mtbykr

I think that the best thing for the sox would be to deal clement and let Paps (sorry ksushi) have that starting spot. Shill seems to be on the Paps for starter bandwagon. I say let Paps start this year while Shill can be a mentor to him. If we can't do it soon, then let Clement start (if we put him in the pen his value is gone) and try to move him before the deadline! That's my $.02

All I have watched is the Canada game. In that game what I saw was the USA guys look like they didn't care---that's what I saw, and i hope that I am wrong. I saw Tek playing his heart out, while I saw other guys look like they were loafing it. While the Canada team was completely into the game. Once USA got down they looked like they didn't care---the only exitment i saw was when tek in the GS. I was just making an observation on what I saw in the game. I have really been looking forward to the WBC, however they need a rules change. The USA beats Mexico (shuts them out) and then loses to Canada (by 2 runs) and tonight if Mexico beats Canada and holds them to a run or less, then the USA is eliminated! ---- That's crap that a team can be 1 and 1; and be eliminated by the team that they just beat! (who will have the same record if the USA wins tommorow) Guess i am rooting for Canada tonight!

I wish it wasn't this way, but you are absolutely right. Besides Tek, I haven't come accross one guy (mabey chipper) who really cares about playing in the WBC. I only saw the canada game though, so things could be different! Of course look at the bright side, at least Bonds isn't on the team! Imagine how the USA would look if "the incredible bulk" was DH for us when the book came out!

I agree; how can anyone be a sox fan and have a-hole as their 2nd favorite player. The only way i could comprehend something like that (rooting for a yankee) is if it was Damon. I understand the whole "respect" thing for guys like Jeter, but it ends there---at least for me! Ohh and I really like Clement, but I think that our team would benefit from having paps get that spot other than Clement. It will make Shill happy too:D

Well I agree that we need a great closer, I also think that that guy has to be Foulke. We all saw how the Timlin experiment went last year, everyone expects Paps to break into the rotation soon (shill wants him now), and Hansen is still too young (although capable). So the best case scenerio for the sox is for Foulke to return to 04 form!

Sorry about the confusion. I didn't mean to imply that he's on roids; i see how you could see that but that wasn't the intent and i don't think he is. The a-roid comment from taken from a boston media outlet. I heard them refer to him onetime as a-roid (meaning ot link it to hemroid, not steroid) and have called him that since. Sorry for the confusion!

What are the odds of the sox keeping stern on as the 4th outfielder? I mean we really don't know how Kapler is going to do, and I don't think he would be ready for the start of the season anyway!

Could someone please tell Stern that it's ok to play that way in the MLB, and not just in the WBC! A-Roid continued his stellar clutch performance as well! Let's hope it doesn't come down to tiebreakers after south africa! (we better at least be them)!

You; I jumped up off the couch pumping my fist! Of course I was looking forward to the WBC---I love international comps! Now if the USA can keep the rally going and win the game!

Good lucka and thanks pokey! I still remember very vividly how smooth he was in the field!

One more point: I don't think it's about catching the knuckleball (although it helps) i think it's the faith that wake has in his catcher to stop the ball, thus allowing him to throw whatever he wants whenever he wants!

Well Wake was something like 11-4 with belli last year and 0-4 without him (tek catching)! I was really upset when they got rid of belli, and to top it off they dumped shopach to. We went from last year having a great #2 and a great prospect, to depending on john flarhety (sp?). Doesn't look to good right now, although i don't know much about Bard

Well despite the kind of person he was. ( i don't have any knowledge of it) He will be missed in the baseball community! He played the game the right way for a small market team---and for that he will be missed!

True, the toilet has a huge centerfield------i guess the glass is half-full!

I completely understand your point; everyone has a right to their opionion! In a lot of ways i feel the same way as you do. However I just think that if the sox FO would have done their job correctly, he would still be here and not in the toilet. He said he would give a hometown discount: even in a recent interview he said that $46mil would have gotten him to stay. (i think if the sox had gone with their max offer earlier of 4/44 then he would still be here, but that's my opinion) He couldn't wait a few more days though as the yanks had given him a 4 hour window before they withdrew their offer. From his point of view: the team you want to play for (and have played for) won't return your phone calls (they think you are bluffing--but that comes out later), they are cutting a lot of other guys from the previous year's team, and you don't know if they even want you back. A new team gives you a couple hours to decide if you want to play for them at a rediculous amount of cash. He took the only option he thought he had out there! I hate the fact that he's in the toilet, and he is now the enemy-----a lot of people will boo him, but i won't becuase i still believe, given what i have read, that he really wanted to come back. If i boo anyone it's going to be Lucky, but that's just me!

