Fried Neckbones

Wake's 500th appearance in a Sox uni, and 350th start. Rays down 3-2 in the 9th. :thumbsup: C'mon BJ. You're not THAT bad.

He is in an amateur league in Japan. His team (the Shin-Nihon Sekiyu Eneos ) have a web page, but it's in Japanese, which I cannot read. However, the company that owns ENEOS (from what I can figure a Japanese electric concern) appears to be Nippon - of the infamous Ham Fighters. I have no idea how Japanese baseball works as far as farm systems, but Tazawa hasn't been drafted by anyone yet, and seems to be of the international signing, send him to (I would guess) AA and see what he has. Cagey move, if you ask me. A couple of other websites: http://forums.simcentral.net/blogs/gwynar-646/amateur-league-pitcher-junichi-tazawa-scouted-by-the-red-sox-290/ http://www.eneos.co.jp/company/baseball/ (in Japanese, if you can translate).

jacksonian, gom, 26-6, et al - this one is mostly for you. Why Joba the starter instead of Joba the shut down, slam the door closer in waiting? And don't give me that crap about 200 innings are more valuable to a team than 60 as a closer. Who do you people have waiting to take over for Mo? Edwar? Veras? Please. Unless there is some gem hidden in the minors (and I'm actually asking, not s*** talking) I don't see it. Parallels to Paps in 2005 - hard throwing, groomed to be a starter, breaking into a big league rotation, then he's a dominant closer. I just don't get it - I'm no Steinbrenner but it seems pretty obvious to me. Also, the idea of Joba and Paps going head-to-head as closers for the Yankees and Sox for the next 10 years or so is really cool.

It's a weird MVP race, that's for sure. Seems like all the playoff contenders have multiple options, with no clear-cut head and shoulders above the rest players. Quentin's injury could tip it to Dye if the White Sox stay in it late, don't forget about Morneau if the Twins make a run at it (his stats, especially the traditional power numbers voters like are way above the rest of the Twins), and then there is the potential just because he set a record and his team is kicking ass candidate: K-Rod. And of course, if Dustin keeps playing like he has been and the Sox can overtake the Rays, I think he has a legit shot too. Gonna be an interesting September.

Me too. They were flat/terrible lately. Coincidence, maybe, but Manny's bitching had reached new levels, and his half-assing wasn't cute anymore. Shades of Nomar (attitude-wise) - Nomar was a pissing and moaning malcontent before he got dealt too. This deal makes them better in the long run. Manny was gone after this year anyway. Bay will still be around, on the upside of his career, and gives the Sox 30 HR 100 RBI power. They sign him to an extention midway through next season, cool, if not, they still get the draft picks. The money they save on Manny lets them go after some help in the off season. Think big, people, look to the future. Moss and Hansen were not the answer. Nice pieces, yes, but not irreplacable. This deal keeps this season alive AND makes them better headed into '09 too.

I have a feeling that if this hadn't worked they would have offered him "the Favre" and paid him to just retire.

Pirates will announce "shortly": http://trades.mlblogs.com/ Lots of prospects to Pitt (Hansen, Moss), Bay to us, Manny to LA.

The ProJo Sox blog had a post up by McAdam called something like "After all no moves for Boston" about 20 minutes ago. I went back to see if there was anything else in the meantime. It's gone. Kind of funny, I thought.

Ian Browne reporting the same thing on MLBlogs. http://trades.mlblogs.com/

Damn my slow typing.

Thanks. I totally agree. It's not like they're going to empty the farm to include prospects, and money is only money - Bay is a nice return, and probably about as close to "equal" value that you're going to find a this point. Better to get someone who plays hard than someone who will sit out games down the stretch. The East (and WC) is looking like a few games will decide it.

That's how it's gonna be - everyone knows the Sox want to unload him, so they're going to squeeze them for every last drop.

I agree with Kilo, especially about the lack of punishment part. Mitchell himeslf said in his press conference that 1. you have to apply the rules of the game at the time of the infraction and most PEDs weren't illegal when the players named were using them and 2. there is no point to going back and slapping players for things they did years ago. His report was, in his own words, designed to be prospective rather than retrospective. What it is going to do for the future of the sport I have no idea. The current testing program is locked into place until what, 2011? At which point they have to come back to the player's union and renegotiate a new policy. The report was interesting, yes, but IMO mostly from a curiosity standpoint. Mitchell did his job, and I think did it well under the circumstances. But with no powers to gather information other than saying "pretty please" and no authority to direct new policy I don't know what, if anything, will come of this report.