seabeachfred

Well your point is well taken with Roberts, Big Papi and the rest of the crew. It was, after all, a complete team effort. We could all go on for ever and ever on this and not reach common ground. Suffice to say that your side seems to have the high ground on this because the Red Sox are going to do what you, Kilo, Fried Neckbones and rest of that group suggests. I only hope that Schilling has a solid year and they can reward him with an extention before the season ends. If he has no contract at the end of the WS I think he is as good as gone, and that would be s***** in my opinion. I again reiterate when I've said before. Schilling should retire as a member of the Red Sox and not some other club.

If "Schilling is being treated the same god dam way that those 3 players you named", then to me the policy is bogus from the get-go. We lost all three didn't we? And their replacements were inferior in every way, shape and form. For that reason RSR, I think the Red Sox policy is in bad need of revision. True, Martinez came up lame last season, but he had a great 2005 season and if we had kept him we probably would have won the AL East and had a better chance of going deeper in the Playoffs. If we would have kept Lowe, that would also have made our pitching stronger because only Wells performed for us the whole year. As for Damon, you really want to compare him to the Crisp we saw last season? Where we do agree is that Schilling knows the score and is not surprised at the Red Sox stance. That I'm pretty sure of. He knows the score. The ones who cannot except that are those who do feel that what Schilling did went beyond the call of duty, and it is a simple fact that without Schilling in 2004 we not only would not have won the World Series, but it might have been difficult to get into the playoffs to begin with. Admittedly I'm very biased in this regard. I am a big fan of Curt Schilling and feel he has merited the right to be given special consideration for what he sacrificed in 2004.

It should be the end of story Head Nation; but it won't be. We'll be hearing from the anti-Schilling camp in short order. I just cannot fathom why that group cannot see that Schilling's case is a special one. He is not taking the money and running, he is not asking for an exhorbitant figure, he is not threatening to go to the Mets or Yankees, he wants to finish his career as a Red Sox. I would think after seeing the crap that Martinez, Lowe and Damon pulled this would count for something.

Just for the record Bud, J.D. Drew is going to have the best years of his career with the Red Sox. Too many Cardinal, Brave and Dodger fans have dissed this guy, but check his record the last three seasons. Except for getting hit on that wrist in the middle of 2005 he has been healthy and productive for his teams. In fact, when he got hit on the wrist two seasons ago he was blazing hot and headed for a great year after a very slow start. Drew will be one of more solid players for the next few years.

If the Red Sox continue to stiff Schilling the rest of the 2007 season and he gets his back up good and proper we could find him heading over to Yankee Stadium where George would have the check book ready for a one or two year contract. For the Red Sox and RSN that would be the classic total PR f***-up of all time, and we all know our team has had it's share of those things over the years.

Crunch, you, Va RSF, Bud Light and some of the rest of us in the pro-Schilling camp can imagine it, but frankly I don't think anything we say is going to change the minds of those who think that Schilling doesn't deserve any special consideration whatsoever. If they cannot understand that his case is unique, that he did something no other Red Sox player did or might even have tried to do, that he is not asking for the moon, that the Red Sox are awash in money. that he isn't worth two mil more than the likes of Gil Meche, well then, we are not going to get anywhere trying to change their minds. Maybe we are the ones who are wrong, though for the life of me I have never thought I've been on the right side of an argument as I am now.

Bravo Crunch. Excellent post and I hope I speak for all in the Pro-Schilling camp that believes he not only deserves an extention for what he has done for the Red Sox, but that he is well worth the money. To say Gil Meche is worth $11 million and Curt is not worth $13 is ridiculous in the extreme. Most Red Sox fans walk with a more cocky and confident attitude nowadays because of what he helped the team accomplish and none of us would feel so great about our team if what did happen had not. And it would not have happened without Schilling's possible sacrifice of his career for the whole lot of us.

You love him for what he did in 04 but holy f***s????? Well if you appreciate as much as I do what he did for us that season why do you think his request is so unreasonable? He won 15 games last year, didn't he, and with a popgun attack much of the time. None of our young gun pitchers will be ready this year or next according to most scouts and we can use Schill for the 2008 season. Perhaps he should wait until the AS break and if he does well then the FO can tender him an extention, but I still think his case in unique in what he has done for the Red Sox. I don't see the guy as the type to take the money and run like some of our esteemed former players have done. He wants to stay in Boston and pitch for us. To me, he is the exception to the rule in that regard and in my belief that he merits some special consideration.

That last paragraph of yours speaks volumes as to what is pissing me off right now. Schilling put his ass and career on the linefor us and deserves better consideratioin than he's getting now. Besides, neither Bucholz, Bowden or Bard are ready this year or next, and Lester can step into Wakefield's spot late this year or next. We could use Curt for one more year and I hope it gets done before the end of this season.

