 would be 9 days. Beckett gets an extra 3 days, and Lester goes on normal rest.

Here’s the schedule:

Game 1 – Fri the 10th - Dice K (6 days rest)
Game 2 – Sat the 11th - Lester (normal rest)
Game 3 – Mon the 13th - Beckett (7 days rest)
Game 4 – Tue the 14th - Wake/Byrd
Game 5 – Thur the 16th - Dice K (5 days rest)
Game 6 – Sat the 18th - Lester (6 days rest)
Game 7 – Sun the 19th - Beckett (5 days rest)

If you believe the people who have been around the game for years like Remy or Schilling, home and road records get tossed out the window. So save the “he pitches better at home” mantra.

There is also the issue of flexibility to consider. If the Rays manage to make game 5 an elimination game, Lester can go on normal rest and Beckett can follow in game 6 on normal rest. Dice K then follows with all hands on deck in game 7.

So the only real debate is game 4. Wake has more upside but his poor postseason record is scary. Byrd is the safer option based on last years ALCS at Fenway. But it may come down to the wind. If it’s blowing out you would likely see Wake (similar to conditions of his dominating performance at Yankee Stadium). Otherwise I'd expect to see Byrd with Wake as backup.

Prediction? I like the Sox in seven. What it comes down to is which version of Beckett we’ll see. I think that he will right the ship especially if they give him the extra rest. Lester will continue to dominate, similar to the postseason Beckett enjoyed last year. That leaves Dice-K to win one of his two starts and Beckett to grind it out in game 7.

Expect to see some heated battles during this one. There will be some spill over from the regular season. The only downside is that we will see the replay of Coco charging the mound more times than the mention of the curse before 2004.

Buckle up campers, this will be a good old fashioned grind em out series. Hope you’re prepared to see midnight.

The Big Dirt Nap: Yanks Season & the Stadium...

2008-09-15T23:23:00.019-04:00

Well Yankee fans, how long ago did you twist your ankle jumping off the bandwagon?

A) Injury to Joba?
B) When A-Rod started hitting Madonna instead of baseballs?
C) The Hankster tossing in the towel?
D) Being in 4th place in September
E) Next year's DH (Posada) dictating who will be in the pen next year?
F) The 9 games out with 12 to play thing?

Elimination Party! Let's get this party started!

We do miss that compelling Sox / Yanks late September run. But we'd be pulling your leg if we said we didn't find enjoyment in watching a Yankee team just fall apart. And a big thanks goes out to Cano who forced Girardi to bench him. Is it just me, or did Girardi look like a guy trying to keep beach sand from falling out of his hands all season? So trust me, we're fully enjoying it, especially as we ready for the playoffs. Good luck with Girardi next year as well. The players really seem to respond...

Did I mention the enjoyment part?

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries...

And please, no more "we were decimated by injuries" crap. Look, every team in the AL already a lock for the playoffs had significant injuries. The Angels and Sox both lost starters before the season even started. The Rays lost their closer and two other formidable hitters. If we compare lists, you will just embarrass yourself. Your team simply wasn't good or deep enough, not to mention old. So save the silly nasty-grams.

By the way, we have dubbed Carl Pavano "Mr. Glass". Is it more infuriating that he finally comes back when it's too late, or that he's shutting it down now that he showed just enough to get a contract from someone else next year? "Uh, yeah, my hip hurts." Call Guiness Records because he must be gaining on Evel Knievel...

Know what the last championship banner flown at the Stadium will be? Yup, back in 2005 our friends shown here were holding it. Boy, it's been a while hasn't it?

Oh, how many rings you say? 20 of them were before 1962 and almost half of those were before World War II. Raise your cane high if you remember...

Your Yankees have outspent all of their competition every year, by a staggering amount and have nothing to show for it since 2000. They can't even buy a championship anymore, not even for billions of dollars. In 2008 alone they spend $75M more than the Sox. That's higher than 14 teams spent on their entire payroll.

Mailing it in...
We're not alone in calling out your Yankees. Newsday's Kevin Davidoff's recent article is titled "They sure don't look like Yanks or winners". He quoted a scout from another organization as saying "I've never seen a Yankee team play like that." The old man would have thrown Girardi out on his ass followed by the rest of his staff. It's one thing to lose, but it's inexcusable to lay down. If you don't fire the manager or clean house, how does it go away next year?

Hank is the Man...
The great thing is that Hank is going to continue down this path of mediocrity. He's almost guaranteed it. If you're Cashman, how fast do you run away from this? Hank proclaimed "If Brian stays on as GM that doesn't mean he won't be the #1 guy." He goes on to say; "But the fact is, the more opinions the better." Hey Hank, know what opinions are like? We love this guy. It will be great to see how many chiefs he can fit into one Florida boardroom. The more the better!

Goodbye to The Stadium...
While we don't have many fond memories there to be sure, we simply can't ignore the history in that building. Some things are actually sacred. Thankfully the Sox were able to exorcise their demons in 2004. Sorry Jeter, no more ghosts. But in the new stadium there will be the "Ghost of Big Papi". You didn't really think that he only buried 1 shirt, did you?

Good Luck Next Year!
Wow, it's a weird feeling actually saying that this early in the season. But boy it feels good. Enjoy your offseason Yankee fans. We are...

Yanks to miss playoffs - first time since 1993!

2008-08-13T14:03:00.006-04:00

“We’re going to win it next year”. That's the latest in verbal diarrhea from Hank Steinbrenner.

Hey Joe Girardi, take the rest of the year off. Your owner just stuck a fork in you.

Hank has adopted the old mantra of “wait till next year”. Only problem is they are still playing. Nothing like giving your team a good push down the bowl before you flush.

If you start a statement with “Don’t be offended”, someone is still going to be offended. Hank’s latest bout with foot in mouth disease is essentially the same.

Hank blames this year on injuries. Boo freakin hoo. The old man never would have made excuses. Every team has injuries.

Here they are for the Yanks:

Wang – only 8 wins, probably would have won 18 - 20
Hughes – 6 starts with 9.00 Era, returns in Sept?
Kennedy – 9 starts with 8.17 Era, back to AAA
Joba – 12 starts, would probably have had 9 more

Matsui – 7 HR 34 RBI in 70 games, not exactly Godzilla like
Posada – big drop from last season, welcome to age 36

Wang going down was the biggest blow but they did get 15 starts out of him. Hughes & Kennedy weren’t exactly lighting the world on fire when they went down. Joba could miss a few starts. Matsui was mediocre at best and Posada is the prime example of why you don’t give a catcher in his mid-30’s a long term deal.

Other teams have had major injuries and survived just fine. The Angels lost Escobar (18 game winner) for the season, and Lackey missed the first 40+ games. The Sox didn’t have Schilling, Dice-K and Beckett both hit the DL, and Papi missed 50 games. Add Wakefield and Lowell to the list now.

Suck it up Hankster. It’s all about the roster and lack of depth. Cashman decided to go with the young arms and it didn’t pay off this season. If Pettite and Mussina didn’t have above average seasons this team would really be in the dumper. Damon has been a nice surprise but still hasn’t earned his money. He typifies the Yankee lineup. Even the $28M man hasn’t cracked the top ten in RBI’s. Cabrera, Cano, and even Jeter have been pedestrian.

You can also point a finger at the trade deadline. Why did they acquire bats and not arms? They also traded away depth in the pen in the process. Girardi has also had a free pass this season. Production is down from virtually everyone. And that no name pen that was pitching so well has started to drift back to earth.

So good luck until next year Yankee fans. Why not take off the rest of the season? Your owner has. We'll get the shovel...

Manny being... GONE!

2008-08-07T10:22:00.009-04:00

Anger. Disappointment. Frustration. Exasperation. False Acceptance.

Hop aboard the Manny Ramirez express. It goes round and round. If you want to ride, it’ll cost you only $25M per year for 4 more years. Your ticket that’s paid up until November? It’s no good here anymore, expired. Better jump off now before you’re pushed…

Denial. Anger. Exasperation. Acceptance Maybe…

We deserve a better ending. For all the good times, the cheers, the titles, even some of the harmless antics, all of it. He was a truly beloved figure despite the nonsense that surrounded him. He was always forgiven and cheered time after time. We were very fortunate to watch a first ballot hall of famer as well as one of the game’s most prolific hitters for almost 8 seasons. He was also instrumental in 2 World Series including an MVP. But his unceremonious exit has left a sour taste and it’s entirely his fault.

The most inexcusable thing is that he let his teammates down. He apparently told a teammate he knew he could sit the last two months and still collect his $7M and then just go away. Apparently he forgot the next two seasons were CLUB options and not player options.

WHY?
Money. Manny’s focus is only on his next contract. You can place plenty of blame on Manny’s new agent - the baseball anti-christ, aka Scott Boras. He told Manny that he could get him a $100M contract for the next 4 years. And he doesn’t see dime one if the Sox pick up his option(s). The only way it would work is to make the Sox not want to pick up the option in 2009 and/or 2010. Manny obviously tried to create a rift using a blueprint provided by the anti-christ. Give Jay Payton an assist on this one as he cried and complained every day (as Manny witnessed) until he was traded.

Beginning of the end:
A number of his phantom hammy injuries only seemed to pop up when hard throwing pitchers were on the mound. Management also required an MRI on his “new” knee injury when he told them he couldn't play again. If he actually remembered which knee he said was injured, maybe he could have pulled it off. An MRI on both knees came back negative.

Management then gave him written notice that he needed to play or be suspended without pay. This is what precipitated the commentary to ESPN Deportes including “The Red Sox are lucky to have me”. The fans pretty much knew it was over after that point, but management already knew.

Trade deadline – good or bad?
The 2008 team is not better. Had everyone lived up to their contract, it’s an easy call. If Manny exits at the end of the year, you need to give up more than Moss & Hansen to get Bay. Trading Manny probably prevented the Sox from getting relief help which they would have overpaid for, but could also have helped solidify a ring.

But the Sox knew they had a cancer in the clubhouse who was going to play the injury or suspension card over the last 2 months. A last ditch "I'll be a good boy and play" statement didn't convince management. So they got value for him. Hie replacement in Bay gives them a 30 Hr and 100 RBI guy which is only a slight dropoff in stats. What he can’t replace is the presence and threat of one of the games best ever hitters. He also doesn’t offer the same protection in the lineup for guys like Ortiz.

Bottom line is that they had to trade him. The alternative was to suspend him, hope to get to the playoffs, and then let him walk. Based on his history they couldn't trust him to perform.

Who is the Real Manny?
Manny being Manny apparently only describes a portion of our man-child. The aloof, goofy, charming, loveable, and crazy Manny is only a strange piece of the overall puzzle.

Back in June a new element, aka angry Manny, was introduced (at least to the fans anyway). He backhanded Youkilis in the dugout and later pushed the team’s 64yr old traveling secretary to the ground in a dispute about game day tickets. The bloom was off the rose for most Manny fans by this point, but some yahoos continued to blindly support him.

Manny doesn’t care about his teammates, the integrity of the game, or anything else. He only cares about money. He even has his own clubhouse rules. There are numerous incidents where he refused to pinch hit, insisted on a day off when needed, and even faked an injury like the last 2 months of 06. His best buddy Ortiz pleaded with him to play but he refused. His contract had club options which he had no business disputing. His sense of entitlement overrides any sense of reasonableness.

Some of his teammates say that Manny the person is a good person. Let’s hope so because what we know about the player isn’t a pretty picture.

Will he be the next $100M man? No way. He's essentially a DH the rest of the way and he'd be 40 in year 4. Look between Andruw Jones ($14M) and Beltran ($18M) per season at maybe 3yrs.

The Man can Hit
This is the single reason he is allowed to get away with virtually anything. Ask Shawn Chacon who had an altercation earlier this year and was released immediately. Why? Because he’s a mediocre pitcher.

Management, teammates, and fans have all “looked the other way” to some extent. As fans, we knew he’s been a headache but not to the extent we know now. It’s always been “the headache is worth the production”. While there is some sense of “you should have known” there is also the feeling of being duped.

Think the "master" Joe Torre will straighten him out? Good luck with just getting a haircut Joe. Manny's stay in LA is temporary but he's going to light it up because he's playing for that next contract. There is no formula to "fix" him. He's broken. But he sure can hit.

We need closure
He’s gone. His production and goofy antics will be missed. The annual trade requests, the phantom injuries, quitting on teammates, and lack of hustle will not. We can be happy for the owners, Theo, the manager, and the players. Lastly, be happy for Jason Bay who leaves the hapless Pirates for a chance at the playoffs. The last thing we need? Time. It's going to be a while before we can look back fondly on all the good things...

Good luck Manny. Thanks for everything. But see ya...

Yanks lose their Wang for at least 6 weeks...

2008-06-16T16:26:00.003-04:00

Couldn't resist...

Just as the Yanks were making some separation from the land of .500, Wang now joins Phil Hughes & Ian Kennedy on the DL. Torn tendon? See you in September, maybe...

Their biggest innings eater is out of action for a minimum of 6 weeks (which is August by the way). With Joba the Hut in the rotation, an already depleted bullpen is now asked to take on more innings.

More pressure is on the starters to stay in games longer. Have a peek at the average innings pitched:

Mussina - 5.4

Pettite - 6.1

Rasner - 6.0

Joba - too early to tell

Kennedy & Hughes - under 5

Pavano & Igawa - insert punchline here

Are you praying for this years version of Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon? It could be a long summer in NY...

You can't count on the young arms to perform consistently. They are going to have bad & short outings. The older boys have Era's near 4 & 5. Think they're going to get stronger as the years goes on?

If the bullpen is strained this early in the season, there will be nothing left in Sept. Close games in the 6th, 7th, and 8th? Panic time.

You also need a 5th starter. Oops. Well it's only 5 weeks until the trade deadline. But based on Cashman's plan to stick with the young arms, who do you get without giving up a young stud? Maybe you can find a closer as a one year rental. How about Gagne?

Should we say it? Kei Igawa. Get used to that one. You'll also hear "Now pitching for the Yankees in the 3rd inning..."

The Yanks do have enormous resources, and it's far too early to count them out. They didn't see .500 until July of last season and still made the playoffs. However, you can't make a run with subpar pitching.

Think Joba's a stud? Maybe he will be, but he's not pitching 200 innings this year. There's a shelf life.

Don't get too comfy above .500 - it could be your home for a while... First year the Yanks don't make the playoffs in a while? Would like to see Vegas odds on that baby...

Clemens: Legend of the Fall or Fall of the Legend?

2008-02-18T13:17:00.027-05:00

With apologies to Mr. Pitt, Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Quinn, a new figure has taken over this now infamous movie title. A true legend of the sport has now been tainted forever. He has no one to blame but himself.

Let's take a look at the very basics of this debacle...

The government's witness: Brian McNamee

He's one of the key figures behind the Mitchell Report. He was originally linked to the Mets trainer whom investigators found in their preliminary investigations. Sen. Mitchell and other law enforcement officials found him to be credible. Admissions of guilt by Andy Pettite and Chuck Knoblauch add additional credibility. After the hearings were over, the House Committee also released reports showing McNamee contacted Clemens and Pettite's representatives in an attempt to warn them before the Mitchell Report was released. If he were truly attempting to railroad Clemens, why would he warn him? This also feeds into the theory that McNamee has no motive for lying. If he told the truth, he wouldn't go to jail.

The McNamee doubters have a number of issues. First, he lied about his involvement in a date rape case. He also performed a number of dishonest acts including lying about a PHd, using Clemens likeness in advertisements, and even "stealing" Clemens workout regimen as his own. He also kept needles in a beer can and other items for a number of years and kept them from authorities. He's obviously not the most credible witness and you certainly wouldn't want him dating your daughter.

The bottom line is that the feds consider him to be credible. His story was backed up by at least 2 witnesses. Reports confirm that he tried to warn Clemens. Once Clemens taped their last phone conversation and was clearly throwing him under the bus, it upset McNamee. That's when McNamee introduced the needles he kept as evidence. Being a former policeman, he knew having evidence may come in handy for just such an occassion. That's actually smart, not creepy.
His quote that will be played in infamy: "I told the investigators I injected three people -- two of whom I know confirmed my account. The third is sitting at this table."

Despite being what most consider a sleazy person, he did own up to the responsibility of his actions. He stated his was both wrong and sorry for his affect to the integrity of the sport.

The Nail in the Coffin: Andy Pettite

He turned out to be Clemens worst nightmare. Not only did he backup McNamee's claims of injecting HGH, he also recalled multiple instances where Clemens told him he took steroids. Pettite's wife also recalled her husband's recounts of those instances. His 103 page deposition leaves little doubt about his recollections. Further, he recounts that both Clemens and McNamee BOTH told him about Clemens steroid usage. Clemens also admitted under oath that he thought Pettite was credible.

The Clemens Approach:

Clemens seemed to be undaunted during the entire process. But he may have adopted the George Costanza "it isn't a lie if you believe it" approach. There were many troubling actions and statements made by him.

Why 20+ Congressmen agreed to meet with Clemens in the first place is one issue. It's simply inappropriate. Taking photographs with staffers and providing autographs further muddies the waters. It obviously worked on a few members of the committee.

Clemens never took responsibility for anything. Nothing. Is he that dillusional?

He stated on his 60 Minutes interview (with buddy Mike Wallace) that his attorneys told him not to speak with Mitchell and his investigators. During the hearing he blamed his agents for not telling him they were contacted and saying he was easy to find.

He said Pettite misunderstood him taking HGH for his wife back in 1999 or 2000. But Debbie Clemens was injected in 2003, so that wasn't possible.

Inviting his former nanny to his home before she spoke with investigators raises a huge red flag. They hadn't spoken in 7 years, so why all of a sudden?

He blamed his B-12 shots on his mother, and that he was "trusting to a fault" in retaining McNamee after his trangressions. Couldn't be a lapse in judgement. Nah. He knew exactly who McNamee was and what he was all about.

According to the House Committee Report, when Clemens was first warned by McNamee, his lawyers wanted to know if there was any cash, receipt, or other evidence that could link Clemens to steroids. Why would they ask those specific questions if Clemens has never taken anything? There wouldn't be any evidence if he was clean.

Nannygate:

This had lots of play but really had nothing to do with the case. It was really an attempt for Clemens team to discredit McNamee as a witness. It backfired. Not only did McNamee provide details, it also called into question Clemens asking her to his home after a 7 year gap.

It really doesn't matter if Clemens and Canseco discussed steroids specifically there. They were golf buddies and hung around off the diamond. Canseco called himself the "Chemist" in those days. Clemens family and Nanny stayed at his house that night. They were obviously tight at that time. The subject of steroids most certainly came up.

Elected Officials: Welcome to Palookaville

How embarassing was that collection of buffoons? We can give credit to some, but overall that was a scary selection of folks. Not too bright, unprepared, and some too starry eyed to ask a relevant question. It also seemed that there was a division among Democrats (against Clemens)& Republicans (for Clemens). That is a fundamental flaw... Yikes.

While we can certainly debate the need for the hearing in the first place, Clemens team insisted on having it. Waxman clearly stated he would rather not use the Committee's time on this matter.

Most people had their mind made up before the hearing began. It was painfully clear what some had as opinions especially towards McNamee. Dan Burton from Indiana must have just taken his "Grandstanding 101" class at the local junior college. King of the buffoons.

The Fallout:

Will Clemens go to jail for perjury? That's the million dollar question. It may be a while before we find out. It certainly seems like there will be further investigation. Based on some of the contradictions he's made it seems like a sure thing. Will they be able to convict him of perjury? Good chance.

The investigators from BALCO have also gotten their hands on those needles from McNamee. While that evidence may be tainted and unusable in court, positive tests may cause them to dig deeper.

Clemens should have kept his mouth shut. His legacy has been tainted forever & the damage is unrepairable. He didn't keep his story straight in this forum and it may come back to haunt him.

The one time first ballot Hall of Famer may not get in. He had the opportunity to be the first uninamous first ballot candidate. It's a shame. It also extended that black cloud hanging over an entire era of baseball. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Once opposite ends of the spectrum and now linked forever. Two of the best to ever play the game are the newest entrants to the Hall of Shame...

Schilling's injury a casuality of the business of baseball?

2008-02-11T19:17:00.000-05:00

After Schill's performance in last year's playoffs, this injury comes as a big surprise to most of us. But recent reports surfacing about Schill's MRI at season's end indicate that Sox management knew there was wear and tear but willing to take a risk. We're just learning now that the front office was anticipating a trip on the DL with only an 8-10 win season with 100+ innings pitched. He was a great insurance policy if Wake's health didn't hold up. Now you understand the $8m discounted contract vs. the $13M from last season. Unfortunately, no one knew the apparent extent of the damage and/or disease.

It's a nasty Business...

The nature of the disagreement lies within Schill's upper bicept. His own physician, Dr. Phil Morgan, believes there is disease in his bicept that cannot be reversed without surgery. The Sox doctors feel that rest and rehab is the appropriate course of treatment. The Mets doctor was brought in as a 3rd party but agreed with the Sox more cautious approach. After listening to a very convincing interview with Schill's doc, it sure sounds like he may never pitch again - never mind this season.

Now that Schill has taken his first cortizone shot, we'll know in a couple of weeks if he's still in too much pain to rehab. At that point, surgery becomes his only option and potential recovery at age 41 is unlikely before the season ends. Maybe they could have salvaged the month of September if surgery was addressed back in Jan.

The business of baseball ignores the player. From a business standpoint, the Sox want a return on their $8M investment. They only expected minimal return - but a return nonetheless. Their only business option was to push the rest & rehab option with hopes that he could return in Aug or Sep.

From a fans perspective, it makes you sick that they put the investment ahead of the player. Especially a player that has given body & soul to your franchise already. Schill clearly wanted to follow the advice of his physician of 13 years. Why isn't it his choice in the first place? It's his body. Teams shouldn't be able to void a contract based on a reasonable course of treatment.

That being said, there have also been rumblings that Schill hid his injury & discomfort until the new contract was signed. If true, then you could understand the hardball mentality. But based on his past history and the standards he holds himself to, that's a hard one to believe.

Let's hope we haven't seen the last of Schill in a Sox uni...

The Sox certainly aren't the only offenders in this type of scenario. MLB & the Players Union are the ones to blame. They allow teams to be able to take this kind of approach. It's ugly & should be changed. The conflict of what's best for the organzation vs. the player should not be able to be leveraged in either direction.

Impact to the Sox...
Hopefully Schill will remain with the club and help mentor the younger guys. He's an invaluable resource and will probably make an outstanding pitching coach someday. Why not have his first full season as coach pay him $8M?

The loss of Schill doesn't have a huge impact especially if you count on 8-10 wins somewhere else. The only remaining question mark is the health of Wake. But they have backup in Tavares who pitched well out of the 5 spot last year, Kyle Snyder, David Pauley, and potentially upcoming stud Justin Masterson late in the season.

The Sox original plan was to have Clay Bucholz start the season off in AAA. Having only thrown 140 innings in 2007, they were probably going to start him off slow so he didn't run out of gas late in the year. Apparently he's added 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason and is poised to start in the 4 or 5 hole. Don't be surprised to see them skip a few of his starts during the year to compensate.

Injuries can always bite you but with 4 starters age 27 or under, that is unlikely. Wake may spend some time on the DL, but they have enough depth to cover. Dice-K is now in year 2 and recently confessed last season took a physical toll affecting his 2nd half. He's only getting better. Lester apparently put on more muscle as well, but other clubs already thought he was 2nd to Beckett as the Sox best pitcher at the end of last season.

Sox have a solid 1-2-3 with Wake as your 4 and last season's dominating Bucholz in the 5 spot. They're in great shape. Beckett should be a Cy Young candidate once again. If Dice-K can adjust similar to Beckett's second season, look out. Wow.

Worst case, the Sox still have ample resources to make a deal. But it appears they are more willing to stick with the farm.

A few top shelf 2009 free agent options: CC Sabathia, Kris Benson, Rich Harden, John Lackey, Ben Sheets, Joe Blanton. A lot depends on the standings in July, but the A's may be willing to deal in Spring Training.

Some of the boys have already arrived in Fort Myers. The other good sign? The sun is out when leaving work at 5:00. Spring's almost here...

Santana Claus coming to town?

2008-01-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

The latest word out of Minnesota is that a Santana trade is imminent within the next 10 days.

Will Minnesota continue to be Boston's feeding ground like Ortiz & Garnett? Not likely as Lester has apparently been taken off the table. With Clay Bucholtz also as untouchable, that leaves Ellsbury & minor league pitching for Minnesota to choose from. Word is the Mets have become the favorites.

It really seems like Minnesota's new GM Bill Smith really screwed the pooch on this deal. His gamble to wait for a better deal has backfired (so far) with Boston and the Yanks pulling back their top prospects. Santana's request for upwards of $25M per year over 6 years (ending at age 35) may have increased apprehension as well.

If Smith waits until the All Star break, he could get better offers. However, what happens if the Twins are in the hunt? There's no way you trade him then, but then you lose him to free agency at the end of the season. The Twins simply can't afford (or won't pay) $20M+ per season. It's a tricky proposition at best and the situation may be forcing his hand now. But how does he look taking a package below what was offered earlier?

Who needs Santana the most? How good are their offers?

Mets Rotation

Pedro

Maine

El Duque

Pelfrey/Other

Livan Hernandez (not signed yet)

They also have health questions with Pedro & El Duque...

Proposed Package to Twins

OF Carlos Gomez or Fernando Martinez

SP Mike Pelfry

SP Phillip Humber

It's clear the Mets are the most desperate who currently don't have a solid 5 man rotation. Their current package to Minnesota seems weak in comparison to the Sox & Yanks offers, and it doesn't weaken their current roster. However they might be more motivated to sweeten the pot, but at $25M per season it can't get much sweeter.

Yankees Rotation

Wang

Pettite

Phil Hughes

Ian Kennedy

Mussina

Karstens/Igawa

That's a lot of youngsters in there... How will Pettite react to HGH & will Mussina make it a full season? Will Igawa bounce back from an abysmal year?

