JethroTull

Wow, great list ! You jogged my memory with those. Pozo, Rapp, Hosey,.....it's funny, you get to reading these names, and I swear it takes me right back to games they played in years ago, or maybe just one obscure play. Here's a few more for good measure.(Sorry if there are repeats). Billy Rohr Mike Ryan Joe LaHoud Gary Waslewski Bob Moose Gary Peters John Kennedy Dalton Jones Todd Benzinger Marc Clear Phil Plantier Ken Brett Dick McAulif(I know I spelled this wrong) Ben Oglive Jerry Stephens Don Locke Russ Snyder Mike Paxton Reggie Cleveland and some guy named Tatum; came over in a trade with the Brewers

Luis Aparicio Luis Alvarado Luis Aponte Izzy Alcantrera, Joe Azcue Don Baylor Marty Barrett Jim Barton Rick Cerrone, Ted Cox Orlando Cepeda, Rob Deer Dennis Eckersley Rich Gale Dave Kingman, Sunny Kim Dick Pole Carlos Quintanna Bob Veale Bob Zupcic

Good thread goin' here.......fire up the rivalry for next week. A few thoughts to toss into the mix On Clemens......It would make for the storybook ending, and I like Clemens enough, but the Sox should pass. He's not going to match Schill & Beckett speed wise. Put these 3 in succession, and by the time Roger comes up, enough heat & splits will have passed. Putting him 4th after a Wake won't change his effect. He lost the elimination game for both the U.S. team and the Astros. He should stay retired, or remain in the NL with Houston if at all, but I don't blame him one bit if he comes to the rotation of the winner of a bidding war for 3 months/15 starts. If either Boston or New York are stupid enough to throw big money at him, might as well take it. Either way, Clemens doesn't win a post season game in the AL. On Damon(and by extension, Pedro).....Both wanted 5 years and settled for 4 in New York. Boston will look wrong for the first 2 years on both contracts, and smarter on the back end of both deals. If Pedro WAS in Boston this year, Beckett would not be. On ownerships.........Big Stein has done Yankee Nation proud. But his star is on the wane. In Boston, call them what you will, but John Henry & Co. have this franchise on the rise like never before. It is their attention to action and detail that stands out from 70 years of Yawkey rule. 3 trips to the post season, including a championship, fantastic upgrades to the ballyard, complete with one of the best groundskeepers in the game. An infusion of young talent, shifting the style from slow pitch softball to hardball with defense, pitching upgrades, and BUNTING & STEALING; two things that are most decidedly un-Boston-like. On the rivalry......Face it, Yankee fans, the tide is slowly turning in this tug of war. Full props are due for your stronghold on the AL East title these last 10 years. And world-wide, it is the Yankees that come to mind first when the talk turns to champions. Having said that, the franchise is looking long in the tooth, and Georgy Porgey isn't getting any younger. So far this millennium, he has consistantly outspent every team every year by a wide margin, only to come up short repeatedly. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. New York hasn't changed with the times, but the days of Lou "Nothin' doin'" Gorman are ovah ! Game on !

Joe Foy Jose Santiago Ray Culp Marty Patten Sonny Siebert Juan Benequez Tony Armas Creighton Gubanich Tom Poquette Rogilio Moret Lee Stange Kenny "Hawk" Harrelson Rollie Fingers(if only on paper) Joe Rudi Mike Nagy Elston Howard John Wyatt Rick Wise and Manager Walpole Joe Morgan

Thanks, Rivernator. I'm going to guess that 'god' was a typo for good. Having said that, I think it's a better quote with the 'god' reference, because most umps have a god complex, and replay will put an end to that ! Imagine umps horning in on Barry Bonds' domain?

Happy Birthday, Cape fan. Interesting contest; thanks. I'll ask for a waiver on the 100 post rule by promising to post regularly in the future. If granted, I'll go with 6 wins and 42 runs. If not, I'll sit in the corner and eat worms.(And, of course, post more often).

