ORS

I'm not sold completely on Jered. His FIP-ERA was 1.43, meaning he pitched to an ERA about a run-and-a-half better than he should have. That's mostly due to a real stong ~87% strand rate. If he can keep being Houdini, I'll believe it a little more, but I think we need to give the other shoe a chance to drop. I'm not saying he's not better than either of our prospects, although I'm very encouraged by Papelbon as a SP with the improvement of his splitter last year. I'm just still a little skeptical of what we can really expect out of him in this league.

All improvements? Look again. Manny, Ortiz, Lowell, and Pena are marginally worse than last year. Crisp and Varitek, who were completely off-track awful last year, bounce back closer to, but still below, career averages. Seems about right. Jackson, he does work for the Sox, but I doubt he allows bias to creep into his projections. In fact, I'll bet it's impossible. Projection systems like his, ZiPs, PECOTA, PrOPS are all just static equations that consider age, league, last year, career averages. They are blind, and these guys use them for every player, not just the ones on the team they work for. James has dedicated his life to the study of statistical relevance and value in baseball. It would shock me if he tweaked his system in order to pad the stats of the team he works for.

I don't care to guess, because I'm not Kreskin. I don't read minds, so I don't know what the GMs or players are thinking. I prefer to let the chips fall and then talk rosters.

And then I stopped reading.

Here's why I care, these things are some of the standards looked at to get into the HOF. Just winning some of these awards won't get you in, but when stats are borderline, they can push a guy over the top. Don't take this to mean that I don't think Jeter will be a deserving HOF candidate when his career is done, but I think these awards should try and maintain some credibility for that reason alone.

Is Kevin Witt a MLFA this year? He'd be a good Petagine type stash down in the Buckett just in case the injury bug bit again. I've got a personal connection there. He lived next to my grandmother in Jax Beach, so when I came down to visit, I used to whip his ass in basketball. His brothers were professional tennis players.

Baseball awards are the biggest sham going right now. The ballwashing for this guy is incessant. GG and Hank Aaron award? For a guy that was .03 below league average in RF and .005 above average in FPct (in other words, he was average), and also didn't lead the league in any major offensive statistical category? Yeah, that makes sense.

Spread Category : Date & Time Favorite................. Spread .............. Underdog 11/5 1:00 ET At St. Louis.................. -2.5 ....................Kansas City 11/5 1:00 ET At Baltimore.................. -3 ........................Cincinnati 11/5 1:00 ET At NY Giants................ -13 ...........................Houston 11/5 1:00 ET At Jacksonville.............. -9.5 .....................Tennessee 11/5 1:00 ET Dallas .......................... -3 ..................At Washington 11/5 1:00 ET At Buffalo .................... -3.5 ......................Green Bay 11/5 1:00 ET New Orleans ................ -1 ...................At Tampa Bay 11/5 1:00 ET Atlanta ....................... -5.5 ........................At Detroit 11/5 1:00 ET At Chicago ..................-13.5 ............................Miami 11/5 4:05 ET Minnesota .................... -5 ...............At San Francisco 11/5 4:15 ET At San Diego ............. -12.5 ........................Cleveland 11/5 4:15 ET At Pittsburgh ................-2.5 ............................Denver 11/5 8:15 ET At New England ........... -2.5 .....................Indianapolis Monday Night Football Point Spread 11/6 8:30 ET At Seattle ......................-8 ...........................Oakland Straight Category : Date & Time Favorite............................................ Underdog 11/5 1:00 ET At St. Louis..............................................Kansas City 11/5 1:00 ET At Baltimore...............................................Cincinnati 11/5 1:00 ET At NY Giants.................................................Houston 11/5 1:00 ET At Jacksonville..........................................Tennessee 11/5 1:00 ET Dallas ................................................At Washington 11/5 1:00 ET At Buffalo .................................................Green Bay 11/5 1:00 ET New Orleans .......................................At Tampa Bay 11/5 1:00 ET Atlanta .....................................................At Detroit 11/5 1:00 ET At Chicago .....................................................Miami 11/5 4:05 ET Minnesota .......................................At San Francisco 11/5 4:15 ET At San Diego .............................................Cleveland 11/5 4:15 ET At Pittsburgh ..................................................Denver 11/5 8:15 ET At New England ......................................Indianapolis Monday Night Football 11/6 8:30 ET At Seattle ....................................................Oakland Monday Night Football Total Points Scored ................. __44_____

DFA. SD picked him up.

