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The US is about to go down to Japan. Am I the only one who wants the US to win or at least prove that it is a good team? They've looked pretty awful to me and, frankly, it is kind of sad. I'm not convinced that we could win this tournament even if we wanted to. If we wanted to win we would need some real no-nonsense pitchers.

I didn't notice any huge change. I think last year he was sitting more around 92 and could hit 95 at big moments. He's been sitting 91-89 in the WBC from what I've seen.

...Whereas the elderly Red Sox players like Lowrie, Ellsbury, Lester, Buchholz, Masterson, etc., are over the hill.

Huh. So he could "barely walk" through the locker room, but he could sprint after David Wright for getting that hit.

Why hate the WBC? I saw Youk hit a home run and then celebrate with his teammates in a patently uninjured way last night... precautionary moves are fine, but I don't think this is anything significant. I think it is fair to say the Red Sox have given their fair share to make the WBC work.

I understand all of your points, and my point wasn't to make you care. I think the games could mean something, the same way that World Cup games mean a lot to countries all over the world. All of the World Cup players play on professional clubs and play on World Cup clubs. I like soccer's model, because they have club seasons (FA, Serie-A, etc.,) and then they have Champions League where the best clubs from various leagues play each other. I guess for me, there is more to the pride of winning as a country than there is for you... or at least there is more potential there than not. I don't disagree that this is a losting battle, or that the MLB season is more important, but I do disagree that it is as meaningless as a spring training game against the O's. The teams are trying desperately to win, as evidenced by the players leaping on top of one another when the US won, the Tokyo Dome being filled for Japan vs. Korea games, etc., I just think that there are layers of selfishness that Americans show that many other countries and atheletes do not. Is it REALLY that players don't want to get hurt playing in the WBC, or is it that they don't feel any competitive drive or desire to play extra games? I know the franchises worry about their players, but if a guy gets hurt playing the game they supposedly love then so be it. It is only a real problem if some teams send players and other teams refuse, thus giving an advantage to those teams who refuse. I feel like a lot of players are pampered and are really play with a "don't break me" mentality, a la JD Drew. Japanese players are encouraged to throw 200 pitches a day and to play through the ebola virus, while US players take a day off if they feel a twinge in their side. It's just a bit disheartening, even if I don't agree completely with the Japanese model.

If people watched the US pull out that win against Puerto Rico and didn't feel like it was something worth watching, I don't know what to say... just good baseball.

Sorry if I'm the only one to voice this, but I actually really like the WBC. I know the turnout has been poor, the viewership even worse, but in terms of really loving baseball I like watching countires compete in this fashion. I find the games much more interesting--or at least a taseful contrast--than spring training, and even better than most non-Red Sox baseball games during the season. I have looked forward to a few games in the WBC, including Japan vs. Korea (twice), Japan vs. Cuba, and the Dominican Republican vs. the Netherlands. I have to admit I'm a bit frustrated at how anemic the US team has been. I largely see baseball as a matter of probabilities, but the discipline and unitary approach of the Japanese team makes them really stand out in a format like this--which tells me the US is doing something wrong. I'm also frustrated because the US team is the equivalent of a 4th tier US All Star team. They have a lot of good players, but I don't think they're as good as they could be and until the very best want to compete, the US won't win... even then, I'm not sure they could. My all US team? I don't know... Sizemore-OF Pedroia-2B Wright-3B Teixeira-DH Hamilton-OF Youkilis-1B Mauer-C Granderson-OF Rollins-SS SP-Beckett SP-Sabathia SP-Lincecum RP-Hamels RP-Kazmir RP-Webb RP-Halladay RP-Chamberlain CP-Papelbon I'm not saying they would win for sure, and I think there's plenty of room for debate about the best possible team. I'm just saying that that team, with that pitching staff, would be tough to beat. It seems to me that the US pitching staff is subpar... understandibly given the injury concerns.

I hate it that this question once again boils down to whether or not they can catch one particular slightly-better than average pitcher. I suppose Kottaras is probably the better play, as if he has anything he can start proving it now or forever hold his peace. I think Bard is the better "now" bat, so if they are going to develop a catcher from within this year or next, it will be Kottaras. That said, I don't think Kottaras or Bard are the catcher of the future for this club; they still need to find that guy. If they acknowledge that Kottaras isn't that guy then they can keep Bard up as his bat could be more helpful right away. It should be an interesting decision.

I absolutely see this happening. Felix Hernndez should be able to demand millions more than Burnett got without batting an eye. He'll be entering his age 26 season when he becomes a FA. Frankly, I wouldn't mind the Sox giving Felix AJ Burnett money if it adds him to their rotation. He's younger and his stuff is as electric if not better.

I agree and think those are good comparisons. And Dojji, I hate to say this, but if he "only" walks 3/9 then we're talking about a guy who allows an extra baserunner every 3 innings. If he pitches sparingly, or if they can determine any group that he does better against then others, chances are he can improve on that amount, or continue to be aggressive, walk a few more guys but get everyone else to hit weak popups or strike out. Hell, if he's a 6th or 7th inning guy who can be relieved by Ramirez, Delcarmen, Okajima, etc., if he gets in trouble, he could be more than useful, even this early in his development. Or he could Hansen and suck and crumble under pressure.

