SuperManny

This is the same guy who pitched 4 scoreless innings against the ChiSox right? Listen he hasn't been good this year but they need a mopup pitcher. If AGonz doesn't make the error last night its a completely different game.

The game is going to be delayed if the Yankees don't win it in the 9th here though. Its raining so hard. Wow the tarp comes on with AROD still up to bat. Hmm lets see how AROD does when he has all this time to think about his big AB coming up.

Wow, I wish the Sox could get 4 outs in the 9th inning too. Easier to come back that way.

Wells gave the Sox 15 wins last season, if you can pitch 5 innings per game you should be able to get 15 wins out of 35 starts with the Sox offense. Clement in 12 starts had 5 wins with a 6.61 ERA. Extrapolate Clement's stats out for the season and he has 15 wins with a terrible ERA. Considering Pena had 26 HR's in 2004 in just 336 AB's I don't think 30 HR's is much of a stretch, and 40 HR's is more likely his peak. Pena is limited playing time this year put up .321/.370/.482 as it seems the team was trying to get him to hit more for contact than power. The fact he injured his wrist could have sapped some of his power this year as well. The Sox couldn't have expected Paps to become the lights out closer, Wells to get injured, and Clement to get injured. Arroyo would have been in the bullpen this year before the injuries. At the time the deal made a lot of sense, obviously now with 2 SPers down and one converted to the closer the Sox could use another SP.

While the Mets will still be on the hook for half the contract, the Sox still owe Clement another year where he will most likely be craptastic again and then have to sign another FA pitcher which will cost money as well. I know its easy to say Pedro will cost $13.5 per year for two more years but Clement is going to cost $8.5 (using AAV) next year and the next year your still going to have to sign another FA. By the looks of the market with average pitchers getting 8-9M per year the cost of Pedro isn't that high. I agree that Pedro isn't still the same Pedro from his prime but no pitcher in the history of baseball was either. Pedro now is still one of the better pitchers in baseball and even though he has risk he also has higher upside. If the Sox have Pedro last year they win the division and probably play the Angels instead of the ChiSox. Also if the Sox signed Pedro and not Wells or Clement last year Papelbon probably would have come up like Lester did this year. BTW: I have no problem with dealing Arroyo for Pena, you want to talk about who knew scenerios. Pena is still younger than Paps and will take over in the OF once Trot leaves. Arroyo was also below average last year for the Sox. And when Coco was on the DL for about two months WMP was the starting CF (instead of Willie Harris). If Willie Harris is the starting CF for the Sox this year, even with Arroyo, the Sox don't have a 4 game lead on the division. WMP was a huge plus filling in for Coco and platooning with Trot before he was injured.

Instead of Pedro the Sox have had Clement and Wells fill in with a combined base salary of about what Pedro makes (and even more last year with Wells getting incentives). Here is the ERA+ of the three pitchers and innings pitched for each year: Clement 2005 - 97 191 IP 2006 - 71 65 IP Wells 2005 - 99 184 IP 2006 - 54 8.3 IP Pedro 2005 - 146 217 IP 2006 - 128 101.7 IP So the Sox have actually paid more $ so far and Wells and Clement provided a slighty below average 2005 and a terrible 2006 with less innings combined than Pedro. Manny is grossly overpaid and has been since day 1 but I wouldn't want to move him because he is still a top player in baseball, so is Pedro. I would rather overpay for superstars than overpay for mediocrity, but thats just me I guess.

While its not likely, I think he will have at least a couple games with 3 and may even get 4 when he's with the Sox. He projects to be a leadoff hitter (lots of AB's), has a good eye (on base a lot), and has a great SB% (Sox will let him run). I don't think the Sox are against SB's in general but don't feel its worth the risk unless they have someone who can steal at a great rate. Dave Roberts sure had the green light a couple times in 2004.

When is Manny signed through though? I want to say 2008 but I could be off by a year or two. I'm pretty sure there is a team option or two after that but it obviously won't be picked up as it never is at the end of big contracts. I wouldn't extend him at this point given that you have no idea what type of player he will be by the 2009 season while in his mid 30's.

Imagine a rotation with Pedro, Schill, and Beckett.

I looked but couldn't find the guy's email address. If anyone finds it let me know as I have some words for him, BTW I hate when people tell fans how to react when they don't even follow the team. If I can't find his email I'll just email MSNBC.