Being called an idiot by someone with your lack of analytical skills or reason is a wonderful compliment, thanks. After what happened last year, and given the fact that we don't know the full rosters, the position that they have no shot at the division is indefensible. And, even if your intent was benign, your other actions support what I believe, that you are a petty individual who gets kicks out of being a nuissance on the internet. It's time to grow up or go away, son. Back on topic: I've been wary of him due to the questions about adjusting to MLB play, but I'm starting to warm to Matsuzaka. He's the youngest of the big 3 available, and he'll only cost money, not potential talent (draft picks). If he busts, the Sox are one of the few that can absorb it. If not him, then they should go for Schmidt and stay away from Zito.

*If healthy

Again with the woman jokes. What's next, gonna call me gay? Oh, I know, make fun of my mom. Wanna fight over who gets to use the swing next? Your taunts are rather, elementary (schoolish), my dear Watson.

I don't take anything too seriously. I just find you annoying. You are full of youself, but even worse, full of s***. You talk out of both sides of your mouth, cockily make assertions that aren't backed by fact, ridicule the musings of others (again with out much factual support), and generally enjoy being a nuissance. And, that's before considering the fact that you are Yankee fan. Red Sox vs. Pinstripes has nothing to do with this. I'm amicable with other Yankee fan posters here. This is all about you, Cochise. You suck. Is that it? Weak.

SOTK, I don't like Wake closing because he's got, as you would expect with the knuckleball, inconsistent control. I'd rather see Foulke (if healthy) because he has surgeon like control.

I doubt they offer Loretta arb for fear he takes it. I can see them getting a supplemental for Nixon and Gonzo.

What do you mean you don't come here to rail against the Sox? That's all you've done. So, it looks like your source of fun is baiting people on the internet. That is what you are doing, you know that, right? Don't attribute an imagined inferiority complex on me. I'm not one of those tools, like you appear to be, that derives some sense of superiority or inferiority from the team I root for. What I do has nothing to do with them, and what they do has nothing to do with me. You need to dissociate yourself from the idea that rooting for the Yankees makes you anthing other than a Yankee fan. Take the heat? I am the heat, bitch.

Nice off-the-deep-end rant that has nothing to do with what I said. Nothing. I don't expect you to like our FO or the way the media treats them. I do expect you to refrain from baiting people on this message board. Something you seem incapable of doing, kid. EDIT: For clarity, not only does it have nothing to do with what you quoted, it has nothing to do with anything I've ever said. Oh, and one other thing. Yeah, the Yankees have been A-OK with Giambi for his entire contract. It's not like they tried to void it or anything when he had to take a year off to deal with tumors in weird places from steroid use. Man, you do a wonderful job looking like a complete tool. Keep it up.

Yeah, the MIF is intriguing. I'd like to see Lowrie bounce back after a disappointing year that included some injury time. Natale can handle the wood, but I hope he makes serious strides with the glove.

