seabeachfred

What I remember about the 2004 World Series? That is was the best birthday present I ever received. I happened to be in New York at the time for the 100th Anniversary of the New York City Subway, October 27, 1904----October 27, 2004. I was giving the Yankee fans there a lot of s*** from what had transpired in the ALCS and was backed my the Mets fans who had been rotting for us to beat their hated co-residents. That night I watch the game in my hotel room with my Yankee fan roomate putting plugs in his ears and refusing to watch the game. Screw him I said and enjoyed every minute of it. The ALCS was a dream come true and for me it happened in the 8th inning of the 6th game when A-Fraud was called out at second base after his cheap and illegal shot at Bronson Arroyo. It was right then I told my Linda that this was it.......we were not going to win this series and then take care of the Cardinals in the Fall Classic. I just knew it when the umps made that decision.

We all know that should be the priority Sox Sport but we are also so painfully aware that the Red Sox heirarchy is made up of a lot of bean counters who make paralysis by analysis a second hobby. What they had better understand is that if they are seeing a decline of ticket buyers now, see what happens if they get off to another miserable start. I don't live in the Boston area but have met many who still have relatives living there and the word I get is that fans and the press are very angry at Henry and his minions and whether justified or not consider him a cheap bastard, Lucchino an irrating and hateful meddler and Cherington as a risk adverse fool. All this can be overcome by a surprisingly good start but for that to happen you have to put your best players on the field. What irritates somewhat is this talk of an extra year of control. The team can extend such players before they get to their walk off season if they are of a mind to do it. This whole non-sensical drivel is really one big canard as far as I'm concerned. Where there is a will there is a way.

In my opinion this constant talk about Iglesias is a study in silliness. We have Boegarts about a year to a year and a half away. The guy is projected to be a tough hitter and coupled with Milebrooks at third gives us a solid combo on the left side of the infield diamond for years to come. Iglesias cannot hit; all this talk about his progress in the Spring and against minor league pitching he is now hitting a robust 217. To put him as our regular SS for the future could and would cause a ripple effect within our infield. It means either or both Middlebrooks and Boegarts would have to be moved to another position and that would weaken our defense in maybe two spots, certainly in one of them. We have a surplus of young SS prospects as we do catchers. Maybe it would be in Cherington's best interests to maybe trade one or two of these for a young pitching prospect or two.

rj---were you just rortiz before and changed your handle or is that a different guy. Just trying to keep things up in my program.

Congrats on getting a job Doj. It is great for one's pride and morale if he can find work and contruibute to his and and his family if he has one---especially if he was unemloyed through no fault of his own. Last season I left this board in May because I was so damn mad that I didn't want to subject my colleagues to some of my infantile and angry rants. Of course, a couple of people thought I just chickened out. Go figure. We lost to the Yankees today but in defiance I put on my red 2007 Red Sox World Champions shirt. What I don't want to see is our team lose a great number of Grapefruit League games as we did when he lost 12 in a row back in '11. It would be nice to enter the season with a little confidence and some momentum.

You coach and I coached......My opinion is that Bradley is the real thing. He stays very well inside the ball, has a short and compact swing and keeps his head low into the strike zone. He is going to be a terrific player for us. If we can start him as a regular we should give him a look. However, not a platoon. This guy has got to play. OTOH, I believe I was right on Mauro Gomez. He stinks to high heaven.

You coach and I coached......My opinion is that Bradley is the real thing. He stays very well inside the ball, has a short and compact swing and keeps his head low into the strike zone. He is going to be a terrific player for us. If we can start him as a regular we should give him a look. However, not a platoon. This guy has got to play.

So do I BSN. I say he is worth a shot. Besides, who else is out there that could give us a little extra depth that we all know we will need before this season is done?

Geez Palodios, do you really think you're a ballwasher? No damn way!!!! Look, you bring a very refreshing and open mind to the things you post---and I'm not blowing smoke up your rear end when I say this. As a matter of fact, you would be an excellent middle man to referee when the two camps go at it. When you take someone to task you do it in a classy manner and I can't think of too many people on this board I hold in higher esteem. When you give me the business I know I probably have it coming. Just keep rolling along.....I will also bet that on this issue most of the posters agree with me.