I don't think its going to come down to Kapler vs. WMP (first of all WMP would have to be traded to be off the team, which isn't going to happen). Harris is the dead weight here not either of these guys. Kap has hit well in his first couple of games back and Harris brings nothing (speed yes, but he doesn't use it right anyways). Harris will be moved before either WMP or Kapler I think. WMP is a lock either way, hes the only power hitting prospect the Sox have.

Yeah thank God we got Clement and Wells with the Pedro money. Great move there, who needs Pedro when you have talent like that :thumbdown. Pedro put up some of the best seasons EVER by a pitcher while in Boston. Honestly, under 2 ERA in a hitters park in the AL East, just think about that for a minute. Guy gets a standing ovation for what he did in Boston. This is his first game in Boston since the '04 WS win, show the guy some respect for what he helped accomplish. Also about the Gammo thing, it sounds like it was taken completely out of context on purpose to sensationalize a story out of nothing. Gammo is sitll good most of the time and he's a HOF sports writer, his stuff (while in decline) is still better than 99% of the dreck that is out there these days.

I don't know about that though, Paps gets a ton of exposure playing for Boston that Liriano doesn't get. I don't know what BJ Ryan has to do with the ROY though, he's having a great year as well but not as good as Paps. You can make the arguement all you want but Paps has been better. I do agree that it will come down to Paps and Liriano though but I don't think the Twins will win enough games for Liriano for him to get it. Paps will end the year with 50 saves IMO and if he keeps his ERA insanely low he will win ROY.

I could care less what players put in their body but the sport does need to be protected. You also have to protect the athletes that aren't using steroids who have to compete on an unlevel playing field. The story that came out about Bonds taking steroids was that he was fed up with players who weren't as good as him hitting more HR's. So he took the steroids too so he would be #1 again.

Riske has an ERA of 3.72 so he's pitched better even though its been less innings due to injury. When Timlin and hopefully Hansen are back on the team my rank would be: Paps Timlin Hansen Riske Seanez/Tavarez - depending on if Seanez is on a good or bad streak Foulke - he would be 3rd or 4th when he gets off the DL - which he needs to be sent to

Lowell's VORP 18.7 AROD's VORP 12 Take into account AROD's defensive errors and Lowell's great play in the field he deserves it over AROD. He won't win though as AROD has the name recognition. Glaus is now at 15.3 VORP, Chavez is at 13.1 VORP and Blalock is at 15 VORP. AROD doesn't deserve the all star selection this year and has been pretty average this year in the AL for 3B and pretty bad on defense. Hell AROD gets booed at his own home stadium.

Here in Virginia they are showing the Sox game on Sat, thank you thank you thank you

So far this year Melky has a VORP of .1 - pretty much replacement level. Cano is doing okay with a VORP of 8.2 and Wang has a VORP of 12.9. Phillips has a VORP of 2 this year as well. Not terrible but nothing to get too excited about. The minors are full of guys who are replacement level which is why its called replacement level. The players have performed above what most expected but nothing extraordinary or All Star level. I mean you don't have a Kevin Youkilis type 22 VORP going on or anything. :thumbsup:

AROD really should be playing SS with Jeter out. AROD is a better SS than 3B, is there anyone that doubts this? SS gets more balls and if you wanted your team to have better D AROD would be at SS. Its really not a big deal if AROD slids to SS for a couple of games. When Lowell was hurt for a game and Youk played 3B for a game or two it wasn't a big deal. No one thought Lowell might lose his job to Youk at 3B.

Technically no most are not higher: Paps ERA is .310 Lowell's BA is .333 Lowell's BA is higher than Paps ERA. You would have to be batting over .310 which I believe Youk is also doing.

The one that went to the Cubs is a lefty I believe. I would have taken both anyways as your probably not going to get much out of a 48th rounder anyways.

I don't understand how you can get on people for wearing the pink or green hats though. The team sells them so people buy them. If your a female then maybe you want a pink hat with the Sox logo. On St Patricks day the team plays in a green uniform with green hats so maybe people liked the uni's. I have a bunch of red jersey Tshirts and one is of Ted Williams. I know he never wore the red jersey and probably didn't even have his name on a jersey back then but I'm still a huge fan of his and I like the look of the red jerseys. That doesn't mean I'm not a real fan. Bandwagon fans buy merchandise, merchandise helps to pay for the team so I'm fine with it. You can tell who is a die hard fan when you talk to them about the Sox anyways. I have no problem with new fans. I just don't like people that switch teams. Thats just weird.

Hmm, I thought it was refering to when Nomar was hit in the wrist and couldn't play for the rest of the year and also derailed a HOF career.

Choi really should be on the team instead of Snow. He really doesn't bring anything to the team at this point.