Good or bad,....who knows? My post summed up various points in the thread. Some reasons for not using replay were because it has never been done, and that it would damage the integrity of the game. That the changes made are seen as good or bad is irrelevent to the point being discussed. The point is, baseball changes all the time. Adding video review won't change the way the game is played at all, if done properly. A monitor at the top corner of the home dugout will give the home plate ump a clear view of any questionable call. This won't take any more time than a trip to the mound.(As an added note, league rules could be amended to display the defining video on the field video screen, giving fans in attendance the same view of the call the umps used. If there is no clear view available, the ruling on the field stands.) As for the steroids slant, how can replay been seen as damaging the integrity of a game already tainted by players cheating and owners turning a blind eye? As I pointed out earlier, getting the call exactly right is the best thing baseball can do towards restoring integrity to baseball. And for the record, I don't like the DH, but it is here to stay. Numbers/names on uniforms, and the advent of night baseball certainly changed baseball from a marketing standpoint, but that is beside the point. And all things considered, interleague play gives fans a chance to see the greats from the "other league" in person. The point of this thread remains; would replay positively affect the game, and is it time to impliment replay. I say yes to both. Modern technology will improve the product. How can getting the call exactly right be anything but good? Once some terrible calls are overturned, friends and foes alike will understand the value of instant replay. In short, video replay will render egotistical umpires obsolete.

Great thread, folks. Some grist for the mill........Having umped for about 10 years (once upon a time), the single most important aspect was getting the call exactly right, period. We all know and love to talk baseball; it is what keeps the game fresh in our hearts. Umpires are the same way. Umps love to talk baseball. Sooner or later, the talk leads to the integrity of the game. With the steroid mess blowing up, calls for baseball tradition finds fans split on this replay business. Just ask yourself this.......what is the real harm in adding modern technology to get the call right? Remembering the recently blown tag call on Varitek headed to 1st the other night,(help me out on this one.....against Tampa, maybe?), just picture a playoff or World Series contest turning on such a blatant mistake. I agree that balls & strikes are sacrosanct. But a missed tag, a dropped ball, a tag with the glove while the ball is in the bare hand, a ball hitting(or just missing) the fair line, a questionable home run, posession of the ball on a DP; tangible calls such as these deserve to be called correctly. What difference does it really make if the umps converge to get a call right, or the head ump reviews video a few feet from his position? I know, I know........it's never been done before. At one time, the DH wasn't "done before." Also, interleague play wasn't..."done before".....you get the idea. It seems a natural evolution. Since games weren't actually televised before the 50's, it COULDN'T have been done before anyways. And didn't all games take place during daylight hours, once upon a time? Numbers weren't on uniforms originally, never mind names. Hey, I love baseball as much as anyone, and have been around the game for over 40 years. But I am sorry to say, the integrity boat sailed quite some time ago. There is a reason untold thousands upon thousands never hit 62 homers a year, never mind reaching the 70's. Would replay ruin the integrity of the game? Naaaahhhhh. If anything, it will help restore it. As a longtime fan, I'd rather lose by the correct call than win it on a cheat. Winning a game on a blatantly blown call may not be cheating, but it puts you in the company of those that would, kinda like those that fudge their golf scores. Where's the integrity in that?

So how is the Yankee Savior doing? He gets to hook up with Morris this weekend. And two more years at 16 mil per? Like I said, a pig in a poke. Silly indeed !

Bellhorn gets the Unsung Hero Award. He's the guy nobody notices, or underappreciates when they do. When you see a rally against the opponent's bullpen, thank Mark. The guy typically sees about 25-30 pitches a night himself. He accepts the negatives that come with working the count. Bottom of the order guy doing the dirty work. He's not fast or powerful, but he always seems to be in the middle of things when it counts. He worked a key walk the other night. He killed the Yankees in Game 6, going the other way for that home run. For good measure he tacked on another one down the right field line in Game 7 to head off any Yankee comeback. Then he wins WS Game 1 with another shot down the line. You can't have an all star at every position, not even for $200 million. But who gives you more bang for your buck than Mark? I usually prefer defense and speed at 2nd. Mark isn't that player, but he does so many things to make up for that, he belongs out there every night. Never pops off. Goes about his job quietly and professionally. He is the little engine that could.

First trip out to the coast. Sox still in shakedown cruise mode. All things being equal, my guess is, so will the total be. Sox and opponents will finish tied in the hits/walks totals. Dead even...zero...zip. Ortiz will get 7 hits on the trip. Sell my poster to the highest bidder, and send the proceeds to the Red Sox Foundation, courtesy of TalkSox.com. Out.

