The Red Sox will finish 3rd in the AL East

[Rodney Harrison]

Wasn't Proctor brought over in a trade from LAD?

 

And can you count Pettite? I'll give you the others.

 

Tanyon Sturtze and Kevin Brown were the only pitchers sent from LA to New York.

 

I'm pretty sure Varitek went to Boston in the Heathcliff Slocumb trade.

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

BP Fielding Numbers

 

Tek/Posada: -8, +13- Yanks

Youk/Mientkiewicz: +1, -5- Sox

Pedroia/Cano: +1, +15- Yanks

Lugo/Jeter: -1 (+19 2005), +7- Yanks

Lowell/Arod: +19, -16- Sox

Manny/Matsui: -14, +6- Yanks

Crisp/Damon: -1, -6- Sox

Drew/Abreu: +13, +3- Sox

 

4-4.

 

2006 Defensive Efficiency Rating: Sox .683, Yanks .706

[adam123]

Tanyon Sturtze and Kevin Brown were the only pitchers sent from LA to New York.

 

I'm pretty sure Varitek went to Boston in the Heathcliff Slocumb trade.

 

 

V-tek and D-lowe came in that trade

[adam123]

Damm i miss D-lowe ..

[seabeachfred]

Why am I pissing you off? Because I make a prediction that you don't like?

 

You can give it, but can't take it? At least ORS sticks to his guns. Sinking ship, but he never abandons it. I give him credit for that.

 

Plus, I'm not the only one who thinks the Red Sox will finish third.[/quote

 

"sinking ship but he never abandons it." What's the intent behind that statement GOM? If you are hinting at bandwagon you are skating on very thin ice. If there is anything that will set me off on you or anyone else it is if they question my loyalty and devotion to the Red Sox. I went through this s*** three months ago with a couple of morons who bought into the crap dispensed by those bums who came on this board and I won't stand for it from you or anyone else.

 

My point was you ought to spend more time talking about your team than running down ours. Besides, there are a lot of others who think the Red Sox will finish higher than third and many predict us to win the AL East, the Pennant and World Series. You can't just pick and choose and believe you have the answer. Tell you what. Let's you and I make a wager. I will bet you the Red Sox finish higher than third. You name the amount. Either that or back down and keep your mouth shut.

[Gom]

BP Fielding Numbers

 

Tek/Posada: -8, +13- Yanks

Youk/Mientkiewicz: +1, -5- Sox

Pedroia/Cano: +1, +15- Yanks

Lugo/Jeter: -1 (+19 2005), +7- Yanks

Lowell/Arod: +19, -16- Sox

Manny/Matsui: -14, +6- Yanks

Crisp/Damon: -1, -6- Sox

Drew/Abreu: +13, +3- Sox

 

4-4.

 

2006 Defensive Efficiency Rating: Sox .683, Yanks .706

 

Your fellow Red Sox fans are embarrassed that you actually believe that Youk is better than Mientkiewicz at first base. For that statement, you should be banned for life from ever watching baseball ever again. Go back to sleep.

[Gom]

 

"sinking ship but he never abandons it." What's the intent behind that statement GOM? If you are hinting at bandwagon you are skating on very thin ice. If there is anything that will set me off on you or anyone else it is if they question my loyalty and devotion to the Red Sox. I went through this s*** three months ago with a couple of morons who bought into the crap dispensed by those bums who came on this board and I won't stand for it from you or anyone else.

 

My point was you ought to spend more time talking about your team than running down ours. Besides, there are a lot of others who think the Red Sox will finish higher than third and many predict us to win the AL East, the Pennant and World Series. You can't just pick and choose and believe you have the answer. Tell you what. Let's you and I make a wager. I will bet you the Red Sox finish higher than third. You name the amount. Either that or back down and keep your mouth shut.

