seabeachfred

Who would you suggest? Again, in my opinion Theo has done a decent job for the most part. Yes, he has had some real bad screwups but let me remind you that Schilling WAS a Theo move and so was Foulke. He traded for Cabrera and Menky and Roberts, he signed Big Papi, refused to trade Manny for chaff, signed Matsuzaka, Drew and Lugo, and in the case of the first two it would work out for us very well. Let's give Lugo another few weeks because I think he will recover. What he has to do is admit mistakes and get rid of Pena, bring up Moss or Murphy or Ellsbury and try to get Lester ready as soon as we can for the back of our rotation.

Your retort to me is exactly what I mean about many Red Sox fans who get intrigued when Pena goes deep and helps win a game. The reasoning is that it is just a matter of time before Wily Mo starts doing that on a regular basis. Sorry, it doesn't work that way, hasn't worked for him, and won't work that way for us. His power is a tease that will eventually be seen for what it is-----promise unfulfilled.

Right Crunch; right on the mark. It astounds me how people keep harping on the fact that Pena only needs 500 AB's and he will become a power hitting machine. ********!!!!! He had those opportunities in Cincy and he always had to be either sent back down to the minors or benched because his strikeouts, runners left on base and his antics in the outfield made even the Reds realize that his assets don't even come close to his debits. You're probably right; Theo couldn't trade him if he wanted. This saga with him is going to end up in a tragedy unless we get rid of this guy. Somewhere down the line he is going to cost us a crucial game unless he is wired to the bench. If we cannot trade this guy this season he must be released at the end of the year. This Theo experiment has to be labeled the colossal failure that it is.

MTB, a short and very good post on your part. I think you are right. However, seeing how futile our offense was today I'm still extracting steam from the back of my head. You are probably on to something there because it does make sense even if Francona said it.

Leave the question mark out Rod and you've hit the daily double.

I've said it before and I will say it again and again and again......Tim Wakefield should not be starting any opening game of a series for us. It is an invitation to a disaster. He walks too many batters, always seems to have a bad inning or two no matter how well he pitches and the players no longer like playing behind him if the support he receives is of any indication. We need an offensive explosion Tuesday night or we'll be down 1-0 in the series. I have very little confidence left in Wakefield. I think he is just about done.

Ted, Francona is a horrible manager when it comes to strategy. He is there because he is a players manager and is pliable and cooperative with the FO. In other words, he will not rock the boat. All he might do is sink the ship and take us all down with him. The last two games were butcher jobs by the guy. It looks to me like he is entering a June swoon.

Chin Man, supposedly the Newark Star Ledger had a story where the Red Sox were reportedly shopping Wily Mo Pena about two weeks ago and that tells me two things if the story was true. One, our GM isn't trying too hard to trade the guy or, two, he isn't getting anything worth what he might want for him. As to the first, we all know Theo loves his young man-child and is loath to admit that getting him from the Reds last year instead of the more accomplished Austin Kearns was a rotten mistake and wants to justify that trade to tell everyone he told us so. As for the second, I could have told him that Pena wouldn't bring much back unless another player or two was included in a bigger deal for whatever the Red Sox were looking for. When you strike out about 40% of the time and can't field worth s*** you're not going to be on any team's wanted poster. The Padres might be able to take a flier on him because they are too lefthanded and lack power to the max but it would take a bigger deal for them to take Pena. I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that the big white elephant is with us the rest of the year, and hope to Heaven that he isn't next year. As for Crisp, forget it.

f***ing Pirates is right; they are a s***** team managed by one of the three shittiest managers in baseball. They could have mailed those three losses in; nothing was more certain that they would roll over and play like the disgusting jackels they are. Still, we didn't take care of business today and since Lugo got a hit in his last trip to the plate does it mean he stays at leadoff for another week? Knowing Francona I already know the answer.

Hopefully Daisuke will be fully on his game today; we might have to scratch for three or four runs to take the game. So far so good.

J.D. will be challenged today facing Randy Johnson but it looks to me that he has turned a corner and ought to be very productive from here on in with maybe an occasional bump in the road. I certainly hope, though, that we can do something with Lugo, like drop him down to eighth in the lineup. It could work. If numscull Grady Little can drop $45 million waste Juan Pierre down to eighth and get two hits out of him last night, Tito should be able to get the same from Julio. Of course, it didn't do Grady any good as his team got shut out again. We ought to do much better than that.

Chin, we need Lugo to get started for us.....to start getting some hits and getting on base and stealing a few sacks. If and when that happens the fans will rally to his support. If you remember he had always played well at Fenway and this seemed like a natural place for him to land. Fact is, I cannot understand what's happened to the guy. No doubt he is pressing but Tito has been completely patient with him waiting for the guy to erupt. Maybe a move down to eighth in the order might relax him a bit. Maybe.

With the Pirates no doubt ready to lay down like dogs again to the Yankees, if we want to keep our ten game lead over them we sure as heck better make it our business to win this game today. It won't be easy but it can be done if we get a stellar performance from Daisuke and our key hitters come alive with some big base hits. It would also be fine if somehow Lugo and Crisp found a way to find first base again. I only hope Theo is looking into some trades to upgrade the rest of our team because it becomes evident that Cocopops is just about beyond hope and Lugo seems unable to get out of his funk. Bad for me because I was talking him up, too, before the season started as just the spark we needed at the top of the order. Looks like I blew that one.

Guys, I just don't know how you can have running commentary while the game is going on. I guess I just have trouble blinking and chewing gum at the same time. Every time I try to join you guys in the middle of the game I get more pissed off at the proceedings. I had some bad feelings about tonight until we scored twice in the sixth but it was still touch and go. A very good win if you want my opinion; I guess even Crespo would agree with me on that, but I would like as many of you to give me your take on one aspect of this game. To wit, Was this was of Francona's worst managed games? From picking the batting order to the changes he made and those he didn't, was this a bummer for him, and indirectly for us? As much as I don't like Pena, he should be in the lineup tomorrow come what may. Crisp has got to be sat down. He is doing nothing----and in one instance I completely agree with Crespo "f*** You" Blows. Lugo should be hitting eighth, if not ninth. What the hell is his problem anyway?

Gentlemen, I'm going into my room and watch the Blue Jays-Dodgers game. I just can't take much more of seeing Lugo hit to the shortstop and Crisp bang one back to the pitcher. Why the hell are those two non-basers batting one-two? And why the hell is Manny resting? And why is a 300 hitter like Pedroia riding the pine? And when the hell is Lester going to be ready to be called up and start pitching for us. Taverez just does not have what it takes to be a starting pitcher. He was a flash in the pan last year; he looks absolutely s***** right now. Is this one of Francona's throwaway lineups. I've said enough guys; I am getting more pissed off by the second.