seabeachfred

Let's be frank here Pal. Ross is a lousy hitter and always has been, save for a half-season with, was it the Braves? He was run out of LA because he couldn't hit and didn't hit well anywhere else that I recall. I still believe that for whatever reason, Lavarnway was never given a decent shot at the catcher's job. As for Drew it was clear almost from the get-go that he could not hit lefthanded pitching with anything resembling regularity. I even think he was hitting less than 200 against them. Might be a good idea if Farrell gets his h ead out of his pocket and tries Bogey at short when we face a southpaw and it wouldn't hurt to give Ryan a chance against them. Salty is much more potent against RH pitchers.

Makes me wonder why you didn't get some backup from other fans who felt the same way you did 305----or did you? I guess there is still a residue of pink hats and hanger-oners who get freebees to games and go just to be seen and "have some fun." s*** on them; they should stay home and watch the game on television. They are not real diehard Red Sox fans and, moreover, chances are they couldn't tell you any of the scored from the 2004 and 2007 post season games. You did well bringing that to those dingbats' attention.

You could have helped it better Bellhorn if you also could have mentioned Pedroia and Ellsbury---which you didn't. Easy to dismiss them now since they are both standout players but you were on Dirt Dogs back in late '06 and in '07, weren't you? While some posters there (don't know if you were one of them) were clamoring for Francona to replace Pedroia and trade for Ronnie Belliard, I insisted that Dustin would not only get squared away but would emerge as a standout player. Let's not get amnesia on that one. Also I remember that only Pumpsie Green and Elktonnick backed on Pedroia. As for Ellsbury, I was the guy carrying the torch for him over Crisp when you and a lot of others were insisting that the team stay with Coco in CF. Still, I really screwed up royally with Papi. It really looked to me that he was out of it that first part of the 2009 season. Mea culpa....I blew it. As for MVP take on my enthusiasm for Lavarnway, do not be surprised if he goes elsewhere and becomes a standout offensive catcher. We have never given him a real shot at the position. BTW, what was your handle again on Sawxheads and Dirt Dogs?

There are times when you wish you were wrong and this is one of those times. Bard's problems were partly Cherington's desire to make him a starter but more on Bard himself. He wanted to start, the failed miserably and then couldn't get his crap together in the minors. Enough time has elapsed to make it clear that barring some miracle his time is up. A shame too because the guy had lightning stuff. What some of us might gloss over Ted is that he first started to come apart that September two years back. Whether it was overwork or a breakdown in his mechanics, it was Sept. 2011 that was the beginning of his Waterloo.

You were the first to call for Koji for closer, no doubt about that. However, I wasn't too far behind.....about third or fourth. It has really worked out up to now. He was sensational again tonight. And why the hell can't score many runs when Lackey pitches. Except for that gem he threw against the Yankees which I heard about when I was in Ireland he has been starved for run support practically all season. That's a real pisser from where I sit.

Still, Maddon is a pretty damn good manager Ted. I got back from Ireland Sunday evening in time to see Peavy give it to the Yanks.. I just hope we can keep this thing going. What a change from last season.

Sorry RSNC84, but that quote is both silly and dangerous. The Yankees have never been easy for the Red Sox and in fact, no team is easy for the Red Sox this year. The have to bear down every game they play and while they have played very well up to now they are not a juggernaut and I guarantee you the Yanks will come out with guns blazing this weekend. We have to bear down all the way---and especially against the New Yorkers.

SoxSport, you wonder if the Boston front office has gleaned anything brain wise from looking at the tea leaves in the Majors this season. Remember how the Natonals shut down Stratford (or whatever the hell is name is) late last season and used the excuse we'll be back in the playoffs again and again. Well guess what They are not making it this year and seem to be traveling in reverse. When you have a chance to win you take advantage of it and pull out all the stops to win the division and go deep in the Playoffs and let the chips fall where they may. Sure, we will have Bogey next season and Bradley too, but we will lose Ellsbury, Napoli and maybe Carp and Salty, so our offense may be actually weaker next year. There is now some suspicion that Jackie might have trouble hitting ML pitching consistently and who will play first base for us----and where are we going to get that big horse for the front of the rotation? We might actually go a little backwards next season until the starting lineup takes full form (2015? Maybe?) And we still will need some good starting pitchers not named Dumpster, Less-ster or Breakholz, who most likely might turn up lame next season as well. We have a chance to win something this year---GO FOR IT !!!!!! If a good starting pitcher suddenly materializes on the waiver wire---get him. No one expected us to be in this position but there we are and we should take full advantage of it.

And I still haven't fully recovered from that debacle of 2012. Personally I think that season was a culmination of all the misdeeds committed by the front office in those years after our last WS Title in 2008---getting players who had "sex appeal", worry too much about the declining TV ratings, and the miserable meddling by Larry Lucchino who seemed determined to regain the power he lost when Henry gave it to Epstein after his gorilla walkout late in 2005. Maybe the FO decided to let Cherington and Farrell concentrate on baseball this season and let the TV ratings and "sexy" players go on the backburner for all eternity, but I still don't trust Lucchino. He is control freak who really doesn't show s*** about what goes on down on the baseball field and yet is always ready to put his two cents worth into any controversy where he can increase his power. As for Cherington, an "F" with an excuse for 2012 and so far a solid grade for this year, but he has to start trying to get us that top of the rotation starter we will need for the coming years. Somehow he has to find him and right now we don't have one on our staff. We have one who could be but he is playing candy-ass and taking is damn sweet time in getting back in action, almost like he's afraid to fail. We have one who should have been our bell cow but he has been too busy arguing with umpires over balls and strikes and losing his concentration along the way, not to mention his stubbornness in insisting on throwing his cutter that has been little more than a batting practice toss. We also have one we just traded for who could be the guy but who knows. As for Lackey and Doobie, well, here's hoping they can go all the way to the end of the season without coming apart.