 

I don't question anyone's loyalty to their team, and you know, you guys rip the Yankees all day, and I love it. I give and take, and the truth is you guys are actually pretty sharp when it comes to baseball, but you just root for the wrong team, that's all.

 

The Sox finish with 86 wins. Third place. That's my call. You guys can all bring up this thread, and I will honorably concede if they do not. If they do, I won't let you guys forget I called it. Should be a fun summer.

[Gom]

well' date=' id take manny in LF at fenway; no one has quite as much experience as him with the green monster [as long as he doesnt need to go to the bathroom']

 

Oh my God....

[seabeachfred]

I don't question anyone's loyalty to their team, and you know, you guys rip the Yankees all day, and I love it. I give and take, and the truth is you guys are actually pretty sharp when it comes to baseball, but you just root for the wrong team, that's all.

 

The Sox finish with 86 wins. Third place. That's my call. You guys can all bring up this thread, and I will honorably concede if they do not. If they do, I won't let you guys forget I called it. Should be a fun summer.

 

Fair enough GOM---and I have to admit that you showed more class than I did with your response. Safe to say that I am not in the best of moods today and thank God my wife went to my daughter's and got out of harm's way. Bob Ryan is so right. Rooting for the Red Sox is like a Passion Play and this is my only seventh year of this. I wonder sometimes how ORS, SchillOut, Kilo, and the rest of the guys who have followed this team longer than I have been able to take it with going stark raving mad. As I said, tonight I will put on a Red Sox DVD as relates to 2004 and that will help me get emotionally charged for the next few games or so.

[ANiMAL]

just dont put in that Buckner DVD

[DUSTINMOHR4LIFE]

Your fellow Red Sox fans are embarrassed that you actually believe that Youk is better than Mientkiewicz at first base. For that statement' date=' you should be banned for life from ever watching baseball ever again. Go back to sleep.[/quote']

 

I never said that Youk was better. I was just showing the numbers.

[jacksonianmarch]

Tanyon Sturtze and Kevin Brown were the only pitchers sent from LA to New York.

 

I'm pretty sure Varitek went to Boston in the Heathcliff Slocumb trade.

 

completely and totally wrong.

 

The Yankees traded Robin Ventura to the LAD in 2003 after they acquired Boone. The Dodgers sent Bubba Crosby and Scott Proctor in return. Thanks for that by the way.

[ksushi]

Maybe instead of just saying 'kool aid' you could make an arguement as to why im wrong instead of just posting two words and being done with it?

[riverside sluggers]

Well today Ive really mellowed out from where I was yesterday. Part of that being I just found out Im going to be an uncle. Its a cool strange feeling. Fact of matter is guys is that there will be some games like yesterdays just as there will be games where everything is clicking. The rotation is a step above the 2006 version, the lineup has improved (lugo over agon, drew over nixon, manny for a full year?), and even the bullpen looks marginally better than what was trotted out last year. Cmon Rudy Seanez was brought in to do the 7th inning...

 

Last year's team stumbled to 86 wins, this team if everything gels will get in the 90-95 range

[seabeachfred]

just dont put in that Buckner DVD

 

ANIMAL, have no fear of that. Buckner was before my Red Sox time. You might be interested to know that before I was engulfed in Red Sox Nation the Mets were my team and I used to love to see that DVD of the '86 Series. Now? I wouldn't watch it if someone wanted to bribe me. I thought I could root for the Red Sox as my second team. That lasted less than a month. They might make you sick, make you cry, make you pissed off, but once you are bitten by the Red Sox bug it is all enduring and permanent.

 

Just for the record, tonight I will either put on "Reverse the Curve of the Bambino" or the "Red Sox vs Yankees---The Ultimate Rivalry". No matter how many times I watch it it never seems to get old.

[TheKilo]

Tanyon Sturtze and Kevin Brown were the only pitchers sent from LA to New York.

 

I'm pretty sure Varitek went to Boston in the Heathcliff Slocumb trade.

