D-Mat on plane headed for Boston!!

[riverside sluggers]

hey' date=' is this gonna stop us from getting Zito?[/quote']

 

wtf?

 

http://jazz.walelia.com/myfellas/zito.athletics_cubs_azpc105.jpg + http://espn-att.starwave.com/media/mlb/2005/0322/photo/g_fenway_hi.jpg = http://img.freeforumzone.it/upload/735066_grim_reaper.jpg

[riverside sluggers]

RSR, this effectively removes the sox as contenders for Clemens. They now have 5 starters and if Matsuzaka lives up to his billing, then it will be serviceable to say the least and spectacular if all the balls bounce in the right direction.

 

This move essentially makes Clemens a Yankee in my opinion. I think Houston has moved on and the yankees are pondering putting Igawa in AAA for a season to get his legs under him. They may start the season with Pavano in the rotation, dump him once he shows his arm doesnt fall off after throwing a pitch and insert clemens with 2/3 of the season to go.

 

$25 million for the rights to talk to a pitcher who will be in Triple A for his first season

 

I wouldnt rule out the Sox dropping their interest for Clemens. Wakefield could still be xpendable to the bullpen paving the way for a 5 man rotation of hard throwing right handers could lead the league in K's easily. Odds are still good for a June bidding war between Boston and New York

[jacksonianmarch]

$25 million for the rights to talk to a pitcher who will be in Triple A for his first season

 

I wouldnt rule out the Sox dropping their interest for Clemens. Wakefield could still be xpendable to the bullpen paving the way for a 5 man rotation of hard throwing right handers could lead the league in K's easily. Odds are still good for a June bidding war between Boston and New York

 

I think the yankees lure on Igawa was his age and that fact that he is a lefty. In 2 yrs, Johnson, Pettitte, and Mussina will be history. Wang will still be in NY god willing, Hughes, and Sanchez may be in the rotation, Clippard possibly, maybe Joba, who knows. Maybe Zambrano or Sheets or whomever. But a left handed pitcher of that age is hard to come by and since the yankees have no interest in Zito, it works for them to have a young lefty who could be a durable back end of the rotation guy. Now, no other team could harbor him in AAA after the posting fee, but that is why it is good to be a yankee.

[schillingouttheks]

Wait, he's coming to Boston, right? Is he landing in Bedford or at Logan?

 

The tracker says they're scheduled to land in Boca Raton, but I'm assuming that's incorrect.

[Texas_Red_Sox_Fan]

He will win. Schill/Beck/D-Mat/Paps/Wake ....Feels like the year........

[BoSox21]

they're landing at Laurence G Hanscom Field

 

The next flight is scheduled to go to Boca Raton which I guess means John Henry was planning on going home tonight

 

god this is sad....

[jacksonianmarch]

He will win. Schill/Beck/D-Mat/Paps/Wake ....Feels like the year........

 

you still need a pen there TRSF, but the rotation does sound pretty good.

[schillingouttheks]

they're landing at Laurence G Hanscom Field

 

The next flight is scheduled to go to Boca Raton which I guess means John Henry was planning on going home tonight

 

god this is sad....

 

Oh, right...in front of my face. I was looking at the grid below. My bad.

 

It may be sad, but if there are fans as devoted as us on this board, I'd like to meet them!

[inkman]

http://www.derby.org/sounds/movies/chewie/chewie02.wav

[He Hate Me]

He will win. Schill/Beck/D-Mat/Paps/Wake ....Feels like the year........

 

Nice rotation, maybe now the Sox can stay competitive in September to keep the Yankees fresh when they go into the playoffs.

[inkman]

Nice rotation...

 

On paper, I guess. If Beckett can keep his ERA under 6 and Wakefield stays healthy, but in my mind still too many questions.

[schillingouttheks]

Nice rotation' date=' maybe now the Sox can stay competitive in September to keep the Yankees fresh when they go into the playoffs. [/quote']

 

Maybe Ortiz won't have an irregular heartbeat, Manny's knee will be tendonitis free, 60% of our rotation won't get injured, and Theo will bring insurance to this team in July

[inkman]

Maybe Ortiz won't have an irregular heartbeat' date=' Manny's knee will be tendonitis free, 60% of our rotation won't get injured, and Theo will bring insurance to this team in July [/quote']

 

I know what you are saying but you are feeding the monster...

[schillingouttheks]

I know what you are saying but you are feeding the monster...