RSF3, living down in Fort Myers, have you attended any ST games this March? If so what are your general impressions. Can we turn the corner and put last season deep in our rear view mirror. As for Bard, I think he should start the season down in Pawtucket. I'm not sure he has conquered whatever brought him down last season, including his ill advised wish to be a starting pitcher.

We all have our moments BSN and I can include myself as one of the guilty parties from time to time, but your post speaks volumes about while we all love our Red Sox, we show it in different ways. I posted something similar last week. I guess it is just the fact that we root and react differently from each other. I wish I could take it easy as you, Bellhorn, even mvp and others take things in stride, but I was warned by my good friend and neighbor Dick Pedrotti back in 2000 when I told him I had become a Red Sox fan after going to a game at Fenway. He told me my personality might not be conducive to rooting for such a team when things get tough. Boy, was he right. For the record, Dick was a bonus baby with the Red Sox in 1951 and if his shoulder hadn't gone out on him might have been either the shortstop or third baseman in the 50's into the 60's. The guy was a fantastic hitter at Pasadena City College and the Sox were very high on him. Yes, he still roots for the Red Sox and tries to keep me in line.

Well at least she didn't mention anyone on this board but very deftly moved it on to the call-ins on the radio who bitch and moan more than anyone of us could at our best. I also think she might have had you, Sox Sport, Iortiz and me on that list, but I can only speak for myself. I am very critical when I see some of the s*** that has been going on with our team the past year plus. In fact, I really haven't liked what I've seen for the past four. As for mvp, yes, I have said not winning a division, AL or WS constitutes failure to me, but as far as being pissed off if we made the playoffs, well, that is way off the wall of the biggest nut house on the planet. Of course, I want to see the Red Sox in the playoffs because if they get in, who knows? They might actually get hot and do something. You can succeed unless you first get into the house. Right mvp? Now that we've got this crap out of the way, can we move on to the upcoming season which I think all of us are anxiously awaiting?

Let it go Ted. We all know the three or four she is talking about and it's best if we just take it all with a fine grain of salt. There is no Red Sox fan in this universe who would be angry to see our team in the Playoffs this season, but it's possible she is thinking of some living in some outer galaxy. When are you getting back?

When I look into Cherington's whole body of work since he became GM in October of 2011 the results overall are far from impressive. We needed some pitching help for 2012 and he didn't get that for us unless Germano, Silva eato and Carpenter fit your fancy. His best signing was Cody Ross and then he blew it by letting him walk and signing an inferior defensive player in his spot who may not hit 22 homers and drive in over 80 runs. Personally I think the guy is risk averse and is very hesitant to put his ass on the line, and I still wonder just how much power he really has with that snake Lucchino still pretending he is a baseball guru. From our pitching standpoint we have to hope that Webster does very well at Pawtucket and is on the fast track to Boston or that Aceves finally gets his s*** together and starts pitching with the ability he has shown on occasion.

Doj, the Red Sox were sitting in the tall cotton when they signed Swihart. He has a full ride to Texas, one of the best baseball colleges in the country and had three other major schools trying to recruit him. When he signed with the Red Sox, they put some film on him hitting on their website and as a baseball coach for over 30 years I could tell that this kid was a hitter. He had quick hands, hit from both sides of the plate and hit line drives consistently. Oh yes, he will be facing better pitching as he rises in the organization but a guy who has these kind of tools should be watched very carefully. I know Vasquez has a gun for an arm but his hitting is suspect even in the minors. If by some chance Iggy makes it as our SS there is no way I want two black holes in the lineup.

I think Swihart will be our starting catcher in a couple of years if Lavarnway doesn't get his act together or gets traded. Swihart (and I momentarily forgot his first name) can hit, has a power stroke and is rated very highly by the Red Sox. Well, that's my prediction.

Jung, if you remember just after the train wreck of 2012 there was some strong differences of opinion as to whether the Red Sox should resign Ortiz at all since he was big, heavy and had leg problems. Those who wanted him signed followed the front office as they believed he had some stuff left in his tank and would most likely be ready in ST. Then there were those of us who said no way, do not sign him and if you do, one year only with a club option. This is NOT an I told you so missive, but I wonder if there were differences of opinion in the FO about whether to resign him or not. Frankly, I think Lucchino was thinkin of the GATE and Henry of TV ratings, and for that reason believed Papi would bring the people into Fenway while the TV rating would go through the roof. In retrospect we might got stuck with a turkey of a signing unless David mends in a hurry and can get back into the lineup by May 1.