 

 

 

Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998, he was traded to the New York Yankees in 2003, with Bubba Crosby, for Robin Ventura.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Proctor

 

Point on Varitek, though.

[Rodney Harrison]

completely and totally wrong.

 

The Yankees traded Robin Ventura to the LAD in 2003 after they acquired Boone. The Dodgers sent Bubba Crosby and Scott Proctor in return. Thanks for that by the way.

 

Even so, Jason Varitek is not a homegrown Red Sox player. Good call on the immortal Bubba Crosby trade. That was the year we had s***** hitting and employed the likes of Larry Barnes, Jolbert Cabrera, Mike Kinkade, Ron Coomer, Wilkin Ruan, and former top prospect Joe Thurston (is he still in the Yankees' system?)

[jacksonianmarch]

Maybe instead of just saying 'kool aid' you could make an arguement as to why im wrong instead of just posting two words and being done with it?

 

Alright, maybe I will.

 

Sox bullpen....vs.....Yankees

 

Closer

Papelbon........vs.....Rivera

 

Paps had the better ERA and the better WHIP and K rate. Rivera blew fewer saves and had a better save %. Paps had a stellar one season as the red sox closer and against nearly anyone, you would expect him to be better. But when Mariano has been closing lights out going on 11 yrs, you are gonna have to do better than that in a one on one comparison. I'll consider this a wash, but I'll leave you with one question. Chips down, late season, 1 run lead, who gets the ball in the 9th in a perfect world for this season. Thank you very much.

 

8th inning Set-up

Timlin............vs.....Farnsworth

 

People think Farnsworth was absolutely terrible last yr. He wasnt. Overall, he had an okay season as a setup man, just a terribly inconsistent season. People think Timlin had a terrible season last yr, but he wasnt. Overall he had an okay season and he was lights out for the first 3 months of the season. Yet he posted a 6+ ERA to finish the yr and getting absolutely tattooed to finish the season to the tune of .341. After starting the yr on the DL, this doesnt look promising. Even though these two had nearly identical ERA's, you have to take the Farns here. Timlin is starting the yr injured and his durability is in serious question. Farnsworth has his own durability issues when you talk about back to back days, but when you consider stats that are similar, you look at how a player finished and their stuff. Farns was very consistent if you look at his #s in terms of pre and post AS break and he has an arsenal that is amazing. I'd go Farns here, but you can say wash here and get away with it numerically. But can you take that to the bank for this season knowing what you saw late in the yr last yr. I am not so sure.

 

7th inning Set-up

Donnelly.........vs....Proctor

 

Scott Proctor was worked to the bone last yr. 102.1IP is amazing for a reliever. But to be honest with you, he was the MVP for the first month of the yr and very well could have been the MVP of the team post all star when he pitched 47.1IP of 2.28ERA ball and was absolutely lights out. He then comes into this yr and dominates ST and looks better than ever. Everyone knew he had the stuff. High 90s heater. Absolutely devastating curveball. He just couldnt miss the middle of the plate. Last yr he did for the most part, but he was the cog of the team. A team whose pen was worked to the bone due to the shittiness of the 4 and 5 spots in our rotation.

 

Donnelly is an interesting fellow. From 2002-2004 he was a = 3ERA guy. His OPS against was sub .600 in his first 2 yrs. But for every yr he has spent in the majors, his OPS against has risen. Last yr he allowed a .700OPS against with a career high BB/9IP and K/BB. His P/IP rose above 17 for only the second time as well and for the last 2 yrs, his K/9IP have been in the mid 7's when they were above 9 and peaked at 12. The guy turns 36 in season and there were whispers about his reliability and his stuff declining last yr. How else do you think you got him so cheaply? Last yr, he couldnt hold a candle to Proctor. This yr, another yr older and being thrust back into a key position in the pen? Who knows. I think that if the guy is limited to 50-60IP he will be a very solid, upper 3 ERA kind of guy. But he doesnt offer the versatility that Proctor does nor the durability or the arsenal. Proctor all the way in this one

 

Alternative Set-up man (ie earlier than 7th or if anyone from above needs day off)

Okajima.........vs....Vizcaino

 

Okajima is a loopy lefty curve guy who can barely break 90. He gets taken DEEP in his first AB vs righties and the likelihood is, he is more suited for lefty specialist work.

