seabeachfred

Still, when you slice and dice it, one start doesn't really tell us much at all. I think five or six more starts will give a clearer picture of what gives with the Yankee ace.

Just a guess Ted, but when Lester said after the WS in '13 that he would be more than willing to give the Red Sox a home town discount to stay in Boston, Pruney decided to see just how much of a discount he would give and sent his hatchet man Lucchino with that insulting four year $70 million offer. Yes, Larry the Lip said it was only a "starting point" but was it? Did the two amigos actually believe that Jon would settle for something like that instead of simply ignoring it and taking it as a total betrayal and even a bigger insult? We may never know....we just know that the front office screwed that one up and now we are looking for a solid No. 1 type starter and to get it will cost us plenty. And let's not kid ourselves---we can really use one.

This may be rushing things but I really feel the Red Sox should be trying right now (perhaps they are) to land a top quality pitcher from a team that isn't a true contender, or one that has a pitcher who that team will not be able to afford come next season, or from a team that a surplus of good pitching and could use a good hitter or two, or maybe two prospects. We all seem to agree that we need at least one top notch pitcher---some even say two, so if that's the case why wait if we don't have to. And for the record, I do NOT like the idea of having a knuckle ball pitcher like Wright in the rotation again. Seems that means he has to have his own catcher and the results are if he cannot control his pitch the bags get occupied and the result is a track meet. I remember Wakefield's last few years very painfully to have to go through something like that again. It would be nice if one of our young prospects finally did well enough at Pawtucket so we could have a new home grown pitcher contributing to the team for a change.

Just think how much more comfortable and enjoyable will that extra day be compared to what it would feel if we had gone down today. Right?

Facing a lefty today I thought maybe Farrell would play Napoli and sit Ortiz but deep down I knew there was no way we could sit Papi on Opening Day. My resentment is for the National League with their myopic adherence to the past. Right, we go to the ballgame to see the pitchers hit. If baseball ever develops standard rules, the NL has to give ground on the DH.

He did look like a treasure the first two innings so the error might have caused him to lose his concentration----I don't know. He seems to think he doesn't need TJS so we'll just have to see. Buchholz was on the beam today but to be honest I don't know if this was a one trick pony outing or if he is finally going to give us something we need very badly.

I was wondering all last night where my colleague MC33 (might not have gotten that handle completely right) was. He said he was switching to the Cubs after last season's Red Sox disaster but I never really believed him for a second. I did think he might have made the Cubs his second team as I'm trying to do for the second year in a row. Today I wore (am wearing my white Red Sox 2007 WS Title Shirt with the Red and Blue logo and the red trim around the edges. It seemed to work. Notice how many good pitchers lost today? Weaver, Scherzer, Tanaka, Hamels, Archer. Yet there was Clay Buchholz pitching a seven inning, three hit gem. A couple of other balls were hit hard but for the most part he was in top form today. We really need him to stand up tall this season Ogden.

******** on that Ted. You've earned it so enjoy every ounce of it. Besides, think of all the baseball that will be coming your way in the years ahead. And don't forget, we touch base in Boston in July.

We got MLB TV last week too Ells and it was like finding an oasis in the Sahara. Baseball all morning, afternoon and evening if we want. That is living. And I don't have to always watch the Red Sox on my computer screen.

Peace brother.....I want no battles with you this year or anyone else on this board. Sorry so many don't like my sobriquet of Henry but it's become ingrained. Besides, cut me some slack ok? I did predict an AL East Title for our guys this year and for some reason I think my ass is on the line with that pearl. I am older than Henry as a matter of fact but the face has not wrinkled yet, just a lot less hair and lot lot less, well, you can guess.

A division title would certainly qualify as a successful season from where I sit Gomes, and you mentioned why. Last year was a real downer and I just feel that this season has got to be a better on. Heck, I even predicted an AL East Title a month ago so my butt is on the line. It would be nice if Porcello, Miley and Buchholz form a decent threesome to get us going. I'm sorry I don't have the same confidence in Masterson after his collapse last season but you never know. As for Kelly and his "Cy Young" award, just where is he and when will he be ready to get back on the field?

Epstein made his share of blunders in Boston too Ted but the composite record was more favorable than not. Mistakes are easy to make when personnel are involved but I think he should be able to fashion together a solid team in Chicago the next half-dozen years. I admit I was bummed by Jon Lester's less than impressive debut last night. Hell, I even wore my Cubs tee shirt I bought in Chicago last summer. The crowd had to feel let down too after the exuberance of all the pre-game hoopla. I'll take a more sedated atmosphere today and a win.