Didn't realize Linares' defense was so suspect but I am looking at anyone who could give us some sock at the plate that might be better than Overbay, Nava and Sweeney. As for Bradley, if they bring him up they have to play him in my opinion. Sitting on the bench does him little good, and what of the seven years instead of six that the front office might be worrying about? Is it better to let him start at Pawtucket and then bring him up in 12 or so days, or do the Red Sox say s*** with this, he is good and we want him and we will worry about the six years when the six years are up? I can't figure the FO's take on this. Personally I would love him in the lineup but I don't write the checks and it isn't me who might have to deal with Boras down the line.

Something to think about on the part of the front office Doj. We can sure use a decent hitter on the bench and for emergency starting duty what with Ortiz and Drew maybe out for awhile. I'm not sure that Linares is too well regarded by the Red Sox. They kind of dumped him down to the farm pretty rapidly last Spring if memory serves me right. Of course, you shouldn't be surprised I would agree with you on this one knowing how little I hold Sweeney and Nava as contributing ballplayers. I'm not high on the rapidly fading Overbay either while Carp is an enigma to me.

Those concussions are very tricky and dangerous and we could see Steven Drew out for a a couple of months unless he and the team get lucky and he has a quick recovery. I hope that happens. As for Papi there was a story that he has even more pain when he tried to run yesterday. I think this is going to be a slow diminution of his career because his injury occurred in July and he hasn't improved at all. In fact he seems to be getting worse. Te rest of the team is going to have to step up and the pitching is really going to have to be good since we most likely will not hit with the force we would have with Ortiz and Drew in the lineup. Sorry to say it but I think as soon as Iglesias starts facing ML pitching on a regular basis we'll be looking for a good pinch hitter in close games after the seventh inning.

I remember that Overbay too Youk, but the latest editions of this Overbay bears no resemblance to that one. This was is a washed up and dried out prune. If he has anything left in the tank would surprise the hell out of me. I only wish Lavarnway would get off the dime, start hitting as he did back in 2011 and force his way into the lineup. And, please, don't mention Nava who is supposed to be given a whirl at first. He is a total waste.

The only way he can prove you wrong SCM is if he hits over 30 homers, drives in about 80-85 runs, hits around 265, learns how to handle pitchers and doesn't strike out 140 times as he did last season. Looks like you will be right in your assessment. It would be nice if we were both wrong on this, though. With Ortiz out for who know how long, it would be nice to see Jarrod finally live up to the hype that first Epstein and now the rest of he front office have thrown his way.

I also think he is a premier talent and I was overjoyed when he was brought up in 2007 and set the league on fire that September and later in the World Series. Those two major injuries were very freakish, wierd and off the wall, but what concerned me was how long it took him to mend. This year is the key. If he rakes he will get a big contract and I wouldn't mind seeing him in the same outfield with Bradley for five or six more years. Here's my fear, though. From the rumors I've read about, from some of the things posters have missiled the past year or so and from the silence of the Red Sox front office, it hints that Ellsbury wants out of Boston, will give us no home discount, and that the Red Sox will tender him a big deal. I also don't think he has to do what he did in 2011 to get teams interested. If he hits something like 310, hits 20 or so homers and steals 40 bases he will get a sizable offer. If he gets hurt again, though and misses significant action, he may just sign a parachute contract with some team for a year and hope he can cash in the following year after an injury free and production season.

Thanks mvp; you read me well. Those were my points. We may have to hold onto Aceves until Webster is ready and I think a little time down at Pawtucket will do wonders for him. I think in this case this prospect can use a little more experience before he is brought up for good. And, who knows? Maybe Farrell will be able to handle Aceves. Either that or he may be gone, but the best scenario he keeps his nose clean until Webster is ready and, hopefully, Morales is ready to return.

Here's the problem with that BSN. We are pretty short of depth in the rotation....we have Lester, Buchholz, Dempster, Lacker and Doubrant, but what's after that? Morales is hurt and Webster is back in the minors. As distasteful as it might be to you and others, including me, we may be forced to hold on to the guy until either Webster is brought up, or Morales mends---or preferably both.