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Definitely. I think that Mueller is a great hitter... very solid fundamentals.

Yet, despite Millar's heroic double, that SHOULD have been a HR. He didn't have the strength to it it one foot farther!!! Oh well, I'm still happy that Millar came through.

Also, notice that Graff scored from 1st... I don't think Bellhorn would have scored.

For sure. great looking double.

I love Renteria. I haven't had any problem with him all year. 5-2.

Also, does anyone else hate it when the Sox face Kazmir? He just dominates them like few other pitcher in the league do.

Again, the logic is that Schilling is as good when really bad as Gonzales is usually. Also, the hope is that a) the team will make the playoffs and that by then Schilling has either come back to normal or he has figured out how to get guys out without velocity or location. Letting Schilling rest for the rest of the year at this point is really kind of pointless too... what are we saving the guy for? He's 38 and the sox pay him a shitload of money to pitch. He says he can pitch, he's just ineffective. I don't think the decision has anything to do with not wanting to hurt Curt's feelings and has much more to do with what the sox feel is best for the team in the long run. Ultimately its as much an Owners/GM's decision as it is the managers or pitcher's decision. Francona has shown NO difficulty pulling Schilling when he feels like its appropriate. I know its easy to give him s***, but he consistently does what HE thinks is best, regardless of what the media or us think. It won a world series. Finally, it makes sense that Millar would start against Kazmir but he shouldn't start EVER against righties. I understand the sentiment: hopefully Millar will get hot and make up for the drop of 15 homeruns or so in the final two months. I think you're right to believe that that WON'T happen this year. Millar looks just awful.

Keeping Schilling in the rotation is out of necessity at this point. Who else would we start? Papelbon has been in the pen for awhile (although i imagine we may see him soon tonight) and isn't start ready. The worst thing is that Schilling's velocity is really low, and his location is bad. That's a really bad combination. The hope is that he WILL start to find it eventually. The problem is that we need to win, NOW, not later, and we don't have the team for that. Foulke sucks. Schilling sucks. The rest of our staff is mediocre at best, with Clement getting a solid B+. The rest of the guys are B's, capable of pitching at the A- level when really on. Also, Hansen is hurt and not able to join the sox and may be shut down for the season. YIKES!!!

Yeah, its weird, but Olerud is a lefty and so is Kazmir.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Petegine plus crappy reliever for Traschel would be fine. I would keep Olerud and Millar (just for the rest of the season) if we could get a solid guy like Traschel.

Just imagine the crap that sox fans would get from Yanks fans for being happy about signing players who weren't good enough to put on the pinstripes.

So far, Keith Foulke has had two relatively ineffective appearances in the minors. Are people concerned about what this indicates for his future this year? He was reportedly throwing between 87 and 73 to class A hitters, and gave up a run in both appearances--basically what happened before he went on the DL. I don't know what to expect from this guy. In fact, looking back, I'm not sure how he was ever as successful as he was. He had that great fastball-change combo, but something changed this year. Perhaps he was tipping his pitches or something. Anyway, how much are people relying on Foulke for a division championship? How concerned are you all from his first two outings?

Just out of curiosity, where has this been confirmed? I'd like to read that article.

That's funny. That's exactly what I thought when I read it too. We have had that combination of players in the order before, haven't we? Or did Petigine only start playing after nixon was hurt? In any case, I like seeing him down in the bottom of the order.

I like them both in the pen. I don't care if we lose remlinger.

OUR PITCHING STAFF BLOWS!!!!! Wake is throwing puff balls, our relievers suck balls, Schilling is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much worse than Pedro was last year that its not even funny, we don't have a closer and we're getting beat up by the tigers and the royals. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH meanwhile, the yanks are gaining ground. Why doesn't NESN get a single damn camera that can actually judge foul balls. They are so deceptive in that right field corner.

s***. This team is VERY frustrating sometimes. They aren't playing as mediocrely as they did through most of last summer, but sometimes they just look bad. Their pitching is literally incapable of keeping other teams from scoring. Its just not something they are capable of doing. If we're going to win in the post season its going to have to be from the bats, which is never a good place to start.

I'm frustrated with this team right now. Of course, I'm fickle, but still. Why can't the sox players just play their games? I mean, I understand needing a day off every now and then but it is just absurd to have two games in a row without significant pieces of the lineup in there. The sox need to step up and play good ball for this entire home stand to hold off the surging Yanks, especially since the Yanks play a relatively weak schedule just like the sox. Millar needs to go. I'm sorry. I love the guy. He's a great clubhouse guy, but seriously, let Olerud get used to starting. Francona says that Olerud is going to get more time, then he starts Olerud once and moves Millar to left field. If the point is to take millar's disappointing bat out of the lineup, then don't put millar in left. ARGHHHH!!! Anyway, 1-1, looks like a good inning is underway.

I'm confident they'll resign Damon. I like Millar's clubhouse presence, but unless he's okay with a backup job or a HUGE cut in pay, he's gone. He's a great guy, but not worth the asking price. Graff should be resigned, with Pedroia backing him up at 2nd. Timlin should re-sign, unless he retires. If the sox can go into next season with Damon, Renteria, Ortiz, manny, Tek, Trot, Youkilis, and Graff then there won't be too many spots to fill and they will still score a ton of runs. Also, sign Burnett if possible. Schilling, Burnett, Wells, Clement, Papelbon would be a great 1-5, with Wake either in the pen or retired. What is the liklihood that some of these older guys might retire if the sox win it again? It seems likely to me, but that's pure conjecture.

I feel bad for Youkilis, always having to play at AAA when he could be starting for a lot of other clubs. His patience will, hopefully, be rewareded in the near future.

I say, keep Papelbon in the pen. The rotation should include Schilling, Wells, Arroyo, Wakefield, and Clement (not in that order) and Papelbon should be the first option for a gap starter/long innings relief. If he proves effective then maybe he could move into the setup role, but I would much rather use Hansen in that capacity (or even Foulke, in combination with Timlin if Hansen can close).

Sweet sweet SWEET!!

Not to nitpick, but I guess my point was that even though there are players who have been brought up and failed (schiraldi) that does not mean its a rule that all players will fail. I pointed to some counterexamples to support that view, not to say that I care about examples in general. :dunno: but who cares? The point is that we have a great looking prospect in an area where we need some obvious help (for once). I'm pretty sick of having these great players with so many people in their way. Let's bring this guy up and let him start helping us.

that doesn't mean that Schilling is closer for the rest of the season. TImlin can close, Hansen could (potentially) close. I just dont think we're going to be relying on Schilling for closing duties in the playoffs.