All true my friends but what if I told you that I think Napoli is going to heat up within the next two weeks? I have a hunch he is ready to make a big move with the bat, but just to play it safe get him out of the No. 5 hole until he gets really going again.

One thing he and all of us understand is that we could no longer go with a tandem of Snyder and Holt at third base. They didn't field all that well and they hit like s***. I can't swear that Middlebrooks is going to tear it up but he has to be a helluva lot better bet for us than those two other duds were.

Efen forget it Pal. League is a Major League choker par excellence!!!!!! He's got the deer in the headlight look every time he steps on the mound. I've seen him on TV out here blow one lead after another. He is s*** on a roll. Forget about it.

The front office is either in a trance or they are in denial. The fact is the Snyder-Holt tandem is nothing short of s***** at third base for us. Middlebrooks would at least give us some power and run production, something we're getting nothing of the sort from those other two journeymen. Besides, wasn't Snyder supposed to play third against LH's Well now he's not and Holt is going against all types of pitching and hitting crappy. OK, we need Holt to play second in an emergency but we don't need Snyder in Boston if he's not going to play. Bring back Middlebrooks to play there and give the potential of some power before the roof falls in on us.. This is a close race we're in and we have to have the best men playing those positions as well as those who pitch. Time for the front office to wake up on this.

Both have showed why they have been minor leaguers for their careers Ted. When we face a lefty we need another power bat and for that we either bring up Middlebrooks or Bogey. Holt looks lost on third and isn't hitting anymore worth a damn and Snyder has been jerked in and out of the lineup so as not to have any real timing anymore. We need someone better at that position.

Just for the record, I've wanted Peavy on the Red Sox not just this summer but going back to the days he played for the Padres. We were talking about making a trade for him way back in 2007 but it went nowhere. I like his persona on the mound. He is all business and he can pitch effectively with four decent pitches. I'm expecting him to be a solid edition to our rotation.

That's what I was saying myself until recently. That is, until I saw just how good a hitter Garin Cecchini was. He needs to be in our lineup when he's ready and not be traded under any circumstances. As for Middlebrooks, I would love to see the Red Sox convert him into a first baseman instead of trying to trade or sign some guy for a year or two. An infield of Cecchini, Bogey, Pedroia and WMB would be formidable and for a good number of years. If the opposition want any of those players the Red Sox have to tell them to hit the road.

My guess is the Red Sox would like to add a solid starting pitcher to our mix but if the price is too high in their opinion they are going to just walk away. Can't blame them if the other team wants three or four of our better prospects for pitchers like Lee and Peavy, but, then again, when the hell is Buchholz going to be ready to get his ass out there and start pitching again, and is Jon Lester really "all the way back"?. Those are questions Cherington must answer this week.

You know what VA? You are right on this time. Linda always liked him and couldn't understand why I didn't, but you are wrong when you say I hated the Red Sox. I didn't; just didn't for them when they played in those WS. I was a NL fan until I came in out of the rain.....if I can use that expression and I have tried like hell since then to be as rabid and insane a Red Sox fan as I could be. Hell, I even get you and others upset because I come over the top when things go poorly. Suffice to say, if I knew then what I knew now I would be like the rest of you here. Whatever you may think of me, please be advised that I now live and die with the team and when they lose I actually walk the floor at night from time to time in total frustration. BTW, that was a good retort by you.

Well on TV he looked damn good. When he got in trouble in the sixth and seventh inning, he quickly got out of trouble. The game was televised on TBS and on WEEI which I got on my computer. He looked good on both. Now you or someone else tell me this: How do we beat Price tomorrow?

Dojii that's the $64 dollar question and the key to all this. Getting Jon back in form and Clay back in action wouldn't necessitate us trading a bunch of prospects for a quality starter. The question is whether Lester IS back or when is Clay going to be ready to start pitching for us again. Those two questions I can't answer.

Stallion, my guess is that the hammer is going to come down hard on Colon. He has been under suspicion for quite some time and already has been suspended once for drugs. Now that the A's have a commanding six game lead over Texas in the AL West they need to have a solid starter and they seem best positioned to go for Peavy. Unlike you, however, I would love to have Jake in our rotation. Not to be I'm afraid.

That's the spirit kid. Now can root for the Lakers in basketball and the Jets in football. Take your loyalty anywhere you choose, just like all the places where you have hung your hat.

If my post makes you "uncomfortable" it doesn't take much to shake your tree. Of course, I wonder what part of that made you uncomfortable, the fact that I once didn't like Yaz or the fact that I like him now. Please take all the time you need to answer.

Read my last post stupid!!!!!!

Well in one case you only need your eyes to get all the proof your need. Webster has be as bad as smell on s***. He gets routinely pummeled every time he starts a game for us, and he also seems to have a rough time making adjustments. Notice they are not starting him anymore? IMO he is not going to be anything but a guy with a great arm who can't seem to get people out. Barnes? He has been good but he has been bad as well and his progress has slowed the last year or so. He is doing little more than showing scouts that he is a No. type at best. I know one Red Sox scout out here where I live and two Rays scouts, one my daughter's God Father, the other one of my closest friends of whom I'm the Godfather of his son. They believe that. They also have a high regard for Henry Owens who is from Huntington Beach in So. Cal. I think he's the one to watch and both those gentlemen think the same.