Proposed Package to Twins

CF Melky Cabrera

SP Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy

SP Jeff Marquez

another prospect

The Yanks would be creating a hole in their lineup and losing control over a good young arm. Money isn't the issue here, so it comes down to Cashman vs. Hank. The Yanks may NEED to do this deal in order to challenge for the AL East & wildcard. Not sure their rotation scares anyone, especially come playoff time. But holding on to their talent will certainly make them stronger in the long run. So it's try and win now vs. rebuilding the franchise. Poor Jeter. Think he would OK a trade to the Sox to win more rings?

Sox Rotation

Beckett

Dice-K

Schilling

Wake

Lester

Bucholtz

That's six solid starters...

Proposed Package to Twins

SP Lester (now off the table)

CF Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury

SP Justin Masterson

SS Jed Lowrie

The Sox do not need to do this deal. In fact they may be better off standing where they are. In fact, most clubs rated Lester the second best pitcher on the Sox staff at the end of the season. Ellsbury is a star in the making and Gammons thinks Lowrie could be the anchor at SS and be even better than Pedroia. That's not faint praise. Bucholtz is projected to be a #1 stud with just a little more seasoning in the minors (despite his no hitter). So a rotation of Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, and Bucholtz (all 27 and under) will anchor the franchise for years at quite the price. The emergence of starters Masterson (projected late 2008) & Bowden (projected 2009) will be ready to step in once Schill and/or Wake hang em up...

Regardless of what happens, it will be a good season again in Boston. In fact most Sox fans would rather see them do it again without a Santana. The kids are alright!

Only 18 more days until Spring Training!!!

Cheating & the Hall...

2007-12-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

The recent Mitchell report has stirred the debate about cheating & who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and who doesn't.

First, what is considered cheating? Obviously anything that breaks a rule. For pitchers, spitballs, sandpaper or other ways of changing the flight of the ball. For batters, corked bats & too much pine tar come to mind. Most recently, the use of performance enhancing supplements & drugs are in the forefront. Just because MLB & the players association didn't have an agreed upon policy regarding specific enhancements, players knew full well what they were doing was wrong. Not to mention that steroids aren't legal, and obtaining HGH from a dentist isn't exactly above board.

Whether it was curiousity, feeling inadequate, or just wanting to keep your job, it's cheating to take enhancements that aren't allowed. Some old timers like Gaylord Perry insist that players must have ability for these enhancements to work in the first place. He admittedly used corked bats but proclaimed it didn't help because he was a lousy hitter anyway. His point was that enhancements only help if you have enough talent. "It won't help you throw strikes".

He doesn't get it. The point is they had a premeditated thought about using a substance to give them an edge. To what degree it helped or not doesn't matter. The point is they did something wrong intentionally to improve their performance. If you rob a bank and only take $10,000 vs. $500,000 you still go to jail. The amount doesn't matter, it's the act.

Are there different levels of cheating? Can you consider a spitball or corked bat as serious as taking HGH? Cheating is cheating. If you are changing the game at any point, what is the difference? From a pure baseball standpoint, why is one worse than the other? All are against the rules. Is it any different from a moral standpoint? No - because they did it with forethought and intent.

People tend to think steroids & HGH are worse because they are illegal and ultimately harmful to the individual. Hard to disagree. But "greenies" or amphetamines have been around forever, and apparently their use was widespread. They provided an advantage but no one is up in arms about that. Why? No difference.

Recently, a couple of local columnists with Hall of Fame votes were disscussing how things have changed. It was an honor to have a vote in the past, but now that has switched to being a burden. They have now become more than a gatekeeper deciding whose numbers warrant entry. Now they have to determine if someone in fact cheated, and if that cheating should keep them out of the Hall.

It sounds like that type of decision should be made by a committee. Maybe MLB should form one with specific criteria to determine who is eligible & who is not and keep certain players off the ballott. Right now, they rely on the personal viewpoints of sportswriters who have their own agendas and criteria. This should be in place throughout the steroid era.

Respected journalists like Tim Kurkjian want more proof that Bonds willingly took steroids. Others think that certain players had Hall of Fame numbers before they were linked by the Mitchell report and should get in. It's hard to accept those points of view. There was intent and proof of cheating. One of the reasons the Mitchell report has so much weight is that the sources will go to jail if their statements are proven false. There is also corroboration of the facts by at least one other witness. Pettitte pretty much sunk Clemens's ship with his admission. Do you really need a picture of a needle in someone's behind for proof? Look at the size of Bonds head...

Keep your asterisk's in the record books, but out of the Hall. Whatever the reason was for cheating, it should keep you out of the Hall. It shouldn't matter when, especially because we will never truly know the where & when. Just because the Mitchell report shows one timeline doesn't mean there aren't more instances beforehand. Those players should be considered tainted & ineligible.

With only 200+ members of the Hall, it is MLB's responsibility to ensure that only the best of the best get into the Hall. Today's voters have too much power and use their own criteria and prejudice to decide who gets in. There is no accountability for their actions. The process is broken, plain and simple. MLB needs to step up & fix it.

Pete Rose is out for gambling, not altering his performance
Gaylord Perry is in despite cheating, alterting his perfomance
Mark McGuire is out for steroids, altering his performance

Cheating is cheating regardless of the "degree". Perry shouldn't be in, bottom line. He admitted it became part of his craft.

But gambling is worse? At least you can defend it as a disease. Not saying that Rose should get in, but doesn't this seem backwards?

Mitchell Report tarnishes Clemens, Pettite, and Yankee rings...

2007-12-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

More than a dozen Yankees were named in Mitchell's findings with only Bonds being mentioned more often than Clemens. That's quite a statement. But the somewhat surprising news came in the form of Pettite. The other surprise? How many of these guys named were on any of the Yankee World Series teams of the late 90's:

1998: Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Mike Stanton, Darren Holmes

1999: Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Roger Clemens, Mike Stanton, Jason Grimsley, Daniel Naulty

2000: Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Roger Clemens, Mike Stanton, Jason Grimsley, David Justice, Jose Canseco, Glenallen Hill, Denny Neagle

While the timing of their indescretions vary, it still raises an eyebrow. Let's give them a free pass on 98 for arguments sake.

Now add in the fact that Clemens and Pettite use the same trainer, train together in the offseason, and are best buds, well, you do the math. You also have 4 other teammates on the juice as well. Coincidences are starting to pile up.

Even more so in 2000 when 9 teammates were juicing. Coincidence? Sure doesn't look that way. Let's not give Yankee management a free pass on this one either. If you were able to get your hands on internal memos you can bet your bottom dollar they knew most of these guys were juicing. Maybe 1 or 2 guys might slide through the cracks, but 9? Don't think so...

That being said, these Yankee teams were also very talented. The ultimate question is would they still have won if these guys weren't on roids? While no one can say for sure, you have to at least question it now knowing what we know. Two guys in your rotation is enough to raise a red flag, never mind 7 others.

Almost feel bad for the Yankee fans that have been clinging to the only thing they can - those precious rings. Sorry kids, but those rings and the "clean cut" image of the Yankees of yesteryear have been severly damaged. They can't take the rings back, but it doesn't matter. They don't have the same weight as say 2004 or 2007...

For those conspiracy theorists out there, Mitchell does have an interest in the Red Sox. However, he was part of a PANEL that included Federal Investigators and other officials. All of his interviews are documented and were held with other agencies present. If he chose to exclude something from his report, don't you think someone from the panel or other agency would speak up?

Takin care of business...

2007-11-22T10:37:00.000-05:00

With the signings of Schill & Lowell, the Sox were able to reload for 08. Two of the most popular and productive guys are back - and both at a discount to what the market would bear. Can’t say that about any of the Yankees, can you?

They are back only because they want to be here. Schill would have commanded huge dollars on the open market (not to mention an extra year) and Lowell had a guaranteed 4th year and more money from two other teams. Speaks volumes about Boston & their Sox teammates. It’s a great feeling that not just one, but two guys leave money on the table. You almost never find that in professional sports, never mind the same team. That’s a pride you’ll never feel in NY. It’s only about the money in your backyard. How’s that working out by the way?

These signings are also significant to the 2008 squad. The rotation now has 6 viable starters. That gives them a lot of flexibility and also provides protection against injuries. Not sure if Farrell was sincere in talking about using a 6 man rotation, but why not. The Lowell signing was also big in that they retained a gold glove and #5 hitter. It also keeps the farm intact.

What are their needs this offseason?
They really could do nothing and be fine. But it’s almost a guarantee that Coco will be dealt. The amazing part is that the Sox are actually in the drivers seat. When did that happen last?

Pitching is always something they have their eye on, but they may go after a catcher to be the ultimate replacement of Varitek. They also have the luxury of grabbing a top tier prospect who isn’t ready for the show.

They'll also be extending Francona at some point soon, and don't be surprised to see Varitek sign a two year extension.

Bullpen
They are fairly solid again next year. With Papelbon, Okajima, and Delcarmen they have a solid base. Tavares is back, and they will probably make offers to Timlin and Donnelly. You’ve got Craig Hansen and Edgar Martinez on the farm, but don’t be surprised to see the Sox acquire someone in a Coco deal or even sign a Kerry Wood at the right price.

Will they pursue Santana?
No question. However, they will probably have to give up more than they want to. What will the Twins will ask for? How about Bucholtz, Elsbury, Lester, and another top prospect like Craig Hansen. For argument sake, let’s say you can lock up Santana long term for $18-20M per season (he's also looking for 7 years which puts him at age 35). Do you make that deal? Keep in mind that you would have a 1-2 of Beckett and Santana, followed by Dice-K, Schill, and Wake. Formidable to say the least. If you can replace Elsbury with Coco, even better.

The downside is that you have created a hole for your 2009 squad in the #4 & #5 starter positions. You’ve also relinquished control over 2 young arms as well as the financial benefit of their low salaries. That’s gold in today’s standards. What it comes down to is how you can fill those voids. Maybe there are guys within the system like Masterson who may be ready by then. But at the end of the day, how many GM’s would love to have the problem of only finding two back of the rotation guys? You’ll pay a premium for mediocrity, but that’s all you need back there anyway.

Pull the trigger?
You may be crazy not to. You never know what can happen. Cleveland’s top two starters only stand to get better, and meeting them in the playoffs next year could yield different results. Although Bucholtz tossed a no hitter, there’s no guarantee he’s a #1 stud. Lester will be a good major league pitcher. But Santana is a proven #1 stud over multiple seasons. Keeping him out of the Bronx would make the Yanks weaker as well. Sometimes we become too enamored with our own prospects, but at the end of the day are only prospects - despite our emotional connection. Can you imagine a two headed monster of Beckett/Santana? Let’s hope Theo can…

A-Rod signing secures 10 more years of Playoff futility in NY...

2007-11-17T18:53:00.000-05:00

Yup, that’s right Yanks fans, you just landed your future 42 year old DH. You are now living the nightmare that some Sox fans thought they would be enduring, so congratulations from Red Sox Nation!

A-Rod decided to crawl back to the Bronx after the marketplace crumbled under the weight of Boras’s latest inflated price. With only a handful of teams ABLE to meet the financial burden, none were biting. He's barely earning more that the contract he opted out of. It's actually less over the next few years. That speaks volumes.

If he really wanted to be a Yankee, he wouldn't have opted out of his contract in the first place. The reasons he provided for his return are laughable. His family is welcome & comfortable? Let’s not forget the NY tabloids and his wife’s famous expletive t-shirt. But Yankee fans are savvy enough to recognize when they’re being BS’d. Otherwise you’re traveling on the biggest river in the Middle East & Africa (denial - get it). Sorry, it's the offseason...

What you see is what you get...

You’ll get your solid numbers in the regular season for maybe 6 or 7 years, but 10? Doubtful. Even with a guy that doesn't have a history of injuries, there are few in history productive at 38 & 39 - especially at that pricetag.

The biggest fear of Sox fans was to have this guy join the Sox and then proceed to kill the chemistry in the clubhouse & disappear in the playoffs. He can’t seem to handle the pressure or big moments, plain and simple. There are too many examples of him slapping balls & yelling "I got it". It would have been really tough for some of us to root for this guy. But now we don't have to. Sweet.

So how long will it be before A-Rod is playing first? Or will he be fighting Jeter for that honor in 5 or 6 years? Regardless, the "new" Yanks management has just slung an albatross across their backs. A 10 year deal is risky for a 25 yr old, never mind a 32 year old. It's only a matter of when it hurts them, not if. The Yanks motto of spend for all-stars on the back side of their careers continue. They can obviously afford to do so, but how's that been working out?

Well, enjoy Yanks fans. It's all A-Rod for a good long time...

Signing a 10 year deal for a 32 year old? Dumb.

You'll be disappointed until 2018. Classic.

Another 10 years without a ring. Priceless.

Sox Sweep 2nd World Series in 4 Years!

2007-10-30T22:09:00.000-04:00

In impressive style, the Sox rolled off 7 straight playoff wins to take home the trophy. They not only survived but dominated each of the 3 elimination games against the Indians. Contributions came from every position. It's the first time in a while that the team with the best regular season record won the World Series.

Most people are pointing to the 8 day layoff for the Rockies leading to their downfall. But if you look at their stats during the ALDS & ALCS they weren't impressive. They had solid pitching against poor lineups. The Sox dominated them in every category.

World Series & Playoff Records - a few of the many...
Biggest run differential ever in WS – 29-10 (19 runs)
Greatest run differential in playoffs – 99-46 (53 runs)
7 game win streak – outscored opponents by astounding 59-15
Second highest BA ever in WS

Only mananger to win 8 straight WS games

Best stat from the Playoffs? Dice-K batted 1 for 1 with RISP with 2 RBI - while A-Rod is 0-21 and only 1 RBI in the last 3+ seasons...

Free Agents

The playoffs were redemption time for both JD Drew and Julio Lugo. Both had sub-par regular seasons but really stepped it up when it counted. You can't put a pricetag on that - just ask A-Rod. It's safe to say that their performances in the post season wiped out any poor performances during the regular season. Expect good things from these guys next season.

The Kids are alright...

We almost forget that Pedroia is a rookie because he performed all season. What a weapon the newest Dirt Dog will be now with playoff success under his belt. Ellsbury is going to be a star. Would he have been the first "rookie" to ever have won the World Series MVP the season BEFORE? (his status for next season will be a rookie) - Almost happened... Jon Lester looked really good in his first ever playoff start. He'll have nothing but confidence coming in next year bundled with a full offseason of conditioning. Delcarmen had a great season and should take the 7th inning role. Could be the most dominant bullpen in the majors next season.

Japanese Connection:

Dice-K & Okajima are also rookies. Just think about the cultural and baseball operational differences they encountered. Their diet is drastically different, not to mention finding appetizing food. Can you imagine needing a third person just to communicate every day? Now imagine yourself being dropped off in downtown Tokyo with no english signs anywhere. Now think about that happening each time you are on a road trip. You have trained your entire career to pitch every 6th day and now you are required to every 5th day. The extent of your road trips was confined to a ride on a bullett train and now you travel in a cramped airliner for 6 hours and subjected to time zone changes. Now that is an adjustment. Amazing how well they performed with all of those distractions. They'll be even better next season now that they know the routine.

Might be gone:

Mike Lowell - don't let Yanks get chance to bid on him. And we don't want A-Rod (see clubhouse, playoffs). 3rd option is Youkie & trade Crisp for a 1B

Schilling - Sox can afford the risk at $13M but they may not. Unfortunately may come down to him or Wake.

Wake - Will injuries force him to hang it up or will he give it another shot? Sox would be willing...

Mirabelli - actually may be expendable even if Wake stays...

Timlin - might be time to hang em up, but worth a shot for 1 more season

Tavares - good insurance policy, might want to be a starter elsewhere

Kielty - WS hero to be replaced with Kapler?

Sayonara Division:

Eric Gagne we hardly knew ye. Despite his #'s he enabled Okajima to get rest down the stretch.

Coco Crisp - Ellsbury dazzled the masses. We'll miss his defense. Never fully developed his bat.

Javier Lopez - cheap, but not reliable down the stretch

Pound Sand Division:

To all of you Yankee fans who proclaimed the Sox wouldn't win for another 86 years... Pound Sand & get a new slogan. We like the Sox to break the goals you set for them. Thanks.

Yankee Reaction:

Don't look now Yankee fans, but the "younger" Steinbrenners are wackier than the old man. So far in the media they have shown to be bitter, arrogant, and frankly dumb. Whatever quote they published about not dealing with A-Rod is just bad business. "Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking again." Thanks Vito!

Hank Steinbrenner (Sr. VP) didn't congratulate the Sox like Georgie did. He proclaimed; "The Red Sox can have their Nation. The Yankees have the universe." The universe of second place? One & done? Being dilusional is not a good trait for management. Kicking Torre out the door was their biggest mistake. They just let the glue (or what was left of it) of the franchise walk away after 12 years of outstanding service for $3M. $3M. That figure will haunt you for years. Perhaps 87 or so...

Congrats to the Sox & all of you lucky Jordan Furniture winners!!! Enjoy your offseason!

Full Throttle at Fenway!

2007-10-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

Wow. What an amazing start for the Sox. Welcome to Fenway you Colorado Rockies!

Beckett is close to unbeatable. In 30 post season innings, he has 35K’s and only 2 walks with a 1.20 ERA. Legendary stuff. This is history in the making - so make sure you’re soaking it all in. If he pitches again he could be the first pitcher to win 5 post season games in a season – EVER. Only 2 guys in post season HISTORY have a better ERA with at least 70 innings pitched. Simply amazing.

Guess you can say the layoff had some effect on the Rockies. The Sox essentially opened up a can of whoop ass. The formula for success in game 1 was to have a dominating Beckett (almost automatic now) and to get some early runs. This would keep the upstart Rockies on their heels. From Beckett striking out the first 4 batters to Pedroia’s lead-off homer, they executed the plan perfectly. The Rockies had no chance.

As good as the Rockies were playing, the Sox are on their own roll after dominating the Indians 30-5 in a 3 game stretch. This patient and relentless lineup is on pace to scorch the record books. They broke numerous World Series and postseason offensive records last night:
- Only team to score double digits in 3 straight postseason games
- Most runs ever scored in WS Game 1
- Largest margin of victory in any WS Game
- Tied most extra base hits in any WS Game (by the 5th inning!)
- Pedroia is only 2nd batter to lead off WS Game 1 with a HR (never mind rookie)
- With 2 outs: they went thru their entire lineup – 9 hitters – who all reached base in the 5th
What kind of company is this team in? How about the 1927 & 1936 Yankees, the Big Red Machine of Cincinnati, and even the 2004 edition of the Sox. For those of you concerned about this offense before the playoffs started, they could NOW be considered the best ever in the postseason. Staggering. Didn’t realize it was happening? Us either…

While all this history is happening right in front of you, it is only Game 1. The Rockies have to be rattled after that display. A message was definitely sent. Fenway was much more than anticipated. That feeling of invincibility has to be shaken to the core. It doesn’t mean they’re done by any means, but we’ll see how they respond and if it will be in time.

It’s going to be a tough road tonight for the Rockies especially with Schilling going against rookie Ubaldo Jimenez. Schilling was made for this. He lives for the big stage. Even if he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’ll be able to keep the Sox in it for 5 or 6 innings. Jimenez has a plus fastball in the high 90’s but also walks guys and throws a lot of pitches. He has trouble getting past 6 innings – and that’s been in the NL with a pitcher in the lineup. Look for a patient Sox lineup to grind him early. After watching last night’s display, he’s probably worried about making any mistakes. Add in a 12 day layoff, and it could be a short outing for their starter and another long outing for the pen.

Soak it all in folks. History is unfolding in front of you. Remember too that this could be Schilling’s last performance in a Sox uniform. He most likely won’t disappoint. If things go really well, this may be the Sox last home game of the season. So, if you have tickets – really Enjoy the Moment. Feel free to contact us if you have extras!!!

GO SOX!!

ALCS Champs take on Rockies...

2007-10-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

Sox kick off their second World Series in 4 seasons after 3 impressive come from behind wins over the Tribe. When their backs were against the wall, they rose to the occasion. Beckett was masterful and guys up and down the lineup contributed. You know things are going your way when JD Drew crushes a grand slam to deep center. Fenway was absolutely electric and the Indians felt the pressure. Sox pitching kept them at bay allowing only 5 runs over the last 3 games. That’s very impressive considering each game was an elimination game.

Rock & Roll
Speaking of impressive, their World Series opponent is no slouch. The Rockies are absolutely rolling. Having won 21 of their last 22, and 14 of 15 just to get into the playoffs, this squad of “no-names” looks unstoppable. They’ll be looking to join the 2003 Marlins & 1987 Twins as the no-name teams that came out of nowhere.

Rockies Strengths
They are on an unprecedented & historic roll: 21-1
Confidence – they think they are a team of destiny
Holliday is one of the best players in the league
Formidable lineup – hit .280 during season, 4 guys with 24+ HR
Defense is outstanding
Pitching has been best in majors in 2nd half
Coors Field advantage – breaking balls staying flat & no DH in Sox lineup

Can the Rockies win the Series?
Absolutely. It’s going to take quite an effort to stop a team on that much of a roll. They have some great young talent and Holliday is an MVP candidate. The key to September is always pitching and they’ve been getting it. Their defense has been stellar and they don’t give teams second chances. Coors Field gives them a distinct advantage because the Sox can’t use a DH. Youkilis & Lowell have been huge and one will have to sit. There is also the psychological advantage of the thin air and breaking balls staying flat.

What can hurt the Rockies?
Starters: Despite their incredible roll, their competition hasn’t exactly been formidable. Facing Tony Clark as a clean-up hitter? They haven’t faced a deep lineup that will grind the count quite like the Sox. Only one of their starters has averaged more than 6 IP.
The 8 day layoff: Just ask last years Tigers team (6 day layoff) who lost to a clearly inferior Cardinals team with barely a .500 record during the season.
Josh Beckett: Recent performances combined with an 8 day layoff, it may seem like he’s pitching 200 miles an hour. Colorado confidence killer.
Fenway: October is nothing like June. As ready as they think they are, it’s a different animal. Ask Cleveland. The monkey is gone & you can feel it.
Vegas: They are 2-1 dogs. The folks in the desert tend to know a lot more than we do.

Game 1 is Pivotal
The Rockies are riding high but have had a long layoff. If Beckett is anywhere close to his recent performances, the Rockies hitters wouldn’t stand much of a chance anyway. It doesn’t matter how many “simulated” games you play. You need the real deal to remain sharp especially at the level the Sox have been playing at. If the Sox win game 1, that Rockies confidence is now shaken. The thought about the long layoff will be on their minds. Doubt in a Fenway Playoff environment spells doom.
If the Rockies manage to steal game 1, the confidence grows and puts huge pressure on Boston. Now 3 games in Colorado are daunting and game 2 becomes a must win.

Outcome
This will more than likely be a long series but the Sox should win for the same reason they did against the Indians – more pitching depth. While you can’t ever say Beckett is a virtual lock, you can surmise he’ll win games 1 & 5. That means the Sox only need to win one of games 2-3-4 to bring the series back to Boston 3-2. If this was anyone other than a 21-1 rolling team, the Sox would win hands down. Look for Colorado to be tough and hang around – but that all hinges on their pitching. Game 7 is a real possibility if they pitch well – especially at home. Expect the team with more experience and guile to pull thru. We could be looking at 2 banners in four years kids!

Good Luck Boys!

Go SOX!

Yanks can't overcome limp Wang, go down 3-1 to Indians...

2007-10-09T22:34:00.000-04:00

Yup, the playoffs are over kids. Again.

No ALCS to blow. No division crown. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200M dollars...

That's 3 straight one and done. Wow.

Yeah, gotta be the bugs...

While the division crown is a nice cherry on top, the Sox haven't gotten to the sundae yet. We here in Boston don't care about the division. Just ask those Braves or even closer to home, our Bruins. But actually, we can ask you how that's worked out!

So what happened - this time?

Yanks couldn't overcome their lack of pitching depth:

Wang - ERA near 20, so much for a #1 guy
Jaba the Hut - couple of bugs, wild pitches, and ERA near 5
Clemens - repeat of Houston injury in playoffs, all done...

Yanks couldn't hit their way out of a paper bag:

Jeter - captain clutch only hit .176 and into 3 DP's
A-Rod - soon to be $30M man, only 4-15, 1 RBI
Posada and Matsui were invisible...

* * *

In case you haven't noticed Yankee fans, the Dynasty is O-V-E-R. Not that it really hasn't been for a while. How long has it been since there was a parade in NY? Oh yeah, a while...

The Torre effect...

According to the Boss, he's already gone. Maybe the younger Steinbrenners are attempting to talk him out of it. If he does go, it's one of the worst calls the Yanks could make - and not just in the short term. It will be an easy call for guys on the fence about staying in NY.

Posada - Let's see, contend with the Mets or tutor 4 young starters?
Rivera - has basically said he pitched his last game as a Yankee
Pettite - no Roger, no Torre, no dice. Who wouldn't pay him more than his option?

Big Decisions:

A-Rod - yeah, like Boras won't let him opt out. Will Yanks fork over $30M+ per season?
Abreu - pick up that $16M option? Go after Andruw Jones or Torii Hunter instead?
Johan Santana - who would the Twins take in return? Do they trade Melky & Kennedy?
DH - will you be booing Bonds or welcoming him?
Closer - how about Gagne? Or should we say "Gag"-ne?
Bullpen - no Mariano, no dice. Absolute shambles. Playoffs are bye-bye...

Albatross Division:

Damon - injuries finally caught up. How happy will he be as #4 OF?
Giambi - turns 37. He's not aging like a fine wine...
Mussina - will be replaced by Kennedy in May the latest, may even retire

Misc:

New manager - never measure up to Torre, could get ugly in 2008
Free agents - who wants to play under a huge microscope for a struggling team?

