seabeachfred

Good starting pitching boys, good starting pitching!!!!!!!! That's where we have to put our money, otherwise he load up on those low risk, high reward types that have never worked out for us. I don't know what is going on in Prune Face and Cherries collective heads but you cannot slug your way to a title if your pitching stinks. Right now most of our does. Sandoval is a good talent but one we can afford to do without unless we can get both him and those two quality starters not named Masterson,, Hummels, Liriano and Santana. Otherwise s*** can it.

Well we all agree that A-Fraud is a total dip s***, but a better question would be why the Yankees want him back in the first place? The guy is a total virus to the team and organization and despised by his own Players Association members. I think I know why though. The Pinstripers are hoping that he has one last good season in him and can help them reach the playoffs. That team is so devoid of decency and class that they would sell their own mothers down the river to sniff a chance at another WS Title.

I like you SFF. You're a good baseball man and a very devoted Red Sox fan, but I'm afraid you haven't learned a damn thing about the Yankees mendaciousness when it comes to free agent ballplayers. You apparently didn't learn from late 2005 when they said they weren't interested in Johnny Damon. And what happened? They said they weren't in the race for Mark Teixiera after the 2008 season. And what happened? They said they were not really thinking about Ellsbury as our season wound down last year. And what happened? My God, you got to get your head out of your pocket. You cannot believe a damn word that team says. They are liars and phonies par excellence and the spending limit doesn't mean a damn thing to them. Lester might not get to the Yankees but I wouldn't count it out by any means because they've hook winked us before---well they hook winked you but I know those bastards better than most and I don't believe one twit of what they tell people. If they turn the screws and nab one of our former star players they will.......and don't you ever forget that ever again.

Station, don't believe a freakin' word Jacko or any Yankee fan tells you-----they are going to spend heavily again this winter and damn going over the salary cap. They always say they're not interested in top free agents then go ahead and sign Johnny Damon and Mark Tiexiera, both of whom the Yankees denied they were interested in. They will say the same thing and do the opposite of what they say again off season, and this time I hope the Red Sox brass doesn't drink the Kool Aid and get snookered by them over a FA we may be interested in. The Yankees never rebuild and never will as long as that ownership is in control. They go for a WS win every year and so I would advise you to keep your eye on them because they are preparing to go to the their vault as we speak.

Doj---did you by any chance read Francona's book? In it he details all the BS that took place in those meetings about how to try and win, keep the fans coming into the park, and get top notch TV ratings. Werner was complicit in this farce with his emphasis on getting "sexy" players, what ever the hell that meant. He was more worried about TV rating than winning according to Tito. Many now believe Theo was forced into those signings because Larry wanted to win big NOW, Werner wanted those TV ratings, and Prune Face abrogated his responsibility when he didn't stand up to those two baboons and simply let Epstein run the show as he promised he would let him do after the gorilla incident after the 2005 season, and because by 2010 Lucchino once again had maneuvered his way into baseball operations. That was a place and is a place he is not qualified for and we keep seeing him do this time and again while the Prune looks the other way.

I think you might be right on that my friend. I'll tell you this SFF, Webster will never amount to a hill of cow puke unless he learns to attack the strike zone and stop pitching scared. A reliever who will not attack the zone is destined for utter failure, but if he pitches differently in a relief role I think he might turn out fine there. As for RLR, he blows so hot and cold as a starter that I wonder if we'd see the same type of inconsistent crap we saw from him as a starter. Again, though, I think both have the stuff to be top notch relievers if only they could screw their heads on right.

NS---Once again you pull no punches and get right down in the trench. I love it. You're a tough bastard. And Webster does suck muddy canal water.

Make that double ditto guys.

Come on Bell---how can you even try to argue that point. We lost Rizzo who is now an authentic slugging first baseman with a great career ahead of him and in return after all was said and done were two miserably inconsistent pitchers who can give you one good game and three or four bad ones. Of course, I warned everyone who would listen that De La Rosa was a pack of Confederate quarters who you couldn't depend on except on rare occasions and Webster was even worse. You think we can win with those two cruds in our rotation? No Way Jose!!!!!!!!!

For that I feel so damn happy I could s***!!!!!

Because our young rookie players, Bogie and Bradley, did so poorly this season, my concern is that the front office may be gun shy in giving our other young prospects a solid chance to crack the lineup the next couple of years......I'm talking Cecchini, Swihart and especially Betts. It's too bad the B and B were so bad this year. I expect Bradley gone by next season either to the minors or out of town. As for Bogaerts, I still have problems with the way he was so miserable hitting with RISP. If he doesn't improve in that category next season he will become a full fledged dud.

The prospect report on Bogaerts will be a lot different this winter. Please face it, the guy stunk this season. His average was fine until Drew was signed but there was little power and practically no runs batted in because the guy was close to being the worst clutch hitter in the league. He stunk to high heaven in those situations and right now he is far from a 30 homer fan at shortstop. In addition SFF if he does next year what he did this year and doesn't show a 100% improvement in hitting with RISP we will have certified dud on our hands.