Why create anything then User? What I said was true. Lester did not look good tonight and I wish he had. I also blamed Henry for losing him---and that's a fact as well. Not trying to create any nonsense here but what's right is right. Henry blew it badly and you or someone else not liking it doesn't make it any less true because, once again, that statement is fact. Lucchino also said we were going to get an ace, remember? Or did you forget that? Well where is that ace they promised us? Or did Larry the louse really believe that Masterson could be that guy, or Kelly who can't stay on the field, or Buchholz? Maybe Porcello or Miley? And where are your predictions this year? Come on, put yourself on the line as I did. Anyway, let's win that first one tomorrow.

Now if only Clay Buchholz and his merry band will cooperate we can have a very nice day tomorrow. I'm watching the Cardinals-Cubs right now and Jon wasn't all that sharp tonight. Gone in the fifth with three runs in and the bases loaded. I was rooting for him because I think he did a helluva job for us and to me it was Prune Face's fault we lost him. Sorry he didn't do better tonight.

That article is full of more holes than Swiss cheese. We are NOT going 6-0 those first six games so please Kimmi get that out of your head. If we could go 4-2 it would be a good start. Besides, we have strange Clay Buchholz on the hill and he has been nothing short of crappy the past few years save one half of 2013. Cherington fashioned this pitching staff and his mouthpiece John Farrell has seconded the motion. If this unravels both are going to get it from the press, media and fans. This staff has to produce and on that score it would be very good for Buchholz and the rest of our crew to prevail on Monday and open the season with a win. For Clay that is very important for his psyche as well. A mentally deranged Buchholz is a travesty waiting to happen. Pitch us a win Clay and Xander, start off by clearing the bases once or twice to get us off to a flying start.

Do not rush Swihart. We want him ready when we bring him up. We don't want a replica of Jackie Bradley or Xander Bogaerts. Both may have been rushed or maybe they had trouble in a higher classification. Whatever, let's be right about Blake.

Weeks is excess and he should be gone by the time the regular season begins. He never developed in Oakland and has rolled around baseball the past few years. Those types hardly ever get it together. Besides we have Brock Holt and that pretty much send Jamaal elsewhere, and this Bianchi doesn't seem to be bad either.

You also showed a lot of class the first time around. As for the second time, take the words of Frank Sinatra to heart... LOVE'S ALLWAYS BETTER, THE SECOND TIME AROUND.

Pertains to me though Bellhorn. I have been happily married to Linda for almost 45 years and she is a rabid Angels fan. No problem that I can see.

I read somewhere that Sandy Koufax, arguably the best pitcher in the last half-century, only opened the season on one occasion----in 1964. Threw a shutout vs the Cardinals.

And you are grasping at air User. Nowhere in my post was John Lester even mentioned. Letting Lester go was a travesty. I said it then and I say it now. We should have resigned him right after the 2013 season and I will never retreat from that position.....not ever. However, he is gone and we can't do anything about him, but the group we have now in our starting rotation has got to step up-----at least three of them and hopefully four. I also don't know when and if Owens and the others will be ready. I am glad that Cherington has retreated from any Hamels talks since the Phillies are still insisting that Swihart has to be a part of any such trade. OTOH, I've seen Cherington buckle before, like last year when despite all the criticism to the contrary I insisted that he would sign Drew to a contract---and we saw what an utter disaster that was. I think Ben learned from that. No Swihart for Hamels trade.

A case of toilet paper and a box of depends is on the way mvp. Don't fret.

What Mark (SoxCycles) says at first does seem to make sense----a team can afford to carry one or even two weak bats, but what you wrote is usually what happens. Under performing people (think Bradley, Middlebrooks and Bogaerts last year) and injuries (think Pedroia, Napoli, Victorino last season) and you have a total debacle on your hands. Still we may have to bite the bullet Spud. I do not want to rush Blake Swihart up to the Bigs this year because he is now our best prospect now that Mookie is ensconced in the lineup for the Red Sox. We don't need any more floperoos a la JB, Bogey and MLB as we have endured the past season. When Swihart is ready, then bring him up and put him in the lineup and not before.

Good field and absolutely a black hole in the lineup when he plays. The Nats didn't think much of him otherwise they wouldn't have cashiered him for a song....if they even got that.

Better options in a trade? I'd like to know where. Unless we are willing to pay through the nose for such a pitcher there is no one coming through that door anytime soon from what I can see. And Dojji is right on one thing as clear as day. For some reason the Red Sox FO has this seemingly mystical faith that suddenly we're going to see the Buchholz they thought they had when they brought him up in 2007. It would be nice if they were right for a change in their pitching beliefs but every passing season it looks more like a pipe dream. IF IF IF Clay can win next Monday and pitch well we might have the beginning of a real comeback, but if he looks like anything he did in his last start against the Braves it could be another what the hell is going on with that guy again......soon to be possibly followed by a long trek on the DL. Porcello should have been given the Opening Day Assignment.