When was the last time TWO lefties started a game in Fenway? Good to hear Billy will be back in the lineup. Maybe Payton will get the nod, and receive a nice hand for his granny. Didn't DLowe pitch his no-no around this date a few years back? Maybe Wells can follow suit.

Well, the Yankee caravan has finally pulled out of town, and now it's on to the boring business of playing out the rest of the schedule. Funny business, baseball. There is a beautiful painting/still photo of the Huntington Avenue Fairgrounds deep inside Fenway Park. It depicts the 1903 World Series featuring our own beloved Red Sox. Ropes pass as outfield fencing, and fans stand 20 and 30 deep along the outfield edges. A closer look reveals gentlemen dressed nattily in suit, tie, and the ever present chapeau. There are no women in the crowd, as they were not allowed. But despite the appearance of all things proper, let an opposing outfielder drift into the scrum and all bets are off. Forget coming out of the crowd with the ball. The fortunate fielder still had his teeth intact. Fast forward to last night at the Fens, where the women are plentiful and the ropes have long since been replaced with fences. But that's not all that has changed in 100 years. Now it seems, the home field edge has gone the way of the rope. In this backward politically correct world, it is now deemed improper to you know, act like a fan. A relatively innocent play along the right field fence involving Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield and a ....gasp !.... drunken fan is turning into a major hissy fit amongst the fools rushing forward to display the "right amount" of proper etiquette. Now before you fall off your highchairs, a little explaination is in order. Baseball is a game of manliness disguised as sport, with a strong dose of intimidation thrown into the mix. The game was built on sharpened spikes, bulletballs to the brain, and hard tags that served to deter the runner from easy access to the bag. My, how far the game has fallen. When you go on the road, especially to the den of your fiercest rival, it is SUPPOSED to be difficult. There is an unwritten law that players own the field, and the fans rule the stands. Where the two intersect, anything goes. At least it used to be that way, before the Kumbaya Crowd took over. So this big star took a poke in the chops while angling for the ball. This is news? Turn the scenario around for a moment. High pop down the line, Sox down a run, Sheffield sees a fan reaching up with a glove, and he stiffarms said fan in the gut, clearing the way for the would be catch that ends the game.(I'm changing the scenario for a point). Does anyone cry for the fan? The ball is the object, and whatever it takes to get the ball is fair game. And don't hand me the Monica Seles bent, where the fan MIGHT have had a knife, and he MIGHT have been trying to harm the player. You MIGHT get killed walking back to your car after a night game. There won't likely be a Captain ARod there to pull you out of harm's way. I'm also not advocating the chair tossing nonsense we saw last year. What I am saying, is that baseball is a tough battle of wits where opponents scan the field of play looking for an edge. Stealing signs, sliding in hard, brushing back the batter; all these things are purposeful intimidation tactics. The fan lucky enough to score seats in the first row also has a job to do; deny the opponent the ball. To be clear, I'm not advocating unchecked mayhem, but an opponent should at the very least have to think twice before venturing into the masses. You think Gary is the first player to have a beer or a knuckle sandwich tossed his way? During a Sox/Yanks series I attended in the spring of '76, Mickey Rivers was dodging CHERRY BOMBS in center field. They did stop the game..........long enough to send a batting helmet out to Mick. So Gary caught a fist in the face. He still made the play, didn't he? I say that fan didn't swing hard enough ! Go ahead with your crocodile tears. Joe Torre had his skirt on with his preposterous inferences after the game. You want to wipe out the drunken lout at ball games? O.K. You want fans in the front row serving tea and crumpets? Fine. I understand this rant flies in the face of the P.C. crowd. But the game owes its roots to men getting together for some brews and some brawlin'. And it says here that each step taken to extinguish the roots of the game is one step closer to Major League Puffball, where steals are outlawed, and pitching inside brings a year's suspension. What's next? A runner charging the plate gets a free slide if he says excuse me? A foul pop atop the opponent's dugout merits a blowup pillowbed so the fielder doesn't hurt himself? The game is at an all time high, revenue wise. The players make more in one season than the stiff in the stands will haul down working 30 years. They are so regaled, it seems they too have forgotten the origins of the game. Go ahead and denounce the fool who might or might not have actually swung at Gary Sheffield. Display the "appropriate" amount of contempt for such loutish behavior. Decry men behaving badly at every turn. And pardon me for not joining you in the ladies section at Filene's.

