TheRivernator

good offense in Cleveland. They wont get cheated...

the injuns have a good pen, and I think anything they throw out there is better than Westbrook...

how do u walk gonzalez there

the funniest thing about this thread is that nobody on here have any f***ing clue about what they are talking about. His 2004 season was ruined because he had a brain tumor in his pituitary. For those of you who have no medical sense at all, just consider that the gland that controls all other glands. It is regulated by the brain, but I wont go into that. If that is off, then there are about a thousand diseases that can ruin you and the majority of them present with severe and unrelenting fatigue. He was so wiped that he couldnt even get out of bed, let alone hit a baseball. His steroid use has given him major muscle bulk and the majority of that wont go away so long as he lifts regularly. Also, the fact that he had a brain tumor previously that could have been linked to steroid, testosterone, or HGH use means that it is likely to recur if he were to take them again. Seeing as he is healthy currently, I'll say he is finally clean....

Jeter gives the yankees a 2-1 lead, YAHOOOO!!!!

do you remember his shpiel about wanting to be a yankee last yr and Cashman turning him down. It's obvious where he wants to be. Damon can go the other way, we all know he'd rather be a red sock....

ksush, one point I wanted to make about relative obscurity. You say that it means nothing, yet there are so many players who can play in low pressure atmospheres yet when the cameras turn onto their lives and everyone starts watching they crumble. Some people will be stellar outside of NY or Boston, come to either team and suck, then leave and be solid again. Pressure plays into it, they are human after all....

Tull, overall a good post, but this part is absurd. The sox have a team with one regular basestealer and he is on the DL. The sox lineup is one of the most unathletic offenses in the game....

I'll respond to your latest post when I get back from work. Lata bro....

Undo pressure on the kid to call him the next clemens. I am fairly certain there will never be a "clemens" again...

I know wells enough to know that you never take him seriously. Also, once he faces adversity, he usually comes back and sticks it to ya. I wouldnt be surprised if he is pulling the, "I MIGHT RETIRE" bit just to get let go so he can return to where he truly wants to be. He has one more miracle in that arm, and I'd rather have him do it in NY....

So you made my point for me, ok. As far as the last part, Wagner and Damon have been money in the bank for a few yrs now. Damon is 32, he isnt even close to slowing down. Wagner is one of the best closers in the game, he'll be worth his money. The sox and their fans have had a problem with judging when someone is in the twilight of their careers. On the flipside the yankees sometimes overestimate when they'll lose it, so lets not argue the point, two different philosophies and both of us are pervaded in the opposite. We cannot separate the bias, so lets not try to. If you ate, slept and shat baseball, you'd know Randy is signed through next yr. Also, a guy with a sub 4 era and a 5-0 record against our rivals is a success to this point. He's nearly halfway through the contract, so I think we can judge it.... Okay, hmm. Last 2 yrs-- 20 wins and 3.70 ERA for Johnson. 11-14 4.38ERA for Radke. Yep, smart money is on the worse pitcher He was signed to a minimum deal after a good yr in StL, but nobody would give him big money because of his age. Well what you did was deal ERent, 11 mil, Damon, Mota, and Shoppach for Yanks 1st rounder, Coco, Riske, and Bard. Not worth it IMHO. Also, Crisp has had 2 good yrs in relative obscurity. He started strong on the road for you guys, now he is hurt and he's being cause coco glass? wimp? etc by the media. How will he react when they probe into every corner of his life? You have no idea how, but you knew ow Damon would react. Also, Damon is 32, 32, he's not over the hill, not even close and a 4 yr deal is about as long as I'd have given him, and btw how long the sox were gonna give him when they were OUTBID!!! As much as wonderboy wants to make it sound like it isnt, picking players off the trash heap is hit or miss, for every Ortiz there is a Jer. Giambi. At 30 and 31, he had 2 of the best yrs of his career after having off yrs at 29 and 28. In 04 he had his second best SLG in his career and his best HR total. Your claims are way off. His 25 and 26 yr seasons were career yrs, but the last 2 yrs he has approached them, so basing his future performance on that fact is rather unbecoming of a smart person like yourself. Basically that logic would insinuate that he should have sucked for you guys the past 2 yrs and since he is now a yankee, he will fail. I dont buy it. And Coco doesnt? So by your logic, Coco will break down anyday now because he plays with reckless abandon. Also, Damon was hurt, an injury that has gotten better, but isnt completely behind him. Happens. We have an open DH slot to rest him, the sox didnt, he'll be fresher than he was in Boston. Is this Shaugnessy on this board? Okay I will. He is in a pressure cooker. He is coming off an unnecessary injury and he will face adversity when he returns. The kid has never felt pressure in his life and you are trying to tell me he will undeniably persevere? Nothing is undeniable. I dont care if his best yrs are ahead of him. Look at our offense right now. If he keeps us running like this, I'll be fine. Fact is, he is a major upgrade for us and we got him for $$, not a top 5 prospect. Our system is loaded with talent, it is just significantly younger than yours and hence it will be a little longer to develop. The sox were rumored to be offering a 5 yr 40mil contract to Burnett yet learned that it wasnt enough and dropped out. It was a December rumor and nothing else was made of it. When it comes to rumors, I am the rumor monger.