So enjoy your offseason!!!

You may want to ask Santa for some golf clubs & lessons this holiday season. How else will you fill your days when your rebuilding team is in the crapper?

Sox Win Wilcard!!!

2007-09-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

Well it certainly feels that way to many in Red Sox Nation... It’s been a “what-the-hell are they doing” frustrating week for fans.

If actions speak louder than words, it appears this team is content to back into the playoffs. With a magic number of 3 over the Tigers, it's a virtual lock. Why? The Tigers will lose at least three more...

The Sox are obviously more concerned with surviving in the playoffs than capturing the AL East crown or getting home field. Okajima has been shut down, Crisp and Youkilis have been kept out of the lineup, Manny is nowhere to be seen, and they are giving starters extra days rest to line them up for the playoffs. Francona also admitted to leaving Gagne in too long - which cost them the game. He needed to know if he'd be useful in Oct. Until he starts throwing his change effectively he won't be. Apparently Francona will give him every opportunity...

This has all been compounded by the team not playing well. Without 3 regulars in the lineup they've been struggling to score runs. The bright spot is that the starters have been performing - which is the real key in Oct.

All that being said, the Sox are still in the drivers seat. As poor as they have played recently, they still sit 1 1/2 games up. The ChiSox had a similar struggle down the stretch two years ago - and how did that work out for them? As fans we still expect an AL East crown. Remember too that the Yanks will soon clinch a playoff birth and will rest their starters and regulars. So there won't be a dramatic fight to the finish - especially with starters soon to be throwing 80 pitches per start and having the kids come out of the pen. And as many of you Yanks fans can attest, winning the Division crown doesn't mean a World Series (not for the last 6 season anyway). It's all about late Oct...

Yanks sneak 2 of 3 out of Fenway...

2007-09-17T21:35:00.000-04:00

The Sox just couldn't put the hammer down. Fri was a gimme. Okajima & Papelbon having a meltdown is one thing, but both in the same game? Never happening again. Give the Yanks some credit for pulling it out, but they're playing with their backs against the wall.

Sat? Hah...

Sun? Another classic. Just when you thought there wasn't possibly more drama left, it comes again. Hats off to the ailing Jeter - who connected on one of Schill's few mistakes in what was a gem. Joba was finally human, and Mariano almost blew a big one for the Yanks. We heard the collective sigh all the way from the Bronx when Papi flew out with the bases loaded. It would have been justice for Fri. We know you were sweating it...

Hang on Yanks fans, Detroit is a comin quickly... They managed to hold them off in this series, but watch out.

Why?

Blame Shelly Duncan for the Karma. See the inscription before his "autograph"? What a classless piece of crap. He really showed that 10 yr old Sox fan looking for an autograph. Whoo! You got em!

What's next Shelly? Will you kick a cripple? Punch a blind woman? Kill a baby bird?

You are a DISGRACE to any uniform. To even THINK of actually doing something like that is ridiculous never mind doing it.

So when the Yanks don't make the playoffs, send Shelly a nice note...

Sox giftwrap series sweep...

2007-08-30T16:04:00.000-04:00

Christmas came early this year to the Bronx as the Sox hand over three games. Apparently the Sox left their offense back in Chicago. Despite the loss of Manny, what an awful performance. At least starting pitching held its ground - other than a Damon blooper...

Hats off to the Yanks starters who pitched well enough to win. Let's not get ahead of ourselves Yanks fans - they weren't dominant by any means. With 4+ walks given up by Wang & Clemens, it was the Sox inept bats that are the cause. Your sluggers didn't exactly light up the sky either.

For those of you thinking the Yanks would sweep after this past series, raise your hand... Yeah right. So you must have based that on the 16-0 trouncing in Detroit and the Sox lighting things up in Chicago. Riiiight...

Well, enjoy it while it lasts. It won't last too long - as we've seen all season. You're still down 5 games and you have Seattle coming up. By the way, who is pitching for Mussina these days?

Think the next meeting will be more significant than this one? Try & hold your breath that long... Dare ya...

These aren't "Your Daddy's" Yankees...

2007-08-27T23:18:00.000-04:00

Hee hee. After climbing back to within 4 games of the AL East lead, the Yanks have fallen back to 8. On the eve of what could have been their biggest series of the season they get trounced by the Tigers 16 - 0. Not exactly a momentum builder. After playing .700 ball for the beginning of the second half, the Yanks have lost 5 of their last 7 at the worst possible time. It also looks like Mussina just pitched himself out of the starting rotation.

Doesn't feel like 1978 all over again? The Yanks finally fell victim to a tougher schedule. Even though they've still managed a 29-16 record since the break, the Sox have been almost as good at 26-17. So those thoughts of catching the Sox are all but dead. Oh, and with Matsuzaka, Beckett, and Schill all pitching this series, kiss your sweep dreams bye-bye. In fact the Sox should take at least 2 if not all 3. It's time to hit the gas petal and leave the Yanks in the dust. The Sox are playing with a ton of confidence and are comfortably in the drivers seat.

We here at Red Sox Nation can sleep soundly until the playoffs start. Our Sox are in. The Yanks have to struggle the rest of the way just to keep up with the Mariners. They've also let Detroit crawl back to within a game in the wild card. The entire rotation has been slipping. When did Wang's Era pop up to almost 4? Clemens has been pedestrian, and Hughes has only been an average #5 guy. Now with Mussina on the outs, who steps up? Torre may have to leave him in there. Too bad Wells is in LA, huh?

Is that the sound of the Yanks coming? Nah...

Even with the herculean effort expended (until last week), they're still in rough shape. Looks like the tease of 2007 has just about ended for you Yanks fans. With only 30 games left, their biggest series could be with Seattle.

Good luck with the whole wild card thing. We'll be waiting at Fenway, if you make it that far.

The Yanks are Coming! The Yanks are Coming!

2007-08-13T21:57:00.000-04:00

Thats right folks, the Yanks are actually making a race out of this season. And panic has officially set in throughout Sox Nation. Well, at least part of it after GaG-me's performance over the weekend...

Your 43 - 43 Yanks at the break have been feasting on sub par teams to the tune of 23 - 8 since the break. They have been an absolute hitting machine.

However, pitching isn't much improved over the first half. Surprised? It sure seems like it has but the numbers don't lie. Before the break, the team Era stood at 4.36 - while since the break it's been 4.25. What does that tell you? They've been hitting and scoring runs against lesser pitching opponents.

Curiously, the Yanks traded away one of their most reliable relievers in Proctor & picked up a utility infielder. They are also going against their past history, relying on young pitching to take them down the stretch and into the playoffs. Based on years of playoffs, you'd think this is a recipe for disaster. Heck, the Sox teams of the 70's & 80's were built the same way & where did that get them?

The Yanks finally begin a tough stretch of schedule. Although, if their sweep of the Indians over the weekend is any indicator, they'll still be standing at the end of the month. Nevertheless, we'll all know how good this Yankee team really is in another couple of weeks.

Despite the bullpen blowing two very winnable games this weekend, the Sox starters are getting the job done. That's what really counts this time of year. It looks like Schilling is back to old form and it looks like we'll get a look at the phenom Buckholtz at the double header later in the week (don't be shocked to see him replace Lester). The bullpen will straighten itself out with or without Gagne, but he can't be worse than what we've seen already. And despite perception, this offense is 3rd in runs scored and 2nd post all star break. So those of you still pining for Jermaine Dye, he's not as needed as you think.

The lead is still 4 games, and the Yanks really can't play much better than they have been. In turn, the Sox won't struggle as much as they have been either. Look for the Sox to build the lead back up to a more comfortable level before facing them on the 28th...

Hey you, off the ledge!!!

Second Half kicks off...

2007-07-12T11:53:00.000-04:00

It's was a solid first half for the Sox despite their average June. The good news is that pitching is the strongest it's been in a long time, despite the shoulder injury to Schill. His replacement in Gabbard has been OK and Lester (just pitched a 2H CG) still awaits a call-up. Manny Delcarmen is starting to emerge as their 7th / 8th inning guy, and they boast the third best ERA in the MAJORS. Guess what wins in Oct? While batting seems to be an issue, they still rank in the top 5 of runs per game. Crisp seems to be out of his funk, JD Drew is showing some life finally, but Lugo remains awful. Manny has always been a second half guy, and lets hope Ortiz can survive the nagging leg injuries.

The Yanks have had their worst half of baseball since the early 90's. There was way too much off field nonsense surrounding this team as well. Giambi, Stray-Rod, F-Rod (classic), was all just embarassing for the once mighty bombers. The NY papers haven't been kind, and many columnists have already printed their obituary. No argument here...

If not for A-Rod's amazing statistical season, they'd be much further under .500. Other than Jeter and Posada, none of the regulars are hitting over .275. Pitching has been an issue all season. Outside of Wang and the most recent performances of Clemens, it's been horrible. Pettite has been terrible of late and Mussina still has an Era hovering in the high 4's. It doesn't really matter who is in the 5 spot at this point.

It's true the Yanks have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the second half. But guess who has the easiest? The Sox. They only have 30 games against teams over .500, with the Yanks having 33. Heck, the Sox only played doormat Tampa Bay 4 times, with 15 to go...

Trading deadline? Not much going on for either squad. Even if the Yanks really turn it on quickly, who would they get? Is Cashman willing to sacrifice his youth for a shot at the wildcard? Gagne isn't enough. What starter is avaliable? The Sox will probably dabble in a few minor league deals or just unload Wily Mo.

So it begins... The Yanks try once again to reach the .500 plateau... See you in late Aug boys...

Burning down the House (that Ruth built)...

2007-07-02T10:07:00.000-04:00

Things are getting just plain strange in the Bronx. The reeling Yanks and their bullpen have now resorted to lighting the stadium on fire. Well, at least one of their relievers has.

Scott Proctor literally lit his equipment on fire outside of the Yankee dugout after his 4th straight poor outing. Torre has commented that he doesn't know what to expect from his pen and Guidry thinks they are just "dead tired". Proctor himself stated; "I wouldn't trust myself right now the way I am throwing". "It's pretty pathetic."

The Yanks have fallen 4 games back under .500 and into 3rd place. It's July now and it doesn't look good despite the cream puff schedule after the break.

Just ask Posada. "I'm not talking about unlucky; luck comes when you go after it". And it seems like at times we just go through the motions and today was one of those cases. That's the way it is, I think everybody knows what I'm talking about." Apparently we're not the only ones that think most of the Yanks have already mailed it in.

Or how about NY Daily News Bill Madden? His latest column "Pity the pinstripes -
Future looks even worse than present" pretty much says it all. Wow!(http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/07/01/2007-07-01_pity_the_pinstripes.html) Not only is he talking about this year, but also 2008 & 2009. This guy should be writing in Boston. It's a harsh look at reality if you're a Yanks fan. He chronicles failure at every level of the organization and how it will extend into the near future. Apparently 1965 was a bleak time for your Bombers, and it appears history is about to repeat itself.

Just plain embarassing for such a proud franchise. We almost feel bad for you...

Interleague finally comes to an end...

2007-06-26T12:02:00.001-04:00

Although if you're an AL team (other than ChiSox, O's, or D-Rays) you're sad to see it go. Only those three teams has a losing record vs. the NL. If not for the ChiSox 4-14 record, the AL margin of victory would have been much higher than .544...

There are many flaws within the interleague system with the biggest being the DH. Do we really want to see pitchers hitting? With what appears to be a significant NL advantage, at least the records say differently. But that may also point to the AL as having more overall talent. The second biggest problem is the "natural" rivals. Outside of a handful of examples; Mets-Yanks, Cubs-ChiSox, etc, there aren't many compelling match-ups. For example, Red Sox fans don't want to see the Braves anymore.

These match-ups also allow for an unbalanced schedule. It really becomes a big deal when a division or playoff spot is decided by a game or two. What if you play a team that grinds out each win and wears you down, and your rival plays a cream puff and allows the pen to get rest? While it's great to play a team you never get to see, it just feels broken. Stick to Division A vs Division B and be done with it. MLB has failed at creating new rivalries - they have to create themselves.

Change the system boys. It's time...

Rocket crashes Yanks back to .500...

2007-06-21T19:15:00.000-04:00

The savior isn't living up to his namesake just yet... The mighty Rocket can't play the role of stopper and prevent the sweep. Off to a 1-2 record with a 4.86 ERA isn't exactly what you bargained for? Nice crash Roger...

It's been a quiet a few days now that the Yanks "recharged" offense has sputtered to 5 runs over 3 games. Isn't Colorado the home of home runs? What an embarassing performance. Looks like that big push to get back in the AL East race is back to a goof. Must be frustrating to reel off 9 straight and then serve up a 3 game sweep.

It's back to status quo for the 2007 bombers - dancing near the .500 mark and double digits behind the leader. But don't worry Yanks fans, they'll put toghether a win streak here or there just enough to keep you interested. Then they'll tank it once you're riding high.

By the way, ESPN is taking shots at your team. Great front page & article on the woes of Pavano. Ouch...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=pavano

Enjoy the rest of 2007...

Bonds makes his way thru Fenway.

2007-06-18T15:12:00.000-04:00

The Barry Bonds home run tour finally made its way thru the fens. He was greeted with the same boos he’s been hearing at every other ballpark except of course, his home stadium. Not to mention some creative signs. The asterisks are the way to go…

He wasn’t able to do much damage although he went 3 for 9, with 3 walks, and of course, a HR. He hit number 748 off Wakefield and could surpass Aaron before the trading deadline.

Until then we’ll have the shameless ESPN nightly Bonds watch. Now, you can’t blame ESPN for being a ratings whore in this situation, but it doesn’t mean we have to like it. At least they cancelled “Bonds on Bonds”.

The good news (not really “good”)
The road to 22 homers is almost two thirds of the way there. As of mid June, Bonds is averaging a home run a little over 4 games. Using strictly math, Bonds is on pace to hit 38, and his record breaking homer should happen late during game #92 on July 18th vs. the Cubs. At 41, even Teddy Ballgame only hit 29 homers. Point is at least it will be OVER sooner rather than later!!!

When will it really happen?
His actual trend is to hit homers in bunches and then have a drought when he hits none. There’s also the argument about WHERE he will hit it. Most people think that there is no way he’ll hit it away from home. Some others think he’s just brazen enough to hit it regardless of where he is. Best guess is during the home series from July 23rd thru July 29th. After that, try Aug 6th thru Aug 12th… (That is - barring any injury or positive test)

Why don’t we like this guy?
ME, ME, ME. He’s standoffish, antagonistic, and is basically a selfish jerk. He knowingly used steroids, denied knowledge of what the cream & clear was, and proceeded to throw his long time friend under the bus to save his own skin. Many believe that he was driven by the bright light that shined on McGuire & Sosa during the epic HR race. This situation is entirely self-created. Barry Bonds is a one way street. How appropriate was the name of his ESPN documentary/reality debacle “Bonds on Bonds”? He’s just not likeable. All this without mention of his moral & legal transgressions…

It’s just a shame
Bonds would easily have made the Hall without steroids. His numbers were outstanding prior to the cream & the clear. Didn’t notice your hat size growing?
Americans love when records are broken – especially the landmark ones. The most revered record in all of sports is about to be captured by a cheater. That’s the bottom line. It’s tarnished even more so due to his despicable character. Will the record ever be the same, say if someone like A-Rod eclipses it? Only time will tell, but it may be tarnished for good.

Yankees Reach .500! The Yankees Reach .500!

2007-06-12T23:48:00.000-04:00

Woo hoo!!! Clear the streets, and get ready for the parade! Ticker tape for everyone!

Congrats Yankee fans, your team has officially reached mediocrity - and it took 7 straight to get there. They finally beat a real team. Good for you. Looks like Abreu just found the HGH in Giambi's locker. Or is Posada finally sharing?

Now the pressure is on to stay above .500. Can they do it? You may have to wait until the Mets series is over. But with 10 games upcoming with Oak, Minn, and the Angels don't count on it.

Clemens get his first real test on Fri. We'll shut the site down for a week if he finishes 6 full innings.

Rocket re-launch brings hope...

2007-06-11T11:07:00.001-04:00

Yanks find themselves rolling for the first time all season. Their new super savior in Clemens has arrived, fatigued groin and all, and still managed to get them a win. Optimism is alive and sprouting for the moment in NY.

While six straight is nice in the short run, let’s take a peek against the competition shall we? The struggling ChiSox are in the midst of a 3-12 slump. The Pirates, perennial doormats, have gone 4-10. After all this success, the Yanks still haven’t been able to peek above .500. Must be difficult to take.

Clemens did pitch relatively well, but who doesn’t against the AAA Pirates at home. He wasn’t horrible his first time back, but he did have 80+ pitches after 4. He’s going to give you a consistent 5+ innings most nights. While that’s an upgrade over the guys they’ve been trotting out there, it still leaves a hole in the pen, and questions about his physical breakdowns will continue to linger.

According to Torre, “Roger doesn't have to be Superman, just Reliable Man”. OK Joe. Let’s see how he stacks up against the Mets in round 2. Probably more like “Rubber Man” with that hammy… Maybe we’ll see some t-shirts in the house?

Yanks limp into Fenway, with "discreet" A-Rod in tow...

2007-05-31T12:32:00.000-04:00

Yanks arrive at the Fens with their tails between their legs. They were swept at home and then lost 2 of 3 vs. Toronto dropping them 7 games under .500, 13 ½ back of the Sox, and into last place with the lowly Rays. The ultimate sign of their current state is to hold their $28M man back and not pitch against their bitter rivals. Maybe they should wear yellow uniforms this weekend…

Once again they have the dream of sweep on their minds, but they are in worse position now than the last series. It’s become a must win 3 series to even think about saving their season. Even then, the lead is double digits, they’re still 4 games under .500, and they don’t play the Sox again until late August.

Don’t expect the Sox to just roll over - especially with a pissed off Schill and laser-hot Beckett. Wake is due for a win against them as well. How about a Sox sweep? 16 ½ games is a hole they’ll never climb out of. Steinbrenner will blow a gasket with Torre & Cashman breaking out their golf bags.

Will someone out there try and get this definition to A-Fraud who continues to make new “friends” throughout the league:

dis·creet (adjective)
Marked by, exercising, or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior; circumspect
Free from ostentation or pretension; modest.

Try adding it to your vocabulary dumb ass. Better yet, let’s hand out t-shirts with that definition on them in BRIGHT ORANGE letters - before each game this weekend…

Forgetting his off field nonsense, his true colors come shining thru once again. Late in a game vs. Toronto, the fraud was running between short and third during a 2 out pop-up. Reportedly he shouted “Mine” while running between the two infielders. And the ball dropped between them because they both backed off. Once again he resorted to a bush league play to try and help his team win.

Not dirty you say? Part of the game? Bull. You can make the argument that fans or players screaming while a player is at bat shouldn’t affect them. True. The same doesn’t apply in the field. When two players are going after the same ball there are many factors at work. One guy might have a better vantage point or even trying to avoid injury. Fans aren’t close enough to affect those types of plays. It’s one of baseball’s unwritten laws. Why do you think Toronto was so pissed off?

Off field issues aside, A-Fraud is a piece of crap. Wonder why so many players hate the guy? The picture is becoming clearer. The Arroyo slap, the Pedroia elbow, the Toronto shout, and his overall sense of entitlement. Jeez, what’s next? Will he pull a Tyson? Hopefully he’ll “Fade into Bolivian” too…

Embarrassment grows to new heights in NY...

2007-05-30T12:06:00.001-04:00

It’s an understatement to say the Yanks are reeling. Even after Torre’s recent team meeting, they’re still imploding. It’s inexcusable to lose when someone steals home especially on a vet like Pettite. Just Pathetic. Or maybe it’s that dominant Blue Jays starting staff? Nah…
For all of you Yankee season ticket holders, paper bags are now on sale. Scissors to cut out eye holes not included. Check out www.BrownBagsForOverpricedHacks.com. Plenty of room to write in a funny saying or even that 14 ½ game deficit! Get a 10% discount if you mention the Unknown Comic sent you…

Why? They’ve waived the white flag. The $28 million dollar man won’t make an appearance at Fenway this weekend. Sissies… They are afraid to throw Clemens against the Sox this weekend. How do you spend all this money, have him rush his return, and than not pitch him against your biggest rivals? What the heck are you paying him for? Who ever thought the fear of embarrassment would drive their decision making. Wow. The $28M spark is just a fart in the wind…

With all the on field issues, “Stray-Rod” couldn’t have picked a worse time to get caught. Hey dummy, they have newspapers and EYES in Canada too. It’s not like he was posing for a picture. He was spotted at dinner, a strip club, and his hotel with a “curvy blond”. Doh! He must be trying to draw attention away from his teammates…

How much longer will the downward spiral continue before Georgie boy starts axing people? Clearly Torre has lost control and influence over his team. Cashman’s most recent acquisitions are struggling mightily (Damon, Abreu, Igawa ($26M ouch), and lets not forget Pavano). The lack of depth (especially in the pen) is another major flaw which is inexcusable with their size of payroll.

For the rest of the season, Ronan Tynan will be performing “The Way We Were” during the 7th… Has anyone seen Barbara?

Correction from the last post…
Tampa Bay’s payroll (you know, the team you are tied with in last place) is EIGHT times smaller than NY’s. It’s cost TB only $1.2M per win and the Yanks $10.1M. How’s that ROI Georgie?

Nightmare on 161st street… Yanks are basement dwellers…

2007-05-29T12:25:00.000-04:00

It’s not April anymore kids – its June. Is your favorite team above five hundred yet? No? Seven under you say?

Your (stink) bombers have played their way into last place and a staggering 13 ½ games out of first. To steal a bud’s line, “I thought they were in first but my paper was upside down.”

You’re sharing the basement with Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay. Your payroll is more than 4 times higher. Now that’s embarrassing.

Joe Torre is getting booed off the field. Never thought the day would come when Torre would get booed at home. Wow. Poor bastard doesn’t even know when to leave em in or take em out… Looks like his 45 minute pre-game meeting didn’t do much to inspire the troops either.

The Boss is pointing the finger at Cashman – who is “on a big hook”. Anyone looking for a new GM? It’s only a matter of time before he gets axed with Torre close behind.

Remember when signing Clemens was a good idea?
That was back on May 6th, when the Yanks were one game under .500 and 5 1/2 back. Three weeks later - it’s morphed into a nightmarish 7 games under .500 and 13 ½ back. Don’t forget about that 9 game wildcard lead with EVERYONE other than KC and Texas in front of you…

Think your pitching is getting better? We get Beckett back tonight (yes we’ve been winning anyway). We have an upgrade in the number five spot just waiting in the minors in lefty Jon Lester. And our bullpen gets better & deeper with the return of Tavares. Not to mention Timlin – whenever he gets back. Oh and by the way, Schill pitched his best game all season last night…

In order for the Yanks to have a shot at a wildcard, they basically need to duplicate one of their best seasons ever – 1998 – the rest of the way. Snowballs in hell before that happens baby…

If the Yanks somehow manage a miracle sweep (huh) next weekend, they still sit under .500 with a double digit deficit. That sounds like a Disney Move – “D cubed” (Double-digit-deficit); “The loveable losers’ story”. Actually with that bloated payroll, it should be more like “Titanic” with A-Rod starring as Dicaprio's “King of the World”…

Look at it this way, golf scores will be much lower in NY than in Boston this summer. No need to watch baseball anymore. Maybe you’ll even see Clemens on the links while you're out there. Take a year off Yanks fans, your team has already…

On a serious note...
All jabbing aside, our thoughts and prayers go out to the family & friends of Patriots DL Marquise Hill who died in a jet-ski accident over the weekend. Only 24, he leaves a fiancée and little boy behind. Have a safe and fun summer folks – life can be too short.

Sweep Dreams...

2007-05-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

Those thoughts of a Yankee sweep disappeared quicker than Manny’s blast in the first. The Yanks only managed three hits off the Sox #5 starter Tavares. There were rumblings in NY that a sweep was coming based on the Yanks pitching rotation. This was the series to turn their struggling season around.

If anything, it’s gotten worse. Mussina was throwing his “fastball” between 83-86. That Era is not coming down folks. He might still be able to get by some of the weaker lineups, but he’s going to get lit up often vs. a good team. After the game, he commented; "It's almost June and I don't feel like I've done anything as far as contributing, up to this point." No kidding. Keep it up Moose.

And what was Torre thinking in the 7th last night? From a guy who always goes to the pen early, why did he let Mussina dangle? It could have cost them the game. And you’ve gotta love the Mike Myers experiment. Specifically brought in to deal with Papi in the late innings, he’s only served up 3H and 3 RBI’s in 3AB. Keep trotting him out there Joe…

Is anyone more self-destructive than A-Rod? He still can’t handle himself in a big situation once again. While trying to “break-up” a double play, he threw a cheap shot at 2B Pedroia. He slid in with a high elbow and then pushed Pedroia while he was throwing. Clearly interference. Clearly dirty. Must be hard for a 6’3” guy to push around a 5’9” guy. At least there was no karate chop. He’s clearly insecure as he continually resorts to this type of behavior. Is it that he hasn’t done enough himself or that he’ll be to blame? The bright lights of NY clearly aren’t helping. Expect some chin music from Schill tonight…

Not sure about the play? Here’s the vid link: mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/2007/open/tp/archive05/052207_bosnya_rodriguez_elbow_tp_350.wmv?ct3=5090684&ct4=mlb&ct5=23-May-07

We eagerly await the return of Clemens back to Fenway on June 3rd for Sunday Night Baseball. Getting giddy just thinking about it. Talk about a hostile environment. Duracell is thinking about sponsoring the game. How would any pitcher perform only after a few tune ups in the minors? It’s going to be a loud night at the Fens. Will the hamstring pop be louder than the crack of the bats?

Some Random Yankee questions…

- Will Dr. Kevorkian be performing season ending (and contract ending) surgery for Pavano?

