Gambit

No, I'd prefer he stayed.

Its not really, I just happen to like watching the All Star game and I'd like a sox presence there as much as possible. Sorry, I'm just not that worried about injuries I guess... I just want to see sox on the field in the all star game and plow over the NL... nothing was cooler than watching Manny and Ortiz blast off in Houston. That was awesome. Matt

Manny and Pedro always seem to have sore "somethings" around the all star break. PLAY MANNY!!! Matt

I haven't been here in a while, so it might have been talked about before - so forgive me if it has... but... ...wtf is going on with this pitching staff? We went from 6 starters to 4. If I have to watch Dinardo again I'm gonna rake my eyes out. I know Papelbon is burning people alive closing - but come the hell on... would you rather have him pitching 200 innings or 70??? Foulke has looked better lately, looks like he's getting back into form. Why this s*** wouldn't we put Papelbon in the rotation now and see if Foulke can close? Seeing Foulke blow a save or two in a month is better than losing 5 games for us like our current fifth starters will do. And I don't think Foulke will even blow saves... his changeup is looking really good lately. Paps in the rotation NOW damnit. Matt

What the hell are you smoking man? Here's his line from 2004, in that crazy up and down from AAA to MLB, replacement for Mueller for a time, first action in the bigs season: 72 Games208 AB38 R54 H11 2B0 3B7 HR35 RBI33 BB.260 AVG.367 OBP.413 SLG I'd be willing to throw down some cash that he's going to hit 20-25 HR this year, assuming he gets 500-600 at bats. Judging by the sox infatuation with OBP, I'm thinking its safe to say he'll get his at bats. Frankly, I think his season will look kinda like this: 145 Games 525 AB 21 HR 80 RBI .285 AVG .390 OBP Or something like that. I think the full time playing will agree with him. He's a solid guy, hard worker, professional hitter, and he has some pop in his bat. I mean Christ, Damon hit 10 HR last year, and he's not exactly oozing with power... and he hit 20 the year before. Youkilis certainly does have power, its just hard to really see that with the constant change from level to level in his career... especially the up and down again since he got up to the bigs. And its important to note the only reason he ever went back down to the AAA level was because he was blocked on the big club at basically all of his positions. Matt

Pretty stupid, but at least I don't think of a retarted cartoon character and a brown colored cardboard box containing cereal when I hear "babe". Matt

::sigh:: This is so f***ing stupid... giving up Marte, one of the highest rated prospects in baseball (and soon to take over for 950 year old Mike Lowell after a year or two) for a box of cereal. Great. I've never particular liked Crisp, and I can't believe how stupid its going to sound every time a ball is hit to center, "Coco Crisp goes back and grabs it"... god... I know its an irrational reason, but seriously - how stupid is that going to sound. Dumb reasons for not liking Crisp aside... Reed would be the smart man's answer - wouldn't have to give up Marte (who I think every organization in baseball would hold on to for dear life EXCEPT us and Atlanta of course) for him, you get one of the best defenders in center in the bigs, and a guy with some excellent offensive upside. And best of all, he's not named after a f***ing box of cereal. God what a stupid name. Matt

I know its kind of a random question with all the stuff going on with the sox right now, but does anyone know when they're opening up the tickets to be on sale? I want to buy early this year. Matt

I don't see why not - he got absolutely f***ing ramrodded by the Dodgers - they are so friggin stupid. I'd love to se Depodesta here... I think he's a lot like Theo... I don't care really, cause Theo had his flaws and certainly wasn't perfect... its just the PHILOSOPHY I want to keep going, not necessarily the personnel in the front office. Depodesta would do that, and I think he's a very good GM who just was a sacrificial lamb for the dodgers. Matt

The thing that's worst about this TO ME is that his line of thinking was VERY in line with what I wanted to see from the team - developing a moneyball approach but with the resources to really maximize everything (ie Oakland with cash). Developing YOUNG players in the minor leagues, signing highly productive role players NOT overpriced all stars, and that kind of thing. I am frightened to death at the prospect of that line of thinking no longer being the dominant philosophy, ESPECIALLY with Byrnes now leaving for the DBacks job. The last thing I want is Duquette again. Let us all kneel down and pray that they hire another guy who wants to keep the farm system as a dominant force for filling the big league team. I mean all this talk of free agents and s*** - enough already... there are ALREADY plenty of guys in the minors who can step up and (say in the bullpens case) fill our holes - do it for cheap, and frankly probably do it better. Argh - so upset. Matt

