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Why, does he pitch? They didn't struggle at the DH position, and it didn't cost them much with Philly putting up a good portion of Thome's salary. That was the best lineup this year until Cano, Matsui, and Sheffield came back.

What's he going to retie? His shoes? The drawstring on his sweatpants? Inquiring minds want to know.

True. That said, even at what it cost, I'd still take an inconsistent Beckett who pitched good enough times to win 16 games over a guy who's pitched 100 MLB innings in the 1st 2 years of a 4 year contract. Yes, Johnson had a marginally better year, but the trends going into next year look better for Beckett. Optimist's snarky post was about how she was glad she didn't have to worry about Johnson beyond next year. But, she conveniently neglected Pavano, who's been even more of a disappointment and has more time left. I only brought him up to provide perspective. What about Clement? Well, like Johnson, we don't have to worry about him beyond next year, and from the sound of things, we don't even have to worry about him next year because his shoulder is spaghetti.

Is this what your argument has regressed to after all other options were put to rest with logic and reason, he'll get pissed? Sad state of affairs in Hammerville.

Nice horseshit hypothetical there. Keep reaching. Yes, you are changing it from year to year, but only because relieving is more stressful. Whether he's throwing in relief or starting, he's still throwing a baseball, you get that, right? We don't play Ortiz at first not because he's the best DH, but because he has a history of knee problems and his defense isn't necessarily spectacular. We know that, though. If we didn't know it, it would be stupid to not try him there. Same thing with Papelbon. Rivera isn't a closer if he made it as a starter. Papelbon hasn't failed as a starter yet. Not trying him there is wasting the chance to know if he can provide the ultimate pitching value. And, once again, nothing is precluding them from having him relieve after 2007 if he doesn't make it. Choosing to start him doesn't eliminate the option of having him close in the future, no matter how much you stamp your feet about it, that option just doesn't go away.

Nice overreaction. Again. Where has he shown the type of wildness that would make you think he can't go 4 innings before hitting 100 pitches? Oh, that's right, he hasn't. It's not about the total number of innings. It's about regular rest in between outings. Get this through your thick skull - regular rest means less outings under fatigue. It is much less stressful on the arm to throw 100 pitches on one day and rest for 4 days than it is to to throw 75 pitches in 3 of 5 days. You keep saying moving him from reliever to starter to reliever to starter is going to melt his arm down. How so? He's moving from more stress to less stress on his arm. Yes, he will have to build stamina, but that can be monitored. Being a closer takes that opportunity away because you don't know when he'll be needed, so to maximize his effectiveness as a closer they'll have to use him when they need him, even if that means 3 consecutive games, which we saw this year. He had no arm problems last year as a starter, but he did at the end of this year as a closer.

Monitoring his arm has everything to do with injury concerns. The most injury proned time for a pitcher is when their arm is fatigued. As a starter he can be put on a pitch count as he builds stamina. As a closer he will pitch in situations where his arm isn't fully rested from previous work. Do you really not see this? Thanks for trying.

Good thing no one asks you, because you are wrong. Arm usage is more easily controlled and monitored as a starting pitcher. Relievers go in when the leverage is high, which could be several days in a row, and they tend to overthrow because of the leverage of the spots they go in. If health concern is a factor at all, expect him to be a SP. Put that in your motocycle and smoke it.

I can't believe how reactionary you guys are about this. It is extremely valuable to have a shut-down closer, that is without question. A front-line starter is more valuable. They know they have the former with Papelbon, but they could also have the latter. I think it's important to determine if that is the case. In the end, if it isn't, he can always go back to closing, you know?

Gag all you want. I've shown you the numbers before. They were equivalent. Neither of them came close to Pedro, but both gave the Sox a better chance to win than Lowe did in '04. Had they stayed healthy, they would have probably done the same this year. Not true. If you can afford to replace talent with talent, you take advantage of compensatory picks like the Sox did. Florida had to sell the house because they don't have the resources to make those types of replacements. Also, that means Pedro and Lowe are gone before the '04 season starts, meaning no WS title that year.

700. You need to clear out some of your PMs so I can respond to you. I got a message saying you have exceeded your storage limit.

"Noticeably Long" is a scientific term that means, "as long as it takes us to get our heads out of our asses".

If you call yourself a Sox fan, and your hate doesn't begin in NY, then you are just doing it wrong, my man. Oh, and drop the, "I don't care what you think" crap. Nobody cares if you care about internet chatter, so it's a non-issue. Although, responding is evidence that it matters to you on some level.

Probably, but not with the Giants. I doubt they resign him, so I think he'll go DH somewhere in the AL.

Cards get 3 in the bottom of the 8th and hold on to win. They've assured themselves of a tie at least. If they win tomorrow, they win the division. Same thing goes with a 'Stros loss tonight or tomorrow.

To the part in red: Of course you can, but you don't need to turn to this every time - which you do - someone disagrees with you. You spoke your mind, I spoke mine, someone else will speak theirs, and you'll speak your's again, and round-and-round we go. It doesn't need to be pointed out, and it isn't much of a defense for your position when someone disagrees with you.

Why is it such a big deal to you that Ortiz is taking a game off? They aren't playing after Sunday, and the guy just came off a cardiological scare. How about a little perspective?

Just proving a little perspective there, little lady in the glass house with a hand full of stones.