- How late into June/July will it be before the Yanks reach .500?

- When the Yanks terminate/trade “amphetamine boy” Giambi, how many balls will actually be in the bag of balls they get in return?

- How long before Torre gets the ax and Mattingly does worse?

- How much young talent will Georgie force Cashman to pony up for a #4 or #5 starter at the deadline?

- Will the Yanks be 15 or 20 games out in their next meeting with the Sox in the last week of Aug?

Stay tuned to find out…

Yanks ready to sink or swim...

2007-05-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

The Sox enter the Bronx on cruise control while the Yanks are battling just to stay afloat. Some of you Yanks fans have already thrown in the towel wishing a first round playoff loss for the Sox. Outstanding. Way to get behind your team. At least you’re realistic…

Not much more could be going wrong for your bombers with Rasner the latest starter to go down. Someone better be carrying Clemens luggage when he gets here or he might pull something. And by the way, that was the Sox AA team that just beat him. Can you feel the NY headlines coming; “$28M Mistake” or “Rocket Crashes after Launch” or “$28M Hammy”. He’s rushing back and it will absolutely come back to haunt him.

The latest debacle is Giambi talking about roids. Could he have timed that any worse? It also gives the Yanks leverage to dump him. This comes right on top of the Farnsworth comments about the "Clemens Clause". If he was talking that freely about it, you know there have been the same discussions in that locker room. Farnsworth doesn’t have the cache or juice (couldn’t resist) to come out on his own to make such a statement. You know that the more prominent guys feel the same way but they were smart enough not to say it. Only time will tell if he negatively affects the clubhouse. You can forget that “leadership” and “stabilizing force” nonsense some of you have been spouting. Now even some columnists are calling for Torre's head as well...

The Yanks have their best chance to win a series with Wang, Mussina, and Pettite slated to go. But face it, they need a sweep. Taking two games only moves them to 9 ½ back and still 3 games under .500. Same goes for the next series in Boston. And if you haven’t noticed, they’re playing really well. Good luck with that.

The Sox have a golden opportunity to bury the Yanks for good. But realistically they only need to win 2 of the next 6 to maintain a comfortable lead. They have no pressure. The Yanks on the other hand have a lineup full of guys pressing. Wang has been inconsistent and Mussina has yet to find his groove. Get your shovels ready…

What can your Yanks do to turn things around? Does Cashman sacrifice some of the young talent he’s been trying to stockpile? Or are they too far behind to risk it? The only viable pitcher rumored to be available is Dan Haren, but he’s an injury waiting to happen. Why else would the A’s put him out there? Will they rush Hughes back – again? Damon’s body is starting to break down, and Abreu looks like his skills are fading fast. Maybe the Yanks try to land Helton, but it still doesn’t fix pitching. Things are pretty bleak, and we’re soaking it all in. It’s on-field and off the field, coming from every which way. And it’s beeeeeeautiful….

Sox continue rolling on… Yanks freefall lands them into second...

2007-05-15T21:08:00.000-04:00

Sox continue rolling on… Yanks freefall into second. Yanks fall to eight and a half back and slide into second without even playing. When will they finally reach .500 and stay there? With Chicago, the Mets, and then Sox upcoming, don’t hold your breath…

The Sox continue to get good pitching and are now pounding the ball. They lead the majors in runs, and are third in Era. They continue to get it done sporting the majors’ best record and biggest division lead. Despite an injury to Timlin and Beckett to miss a few starts, it doesn’t get much better around here. We’ll probably see Lester before Beckett gets back too…

So how are things in NY? Apparently Clemens is only 2 or 3 minor league starts away. Good luck with that one. If his first start is at Fenway, he’s going to get lit up like a Christmas tree. A hostile crowd (yikes), a must win game/series, and a 45 year old frame with a hammy about to pop? $28M for only a few innings would be a shame

We envision the next MC commercial to be something like this:

Rocket Redux: $28 Million Dollars
Scalped Ticket vs. Yanks at Fenway: $300 Dollars
Hearing a hammy pop all the way in the bleachers: $Priceless

With just under forty games played, there are some terrific performers on both squads. Despite A-Rod’s lighting April and cool May, Jeter has been overshadowed while putting up some big numbers, and Posada is right behind. Few guys ever hit .375 at this point in the season. You’ve also got to be happy with Pettite to this point.

For the Sox, Wake has been phenomenal and continues his baffling of hitters. Until Beckett’s setback, he was looking like the early Cy Young fav. Mike Lowell is having a career year, Papelbon is just awesome, and Okajima is the find of the year. Papi is being Papi, with Youkilis & Varitek really hot.

The Yanks have a number of disappointments. After the 3 hitters mentioned, it’s been bleak. Matsui isn’t himself yet and Giambi is OK. Johnny Damon’s body is starting to break down (see Theo Epstein passing on long term deal), and everyone else is hitting under .260. Wow. Pitching hasn’t improved much even with the return of Wang and Mussina. Clemens won’t be doing much for the pen pitching 5 and 1/3 innings. How’s Mo and his 7+ era? And Torre continues to kill his pen with the starters struggling to get thru 5 innings. Procter was probably praying for that suspension...

Not much happening on the down side here – especially they way the Sox are playing. No complaints from the pitching staff. Not one. When was the last time that ever happened? Lugo and Pedroia are starting to come alive and JD Drew has cooled significantly since his great start. Coco has struggled mightily at the plate but has been outstanding in the field.

Will the Yanks get healthy? Is Clemens really a difference maker? Will it be too late to catch the Sox?

It is only May, but your beloved Yanks haven’t hit .500 yet. They still have a ways to go just to get healthy. Even then, age is a major factor so health may only be temporary. Most likely, you’re not going to have everyone back healthy at the same time. Your savior, Clemens, is not going to put up NL numbers, or make it to Sept without breaking down. Guaranteed. How do you solve the pen issues if they’re already worn down by August? All of a sudden, that formidable lineup has become tame. Looks like a round of trades for a #4 type pitcher at the deadline.

For those of you pulling out the “1978” card, consider the shape of your team before thinking that will ever happen. Or at least wait until your team breaks .500…

It will be nice hearing from you in late June…

Yanks land Clemens, hope springs in NY...

2007-05-07T12:17:00.000-04:00

It came as a surprise to the Yanks bench, and also all of baseball on Sunday. The Rocket re-launch is on for his second tenure in NY. The desperate Yanks threw a ridiculous prorated $28M at the aging superstar. It's now hurry up and wait for the Rocket's debut in early June, which coincidentally is in a series against the Sox.

We can see his true motivation is the cash money. If he was really motivated by another ring, why wouldn't he join a team in the best position to win? The Sox wanted him to start in late June / early July to be fresh for Sept & a playoff run. But they offered $10M less than the Yanks at a prorated $18M. Now he's rushing to the lineup because they need him now. That could have devasting effects on him pitching late in the season.

As good as Clemens numbers have been in the NL, he fights a tougher battle against the more potent AL lineups. The other big factor is that he didn't even average 6 innings per start last season. That number is not going to get better in the AL on a soon to be 45 year old frame. So, the Yanks bullpen issues don't improve much having to carry 3+ innings in each start. They're already overworked.

He's going to win his fair share of games - even the Big Unit managed 17 wins with an Era over 5 last season - somehow. He provides a stabilizing force in the rotation, and makes them a better team starting in June. But the Yanks still need to tread water until then and stay healthy once he's hit his stride. Easier said than done.

While the addition of the Boston Traitor doesn't put the Yanks over the top, it certainly heats up the rivalry - not to mention any start Clemens has at Fenway. It's going to be very ugly. He could have had a story book ending to his career here in Boston, but he's now just another NY hired gun taking the money and running. It's too bad because the city would have embraced him as their own once again and all would have been forgiven. As hated and dispicable as Barry Bonds is, Clemens will probably get bigger boos at Fenway this year. Don't bring your kids to those games folks. Yikes...

He does add more theatre to a season where the Yanks looked to be fading away. Now that electric atmosphere returns. Let's hope it dicatates into a Sox-Yanks Sept battle for the playoffs. It's just not the same otherwise...

Who's your Daddy?

2007-04-29T23:28:00.000-04:00

Sox take first 5 of 6, and keep Yanks in the basement. The spanking continued on Sunday with the Sox getting the better of Wang and the overused bullpen. The Yanks are a Tampa Bay like 6 1/2 games out in April, yes April. And by the way, Tampa Bay is looking down on you...

The Sox have the major's best record and 3rd in pitching. The Yanks boast second in runs, but are sitting way back in 27th in pitching. We'll take pitching thank you. The Yanks now take their 3-8 road record - on the road.

It's an April to remember for Sox fans. It's too bad we don't see the Yanks for 3 more weeks. Back to Yankee Stadium for another whoopin, can wait...

Yanks reeling, lose 4th straight to Sox

2007-04-28T10:10:00.000-04:00

It doesn't get much better if you're a Sox fan. The Yanks are in an absolute freefall and its not even May. Let's see if we can put together a top ten list for the Yanks...

10) In the middle of a 7 game losing streak.

9) They trail the Sox by 6 1/2 games.

8) Only KC has less wins - in the MAJORS!

7) They are looking up at Tampa Bay

6) Mariano Rivera has an Era over 12 and 2 blown saves!

5) Only team in the majors without a save, and lead the majors in bullpen innings

4) The Daily News has dubbed them "The no fight club"

3) Damon is headed to the DL - for the first time ever

2) Torre may be sent walking by Steinbrenner

1) Carl Pavano

Ouch. They better start putting police details on the bridges around NY. Yanks fans are going to start jumping any day now. They NEED to take the next 2 vs the Sox but its not going to happen. It really feels like a sweep coming...

The pitching woes continue and no one has been able to step it up. When they really needed Pettite, he stumbled. They've gambled with Philip Hughes who pitched OK for his first start but couldn't go 5 innings. Back in Spring Training, Torre stated 2 reasons why they wouldn't rush Hughes to the bigs - Kerry Wood & Mark Prior. He said they were rushed and blew out their arms. Well, it's April and here he is. Scary stuff.

The Sox look to continue the beatings today with the best record in the majors. If they put the hammer down on the next 2 games, the Yanks may not be able to claw back. From an 8 1/2 game defecit in April, Clemens better have a twin. But if you're Clemens looking for a ring, why would you even think about joining a team that far back?

Might be time to start dusting off the golf clubs in NY...

Schilling Sock Scandal?

2007-04-26T09:49:00.000-04:00

A "prominent" Baltimore O's play-by-play broadcaster Gary Thorne (also NHL announcer) said on the air (during last nights broadcast) that he had been told by Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli that the substance on Schilling's sock was paint, not blood.

He was of course referring to game 6 of the 2004 playoffs vs the Yanks. Here's the exchange:

"It was painted. Doug Mirabelli confessed up to it after. It was all for PR. Two-ball, two-strike count."

So matter of fact isn't it? Here's Mirabelli's response after the game:

"What? Are you kidding me? He's [expletive] lying. A straight lie, I never said that. I know it was blood. Everybody knows it was blood."

So who is the donkey here? We have a hard time believing Mirabelli would say that even if it were true. Others are saying that Thorne would never just make something up. Why hasn't this "news" ever been reported before? Is it reasonable to believe that a 9 inch suture started to bleed from an area that moves with every pitch? Yup. Sounds like a big load of crap and Thorne should feel some pain for making such an unproven statement.

All that aside, it does not and never will take away from what Schilling did to get ready for that game. Is there another athlete on the planet that would risk that kind of surgery? Doubtful. Throw in the size of the stage and the performance, and you couldn't have written a better script. It's one of the best sports stories of all time. It eclipses Carlton Fisk & Kirk Gibson's homers put together. He was gutsy and heroic. It's a moment that will never be forgotten or unappreciated.

The point is it doesn't matter about the sock. It's all about what's behind it. For all of you naysayers, call CSI...

Fireworks at the Fens complete the sweep...

2007-04-25T10:25:00.000-04:00

Well Yanks fans, how you feelin? While it is only April, it's nice to put the Yanks a comfortable 4 games back. The MLB tying 4 back to back homers was a nice exclamation point - especially against your bitter rival. How sweet was that? Surprisingly, it was the Sox bats and not their arms that took the series.

For those of you thinking it's not that bad for the Yanks right now, where would they be if A-Rod was not laser hot? At least 3 games worse - which is still in last place (hee hee). What an amazing start for him. We may never see this type of performance again.

The Yanks do get Wang back this week, but Mussina and Pavano still remain on the shelf. It must be frustrating having a guy like Pavano on your team. Now it also appears that Cashman is being forced to rush Hughes to the majors. He better hope that some rough performances won't ruin his pshyche.

By the way what's up with Colter Bean, aka Baby Huey? Schilling is in better shape & he's almost twice his age. Strange body style for a pitcher. Even David Wells has raised an eyebrow.

The season is still in it's infancy, we know. But it's nice to pound your rivals - especially with a sweep. Can the Yanks rebound from the beating? Not unless pitching gets much better. It will improve with Wang, but with 3 rooks in the rotation how much are you expecting? When is Mariano going to get out of his funk? Will Damon be able to overcome back issues and his .250 BA?

This weekend? Now that the Sox bats are getting some life, the Yanks should still struggle to get 1 win. Torre probably doesn't even know what the rotation will be yet.

The Yanks always seem to be able to stay in the race. It looks different this year with their staff. Their bullpen is already overworked because their starters can't go 5 innings, with Pettite already making 2 appearances. If they fall back too far this early, there may be too much ground to make up. They don't have the horses even when healthy to be a dominant staff, and they'll need to be dominant to catch up. Don't think there is panic in the NY Offices? This thing could be over by July. Get out your healing prayer books, or it could be a long summer in NY and a relaxing one in Boston...

Round 1 begins...

2007-04-20T13:40:00.000-04:00

It would be nice if the scheduling folks at MLB would wait at least until May before these teams get together...

But here we go. The teams are separated only by a game (shocking) but they have been winning by very different means. The Yanks have been riding the hot bat of A-Rod and winning in late inning fashion. The Sox have been riding their pitching staff. We think it's great that A-Rod is getting all of those HR's and RBI's out of his system in April. Just in time for his arrival at the Fens. We'll stick with pitching thank you very much.

The Sox expected to have a good rotation, but the entire staff has been outstanding yielding a 2.58 Era (second in the majors). The Yanks lineup is also dominating, leading the league in runs. But we all know what wins come Sept.

The Yanks have also been bitten by the injury bug. Injuries to the pitching staff have been overcome (to this point) by their bats. How long do you expect that to continue? Pavano is out again (big surprise there), Mussina has a nagging hammy, and Wang has just started rehab. How long before Pettite goes down? Don't be shocked to be sitting in 3rd or even 4th place if things don't improve...

The Sox have to be very pleased at this point. Pitching is strong and the bats haven't even come around yet. Manny is hitting .200 and finally hit his first HR of the season. It's only a matter of time before he gets into a groove. New acquisition JD Drew is leading the charge offensively and looks to be earning his pay. Our new Gun from the Rising Sun has looked good, only suffering losses while giving up 3 and 2 runs. He's the real deal. The Yanks will find out this weekend.

While you can only take so much away from the first 15 or so games, things are looking good in the Nation. The Yanks are hanging in for now, but they always seem to find a way. While the Yanks may be fortunate to sneak into the playoffs, the Sox are looking at a special season. If the offense gets hot, look out.

The Yanks will be lucky to take 1 of 3 from the Sox this weekend. But it's only round one baby. See you in round 2...

Where is Spring? Weather is keeping teams in training…

2007-04-09T11:03:00.000-04:00

Well it’s been a week of frigid temps across most of the country. How many games can you remember EVER being called on account of COLD? Just odd. The Sox opener was 80 degrees, followed up by 30’s and 40’s, to a threat of snow in Texas. Someone get Al Gore on the phone. Where’s the warming?

You folks in NY better hope that the weather is the reason NONE of your starters have lasted more than 5 innings, and only one has actually completed 5. Despite some last inning heroics by A-Fraud, you’d be looking at an AL worst 1-4 record vs. Tampa and Baltimore. You can just feel the panic settling in over the Bronx. Does Pettite leaving after 4 and then making an appearance out of the pen alarm you? How about the starters 36 hits allowed in 21 innings or their ERA just under 10?

While the first week isn’t usually a litmus test for the entire year, it still must be tough being a Yanks fan right now. Cashman is not sleeping well these days. Matsui is down and Damon is ailing already. Your beacon of hope is facing Ponson later tonight.

The Sox are showing signs of life however. Papi finally started to hit, Papelbon is awesome once again, and Schill bounced back tossing a gem. Matsuzaka is a budding star and the #5 spot will be in limbo (Tavares/Snyder) awaiting the return of Lester. The rotation is looking very solid, and the pen should be better once Timlin is back later this week. Drew is off to a great start and Pedroia has been a nice surprise.

Will anyone remember week one later this year? No. Some teams have reason to be more optimistic than others, but it’s very early. Numbers don’t mean much right now, but they will soon. Stay tuned – things are looking interesting right now!

Agony on the way to 755: Starring “B Cubed”…

2007-04-05T13:25:00.000-04:00

Can you ever remember anyone approaching a milestone or record that had an overwhelming consensus wishing it didn’t happen? The closest is probably when Roger Maris broke the HR record, but that was mostly Yankee fans up in arms. Everyone likes when a record is broken – especially the big ones.

Now it’s the complete opposite where Giants fans are the only ones that are rooting for him to break it. That makes you wonder what would happen if he was on your favorite team. Would he still be booed in your home stadium? You’d like to think so, but just give that some thought before passing judgment on those San Fran fans. What would they have thought about him if he went to an AL team as a DH? Might not be as rosy a picture…

Regardless, we are going to be deluged with Bonds HR or non HR games. With only 21 homers left to go, it’s easier just to concede he’ll get it done at some point this year. Let’s hope it’s quick. It’ll be less painful if it doesn’t drag on. Any legal attempt to keep him out of the game has fallen short. Only a major injury will derail him at this point. Get your voodoo dolls out & start sticking pins in those knees.

While we would never really wish an injury on anyone, we will be rooting against him getting the record. It’s really hard to pull for a guy who cheated. Being a despicable person makes it easier to root against him. Even if an asterisk is put next to his name in the record books, it won’t matter 10 or 20 years from now. That’s the shame. But is justice served if he’s not voted into the Hall? You could easily argue he would be in even without his “power surge” late in his career. Nevertheless, it's a painful journey with no good ending in sight.

We’re going to dub his quest as the “B Cubed” Tour:

The Barry Bonds Band-aid Tour

It’s just like pulling off a band-aid that you know is going to hurt. It kills while you pull it off and stings when you’re done. So, pull it fast Barry…

Season starts off with a thump… It’s a Royal Meche…

2007-04-03T16:36:00.000-04:00

It’s a marathon, not a sprint. That’s the mantra this time of year – especially when your team stumbles out of the gate. Do you remember how your team performed last opening day or the ones before? Does it matter now or then? Nope.

So for all of you Yanks fans showering us with email about your beating of the mighty Rays, thanks. Take advantage of your fortunes while the skillet is hot. It’s starting to cool off already. We won’t even mention the 3 Yanks errors from yesterday. Whoops!

While Schill looked awful at times with his flat fastball, Pavano certainly didn’t make a case for himself. Schill has faced adversity and has overcome it. Pavano hasn’t even been able to just stay on the field since his arrival. Who’s going to have a better record & stats at year end? Is there really an argument over who you would pick in a heartbeat? Puhleease…

Regardless, it’s finally baseball season. Another 161 regular season games to go. So many possibilities, rising stars, surprising teams, and great stories to come. It’s all just starting to unfold. Even the KC’s, Rays, and all of the NL feel like they have a chance right now - however remote.

And yes, the ribbing has already begun… Enjoy the season folks!

Only 18 days and counting until the first square off…

Yanks are wondering where their rotation has gone…

2007-03-26T14:55:00.000-04:00

Not that they had one of the better rotations coming in on paper, but a recent string of “setbacks” (not “injuries”) have pushed them to the back of the pack. With only a week before the season starts, panic is starting to creep in. While they have vast resources, they don’t have depth. And according to Cashman, “We are going to go with what we have”. If you are a Yankee fan, how are you not VERY concerned?

Your opening day starter is Carl Pavano (insert punchline here). Your best starter in Wang is out at least 3 weeks of April, and his replacement Karstens just hurt his elbow during a game and will be out “for a time”. Pettite has had back spasms, and Darrell Rasner (who?) is your new 5th starter.

The only known quantity you have is in Mussina. But he’s another year older at 39, with a history of injuries. So, you’re counting on Pavano (hee hee), Pettite (already hurt with back spasms & just switched back to the grind of the AL), Igawa who’s never pitched in the majors – or bright spotlight, and Rasner (an unproven rookie).

Granted the Yanks won’t need a #5 starter for the first couple of weeks, but who would you stack them against? More like who has a worse rotation…

Notes & Projections / Stats
Mussina: Career year at 38, numbers to be worse in 2007: 14-8, 4.50 Era

Pettite: Switch to AL, last yr stats 14-13, 4.20 Era: 12-14, 4.95 Era

Igawa: Never pitched in majors, not highly touted: 10-12, 5.35 Era

Wang: Hamstring changes everything, numbers worse: 16-10, 4.25 Era

Pavano: Hasn’t pitched in 21 months, ugly spring: 5-8, 5.60 Era

Karstens: And/or Rasner – similar unproven soph status: 6-7, 5.25 Era

Hughes: May see the phenom too early if Yanks fall back: 7-5, 4.50 Era

That is not a scary lineup no matter how you slice it. Unless they all pitch well, the Yanks may be looking up at the Jays and the Sox. That's right Yanks fans, it's already time to get out your Clemens shrines & start praying. It's your only shot...

Papelbon to Pen creates questions...

2007-03-22T15:19:00.000-04:00

OK. Lets hope your Sox have something up their sleeve. At first glance, you get one of the top closers in the game and really shore up the pen. However, you create another important need and raise all sorts of questions…

#1) Who fills that gaping hole in the rotation? Papelbon was a potential 1a or 2 guy. Now you replace that level with a #5 starter like Snyder or Piniero? You just weakened arguably the best rotation in the majors. How dominating would Papelbon have been against the rest of the league’s #4 guys? Ouch.

#2) What happened to the medical diagnosis of better health if he’s moved to the rotation? Did something magically happen? Isn’t he at a higher risk of breaking down and not having a long career? Isn’t this irresponsible based on what they told us last year??? If he goes to this role, he doesn’t come out of it in 2007 or maybe ever. At least now you have Hansen and Bryce Cox as attractive bargaining chips.

How will they address the hole in the rotation? The candidates:
Kyle Snyder: Based on his spring you could make a case for it, but during last season he was only solid thru 4 innings and then fell apart.
Julian Tavares: More intriguing especially since he pitched well in that role down the stretch last year. But remember that he only went 5 or 6 innings.
Joel Piniero: Had the worst numbers in the AL last season but has looked OK this spring with an increase in velocity.
Kason Gabbard: Outstanding spring only giving up 5 hits in 10 IP. His promotion would require releasing someone from the pen.
Jon Lieber / Mark Hendrickson / other: Will cost you a Wily Mo and a few young arms. Who trades decent starting pitching in March/April? You can forget a 1a or #2.
Roger Clemens: Doesn’t seem as improbable now - does it?

The Sox may just use what they have internally and weather the storm until Lester is ready. The downside is that may be into June or even July. Even though he’s been pitching already, they won’t rush this kid back.

Are they better?
No. They fixed one need and created another. Unless they trade for a top line starter using Hansen and/or Bryce Cox, they are weaker. The best rotation in the majors is now just good. Lets hope the bullpen just became one of the best in the league.

Why? Why? Why?
Obviously none of the closer candidates separated themselves from the pack this spring and the price of acquiring a closer has been sky high. The questionable piece is that Papelbon will have a restricted workload in order to protect the shoulder. That would make you think this is a 2007 solution only - until Hansen or Cox are groomed. Schill may be gone next season and they'll need him back in the rotation. This doesn't make them better. Maybe they are buying time until the break. Hopefully it pays off and this skepticism will wear off...

The Real Deal...

2007-03-22T11:04:00.000-04:00

Dice-K now has 3 major league (albeit spring training) starts under his belt. His latest start against the Pirates yielded one hit on 92 pitches in 5 2/3 IP. Now, the Pirates aren’t exactly the cream of the crop, but only 4 balls made it to the outfield. The surprising thing is how many were baffled by pitches and not just at the plate. Pirates hitters were watching the replay of their at bats on a laptop in the dugout and still could not figure out some of the pitches thrown - ON REPLAY and in SLOW MOTION.

Scouts will tell you he has thrown between 4 and 7 different pitches in an outing. The ones agreed upon are; fastball, curve, slider, and changeup. You’ll also hear four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, splitter, and the “shuto” (described as; kind of like a changeup and kind of like a curveball, and kind of like a split-finger) – not to be confused with the mythical “gyroball”. Regardless, you have hitters saying “I don’t know what that pitch was.” The weapon of the unknown is very powerful. There are going to be some ugly swings and feet in concrete this season.

His other big advantage is his ability to continually keep hitters off balance with his delivery. Apparently he has a stop in his delivery and changes his movements each time he comes to the set position. Guys will not be able to get into a rhythm at the plate which should baffle baserunners as well.

This guy is just different. He’s also got some nasty stuff with fastballs hitting 96, sliders in the mid 80’s, and offspeed stuff in the 70’s. He seems to be smart, savvy, and a cool customer. He’s had a media circus follow him since the age of 18. Pressure has never seemed to affect him in a negative way and he’s seemed to thrive on it.

That being said, lets not create a bust and send it to the Hall just yet. Even Bill James has him slated with a 13-8 record in 2007. But he has all the ingredients to be GREAT. He has a number of obstacles to overcome with the biggest being cultural. The switch from every 6 days to 5 days shouldn’t be an issue but it will be interesting to see how they handle his pitch counts. The biggest question is will he adjust to the MLB style of pitching or will the Sox adjust to the Japanese style.

