a700hitter

From the article:

Re-read or read post # 104 and read page 2 of the article where it said that the Braves wanted the same package that everyone else was asking for MDC, Hansen and Lester. That leads me to believe that the Astros asked for the same, but the Sox refused. The Sox were offering one or two pitchers, but apparently the Stros wanted all 3 and they didn't want Crisp.

You have to make a remark even when I point out that the Yankees are in first. Then you wonder why people despise Yankee fans.

I heard Nady's stats with men in scoring position. They were horrible, and he was a horrible fielder. Let's not make Nady the issue. There were other relievers that could have been targeted without giving up the farm. If you don't see that getting Oswalt who has a .680 winning % with more than 120 decisions under his belt and who has finished in the top 5 in the Cy Young voting 5 years in a row would have improved this team immensely now and in the future, then we have a fundamental disagreement. Let me remind you that Duke gave up his top two prospects that were starters for Pedro. Here, only Lester is a starter. The other two are relievers, and Hansen hasn't yet proved that he can pitch 2 innings and MDC has had major arm surgery at a very young age. Pavano and Armas were both starters and neither had yet experienced arm woes. Five years from now, we may be talking about what might have been if we got Oswalt.

Correction. They are in first place, and thanks to the Three Stooges in the GM's office we had better get used to it.

Minaya got Hernandez and Perez for Nady. I don't think a top level prospect would've been required to get a Hernandez.

And with one of the better curve ball's and changeup's in baseball, he is still a top pitcher. It is ridiculously unfair to expect Pedro to maintain his 1998-2000 level of performance, because no pitcher ever, ever, everhad three years like those--not in the entire history of the game. No, he was never going to be that Pedro, but he is still a top pitcher. Damon had a pattern of one strong half and one weak half. Look at his stats for the year. The fact that he wore down in the second half was indicative of injuries to his shoulders and not that he is on the decline. All you need to realize that is to look at what he is doing this year for the Yankees. And both of them are finished while Pedro is still an all star and Lowe is still a healthy competent starter. It seems that the guys we got declined precipitously while the guys that walked are still good.

The answer might be that Cashman is a better GM.

You would have the best top three pitchers of any team. Wells would be there for the 4th or 5th slot and they'd have to hang on until Wakefield comes back. The difference between a rotation with Oswalt in the 3rd slot instead of Lester would be huge. It would also help cover up many of the bullpen deficiencies, because these guys give lots of deep quality starts whereas Lester is 5 or 6 inning pitcher. It would have been advisable for Theo to pick up another reliever if he parted with MDC and Hansen.

I maintain that the Red Sox have the resources to have held on to the core building blocks of the 2004 team while planning for the future. If they kept Damon and Pedro, they would still have Lester, MDC and Hansen. Ellsbury would be ready to take over CF as Damon's contract would be running out. Instead the FO created these gaping holes by letting the foundation of 2004 walk while maintaining a very pricey payroll. Now they are in a position of being also rans this year unless they trade some of their future. This was completely unnecessary. If you are truly going to rebuild, you sell off some of your larger contracts for prospects. We haven't done that. As opposed to the well-spent money on Clement's, Seanez', Tavarez and Wells' contracts?

I wa swondering the same thing tonight. If the Yankees win tonight, they will have one less loss. I would think that they would have a higher winning percentage. Do you look at the standings at the time the player is placed on waivers?

I've heard but not read that the Stos wanted Lester, Hansen and Crisp, but this article suggests that they asked for MDC, Hansen and Lester. Theo should have done that too. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2006/08/01/deadline_passes_as_do_sox/

If they didn't spend $120 million on payroll I could swallow that this was a rebuilding year. 2005 and 2006 have been more of dismantling years than rebuilding years.

Here's our big acquisition giving up a Homer to the first batter he faces. Will he be this year's Mark Remlinger or Chad Harville.

A happy ending could have been possible if Theo and his twin assistants didn't act like the three stooges at the trading deadline.

I realize that it was a package of Lester, Hansen and Crisp. THeo should have pulled the trigger.

He was tooooo valuable to part with for Oswalt.

Have there been an reports that we are trying to acquire Lopez?

The last time that Varitek went on the DL with a fractured elbow, the team spiraled downward immediately. Although his offense has been down and he never throws anyone out, his value is in the way he handles the pitching staff. I am very concerned.

Going into this year his winning percentage was .377, so his 3-10 record is pretty well on par with the rest of his career.

Raise your hand if you think he'll do as well next time out. Anyone?

If he slid away from the catcher and made a hand tag of home the catcher would not have been able to make the tag.

It's incredible to me that Theo passed on Oswalt. If he turned down Lester, Hansen and Crisp for Owswalt, he was a damn fool. Oswalt would have given the Sox a devastating rotation for a playoff series. The Red Sox would have immediately become the Vegas favorite to win it all. If he was concerned about not having a CF, he should have substituted MDC for Crisp. I'd be thrilled if one of these young pitcher's becomes as good as Oswalt. Why wait around and wait for hopefully one of them to become a stud? Let's face it, only Lester is a starter. A reliever is not worth as much as a stud starter. Lester could be the next Wes Gardner or Jeff Sellers. MDC has had major arm surgery already. I really don't want to hear his excuses, because what they are. He didn't even manage to pick up a 4th or 5th starter. The Yanks picked up an all star OF and a 5th starter as a throw in, and they gave up basically nothing. The Mets were caught by surprise by the Sanchez injury, but Minaya adapted and picked up Hernandez to handle the 8th with Heilman, and he took a flyer on the young lefty only at the cost of Nady. The Dodgers were able to pick up Maddux. Theo couldn't have landed him either? He would have filled the 4th slot very nicely. Almost every other contender made moves to help them in the stretch run, but Theo came up empty and we have to continue to suffer through Johnson and Snyder every 5th day. This ship should start taking on water very quickly. Theo has failed to help this team two years in a row at the deadline. Oh well, maybe Remlinger will sneak through waivers again.

Me too.

Not today. Hopefully, something gets done tomorrow.