 

What? Have you ever seen a team have as much bad luck as the 2006 Red Sox did in the second half?

[jacksonianmarch]

What? Have you ever seen a team have as much bad luck as the 2006 Red Sox did in the second half?

 

anyone who watched the sox in 2006 could see that they were tanking before the injuries set in. The injuries just hastened the fall. That team was flat out flawed from head to toe. The offense they brought in could make up for offense lost. The makeshift bullpen blew up on the bridge to Papelbon and their supposed young ace fell apart in his first yr in Boston. This was all going on before Wake, Vtek, Manny, and Ortiz went down.

[god is a redsox FAN]

Yea looks good on paper, but still our Bullpen needs fixed up a lil

[schillingouttheks]

anyone who watched the sox in 2006 could see that they were tanking before the injuries set in. The injuries just hastened the fall. That team was flat out flawed from head to toe. The offense they brought in could make up for offense lost. The makeshift bullpen blew up on the bridge to Papelbon and their supposed young ace fell apart in his first yr in Boston. This was all going on before Wake' date=' Vtek, Manny, and Ortiz went down.[/quote']

 

Fair enough. More than anything I blame Theo for simply thinking that this team had enough to survive the whole season. He should have done something at the deadline. He seems to be making up for it, though, with this offseason. Despite the question marks, I'm glad he's finally grown a pair and opened up the wallet.

[riverside sluggers]

anyone who watched the sox in 2006 could see that they were tanking before the injuries set in. The injuries just hastened the fall. That team was flat out flawed from head to toe. The offense they brought in could make up for offense lost. The makeshift bullpen blew up on the bridge to Papelbon and their supposed young ace fell apart in his first yr in Boston. This was all going on before Wake' date=' Vtek, Manny, and Ortiz went down.[/quote']

 

The Red Sox by the All-Star break were one of the top 3 teams in baseball and had the best offense at that point.

 

And about Beckett, he did show improvement in his 2nd half. The HR's took a dramatic drop off. Before his last start of the season where Tito left him in too long (Beckett gave up like 6-8 consecutive hits before he was yanked), he was churrning out consistent start after consistent start. He will have a better season in 07

[schillingouttheks]

Rotoworld -

 

Report: Red Sox, Matsuzaka agree to deal

 

SI.com's Jon Heyman says the Red Sox and Daisuke Matszuaka have agreed to terms on a six-year, $52 million contract.

Did someone call him from the plane? According to Heyman, the deal contains escalator clauses that could bring it up to $60 million. Dec. 13 - 2:36 pm et

 

If this is indeed true, that was a steal. Nice job, guys.

[He Hate Me]

The Red Sox by the All-Star break were one of the top 3 teams in baseball and had the best offense at that point.

 

And about Beckett, he did show improvement in his 2nd half. The HR's took a dramatic drop off. Before his last start of the season where Tito left him in too long (Beckett gave up like 6-8 consecutive hits before he was yanked), he was churrning out consistent start after consistent start. He will have a better season in 07

 

By my calculations, Becket sported a 5.8 ERA after June 28 averaging about 1 HR per start, and giving up almost 4 BB per 9 IP.

 

Kid's got a lively arm and buried us in 2003, but I don't see the second half improvement you're talking about.

[riverside sluggers]

Whoa thanks for the heads up "SchilouttheKs", if this turns out to be true

 

Theo was able to talk Boras down from 6 years/$66 million to 6 years/$52 million? Thats roughly an average of $8.5 million a season

[riverside sluggers]

By my calculations, Becket sported a 5.8 ERA after June 28 averaging about 1 HR per start, and giving up almost 4 BB per 9 IP.

 

Kid's got a lively arm and buried us in 2003, but I don't see the second half improvement you're talking about.

 

HRs

Pre-All Star Break (18 starts)- 26 HRs

Post-All Star Break (15 starts)- 10 HRs

 

As I said-- before his last start of the season he was deliving consistent start after consistent start for a month. I dont just pull stats out of my ass

 

August 24 - September 21 (6 starts) 2.61 ERA

38 innings, 32 Hits, 11 Runs, 2 HRs, 14 Walks, 22 Ks

[jacksonianmarch]

Beckett's best months were when the pressure was off, April, May and for the sox last season, September.

 

2-2 4.54ERA 5GS 33.2IP 31H 23K 10BB 4HR in september

 

But when the pressure was on, especially in August he EXPLODED. 5+ era's in June and July, then the stinker in August.