Get ready Sox fans. This is going to be a fun ride!

No Deal for Schill? Big Mistake...

2007-02-22T11:34:00.000-05:00

What is going through the minds of Red Sox management? After spending a windfall of cash in the off-season – and OVERPAYING for new acquisitions, what could they possibly be thinking?

The market prices have obviously spiked so the “value for performance” ratio is now out of whack. Pitching is absolutely ridiculous. Apparently if you have an Era under 7 you’re worth at least $10M per season. Look at some of the deals for these second and third tier pitchers:

Barry Zito – not a true ace by any stretch, but landed $18M per season
Gil Meche – $11M, won 7, 10, and 11 games past 3 seasons...
Ted Lilly – $10M, never won more than 12 games until last year (15), career era 4.60

Schilling is still a good pitcher – and that is the bottom line

He was dinged up last season and still managed 15 wins and a sub 4 Era in the AL. Only 10 or so healthy players had better numbers. Hello Red Sox management – HELLO - that number is 10. If reasonably healthy, shouldn’t he be paid like a top 10 pitcher? What is that value in this market? Probably $18M+ - and yes he is still better than Zito (at least for another year or two)

The Value of Schilling:

He’s not asking for a raise or even fair market value. He wants to pitch in Boston at his current salary. In the current marketplace, he’s not trying to take advantage of the team when most players would. He gets it. He’s a gritty big game pitcher. He’s a great mentor for your young pitching staff. He’s still a lighting rod for the media. He was your best pitcher last season. He’s the model other athletes (the "money hungry" ones) should be emulating. You want him on your team. HE CAN STILL PITCH AT A HIGH LEVEL.

WHERE IS THE DOWNSIDE???

You just overpaid for a guy with a health risk in JD Drew, but you won’t pay below market value for a guy who is still viable? Pitching has never been this much of a commodity. This is the same group willing to pay Clemens $20M for half a season. Even if he falters you’re still going to get better numbers than most of the guys listed above – for the same money.

Let's face it, the Sox will not get equal value for $13M. Who do you REPLACE him with? No one in the farm system will be that good in 2008 (not that they can count on at this point anyway). Lucchino stated the door isn't closed and that they will revisit in the offseason. Nice to know it will be a one way conversation - you DONKEY. Would you come back if you were Schill? Not even at market value.

This team has the money to get this deal done without even blinking. Pitching is at the pinnacle of importance and cost. Do they have a lock on signing Johan Santana at $25M per season and need to save their pennies? Don't hold your breath. This is probably the worst faux-pas of the new ownership. Just awful.

They really screwed the pooch on this one. Our only recourse is to tell them how pissed off we are. So, enjoy Schill while he's here, you won't see him in 2008. Its times like these when those outrageous ticket prices have that extra "sting" to them.

The Steroid Shuffle

2007-01-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

How do we make sense of the steroid effect on baseball? Well, the HOF voters have apparently spoken volumes by shunning Mark McGuire. The message is that even without proof the mere appearance of involvement with steroids will keep you out of the Hall.

That’s at first glance however. McGuire has a career .263 BA with only 1,626 hits. It’s his gaudy HR’s (583) that give him consideration for the Hall. Should residing in the top ten HR hitters of all time automatically get you in? You could make a case that he shouldn’t get in. This same argument will be coming for Sosa and Palmeiro soon.

If you ask a number of sportswriters (HOF voters) why they didn’t vote for McGuire, guarantee that this first year is “punishment” for his performance in front of Congress. Instead of giving the guy some credit for trying to do the right thing (and not incriminate himself), they punished him. Remember too that there is no proof, only speculation.

That being said, it’s fairly obvious he had some “help” in the form of steroids and performance enhancing drugs. The argument is when and how much did it help. We’ll never know the answer to those questions. He did hit 49 HR’s in his first full season back in 1987, but his real power surge was between 1996 thru 1999. You can make an educated guess about his stats, but what do you do with them?

How do we view the rest of the players in the steroid era (which will be how the 90’s and early 2000’s will be named)? Isn’t it reasonable to assume that pitchers had the same advantage? By all accounts, more than 50% of players were using some type of enhancement during this stretch. You hate to give Canseco any type of credit, but it appears he was dead on in his book. There was never any punishment while coaches, management, and MLB all turned a blind eye. In that type of environment where performance equals dollars it’s a wonder most athletes weren’t using. While it certainly is not a valid excuse, this was the world they were living in. The ultimate question is how to quantify stats and achievements from this era. If a pitcher and batter are both using, does that negate the effect? So even if you were able to narrow down the who and when it’s still a baffling dilemma.

The Hall Effect…

The HOF voters are an odd bunch. Each has his own view of what is proper and what characteristics have more weight than others. Some change their minds about voting for the same player. There are no standards or criteria, but there are biases and personality conflicts that get in the way. It’s all subjective. Players who were downright nasty to reporters (and everyone else) also seem to get penalized. How else would you explain Albert Belle only getting less than 20% of the vote, while a player like Jim Rice (similar #’s with 500 more at bats) get over 60%? Now that the steroid era has been “exposed” do we now hold players before this era to the higher standard of stats within it? Do we discount the stats from the players from this era?

The good aspect is that players will be judged on an individual basis. Don’t expect the “steroid blanket” to affect all players in the same way. You’d hope that Palmeiro would be treated more harshly than others. He lied to Congress and threw a teammate under the bus after testing positive. Giambi admitted to taking them to a grand jury. Sheffield and Bonds both used the “I didn’t know what I was taking” defense. Bonds also tested positive for amphetamines in 2006 and said he got them from a teammate’s locker. See a pattern here?

By the way, did you miss the whole “players only get reported for a second amphetamines fail” thing?

Pete Rose bet on baseball, but he didn’t cheat. Why is that worse? Anyone testing positive for steroids or enhancers should also be banned from the Hall, no? How about failing the test twice and you’re out? Now that’s a good deterrent and satisfies the “false positive” crap.

Where does this leave us?

Unfortunately in a precarious position. As with many MLB awards there are inherent flaws and therefore snubs. Now we’ve been thrown the steroid curveball to further muddy the waters.

We can’t control any of it which is the most frustrating part. We are at the mercy of the bitter, jaded, cynical, overbearing, and homers called sportswriters. At least that’s what they are when things don’t fit our viewpoint. That will never change, and neither will the current system.

The only question is whether anyone associated with steroids will ever get into the Hall. Will the most prolific HR hitter ever not get in? A few in the top ten? We’ll see. Let’s just hope karma has a hand in it.

The Yanks drop their Unit...

2007-01-05T11:07:00.000-05:00

The Randy Johnson era has apparently ended in NY. While his trade request was never “official” it’s clear that he wanted out of the spotlight of NY and back to the seclusion of Arizona and the weak NL lineups.

It’s a great move for the Unit. At 44 and coming off another surgery, the spirit may be willing but the body isn’t listening. He should have a good year against the NL and the climate in Arizona certainly won’t hurt especially in April and May. His numbers will certainly improve over 2006 if he stays somewhat healthy.

But is this a good move for the Yanks? With no viable replacement it’s a big NO. This is the second starter they’ve dealt in a very thin market. While they may have received some value in minor league prospects, they still traded away 2 proven arms for unproven commodities.

Are the Yanks in a mini rebuilding stage? It appears so because these deals don’t make sense in the short term. Did they not learn anything from the Sox trading Arroyo last season? At least the Sox appeared to have an “abundance” of pitching at the time.

The Yanks have 3 solid starters they can count on barring any injuries. Kei Igawa is still a question mark but should end up as a stable number 4 or 5 guy. They can’t be seriously considering getting much out of Pavano. That leaves Philip Hughes being rushed out of the minors. They don’t have an ace. Not much of a game plan. The Yanks must already have a tentative agreement with Clemens. That would explain some things. However, he probably won’t pitch until mid June. That also puts a ton of pressure on Mussina, Pettitte, and Wang to perform above expectations.

Risky Business:

So what’s the plan? Survive until June and count on their offense to carry them. With a new stockpile of minor league talent, they have leverage at the trade deadline. But who is going to trade a top of the line starter? At best you’ll find a fringe #3 guy and that doesn’t push you over the top.

Questions, questions…

Wang – should be fine, putting up similar numbers to last season
Mussina – he’s older and his numbers certainly won’t be better
Pettitte – don’t expect improvement over NL era of 4.20
Igawa – pray that you didn’t get Irabu revisited
Pavano – how much can you expect from a guy who hasn’t pitched in 2 years?
Clemens – are 20 games better than 30 from the Unit? Will he even pitch?
Hughes – will he be rushed? How effective will he be?

That’s just plain ugly. They’re also counting on no injuries. On paper, the bullpen is much improved but how effective will they be if they are overworked?

The Yanks will certainly be competitive in 2007, but will it be too late? Their offense needs to be prolific once again. Unless something drastic changes, they’ll be good but fall short. Expect to be in the rear view mirror for the season…

Yanks are shoring up their rotation...

2006-12-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

The Yanks finally pulled the trigger on the poor man’s Matsuzaka. Lefty Kei Igawa reportedly signs a 5 year deal worth $20M before incentives. That’s on top of a posting bid of $26M which now seems inexpensive compared to what the Sox paid. Noting the market for pitching is scarce, the Yanks still get a great deal. The luxury tax hit is only $4M, and his actual pricetag is just over $9M. However, you get what you pay for. Scouting reports project him to be a #4 or #5 starter at best. So the Yanks are essentially gambling $9M per season for a #4 guy. Based on Gil Meche or Ted Lilly dollars, they essentially get similar talent for a couple million less per season. With their resources, there isn’t much of a downside. We’ll find out how he reacts to the pressures of NY. He hasn’t had the same exposure and media frenzy as Matsuzaka.

The Yanks also inked Pettite (based on passing a physical) for a one year $16M deal. At 35, he’s not the same pitcher who left the AL back in 2003. He struggled through injuries in 2004 (15 games / 3.90 ERA), but had a nice bounce back year in 2005 (ERA of 2.39 was his best since 2002).

But 2006 was also a struggle with a 14-13 record, 4.20 ERA, 27 HR’s, with 238 hits in 214 innings. Not the greatest pedigree when switching back to the AL. The Yanks will hope he’s a solid #3, but don’t count on his numbers improving over last season.

The probable rotation and projections:

Wang: 18-5, 3.40 ERA
Mussina: 13-10, 4.50 ERA
Pettite: 12-12, 4.90 ERA
Johnson: 14-11, 4.85 ERA
Igawa: 7-9, 5.50 ERA
Hughes: 3-3, 3.90 ERA

Wang had a terrific 2006 and will be the staff’s anchor. He still has a way to go to become a true #1 guy. His 233 hits in 218 innings are far from being dominant, and his 52 BB compared with his 76 K’s are equally average. At 27, he has the potential to get better. He should improve on his 3.63 ERA in 2007.

Mussina had a career year in 2006 and carried the team on his back last season. His 3.51 ERA was outstanding, but at 38 don’t expect him to duplicate it. The oft injured pitcher pitched in 32 games, his most since 2002. Expect another visit from the injury bug in 2007.

Johnson will be 44 in 2007 and really showed his age in 2006. His ERA of 5.00 was not reflected on his record of 17-11. He was inconsistent all of last season. He didn’t finish well either, giving up 5 runs a game in his last 4 including the playoffs. With off season back surgery, he’ll struggle to stay healthy once again.

Carl Pavano is the ultimate bust. The only thing you can count on is another injury. Poor bastard. However, Yanks management has planned to not have him available, so anything you may get is gravy. But remember that the gravy has lumps.

Philip Hughes is apparently a rising star on the horizon. He went 10-3 with a 2.25 ERA in AA Trenton. He’ll need more seasoning, having pitched only 116 innings, but he may contribute late in 2007.

Will Roger Clemens pitch in 2007? If so, his buddy Pettite will make a strong push to get it done. Although Houston has some dough to spend with Pettite and Bagwell (including insurance claim) off the books. We’ll see if he will choose “loyalty” (perks at home) over more dollars. The wildcard is Boston if they have an injury in June/July.

Overall the Yanks have a fairly solid rotation. Wang should be terrific once again. The big question revolves around the health of the geriatrics. Johnson, Mussina, and Pettite are all on the back 9 of their careers with history of injuries. Igawa is an unknown and hasn’t faced the pressure and media scrutiny of NY. Pavano is like a “box of chocolates” at this point. Still, if this rotation stays somewhat healthy, they should produce over 70 wins especially with a potent offense. Expect another close race in 2007.

Sox land the beast from the East!!!

2006-12-14T11:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Boston Daisuke!!!

The Sox landed what could be their franchise player. In the process, they also defeated the mighty Scott Boras. That’s almost as satisfying as landing Matsuzaka.

DOWN GOES BORAS! DOWN GOES BORAS!

The Sox front office was masterful in their negotiations. They held their ground and stuck with their original offer. Boras, the baseball anti-christ, played his only hand which was to not negotiate and to threaten to bring his client back to Japan. However, Seibu was in financial trouble and supposedly told Matsuzaka they would not be posting him in 2007, effectively making him wait two more seasons to be a free agent. Add in the pressure of family, friends, and fans back home, it was probably an easy choice for Matsuzaka. Whether he told Boras to make the deal is something we’ll never know, but it’s most likely what transpired.

Will he be the top of rotation guy here like he was in Japan? To take a page from Parcells, let’s not anoint him just yet. However, all the scouting reports are more than glowing, and Craig Shipley (Sox scout) watched him pitch every game last season. The fact that they were willing to pony up $51M speaks volumes.

It is a gamble, especially since he’s never thrown a pitch in the majors. But you have to figure that a significant part of that posting price will be recovered from new revenue sources. All of Japan will be watching (and buying #18 merchandise) when the season starts. His first pitch in the majors will be against Ichiro, and he will face Matsui a number of times each season. When you factor in the posting price with salary, he’s still less than Jason Schmidt / Mike Mussina money at a little over $17M per year. His annual salary (and luxury tax impact) is only $8.7M, which is less than Gil Meche, Ted Lilly, and even Matt Clement. He’s going to be good in the majors, and he’s still worth the money even if he only becomes your #2 guy. If he meets his incentives, its money well spent and averages only $1.3M per season. So, how much of a gamble are they really taking?

The Sox really pulled this one off. Has the front office redeemed itself? That will be determined on the field, but things look promising.

Will Boston be the land of the Rising Gun?

2006-12-12T15:21:00.000-05:00

With only hours to go before the deadline, we're hearing all sorts of chatter. From the talks being dead to the Sox upping the ante and making a substantive offer, what do you pay attention to?

It's all been about posturing to this point in the "negotiations". Negotiations? With the Sox submitting a reported $7-$8M per year offer, Boras has simply not countered. He's only stated in a press conference that his player is worth in the neighborhood of $100M over 5 or 6 years. He feels that Matsuzaka should be paid like a top 5 MLB experienced starter. But at $16M+ a season, he's been smoking some strong stuff. Include the posting price of $51M, his annual salary would equal $25M per season. Right. Que up Aerosmith's Dream On...

The Scott Boras angle:

Top 5 pitching talent
Worth $16M+ per season
Posting pricetag of $51M should not be a factor
Ichiro was MVP caliber his first season and is still underpaid
No counteroffer - at least until things get very tense
Keep Matsuzaka away from potential pressures - home, fans, Seibu & the press
Provide favorable "contract info" only to Matsuzaka
He cares about the almighty dollar only, he has no conscience
No thought regarding the impact on the player
He can blame the posting system as being flawed

The Sox angle:

He's an unproven MLB talent
There are cases of failure (see Irabu, aka the Fat Toad)
Posting pricetag is absolutely part of the deal
They put the "full court press" on this guy - over bidding, Lucchino trip to Japan
Guarantee a certain amount, the rest in incentives (unproven commodity)
Boras has less leverage - no other teams are bidding
Matsuzaka said "sayonara" to Seibu and Japanese fans
Returning to Japan because of greed will not endear him to the fans
Seibu needs cash to stay solvent and competitive
"Honor" is a driving force for both Matsuzaka and Seibu
Last minute trip to meet Boras saves face for future Japanese player deals

Who's going to blink first?

Every party wants to get this deal done, but on their own terms. Whoever has the most to lose will blink first. That will probably be Matsuzaka. Why?

It's been his dream to play in the majors. He's said his farewell to the fans of Japan and Seibu. He will lose face if he returns to Seibu. The Japanese fans will take exception to him being greedy, Seibu will struggle financially, and may even be "forced" to cut his salary. It would be very ugly for him to return. In the end, he may need to tell Boras to accept a reasonable offer.

The Sox are sitting in an interesting position. They positioned themselves to be the good guys by posting a huge amount, sending Lucchino to Japan, and now upping the ante in person at Boras's doorstep. So if the deal falls thru, Boras is the bad guy and Matsuzaka is either naive or greedy. Oh yeah, they also lose a potential top of the rotation starter. But with Lester apparently healthy, they may be able to push the need for a starter to 2008 after Schill is retired. There's always the Clemens angle, but he may decide to join Pettite in NY.

Scott Boras has nothing to lose. He doesn't care about anything other than his commission. While he has less leverage than normal, he still has enough. He knows that he can squeeze more money out of this in another year and even more after two when Matsuzaka is a true free agent. He also has "the posting system needs to be changed" out, to which he can become the "champion" of changing it. What the Sox also fear is that Boras is shielding his client from what is really going on. Does he know that Boras has not made a counter offer? Has Boras been saying the Sox offer is an insult? That's why the Sox brass have flown to LA in the hopes of speaking to Matsuzaka in person during negotiations. They hope his friends have been on the internet and are calling him as well.

Will he pitch in Boston in 2007?

At age 26, growing up within Japanese culture, conventional wisdom would indicate Matsuzaka's willingness to make a reasonable deal. It's likely the Sox have offered a $10-$11M annual deal which dwarfs his current $3M deal. Has Boras warped his thinking? Is he getting good or bad advice from somewhere else? We should know by tomorrow if Matsuzaka & Boras return to Boston for a physical.

We're guessing he'll be on the mound in Fenway the second week of Apr. You can bet that Sushi will make it's way as well, so bring your chopsticks...

Sox ink Drew and Lugo...

2006-12-06T09:54:00.000-05:00

The winter meetings finally bear some fruit, and the Nation still retains our in-house "fruit" Manny. These two signings give the Sox a significant upgrade over last year.

If you say the Sox overpaid for both players, you're 100% correct. Neither will "live up to" their contract amount. Welcome to free agency in 2006. If you look at all the big free agent deals being signed, not many players will be worth their pricetag. You're going to see a number of high priced and mediocre pitching available at trading deadlines in the years to come. And you thought Matt Clement was expensive...

JD Drew

Sox get a significant upgrade in RF. He'll bring a .285 BA, 20+ HR, 100+ RBI, and .390+ OBP. He's a solid defender and now provides protection for Manny batting in the 5 spot. He makes a patient lineup even more patient, driving the pitch count even higher.

His rumored downside is that he's injury prone and has no drive. Let's take a look at his injuries:
2002 - 15 day DL (knee)
2003 - offseason surgery - started playing Apr 20th (knee), 15 day DL (oblique)
2004 - 8 games (neck/hamstring)
2005 - 5 games (knee), hit by pitch (broken wrist) in July - missed rest of season
2006 - 5 games (shoulder/quad)

Other than a broken wrist in 2005 his injuries are really minor. Yes, his career high is 146 games but that was also last season. In 2006 0nly 3 Sox players had more than 150 games played, and in 2005 only 4 (Damon had 148). Not so eye popping now, eh?

In terms of his drive and heart, who knows. There are sportswriters that don't like him and others like Gammons who praise him. But remember that he carried the offensive burden by himself in LA and the pressure that went with it. Now he's a #5 hitter with two of the best offensive forces in the majors hitting in front of him. Pressure is gone baby. He should thrive in Boston.

The other nagging question out there is why didn't they sign Damon last year. Should the Sox have known the market would be this pricey? Probably. So, is Drew worth the extra $2M per season? Probably not especially since Damon is a good leadoff man and he's now with your rival. But, the bottom line is that they landed the best player available. Just don't make the mistake of judging him on salary or if Damon is the better option. He's a solid productive player. Blame Theo for the faux pas, not him.

Julio Lugo

Theo's infatuation finally made it here. He's a good shortstop but have you ever understood the attraction? He's speedy and is a decent leadoff guy that will bring you a .275 BA, 10 HR, and 40 RBI. Apparently he's a high energy and good clubhouse guy as well. His numbers may also increase slightly with this lineup. However, expect to get about 20 errors out of him. Maybe you can attribute that to getting to more balls, but he's a still drop defensively over Gonzalez. Offensively he's an upgrade but mostly in consistency and batting average. At times, Gonzalez was a sure out last season. Overall they're better offensively and baserunning, but took a hit defensively. It looks pretty even on the surface, but management seems to be very high on him. They're definitely a better club with him despite the $9M pricetag.

The Sox still have some work to do, but their lineup is in good shape right now. Here's what you'll see on opening day if nothing changes:

Lugo
Crisp
Ortiz
Ramirez
Drew
Tech
Lowell
Youkilis
Pedroia

Don't forget about Wily Mo, Hinske, and Cora...

Next up: Pitching, pitching, pitching...

To trade Manny, or not to trade Manny...

2006-11-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

Well the Manny gate rumors have reared their ugly head once again. With the recent outlandish free agent signing $'s, Manny's contract is now seen as a bargain. That's scary. His contract has seemingly been the albatross in striking any trade deals, even as recent as last season. What a difference a year makes. MLB insiders also seem to think this trend of spending will continue in the near future making his contract #'s even more tradeable.

The debate of whether to keep him or trade him will rage on. It's been rumored that he made be traded as early as Saturday (when they will supposedly sign JD Drew).

Why Should they trade Manny?

1) His flighty attitude.
2) He seemingly quit on his teammates at the end of last season.
3) He's become such a distraction that he affects team chemistry.
4) The Manny being Manny episodes are not a matter of if, but when.
5) His production may start to slip in the next couple of seasons.
6) His trade value may not ever be higher, and a younger viable option is available.

Why should they keep him?

1) You can't replace his production or talent for hitting (Andruw Jones is not the same threat or producer).
2) David Ortiz's walks will increase and his production will decrease. You're losing the equivalent of 1.25 players.
3) You won't get equal value in return, and teams (like the Dodgers) are claiming the pricetag is too high.
4) He's a 10-5 guy and can veto any trade - should they expend time & energy in the first place? He may require additional terms (exercise option & possible extension years) before waiving his no-trade. He also may just change his mind about it daily.
5) Just to piss off local sports writers like Shaughnessy.

The question is, does management think his antics outweigh his production. It's clear his teammates were frustrated with him at the end of last season, but to the point they don't want him back? We'll never really know. The only measuring stick will be what kind of deal they pull off. If he isn't traded, that most likely means they weren't willing to part with him for less than full value, and he's not the "cancer" some portray him to be.

Sportwriters like Shaughnessy don't like Manny, so when reading their articles bear that in mind. Manny doesn't speak to the media so there is no dispute or point of view to what's written either. Shaughnessy would have you believe Manny doesn't want to be here (another season of trade rumors), he gave up on his teammates and he gave up on YOU, the fan. What a load of crap. It makes for a good article in November, but do you really buy it? What he's actually doing is making it easier for the Sox brass to unload him for less than fair value - in the eyes of the fan.

There is only 1 consideration here if you're Theo. Will Manny's antics disrupt the clubhouse to the point of derailing the team? Will his "phantom" injuries return at a critical point of the season?

A) If no, then keep him unless you're blown away by an offer. His option year is also now a bargain.
B) If yes, how much under fair value are you willing to take?

From a fan's perspective, do you really care about the Manny being Manny episodes? It's not like you work with the guy directly. You're not paying his salary. What it really comes down to is his production and ability to help the team win. You may only get 140 games out of him, but at the end of the day is there a better option?

Unless they get some stud pitching in return, they're nuts if they trade him. That's two more seasons of Manny coming your way...

Hot Stove - The Rotation...

2006-11-20T09:42:00.000-05:00

Scary, but it’s that time already. The Sox have more holes to fill this offseason than they’ve had in a while. Payroll sits around $100M right now, and the new luxury tax number has risen to $148M. Where will they fit in? It’s probably safe to assume $20M will go towards starting pitching. Let’s delve right in to what the Sox are looking at:

Starters:

1) Beckett
2) Schilling
3) Papelbon
4) Wake
5) ???

Not such a bad rotation as it stands. It’s probably good enough to get to the playoffs by adding a solid #5. Let’s also assume that Lester doesn’t help in 2007. Also remember that Schill posted the best Sox starters ERA last season which was just under 4…

Potentials:

Daisuke Matsuzaka – the prize of the free agents. Only 26, his 17-5 record, 2.13 ERA, and 200K in 186 IP is impressive. Even though the Sox won the bidding, they still need to negotiate length & dollars per season.

Impact: Hasn’t done it with MLB players yet, but all the scouts think he’s the real deal.
Cost: $51M (doesn’t affect payroll #’s). Boras reportedly asking $16M per year.
Analysis: Best option. Don’t give up any prospects, open new revenue stream overseas, and keep away from competition - especially Yanks. $51M doesn’t count against the cap…

Adam Eaton – 28, injured during spring training (surgery on finger), didn’t pitch until July. Went 7-4 with a 5.12 ERA, after spending 6 seasons with the Padres.

Impact: End of rotation guy, NL ERA of low 4’s.
Cost: $4.7 last year, could be a “cheap” option at $6M - $7M
Analysis: Only 28, but the transition to the AL coupled with a finger injury inflated his ERA. He’s also never pitched 200 innings, or won more than 11 games. Apparently Theo has met with him already. Not sure what he sees here. Don’t we have a similar guy on the farm already?