Contrary to earlier reports, Theo is declining the three year extension and stepping down as GM of the Red Sox. Un-f***ing-believable. Discuss. Matt

No, the owner changed the name. If I recall it went to red sox after they started wearing red stockings on their uniform after they became the Pilgrims or whatever. As to WHY the owner changed them (other than the red sox change) I don't know. But I do know it was just an owner thing, they didn't really do the whole fan/media/pop culture/market research thing back in the early 1900s. Matt

What the f*** is all this nonsense? I think you've been playing WAY too much MVP Baseball with fair trades and budgets off or something - looks like you're just trying to assemble an all star team of NAMES. f*** NAMES and AGE (yeah, Piazza would be awesome - sarcasm). Look dude, the Red Sox have been pushing for several years now toward a moneyball philosophy - in other words effective use of money rather than bloated spending on guys you've heard of. I don't mean to make fun of you man but Sorioano? Piazza? Please! There are only 3 places the Red Sox might make a real effort to sign a big guy at - CF (Damon), SP (Burnett) and 1B (Konerko). I can realistically see all three of those not happening - but in all likelihood one will. They sure as hell are not going to try to get Soriano, and they would be stupid to try anyway - they'd have to mortage their future by giving up prospects in a trade, and they already have a fantastic 2B prospect in the system. I don't give two shits if Pedroia is a 30/30 guy or not... dude's got intangables, excellent defense, OBP and would fit perfect in the 2 hole eventually. I can basically guarantee you Pedroia and Cora platoon this year. First base has a couple options. Maybe they can get Konerko, but I doubt it. Its very possible they move Youkilis over there and resign Mueller... or just attempt to get another guy to play 1B... could possibly even get one in a deal for Manny - who knows. Basically what I'm getting at is you are making the YANKEE mistake. You are evaluating baseball, what is out there, who you've seen on sportscenter, and you are trying to assemble some kind of veteran all star team because you know who they are. That is what Steinbrenner has done to the Yankees - when NY won all those championships in the 90s, it was built on their farm system, and solid role players. Once George got his hands on the team again, they started trading away their prospects for guys that they thought were the best at their position - ie assembling an all star team. Epstein's approach is moneyball - only with some cash to spend. He looks for role players, hard nosed guys who want to get on base and drive in runs. He does this to assemble the best club while maximizing the "bang for the buck". That's why we have guys like Bill Mueller in stead of say Scott Rolen or Eric Chavez. That's worked out pretty well now hasn't it? He wants to build the team through the farm, and through smart moves - not huge bloated contracts to over the hill veterans like Piazza, and he sure has hell has no interest in Soriano, nor should you. Strikes out way too much and is growing old VERY fast. I can tell you what I think this team will look like, and what it should look like. And I bet you my team would beat yours. Here's what I think they should do: 1b - Youkilis 2b - Pedroia (possibly platooning with Cora) ss - Reneria (but I'd love to trade him in 2007 to get a young outfielder and put Hanley in after that) 3b - Mueller C - Varitek Lf - Manny Cf - Damon (give him the contract, but draft a young outfielder this year to come up and replace him in case the Bernie Williams effect happens in a couple years) Rf - Trot DH - Ortiz SP - Schilling SP - Burnett/Wells/somebody SP - Clement SP - Papelbon SP - Wakefield/Arroyo depending LRP - Arroyo/Wake MRP - Bradford/whoever MRP - Random lefty specialist MRP - Delcarman MRP - Hansen SU - Timlin CP - Foulke Bet you a million dollars a team that looked anything like that would KILL the team you just said you wanted to put together. Matt

