seabeachfred

Well here we go again irotiz!!!!!! Do we or don't we? With John Lackey gone for at least 15 days we are denuded of depth in the starting pitching department. Harang might be a decent fit but not if the Rockies get greedy now that three teams seem interested in him and start raising the ante. If that happens we should tell the Rockies to buzz off. It should cost us a mid to low level prospect and that is all. Of course if dickweed Aceves could get his s*** together and take over that 5th spot and pitch up a storm we wouldn't need Harang. Come to think of it, Aceves will probably pitch Friday even though with an off day tomorrow we could skip that fifth spot if Farrell wants to.

His defense is very important BSN but Ross is going to have to hit a little unless we can have a good half-dozen players banging away at the same time. When the team doesn't hit a hole or two in the lineup looks like a cave-in. That's why I wished Lavarnway would not have s*** the bed in ST. If he could have shown he could hit well enough to play regularly we would have gotten a catcher who could do both. As it is we have a good defensive man in Ross and supposedly a hitter in Salty, though he hasn't shown too much yet, has he?

Aceves is a real dickweed at times but I wonder if he actually do better as a starter for us this time around. Word is he has always wanted to start and maybe a solid pre-game routine will set him on the right road. He sure hasn't done well as a reliever so far and since there is no one else what do we have to lose? Well a game, sure, but if we go out there and hit with some authority in our yard we could prevail. I now wonder with Lackey out for 15 days (at least) whether we will make a move to trade for Harang or fill in that rotation spot with Aceves or someone else in house.

No doubt Dojii has an obsession with Nava. To me he is a journeyman and nothing more, but let the guy have his jollies, at least today anyway. We should all appreciate what the guy did in that big seventh for us. I also think he might now be a better fit for us than Carp is, though I have to admit I haven't seen enough of Carp to really get a good feel on him. My question is can Nava actually keep playing consistent ball all season for us, not running up humongous numbers but at least not fading away after a hot month or so.

Don't get too big a head my friend because he could go South again, but right now you look like a freakin' genius and I salute you. You have never wavered on Nava even when he slowed down last year and today he and you hit one out of the park. Right now you can be the biggest Nava homer that you want. I only wish that this time around he doesn't slow down after another terrific start. I know it's always great when a fan likes a certain player better than his colleagues and the guy comes through big time and Nava sure did that today. Know what? The guy doesn't look all that bad in the outfield and he didn't look too shabby at first when he played there. Well at any rate, today, you can take the biggest kuddo of all of us.

LA Times today. The Rockies traded for Harang and gave the Dodgers Ramon Hernandez, and then DFA'd Harang. It is possible they are trying to trade him to the Red Sox or some other team. He might be worth a shot if the Rockies don't get greedy and ask for a ransom in exchange.

Mannyhof, I read in the Bleacher Report that Ellsbury said he would like to stay in Boston. Maybe some others picked up on that. It's the first time I've heard him say that and maybe with a solid year and a good team performance we might actually pull it off. I still think he bolts but not as much as I did before.

Ciriaco is who he is---as the saying goes. A fine utility player who can play three infield positions and who has some sting in his bat, especially against the fast ball. However, he gets exposed badly when he plays for long stretches and he still has trouble with breaking ball pitches. What's worse is that he hacks and hacks---very little plate discipline. I like having him on the team----if he is used properly and a full time regular is not being used properly in my opinion. There is a good reason that at almost 28 he has been a decade plus minor leaguer, and also keep in mind the Pittsburgh Pirates got rid of him. Keep him around and use him as a fill in and occasional starter and I believe we will get the best out of him.

Yesterday was disappointing Station 13 but nothing anyone can do about it now. As Jason Bay said, "get it done" today. It is also been mentioned already in this thread that we go nowhere this season without solid pitching and we have one of our two best out there today. We need to see Jon more economical in his pitches so he can go deeper into the game instead of just five innings. We need him to get that habit forming, and we need Napoli and Middlebrooks and Pedroia to rake better than they have so far. I see no reason why we can't win today. We all know coming home 4-2 is better than coming home 3-3, especially having to take on the Orioles and Rays in succession. As was said earlier, "get it done".

