a700hitter

They should have him throw to Shop for the rest of theseason if that makes a difference. They need to figure out if hecan return to form before theseason ends.

I stand by guys who are in slumps or who have been injured, if I think they still have what it takes. The thing that concerns me most about Lester is that he has been healthy for the duration of the season and he has not shown even brief stretches of dominant pitching. It could be a mental issue that he needs to work out. He gets so flustered over balls and strikes, maybe if he gets his emotions in check he can turn it around. His velocity is down. His strike out are way down. I don't like the direction all the signs are pointing. I'd give him until the end of the season to get his act together. If he doesn't, then they need to part company. I have less tolerance for under performing pitchers than hitters, because they are more in control of the teams fate than a one or two hitters in a 9 player lineup. You can't keep handing him the ball if he can't keep his team in games. This 5+ ERA crosses over the barrier of off year into suck-ville IMO. He needs to turn things around fast, or he needs to go. He and Beckett are making 2010 Lackey look like an ace.

I realize that this thread is about Beckett, but with Lester's 5-10 record and the team's record of 8-15 in his starts Ican't remember a worse season by a Red Sox starting pitcher that was on a team with the top run producing offense in the league. I just can't remember anyone doing worse over the course of a season. Beckett is a damn close second. The Sox need to move on from both of these guys. They can't be part of the team's plans moving forward. They can't be trusted to take the bump every fifth day and keep the team in games. If Lester was injured, I'd say let him heal up over the off season and give him another chance, but he isn't injured. That is really concerning. He has been healthy, and he has not looked like an ace for even brief stretches this season since opening day. Beckett has had some physical issues, but I don't know if they are just wear and tear which will not get better in the future or if he has some issues (like the thumb) that can be fixed in the off season.

No one was more beloved than Nomar, but I don't recall the fans storming Fenway in protest when he got traded. Many people were sad to see him go, but it quickly became apparent that the team had improved. It's bogus to blame the fans for the Sox hanging onto these overrated aging players.

^This is just silly. I doubt that the Phillies are having buyer's remorse with Papelbon when he is doing exactly what they expected when they signed him. What kind of idiots would they be to sign a guy for big bucks to give them 30+ saves a year and then regret having spent the money when they got what they paid for. I don't think the Philly FO thinks Papelbon is the problem. The problem is that their infield is old and'or hobbled all the way around the diamond. Rollin never should have been re-signed. Utley should have been dumped same for Polanco and they should have gone younger.

I think Leter is thru. The Sox should give him until the end of the season to get his act back together, but if he cannot, they need to move on from him. I know that Wins and Losses are not the best measure of a pitcher, but any pitcher with a 5-10 record on a team that scores the most runs in the league is unfathomable. The Sox are 8-15 in his starts-- again, this is unfathomable. I don't think he can be salvaged. He's circling the drain. The Sox need to go in a different direction.

Scutaro with 3 hits, a Home Run and 7 RBI's on Wednesday night for the first place Giants against the Cardinals.

Lackey"s contract and DiceK-- I just can't look at anymore. He has been garbage since 2008. He is torture to watch pitch.

And of all the the bargain basement winter shopping and dumpster diving this walking MASH unit is the best of the bunch. Just pathetic. Honestly, either Cherington knew this was a throw away season at he beginning (hoping to luck out with a wild card berth) or he is incredibly stupid. These questions and concerns were noted by numerous writers and analysts before the season started.

I am almost ready to throw in the towel and root home the Orioles and the Rays to overtake the Skanks. At least that might be interesting. The Yankees missing the playoffs would be very enjoyable. Is it pathetic that I have been reduced to that? Yes, it is, and I blame the FO for building a team with starting pitching that was so thin that under performance by two pitchers completely wrecked the season. This Sox team is bad and boring. Their top two pitcher flat out stink. They are not reverting to any means or anything like that. They are just stinking up the joint, and this team will go nowhere until they part ways with the both of them.

We scored 9 runs today so we should have had a chance, but Beckett kicked our legs out from under us. What did he have to say in the post game presser?

Late inning pen screwing up the end of the game.

Have you watched the team this season? We stink. Our OF has been a disgrace, and it bothers me that people have been assuming that he will be walking out the door after he becomes a prominent player. I like the prospect, but not at the cost of losing a young star.

Beckett just stinks.

Same old story--- no pitching. There is no way that this team has enough pitching to go on any sort of run.

That's BS. He had a bout with acute anxiety a few years back. There is no indication that he suffers from anxiety chronically.

He's not extended. He's a FA at the end of the season.

No help from the skanks tonight.