What the f*** is all this nonsense? I think you've been playing WAY too much MVP Baseball with fair trades and budgets off or something - looks like you're just trying to assemble an all star team of NAMES. f*** NAMES and AGE (yeah, Piazza would be awesome - sarcasm). Look dude, the Red Sox have been pushing for several years now toward a moneyball philosophy - in other words effective use of money rather than bloated spending on guys you've heard of. I don't mean to make fun of you man but Sorioano? Piazza? Please! There are only 3 places the Red Sox might make a real effort to sign a big guy at - CF (Damon), SP (Burnett) and 1B (Konerko). I can realistically see all three of those not happening - but in all likelihood one will. They sure as hell are not going to try to get Soriano, and they would be stupid to try anyway - they'd have to mortage their future by giving up prospects in a trade, and they already have a fantastic 2B prospect in the system. I don't give two shits if Pedroia is a 30/30 guy or not... dude's got intangables, excellent defense, OBP and would fit perfect in the 2 hole eventually. I can basically guarantee you Pedroia and Cora platoon this year. First base has a couple options. Maybe they can get Konerko, but I doubt it. Its very possible they move Youkilis over there and resign Mueller... or just attempt to get another guy to play 1B... could possibly even get one in a deal for Manny - who knows. Basically what I'm getting at is you are making the YANKEE mistake. You are evaluating baseball, what is out there, who you've seen on sportscenter, and you are trying to assemble some kind of veteran all star team because you know who they are. That is what Steinbrenner has done to the Yankees - when NY won all those championships in the 90s, it was built on their farm system, and solid role players. Once George got his hands on the team again, they started trading away their prospects for guys that they thought were the best at their position - ie assembling an all star team. Epstein's approach is moneyball - only with some cash to spend. He looks for role players, hard nosed guys who want to get on base and drive in runs. He does this to assemble the best club while maximizing the "bang for the buck". That's why we have guys like Bill Mueller in stead of say Scott Rolen or Eric Chavez. That's worked out pretty well now hasn't it? He wants to build the team through the farm, and through smart moves - not huge bloated contracts to over the hill veterans like Piazza, and he sure has hell has no interest in Soriano, nor should you. Strikes out way too much and is growing old VERY fast. I can tell you what I think this team will look like, and what it should look like. And I bet you my team would beat yours. Here's what I think they should do: 1b - Youkilis 2b - Pedroia (possibly platooning with Cora) ss - Reneria (but I'd love to trade him in 2007 to get a young outfielder and put Hanley in after that) 3b - Mueller C - Varitek Lf - Manny Cf - Damon (give him the contract, but draft a young outfielder this year to come up and replace him in case the Bernie Williams effect happens in a couple years) Rf - Trot DH - Ortiz SP - Schilling SP - Burnett/Wells/somebody SP - Clement SP - Papelbon SP - Wakefield/Arroyo depending LRP - Arroyo/Wake MRP - Bradford/whoever MRP - Random lefty specialist MRP - Delcarman MRP - Hansen SU - Timlin CP - Foulke Bet you a million dollars a team that looked anything like that would KILL the team you just said you wanted to put together. Matt

Yeah - he's certainly in the running, and he really doesn't have any of that "split vote" problem with a guy like Edmonds this year. I'd vote for Jones, but that's just me. Matt

Yankees Lose.... the-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e yankees lose. Matt

Wouldn't be the beginning of a Boston sports season without a loss...

Of course he's homegrown. As long as he came up in the system (who cares how fast it was) and stays with the team, then ONE team has been in charge of his development. That's it. Homegrown. Matt

Macha didn't "turn around" the A's... if anyone has saved that ballclub from Royals like play its Beane. Matt

Nope. Matt

Right. 2004 World Series win = pitching beats hitting. Matt

This mentality is what kills me. If every game BEFORE these games had been cruicial, the Sox would still be up by 4-6 games. No intensity, no consistency - I think they thought they had a cakewalk to the division title, and that the Yankees would stay down. Alas, like I said MONTHS ago - the Yankees are NEVER out of it, and the Red Sox can NEVER relax, or s*** like this will happen. Every game since they got the lead in the division should have been crucial to them, and us. Matt

Unless I'm mistaken, there are rather loud grumblings that Renteria is secretly nursing a back problem, but doesn't want to sound like he's complaining about it. You don't just go from steller defense to worst fielding SS in the league... I would tend to believe a hidden injury has something to do with it. Matt

Yeah, no kidding. It should be called, "sick of retarted people who butt into players private lives". If this happened to him in Oakland, Chicago, or any other city he'd be just as sick of it, its not something specific to Boston. Stupid friggin' journalists... Matt