If the tests came back fine that's a big relief for us because we cannot afford a major injury to our rotation, especially so early in the going. Still, I would hope they would run more tests to see if there aren't some booby traps in his shoulder, wrist, forearm or wherever he felt some strain. I also wish you hadn't mentioned Middlebrook's scare in ST. When I heard that I nearly barfed on the floor. Somehow, someway, we have to bypass the big injury bug for once in several seasons, but, yes, the Lackey thing this afternoon did remind me of what happened to Will last month. Some of us can get a little cynical at times SFF but your upbeat candor is refreshing. Keep it up, and let's be sure we leave Toronto tomorrow with a 4-2 record heading home.

Dismiss what you just said? No way Sox Sport, but I think we have to look at this a little deeper than that. Our weak hitting performance today could be just a one game passing fancy or it could be the potential of a serious problem. Frankly, I don't know, and I don't think Farrell knows at this early juncture. Certainly we need a strong defense, but right now we have two pitchers who look like they can be the bellcows of the pitching staff. The other three? Well, I would think when they pitch we will need some lusty hitting to help them out. You're spot on with needed a solid #3 starter. To me there's no doubt of that and one of our three other starters are going to have to step up, either that, a trade, or a promotion of Webster if he's ready. Keep in mind that Napoli, Middlebrooks and even Pedroia haven't really caught fire yet, and we still have the catching to sort out. Getting back to Fenway Park might be an elixir for them, but to me the key is getting there 4-2 instead of 3-3. For that to happen we need a good game from everyone tomorrow. Within the next dozen games we'll get a much better read on our team and its chances.

beatz, we're neighbors. I live next door in Arcadia. Fill me in where in Pasadena you live.

All we can do is give the team a mulligan for today's game and get them tomorrow. Lackey looked as if he was really hurting but then we get the news that it's not that bad. Pardon me if I'm skeptical knowing the reputation of our medical staff, but this time I will take their word for it because I want to see John Lackey come back strong and pitch well for us. Face it, you can't do too much with only two hits, especially when Aceves gives up one of his now patented three run homers with that meatball pitch of his. Let's get them tomorrow guys and gals and put this one in our rear view mirror.

Well Pal if you were calling this like I think you were hinting you hit a homer. You can't do much with only one hit and Happ was good enough to get a good five innings plus to stop us cold. Without trying to raise anyone's hackles it looks like Aceves got steamcleaned again, but since we are pretty much out of this game he could get a mulligan on his less than stellar performance. We'll have to hit better tomorrow for Jon to win the rubber game.

Simmons get silly sometimes but he can be enjoyable to watch because you know right off the bat that he loves the Red Sox. The Bruins, Celtics and Patriots? I don't care too much for him on that since my teams in those sports are the Ducks, Lakers and Dolphins. He really got my goat in the 2010 NBA Finals with his droning on about the Celts while I was a nervous nelly hoping my Lakers could win those last two games in LA. One place where I really dug Simmons was on the first 30 of 30 show when the feature was called "Four Days in October", those days where our team made that magnificent comeback from down 0-3 to best the Yanks four straight. His partner at the bar in that show was this Lenny character who played the uncle on Fever Pitch. If you don't have this dvd, get it. It's a hoot.

OK, I'll take your word on that. Let's see from here on in if we can respect one another without getting disrespectful if we happen to disagree on some topic. We are, after all, in the same boat and want our team to win.

Good article redsoxbeatz. From where I sit it is hard to get a handle on things after only four games but so far, so good, and the team is off to its best early start in a few years. With Ortiz out and still not sure when he will be ready to play and how long it will take him to get his timing down against live pitching, Jackie is with us and contributing and I have little doubt he can handle the job. He is a unique talent in that regard. What happens later is anybody's guess but he has given us a spark and right now I am not worried about 2019 but 2013. I don't always agree with Simmons but on this one I think he makes some sense.