 

Vizcaino is a power pitcher who has averaged 72G and 70IP his last 5 seasons spanning three clubs (MIL, CWS, and ARI). He is a power arm with a fastball that can reach the upper nineties. One may think that a power pitcher like this is a detriment against lefties. Not the case, as lefties his .163 with a .569OPS against last season and overall do much worse against him for his career. He is a spare hoss in the pen to have around who can soak up innings when Proctor or Farns need a blow. I'd take Vizcaino here every single day and twice on sunday.

 

Lefty specialist

Romero..........vs....Myers

 

Myers last season was interesting. He dominated righties and was okay against lefties. Romero, on the other hand, gets tattooed vs righties yet had a pretty good yr vs lefties last season. Romero has some serious issues with control and over his last 3 seasons has not even touched what Myers can do vs lefties. I'll call this one a wash, but we all know that Myers will return to his norm as he isnt the kind of reliever who will be affected by age as he is based upon deception rather than stuff. And he locates the ball better than Romero does.

 

 

Alternate-Alternate reliever

Pineiro vs Bruney

 

Bruney dominated when he came over from Arizona, mostly due to a return to his previous velocity. Most people wondered why a guy who can hit nearly 100mph on the gun was released rather than optioned back down. Well, the reason was he had lost his fastball. Bruney was being clocked in the 80s when he was released and he claimed it was due to shoulder fatigue. The yankees picked him up, rested him a bit and when he came back he was clocking in at the high 90s and he wasnt touchable. He had a sub 1ERA in 20+ appearances last yr. His control was awful though as he walked well over 1 for every 2IP. The yankees worked with him this spring on tightening up his delivery and it seemed to be working this spring when he K'd 15 and walked 2 in 8IP. It remains to be seen if this change toward better control will also make him more hittable as his velocity dipped into the mid 90s for spring. But when you have Bruney's stuff and compare him to the stiff he is up against, there really is no match.

 

Joel Pineiro was once the toast of Seattle and the next great pitcher to throw for the Mariners. That was before a mysterious forearm injury sapped him of his fastball and took the bite off his breaking stuff. Nothing has changed either after watching him in ST and yesterday. He used to throw about as hard as Bruney. Now he sits in the low 90s, mostly around 90-91. He used to have one of the best curves in baseball, now it is a spinner for the most part. His control and his strikeout rate went in the shitter as well. Last yr he had a mediocre audition in the bullpen and was cut loose. The fact that the sox signed him to close, then placed Paps back in the closers role right before the season gives one and indication on how highly they think of Pineiro. Overall, a matchup like this would be difficult to make seeing as Pineiro and Bruney have short track records as relievers. That is when you have to go by stuff and recent performance and Bruney takes both. Bruney all the way

 

Long Man

Snyder vs Rasner/Karstens

 

anyone who even tries to make a case for the sox is insane. Rasner/Karstens it is

 

13th pitcher/first man sent down when injuries are recovered from

Lopez vs Henn

 

Both suck. Draw.

 

First man called up

Hansen/MDC vs Britton

 

Chris Britton was the guy thrown in for Jaret Wright, who was essentially dumped for free. This is another reason why the Orioles are always considered the worst run organization in baseball. Chris Britton is a 24 yr old POWER arm. Just like Bruney, he can get the ball into the mid to upper nineties. Unlike Bruney, he has very solid control and a very solid offspeed pitch. The only thing is, Bruney ran out of options, while Britton didnt. Hence Britton spends the first few months in Scranton. Here was Britton's line last season.

