Jacoby_Ellsbury

I LOLed.

First, I heard the other day that NY is no longer looking at Pettitte and wants to stick with Hughes. Probably bunk, but who am I to say. Your rotation is as strong as its been for a while. Our rotation figures to be as strong if not stronger.

I don't want to say he's faking it, that's not fair to him. Put it like this: when he has the pay day coming at the end of the year, his ability to pitch through whatever ailments he's dealing with increases.

My mistake about Beckett, forgot about the option. Still not the only reason he's primed to have a great year though.

Regardless, Penny can produce. The Sox FO made the smart decision in not pissing away a lot more money on a multiyear contract and not throwing a 1st round pick in the trash. Sheets = high risk, high reward Penny = low risk, lower reward

First, you: A.J. Burnout is far from the picture of health when there isn't a big pay day waiting for him at season's end. CC has the N.Y. media, a record contract, and some potential arm stress working against him (though I've said that about 600 times). Wang helps, for sure. As for the Sox, yeah our rotation was healthier, but our ace had a subpar season last year (to be generous), and Beckett is entering his free agent year. I expect total dominance from him this season. You also left out that Buchholz was f***ing terrible in pretty much every start of his. Didn't you yourself say you were expecting a Rays hangover this season? The Sox didn't need any substantial improvements. We were f***ed by injuries and underachieving performances all year and came within a game of a third WS appearance in 5 years. What the Sox did do this winter is a get a solid, solid reliever from KC and dump a likely malcontent, and made a low risk move to sign a guy that, health providing, can really shore up the #4 spot in our rotation. The Yankees filled more holes left by departed talent than they flat-out improved. Penny blows Colon and Byrd out of the water (health permitting, of course). Byrd's ERA pushed 5, Colon appeared in 7 games. Adding Ramirez and dumping Coco is an improvement. Anytime you acquire a solid reliever who gave up 2 homers in the season before you acquired him, that's an improvement. That's a big help to the bullpen. Bullpen is important. Plus, Coco had all the makings of Jay Payton part II this season. He was a backup who clearly wanted a starting job, and he was a free agent at 2009's end. He would have been gone by midseason anyway. We're lucky to get R. Ramirez out of Coco. If Papi and Lowell return to form, that just about accounts for the Yankees' improvements at the plate. I've explained why Beckett is primed for dominance this season. I've explained why CC is primed to struggle this year (at least struggle compared to last season). I give the advantage to Beckett. Lester and Wang are just about equal. Yes, Dice-K's participation in the WBC could cause problems this season, but his Yankees counterpart, Burnout, can't stay healthy in a non-contract year, and even if he could I'd still give the edge to Dice-K. Penny's a question mark, but I like my chances with his health and his performance. Joba's a good pitcher, but he's spent like 2/3 of his career thus far as a setup man. I need to see more from him as a starter.

Hey I would have backed you up earlier, but I kinda slept in till 5 today, so I was unavailable in the afternoon.

Why did this site abolish rep?

WTF Sheets and Penny present roughly the same situation. Only difference is, Sheets would have commanded a lot more money (and as a result, risk), and his type A status robs us of a draft pick. Lugo was a stupid signing in winter 06, but the team needed a shortstop in the worst way.

Here's the long-ass thing I wrote last night, but couldn't post because some database thing was blocking it... Bucs need to pink slip Jon Gruden for sure, but I have no idea who we would hire in his place. Maybe Josh McDaniel or Jason Garrett, but I think that's being optimistic. I didn't get to see any of Josh Johnson this year, which fries me. Yeah he was a 5th round pick, but he threw 43 TDs and 1 f***ing INT his final year in college... I don't care where you play, that's one mother f***er of a ratio. Look at our other QBs. Garcia's like 40 now, Griese sucks ass, and Luke McCown is just plain terrible. I have a good feeling about Johnson, think he has a chance to be a McNabb type QB in his league (hopefully w/o the injuries). Given Tom Brady's setbacks, Matt Cassel looks more and more like a pipe dream (doubtful that was ever realistic in the first place). Running back needs to be addressed. Graham will be back next season, but I don't like him as the primary, full time running back. Problem is, Warrick Dunn is in his mid-30s (not good for a back), and Cadillac couldn't finish the season. The Bucs need to draft or sign a speed back to complement him. I'm not familiar with college football, or, by extension, this year's draft, so I don't know who's out there. On the FA market, there's Brandon Jacobs (i'm hopeful, but pessimistic), Darren Sproles (doubtful SD lets him go), Derrick Ward (possibility), and Ricky Williams (no thanks). Antonio Bryant caught 90 balls for 1200+ yards in 2008. Needless to say, he's a keeper. We need to add speed at wide receiver to complement Bryant, but that can definitely be addressed. Devery Henderson is on the market, he defines speed. TJ Houshmanzadeh is out there, but I doubt we can snatch him. I really don't want to have to draft a speed receiver and hope he pans out. Tight end and o-line are fine. We're deep, skilled, and solid at all spots. Teams were running the s*** out of us towards the end of the year. Jovan Haye is a decent player, but the rest of our d-tackles f***ing suck (looking at you, Hovan and Sims). Albert Haynesworth figures to be a premier free agent on the market, so its highly doubtful we land him. Unfortunately, outside of Haynesworth, the D-tackle FA market is paper thin (highlighted by Haye, Rocky Bernard, and Jonathan Babineaux); Haye being a free agent as well definitely doesn't help matters. Draft. Defensive end we're okay. Linebacker doesn't need to be addressed either, but I should say that I wouldn't be heartbroken if Derrick Brooks decides to hang 'em up. He's 35, the end is near one way or the other, and we have Quincy Black waiting in the wings. I wouldn't mind Black being a starting linebacker in 09 one bit. The secondary... definitely hang on to Jermaine Phillips, he and Jackson make an above average safety tandem, so we're safe there (haha c wat i did ther). As for the corners, Buchanon needs to leave. Seriously. Give Talib the starting job. I don't care how inexperienced he may be at year 2, Buchanon is a piece of s***. Barber is showing signs of slowing down, but I think he has another good year in him. Regardless, corner is a position that needs to be addressed in round 3 of the draft or higher. Preferably its a Ronde-type corner, a guy that can be a corner-linebacker and do the dirty work. Alternatively, we could go out and sign Kelvin Hayden, an ideal corner for our system. Seamless transition. I'd label our draft priorities, in order: DT, CB, HB, WR, OL (can never have too many of them).

I heard Romo collapsed in the shower.

Rooting for Atlanta. I pick the Giants to win the NFC.

Rooting for Miami (how couldn't you). My pick to win the AFC was Pittsburgh before today and Ben's injury. I don't know who will win it now. I like Baltimore, they remind of the mid-decade Steelers quite a bit, I might go with them.

Before they even play a game...

Dissention in Patriot-land. Love it, love it, love it.

The Giants have to go after Manny. He has no suitors left (except maybe the Dodgers), the Giants can buy him at their price. If he goes to SF, and Johnson/Zito hold up in the rotation, the Giants have a great shot to win the NL West (I only see the D-Backs staying with them).

The Red Sox are a team that actually knows how to draft, so that pick is actually relatively valuable.

Thanks champ.

LOL. Bard. EDIT: all I see on rotoworld is 'Red Sox closing in on Penny', nothing official.

I like the Montero idea the best, as far as catching goes.

In loving memory of the 2008 Bucs http://i40.tinypic.com/16by837.jpg

Yeah. Piss away a first round draft pick to fill out the end of the rotation. I like your style.