ksushi

They need to keep Gonzo. That is a sticking point with me. If the first thing they do is cut ties with him Ill be very mad. Some guys thrive in Boston, Ocab and Gonzo are among them. I think they never should have let Ocab go, but I love Gonzo. The Oakland A's approach with the Sox payroll is pretty much unstoppable if you think about it. Letting guys go is a product of the payroll in Oakland, not the result of the philosophy out there. Homegrow your pitching, pay for your hitting.... basically its a little more complicated but we all know what goes on. Hopefully the Sox can purchase the rest of the pieces to be not just competitive, but dominant. They're only a few pieces away.

Really all I have to say is that sometimes patience pays off. I'm sure I was at least one of the people who inspired you to make this lovely thread. The Sox aren't cutting back and I haven't heard them use money as an excuse. Maybe you should get a girlfriend, or check out some internet porn and make some knuckle children, but really get a life. The sox didn't pull the trigger on huge contracts to veterans like Damon, Pedro ( on his second DL stint this season) and others. SO WHAT!! Those are good moves. Yeah, they did nothing at the deadline, I was mad too. There were small moves to be made and they weren't made. As for Abreu, who cares? Do you want him for a season and a half at 26 million dollars? I don't. Let the Yankees take that one. If it means they take the AL east this year, then so be it. I'm fine with that. The FO does need to step up, but that time will come this winter. This isn't about the ownership being stingy. This is about the sox putting some bullets in the chamber that won't fade after one post season push, but will last for years of division title runs. Lester, Hansen, Delcarmen, Papelbon are a good foundation to build from, with FA acquisitions this offseason, we should be the favorites next year. We better be. If winning this season meant jeopardizing that foundation, as much as you would like to pull the trigger to win now, 700, can you really say its worth it considering the leg up those guys at such a low cost give you in the future?

Nope, I would give them guys who don't figure into the plans. Why not? You get Miner who is a good young pitcher and you get to give Pedroia some on the job training for next season. That to me is invaluable. I'd do what it takes to get that done.

I think the Red Sox need to get this done. I think they need to throw in money, I think they might have to throw in some lower level pitchers, Edgar Martinez or even David Murphy. I want this to get done, white flag or not at least its more productive than having a guy who is going to walk at the end of the year and it gets you pitching.

First thing weve agreed on ever. Watching Beckett pitch is making me an unstable person. Its so frustrating. 9 walks today? Another blow out loss for him? Jesus. Huge dissappointment. This season at least.

Do you have a link to where you read that was his asking price? I've been hearing all along that he is asking for 5 and 55. Oh and the posting cost is 20 million. Your numbers are just wrong I think.

That is where I have to pop in and tell someone to shut up. Shut up. Beckett is 26, he'll be here for four years. He's going to proove a good investment. Don't bag on him yet. In two years if his ERA is never under four then go right ahead. For now, shut up about the Beckett trade being a bust. He has the potential to be an ace. I still think he will be.

I'd stay away from Gil Meche before Barry Zito. This offseason needs to be good or else Theo has no more pull with me.

700 is banned from being a Red Sox fan for the 2007 season.

Regardless of whether things turn around between now and the end of the season, losing 3 straight in a five game series against the yankees is frustrating. Add the fact that before this thing started, the division title was still within reach makes it a little more frustrating. I've got a few things to say, and most people on here do. Rather than bicker with each other all over the forum, lets keep it all in here. Anyhow, I've got some things to say to Theo. I understand not giving up the young guns at the deadline. While it frustrates some, pitching is tough to find, we've got it all through our system and holding on to that is great. That said, maybe the best upside of having young pitchers is the money they save you. Its about damn time they use some of that money. The last two offseasons the FO has just not competed on the FA market. They negotiate and won't pay the going rate for impact guys and settle for matt clements and julian tavarez's when there are Millwoods and BJ Ryan's to be had. I know there is not a ton out there this year either. There is Zito, there is Matsuzaka, and there is Schmidt. Its time to pay up. Get this team back in it. The payroll is flexible due to some of these guns now go and use that felixibility to bring us back to the post season. BRING IN PITCHING. More to come...

