a700hitter

Lackey is a really good pitcher. It's ridiculous that people are concerned that the Sox have signed a really good pitcher. They should be concerned that an offense without last year's most productive bat can go right in the crapper unless Ortiz starts the season like he finished last season.

I just did. He can't resist a challenge, even when he is completely over-matched.

I'm hoping Example joins so I can demonstrate my superior skill once again.

In

I'm not absolving the Yankee organization of any bad behavior. I was just relating a story that I had heard or read about the time when they signed Ellie Howard. I do think actions need to be put into the context of the times before judgment can be passed. I don't think people realize what an act of courage it was for Branch Rickey to break the color barrier. Robinson gets all the accolades, and he deserves to be honored, but Robinson himself humbly acknowledged that he was merely a player in Rickey's great social experiment. You have to remember what Rickey was up against. He was risking his business, because they didn't know how fans would react. Many of the white players didn't like it, because it threatened their job security. He had to worry about sponsors. Financially, there was really nothing to gain by Rickey, and a lot to lose. He did it because he thought it was the right thing for society. Rickey was a uniquely courageous, moral and ethical man. That doesn't mean that the rest of the owners and executives were racist. I hear and read a lot about Yawkey being a racist, but I have never read or heard any accounts about him doing something racist. My recollection is that his players throughout the decades had a great deal of affection for the man and vice versa. I think smearing a man who was so charitable based on nothing other than being a team owner during segregation is a bit unfair.

Two years ago he had 3 years/$60 million left on his contract.

What about Magglio Ordonez as a stop gap?

When the Yankees brought up Ellie Howard, Casey Stengel said "the finally get me 'one' and he can't run." I don't think Casey was a racist. Attitudes were different back then. He used to call Joe D "Big Dago" and of course Rizzuto was not the Scooter to Stengel. He was "Little Dago." He loved those guys, but things were not PC back then.

^ This. If there was no point to the article, he should have had the good sense not to publish it. It had no possibility of being positive for the Red Sox and baseball, and there was no unethical or bad behavior that need to be exposed.

Rosenthal is such a twit. He was trying to be address what he thought was a controversial societal issue, but it backfired on him and he looked like a major jerk.

I was right, but had to concede anyway. It doesn't count in the calcs.

My percentage got dragged down to 99.2%-- still pretty formidable.

I merely channel Clint.

He should be careful about being smug with me, because it is documented that I am right 99.2% of the time. Despite that, I don't act smug with him.

If Papi can't hit, they should get a veteran bat. Looking to the kids in a lineup that is already weaker than last season would be essentially throwing in the towel on the season.

Shouldn't I send it to the 1st runner up?

I think you have gone mad from cabin fever. Maybe Reddick could bat cleanup to protect Youk. Jeesh!

Thank you SFoC