Thanks Wyo. Good advice to go by---and believe me, I do not want a flame war around here. This recent stuff between SCM and I came when I panned Aceves for that meatball he gave up to Wells on Wednesday night. I was one of about seven who did, and one of the last, but SCM singled me out and ripped me for ripping the guy. Then he dredges up all phony stuff from the past and even when I tell how those things happened he refuses to buy it even though he most likely knows that stuff was bogus. Fan of this team or that---what crap. I was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a kid in Queens, and in 2000 became a Red Sox fan after looking for decades for a team t o hang my hat on, but that guy seems intent to just irritate me. Anyway, I will try to avoid him if I can. You know what else? The said he didn't like my avatar and keeps bringing it up.. How silly is that? Anyway, thanks again Wyo. We should all be happy after last night and how about if there is no rubber game tomorrow. I would love to see John Lackey give us a strong performance and pick up a win for himself and the team.

Look MVP, I am more than willing to stop this nonsense between us. I did ask you to give me a buzz where we can sit down and talk baseball and end this pissing contest. I don't want a war either. In fact, I went to bed last night very unhappy when I should have been elated that we won a well played game. You can call me collect if you wish, or tell me how to get in touch with you. No one wants to get banned here, certainly I don't. I'm willing to try like hell to end this conflict. Let's see if we can move on from here.

We'll see how open minded User is tomorrow when all this sorts out Ted. He knows now I am not the ******* here-----SCM is, and a real one at that. True, though, as you said, that those guys have had trouble with other posters as well. When you consider all the people who post here and I have trouble with only four, that's a pretty small percentage. Anyway, good win tonight. I will say this, though. I will try and get along with User if he meets me half way----I want no part of mvp since I dont think any reproachment is possible with him. As for SCM, I hope he turned in by now so he is not late to the social security office tomorow to pick up his welfare check and food stamps. See you tomorrow my friend. And you owe me a call.

Then it will be tit for that loser. I think you need to get laid real bad. See if you can find some lady of the night to accommodate you. An anal transplant to what passes for your brain would also help but I think the anal would reject you.

Thanks for the attempt User. That olive branch will work fine with you and I because we can work on it. It apparently will not work with SCM. He's got a wild hair up his rear end and if he wants to g o tit for tat I will. I'd rather not but I'm sitting still for his nasty missives.

Yes, you're right about that, but that guy has been on my case since I came back on this board over a year ago. He brings up s*** he has to know is false but keeps doing it. He put me on ignore some time back and I said good idea. Well apparently he decided to not ignore me and try to get my goat. If he shuts his face and says nothing to me I will be most happy to reciprocate. Anyone who doubts I'm a Red Sox fan has to have something loose somewhere. Even two of my severest critics on this board, User and mvp know better.

User, you will see that most of the time I insult players on the team or the front office and only after someone answers my post with an personal insult do I retaliate. I try like hell not to get into pissing contests with my colleagues. You and I have disagree with how the team is being run and I don't ever remember calling you out personally until you did it to me first. There may have been a time or two that I did slip but I try not to make it a habit. SCM and I went at it because I ripped Aceves and then he got personal and ripped me. Read the exchanges. mvp has been antagonistic to me and 700 for months and while I would like to send the pissing contest between the two of us, it was I who made the move to end it with a pm to the guy. I just want to discuss baseball on this board. If you or no one insults me personally I will not respond back, and how silly is it that SCM doubts that I am a Red Sox fan? Is he really that out of it to believe that? And if I want to pan Aceves I will and shouldn't have to hear personal insults from that guy because he doesn't agree with me and is an Aceves fan. Let's see it we can put this behind us and move on starting tomorrow....or tonight.

It's early SoxSport but I think you can already see a difference in the team. These were the kind of games we lost last year, surrendering a lead and then losing the game late or in extra innings, especially all the ones we lost at Fenway. Didn't happen that way tonight. We gave up the lead and then came back in the 8th and 9th to score and win the game. Not sure about Doubrant though. They Jays seemed to be timing his pitches pretty well so I would venture to say that Felix is still a questionmark of sorts heading into the second week. I sure hope John Lackey can come through tomorrow. Winning the first two series can be a welcome shot in the arm for the Red Sox.