This is pathetic. It isn't Francona's fault. It really is Theo's fault. This is awful. Our FO better get their s*** together and have a good offseason.

I dont think this is going to hinder his career at all. I don't think he was rushed up way too soon, I think they brought him up about a month or two too soon. They clearly had plans to bring him up this season. It was not way too soon. I think that Lester next year will be more polished than Lester this year, AAA or no AAA he is learning. He is going to put it together. It isn't like he is getting deep into counts and then throwing meat pitches. He gets deep into counts and still throws HIS pitches. Thats frustrating when they are taken for balls, but it will be nice when he learns how to get those first pitches over the plate and force guys to swing at those. Its all going to come together.

If Johnson is gonna throw 90mph fastballs, we better win this game.

This already sucks. The first pitch Beckett threw was a strike whether the ump wanted to call it or not. I'm getting very frustrated with this season.

Lester screams AAA. I think though that if he stays in the majors, it might be until spring that we seem him turn into that 7-8inning 1 hit kind of pitcher he was against the royals.

Not true, as much as you would like to see the Red Sox purge the team of everyone under the age of 46, Pedroia will play second base next year barring some ridiclulous scenario where Loretta gets his option and the Sox manage to trade Pedroia for... I dont know Peavy. Not gonna happen. 700's dream team isnt gonna happen this side of the senior citizen home. Not this year.

Thank you. This was the worst timed thread ever. Just as the guy starts to come around, throw him under the bus. Wtf?

Who did we trade?

DFA Loretta? Wtf? But yeah, it seems like the red sox really don't enjoy winning right now. Maybe they're all alcoholics and now that wells has come back their all on the sauce. Maybe they're all a bunch of depressed drunks and they lose and then they sit around the club house drunk dial the other team. Maybe its become a routine. Who knows. We need to trade for a happy drunk, like Millar. Enthusiasm is contagious. He'll bring the chicken and he'll make jokes, braid someones hair. It will be great.

Why is Loretta 'mr dfa?' did i miss something?

Alright 700, how about this: IF the sox don't win the division, I will dedicate a thread to how wrong I was and why my niave optimism about all things Red Sox is an inferior stupid way to look at the sox and you're much better etc. etc. If they do win the division, I change your user title to QUITTER and you admit you're qutting ways in a thread entitled "Why I am a filthy yellowbelly scoundrel who has no faith" It'll be a nice roast and I'll tell my famous version of the aristocrat joke where you go into a talent office... but I'll save that. If you can think of a clever title for me, ill gladly change mine should they lose.

Yeah, I love it when great prospects sit and waste when we could use their services which come at a fraction of the price some of the veterans out there. He'll probably do as good a job too. I love watching the sox waste money.

Everything is an if when you're talking about the something that hasn't happened yet. You can't name a team in baseball that doesn't have ifs. I had ifs in my post. I acknowledge that if the team plays like it has been Schilling will be playing golf by the time the ALDS is played. But, things can turn around. Rough patches are rough patches and it will get better, maybe not enough to make the playoffs, maybe enough to go all the way. Who knows. I'm not writing them off just yet. 700, you've written them off since day one so its really no surprise you're the first one to grab a shovel and start digging a grave for them. But hey, im used to it by now.

I think the whole season hinges on Jon Lester. When wakefield comes back, if Lester can consistently go into and past the 6th inning, we have the best rotation in baseball. With enough rest, we have a good bullpen. Great defense, good hitting, and great bench depth too. Alex Cora, Kapler and Wily Mo will be huge if we make the playoffs. Hell, Wily Mo is huge now. This is a bad skid we've hit and there is a lot of baseball left to play. I still feel like the Sox can win this division but they need to play better fast. This series with the Yankees is HUGE. If lester can't go deep from here on in, we will have a tired bullpen, they'll start blowing games late and there will be a lot more pressure put on the hitters and it won't work out in the long run.

You think maybe he has been pitching half assed for worry of the blisters? Thats interesting.