das11209

Disagree - but I hope you are right.

Is not that the whole point of the thread? Coming to the point - you and I both really wanted Mark T - that would have made an impact on the team. We could have signed Bobby A @ 5 mill. and we could have upgraded catcher position. I am sure the FO did whatever they could - but bottomline is team has not improved since last year as per as offense. We actually lost a bit with the departure of Coco. Current line-up has too many question marks with Lowell, Papi, Tek, Lowrie, Ellsbury, Drew(health) etc. and we are sorta hoping for a best case scenario where everything works out. If it does not it will not be a quick fix - we might have to do some rebuilding. As far as power is concerned - we seem to agree that Manny is good riddance and Papi will never be as good as 2003-2007 - we just don't know how to replace or compensate for their production. That might make an impact on W-L columns. If our starting pitchers can deliver and our bullpen can hold small leads - we will be in good shape. If they do not - I just don't see this offense making some late comebacks and winning lots of games from behind - I guess that is just me.

You mean what they can do now? Nothing I guess - just hope things(pitching etc.) work out. Hopefully make a trade at the deadline if someone is available.

Actually to be exact - I started bitching about offense last year - and this year I am not complaining. I am saying that if the pitching and defense does not work out as intended - no way we will win - you disagree?

The foundation of this team is pitching(starting + bullpen) and defense and just enough offense. If we have problems with pitching and defense - we will not win - period. Unlike the Yankees - who might be able to hit their way to win even if their pitching does not show up. I think the way this team has been constructured - they will struggle to score more than 6 runs consistently. That gives very little room for errors for other areas of the game.

He attended the Philly ring ceremony.

Never thought I will hear that.

I do not think it has worked - firing of Papa Jack is one of the mystries - another one is not offering contract to O'cab. It is probably water under the bridge at this point.

I still have no idea why they fired Papa Jack - offense stared loosing power after he left - there may be some co-relation...

Isn't Tek supposed to be mostly a mentor this season - hopefully that will mean we will see Kotts more often in the line-up. Someone needs to tell Tito that of course..

Should is right. Tito kept playing Belhorne and Millar - what would he do with the Sox captain? Also - if he askes Tek to play - I wonder if Tek would say - 'Tito I suck - why don't you let the kids play just so the team can get a win.'

I guess I belong to the 5%. I do not want Tek under any price. My problem is with Tito - not with Tek, Even if Tek is willing to take a back-up/mentoring role - it will be hard for Tito to sit him(out of loyality of course) - and it will be deja vu all over again. Tek - do me a favor - reject the deal. We get a catcher by trade or we go with Kottaras/Bard - I do not care. 2009 for me should be Tek free.

Verducci is saying now that all these are actually a third party perspective. This is also a contradiction of his statement ' Torre has read and re-read and re-read the entire book' - so Torre knows very well what is in the book and he approves. Looks like Torre is now trying to defend himself by calling Cashman and telling Verducci to cover for him. I have no probs in him throwing A-fraud under the bus - but he should man-up and defend that and not hide. Even a low-life like Conseco defended his statements and eventually it turned out that he was right. Torre wanted to get back at Cashman, Hank, George and that's why he said what he said - not for few extra hundred thousand bucks - and he should stand by to his words. I was also disappointed in Mike and Mike today as the guys gave Joe Torre the clean chit and blaming it all on Verducci.

What exactly has he done for us this year?

I am happy where Red Sox finished. I said in April - Tampa is not going go away this time - they will be here in October. But I must say I also said that Red Sox were not going to make the play-offs. The fact that they not only made the play-offs but also fought to get a game 7 in ALCS was satisfying enough. May be just because they won last year - I was not that hungry of a championship this year. Also the fact is I thought this team had too much adversaries to deal with ( bad schedule to start, injuries, Manny gate) and they finally causght up with them. Hats off to this team - and let us win one next year. That said - changes are needed. 1. This is not happening - but I hate Francona. If not for his game management in game - 2 there will be no game 7. He always manages to do the dumbest things - but gets lucky. I feel pretty strongly that he is not even half as good as his recores indicate. He should not have let Wake pitch in game 4 or Timlin in game 2. His love for the veterans killed this team. 2. Everyone knows my feelings about the lack of offensive for this team ( specially those who have cursed me on a regukar basis and pointed out to the stats). I am happy that we got Bay - but he is not Manny - I mean not even close. This is of course in terms of being a slugger - not in terms of a person. We need a legit offernsive hitter - who can change the game with one swing. 3. Let Tek go. With the love of Tito's for veterans - I think he will get enough playing time to screw things up. Let Cash go and try Brown for Wake's caddy. Start the season with Kottaras/Brown if there is no suitable catcher available. Salty will cost a lot - and he is not worth it. 4. Get another starter - I hpe they can get Burnett. He is not going to cost as much as CC. I like Byrd and I hope we can keep him as well. But he will probably get a sweet deal somewhere. 5. Fix the pen. Though they sometime looked good there are issues with the pen. Timlin - please retire. Overall - this was a great season even though it hurts to go so close and still not close the deal. Again - I blame Tito. April can't begin soon enough.

Right - to Gom that is.

True - and my post was a reply to Gom's as he says the thread could begin the end of the world.

I am sure who starts the thread in the website singlehandedly determines who wins tonight - the co-relation is so clear.

I was rooting for Dodgers pretty hard and the reason that Manram has doged the RSN and playing his heart out in LA has not affected that. The Dodgers are a poor version of last year's Rockies who got hot at right time and they just are not good. They won 84 games in the worst division of the baseball. Sox or Rays would have had a field day if LAD somehow makes to the world series. IMO only three NL teams can compete with AL team - Mets, Philly and Cubs. Does not look like that LAD will get to the world series - does it?