BudLight

Clemens didn't use steroids?

Brien Taylor says hi I hear he's flipping houses for a living now.

I think the jury is still out on DiceK and his transition to American professional baseball. There are great differences between pitching philosophies in Japan and those in America. In Japan pitchers have no problem working the count full when starting out ahead in the count. They are less likely to serve up heat down the middle with less than a full count. They tend to get ahead in the count and throw off-speed stuff trying to get a hitter to chase. As a result their pitch counts (which do not appear to be important in Japan) tend to be higher. They also get 5 days rest, pitching every 6th day in Japan. That one extra day of rest can make a big difference. They tailor their off-days throwing regiments to fit that rest schedule. In Japan the umps tend to give the high strike more so than the low strike. As a pitcher tires he tends to leave the ball up in the zone. In Japan that can lead to a lot of high fastball strikeouts, in the U.S. that can lead to a lot of 450 foot homers. The class of hitters here in the U.S. is much better than that in Japan. In the U.S. pitchers have more of a tendency to attack hitters early in the count and put them away with hard stuff earlier in the count. Dice-K and Varitek are still getting to know each others tendencies and I believe they will be a better combination this year (another reason that Tek, regardless of how he is hitting will stay the front-line catcher for Boston). The best scenario for Dice-K would be to have an extra days rest between starts with a 6 man rotation in Boston. With the injuries to Schilling, and Beckett's current back issues that does not appear to be an option right now. If Dice-K has to go every 5th day, he may tire again towards the end of the season. A tired Dice-K in Japan is still better than most starting pitchers there who are rested and fresh. In other words, he could get away with weaker stuff late in a game in Japan that will get mashed here in the U.S.

gerbils

If you haven't had the opportunity to see this yet, it is a pretty good video. While Patrick Roy's kid may suck at being a goalie, he may have a future in MMA. http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/7953318?MSNHPHMA

merci

No bumper sticker, just the large "NY" logo on the tonneau cover of my pickup. I gotta agree with Sean though, McCain is my choice right now. It really bothers me that in 20 years time Obama could not convince or did not try to convince his pastor that his views were far from mainstream and at time downright racist, hateful and unpatriotic, yet he wants us to believe he does not condone the reverends statements. Have you also heard the Rev Al Sharpton is branching out his organization, opening an office in Chicago. Guess who is the President of that office, Wrights daughter. Nice company BO keeps

Sox 21 Guess we have different views. I just don't believe all the celebs showing up at games are die hard fans of the team as much as a "guest" of the owners who wouldn't pass up the opportunity to get some publicity at the expense of other fans.

I thought they were only playing one exhibition game on Saturday, one on Sunday and then two against the A's on 25 and 26 March

Sox21 - not a knock on you, but I think the bolded above says it all Regular = middle class Regular = lifelong fan Regular = taxpaying member of the community where the team plays Regular = the one who gets screwed when the not regular (celebrity) wants premium seats to the best game(s) of the year.

If the MLB hadn't blinked and reached a settlement today it would have put John Henry in a very tough situation.

It's a classy move by the players to stick up for their coaches who are not represented by the CBA. But the issue is much larger than that. Anyone who believes the Sox players would not have traveled to Japan for these four games is, IMO, crazy. These 4 games in Japan are about much more than just the games themselves. The negative financial impact that would have been brought upon the MLB and the Red Sox organization would have been great. Remember about a year ago when everyone was saying the price paid for Dice K would be returned many times over through partnership and advertising with Japanese companies. Well, failure to make this trip would significantly impact those monies.

It was a spring training game, the same time of year when games end in ties after 9 innings. If these games meant that much they would play them out until a winner was decided.

I don't meet your 500+ posts, but would like to get into this Tourney Pick Em

It's a hockey mentality Sean, you don't use your "leaders" for enforcement work, you use your goons. Duncan fits that category nicely. He can help you from time to time at the plate, but if he gets whacked upside the head with a 32/34 Louisville Slugger, nobody will miss him. It's the perfect scenario.

There's a major difference between playing the game aggressively and playing in a style that more than likely could result in a serious injury to a player. What Duncan did was not playing aggressively, he could have seriously injured Iwamura. As for Girardi, a hypocrite, I don't think so. He didn't and hasn't condoned Duncan's actions, he is however showing that he will stand up for his players and that is not a bad character trait. While Joe Torre may have been at the helm during the last run of championships, he was not one to stand up for his players publicly. If there is any one ingredient the Yankees have been lacking over the past few years it's unity. Girardi, through his actions, will bring that unity to the team.

To believe that Phillips intentionally threw at Longoria is a bit of a stretch. This guy is fighting to make the Yanks roster. He has a whole 7.1 innings of MLB experience. Why would he intentionally throw at someone, with 2 runners already on base, in his only start of the Spring? Doesn't make any sense to me. The Yanks need guys who can put the ball in the strike zone and get batters out, not pitchers who put guys on.

What Duncan did yesterday was dirty, no other explanation can change it! What Johnson did, while not a dirty play, was probably a bit to aggressive for a spring training game, especially between two minor league players. As for Girardi, I haven't seen a story yet today that mentions his approval or disapproval of what Duncan did yesterday. What I do see here though is folks who would condone a pitcher throwing a 90 + MPH fastball at a batter in retaliation but who disapprove of a position player sliding cleat high. Personally, I don't see a difference. Both actions can result in serious injury and both are dirty. So, the next time people post here that they hope A-Rod or Jeter or anyone else gets drilled, remember how you weighed in on this issue with Duncan.

:joke: I think Heath Phillips was just trying to show his manager his aggressive style of play and that he could pitch up and in if need be. Much like Elliot Johnson running over Cervelli the other day was his way of showing his coach that he is an aggressive, hard-nosed player. As for Duncan, he was just trying to help Johnson move up the depth chart for the Rays. If he takes out Iwamura, Johnson moves up the depth chart at 2b and maybe even breaks camp with the Rays. :joke:

Anybody watching today's Yanks game? Saw this in the box score on mlb.com: EjectionsTampa Bay Rays right fielder Jonny Gomes ejected by 1B umpire Jerry Crawford. (2nd); New York Yankees Third Base Coach Bobby Meacham ejected by 1B umpire Jerry Crawford. (2nd); New York Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips ejected by HP umpire Chad Fairchild. (1st); New York Yankees right fielder Shelley Duncan ejected by 2B umpire Charlie Reliford. (2nd); New York Yankees Batting Coach Kevin Long ejected by 1B umpire Jerry Crawford. (2nd). No HBP's - what the hell happened.

Ted Green comes out of retirement!!! I remember one of the best sports weekends of my life, as a kid, went to the Boston Garden for a weekend, saw a hockey game with Ted Green, a Celtics game with Hank Finkel and the Harlem Globetrotters in the span of two days.