The unbridled fascination with Randy Johnson by Yankee fans is amusing, distorted, and downright hysterical. Read through any thread concerning the upcoming season, and to a man, every Yankee fan looks to Johnson as the cure for what ails them. I've even seen some Sox fans get caught up in the hype. But numbers don't lie, if you only bother to read them. And when you do, the hype gives way to reality. Johnson spent nine and a half seasons in the AL. A pitchers' prime years are generally considered from his later 20's to his early 30's, which encompasses most of his time in the AL. During this span, Johnson had two seasons where his ERA came in under 3.00. Most of the rest were over 3.50. Also during that stretch, he never made 35 starts in any season, with 34 being his high mark in '93. Jumping leagues in '98 did wonders for his image. In 5 of 6 NL seasons,(and now pitching past his prime years), Johnson finished with ERA's under 3.00, and made 35 starts in each of those seasons. The '03 season saw his injuries limit his starts to 18, and his ERA climb over 4.00. Now Johnson is back in the AL, and will turn 42 in September. He signed a two year extension on a contract that will pay him roughly $16 million per season guaranteed for the next 3 years. All this for a man whose numbers are tainted with the ugly truth that he compiled these numbers pitching mostly in favorable weather conditions either indoors or in high heat regions. I love hearing Yankee fans tout Johnson and what he will bring to this season. For some $48 million, you should expect over 100 starts in the 3 year deal, 60 wins, and a sizzling era around 2.50. But this is where the rubber meets the road. If the man couldn't reach this level during his prime in the best conditions, to suggest he will now is just wishful thinking with no basis in reality. More likely, Johnson will finish the 3 years right around .500 in won/lost record, and will be lucky to have an ERA under 4.00 in any season. To top it off, there is no way the man will make 100 starts over this span. He will turn 44 during the '07 season, if he is still playing. The years, the wind & cold, and his own track record, all paint a much different picture than Yankee fans suggest. In tying up so much money for an aging star, New York has taken a page from the Red Sox past, and we all know how that works out. Johnson made his mark mostly in the NL. He will go into the Hall of Fame one day. But to suggest he will dominate this season and make 3 post season series starts is hot air. Earlier, I offered a 17-13 season, with a 3.85 era as likely numbers. That's a heckuva season for a 42 year old hurler, but hardly the stuff of champions. But don't take my word for it. Look it up. As I said, the numbers don't lie. And Johnson's numbers suggest the Yanks got a pig in a poke, all things considered.

Thanks yeszir, all the pieces are coming together. This will be a home opener for the ages. Between raising the banner, getting the rings, and hearing that long awaited introduction....."Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park, home of your World Champion Boston Red Sox !", I'd better stock up on video tapes and get the VCR ready. It's been a long time coming. Looking forward to another great season. (Note to 2090)...No one questions RJ's Fame status, just his effect this year. Time will tell.