The Red Sox signing of Lester is bad for baseball. John Henry is a hypocrite. Cot's says this is the deal: Jon Lester lhp 5 years/$30M (2009-13), plus 2014 club option 5 years/$30M (2009-13), plus 2014 club option signed extension with Boston 3/15/09 09:$1M, 10:$3.75M, 11:$5.75M, 12:$7.625M, 13:$11.625M, 14:$13M club option ($0.25M buyout) 2014 club option is voided if Lester is traded and has finished first or second in Cy Young vote any season from 2009 to 2013 award bonuses: $50,000 each for All Star, LCS MVP; $0.1M for WS MVP; $0.1M for Cy Young ($75,000 for 2nd place, $50,000 for 3rd); $0.1M for MVP ($75,000 for 2nd place, $50,000 for 3rd)

If Bard continues to dominate in the minor leagues for a few months I think they will bring him up, maybe by July if not sooner. You can't have too many good arms in the pen, and if Bard can eat lower leverage innings that might keep Masterson, Saito, Okijima and Ramirez from being overused then they should use him. All he really needs to do is put the ball over the plate consistently and avoid walking guys. If he can do that he can have a spot on this team. I'm not sure what changes he made to suddenly find control last year. Perhaps it was getting used to just pitching from the stretch, or only appearing in relief situations, or changing his arm slot or something else. I'm not totally sold that he's a changed pitcher, but if the Sox FO is we should expect to see him this year.

Theo is absolutely right about the market. Why should the Red Sox pay a lot more than he is worth in the current market? Why should he settle for current market prices when the FA process can raise his value by millions of dollars? We've seen that the Yankees will continue to pay old-market prices for the pieces they want, and I see no reason to think they wouldn't pay both Bay and Holliday 16-20m/year to roam the corners and bat toward the bottom of the order. I bet the Sox are going to be happy to pick up the pieces from the rest of the league in other ways, and I that they will stay competitive without having to get too deeply into the FA process.

You think I'm talking out of my ass anyway Gom. I read you saying that "nobody said anything" with the big FA signings of CC and Burnett. I said something, other people here said stuff. I heard many radio commentators and TV personalities talking about it, particularly how much higher the Yankees bid--against themselves--to get CC. I showed in a very long (and time consuming post) that Burnett was the most expensive FA signing in cost per marginal win, if you take the average marginal win value over the 4 seasons prior to the signing. http://www.talksox.com/forum/talk-sox-forum/11850-smoltz-not-far-behind-9.html#post378909 Not only was Burnett the least accoplished of the top pitchers ever in AAV, his best season was the lowest best season of all of those pitchers. The Yankees grossly overpaid for a pitcher with his track record. That sets a precedent. Now all pitchers will want Burnett money for s***** career numbers, right? Hell, Matt Cain will be worth 20m a year now, because it's precedent. Now, there's a precedent that you don't care about. To you it doesn't matter, which is exactly how most people seem to feel about your "he's a 2+ player with a year more experience than Carmona when signing the deal, but thanks to a strange glitch having to do with Lester's cancer, he isn't officially a "super two", so it's a horrible deal, while Cole Hamels' deal is just fine. Also, this is only counting pitchers, because hitters are deemed easier to predict by some people so they deserve more money even though they don't necessarily win more games for the team, so don't comment on Robinson Cano's deal because they aren't comparable". This has nothing to do with whether people see those dollar figures as too high, or whether you are aware that that's how people feel. You have convinced yourself that nobody complains about the Yankees top signings because they don't openly protest or stop playing altogether. I don't see why any team trying to work out a deal with a 1+ year pitcher can't say "We believe that Jon Lester's deal was based on him having already pitched 2 full seasons of baseball and that it did not set precedent for 1+ year players. If you would like to pitch another full season then we can talk about a deal in the same camp as Lester. Otherwise we're working in Fausto Carmona territory now" The player can take their offer or not, but no team will be forced to make such a deal when Lester had pitched nearly a full season more before signing the deal. Lester's 6m a year will look puny by the time it is in the 3rd year. A precedent is only as good as the consensus that it is a precedent. There are plenty of ways that teams can get around this as a rock solid precedent... whether you think there are or not. Teams will not now be forced to pay their players more.

"I think it's more precautionary than anything," Pedroia said. "Obviously, I'm upset. If it's really nothing, and it's a couple of days, I'll definitely be back tomorrow after I get checked out, and [i'll] continue playing. But it's up to the Red Sox. I don't really have a say in that matter."

Your argument is somewhat convoluted... not because you have been unclear (I think you tend to articulate yourself well) but because the standards that you choose to harp on seem arbitrary and certainly pale in comparison to standards that most other people would deem reasonable (say, FA signings). I'll let him try to articulate your argument and won't do it for him, but frankly I think very few people agree with you that your concern is either valid or important.

So we've had the chance to see him pitch a few times now. I've got to say, wow. It looks like there's a lot more movement on his pitches than I remember when he was with UNC, and that he is really attacking the zone low with 98+ heat and a servicable slider. Bard looks like the pitcher that Craig Hansen was supposed to be. IF he is able to pitch in big league situations effectively, what does that change for this team? Personally, I think it means that a deal involving someone like Delcarmen or Masterson (or Bard himself, I suppose) would be much more do-able. He's certainly not hurting his prospects to be traded or get someone else traded.

This team would be fine with two Jed Lowries. I seriously wonder if they will ever pay for another free agent SS or 2B. It seems they can get at least league average production through the farm system, and that with some good coaching and the Sox development system, they can get more than that virtually for free.

I just don't see how you could be shocked by anyone anymore.

...same with Manny... Pettitte was a person with exceptionally strong morals and he did it. Aside from Jose Canseco, there is 100% incentive to never, ever admit to having used steroids... no matter how good the morals of the person.

I'm not going to give him the benefit of the doubt. I'm going to suspend judgment. I think his entire career looks like he could have been using something, but there is no proof. I'm holding out the same judgement from Manny and Ortiz as well. I certainly wouldn't get on anyone for suggesting that he did. I'm much more likely to get on someone for defending him in this era. There were too many defenders of A-Rod with egg on their face now to take that type of defense seriously. It is very, very sad.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/03/lester_physical.html Lester getting a physical this weekend before signing the longterm deal.