HeadOfSoxNation

I love the idea of Paps coming into close games...I never thought I'd feel as comfortable with the ball in a rookie's (pretty much) hand but I do with him. I do hope Foulke returns to form, because I'd much rather have Papelbon in the rotation, because I think he's a blast to watch. I want Foulke back, but I want him back for the same reason I was happy to see Arroyo go, it got rid of something standing in the way of Paps being in the starting rotation.

YES is an awesome network, I've gotta give it to them. I don't get NESN...I wish I did. On the Extra Innings package, they cut it away like .0002 seconds after the last out is recorded.

Alright...maybe I'm the only person that ever felt this way...but I just...never really saw why Foulke was so good. Like, obviously, I love how huge he came up for the Sox in '04...but, just watching the guy, I just didn't get it. Like if you watch KRod or Mo, even Gagne, you see that these guys have electric stuff. And I know the change isn't as electric, nor is it supposed to be as electric, as Mo's cutter or anything, but, I just never felt 100% confident in Foulke and that 80 MPH Changeup. I know about the arm angles, I know about the release point, I know the idea behind the Changeup...but I just always wondered to myself "Wow...why can't teams hit this guy?!?" Well, it seems like they can now. It was a great run Keith, but I think you're done. Call me crazy, but I think anyone who feels like Paps won't be this teams fulltime closer by late April has no idea what the hell they're talking about. Papelbon's healthy, Papelbon's got the balls to close games, Papelbon's got awesome stuff, and, big time pressure situation experience is only going to help him grow into a more dominant starter, if that is how he's eventually used, which is I think the consensus right now.

Wow...I was going to say I'd be hard pressed to think of something more annoying then listening to Sterling call the game, but, I guess we've found it.

Clemens comment was stupid...funny, but stupid. I don't think he meant it cold-heartedly or racist, but you know how soceity is these days, and you know how the stuff you say is going to be interpreted, so you just don't say it. I gotta admit, I had a big chuckle over it, though.

So I'm a die hard Sox fan living in NY, where I don't get NESN with my basic cable package, I've gotta drop $160 a year for the Extra Innings Package for that...but I am the receipient of the YES Network. Because of this, I watch pretty much every single Yankee game. And, well, I had decided previously, I think it was during a Yankee/BoSox game actually...that Suzyn Waldman was the most annoying human being on the planet. I decided if I could punch any one baseball personality in the face, it would be her. (Although I actually found it hard to consider her a baseball personality) But anyways...I've noticed the rest of the annoying things about Yankee games are back this year (namely, Yankee fans as a whole, and Michael Kay calling ARod "Alex Rodgereegez")...but no Suzyn Waldman. Why is this? Did you guys kick her out? I can't imagine that her tenure on YES wasn't met with a public outcry from Yankee fans, because I feel that even they could recognize that she was a talentless, unattractive, not to mention incredibly baseball-ignorant female. (I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times she said 'boy there's no shortage of history between these two teams' and 'boy, there's no love lost between these guys' during any given BoSox/Yankees contest) I pretty much have never thanked the Yankees or Yankee fans for anything (maybe except compiling their current pitching staff ) but, if they were instrumental in seeing Suzyn Waldman out...you have done argueably the greatest deed ever for any reciepient of the YES Network and we whole-heartedly appreciate it. But I still hate you :)

Dude...I don't even think Anna Benson is the least bit attractive. What a huuuuuuuge slut. Fake boobs too. She's a sure thing though!

I agree with the asterisk, but ONLY because I think it's important to see (in the future) that this was done over two seasons...BUT.... I think it's ridiculous to say that this is easier then what DiMag did...you hear players talk every day about just 'being in a groove' and 'swinging the bat real well right now' and things of that nature...To have JRoll break the record (which I hope he does, but don't think he will) I think would be a bigger accomplishment than to do it in a single seasons....dude has to have a hotstreak that lasts 9 freaking months. He could have had a damn kid in that amount of time.

Yea I agree...I do a lot of Give Kids the World and MakeAWish and community stuff...and I give a lot of money away...I'm just rather stingy with any tickets I come across haha. God bless you though, that's awesome!