Just looking at the starting pitching projections for the Red Sox and Yankees, it seems the Rotoworld folks are getting right in line with all the lofty praise being thrown New York's way. Their worst case still has each pitcher winning at least 6 more than they lose. Brown with only 6 losses, Wright and Pavano with only 8 each, Mussina with only 9, and RJ with 20 wins. Wrong on all counts. Johnson is very much overrated. I see him at 17-13, 3.85 ERA,(More below). Mussina 16-12, Pavano maybe 16-11, Wright 12-12 if that, and Brown a question mark...give him 13-12 if he's lucky. They've got all but one NY starter under 4.00 ERA, and all but one Red Sox starter over 4.00. What kind of nonsense is this? The Yankee defense will get a little boost from Womack, but the rest of 'em haven't gotten much better. Meanwhile, Boston adds Renteria to a steady defense, and picks up some power pitching, only to see lower marks all around than New York. Here is what projections such as these can't predict. I see Boston expanding on their Pedrovision pitching handbook. Having successfully stretched out Martinez all year in keeping him off the DL, look for Boston to unofficially have 7 different starters. More rest between starts, shorter outings, and a few extra days off sprinkled in. Wakefield and Halama will get 10 plus starts each, making this possible.(How many times has Boston needed a lefty spot starter over the years?). Rotating in middle relief with types like Kim and Manteii will mean splitting up the workload all spring and summer. By mid-August, the staff will be fresh, and the jockeying for the official 5 starters will take shape. September will see the field narrow to four as far as post season starts are concerned. I see Schilling#1, Arroyo #3, and Wakefield#5. Between Wells, Clement, and Miller, one of these three will have to distinguish himself for the #2 slot. If used right, Wells has more big game experience, especially in New York. Arroyo is the sleeper in the bunch. His ERA will stay below 4.00 all year. I look for him to have a strong season. Miller can be brought along slowly. Clement just needs to throw and not overthink the position. He won't be familiar with any hitters, but they won't know him either. If he listens to his catchers, he will be fine. Miller will likely wind up as the #4 starter when all is said and done. As for the Yanks, too much is expected of Johnson. He has spent his entire career pitching either indoors(Seattle), or in hot climates(Houston and Arizona). The months of April, May, September, and October will make it much tougher to get and stay loose, as well as affecting his grip. He is much older than during his last time in the league, and he was getting hit pretty good when he left Seattle in '98. And Johnson getting the ace slot won't sit well with the moody Mussina. Pavano and Wright will find AL lineups taxing, and Brown can't be counted on. Granted, a lot can go wrong for either club. But both will be there in the end. Unless the Twins can get another ace quality arm, Santana can only do so much, and the AL West is weaker overall than last year. But the rush to annoint the Yankee staff is misguided, IMO. Throwing all those egos together under Steinbrenner is a train wreck waiting to happen. Georgie Porgie can only sit on the sidelines so long. If Boston shoots out to a quick start(as I think they will), it won't be long before Big Stein hits the panic button. You can only outspend everyone for so long before you realize it isn't working. It's been 4 years running, and the cracks will start to show if the injury bug hits the pieced together Yankee staff. Yankee fans have been foaming at the mouth concerning the MLB opener, but don't think for a second that Boston doesn't have this date circled as well. Burying New York early would pay huge dividends for Boston, and Wells knows a little something about pitching at the Stadium. Another overlooked item is that Boston has finally broken through the ceiling where New York is concerned. Don't forget, they were a bonehead decision from winning the '03 ALCS, and they took the season series last year before hanging the collar on the Yanks after spotting them a 3-0 lead, all while operating with a one legged man as ace. Just for comparison, the Celtics have never been the same once the Lakers got by them. While the Yankees still put out a quality lineup, the invincibility they once had was lost in the 2001 World Series, and they have struggled in every post season since. I don't see the recent additions making up the difference.

Mr. Henry, Far be it for a lifelong fan to tell you how to conduct your business. You've opened up with the World Champion New England Patriots previously; a genius stroke. And I must recognize at least the need to consider appropriateness where this ring ceremony is concerned. You are dignity and grace personified. But delaying the exclaimation point to the historic season in Boston of all places is to force political correctness on a region born not of tepidness and proper decorum, but of fire and brimestone. It is indeed proper and appropriate to award the championship rings at the following home opener; opponent be damned. The mere coincidence that finds the Yankees in the opposing dugout is but icing on the cake for the multitudes in Red Sox Nation. Anything less will be seen not as gentlemanly behavior, but as a franchise still struggling with the fruits of victory. With so much invested in gaining the title, not only the team, but the fans as well have earned this moment. I daresay the message sent in delaying the ceremony would not be one of deservability, but of a lack thereof. Likewise, excuses such as the rings not being ready is not befitting of champions. And Mr. Henry, we deserve these rings. Every single one, and every single moment that comes with it. We have supported this franchise like our fathers before us, and their fathers before them. Mothers and daughters, aunts and uncles, sisters and brothers, friends and family alike; this victory resonates across Red Sox Nation beyond the walls of fabled Fenway Park. To deny this moment is to take the exclaimation point off the victory. It sends the message that the opponent be considered ahead of the loyal following. And pardon me for saying so, but we've waited too damn long for this moment to consider the opponent. For once in our tortured existence, we came out on top. To the victor go the spoils. And part of the spoils is the awarding of the rings at the following home opener. It is not only fitting that the Yankees will be on hand; it is poetic justice. I would think the Yanks to have less respect if Boston cowed away from its earned celebration. The 2005 season is upon us, and soon it will be time to quiet down the din and move on with the new season. But there is no finer way to kick off the new season in front of your fans than to put the final touch on the magnificant season that was 2004. And so in closing Mr. Henry, a simple request. Let the baseball world know that business as usual has changed on Yawkey Way. For we are the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox, and we've waited our entire lives to say so. The final measure of this season for the ages ends with the first pitch at home in the new season. And prior to that pitch, the team gets the coveted rings for all to see. Who better to see them than the very franchise that stood solidly in the way all those years? This is OUR moment, sir. Grady Little is gone, and with him go the inept decisions of the past. Take the moment and give it to us. The team has earned it, the city has earned it, the fans have earned it, and most importantly, YOU have earned it. Yankees be damned ! The Pride of the Red Sox is born. Sincerely, Jethro Tull