please, drop him, dump his ass!!!

exactly. Alvarez doesnt have stuff and unfortunately he doesnt have depth perception...

unless they can shift one OFer into the monster seats, another 10 rows behind the pesky pole and another into the RF bullpen, it aint gonna work...

I thought you were done here?

thanks buddy. I think after the way I started, anyone who sees my name will think I'm trashing the sox. I usually start out a little offensive on these boards, but eventually I settle down...

Big names usually win, so long as you dont get them off career yrs. The yankees have thrown stupid money out there to players coming off one good yr. They have also gotten guys like Mussina and Johnson who are big names that have produced over the length of the contract. You obviously arent getting what I am saying. Lower level means that they go below the radar and get reach guys who could pan out, instead of guys who are proven that they will pan out. Case in point, Ortiz. Did anyone have a clue he'd become this good, you'd be lying if you said yes. Mueller was a utility guy when he came to the sox and he only became the most clutch guy on your team not named ortiz. Millar was on his way to Japan for godsakes. Arroyo was pulled off waivers. Bellhorn was a minor league FA. Timlin was a minor signing, etc, etc, etc. Those are lower level moves IMHO, because you get guys when their value is low and you hope they pan out, and for Theo they have so far. They are more of a knock on the 29 other teams who passed on these guys. It is April 24th into their first seasons with their new teams. I'll take track record over potential any day, and currently I'd take Damon over Coco, that is all that matters. Keep denying it if you want to, but Coco is not the player Damon was for you guys on or off the field. Also, we gave up a draft pick and cash for Damon and you gave up one of the best prospects in baseball for him. Seriously, those who think Damon is wearing down are idiots and are buying the spin of the boston media. Consider yourself a sucker for making you think that way. Way too much jealousy and hatred aimed at Damon, especially for someone so happy to have injured Coco on board I'll take where they are. 8 consecutive AL East titles and 9 in the last 10 yrs. They're doing something right... It is both. Theo's boss was brought in by Henry to make money and you dont do that by shelling out top dollar for every player that comes your way. Look at the money they have thrown around. The only player they have outbid people on was ERent, and in today's standards, he isnt making a ton of money. They were in the AJ running, but the money got too rich for them, as I dont think a 5 yr deal to a guy who is 28 would be a problem. The bottom line is, the sox have a limit to which they will go, and good businessman all do. I dont think the yanks will have a limit. Why is that? I'm not scared of the yankees being outbid for Clemens. If he s willing to come back to the northeast, I have no doubts in my mind that he'll be donning the pinstripes, NONE. George won't get outbid....

I see your point now. Okay. If the kids are 25 then yeah bring them up, but you cannot assume they will fill the need and put all your chips into their basket. Also, I will not downplay the prospects in the sox system. They have stacked a few together that have potential, and the thing is, I think their best is not even going to sniff the majors this yr (Hansen). I have heard great things about DelCarmen and okay things about Martinez. One other thing you have to consider as well is, if the sox plan on making any acquisitions this trade deadline, they'll be playing a risky game by bringing up their minor leaguers. If they fall apart then their value drops. There is NO way that all of them stay in the bigs with the sox, no way. They have too many OF prospects and too many pitching prospects all coming of age at the same time. They may want to keep a few a mystery and shop them....

