seabeachfred

Will you please relax about Dustin my friend. He is going to be fine. Did you watch him today? He hit and ran the bases well, even daring that lazy ******** Albert Castillo to try and get him at the plate on a routine grounder with the infield playing in. The kid has guts and gives 1000%, has hit well every place he's been, and brings an energy to our team. Oh yes, he made it home when the surprised Castillo made a piss-poor throw. A month ago some of the posters here might have been suggesting that he go and trade for this crumb to give us some experience at that position. Pedroia is going to be fine.

Hey, you guys slug it out over this phantom thread. Helton is not coming here. There is no deal in the works from what I've heard. Not a smattering of a rumor. I'm going to concentrate on this season and worry about 2008 after the World Series. There is some good news to report. Steve Phillips just predicted the Yankees are going to win the AL East and if Pavano comes through run away with the title. Gentlemen, our chances just increased 50% with those pearls of his.

My God, the sky is falling--we actually agree on something for a change. Thanks for coming over to the bright side. Wasn't Dice-K simply lights out this afternoon? There, something else we can agree on. When it comes to Schilling, though, he has all the get out of jail cards from me that he will ever need.

Well said Crunch. At least there are a few of us around here who can see the forest from the trees. Schill is a special case and he brings the Red Sox a lot more than just a solid pitcher. His experience would be priceless to our young pitching staff and his popularity with fans will be enduring long after he stops pitching. Besides, I hark back to his putting his career on the line for his team while more notables like Damon, Petey, and Lowe took the money and ran like hell away from us.

You bet your life ORS the Yankees will find another option and if the guy in Colorado is available, he's it. Do we resign Lowell and stop this ******** about Helton or do we take our chances and wind up with Veras or Valentin or Nehring type next year?

We agree ORS that this year it would improve the team; it is next year that you're worried about. Fine, but I happen to think that we could get at least three solid years from the guy, and for that I would more than we willing to take my chances on a guy who is hitting over 440 this spring and driving the ball. Some times you have to take a chance; you've heard of the saying--nothing ventured, nothing gained? And I don't consider it a wash. I think it is an advantage to us. I know no more than you do how this would play out over five years; I just have to go with a gut feeling. I also don't need to hear any of that dropping that day job crap either. You say Helton improves our chances but guarantees nothing. Nothing is guaranteed, but if your team is better with him the chances are better that you will go further. You say given the option of a WS Title now and maybe suffer the consequences of such a contract later you would grab it, but you really don't want to take such a chance. Sorry my friend, usually you are clear, to the point with no doubt where you stand, but your post is a lot of double talk nonsense. You have to take chances if you want to succeed. And, oh yes, fewer and fewer players are entering the free agent market. No s***!!!! But you tell me that some will anyway. Yeh? Who? You know for sure. You know their current teams won't resign them. We saw that happen with Wells, Ramirez and others this off season. I would rather have that bird in the hand than the two in the bush. Now I will concede this to you and all others who are leery of such a deal. If I could be sure that the Red Sox will resign Mike Lowell to a two or three year extention I would shitcan this Helton talk in two shakes of a monkey's ass. However, I have not even heard a hint of this and I know we will need a third baseman or a first baseman next year and I don't know of any that will be available. I'd rather strike while the iron is hot. Besides, all this may be moot anyway. I haven't even heard if Helton is still available. I just know the Yankees and if a panic mode sets it they go after any player who can help them. Helton would help them as Abreu did last season. I would rather have him if we could get him.

Tell me this ORS---Would you like to see Helton in a Yankee uniform? You heard it here first. If Menky doesn't do the job offensively, and he won't, the Yankees will pick up his contract as the trading deadline and we might be in very deep s***. No, I'm not clairvoyant but the Yankees have always liked to cut us off at the pass. Over on Dirt Dogs I told my friends there December a year back that if we didn't resign Damon the Yankees would swoop in and get him. I think they will do the same with Helton. Frankly I don't give a s*** about what might happen to him three years down the road. If he can help us win a World Series or two I say it's worth the stretch, and I don't want to see him in a Yankee jersey. If we could have gotten him and only Hansen or Delcarmen held up the deal then Theo was dumber than hell. I just wonder if we will get another crack at him.

Superfan, Piniero gave up a leadoff hit, then retired three in a row for a save. True, it was against AAA players but everyone with a bat in his hand is dangerous from where I sit looking at our bullpen. It has to be at least a little confidence builder. However, our closer situation is far from settled but Theo must give Tito the word that it cannot be Taverez or Hansen.

Pin got a ball up on the first batter and paid for it, but he got two outs with a runner in scoring position and got a save. Nothing earthshaking since it was mostly against AAA players but it was still a save and he got out of a little jam. That has to be at least a little encouraging. I still don't know about our closer, though.

Wager my friend? He will hit better than the 270's. Don't be surprised if he crashes 300 this year. This guy works hard and learns. He is a very smart player. He will make the necessary adjustments needed to keep getting better. I think you are really underselling him.

What Youk lacks in speed he more than makes up for his high OBA, his improved hitting and his work ethic. Managers and coaches love these type of players because you always know what you're going to get from them----at least 110%. Youk ought to be solid for us this year and for the next half dozen. He has those intangibles that don't show up in the box score but every good team needs a couple like him.