Having taken in well over 100 games in my lifetime, the particulars tend to blur together. Other than the newly installed seats under new ownership, I have stood or sat all over the ballpark. But one game stands out more than any other. It was on September 2, 1967. There were no memorable records set that day. In fact, the Red Sox didn't even win the game. But for a kid growing up in a small community in the western end of the state, it was a date in time that remains as fresh in my mind today as it did all those years ago. For this was my first visit to Fenway Park ! I remember the excitement building all week. I scrambled to find somebody to deliver my paper route on that Saturday. My older brother and I went with friends of my parents. Walking up to the Park, the smell of cigars and roasted peanuts was in the air. There were vendors selling hot dogs, hats, and pennants. I just had to have a Fenway Frank with mustard. I told the ticket taker this was my first visit, and smiling as he tore my ticket in half, he handed me my stub and patted me on the head. Armed with a program and pencil, and my Gus O'Toole little league glove, I was coming out of my skin I was so excited. The walk up to Section 19 under the screen and just to the right of home plate was forever imprinted in my mind. Having black and white television, I was amazed at the sight of the Green Monster stretching into the sky. The field was a beautiful green, and looked so much smaller in person. The home whites were resplendent in the blazing sun. The White Sox were the opponent that day. I remember two guys walking the main aisle with a banner proclaiming Eddie Stankie the best manager in baseball to a chorus of boos. His Sox beat my Sox 4-1, giving Jim Lonborg one of his few defeats from that finest of seasons. Reggie Smith hit a triple in the center field triangle; the ball bouncing around that big gate long enough for him to get to 3rd, and eventually score the only Red Sox run of the day. The visitors half of the 8th provided one last memory. With the game looking grim, a fan jumped on the field just to the left of the Red Sox dugout. He ran out to Rico at short to shake his hand. He continued on to Yaz in left,then out to Reggie in center, and was headed to right to greet the Hawk when an army of groundskeepers headed him off. He quickly tried to scale the center field wall where the bullpen ends, but couldn't reach the outstretched hands waiting to assist him. With the army closing in, he raced all the way back across the outfield and hurtled the low wall beyond 3rd base. A standing O quickly turned to a downpour of boos when the police swarmed him and escorted him out. I've been to many a ballgame, and watched too many seasons slip away. There will come a time when I no longer have the energy to make the trip to Boston. But I'll never forget my first time, and the joy it gave me. That 10 year old boy still tugs at my memory every time I tune in to the game. And if I live long enough, that same 10 year old will explode with excitement the day the Red Sox win the World Series. Anyone who says that you can't go home again wasn't a life long Red Sox fan. Because for this fan, every game is set with that day as a backdrop, when I saw my first game, and all was right with the world.

Pass the crab cakes! Timmy the Wonder Pony came up huge last time out. Lopez not only owns Boston this year; he beat 'em 4 times last year. Hey Tito, why not take a night off, and let the boys attack on their own? Getting behind in the count to this kid isn't working. He throws strikes. Keep up the aggressive ball....it's working. And learn to say the B word. No, not THAT one....BUNT !