Color Code Type A Type B Type C Lower than Type C or Not Ranked Angels Darin Erstad, OF Adam Kennedy, 2B B J.C. Romero, LHP Orioles Bruce Chen, LHP Chris Gomez, SS C LaTroy Hawkins, RHP B Kevin Millar, 1B A Russ Ortiz, RHP Chris Widger, C Red Sox Alex Cora, SS Alex Gonzalez, SS B Gabe Kapler, OF Mark Loretta, 2B A Doug Mirabelli, C Trot Nixon, OF B White Sox Sandy Alomar, C Jeff Nelson, RHP David Riske, RHP A Guardians Aaron Boone, 3B Lou Merloni, 2B Tigers Sean Casey, 1B A Matt Stairs, OF C Jamie Walker, LHP B Royals Paul Bako, C Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B C Twins Phil Nevin, 1B Shannon Stewart, OF C Rondell White, DH Yankees Miguel Cairo, IF Octavio Dotel, RHP Tanyon Sturtze, RHP Ron Villone, LHP B Bernie Williams, OF C Craig Wilson, 1B C Athletics Jay Payton, OF B Frank Thomas, DH B Barry Zito, LHP A Mariners Gil Meche, RHP B Devil Rays Tomas O. Perez, 3B Rangers Rod Barajas, C B Mark De Rosa, OF B Adam Eaton, RHP C Carlos Lee, OF A Gary Matthews Jr., OF A Vicente Padilla, RHP B Eric Young, 2B Blue Jays Frank Catalanotto, OF A Ted Lilly, LHP B Bengie Molina, C A Justin Speier, RHP A Gregg Zaun, C B Diamondbacks Miguel Batista, RHP B Craig Counsell, SS B Damion Easley, SS Luis Gonzalez, 1B A Brian Jordan, OF Braves Danys Baez, RHP A Todd Pratt, C John C. Thomson, RHP Daryle Ward, 1B Cubs Henry Blanco, C C John S. Mabry, 1B Wade Miller, RHP Juan Pierre, OF B Aramis Ramirez, 3B A Kerry Wood, RHP Reds Rich Aurilia, 3B A Royce Clayton, SS C Ryan Franklin, RHP C Eddie Guardado, LHP A Todd Hollandsworth, OF Jason Johnson, RHP Scott Schoeneweis, LHP B Dave Weathers, RHP A Paul Wilson, RHP Rockies Ray King, LHP Tom Martin, LHP Kaz Matsui, 2B Marlins Joe Borowski, RHP A Wes Helms, 3B Matt Herges, RHP Brian Moehler, RHP Astros Aubrey Huff, 3B A Russ Springer, RHP A Dodgers Einar Diaz, C Eric Gagne, RHP A Nomar Garciaparra, 1B B Julio Lugo, SS A Greg Maddux, RHP A Ramon E. Martinez, RHP Aaron Sele, RHP Brewers David Bell, 3B C Jeff Cirillo, 3B Tony Graffanino, 2B A Rick Helling, RHP B Daniel Kolb, RHP Tomo Ohka, RHP B Mets Chad Bradford, RHP A Cliff Floyd, OF A Orlando Hernandez, RHP B Roberto Hernandez, RHP A Yusaku Iriki, RHP Ricky Ledee, OF Guillermo Mota, RHP B Darren Oliver, LHP B Steve Trachsel, RHP C Michael Tucker, OF Jose Valentin, 2B B Chris Woodward, 2B Phillies Aaron Fultz, LHP A Jose A. Hernandez, SS Mike Lieberthal, C A Arthur Rhodes, LHP B Rick White, RHP C Randy Wolf, LHP C Pirates Joe Randa, 3B C Cardinals Ron Belliard, 2B A Gary Bennett, C Jason Marquis, RHP B Scott Spiezio, 3B Jose Vizcaino, SS Jeff Weaver, RHP B Padres Geoff Blum, 3B Doug Brocail, RHP Alan Embree, LHP B Shawn Estes, LHP Chan Ho Park, RHP B David Roberts, OF A Rudy Seanez, RHP A Todd Walker, 2B A Woody Williams, RHP A Giants Moises Alou, OF A Barry Bonds, OF A Ray Durham, 2B A Todd Greene, C Shea Hillenbrand, 1B B Steve Kline, LHP C Jason Schmidt, RHP A Mike Stanton, LHP B Nationals Tony Armas Jr, RHP C Robert Fick, C Jose Guillen, OF B Alfonso Soriano, OF A For compensation to be awarded, the player must be offered arbitration and decline it then sign with another team. The new CBA has changed compensation as follows: Type A FA Lost - first round draft pick from signing team, supplemental pick Type B FA Lost - supplemental pick Type C FA Lost - no compensation