Gil Meche – 28, was 11-8, 4.48 Era with Seattle. With a thin market, his $3.7M salary should at least double.

Impact: Middle of rotation guy, can lock up for a few years. Schill will be gone in 08, might fit in nicely behind Beckett, Papelbon, and Lester.
Cost: $8M+
Analysis: He’s been pitching in the AL so no “adjustment” will happen. Downside – never pitched 200 innings, only won 15 games once. Only a 4 or 5 guy at best. He’s still young and may be the only “bargain” out there.

Vincente Padilla – 29, was 15-10, 4.50 ERA with Texas, career 4.06 ERA. Reportedly looking for $10M per season. Made the transition back to AL improving on his 4.71 from Philly. Appears to have overcome injuries in 2004 & 2005.

Impact: Could be a solid # 3. There aren’t many 15 game winners that fall out of the sky, especially within the AL.
Cost: $10M+
Analysis: May become too expensive after bidding starts. How much do you want to pay for a #3? See: Matt Clement…

National League

Tom Glavine – is a homecoming in the cards? He’s reportedly torn between the Mets and Braves. His 15-7 record went along with 3.82 ERA. At 40, it makes little sense for him to switch to the AL. He’ll probably cost around $11- $12M.

Woody Williams – went 12-5 with a 3.65 era in 145 innings. At 40, he’s had a steady decline in innings every season since 2003. Might be a good option in the pen however.

Mark Mulder – had season ending surgery (rotator cuff), this guy may have lost it, but has still been mentioned in rumors… Went 6-7 with a 7+ ERA with the Cards. Yikes.

Longshot Department

Roger Clemens – were you tired of the back and forth stories last season? Well, hang on because here they come again. He’s the master at extracting the most dollars he can. Houston has probably had its fill, but he’ll pit the Sox vs. Yanks, with the Rangers a distant third once again. Odds are he’d join the Sox, but at a price the Sox would pay? His NL numbers will certainly jump. Is he a legit #2 in the AL now? Remember too that he broke down only playing a few months.

Jason Schmidt – at 33, he’s not any getting better especially if he switches to the AL. Someone will overpay to the tune of $13- $14M. Probably Houston because they just unloaded a ton of payroll.

Barry Zito – at 28, he’s proven to be durable. His ERA of 3.83 is probably close to what you can expect going forward. A true #1 in the NL, he’s not in the AL. Do you start him in a decisive playoff game? Although he was top 10 in ERA, he’s not a top 10 pitcher. But, he’ll get paid like he is, similar to the $13 - $14M of Schmidt. A left handed flyball pitcher at Fenway spells disaster. Mets are probably the best fit.

Jake Peavy – only 25, he dominated the prior 2 seasons. His ERA ballooned to over 4 from a sub 3 last season. He did have a good Sept with a 2.43 ERA, but did not perform well in the playoffs. This rumor popped up last season, but why would SD part with a 25 year old starter? Who do the Sox give up? Don’t hold your breath…

Ted Lilly – 30, this Sox killer will be commanding big dollars ($11-$12M?). His 4.31 era was in the top 20 in the AL. Someone will overpay, but not the Sox. He’s probably a fringe 3 guy at best. Still, rumors persist that Theo is interested…

In the Clubhouse / On the farm…

Jon Lester – let’s just hope this kid is OK. Treatment and recovery is 6-8 months (Feb – Apr timeframe). That’s when we find out just if he’s healthy or not. He’ll be unable to even eat properly or train until then. Even if he does pitch in 07, he probably won’t be back at his 2006 form.

Julian Tavares – pitched very well in the rotation going 3-0 in his last 5 starts, giving up more than 2 runs (3 & 4) only in two of his starts. He’ll probably start in the pen and be a backup plan for the rotation.

Hansack/Gabbard/Alvarez/Pauley/Snyder/J. Johnson/DiNardo – hopefully someone from this heap will have a great spring. Some of these guys showed some poise after being thrown in the fire. Their best bet is that someone will stand out by June.

Coming next, The Pen…

Matsuzaka Mania Baby! The hot stove is heated!

2006-11-14T20:17:00.000-05:00

The Sox pull off step 1 in the Matsuzaka sweepstakes. The sweeps ticket cost somewhere between $42M - $50M+ depending on who you believe. The Seibu Lions will probably won't be tight lipped about their windfall, so we'll know soon.

The Sox now need to clear the Scott Boras hurdle, which apparently is set somewhere around $14M per season. At 26, you'd think the Sox would want to lock him up for at least 4 seasons. On the other hand if he's not a top of the rotation talent, how many years do you risk to overpay?

This is a bold move by the Sox and it accomplishes a number of important tasks:

1) They get a potential #1 guy at 26 - unheard of especially these days
2) Don't give up any young talent to get him
3) Keep him away from rivals - especially the Yanks
4) The $42M+ does not impact payroll, and the Sox must feel they can "recover" the investment from the overseas market (TV rights, media, merchandise)

Will he be a success? Based on his numbers, the scouting reports, and the number of teams throwing money around, the safe bet is yes.

Couple of quick hits...

The gyro ball is fictional. When asked during the WBC, Matsuzaka laughed and said he'd work on one.

Apparently the best players in Japan are obsessed over, and the fan base is 10 times as rabid as we are here. So those of you worried about the pressure at Fenway, can rest easy.

And be friendly to the influx of Japanse tourists about to roll in. Sushi coming to Fenway?

Stay tuned for more hot stove updates...

Gold Glove? More like aluminium foil...

2006-11-03T13:53:00.000-05:00

By definition, the Gold Glove Award honors the top fielders at each position in each league. Since 1965, managers and coaches have decided the winners.

Well, they suck at it. This process is exactly like all-star voting. Players get awarded more for their star power, not performance.

How are coaches evaluating these guys? By the look of things, probably not by defensive stats...

For a closer look, here are 5 main stats used to evaluate defensive prowess:

1) Fielding percentage - the higher the #, the less mistakes you make
2) Errors - self explanatory
3) Total Chances - # of opportunities to field the ball
4) Range factor - how many balls you can get to
5) Zone rating - % of balls fielded in their "zone" (no idea...)

A reasonable person would evaluate the first 3, because who the hell knows what 4 & 5 really are. The other one not listed is the "eyeball test". You know by watching a player how good they really are. But it's also no secret who can get to a ball and who can't. Players who have less errors because they lost a step and can't reach a ball up the gap shouldn't be rewarded. There are some subjective areas, but lets be honest, it's a popularity contest.

In a perfect world you would start with your eyeballs, and then look at the stats. Unless a player is on your team, you don't see him play every day. The eyeball test only goes so far.

Lets take a look at some of the more glaring examples out there in the AL...

Pitcher:

Kenny Rogers takes it home this year. He had 5 errors in the regular season. There were 30+ pitchers who had less errors, with 11 of those recording "zero" errors. So, 11 guys who were essentially perfect got passed by with someone who made 5 errors. Maybe the makers of pine tar have a lobbyist...

Shortstop:

Derek Jeter is a great player, maybe even one of the best ever. But his best fielding days went bye bye a while ago. Take a peek at his stats and those he beat out:

D. Jeter: .975 FPC, 14 E, 610 TC
A. Gonzalez: .985 FPC, 7E, 475 TC
M. Young: .981 FPC, 14E, 747 TC
J. Uribe: .977 FPC, 14E, 604 TC

Outfield:

The same trio has now won the award the past 3 seasons. Here are some of the top performers (before we get to the winners):

C. Granderson: .997 FPC, 1 E, 389 TC
M. Cabrera: .996 FPC, 1 E, 230 TC
B. Anderson: .994 FPC, 2 E, 310 TC
R. Ibanez: .994 FPC, 2 E, 314 TC
M. Kotsay: .993 FPC, 2 E, 289 TC
C. Crawford: .990 FPC, 3 E, 314 TC

And your winners...

I. Suzuki: .992 FPC, 2 E, 260 TC
T. Hunter: .989 FPC, 4 E, 355 TC
V. Wells: .988 FPC, 4 E, 340 TC

Other Infielders:

The results are fairly close, but NONE of these winners were better in more than ONE of the statistical categories. You could make a clear case that someone else was better.

The one award that does make sense goes to I-Rod. He is not only better but superior in almost every major category. Throwing out a runner more than 50% of the time is amazing. So, you can feel warm and cozy about one of them.

What to do, what to do...

Do we continue to bitch about these awards every year? Do we let it continue? Does it really matter?

If there are those of you really tired and fet up with this, get out your pens and fire up your emails. Contact Rawlings (the sponsor) and MLB (coaches who vote).

Executive Office
Rawlings Sporting Goods Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 22000
St. Louis, MO 63126

Major League Baseball Advanced Media, LP.
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212-485-3444

Wrapup of 2006 Yanks, playoff records...

2006-10-11T09:16:00.000-04:00

We're officially putting Jayson Stark, ESPN.com writer, on our staff. His latest article (see link below) puts the Yanks futile playoff efforts into perspective. And, oh my, it's some great stuff...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2006/insider/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=2620662&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos1

A few highlights...

1) The Yankees are the first team ever to win 95-plus for six straight seasons without winning a World Series in any of them.

2) These 2004-05-06 Yankees are the fourth team in the division-play era to win 95 or more three straight years without even playing in a World Series, let alone winning one.

3) So what have we established? We've established that these Yankees now belong in the same conversation as the most tragic October figures of all time.

4) Even the Red Sox have never had anything like this happen to them. And, of course, they never had A-Rod around, either.

5) Yankees just set a record for most consecutive postseason series in which they led the series at some point. If the Yankees have led in all those series, it means that, in each of the seven postseason series Joe Torre's Yankees have lost, they had to come from AHEAD to lose all seven.

6) You probably could have figured this, but the Yankees are now the first team ever to lose a postseason series in which they were ahead in six straight seasons.

7) The Yankees' streak isn't just a baseball record. It's a record for all four major North American pro sports.

Let's reflect on some of that fabulous info for a moment. The Yanks are actually building a case to be one of the worst postseason performers EVER, in any sport. Now that's quite a statement.

And you Yankee fans thought "The Greatest Choke of All Time" would be the worst it gets. Nope. It's almost to the point where we want the Yanks in the playoffs to see how bad it can get. Not to mention the building angst among Yankee fans...

Should I stay or should I go now? Torre is gone & then he's back...

Should we call in the clash on this one? First, Newsday reports he's gone then Georgie says "OK I guess he can stay". What an overwhelming endorsement. After so many seasons with a $200M payroll and playoff futility, the ax will eventually fall, maybe even by midseason 2007.

Cashman also claimed that A-Rod will not be traded. But his statement "We're going to figure this thing out together" is baffling. Figure what out? That he can't handle the pressure when it means the most? His 4 for 41 and no RBI in his last 12 playoff games speaks volumes, not to mention Torre moving him to 8th in the lineup. His regular season numbers are outstanding (aside from league leading 24 errors) and the downside is that he kills the clubhouse chemistry. He'll help get you to the playoffs but will fold like a house of cards once you get there. Not good from a "superstar"... (By the way, what's up with A-Rod asking for privacy while shopping in NYC?)

$urgeries?

Both the Big Unit (back) and Giambi (wrist) are both headed for the knife. Big Unit is probably entering his last season, and will be the #4 starter. It's almost like watching MJ in his last season for the Wizards, but worse. Giambi battles yet another injury. Guess that HGH can't fix everything.

Option$?

Looks like the Yanks will turn down the option on Mussina, but will renegotiate a deal for lesser dollars. Will they give him more than 1 year? Risky for a 38 year old with a history of breaking down.

Do they bring back Sheffield? He certainly can't play first, and even the Yanks won't spend $13M for a disgruntled 4th OF. Don't be surprised to see him in RF at Fenway next season...

Jaret Wright? They either pay him $7M to pitch for them or $4M to go away. He'll be back for the extra $3M, especially with the scarce pitching free agent market.

Rambling$...

Carl Pavano? Will the Yanks ever see him pitch? They still have to sort thru his "accident". Have any faith in the offseason conditioning program to prevent injury to his shoulder, elbow, back, and buttocks?

Will the Yanks pursue Zito (will vastly overpay) or Schmidt (damaged goods from NL)? Right now, the 2007 rotation looks like: Wang, Mussina, Wright, Johnson, Karstens (with Hughes waiting in the wings). Yanks fans should pray for Zito and bullpen help...

Yanks are still a very old team and Cashman has a lot of work to do. It looks to be a very interesting and long offseason...

Letterman gets in on the act...

2006-10-10T16:39:00.000-04:00

The always funny top 10, from Mon Oct 11th...

Top Ten New York Yankees Excuses (for choking in round 1)

10. Wanted Columbus Day off to get to all the sales
9. Thought series was best 6 out of 11
8. We've already missed the first three episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" -- enough is enough
7. Thought Joe Torre told us to give 10 percent
6. Players distracted by erotic text messages from Mark Foley
5. Shouldn't have switched to the cheaper generic steroids
4. Clubhouse caterer replaced E. coli-tainted spinach with E. coli-tainted lettuce
3. Uh, global warming?
2. More focused on how they're going to get by on a lousy $16 million a year
1. What's the point? North Korea's gonna nuke us at any moment

Thanks Dave...

Murderers who? Tigers take 3 in a row!

2006-10-07T19:08:00.000-04:00

Wow. Was that the Tigers on steroids or the worst postseason performance by an offensive juggernaut ever?

These are the Tigers that were freefalling and limped into the playoffs. The Yanks were well rested and had arguably the best offense in decades.

Must have been the tension in the clubhouse A-Rod referred to. Or was it everyone besides Jeter? Games 3 & 4 were just embarassing. They didn't even show up...

A-Rod now hitting in the 8 spot was 1-14, Giambi 1-8, Sheffield couldn't catch anything at first, and Torre inserted Melky for an offensive spark. Melky?

Torre always gets the credit when they win, but he should get the lions share of blame for this one. A-Rod will be the villian and take most of the heat. He should take some, but Torre is the one that lost control of the clubhouse, and ultimately team chemistry. The Tigers had more energy, more emotion, and just plain wanted it more.

Thats 3 straight playoff series losses now, and 3-10 in their last 13 postseason games. Keep counting those AL East crowns (and ALDS losses).

A few randoms...

Best sign in the playoffs? "Hey Johnny you left your playoff beard in Beantown"... Priceless...

Best random moment? Jim Leyland goes to the fence to kiss his wife & kids thru the fence after clinching. Nice moment. Then some random dude sticks his lips thru the fence & Leyland kisses him on the hat. Hilarious...

Best fan celebration? Detroit. The players hive fiving the fans, then spraying them down with champagne standing on the dugouts. Congrats Detroit, its been a while. It's also a little bit sweeter beating the Yanks...

Uh oh, it's a deep 2-1 hole...

2006-10-07T08:21:00.000-04:00

Kenny Rogers was masterful. That was easily his best clutch performance and had to be one of the best ever in the playoffs. That high powered offense of the ages looked baffled. Murderers row hasn't advanced a runner in over 9 innings...

A-Rod made what looked like a nice tag play at 3rd but the runner was safe and ultimately scored. Bernie hit a deep shot to left (which he thought was gone when he hit it) that just missed the foul pole. That Yankee mystique of old is apparently in hiding. They're not getting the breaks they're used to getting.

The Big Unit is showing his age and obviously couldn't overcome his back issues. The once great warrior couldn't get thru 6, giving up 8H & 5R. Will he return next season?

Now the season rests on the arm of Wright. Good luck with that one. Looks like the stumbling Tigers can pull this one out...

Your rival's team not in the playoffs?

2006-10-06T14:18:00.000-04:00

This is absolutely priceless. It was sent to us by one of you faithful Yankee folks out there (would have caught it sooner but was sitting in the spam folder).

Get it here: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/fan_forum/lasorda/

But don't worry Yankee fans, you'll be getting one soon enough...

Yanks evade red-hot Twins, get stumbling Tigers...

2006-10-02T16:27:00.000-04:00

Yup, even Siegfried and Roy aren't too worried about these Tigers...

Coming off a terrible collapse and backing into the playoffs (very uncharacteristic for a Leyland team), things look lined up nicely for the Yanks. With Sheff and Matsui back, they have the most formidable lineup in the playoffs. There was no Sox series to wear them down. They've been able to rest their players. The stars are all aligned...

But there are only 3 things that win in October. Pitching, pitching, and pitching. With an ailing Unit and worn out pen, the Yanks pin their season on Mussina, Wang, and scoring a ton of runs. Don't see it carrying them too far...

They should be able to beat the reeling Tigers unless their young rotation steps it up. Verlander is more than capable of tossing some zero's. But they've been pitching worse than the Yanks have of late. Their lineup features 6 guys that hit 19 or more homers, so they can easily do some damage.

Anything can happen in a short series. Bad breaks, injuries, surprise contributors... A Detroit victory certainly wouldn't be shocking.

But just like St. Louis, these Tigers should be breaking out the golf clubs soon...

Is it A-Rod? Or Stuart Smalley?

2006-09-22T14:21:00.000-04:00

The whole A-Rod thing is priceless, and it still won't go away.
Even when the Yanks clinched, he was still getting tooled on. Why? Poor bastard can't get out of his own way.

Excerpt from a recent ESPN article:

"When people write bad things about me, I don't know if it's because I'm good-looking, I'm biracial, I make the most money, I play on the most popular team ..."

Wow. Will someone read that back to him so he can understand it? What color is the sky on your planet?

Even Stuart Smalley is like, DUDE? Tone it down...

His teammates will not relent, especially Giambi. Where the heck is Torre in all of this? Don't you grab your team by the collar & tell them to zip it? How are you managing this team if you allow this to continue?

Is there a way out? Only if he has monster playoffs, but the Yanks still must win. Remember too that he has more pressure on him now than ever. He certainly hasn't been able to handle it so far. Will more pressure help or hurt? If he struggles, his days in pinstripes may be over. Will he get the big hit when it counts? No way. He'll be pressing too hard and then he'll be packing...

Yanks finally clinch, but playoff hopes doomed...

2006-09-20T13:29:00.000-04:00

Took them long enough. Sox imploded a while ago. Don't pat yourselves on the back too hard.

Yanks Playoffs Doomed? You decide...

"Unhappy family? Yankees give A-Rod tough love" http://x.go.com/cgi/x.pl?goto=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2595523&name=FPT-2595523-092013&srvc=sz

That's a recent title of an ESPN.com article. Pitching matchups aside (which are not in Yanks favor either), chemistry is a huge part of winning. Just ask the 2004 version of the Sox. With a team supposedly cruising to the playoffs, having guys take shots at each other in the clubhouse is a bad sign. Even Torre has had to speak with A-Rod.

So lets see, A-Rod has the fans, teammates, and the manager against him. You might as well hit him 9th now. Thats going to be ugly.

So enjoy going to the playoffs while it lasts, it doesn't look good. Must be hard rooting for a team fighting within itself. Don't really wish that on anyone.

The only question now is who will take A-Rod off your hands in the offseason & how much is Georgie going to pony up to get it done?

Yanks drop 3 of 4 at home to Sox…

2006-09-18T10:41:00.000-04:00

We know, we know. It doesn’t matter and the Sox aren’t going to the playoffs. But your playoff bound Yankees just dropped 3 of 4 to a pitching staff that consisted of:

Beckett: 2ER
Tavares: 4ER
Snyder: 2ER
Jarvis: 4ER

Who? Yikes. And your Bombers countered with Wang, Johnson, Wright, and Mussina (your playoff rotation). All this against a lineup without Manny. The game they did manage to win took a late inning rally. Well, they must be on cruise control. Yup, that’s what it is. They really weren’t trying to win. They didn't want to clinch against the Sox at home either. By the way, the Brooklyn Bridge is for sale...

Yes the Sox will be watching the playoffs, but witnessing another $200M go down in flames will be entertaining. Playoffs are about pitching. Wang, Mussina, and Johnson don’t match up against the A’s, Minn, or the struggling Tigers. So good luck with that.

That’s right folks. Another disappointing season without a ring. Keep counting your division titles. Maybe you’ll catch the Braves. Who cares about division titles? Teams that don't win championships. And how many rings do the Braves have again?

A ray of hope? Not really...

2006-09-06T10:22:00.000-04:00

Sox finally win two in a row, and against a playoff contender no less. Even more silly, their starters were Julian Tavarez & Kason Gabbard. Your starter tonight? Kyle Snyder... Here's your rotation for the next 5 starts:

Snyder, Beckett, DiNardo, Tavarez, Gabbard - with no closer... Wowch…

Although some of you feel somewhat optimistic, realize that the Sox need to reel off something like 18-5 to get in. Or let’s live in the land of make-believe for a minute. The Sox stay 6 behind in the wildcard race, and manage to sweep the Twins (19th - 21st) to bring it to 3 games. Then they have 9 games to close the gap. Not that far fetched you say?

Without a healthy Schilling, no Wells, no Papelbon, a weakened pen, and still no Wakefield, what are you smokin? The only hope is that the lineup needs to get red hot and they bash their way in.

Both Minn & Chisox would need to implode. Chisox still face Angels, A's, Det, Sea, & Minn. Minn has an easier path vs. Det, A's, & Chisox. So if you're scoreboard watching still, keep an eye on Minn as Chisox should fall back.

In 2004, the Sox went 20-11 to finish the regular season. Their remaining schedule only has roadblocks with 4 vs. Yanks and 3 vs. Minn. Is it plausable? Yup. Probable? Nope. Mathematically they’re still in it. They need to play well and get a ton of help.

Realistically? Let’s just hope the injury bug has left the building. It’s just uncanny, never seen anything like this.

Lastly, please keep your thoughts and prayers around Jon Lester who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of Lymphoma Cancer. The 22 year old will undergo chemo for 4 months. Good luck Jon...

Quick, someone get a muzzle for the fat lady...

2006-08-29T09:22:00.000-04:00

She might not be singing just yet, but she's a hummin...

With Papi going back to Boston for testing (insert our heart attack here) it doesn't look good. That may be the final straw. Who can carry the offense with Manny out too? Yikes.

It doesn't look like they'll be able to survive until they get healthy. You can't call an MLB worst 8-19 record in Aug surviving...

Here is the AAA version of the Sox last night in Oak:

P - Kason Gabbard

Crisp
Cora
Loretta
Youkilis
Hinske
Lowell
J Lopez
C Pena
Pedroia

Let's just have Jeff Spicoli fill out the lineup card for Sept...

No Ortiz, No Manny, No Pitching, "NO DICE!"

____________________________________________

The Sox have 31 games left, with a 6 game defecit for the wild card and 7 game defecit for the AL East. In order to make the playoffs, the teams they are chasing would need to go 16-17. The Sox? Need to go 21-10 the rest of the way. With their current roster, that would be quite a feat. Don't hold your breath very long...

____________________________________________

The WBC affect?

Lets not pretend that this created the downfall of the Sox. While it did affect them, there are plenty of reasons they are in the state they're currently in.

The WBC has roughly 50 well known major leaguers on their rosters. Of those 50, we count 17 players that have spent significant time on the DL, had significant negative effects to their stats, or both. That's about 35% of players affected. Is the WBC to blame? Maybe. Would these players performed differently or been injured if they didn't participate? You decide. It just seems like 35% is a little more than a coincidence. Here's the list of players affected:

Bobby Abreu
Rafael Betancourt
Adrian Beltre
Jorge Cantu
Bartolo Colon
Lenny DiNardo
Derrick Lee
Brad Lidge
Esteban Loaiza
Jake Peavy
Wily Mo Pena
Albert Pujols
Alex Rodriguez
Huston Street
Mike Timlin
Jason Varitek
Dontrelle Willis
Victor Zambrano

The Yankee Euphoria...

2006-08-23T09:10:00.000-04:00

For those of you that don't know what "euphoria" means: A feeling of great happiness or well-being, commonly exaggerated and not necessarily well founded. (Dictionary.com apparently doesn't like the Yanks either) Heck, even Shatner the ultimate "over-actor" isn't buying it...

Let's recap...

1) It's only August
2) The Yanks have plenty of time to blow it
3) As long as the Yanks are 3 games up with 4 to go, the Sox will be fine (2004 revisited)
4) Yanks pitching is not that good. It just didn't suck as bad as the Sox pitching over 5 games
5) The next 4 game set at Yankee Stadium will allow you to suffer at home in Sept.

While it has been so nice to hear from all of you regarding the Sox demise, there are still 40 games left. It really can't get worse for the Sox, and can't get any better for the Yanks. Don't expect all the breaks continuing to come your way...

But your Yankees just lost Mussina, at least for his next start. His track record late in the season isn't good. Ponson is horrible, and the Unit is an average #3 starter at this point. More pressure just got dumped on Wang.

Still confident? Riding high? Must be living in fantasy land...

You've just been set up for another fall Yankee Fans.

Only this time its from higher ground...

Has anyone seen our pitching staff?

2006-08-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

Looks like it may not take those 24 games after all. If the staff continues to pitch like this, it will be over before the west coast trip ends. It's been awful. It's almost like they don't want it bad enough. Aside from Schilling, no one has shown any guts from the staff. And if the starter managed to pitch well enough for a win, the pen blows it. They should have taken 2 games from the Tigers and at least 2 from the Yanks. Bottom line is they didn't. They don't deserve to go to the playoffs right now. Who could they "out pitch" in a playoff series right now? It's not looking good folks. They may not be able to weather the storm until Wake & Tek return. Even then, it may not be enough. The real key is Beckett. If he manages to go on a run, they may be OK. The only problem is that he hasn't done it consistently all season, so why should it start now? Look for Wells to get the win today and stop the skid, at least temporarily. This team is still going to win 90+ games, but will it be enough? Unless they get hot soon, no. Lets hope this series is a wake up call.

For you Yankee fans out there, don't go printing those World Series tickets just yet. Everything went right for the Bombers in this series and nothing went right for the Sox "arms". How much confidence do you have in your staff with these #'s? The pen is what made the difference this weekend...