Not to let the facts get in the way of your hatred; but every report i read (including an interview with JD) said that when the yankers made their offer---they gave him 4 hours to accept it. Boras called the sox FO and told them that another team had offered him this much,,,,the FO wouldn't return his calls. Then JD tried calling them to talk to someone and they wouldn't talk to him or return his calls. Then the sox FO calls Boras, but it's about another one of his clients! At that point JD assumes (as anyone would) that the sox have no intention of resigning him--so he takes the best offer that's on the table. Later on, it turns out that the sox FO (lucky in particular) thought that it was a ploy by Boras and he was "calling their bluff"----------------nice call lucky:rolleyes: Theo's plan was to offer JD the sox max of 4/44 at the winter meetings, and then if JD declined it--he would move on to other things. That way JD knew what they were offering and it was up to him---and also they had time to make other moves if neccesary! However in typical fashion, lucky's negotiating skills screwed the pooch again! Thanks for the memories JD, but it's Coco time!

I don't even know if the money was that off? I mean i know what JD says now, ect... but even reports from players that i have read say that he says that--but really it boiled down to the fact that boston didn't want to sign him for whatever reason. Every report that i read stated that the sox only put that one offer on the table (4/40) and that when the yankers make their play they only gave him a 4 hour window to accept the deal. Boras tried to call the sox FO, and couldn't get through to anyone. Then JD tried several ways to get a hold of the sox FO and couldn't get anyone to talk to him---in fact the sox FO called Boras, but it was about a different client. So here' JD: the yankers offer him a lot of cash, he wants to stay in boston, but the sox FO won't even return his phone calls (not to mention the fact that half the team he played with last year is now gone, so he thinks they don't want him either)--------so he does what anyone would do and accepts the deal from the yankers. If the sox had offered him 4/44 (which is what Theo was set to do during the winter meetings, before his departure) i think he would have stayed! It's over now though, and he is the enemy--------thanks for the memories JD, enjoy your time in the toilet!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2355333 Get well Kirby!

The most hillarious quote: I guess the marlins were happy to get rid of that "high priced" contract! I don't think they would take Graff----I would rather him play 2nd for us instead of Loretta, but that's me!

Does anyone else think that this is a smokescreen to help bump up his trade value. I mean the guy has been grumpy and not pitching so far this spring: and now all of a sudden he's happy? I still wouldn't be surprised to see him gone in the next week or two!

Well look at the bright side; at least dale "send em in" swain (sp?) isn't here this year. I don't think i could take a " i am a better 3rd base coach" thread every week!

During the pitt game today, orsillo and remy kept mentioning Foulke and his knees giving him problems---and needing injections in them. Anyone got any info on that---I mean we went from "i have never felt so good" to "last year redux" pretty quick!

Wow, something weird about watching Nipper handle the pitching staff. Hopefully Wallace will have some input and contact with the team when they are home. We have been blessed to have him here, he is very well respected as one of the best in the biz. Get well soon Dave!

We won't find out how this team will really "mesh" until july/august. However you can't ignore the fact that 3 of the biggest "clubhouse" guys are now gone (JD, millar, and "the pro") and that drastically affects this teams identity. I personally would rather see Graff playing 2nd, instead of Loretta--but that's another thread!

I completely agree!! For someone to say that JD didn't bust his balls every time out is assinine! The guy would have run through a tank to make a catch! I am sorry that he is gone and I don't fault him---I fault the front office. I think JD did what anyone would do when backed into a corner--he took the best option available! (the sox were not an option at that point) As for 06, I don't see a drop-off in production coming---what I do see is a drop off in the attitude of the club. Orsillio and Remy were asking Tito about that today during the Pitt game. They were talking about how "quiet" and "non-emotional" the club was and tito said something like "if we win a lot of games, no one will care about that stuff". This club lost most of it's identity this offseason with the loss of JD, Millar, and "the pro"! Crisp will do fine numbers wise, but he won't be the icon that JD was!