 

53.2IP 46H 20ER 41K 17BB 3.35ERA .228BAA .637OPS, 1.17WHIP as a 23 yr old.

 

Compare that to Hansen (6.63ERA, 1.61WHIP, .305BAA and .840OPS against) and Delcarmen (5.06ERA, 1.59WHIP, .309BAA, and .781OPS against) and you can come to the conclusion that the yankees have the better kid waiting in the wings for this yr at least.

 

So overall.

 

Closer: WASH (but c'mon now, who'd you rather have in the 9th in sept/october?)

Set-up: FARNSWORTH/WASH (Farns finished better, Timlin faded badly and is hurt)

7th: PROCTOR

ALT: VIZCAINO

LEFTY: WASH

ALT ALT: BRUNEY

LONG MAN: KARSTENS/RASNER (if Tavarez returns to the pen, I'd call this in your favor)

13th pitcher: WASH (they both suck)

FIRST MAN CALLED UP: BRITTON

 

You have a solid closer and a setup man whose line last yr didnt show how bad he really was to end the season. Your 7th guy is respectable, but declining. Other than that, you have no depth to the pen and those reliable guys will burn out as they all are either old/declining or pitching with an innings limit.

[jacksonianmarch]

Well today Ive really mellowed out from where I was yesterday. Part of that being I just found out Im going to be an uncle. Its a cool strange feeling. Fact of matter is guys is that there will be some games like yesterdays just as there will be games where everything is clicking. The rotation is a step above the 2006 version, the lineup has improved (lugo over agon, drew over nixon, manny for a full year?), and even the bullpen looks marginally better than what was trotted out last year. Cmon Rudy Seanez was brought in to do the 7th inning...

 

Last year's team stumbled to 86 wins, this team if everything gels will get in the 90-95 range

 

I think what needs to be considered is how the sox finished last yr. The team that ended the season was not the team that began it. Injuries to some, serious durability concerns for others, and then just flat out suckitude (GM included) for the others. You finished the yr as one of the worst teams in baseball despite how hot you started. That is what you need to recover from.

[Gom]

Comparing the Yankees pen to the Sox pen is like comparing Angelina Jolie to Renee Zellweger.

 

(The sad part is that I wouldn't mind sleeping with Zelweger)

[inkman]

(The sad part is that I wouldn't mind sleeping with Zelweger)

 

You act like she is totally disgusting. She's not exactly Rosie O'Donnell. http://images.askmen.com/galleries/actress/renee-zellweger/pictures/renee-zellweger-picture-1.jpg

[jacksonianmarch]

Its like comparing the girl you wouldnt mind doing if you were sober vs the girl you wouldnt mind doing after a case race.

[inkman]

Its like comparing the girl you wouldnt mind doing if you were sober vs the girl you wouldnt mind doing after a case race.

 

I understood the relate just don't agree with the hottness of Zellweger. She may not be Angelina but if she walked into a room, most guys would immediately do a double take. (not just because she's famous):harhar:

[TheKilo]

Zellweger looks like she got hit in the face with a shovel. She's atrocious.

[adam123]

every one ready for 2 game win streak .. royals go down

[adam123]

hey does any one think royals can win more than 66 games this year ??

[inkman]

Zellweger looks like she got hit in the face with a shovel. She's atrocious.

 

Please post a pic of whoever you are laying pipe to and we'll judge whether or not you should be killing Renee. :harhar:

[TheKilo]

Please post a pic of whoever you are laying pipe to and we'll judge whether or not you should be killing Renee. :harhar:

 

Seriously, as far as celebrities go, she scrapes the bottom of the barrel.

[jacksonianmarch]

hey does any one think royals can win more than 66 games this year ??

 

the real question is, who gives a f***.

[adam123]

the real question is' date=' who gives a f***.[/quote']

 

no man at sports book thats there total of wins i think i gonna bet it under . just was looking for some insite