4 Games - 25 runs: Starters - 18 runs, Pen - 7 runs

Starters: Avg 5IP, 4.5 runs

Wang 6IP, 3ER
Ponson 3IP, 7ER
Unit 7IP, 5ER
Mussina 4IP, 3ER

Good luck in any playoff series with that pitching...

At least the Sox pitching can't get any worse, the only way to go is up. How far up is the question...

The next 24 games will decide the season...

2006-08-14T10:46:00.000-04:00

After a nail biting 3 game sweep of the O's, the Sox find themselves only 1 game back of the Yanks and 2 games out of the wildcard behind the surging Chisox. What a difference a few days make.

The good news is we should know if the Sox are a playoff team in the next 3 weeks or so. Why? take a look at their upcoming schedule. It's a doozey...

Detroit - 3 games
Yanks - 5 games

West Coast Trip:
Angels - 3
Seattle - 3
Oakland - 3

Back Home:
Toronto - 3
ChiSox - 3

That translates into a 24 game stretch from hell, with only 1 day off. Wow, the average of those teams is at a 66-51 record. At least most games are at home. The upcoming double header on Fri and a day game on Sat will be brutal.

While the Sox seemed to have found themselves offensively, pitching is still a concern. Schill, Beckett, and Wells need to be outstanding. Lester is probably where he'll be at the rest of the way, giving up 3-5 runs per game over 5 innings. The Jason Johnson experiment may be over (hopefully), and we'd like to see Phil Seibel get a shot until Wake returns (which is at the end of this stretch). Put Johnson in the pen.

The bullpen continues to struggle and need the starters to go longer. The return of Varitek wouldn't hurt either. Now the rehabbing Foulke has been put back on the shelf and we may never see him again. These guys need some rest, and only the starters can provide it.

So, what's going to happen? They should be fine if they win 14 games. It's do-able but tough. If Schill, Beckett, and Wells all pitch well (all 3 excel in big games), they'll only need to steal a couple games from Lester & the #5 spot.

The Yanks have a similar road, with the only differences against Minnesota & Baltimore. Chisox & Minnesota face each other 6 times during this stretch.

Bottom line is that no one has an easy road. But the ones standing after this stretch will be there at the end. It won't be easy catching the leaders in early September...

Royal Sweep! Did you twist your ankle jumping off the bandwagon yet?

2006-08-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

Can things get much worse? Well, yes, but it really doesn't feel that way. The Sox are now 12-15 since the break. Ouch.

Whats going on?

It's certainly not the competition. Cleveland 49-64, Tampa Bay 47-68, and KC 41-73 represent the league's worst. The Sox went a combined 3-7 against them.

Is it the absence of Tek? They are a combined 2-7 since he went down. Does 1 player have such as significant impact on a pitching staff? Probably not to that extreme, but some.

Is it the offense? They've averaged just under 5 runs a game with a .277 BA. It's not Ortiz and Manny, they've been tearing it up since the break. Lowell has struggled (.200 BA), and also out of the catching spot.

Is it the rotation? There's the "Tek factor" and the rocky return of Wells. Johnson pitched well his last outing, but Lester continues to struggle. Opposing teams have averaged 5 1/2 runs a game with a .296 BA.

Is it the pen? Are the youngsters hitting the wall? Papelbon, Delcarmen, and Hansen are not what they were a few weeks ago. Timlin has not returned to his old form since the injury. Tavarez & Seanez have been non-factors. Do the recent pen meltdowns make all the other problems look worse? Take away 3 or 4 recent losses and they're still in first...

Is it the lack of talent from the trade deadline? Let's say the Sox pulled off the Abreu and Lidle deal. How much does it really help them right now? Put Lidle in Johnson's spot and Abreu in Wily Mo's spot. It's a wash right now. Apparently there are some in the clubhouse that were disappointed by the lack of a move (see - veterans that don't have many opportunities left). Don't you find it hard to believe that the front office is so enamoured with its young talent they wouldn't make a move? Please. Theo traded Nomar - the face of the franchise at the time. Would he hesitate to trade a couple young arms for an Oswalt? No. Bottom line is that we don't know what deals were proposed. These deals always look good on July 31st, but how often do they make a difference? Other than 2004, good luck finding one.

So what is really happening here? It's a combination of all those things. Remember that this team has persevered without a 4 & 5 starter basically all season. Your #3 starter was struggling and still sits on the DL. Lester has been OK but only gives you 5 innings. Johnson, Snyder, Pauley, Gabbard, etc didn't exactly give you quality starts. Now the pen is starting to show signs of wear because the starters can't go 6 or 7 innings. Throw in the Tek injury and the dominoes are starting to fall. All the breaks and late game comebacks have disappeared. Anything that could go wrong, is going wrong.

Where do we go from here? They'll need a run similar to 2004 to get back in the playoffs. The skid is not over folks. Wells needs to regain his old form, Wake needs to come back strong, and someone other than Ortiz & Manny needs to step up offensively (Wily Mo?). The question is if this team can weather the storm. It certainly doesn't look good right now. Hang in folks, there's still a long way to go. Let's just hope things turn around before its too late...

The Cardiac Kids...

2006-08-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

Another 9th inning comeback. This time it wasn't Papi. Of the 7 walk off hits this season, he has 5 and now Loretta has 2. Your 2006 Sox are now 2nd (believe it or not) with 31 come from behind wins. Hard to imagine anyone else has more, but certainly not more dramatic than what we've seen lately. How can you leave the park early or turn the TV off before the game ends?

The latest rumbling is that the Sox are going after the Orioles catcher Javy Lopez. Apparently he's been put on waivers (was actually asking to be released) and supposedly made it thru waivers all the way to the Sox. They should be able to claim him ($9M salary probably is what got him thru) and not have to give up much to get him. How does this affect Varitek? Probably not as much as you may think. Lopez is a free agent at year end, so he'll be gone. Tek won't come back until at least the first week of Sept, and he wouldn't be as compelled to rush his recovery. Mirabelli is not an everyday player, and will need to split duty anyway (Huckaby hitting just above .200 in AAA is not overly appealing). Once Tek does return, he probably doesn't go back to 4 days on and 1 off either. With the expanded roster in Sept, it makes sense to carry 3 catchers especially when one of them is a thumping right handed bat off the bench. He's been very unhappy in Baltimore and a change of scenery should benefit him. The only questions surround his diminished role once Tek returns and the Sox willing to pony up the rest of his $9M. it only makes sense to do this deal right away.

Wet Balls?
Yup, thats what some opposing players are saying about the baseballs at Colorado's Coors Field. The Rockies are being accused of soaking their balls or storing them in a humidor prior to games. This reduces the flight of the ball especially at that high altitude. Are they really altering the ball, or is it better pitching in 2006? You decide - take a look at stats both home & away the past few years:

2006:
Home: 4.03 Era / 87HR (projected)
Away: 4.32 Era / 53HR (projected)

2005:
Home: 5.13 Era / 84HR
Away: 5.07 Era / 91HR

2004:
Home: 6.27 Era / 110 HR
Away: 4.72 Era / 88HR

2003:
Home: 5.07 Era / 117HR
Away: 5.35 Era / 83HR

Looks like their pitching is just plain better by looking at their HR's allowed on the road this season. If the numbers hold, they will give up more home runs at home than last season. Even if they are "un-juicing" the ball, aren't their hitters at the same disadvantage?

Trade Deadline:
Are you that upset about the Sox not making a move at the deadline? Without knowing specifics of deals, we can't understand why there are so many questioning the front office. The Sox are noted as deadline losers. Are the Sox that enamored with their farm to not make a deal? No. Theo is a smart guy and has shown in the past he's not afraid to move the face of the franchise (see Nomar). But for the most part, deadline deals rarely make a difference. Other than 2004, when did a July trade make a difference in the same year? The percentages are against it and asking prices are sky high with all the teams still "in" the playoff chase. Would you rather a front office that made a knee jerk reaction? How much would Cory Lidle excite you if the Sox landed him? Kip Wells? Jeff Suppan? Please. The deadline is about difference makers. Does Bobby Abreu really make a "difference" or put them over the top? Would he for the Sox? No on both counts.

Another thing we've been hearing all season is that the Sox should have pulled futher away from the Yanks. The Yanks have had significant injuries and had to rely on their young players. Unless we missed something, the Sox have one of their best records at this point of the season since the 70's. They've also had significant injuries including starting pitching. They are relying on their young talent (Lester, Papelbon, Hansen, Delcarmen, Wily Mo) in major roles to carry them. These teams have been very similar all season with the Sox holding a slight edge. The national media is caught up patting the Yanks on the back for staying with the Sox. Well folks, how about recognizing that the Sox stayed on top with a patchwork rotation and injuries of their own? Guess that "perception" is everything...

The deal that wasn't...

2006-07-31T16:11:00.000-04:00

The days and weeks leading up to the deadline pointed to the Sox not doing much of anything. In the last couple of days, there have been names like Clemens, Schmidt, Soriano, and Andruw Jones being thrown out as real possibilities. What a big tease.

If not for the recent injury to Trot (won’t know how severe until at least 4:01 PM today), things would probably be status quo. Depending on the severity of the injury, it may have altered the thinking in the front office. But apparently it wasn’t enough to persuade them into making a deal. Say hello Wily Mo & Kapler. Let’s hope this isn’t the beginning of the end for Trot.

While some of the deals proposed made some sense, but they didn’t really address the major need of starting pitching:

1) Lowell & prospects for Linebrink & Lugo
2) Lowell & prospects for Shealy & “more than reputable starter” (who?)

From fairy land…
1) Andruw Jones for; Lester, Coco, and Hansen (yeah, OK. Why not Papelbon too?)
2) Clemens – if he didn’t want to ruffle feathers in Houston before, why now?
3) Schmidt – see ridiculous Braves offer above.
4) Kip Wells – did the Sox really “lose out” on this one?
5) What team would trade a starter (Buehrle) for a CF (Coco) hitting .260?
6) Both Lowell & Coco were assured they were not on the block?

The good thing is that the Sox didn’t have a Duquette knee jerk reaction to the Yanks acquisition of Abreu & Lidle. They kept their young talent intact and didn’t leverage the future. While that trade helps the Yanks, it doesn’t put them over the top. It shores up the rotation with an upgrade over Ponson, and adds a little more pop (not power) to the lineup. They also poured gasoline on Sheff. Have fun with that in the clubhouse.

Pitching is what makes the difference down the stretch and in the playoffs. While the Yanks did improve, they basically added a #5 guy. Their staff ace in Mussina has been the anchor, but has been prone to breaking down the last few years especially late in the season. Wang has been good, but he’s not dominant (36BB, 45K’s) and is unproven in the playoffs. The Big Unit just came off a shelling by the D-Rays (now 11-9, 5+ Era), and Wright rarely gets past the 5th inning.

The Sox have Schill leading the way despite his last outing. He gets better the bigger the game is. Beckett has been inconsistent, but has only given up more than 3 runs twice in his last 10 games, and lowered his ERA by ½ a run during that span. He’s young and still getting better, maybe he’s figuring out the AL. Lester has pitched very well and should continue to get better. Wells returns tonight and will probably get shelled. Let’s hope he rights the ship quickly. He could be a huge asset down the stretch. Wakefield is still on the shelf and his return is still weeks away. The experiment in the #5 spot has only produced 1 win since the break. Ouch.
Why did the Sox stand pat? Here are some issues that may have affected their reasoning:

1) David Wells. He probably would have packed it in if he didn’t think he’d pitch down the stretch. Must have looked good in side sessions.
2) Wakefield. Should be back in a couple of weeks, solid innings eater.
3) Phil Seibel. Return from 2005 Tommy John surgery, started 9 games in AA with a 1.20 era, now in AAA with 1.86 era. Stay tuned.
4) They already have similar to what’s available.
5) The infield. Why would you change the best fielding % in the majors?
6) The farm (the pricetag). Front office refused to part with talent for a rental player. Aside from 2004, can you name a good deadline deal for the Sox? Suppan? Sauerbeck?

The Sox should be there at the end. They’ve been able to withstand multiple injuries (Wells, Clement, Coco, Pena, etc) and still have one of the best records at this point of the season since the 70’s. Will Schill, Beckett, and Wake be enough in a short playoff series? The Angels, Twins, and Tigers (in that order) will be very tough in a short series.
It doesn’t seem too far out of reach for the Sox. As long as health isn’t a major issue, they should be able to grind their way into the playoffs. They have a favorable schedule and a recent history of playing well down the stretch. Regardless, it’s going to come down to the last week if not the last couple games. Strap in folks. It’ll be the Sox, Yanks, Twins, and Chisox battling for 2 spots. Should be one of the most exciting finishes in recent memory…

Sox start left coast trip on a roll...

2006-07-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

Sox 5th starter du jour Snyder pitched fairly well in his 3rd start for the Sox. After cruising thru the first 4 innings he was affected by an apparent cramp, yielded 2 runs, and was not able to return to the 6th. Lets just hope its only a cramp. This rotation cannot afford another setback.

Sox rook Kason Gabbard gets his first major league start today. He had a great start at AA Portland, but struggled in AAA Pawtucket before making adjustments. His last 2 starts have been solid. Apparently he didn't make the trip with the team because Theo had a deal in the works for another starter. Who? Take a look at todays starters around the league. The potential deal may also have been nixed due to Wells apparent recovery. He had another good side session and could return as early as Aug 3rd or 8th.

Few notes...

Great job by the front office inking Beckett for another 3 years, at an average of under $9M per year. Even at 26, Beckett is still better than any of the latest free agent signings, and at less $. Pavano, Clement, AJ Burnett, etc have all been disappointing. Can you imagine how much Beckett would cost on the open market? Probably $12m+ at a minimum.

Jon Lester returns to his hometown and starts tomorrow. With 50 of his friends and family present, it will be interesting to see how he responds. He seems to have embraced the deluge of local media with open arms. Good sign for a rook...

The Yanks have dropped their last 3 with A-Ro (no "D", get it) committing 5 errors in his last 5 games. He's getting booed at home all the time. Rumors have him headed out of NY where he supposedly can't handle the pressure any more (16 errors already). Don't see anyone taking on that salary however. Also, it looks like the Octavio Dotel experiment has ended in NY.

Trade Deadline:

The Mike Lowell for Jake Peavy trade shouldn't have been published. What a goof.

Why would the Sox have any interest in SS Julio Lugo, when Gonzo is better???

Don't look for the Sox to take on $30M remaining for a Bobby Abreu type player either...

The rumors with any substance:

Kyle Lohse: 2-5, 7.14 Era (Sox said no thanks)
Odalis Perez: 4-4, 6.94 (again, no thanks)
Livan Hernandez: 6-8, 5.85 (already have similar, NL pitcher, asking price too high)

Look for a swap of relievers to happen: Julian Tavarez / Rudy Seanez, for a Ray King (Colorado) or similar exchange

With Wells return looking good and only a handful of teams out of it, this team on the field should be the same in Oct...

Sox limp out of the gate in 2nd half...

2006-07-18T11:53:00.000-04:00

Boy are those Sox hitters making these mediocre guys look good. The Sox pitchers (other than Schill) made that Oakland lineup look like bashers (2nd to last in AL in runs). Yes, Oakland is typically a good 2nd half team, but that wasn't Atlanta's Hudson on the mound last night either.

While its way too early to be alarmed, the Yanks are winning right now (settle down Yankee fans - its only a 4 game streak). And those ChiSox don't look like they did last season going a combined 1-5 vs the Sox and Yanks (going 19 innings to get the 1 win). That team era of 4.5+ is not even close to last season. Look for Detroit (a full run lower era) to take the central going away ("hip" pick is Chicago right now). Don't count out a good pitching Minnesota team taking a run at the Chisox & wildcard either.

Sox now have more pitching issues. It sounds like Wake will be put on the DL soon. How far is the tandem of Jason Johnson & Snyder going to take you as your 4 & 5 starters? Here comes David Pauley or Marc Deschenes folks. The bats better get hot when these guys are on the mound.

What it comes down to is Schill & Beckett being lights out. Someone other than Papi & Manny need to step up every night.

Clement is probably done (and maybe not just for this season - offseason trade to NL is likely).
Whatever happened to Lenny DiNardo?
Are we pinning our hopes on Wells getting healthy? Yikes.
Will this push Theo to do something at the deadline?
Are Pedroia, Murphy, Ellsbury, Moss, or Edgar Martinez now expendable?

Yanks aren't in a much better situation. Sidney "don't hit the judge" Ponson is now taking the mound for the bombers. Good luck with that one. Other than Mussina & recently Wang, there's no consistency. Your young players are getting hurt, and nagging injuries are mounting (Damon, A-Rod). The dog days are coming and they are OLD.

Looks like the trade deadline just got more interesting. The real question is there a deal out there for either team to put them over the top? Not likely for either. Both need more pitching (and do you even consider an NL pitcher at this point?).

Would like to see Theo go after Cleveland's Cliff Lee. His name hasn't been put out there yet. Cleveland is out of it, and he's only signed thru this year. Numbers aren't eye popping by any stretch (9-6, 4.68 ERA) but would be a solid #5 guy. He's a better option than what we have now, and you probably wouldn't have to give up the farm to get him.

Other possibilities:
Kansas City - Mark Redman 6-5, 5.02 (free agent at end of season)
Colorado - Josh Fogg 7-5, 4.23 (last year of 1 year deal)
Atlanta - John Smoltz - too much to give up
Philly - Jon Lieber 3-7, 5.56
Florida - no one is left
Nats - Tony Armas 6-4, 4.44 (just off DL)
Cubs - Glendon Rusch 3-7, 7.48 (just off DL)
Pittsburgh - Kip Wells 0-4, 9.13 (just off 60 day DL)

First Half a success...

2006-07-10T15:04:00.000-04:00

How can it not be while sitting with a 3 game lead over the Yanks?

Their 53 - 33 is best record at the break in recent memory (52 - 33 back in 02).

Overall it's been a great first half.

The Downside:

- Trade of Arroyo (how does this one look with the injuries to the staff & Wily Mo? Ouch.)
- Injuries: Wells, Foulke, Clement, DiNardo, Wily Mo, Coco
- Nagging injuries: Varitek, Wake, Timlin, possibly Schill
- Tavarez & Seanez performances out of the pen
- Inconsistent Beckett - still hasn't found the AL groove yet, too many homers

The Upside:

- Addition & success of young arms (Lester, Delcarmen, Hansen, Lopez)
- Papelbon success - possible consideration for rookie honors, Cy, & MVP
- Youkilis solid at 1st, best OBP for leadoff
- Defense - best in MLB - gold glovers at 3rd, short, and make case for 2B
- Offense - 2nd in MLB - Lowell, Youkie, Loretta making the difference, Gonzo & Coco coming on
- Chemistry? Jury still out on this one. Havent' heard much, but nothing bad either. Manny might actually be happy.
- Intangibles: Sox have very few road trips in 2nd half, only one is more than 2 cities long

The deadline:

Needs? Other than a 5th starter or an arm in the pen, Theo seems to have an easy job. This would figure to be one of the less active deadlines in recent memory. The price of acquiring pitching is also sky high apparently.

Options?

Clement is probably done for the year - based on his latest tweak during his rehab. The MRI isn't showing damage, so it must be psychological...

Wells might not pitch again. It's quite strange that we've heard nothing about his rehab or medical status. Based on his comments from last season, you'd think he would retire if he couldn't come back.

Jason Johnson? Can't expect much more than 5 runs per game. He was released for a reason.

Snyder? Pauley? These guys seem like the next reasonable option if Johnson doesn't improve.
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Rumors:

Latest is that the Sox were inquiring about Bobby Abreu from the Phils. Apparently they were asking for Jon Lester in return. Right. They would also be taking on $20M for this & next year. How long did it take to say no? However, this may signal the end of Trot. If they don't think he'll re-sign at their value, they probably won't hesitate to get value for him.
-
That's it. If Theo thinks Clement and/or Wells can contribute, he might not do anything. Foulke may return to add to the pen. As long as the club stays healthy, he might be seen on the beach.
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ENJOY THE BREAK!

Jermaine the juicer?

2006-07-10T14:41:00.000-04:00

After watching Jermain Dye closely in this last series, he is NOT the same guy who played for Oakland a few years back. His last good season was with KC back in 2000. He's been injury plagued ever since. How many guys improve at the age 0f 32 after a history of injuries?
-
Dye's #'s back in 2000: .321 BA, 33HR, 118RBI - his 5th year (and best) in the majors...
-
He hasn't approached any of those #'s since. He only played 60 games in 2003. He supposedly is still bothered by nagging injuries.
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His #'s this season (if you double his 1st half): .318BA, 48HR, 130RBI - shattering his career bests
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The point is he hasn't been this good - ever. It's his 10th season. He's always been hurt (he missed 20 games last year). If someone has a breakout year early in their career, thats one thing. If a guy performs consistently and his #'s spike for a season, thats another. If there was a relevant reason for the spike, such as hitting in front of a Jim Thome (and not behind) well, OK.
-
While no proof or even rumor has been floated out there, this is not the guy we remember. His numbers are off the charts. He doesn't pass the "eyeball" test either. Maybe he's completely healthy now or found the fountain of youth. Are we crazy here or is something just not right? We certainly don't have any proof, only suspicion. Are we missing something? We hope someone can put this to rest out there...

Streaking Sox hammer Pedro...

2006-06-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

Did you ever imagine that headline?

Out with the old....

And in with the new...

Pedro's return to Fenway was not what he imagined. Although he noted last week he preferred not to face his old teammates. It wasn't pretty. Petey looked rattled in the first when he had trouble deciding what to do with a grounder hit right back to him. An easy double play ball translated into only 1 out and the runners on base scored. It was clear that the return clearly affected him.

Beckett stole the show last night. So was it that big of a mistake not signing Pedro? You wouldn't have Beckett if you did. Here's a few questions to think about:

How effective would Pedro be if he stayed in the AL? Is the NL he's pitching in truly as weak as the last 11 games have shown?

How much does Pedro have left in the tank? Only 1 pitch hit 91 last night. He's got 2 years left on his contract. How effective is that $14m going to be in the next 2 years?

Looks like the Sox might have been prudent sticking to 3 years...

Beckett looks like he's found himself. The transition to the AL may finally have taken hold. Oh yeah, he's only 26...

Few random thoughts...

Correction - last Sox 10 game win streak was late Aug into Sep, back in 2004...

How hot is Gonzo? His average rose from .220 to .267 in 13 games. Wow.

Sox are hitting .340 as a team during this 11 game streak, and bypassed the Yanks and Toronto in runs scored for the year.

Sox are now on pace for over 100 wins...

Despite multiple injuries and this recent run, the Yanks are only 3 1/2 back. Toronto is hanging in at 5 back. Just feels like more distance should have been made. They were tied with Toronto & 1 behind the Yanks.

What's going to happen at the deadline?

Probably bullpen help only. Why? The emergence of Lester, the pickups of Snyder & Johnson, and Clement's rehab reportedly going well. Don't forget David Wells, who they may just hold back until Aug 1 anyway. If he was going to retire, he would have already.

Defense? Nope. Already best in the majors...

Offense? Who do you take out of this lineup? Outfield: Kapler is back & Wily Mo will be in mid July. Infield: Apparently Pedroia is on fire in AAA, and Cora is batting over .300

Intangibles:

Manny has not asked for a trade, and won't, according to his agent.

Maybe look for a backup for 1B, although Hee Sop Choi is in AAA.

Dontrelle Wills? No way the Marlins part with him.

Miguel Tejada? O's looking for an established starter (and not Clement).

Trot Nixon? Is Wily Mo the future?

BEST WISHES to Peter Gammons who reportedly is recovering well. Supposedly he will make a full recovery. Let's hope so. We miss you already. Get well soon!

The Papi factor...

2006-06-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

Amazing. Outstanding. Clutch. Ice water in his veins. Get used to this scene Boston fans, and burn it into your memories. This is a special time and a special player...

How many times can he possibly throw the team on his back when the game is on the line? Not since Larry Legend have we seen this many clutch performances. Maybe you can throw Brady & Viniteri into the mix, but at a distant third.

He does it in almost every situation including big playoff games. His ability to dial back the emotion and be selective at the plate is amazing. He also doesn't swing for the fences when he doesn't need to. He'll take a single to end it.

Ortiz made the comment that he must be getting into people's heads, after Saturday's walk-off homer. Joe Torre admitted that Papi has caused him bad dreams & sleepless nights wondering how to get him out. He's not alone. Would you want to be the closer facing him?

Is there anything better than putting fear in the heart of pitchers in all of baseball? The alternative? One of the best right handed hitters in the game is on deck...

Is there a better clutch player in all of baseball? Not right now. You'd be hard pressed to find similar prowess from any era. Attention MVP voters, do NOT screw Ortiz out of the award this season. The "I can't justify a DH getting the award" excuse doesn't fit any longer. Ortiz is the exception. An aberration. He's a special player that does not come along very often. Don't miss the boat. Enjoy the ride with all of us...

Who the heck are these guys?

2006-06-26T15:21:00.000-04:00

Talk about a drastic turnaround... Think the Sox mind playing vs. the NL after a 9-0 run and now 11-1 overall? Wow.

Almost afraid to write anything seeing as we hammered them after their last loss. Since then they've averaged 7+ runs a game of offense and 3 runs allowed. Pitching has been outstanding, other than Seanez vs Atlanta & today.

Even if the competition hasn't been robust, they've still rattled off 9 in a row. That's impressive. You have to go back to 2002 for the last time they pulled that off.

How does this team stack up against the last 2? Take a look at the standings from the last 2 seasons at the all-star break...

2004: 48 - 38
2005: 49 - 38

2006: 45 - 28

If they stumble to a 4-9 finish, they will still have a better record at the break. Never would have thought that 2 weeks ago. A modest 7-6 record before the break puts them at 52 wins...