Kelly is at best a No. 3 and that's that. He will most likely win more games than he loses but he will never carry a team on his back. Buchholz is a disaster waiting to happen, either by sleeping wrong of falling on this way to the dugout (think 2013). Webster has that deer in the headlights look about him and for the most part he sucked this season. That is a rotation????? As for the position players, Betts looks like the real thing. We will have to see how he pans out over the course of the season but I think he's going to be just fine. Vazquez, however, is simply a weak hitter who has no power and is not a threat at the plate. Yes, defensively he is solid but he is a pretty much one trick pony. As for Bogaerts the guy was a total choker this season, and he didn't field well, wasn't too swift upstairs on the bases, showed immaturity and a near collapse when he was supplanted by that ridiculous signing of Stephen Drew. Even though he had reason to be disappointed by that he had no reason to go deep into the tank. And he still had trouble hitting with men on base even at the end of the season. So your evaluation of that "Dirty Half-Dozen" shows me little save for one or maybe two of them.

Doj, no one is arguing against your logic on this---at least I'm not, but the fact is you need an ace to win a World Series and we've proven that axiom three times over the past 11 seasons, and this season the Giants proved it with Madison Bumgarner. I have some deep suspicions about the instructors and teachers in our farm system because there is no excuse for not developing some good solid pitchers the past decade or so. Either our scouts suck in evaluating pitchers or our instructors suck in teaching and developing good throwing habits. Until that is rectified we may have to go more to the trade and FA route for an ace and co ace. Right now it seems to be the nature of the beast.

Gonzales spent most of his 2011 season with us complaining about the Thursday night games before a flight out of town for a Friday night game---as if he couldn't get some rest in between. Hell, even a pain in the ass like Manny thrived despite those "inconveniences". He also couldn't put the Dodgers on his back and carry them through the Playoffs because he doesn't have leadership qualities and he sure didn't show that in 2011 despite his good hitting stats. And in 2012 before he was sent packing he was back biting Valentine and then the Boston fans. He didn't like Valentine's style and the Boston fans were too demanding. He was a horse dung fit for Boston---and without him we actually did better the next year with team players like Napoli, Victorino, Gomes, Ross, Koji and Dempster. I don't miss Gonzales at all.

I like the signing, and if we can add two good middle relievers, one a very dependable eighth inning shut down hurler and one who can close when Koji isn't available, well then that would be heading in the right direction. 700 Hitter put it well a little while ago. Aside from Papi, the whole team s*** the bed this season. We need to make amends and get back to winning as soon as possible---like 2015.

No SFF, you don't need a homegrown ace to win the World Series. BUT YOU SURE AS HELL NEED AN ACE TO WIN ONE. 2004--Curt Schilling, 2007--Josh Beckett, 2013--John Lester. Case closed!!!!!

You usually get what you pay for and if the Red Sox think they can win on the cheap they are once again whistling past the graveyard. They went this rout in 2009 and 2010 and it got us nowhere with a bunch of lame excuses along with them. Remember some of the losers we signed and how crappy they turned out, pitchers and position players? Remember Melancon, Padilla, Stewart, Liullibridge, Repko, Valencia, Beato, Ohlendorf, Thomas, Silva, Cameron, Wheeler, Hattovoy, Gathright, Penny, Bonser and Martinez?????? Hell, even the over the hill Smoltz. I remember very very well. I really think the press, media, fans and everyone else must keep Henry's feet to the fire and make it clear that RSN is not going to stand for another season like two of the last three.

I don't either. And you're right about Gonzales. He was a piss poor fit for Boston. He's one of those laid back California types who like as little pressure thrown their way as possible. At least the Yankees got one WS Title when they signed Teixiera since he led the league in homers and RBI's in 2009. Gonzales and his equally s*** ass compatriot Crawford gave us nothing but hits at the wrong time, choke-ups when it counted, bitches and gripes in the clubhouse and meely mouthed complaints about how hard it was to play for the fans in Boston. Well crap of that......both those bums are playing out here in la la land and what have they done to help their new team get to the WS? Two straight years of choke-up baseball when it counted most and a team they finished six games ahead of in the NL West goes on to win the WS this year. Screw Gonzales and Crawford and screw the Dodgers.

Every time I saw Latos this season on TV he was getting routed by the fifth or sixth inning. If this is the guy our fuzzy minded front office is thinking as an ace or co-ace they can figure on another miserable season. Nyet on Latos. For God's sake let's hope the boys in the ivory tower get this right this off season and go after quality instead of mediocre has-beens.

I'll take the pink one in the middle of the bottom row Dojii---it matches my eyes this morning. Never knew you were a haberdasher.

I think Maddon is a terrific manager, albeit a royal pain the ass and a bloviating ******* at times. The Cubs are poised to make a big move next season. They've got a boatload of good young prospects ready to step forth and they've eliminated a lot of their excess trash, something we have to start doing this off season.

You've known I was a different animal for years Bell. I read YOTN's broadside to Divinity and it felt good to read but then again Divinity always plays the horse's ass when it comes to his hatred and jealousy for the Red Sox so that doesn't effect me. But it is true---I don't like sharing top billing with the Giants or any other team. Keep in mind that I'm a 14 year convert to the Sox and as such I'm a very very true believer. Screw the efen SF Giants!!!!!!

Speak for yourself Bellhorn. It may look good to you but it doesn't look good to me, not at all. In fact, I'm pretty pissed off about the whole thing. A tie is like kissing your sister, and as you might have forgotten, the Red Sox came back from a deficit to TIE about 18 times at my last count this season only to lose the game. s*** on ties----and I want to see us in a World Series before the Giants get in again. Hear that Prune Face Henry?

Lester is gone gone gone!!!!! He will sign with the Cubs if not the Yankees, and Maddon will insist on it. Let's start talking to the Phillies about Hamels my friends, otherwise we will not get that No. 1 ace we need---and that bodes ill for us next season. We must get two top notch starting pitchers and that's that.