The Red Sox keep shooting themselves in the foot. A team good enough to win 6 of 7 from the MFY, saw fit to reinvent the wheel. The team had a nice groove going, but once the injured "stars" started coming back, the Sox essentially took the entire team back to spring training. You cannot plunk Nomar into the heart of both the offense & defense and expect smooth sailing. The opposition is in mid-season form, while Nomar is in extended spring training. The good work that was building all season long has been sacrificed for a player who is trying to reclaim his resume. Pokey is by far the best defensive option at short. The feel good crowd running the team needs to get back to putting the best lineup out there and sticking with it. Shuffling 4 players into 3 positions doesn't help any of them. Once Mueller returns, it will happen again. The Red Sox are misusing their talent, preferring to run things by the book. There isn't a seasoned hunch player among them; just bookball weenies afraid to step on some toes to get results. And as they treat the team like a chemistry set, the much needed home field edge for the post season keeps slipping further from their grasp. Is Dick Williams still breathing?

Thank you, Yawkeyway, for a well thought, reasoned reply. I'll try to address your points. The speed reference had several meanings. Most right handed power hitters that Boston stocked its roster with over the years were average at best base runners. The Sox opted for power over speed. Speed guys typically handled the bat better in bunting situations and obp numbers, while power guys were typically slow footed big mashers. Today's athletes are better conditioned, quicker types. Some names from the past include Orlando Cepeda, Danny Cater, Rob Deer, Tony Armas, Tom Brunansky, et cetera. While it is understandable that Boston tailored its roster to suit the park, in so doing, they left themselves shorthanded in other baseball aspects. They were forever a terrible baserunning team. They usually shy away from smallball....ie hit and run, bunting, and moving runners along, in favor of the 3 run bomb. That works and plays well in Boston in the summer, but when the cold September/October winds blow, a team needs a well balanced attack to win. The lack of overall team speed hurts on the defensive side, but is less measurable. How many hits up the gap would have been outs had a Willie Wilson type been patrolling center? Even when bringing in supposed speed guys, their numbers seemed to drop once reaching Boston. It is telling that Tommy Harper's 54 stolen bases in the early 70's is the high water mark. Remy came in off leg injuries, and Rickey Henderson came in too far beyond his prime. Jose Canseco was a 40/40 guy, but long before donning the Red Sox jersey. They even traded off the only speed demon in the organization last year(Lew Ford). John Damon is the current speedster, and he's battling leg injuries. The research on home & away records tells the regular season results, but it doesn't show accurately how the lack of team speed reflects poorly in the post season. In short, the Red Sox are built for a powerful display designed to fill up seats. But that doesn't translate to post season success, where a more balanced lineup gets the job done. Should Boston tailor its roster to a more speed/small ball type lineup more fit for post season play, they might not get there at all due to lack of power for the regular season home schedule. It becomes a catch 22 staying in Fenway. The new ownership group is trying to change the approach with the Moneyball system. The pitching more than anything else will determine where they end up. I jumped around a bit, but hope my point is not lost. The park is fan friendly, but not necessarily solid baseball conducing.

My main point was that the roster is tailored to a flawed ballpark. That same roster puts them at a speed disadvantage. But addressing your heartbreaking losses, in my lifetime that point doesn't hold up. In '67, they lost game 7 in Boston. Ditto '75. We all remember the one game playoff in '78. In '86, Boston won the first two at Shea Stadium, only to lose 2 of 3 at home, which set the stage for their biggest fold in team's history. Having said that, you won't necessarily find a game by game comparison to prove my theory. Rather just look at how each season continues to turn out. Yes, they could win with Fenway. Having Pedro, Schilling, & Saberhagen in their prime would do. But there again, the limited seating comes in to play. Revenue only goes so far with the smallest seating capacity in MLB. Do you honestly think Boston couldn't fill a 40-45,000 seat stadium ? If they put it a little west of Boston, with easy access, plenty of parking, and public transportation available, they would still sell out. And as long as they didn't tailor it after Fenway, things would change. Keep Fenway for the nostalgia. It would make an impressive home for the college W.S., as well as for high school championships, Cape Cod feature games, and the like. Maybe it could even lure the Montreal Expos. But Red Sox titles will remain a long shot.