Coming to the Fens on Wed: Petey & his Soul Glow return to Fenway...

Will fans step up & applaud?

Or do they think his sugary sweet comments are insincere?

We'll be standing. Welcome back Petey...

Massacre in Minnesota...

2006-06-16T10:27:00.000-04:00

Well Sox fans, if you weren't aware of this teams shortcomings, you certainly are after this last series. Other than game 1 with Schill, Papelbon & Timlin, it's been ugly. This is a sub .500 Twins team that had been struggling. They couldn't hit Silva who came in with a 2-8 record and 7+ era. Ouch.

Is this a June swoon? Or is it something more this time? Don't look now, but here comes Atlanta who they struggle mightily against. And here comes Toronto charging into second (tied now) & maybe even first.

Unless things change in a hurry...

Starters

Schill - the staff anchor, having a good season

Wake - poor record but has pitched fairly well, no run support

Beckett - somewhat of a disappointment with lack of consistency

Clement - tired arm & latest whining episode is NOT GOOD, trip to DL coming?

Wells - will he ever pitch again? Effectively if he does?

Lester - youngster needs to come up big
Pauley/DiNardo/Alvarez - just filling the void...

Here's your slated starters upcoming:
Lester - Beckett - Schill - Clement/Pauley - Wake

What does Theo do? Boy, that Arroyo trade just looks worse and worse as time goes by...

Bullpen

Other than Papelbon, yikes. If Timlin stays healthy, he should be fine. Theo just traded Riske - their 3rd best reliever with a 3.72 era - for a 28 yr old lefty from AAA with minimal success in the bigs. Do you buy the "we had a number of righty's in front of Riske and really needed a lefty" line? Unless Riske is a serious injury risk, would you pull the trigger on this one?

This year's staff era combined: 4.84 Last year? 4.74

Offense

1B - Youkilis has been outstanding, #'s better than Millar/Olerud even at leadoff spot
2B - Loretta has been good, #'s way up over Belhorn
SS - Gonzalez is not paid to hit, big drop-off even from struggling Renteria
3B - Lowell has been outstanding, #'s way up over Mueller
C - Tek has been off in average only, #'s similar to last season
DH - Papi has been himself, just awesome
LF - Manny has not been Manny - RBI's 30+ short if multiply to 162 games
RF - Trot has been healthy & significantly more productive than last year
CF - Injuries, #'s slightly off Damon (10HR 75RBI)

Overall runs scored - on pace to score about 900. Last year? 910.

Current projected wins at 92 on current pace, vs 95 from last season...

What to do Theo? Pitching, pitching, pitching. Best out there is probably Zito & Schmidt. Only problem is that both of their teams will still be in the hunt come July 31st. Not much else out there.

All you can count on right now is Schill & Papelbon.

Beckett needs to turn things up. He has the stuff and the mentors to do it.

Clement needs to grow a set. Hopefully he's not done.

Lester must perform. He is the key right now.

All we know is that if things don't change quickly, this could be a long summer...

Did you hear that sound? The HGH bomb just went off...

2006-06-08T09:49:00.000-04:00

Thank you Jason Grimsley. Whatever you did to bring attention to yourself and get caught, thank you. And for all those players you named in the affadavit (who will be leaked sooner rather than later) thank you again.

Let's just hope that this forces the hand of MLB and the dispicable MLBPA to start testing NOW. It's probably too late to raid the players named in the affadavit because they probably flushed the evidence as soon as they heard about the Grimsley arrest.

We've heard the argument about the lack of accurate or reliable testing for HGH. So here are a couple of ideas for the geniuses over at MLB:

1) Implement IOC testing immediately, and use the labs they already have in place. Meet with them and LEARN from their experiences.
2) Draw blood from EVERY player & store it until a proven method of testing can be implemented.
3) Impose stronger penalties for substances not able to be detected yet, such as 81 game suspensions. For those who have retired or are retiring, hit them in the wallet (1/2 of salary or all of it) and block them from being voted into the Hall of Fame.
4) How about some jail time for players? Isn't proof of usage a crime?

While #2 may raise some concerns over issues such as mishandling, it will be a DETERRENT.

How long will it take to make a change? Hopefully Congress steps in on this one. They were able to sway MLB to make sweeping changes in steroid testing. If Selig wants to stay in power, he better stay in front of this one.

Let's just hope this will weed out the remaining cheaters out there starting NOW. MLB can't hide from this much longer.

Let's put some pressure on them ourselves. Write to your Congressman. Seriously. If you want to keep your kids (and others) safe from dangerous and harmful drugs, you are crazy if you don't. As a society, do we want our youth growing up thinking they need to cheat in order to succeed or be the best? Send a message that it's not OK.

Make a difference today! Contact information provided below...

(as a side note, is it really that surprising now that T.O. healed in time for the Super Bowl?)

Massachusetts:

Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Washington Office
317 Russell Senate Building
Washington D.C. 20510
p (202) 224-4543
f (202) 224-2417

Massachusetts Office
2400 JFK Building
Boston, MA 02203
p (617) 565-3170
p (877) 472-9014
f (617) 565-3183

http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm

Senator John Kerry
Washington D.C.
304 Russell Bldg. Third Floor
Washington D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2742

Boston
One Bowdoin Square, Tenth Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 565-8519

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/contact/email.html

New York:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York City
780 Third Ave, Suite 2601
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 688-6262
Fax: (212) 688-7444

http://clinton.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

Senator Charles E. Schumer
Washington, DC
313 Hart Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6542
Fax: 202-228-3027
TDD: 202-224-0420

New York City
757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-486-4430
Fax: 212-486-7693
TDD: 212-486-7803

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm

Wang, Yanks survive outstanding rookie performance...

2006-06-06T22:16:00.000-04:00

Yankee Stadium. Your second major league start. Against your teams' all time hated nemesis. Sold out hostile crowd. You watched a pitcher in Beckett with electric stuff get absolutely shelled the night before. Your first outing jitters last time out made you erratic. Enter Pauley onto the big stage...

And wow. What a performance. He wasn't overpowering or unhittable. We thought Francona was blowing a little smoke when he noted Pauley's poise. If not for a mistake pitch to Bernie, and the infield hit in the 7th it would have been masterful. If not for Peter Pan (aka Francona, or the opposite of Capt Hook (get it), Seanez could have come in with men on 1st & 2nd instead of a uncorking a bases loaded walk to Giambi. This game should have been tied.

But, we'll take this performance any day. He's still learning, but has proven he can get it done on the big stage against a good lineup. This may keep Lester in AAA for the moment. If anything, we'll be sure to see Pauley later in the season.

Second major league start? Fugedaboutit...

Sox bats just couldn't get the job done with runner in scoring position (not that the Yanks did vs Pauley either). So pass the blame pie to the offense & Capt Hook for this one. Sox should be able to muster at least one win this series...

Other random thoughts...

Is it just us, or have the folks in the MLB scheduling dept screwed the pootch on this one? The Sox & Yanks only have 2 series left & its only the first week of June. Just dumb...

Is Beckett tipping his pitches? Why did he get lit up seemingly every time he shook off signs? Did he just not have any other pitches than his fastball? That would explain Yankee hitters jumping on the fastball...

Will the rain ever stop? What is the record for most rainouts in a season? The Sox already have 4...

Will the beatings continue?

2006-06-06T16:43:00.000-04:00

Ouch. What a horrible showing by the Sox. It's reminscent of the first Yankee performance vs the Sox this year. Remove it from your memories...

Tonight, the rook from AA Pauley takes the mound. His first major league outing was rough but that is to be expected especially with a tough Jays lineup (best in AL maybe majors). His task doesn't get any easier tonight in NY. Let's just hope he isn't scarred for life by the experience...

A few thoughts...

Has anyone noticed how amazing Youkilis has been this season? He's played first, and seen time at third and in left field. His defense has been gold glove worthy. He leads the league in many categories at lead off, and has hit successfully in almost every other part of the lineup including cleanup. Amazing. The crime is that he is not on the all-star ballot (no DH this year @ NL park).

As the injuries pile up, the Yankees "B" level players are performing well and keeping them afloat, despite inconsistent pitching...

Loretta & Lowell continue to impress despite recent nagging injuries...

Lets not run the 5-4 Clement out of town just yet. How many #4 starters are that much better? He's supposedly working hard on off days & was fatigued after the 6th. He may have righted the ship. Let's not forget the great run he went on at the beginning of last season...

Will Foulke head to the DL with a bad back? He's actually been effective & a good soldier...

Will the Hansen call-up save tonights game for the Sox? What does it mean for Lester? At least the Sox have been very cautious in his development. Remember it is only the first week of June. But yeah, we're dying to see him pitch too...

Will Boomer ever pitch again? Hopefully, we need him...

How about this?

Do you realize that Papelbon will more than likely be an All-Star & rook of the year? Now the staggering part. He also has a legitimate shot at both MVP & Cy Young. While it's waaaay too early to crown him with any honors, it's astounding that its not only possible, but really feasible. This is the stuff of legends if he holds up. The Sox may have just found the new Mariano Rivera. Why do you think the Yanks were so successful? Best part? He's only 25...

The Clemens factor...

2006-05-30T09:57:00.000-04:00

What will Roger do? At the very least, he is the master of building up the cash flow. So you know he'll get a ridiculous sum wherever he lands, probably the equal of a $20m season.

Here's the most recent outlook for his destinations:

Texas Rangers
Nope. Sorry Ranger fans, if he stays in Texas it won't be with you. 0% chance

New York Yankees
Money will not be the only driving force which is the Yankees best hope. He makes them a better team, but not dominant. An inconsistent Unit with a banged up squad getting older by the minute doesn't make them overwhelming favorites. 10% chance

Red Sox
Clemens makes this team dominant. A rotation of Schill, Beckett, Clemens, Wake, (and insert any #5) is the best rotation in the majors. Back that with MLB's best defense, best closer, and a solid offense, and October looks very bright. Throw in the relationship with Sox pitching coach & close friend Nipper, ability to break the tie with Cy Young, retire his #, and to wrap up his career where it all began are the other major factors. 30% chance

Houston
They are the clear favorites. His current relationship with his hometown team, including all the perks (right down the street from home, no travel unless pitching, son is in the organization, future job in the organization, etc) are difficult to overcome. Having his best buddy Pettite on the squad, pitching in the much easier NL (era of 2+ instead of 3+), and having to live in Houston when he "retires" will probably make him stay. The only factor not working in their favor is that they are a .500 team right now and Clemens alone may not be able to take them to the World Series. 60% chance

Here are some of the questions/factors he may be grappling with:

Best chance to win a world series (Red Sox)
Performance in AL vs NL (Houston)
Life after baseball (Houston)
Current relationships (Houston)
Place in history/milestones (Red Sox)
Intangibles/convenience (Houston)

He's probably made his choice already but is just driving up the price. It's going to be really difficult for him to pass on Houston. It comes down to what he wants most. Money is not a factor as he'll get paid what he wants by any team. The fans may only affect his thinking in Houston (he may not pitch vs Boston or NY in opposing stadiums anyway, or if so - only once). We'll hear many different reports in the next 2 weeks, but don't believe any of them.

Let's just hope his decision comes quickly...

Yankee Bats take last 2...

2006-05-25T09:34:00.000-04:00

Game 2? Wake just didn't have it, result of 7ER. Jaret Wright was able to wriggle out of multiple baserunners against Bosox "B" lineup, but only managed 5IP. Why? Torre has the hook (unlike other managers we know).

A-Rod continues to make himself look silly. Hey coach, where did my pop-up go? It was a homerun, you dope. He's also compiled 8 errors already...

Game 3? Clement has a good 1st, gets hit by a line drive in the second, and implodes. Hey Terry, where the hell was the hook? Was there some reason to leave him in there that long? Was it a "back on the horse" type of deal to build his confidence? Yikes.

Papi looked uncomfortable at the plate to say the least. We're just so used to having him end games in a Bird like manner. Those 4K's were tough to swallow, especially the one with the bases jacked. But, he'll be fine. How hard can we be on the guy after everything he's accomplished?

The good news? Manny's back. He's crushing the ball & driving in runs. He's capable of carrying this team on his back for a while. Let's hope pitching cures itself so he doesn't need to.

Big Unit continues to struggle. You hate to say someone's career is over (even if they are in pinstripes), but we might be witnessing the beginning of the end if he doesn't turn things around in a hurry...

Sox missed a prime opportunity to take advantage of the Yanks while they're reeling with injuries. Game 3 was a gift. Let's just hope it provided a wake up call.

David Wells looks to bounce back tomorrow. Don't expect too much out of this outing folks. He's bound to struggle - it's happened too often. But don't worry, Lenny's in the pen waiting...

Enjoy the long weekend folks!!!

Yanks arrive at Fenway with a limp, Wang

2006-05-23T10:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry. Just couldn't resist.

Yanks entered Fenway last night with a DL list bigger than any win streak this season. Wang was pitching well before last night, but just couldn't hold on late yielding 7ER. Ouch...

Strange energy in the park last night, almost like not much was expected out of the Yanks. Despite injuries, they still have a very good lineup, and the Sox had Cora & Harris in theirs. The Sox still needed to execute & play well to win. But it almost felt like the beginning of the end for the bombers. That relentless attack just didn't seem to be there. When was the last time a Sox Yanks game lasted under 3 hours? It's usually a grind...

Jaret "don't call me DL" Wright goes to the mound tonight facing a lineup full of guys who have had success against him. You know it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt too.

The Big Unit struggles continue, and he takes the mound on Wed. His 5.62 ERA has Yankee fans wondering if he's done. Get your forks out baby...

Damon (foot & shoulder), Posada (back), and the returning Sheffield (wrist) are all banged up and will probably be in and out of the lineup throughout the season. Add in Chacon (bruise?) and Bubba Crosby to that list as well. By the way, it's more than a contusion if you're put on the DL...
Pavano has been a complete bust, and is probably out for the rest of the season. Sturtze has some sort of tear, and will probably be gone for the year as well. Matsui is gone for the year barring a miracle comeback, but it may be too late by then.

AAA Columbus is now loaded with former MLB talent past their primes (if they even had one) to try and replace the different broken parts. Heck, Terence Long (starter last night) was released from KC's AAA affiliate because he couldn't hit in AAA.

Sorry Yankee fans, but there is no Aaron Small & Shawn Chacon lurking in the background this year to save your season. No way it will happen two years in a row (they won a combined 17 games, most of them in 2nd half). They are not close to what they were last year. Big Unit also won 17 games last season, and you can forget that...

Mussina has been great so far, but has broken down the past two seasons as well. Your only saving grace may be to leverage whatever prospects you have (including top pitching prospect) include a solid performer in your lineup, and eat a ton of cash - just to acquire Dontrelle Willis/Kerry Wood. But don't forget there are 7 or 8 other clubs including the Sox with stacked farm systems as your competition.

So, your only hope is the trade deadline. Only there's not much pitching (your lineup will be fine). Good luck. Here comes Toronto.

It may be the House that Ruth Built, but it's now Papi's Place

2006-05-09T14:28:00.000-04:00

That little excerpt is from NY Post writer Mike Vaccaro. You can read the full article in the link below...

http://www.nypost.com/sports/yankees/63546.htm

Basically he is suggesting that the Yankee pitching staff should literally hit Ortiz. Not pitch him inside, but drill him. He's also suggesting that Johnson, Mussina, and Chacon attempt it 3-4 times PER GAME. OK donkey boy...

Mind you this will be no surprise - as the media in both cities will run with this one. So don't expect things to get out of hand. Would you like to be part of the Yankee lineup with Beckett throwing 97 and Schilling throwing 95? Yeah right...

Papi is also in the midst of a 1 for 20 slump coming in. Most teams now employ the shift and pitch him inside. He will make the adjustment and eventually make teams pay. He's too good a hitter over a long stretch to be counted out.

Is this another big story in the game's biggest rivalry? It remains to be seen, but doubtful. If the Yankee pitchers are dumb enough to hit him - especially more than once - things will get ugly quickly. If Beckett is on the hill, look out. He's only 25, still maturing, and is emotionally charged on the mound. Someone will pay - and hopefully with nothing more than a bruise.

After all is said and done, it's chalked up to another blowhard NY sportswriter trying to create some turmoil out of nothing. At least he provided a good title for us...

Mirabelli, Ortiz, steal the Johnny Show...

2006-05-02T11:55:00.000-04:00

The energy level at Fenway was unbelieveable last night, and it came on the coldest night of the season so far. It almost had a playoff feel to it.

Johnny Damon's first reception at the Fens was probably a little different than what he thought. The boo birds were out in force for his first at bat, but turned to cheers once he tipped his helmet. Many fans applauded him out of respect at that moment, but the park was filled with anti-Johnny signs and even chants throughout the game. It must have been a difficult pill for Damon to swallow especially since he's seen former players like Orlando Cabrera came back to standing O's. The difference? Pinstripes.

Fans can't & won't understand the difference between landing $45 vs. $50 million, especially since players have money in the bank already. Heck, Manny STILL gets booed in Cleveland because he left for more money. Damon's "faux-pas" was signing with the hated Yanks. That apparently is an unforgiveable offense in the Nation. Damon may have underestimated that during his decision process - not that it may have swayed him anyway. But, he did appear somewhat wounded by it. It's also notable that he has handled himself in a professional manner and said all the right things. Despite the idiot monicker, he is a class act...

The real story of the night was the return of Mirabelli. From his plane skidding sideways upon landing, to his 100 MPH journey to the park, he barely made his debut. For those of you who have not driven in Boston rush hour traffic, the ride from Logan Airport to Fenway is a nightmare. Dressing into uniform in the back of a state police SUV, he made it in 12 minutes. Wow. He played very well defensively, blocking a number of balls, and throwing out a runner. It was great to see the ovation he received as well.

So, to recap, a pivotal player in bringing home a World Series gets booed, and a backup catcher hitting under .200 gets a standing O. Only at Fenway. The moral? Don't mess with the Nation...

Big Papi comes through in the clutch once again. The Yankee nemesis continues to punish. Joe Torre will continue to have those Papi nightmares. It looks like their major acquisition of Mike Myers (lefty specialist) to come in and shut down Papi wasn't as critical as they thought. Sweet dreams Joe... That shot Papi hit against the wind was absolutely crushed. Nothing else came close to going out.

So, this is only game 1, with 18 to go. It just has that feeling that every game will be a grind. Nothing will come in under 3 1/2 hours. Would love to have been a fly on the wall to see the reactions of all the new additions to this rivalry - Loretta, Lowell, Beckett, Gonzalez, etc... The words "you have got to be kidding me" was probably said about 50 times. Guess what, it's going to be said a lot more over 18 games...

Evil Empire makes first visit to Fenway with "Johnny Cash" in tow...

2006-05-01T11:11:00.000-04:00

The Yanks make their 2006 debut at the Fens. The biggest story is of course the return of Damon. Will the boo's outweight the cheers? Don't count on it. After all, he played every game with an intensity unmatched by most. He also drove daggers into the Yanks during game 7 of the ALCS. Also remember that he brings any negativity uopn himself - for simply taking the money, and more so for joining his former archrivals. (This will mostly go away after his next visit back here anyway).

Our favorite quote from a Yankee fan upon the Yanks signing Damon: "It's like having some guy that had an affair with your wife, suddenly get married to your sister". Priceless... And by the way, we hope you Yankee fans are now enjoying the many insights only Johnny can point out. Yikes.

These two teams start the year off in first gear and still manage to stay at the top of the division. Toronto is greatly improved, Baltimore has had some show of life, and if the D-Rays ever get consistent pitching, they could challenge as well.

The Yanks have been surviving on mostly their powerful lineup. Their starting 5 only has one guy below 4.50 ERA, but their pen has been a bright spot. Giambi has been a surprising performer as well (MLB still not testing for HGH yet...). Defense has been average, and age will certainly become a factor as the year progresses. For those of you waiting for a big splash come July 31 to shore your rotation, don't hold your breath. You've got nothing to trade and no one to go after.

The Sox have been struggling at the plate, especially since the injury to Crisp. His replacements in CF have not performed well, other than the small sampling from Pena. Gonzalez is becoming an automatic out, and his glove alone may no longer secure his position. Manny, Tek, and Loretta are all off to slow starts. The rotation has looked good with Schilling returning to his 2004 form, Beckett looking like a potential all-star, Wake being himself, and Clement looking OK. Filling Wells' spot has been a concern so far, and arms in the minors won't be ready for a while. Papelbon is the best closer in the league right now, and Foulke has been better than last season. Defense has been far better than any team in recent memory.

The Yanks need to get more pitching, which doesn't grow on trees. An aging Johnson with knee & back issues, Pavano who has literally been a pain in the butt, Wright who is destined to go back on the DL multiple times, and even Wang who ended up on the DL as a rookie last season, all spells bad news. The brightest spot, Mussina, is another year older and has broken down the last few seasons as well. The pen is carrying them when the bats aren't, but just ask Tom Gordon & Tanyon Sturtze how effective they were after being overused all season. Your lineup features one player under 30. Your Yankees are built like the Red Sox of old. It's a collection of aging former all-stars on the back nine of their careers, that must rely on bats to slug out wins. That formula may let you see October, but not past the first week...

The Sox obviously need to get more pop from the lineup. Tek, Loretta, and Gonzalez need to get it going. Manny will be fine. Don't be surprised to see a change at short before long, and speaking of changes, welcome back to Doug Mirabelli! It's been great to see Youkilis taking over the leadoff spot with a .406 OBP, and also Mike Lowell (who many had written off) with a .318 BA. It will be interesting to see if Wells makes it back. If not, will they pull Papelbon out of his role? That probably depends on their confidence in Foulke, and the progression of Hansen who was promoted to AAA after dominating in AA. The Sox have many things going for them including youth. It will be much easier to address any issues come July 31 because they will be mostly offense, not defense or pitching. The other major factor is the clubhouse. This team has not jelled fully, and that will come as the season progresses.

Things are looking good in the Nation, even though things are off to a sluggish start. Not much will be settled after this 2 game set, but the Hatfields & McCoys start it off once again...

The future is now...

2006-04-06T09:41:00.000-04:00

Wow. Impressive start for Beckett in his Sox debut. After giving up a double and a couple of infield hits in the first, he shut down a tough Texas lineup. It's amazing to see a guy consistently throw 96 and hit 97. It's been a while since we've seen that. Add in that nasty breaker, and look out. Wait until he pitches the opener at Fenway...

Nothing like adding a little fire to the rotation and pen...

Papelbon was equally as impressive especially since it was his first major league save opportunity. He's fearless. It's going to be a while before Foulke sees a close game after that performance. Just getting that giddy feeling...

The scary thing is that they are only going to get better...

Let's run Bard out of town...

2006-04-05T14:29:00.000-04:00

Give it a rest. You have to be kidding. We've heard rumblings of fans all upset about the way Josh Bard performed in game 2. The first official panic button has been pressed (maybe some with Foulke in game 1).

We should trade David Wells to get Mirabelli back!

Wake doesn't perform the same without Mirabelli!

Why is Wake the #2 starter (OK, well we question that one...)

Reality check folks - it's only game 2 of a marathon season. Did we all forget that Mirabelli struggled at first? In his first game, there were 2 passed balls and a wild pitch - and that was in late June. Wakefield did find a way to win 12+ games in each season before Mirabelli.

Lets put those short term memories in check for just a moment. Bard just played his first game as a Red Sox. His big league experience is scattered over 4 years in which he's played in 156 games TOTAL. He's not exactly a seasoned vet. His nerves were probably getting the best of him in his first big start.

Replacing Mirabelli is a tall task for any backup. We love the guy, but don't forget that it wasn't exactly smooth sailing before 2 years ago. He performed well over the last couple seasons, which is what people remember.

Give Bard a shot. Let some chemistry develop. Let him at least get comfortable. Remember that the Sox essentially traded Shoppach for him, and he beat out Huckaby in spring training. The Sox believe he has value. Most importantly, he doesn't throw the knuckleball & has no affect on it. Did Mirabelli have some magic voodoo? What about the other catchers before him?

Relax. Stay off the Shaughnessy "disaster" bandwagon. Remember, he's a "!*@#".

Stay tuned for game 3: The emergence of a new Boston star...

(might as well throw the other extreme in early too...)

Optimism Rewarded...

2006-04-04T17:20:00.000-04:00

Not many fans are as optimistic as the Nation, especially on opening day. It's been tempered since 2005, but it's also a birthright to have thought "This is the Year". As we all know, the team on the field in April is rarely the same team in August. There's not much you can read into a team, good or bad after one outing.

However, the Nation had to be more than pleased with Schilling's first outing. It's clearly better than any performance from last season, and also Spring Training. Texas has an outstanding lineup. You knew that Schill was making a statement when the bullpen was quiet after the sixth inning, after his 95th pitch. Hitting 94-95 on the gun in the 7th along with 118 pitches, and a 1-2-3 inning put every other team on notice. Schill's back...

On the other hand, Foulke looked like he kept his 2005 form. Note that he pitched fairly well in spring training, but he hasn't pitched enough to be truly ready. Why else would we see him in the 9th with a 5 run lead? He needs more work and to build his confidence. At least reports say that he hit 88-89 on the gun. Don't worry, he's on a short leash, and Papelbon is in the wings. Don't be surprised to see Hansen by late July...

Few other notes:

Nice to see Mike Lowell get the HR monkey off his back. Let's hope the end of spring training (raised avg to over .300) translates into the season

Coco Crisp looked great in the outfield (saving Foulke's behind), and he is unbelieveably fast on the basepaths. If he gets on base, he'll score 100+ runs without much effort...

Ortiz is Ortiz... Still amazing...

There's 161 games left. The biggest injury question is looking good, the other not. A healthy Schill & #3 starter Beckett both could easily win 20 games. The lineup has plenty of weapons. The pen is light years ahead of last year. You'll probably have a defense in the top 3 (can you remember the last time?). This could be better than the 2004 edition. Stay tuned & keep the faith baby!