 

6GS 1-4 6.38ERA 36.2IP 39H 4HR 23K 18BB .277BAA

 

Needless to say, he did not finish the season well. His lack of a second pitch and his propensity for walking people (surprisingly his BB/9IP only jumped by 0.3BB/9IP from 05 to 06) does not bode well for him. But if he is a 3 or a 4 depending on how Matsuzaka and papelbon fare, then he may be serviceable. But his days as a lock down ace left when he left south florida.

[jacksonianmarch]

HRs

Pre-All Star Break (18 starts)- 26 HRs

Post-All Star Break (15 starts)- 10 HRs

 

As I said-- before his last start of the season he was deliving consistent start after consistent start for a month. I dont just pull stats out of my ass

 

August 24 - September 21 (6 starts) 2.61 ERA

38 innings, 32 Hits, 11 Runs, 2 HRs, 14 Walks, 22 Ks

 

his low HR rate didnt make his august any better.

 

Bro, everyone is going to have a short stretch of being good, hell even Bruce Chen had a good run 2 yrs ago. But to pick a 6 game span that doesnt even encompass his last 2 starts and to try and twist it into optimism for this upcoming season is homerism to say the least. If he doesnt have a curveball this yr and if he doesnt start throwing more strikes, then he wont change, period.

[riverside sluggers]

Dont call me Bro

 

What do you mean his last 2 games (one was a gem, the last game was when Tito left him in too long in the 7th as he gave up 6-8 consecutive hits)

[He Hate Me]

HRs

Pre-All Star Break (18 starts)- 26 HRs

Post-All Star Break (15 starts)- 10 HRs

 

As I said-- before his last start of the season he was deliving consistent start after consistent start for a month. I dont just pull stats out of my ass

 

August 24 - September 21 (6 starts) 2.61 ERA

38 innings, 32 Hits, 11 Runs, 2 HRs, 14 Walks, 22 Ks

 

I know you don't pull stats out of nowhere, but you were talking about the second half. The numbers I looked up are from July 3 - Sept. 27.

 

I can see he had a good stretch in the closing month, but those numbers are after it was obvious that the Sox were going nowehre in 2006, correct?

[riverside sluggers]

I can see he had a good stretch in the closing month' date=' but those numbers are after it was obvious that the Sox were going nowehre in 2006, correct?[/quote']

 

So Beckett got better because the Sox became a 3rd place team?

[ORS]

Didn't Beckett change his approach a bit during the last month? Less heaters. More curves. More show-me changeups. Pitching to contact. I recall reading a quote about him saying he needed to adjust and pitch to where the hitters can't handle the pitch as well instead of trying to strike everyone out.

[He Hate Me]

So Beckett got better because the Sox became a 3rd plkace team?

 

I'm merely pointing out that Beckett seemingly pitched better when there was less pressure. Obviously it was different in 2003 WS, but in 2006, he did not do well when the Sox needed him most.

[jacksonianmarch]

Dont call me Bro

 

What do you mean his last 2 games (one was a gem, the last game was when Tito left him in too long in the 7th as he gave up 6-8 consecutive hits)

 

okay then.

 

August 19th. POUNDED by NYY. 9BB 7H 5IP 9ER

August 24th Beats ANA, team that doesnt hit well to begin with 6IP 1ER

August 29th Loses to Oak 2ER 7IP, they cannot hit either

Sept 3rd Loses to TOR 5IP 3ER 7 baserunners.

Sept 9th Loses to KC 8IP 4ER 10 baserunner

Sept 16th Beats NYY 6IP 2ER 4H 5BB to a team that had already packed it in

Sept 21st Beats MIN 8IP 0ER another team that cannot hit

Sept 27th POUNDED by TB. Dont give me the whole he was left in too long routine. He was at 92 pitches when he was pulled. 6.2IP 8ER.

 

Here is all we need to know about Beckett.

Top 7 in the league in offense (BOS was 6th)

NYY 2-2 9.45ERA 2.00WHIP

CLE 0-2 13.97ERA 2.07WHIP

CWS 1-0 7.50ERA 2.00WHIP

TEX 1-0 2.92ERA 1.30WHIP

DET 0-1 7.50ERA 1.67WHIP

TOR 1-2 6.21ERA 1.38WHIP

 

his lack of a secondary pitch KILLS him against the better hitting teams.