Fenway Follies........we so love that which kills us. Fenway Park is a fools dream. How can you not love the charm and folksy historical appeal ? To coin a phrase, it is bass ackwards. Don't get me wrong. I love watching a game there. But of all the "reasons" attached to the dearth of championships, Fenway Park is at the top of the list. Baseball is a game of numbers and percentages. The righty/lefty matchup is at the heart of the debate. It is the onfield layout that works against the Red Sox year in and year out. Fact: there are more right handed people than left handed. This translates to more right handed pitchers and batters. Most all major league rosters have 75% right handed pitchers. The percentage play is to have more lefty batters to gain more favorable matchups. More batting champs are left handed for this reason. Lefties also get one to two steps head start to first on ground balls. Another way to maximize this advantage is to make right field shorter to benefit the lefty batter. Since most pitchers are righty, making left field deeper will tilt the advantage further to the pitcher. In other words, Yankee Stadium is perfectly designed to take advantage of baseball's most basic percentage play, while Fenway Park does the opposite. Boston has forever tailored their roster to suit their park. Right handed power, and right handed pitching have dominated, with Ted Williams being the obvious exception. The Yankees have likewise filled their roster with left handed power, and usually featured strong lefty pitching. This advantage, combined with 20,000 additional seats, give New York two legs up on the Sox before the first pitch is thrown. Saving Fenway is a nostalgic endeavor. We love the cozy confines. But in keeping with tradition, we do so with the knowledge that it thumbs it's nose at conventional baseball wisdom. Even the fabled Green Monster works against us. A 330 foot line drive to right in New York is a home run. In Boston, it is a routine out. But hit to left, the Wall makes singles out of home runs. Not the best result for a right handed power lineup. Save Fenway ? If maintaining the close to the field action is the priority, then absolutely save the park. But if winning championships is the goal, the current layout must be changed. Did you think it mere coincidence that "The House That Ruth Built" has met with continued success?

Albert, Albert, Albert. You have discovered your feminine side, and you are on the road to enlightenment. But we get into a quandry when we don't do our homework. It is impossible to be a lifelong Sox fan,(as most Mainers are), w/o first hand knowledge of the signature phrase. You don't have to agree with it, nor understand it. But you do have to accept that it exists. Being shocked by this indicates many things, not the least of which is that you are new to the club. Taking your young children into an atmosphere rife with emotion is a valuable learning experience. I hope you got the message. Your tangent of fans stealing from your children is victim thinking. Would you blame the sun if your children came home from a day at the beach badly burned, or would you accept the responsibility for not lathering them in sunscreen? We can't fully understand the depth of the hatred of factions in the world that would wish death upon us. But we get a glimpse of it; just a small window, mind you, when we observe rivalries attached to our national pasttime. The Red Sox/Yankees feud isn't just some silly sports thing, as the gals in the Oprah circle would have you believe. It is the mother of all baseball rivalries. Stepping into that arena, it is YOU who must make the adjustments, not them. Instead of handing out leaflets, try sweat lodges and controlled anger seminars. You are robbing your kids of their chance to observe masculine energy, which you are supposed to provide. Playing up the victim is so very feminine. This is major league baseball, for cripes sake. The day the Sox and Yanks gather around the mound for a group hug session to the strains of Kumbaya will be the day that baseball died. The count on you is no balls and two strikes, Al. Swing batta !

Baltimore is much improved, but taking 3 of 4 in their yard is a great way to start the season. With Timmy the Wonder Pony in the #4 slot, what's not to like? The elder statesman is a class act all the way. Kudos to the other GMs in the AL East. Tampa Bay is very competative. Toronto will win its share of games. But even Los Jankees can't match Wakefield in the #4 slot. It likely spells the end of their division title run, at least for this year. And the wild card battle isn't theirs for the taking either. If this first run through the rotation is any indication, Boston is even stronger than first imagined. Can a legitimate run at the 4 twenty game winners from the 1970 O's be in the offing? When they put things together like they did last night, it doesn't sound so far fetched. In the meantime, I'm keeping my Sox on and pulling for the Pony.