TheKilo

And lastly, as for the Beckett/Pedro comp, it's ridiculous. Have you even noticed the difference in body type?

Probably because every pitching coach on the planet thinks so? When a pitcher is still throwing 95 in the 7th inning but is starting to get hit, why do you think that is? as pitchers get tired they lose precision as to where they want the ball to go, but they can still throw hard.

This thread is hilarious. T those pimping Lee's last two seasons, why no mention of his 2007 when he got sent to the minors, and when oh yeah Beckett finished second in the Cy Young voting. The cherry-picking in this thread is quite funny. Dojji has made a LOT of solid points and once again they get pushed aside as if they are nothing.

Depends on how you look at it. Lee was very good last season coming off a ridiculous 2008, but he had the benefit of pitching against some VERY mediocre offenses in the AL Central and then moving to the National League. Beckett has to do his work in the ALE year in and year out. Beckett's 2007 was on par with Lee's 2008, IMO, he just didn't have the gaudy win totals to match Lee. Lee will continue to benefit from facing mediocre offenses and will now pitch in an insanely friendly pitching environment (when you factor pitching & defense). Hell, this is the team and ballpark that made Jarrod Washburn look like a passable starter last season. No small feat. I think people in this thread are really undervaluing Beckett. For about three months last season, he was one of the top two or three pitchers in all of baseball. He got hurt, and got derailed a bit before recovering in September. He had a good playoff start against the Angels. Obviously not on Lee's level, but Beckett definitely wasn't some scrub last season. I'll bet dollars to donuts that Beckett is better than Lee in all of the fielding independent pitching statistics this season.

I think he has a very strong chance to get better. I also think Wieters is a guy primed for a breakout.

Nah, DAntoni's system is perfect for a guy like House. He'll get to chuck 8-10 threes a game.

Haven't had a chance to comment on this article....first it is a bit disingenuous of the reporter to make the claim that VMart "doesn't want to leave Boston". VMart is a guy who is intensely loyal to the organization he plays for and just has no interest in moving multiple times (think back to his presser after leaving Cleveland). The most refreshing thing, however, is he acknowledges that the Sox are most likely going to look at Mauer and he doesn't take issue with that. Good on him. Sox won't sign him before ST, but I anticipate them signing him to something like a 3/45 deal after this season.

JD Drew is the baseball version of a litmus test. At this point, you either get what he brings to this team, or you don't.

I'm sorry, but I really don't think you can put Lee and Beckett in the same sentence. If we're looking at the next three or four years, I'll make the wager that Beckett exceeds what Lee does hand over fist.

Sox - Clay Buchholz MLB - Pablo Sandoval

Tentative in, if you guys let me join. When would the draft be, etc.?

So, even though this season has been a complete embarrassment for UConn, as I sit here typing I really do think they have an outside shot at being an at-large team in this field. Obviously the key is winning 3 of their last four games at a minimum. That will put them at 19-12, with a Big East conference mark of 9-9. If they win one game in the Big East tournament (most likely against a team like South Florida or Rutgers, whom they handled pretty easily last night, then that would put tham at 20 wins with a guaranteed .500 record in the conference. Add in the fact that they have the #1 SOS, and you could be looking at a team that sneaks its way in. If they win Monday, I really think you can put them as one of the last teams in the field.

No mention of how bad Ainge spit the bit this week for not dealing Ray's expiring contract at the deadline? You people have gotten soft in my absence.

Americans are going to have to play better defense if they are going to have any hope at the medal round...if Canada gets half the odd man rushes the Swiss got they'll bury them.

You guys are sweet. Tim Thomas still blows ass.

SOTK clear your inbox

I'm pretty sure no one has ever made that claim but nice strawman regardless.

Claude will figure it out one of these days.

So much for personal attacks being inappropriate replies. When you say "I think this pretty much sums up where the Red Sox are after the Winter Meeetings. Can he (like Shaughnessy) be wrong too? Maybe all the writers that follow the Sox are wrong." It's clear you share the same beliefs as Shank and Silverman (who's usually OK, but this article isn't written well at all). Do you think Theo is just going to sit by and idly do nothing? That all he cares about is raking in the cash?

Excellent question, but remember, Brian Sabean is a moron.

No, he didn't. This type of stuff takes 30 seconds to look up: .230/.318/.334/.653 http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=ramire001max

Rask: 8-2-2 1.97 .932 Thomas: 7-7-3 2.48 .914