That sounds pretty awesome...what's with giving so many tickets away? Are you just that sweet a dude? haha

How did the ticket contest work last year? I'm new to this whole thing...

This is the first I'm hearing of this idea...but I'd be game to discuss it further. Count this guy in .

Another pool I was in I would have won if it wasn't for Gonzaga losing. I ended up losing by 1 freaking point, so the Zags would have made me the sole winner of $1700. I want to write a letter to Adam Morrison stating the following: "Your team's catastrophic collapse in the second half single handedly cost me almost $2000, yet you're the one crying like a little bitch. You're going to make more playing this game for one year then most of us will make in our lifetime. I will expect payment of the money that you screwed me out of in the form of a cashiers check at your earliest convenience. And shave, because you look like a f***ing hobo."

I have a life, and thusly, sometimes HAVE TO plan months ahead of time. No need to be condescending.

I'll just put this out there...I'm only about 4 hours from Boston, and have a free place to stay there...so anyone that can't use their tickets, give me a call :)

Ugh...yea that does sound pretty tedious. But I'm hard pressed to think of something that would work better. Can you set up fantasy baseball leagues for partial seasons?

I'm getting to see a couple of games...my dad scored me his company's seasons for the May 19, 20, and 21 games in Philly...and he's working on getting me his company's Fenway seats...I can't specify a game or games in that situation though...since the tickets are meant to be for customers, and, well, people who actually benefit the company, I just have to take what I can get I'm keeping my fingers crossed though, maybe something sweet will come of it. All in all, I don't even care, obviously it'd be sweet to see a Sox/Yanks or something, but I'd go see the Sox against the freaking Rockford Peaches if need be, Fenway is my favorite place on Earth. Who's seen a Sox/Yanks in Beantown? I've been to 5 Boston/NY matchups, but all of them have been at The Stadium. Anyone remember the game, hmm, I think it was 3 years ago now, where Pedro beaned Sori and Jeter in the first inning? That was one of the ones I was at...pretty freaking awesome...

That's assinine...Lowell could easily have a monster season this year. Everyone is capable of an off year...I really believe Lowell's was last year...and bringing him into a hitter's park like Fenway can only help push him in a positive direction.

I'm a die hard Sox fan, and I've gotta agree with you here. It was unfortunate that the event had to take place, but the person who handled it the worst was EASILY the fan. I don't blame Shef for getting frustrated...and think he handled his frustration really well. I think it's also a credit to the security at Fenway for how quickly they got over to the situation and handled it accordingly. I think a lot of strong arguements can be made as to Shef being on 'roids...both as a Yankee and prior, but his reaction in Boston last year is hardly grounds for one of them.

So what's everyone doing for Sox tickets this year? Are scalping, StubHub, Ebay, and Replay the best we've come up with?

I wasn't saying Ortiz is a weak link in the traditional sense...I meant that I was excited that out of the 3-4-5 the Sox are going to have against lefties, someone as fantastic as Ortiz is the third best weapon.

I'm just as pumped as you are about Hansen...I really like him staying in AAA for a while though...so his arm can develop, but moreso so I can see him when he comes to Syracuse

Ortiz hits righties wayyy better than lefties. He's improved greatly in the recent year or so, but he's still no where near the terror that he is against right handers. Hardly anything to turn your nose up at against southpaws, however. I'm so excited to see Wily Mo take on lefties.

I just finished the book...it's relativley interesting at parts, but more or less what everyone already knew. I guess it's what I expected. I had to read it, though, just cause I hate Bonds so freaking much. (No Barry, not because you're black...) Oh, and I'm sorry you had to have Cold Pizza on in the background today...besides "The Magic Hour" and "Phenom" I'd say it's one of the worst shows of all time. Woody Paige and Skip Bayless make me want to put syringes into my eyes. :)

Is anyone else just plain giddy at the fact that, when facing a lefthanded pitcher, our WEAK LINK in the 3-4-5 is most likely Ortiz?? Barring any injuries, Wily Mo will get the starts in place of Trot against Southpaws, and will probably bat either 3rd or 5th. Does anyone see this differnently?