jacksonianmarch

LOVE the edit, lol.

priceless

That would have been a pretty good finger in a dyke. LOL

that is frickin classic. SOLID WORK ORS.

you should rooting for them next week too. Indy will not beat NE in the AFC Championship and as much as I like the Jets, I dont think they win tomorrow.

overall, the sox rotation will reach 900 innings and likely surpass it.

nobody can make that guarantee. But it is a better likelihood than it was a year ago or even 2 yrs ago.

I do not expect all of the 5 starters to exceed 200. I am going on track record for the top 4. Wang, Mussina, Pettitte, and Igawa averaged over 200IP per last season. As for the 5 spot, who knows. There are no Jaret Wrights or Shawn Chacon's which would lock you into 5IP at most per start in that 5 hole. But there arent any sure things. Thing is though, there are multiple options, and all 3 who will be given the shot out of ST have a track record of giving innings when they are healthy.

No, I NEVER say that. I say that having one pitch or two pitches does not a starter make. I never said they need to be plus pitches, they just need to locate them. He has a plus sinking fastball, an MLB average slider, and an MLB average change. I NEVER said that you need 3 or more plus pitches. You need 3 or more pitches you have confidence in and you can locate. They dont need plus movement or K potential.

if the Colts could actually finish drives in the first half, this game wouldnt even be close. The colts are dominating this game.

I would assume that Pats fans everywhere are hoping they have a shot at Peyton in the AFC Championship.

That is a very questionable statement with a lot of if's. If RJ is completely healthy, if RJ finds his fastball and slider, if the yankees get clemens, if Pavano is as healthy as they say, if, if, if. This statement above is far from a certainty in any way. so is RJ and Schilling. Mussina last yr embraced his lack of velocity for the first time in his career. He changed himself from someone who is flat out dominant when the velocity is up to a consistently good starter. He wont be a hit or miss guy. He'll give consistent production so long as he gets on the field. Dont expect a bunch of shutouts or complete games, but dont bank on his production being a sine wave. Completely wrong. Pettitte's "cranky elbow" only had him at a 2.8 era coming down the stretch, which would contradict those who thought his elbow was getting worse. And that bad elbow hasnt required surgery since 2004, and allowed him to make 68 starts over the past 2 yrs. you are right. His #s are going to bump. But who is the real pettitte. The guy who was a 2.39ERA in 05 or 2.80 ERA down the stretch or the 5.28ERA he posted pre-allstar. Either one, he will expect a bump in those numbers. He is far from a certainty in production, but from his track record, he'll be in the 4's and give us 200 innings, which is more than what RJ was gonna give us. nor does he need to be. He is being relied upon as a 4. As I have said before, I have no idea what his production will be. But he has a history of averaging 200IP over the last 6 yrs, so at least he'll take the mound for us and give us innings. See this is where you continue to buy the hype. This isnt Aaron Small or Shawn Chacon beating all of the odds with s*** stuff. This is a guy with a 95mph CONSISTENT sinker with sick bite. He throws it nearly every pitch. He isnt going to change. Last yr was his second in the bigs and still nobody adjusted. So long as he throws that thing over the plate, he will be fine. Obviously there are seasonal variations in ERA, but dont bank on a precipitous drop in production. The Yankee rotation doesnt need to strike fear in anyone. Their offense and back end of the pen will. This team needs consistent production from the rotation. Nothing spectacular as they arent expected to carry the team. But they will need to get 900+ innings out of them and then good things will happen. This rotation doesnt have the expectations or the pressure on them like the sox rotation does. The sox will live and die by their rotation. The offense is good, but it isnt 03-05 good and the bullpen needs to be used as little as possible.

I did love having Patriots day off when I was in Mass. Should be a national holiday. America, not just Mass, is based on patriots.

I'd love to see him in my rotation too. I havent even seen the really nice guy in a year and a half.

I heard rumors of a Jered Weaver, Scott Shields, and Ervin Santana offer for ARod early in the yr, from the angels papers. Since then, though, nothing. I think it was more rumor and innuendo than actual offer.

Exactly. Clemens keeps Hughes in the minors another yr to stretch out the arm. As for Clemens, he would be perfect. Why? Cause 1-4 this team is set. I dont have an issue with 1-4 in our rotation. At the 5 slot we have 3 options to start the yr. Pavano is one that Cashman would take jizz on the teeth repeatedly to deal away, but everyone who wants him wants the yankees to take nothing in return and eat the contract, so that aint happening. Assuming we sign Clemens by the beginning of spring training to start in July, we essentially give Pavano the 5 slot, no matter what happens to the other guys, obviously barring injury. This gives Pavano time to build up his trade value then deal him once Clemens arrives. If Clemens signs with the sox or houston prior to the season, then the 5 slot will be a fight. It wont be given directly to Pavano and the best man would win. At midseason, the ascension of Phil Hughes will begin depending obviously on how he is doing in AAA and how the 5 guy is. At the beginning of the season, we have 3 options for the 5 hole. In the middle of the season, the AAA guys will show what they are made of and the best one will be called up if needed. We have reinforcements, but they are green. Clemens would make them a little less green by giving them a year to mature.

agreed. I have a feeling that Cashman and Theo have talked to Hendricks and both have the feeling that Clemens is coming back.

All assumptions in Houston are that he is leaving Houston. All assumptions in NY are that the yankees will make a mega offer. All assumptions in Boston, well, there really havent been many. The moment Matsuzaka signed, the Clemens requests seemed to dissipate.

we'll see 700. I find your newfound RJ optimism refreshing.

I disagree completely. 2WS trips, an ALCS visit, and 6 playoff appearances means you have to beat someone who is good at some point. Unless you want to consider your 2004 team a bad team, cause we beat you quite a bit that yr. And the yr before, and in 05 too. The one difference these teams had over the yrs is certainly in the pitching department. We havent had any ace style performances in a long time. But we have mostly had consistent starting pitching up until 03. You guys had at least one ace on your staff every yr except 05-06. But the rest of the performances were hit or miss. Consistency is key to make the playoffs. Consistency is key in the playoffs to win a WS. We just havent fixed the second part lately.