I agree, but if they cut payroll this offseason, then there is no reason why they shouldnt be able to afford him for 10 mil or so. Like I said before, every game that the stros win, is another day that his chances of playing close to home drop.

Gammons has about ZERO credibility as a "non-biased" ESPN analyst. Every other word is about the red sox, and I think it is in his contract to pick against them in his predictions, yet tell everyone how amazing they are all yr long. Over exposure is a real thing. Stuff can only get you so far. If you have a guy go out there with his great stuff and is not mentally prepared to face the best the game has to offer, then they will get shelled and their confidence can be ruined. A great example is Henn, who is a lefty with a plus slider and a 96mph fastball who dominates in the minors. The kid was not ready last yr yet was forced into duty and was rocked. His stuff was great, his game plan wasnt. These kids have to be eased into the game, brought into blowouts and worked in slowly. Paps is a good example for the kids to follow, but it is very seldom that you see that type of composure from a rookie. Not all of them turn out that way and many of them need to be on the shuttle for a few yrs before they reach their potential. Throwing them out there when you have veteran options is more than likely going to be a detriment to your club and to your farm....

I dont think the yankees will obscenely outbid anyone if they are given a chance. Remember, the point is moot if the Stros come in with a reasonable offer, which is the odds on favorite to this point. BUT, if he comes to the yankees, I'd expect it would have to depend on when he would come in. If he comes in for July, there is no way he makes 20 mil. But I would not be surprised if the yankees threw 2 mil a month at him, making him about 10 mil over the season with major incentives should he put together a stellar yr. Remember one thing. George is willing to spend any amount of money to win, and he'll gladly pay Roger 50 mil if it guaranteed us a championship. He knows what Roger brings to the table, he knows that the guy will give him quality starts in bunches, something that the back end of the staff has not proven they can do on a regular basis. So if I had to guess a number, I'd go 2 mil a month with the capability to make 15 mil with a schilling-esque clause (I know those are not allowed, but I wouldnt be surprised if they figured out a way to make that work). 15 mil for a guy who can put up a 2era is worth it. The best part is that he would be a one shot wonder, flash in the pan who wont yoke us for yrs to come....

No need to throw the jab in late there buddy, I am far from an amateur poster. And big words coming from someone with 4 total posts. Back to your quasi-point. The Yankee advantage is overwhelming to most teams. It is simply a burden for the red sox, who themselves are a top 5 team in revenue and one of the only teams required to pay revenue sharing. BUT, saying that, the Duke would outduel the yankees regularly and get players the yankees had their eyes on. Your current cleanup hitter is one of those guys. The current sox regime is not about to go head to head with the yankees on the big names like Duke did, they'll make the shrewd lower level moves that may or may not pan out. That is why, I think that if there were a head to head, need for need battle between the yankees and the sox, and the player's destination was solely based on salary offered, I'd find it hard to believe that the yankees would be beaten out. Previous regimes may have matched Clemens dollar for dollar, but I dont think this one will. At the same time, this regime has a method to their madness and find ways to equal yankee acquisitions. They also have more MLB ready or close to ready talent available to them in the minors, so if they have a need and Clemens would be a bidding war, I'd expect the sox to nab a top line starter on the trade market. I still have a feeling that Zito comes east this deadline, but I dont think it is the yanks who will get him.....

why would a marketing campaign in Boston have anywhere near the impact that it would in NYC. The sheer size of the city would be enough. Plus, Roger is gonna want base salary $$, not money that may get to him if he sells enough tickets. Bottom line is as it is with anything, if the yankees and sox are battling it out to sign a FA, you know who will win as long as the current sox regime is in town. That isnt a bad thing, being cost conscious is good at times, but everyone knows what you'll get with the rocket....

You would best be served to let them mature and not overexpose them. Just because Papelbon came out with balls of stone doesnt mean they are all like that....