jacksonianmarch

No, it would have been a commitment to the fans. You make the choice of being competetive for the next 4 years or being dominant for the next 2 and then competetive for the following 2. Schilling, Pedro, Lowe right now would be a dominant top 3 in the AL. There would be no question.

I am not basing my assumptions off his performance, which is very good for a first year player. I am basing them off the type of pitcher that he is. Mediocre fastball, loopy curveball, average change guys don't become aces. Power fastball, biting curveballs, and sick changeups do. His stuff does not scream ace, hell it doesnt even whisper it. He was projected by many in the media (who seem to be sox fans) to be an ace. But seeing is believing and he doesnt have the stuff to be an ace. Maybe a solid 2 or 3 in the future, but not an ace. That is all I am saying.

and the sox would have at least 1-2 more championships. Jsing, I know you want to build from within, but being okay with forgoing 2 more championships to get younger makes you sound like a corporate shill.

sorry double post

I think you can see with your eyes that this guy does not have the pure stuff to be one of those shutdown aces that he was billed as. He has a MLB average heater. He has a nice little changeup and he has a big loopy curve. That spectrum includes guys like Casey Fossum at the low end, Ted Lilly in the middle, and Barry Zito at the top. Right now, nobody really knows which one he will be, but his ceiling isnt necessarily one for a shutdown ace, when the premium of his style of pitching (Zito) isnt even a shutdown ace. I am not trying to downplay him or anything, I think he will be a fine MLB pitcher, but he does not have the consistent power stuff to be an ace. Oswalt is an ace. He is 29. He could have been had for Lester, Hansen, and Coco. How often do you get the chance to get a young, power + finesse pitcher who has already won 17+ games? Once per 12 years. If nobody even brought up the idea of acquiring Oswalt, then this rant is pointless. But if Lester was the balking point, then Theo has too high of an opinion of himself. If rotational depth was the balking point, then hescrewed himself by letting his depth go to cincy.

I don't think you can ever look at a player and assess their true value. Fact is, Lester is a guy who was overhyped and does not have the stuff to be a consistent 20 game winner. Oswalt does and has proven he can. At 29, he still has 4-5 more years of dominance, and he also has the ability to pitch off his offspeed stuff, which is rather impressive in and of itself.

DFA Loretta is now 2 for 2.

I saw one yesterday. In play out(s) recorded. Bobby Abreu singles to RF, Derek Jeter to 3rd.

well, looks like the sox will take this one.

Maicier Izturis goes yard. The Yankees just cannot beat the Angels.

what a bitch.

Kevin Millar can always be counted on to hit into a DP at a moment's notice.

I have a lot of patience. But, if you have the chance to nab a 28 yr old ace for him, how do you not pull the trigger?

sorry, double post.

If what you say is true, a brawl is coming. I can smell it.

??? I don't get what you mean.

I didnt know he got hit in the head. Sorry, I am gamecasting here.

kid is at 35 pitches already. Get the pen up, this one is gonna be a long game.

oh, in the head, I see.

Lowell got hit, who cares. He probably would have grounded into a DP anyway, even though there were 2 outs.

No what? I have to gamecast this thing.

Regardless of the comparison, he isn't a "special player" type guy with freakish stuff like I thought he was. He is a guy who could be really good someday, but his stuff doesnt translate to ace material. If you could get Oswalt for him, then you do it.

That is what I said when I heard the comparison. I expected to see a kid come up and have Liriano type stuff. Instead he has Lilly type stuff.

Loewen made the Yankees look really bad in his start. He has a lot of off speed stuff and isnt afraid to go up with a heater.

Gammons billed him as a 94-95 pitcher with a sharp biting curve. He is more a 90-92 pitcher with a big loopy curve.