Yes Kilo, there are some health questions surrounding Schilling and most of them still hark back to those 2004 Playoffs when he risked his career to help bring a title to the Red Sox. As for his weight, Spring Training's regimen can enable him to shed some of those unwanted pounds. I think the FO is going your way on this thing and waiting to see how he pitches before offering him that extention and in normal circumstances with just about any other player I would say that's the wise course. It isn't with Schilling in my opinion. He has demonstrated his loyalty to the team, the fans, the FO and the city with what he did for us, and if you'll permit me to say so, you saying the FO owes Schilling and the fans nothing is bogus. The FO owes the fans the best team they can put on the field; our ticket prices are through the roof and normal fans have to scrimp and save to attend a couple of games a year, and me out on the left coast has to use most of my vacation time and money to plan two or three trips to Boston so I fan see our team play. I do it gladly but not if I would have to see a shoddy team on the field that I thought the FO put out there just to try and win on the cheap. As for Schilling, the FO, the fans and his teammates owe him plenty. Again, normally, I think most players are a bunch of greedy bastards who look at the money first and foremost. Curt is not doing that and I just think in his case he's the exception to the rule.

One reason the front office might do it for Schilling is because he put his ass on the line for the team in the 2004 Playoffs and probably ruined his 2005 season while he was about it. Sometimes sentiment is a good thing to show towards a player, especially one who pitched with a ripped ankle and probably had no business even being on the mound that fall. There's a big difference between Curt and those other three besides the risk to his career that he took. The other three took the money and ran like hell. Curt is not asking for the damn moon, just a one year extention. He wants to stay in Boston; the other three didn't. I am very pleased the way Theo went out and got us some good reinforcements this year but the way he and the powers-that-be are treating Schilling is pure ********. He deserves better than that.

Riverside, these pictures were on the Spring Training section on Dirt Dogs. Did you see all the interviews on NESN? Seems there is a lot of enthusiasm down there. Hopefully that deekwad Shaughnessy will stop trying to stir the pot and cause dissension in the ranks. He has already been at it with Schilling and now he probably is sharpening his sword for Manny who arrived in camp today.

Great pictures Nate. A few days back that first picture of Beckett throwing was on the first sports page of the Pasadena Star News (Calif) while stories about the Angels and Dodgers were in the back sections. When they had Matsuzaka on the front page yesterday with stories about the homes team below or in the back some of my neighbors were wondering what the hell was going on. Be advised, there is a lot of interest in the Red Sox out here. The talk is will it be the Dodgers, Cubs or Mets who will be playing us in the World Series. I deflect s*** talk like that and change the subject, but it is interesting so many people think this is our year. I choose to be cautiously optimistic. Thanks again for the pics.

Jackson, well you guys lost Abreu and Sanchez so we have to try and match your by having one of our guys go lame. It only means we have to have another go by the boards to even the score. Actually Timlin said on NESN that he thinks it's nothing serious but it is wise the Red Sox are going to be cautious with him. He apparently is in the mix for the closer position that I sure as hell hope someone wins in ST so we don't have to put Paps back in there.

Laugh if you will but I think Pedroia could become a second baseman Phil Rizzuto with more power. Look, I can see where your concern it; the guy didn't exactly tear up the pea patch last summer when he was brought up, but he hit in tough luck and was yanked in and out of the lineup. He has been successful elsewhere and it is just my opinion you are severely underestimating the guy. Like you, though, I have my concerns about our team, but they center in the closer's role and whether Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek will make decent comebacks to get us into the Playoffs. None of us know for sure how this thing is going to turn out, but I think a little optimism on all our parts would be great for the soul.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

EX, maybe it is my 30 years experience as a baseball coach. I have had Dustin Pedroia types on my teams, though none of them were apparently as talented as DP because only one made it to the top, and these type of scrappy players always seem to become over-achievers. They find a way to succeed, they find a way to better than the sum of their parts, they find a way to become winning ballplayers. I see Dustin around for a lot longer than five years, though.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Yea EX!!!!! Maybe we can start a Pro-Dustin club around here. I'm astounded so many posters are ready to diss this guy because of his slow start last August. To those of us who saw him he hit into some tough luck but also showed an ability to get some key clutch hits. I really believe this guy is going to be a solid player for us for a long time.:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

You are right 700; Major League pitchers can easily exploit batters who take humungous swings, but it is much easier to tone a swinger like that down than it is to make a wimpy swinger more aggressive. Dustin went to college, has always been considered a heady ballplayers. We will adjust. Remember, he got no chance to work on his swing last ST because he hurt his shoulder on the first day and missed the whole camp. He ought to come out of ST much more finely tuned.

First of all 700, the guy does NOT have limited skill. He has starred every place he has played and at Arizona State he was one of the two or three best hitters in the nation. As far as no pop, I think you might ask Randy Johnson about that as he almost took him out of the yard last year. Yes, he was a little overweight but, then again, the brass told him to put some pounds on. It was terrible advice but as a minor league trying to break in he had to comply with what he was asked. I think too many of you are underestimating this kid. Again, he has performed outstandingly every place he has played. Even if he gets off to a slow start the first month, by the end of the season he will be vieing for the AL Rookie of the Year. Yes, I hold Dustin with that high regard. :D :D

I get you Ex, and my post wasn't meant as a slam at you at all. We had two guys voted in the Hall of Fame this year that exemplified what you were saying-----Tony Gwinn and Cal Ripken Jr. However, there seem to be a helluva lot more selfish me me me players today than every before, and I either accept reality or turn my back on baseball altogether and that is something I could never do.