Dojji

That means Tug Hulett more than likely just made the team. He's earned it with his play on the field, there's an opening, and we could use at least one of the positions he plays.

Bruins look like they might be waking up a bit. Three of their last 4 games they've looked a great deal more like the Bruins we hoped for, and the other game was a "moment of youth" by our not-quite-finished-product young Finnish tender in which we nonetheless scored 3 goals. Could this team actually be "congealing at the right time?"

How long till the short bus arrives back at this stop and takes you guys back to where you belong?

OK, I see the problem. The fact is that Lowell playing through the injury was too professional because he was trying to be an old fashioned gritty guy and you don't grit your way through a hip labrum tear. Delcarmen's playing through his injury is NOT professional because of an important distinction -- he didn't report it to the team. Hiding an injury for any reason isn't professional, it's stupid. Sure, and the "trade Lowell" talk began again in the very next offseason when Teixeira was a free agent. The desire to trade Lowell has been an undertone throughout his tenure in Boston, and you know that that's a fact. I respect your opinion, but disagree with it. As a human being Lowell's entitled to the whole range of human emotions and on the whole I think he's taken the whole thing rather well, but anyone would get tired of waking up every morning for 4 years wondering who he's working for today.

Umm what? I just said that hiding or playing through an injury are the antithesis of professionalism. If you're drawing that conclusion from my post it's rather painfully obvious you did not read it very closely. Because the team is trying to unload him, and has been for at least 4 years. He's been linked directly in a proposed trade to Colorado for Helton in the 2006-2007 offseason, a version of the Santana deal, and a proposed trade with Texas for Max Ramirez was even pronounced "done" before the Rangers backed out at the last minute over medical concerns. That's just the ones that made it to press, I imagine if you slipped truth serum into his agent's drink you could probably learn about at least 6-7 more. That also leaves out all the Teixeira hubbub just last offseason. The Sox FO and Mike Lowell both knew exactly who the odd man out would be if we did land Tex. I think he's entitled to say SOMETHING by now. Eventually you just get to the point where you need to say "Alright guys, get off the fence already -- trade me or don't, but stop almost trading me, k?"

Considering that for most of his tenure here Lowell has been a consummate professional, I'm not sure your statement here really holds any weight at all. In fact if anything he's been a bit TOO professional. If he'd gotten the treatment he needed at the time of injury rather than trying to play through it for three months we might not be in this sitch with him.

I distinctly remember Jason Varitek complaining about that trip to Japan.

The planet-sized difference there is that we didn't have someone on hand who could easily replace Thomas and play more games a year doing it.

Please tell me they didn't just re-sign Andrew Ference for 3 years at a 2.25M cap hit...

Crap, they got it right.

Actually that's fairly true, although certainly any intelligent person would be willing to change their opinion if the numbers fail to support them.

Probably not significant news, but it could come into play at some point: The Sox have been offered Jorge Jimenez back. So at least we now have a 3B in Portland or Pawtucket who could fill in on the bench in an emergency. enough things need to go wrong for that to really be a problem that we'd be screwed anyway, but 3B is our weakest position in the minors, and depth there is a plus.

But that has jack-all to do with the quality of the starters. In fact the fact that you're making that excuse for the quality of your SP's tell us that you know that they're inferior and you have to throw in the other stuff to make up for it.

Honestly I didn't want him back at the beginning of last year either. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out the guy was done. Wagner could have provided everything Tek has provided since that contract was signed, and do it with some hope of upside rather than dread of further decline.

You know call me crazy, but I've really liked what I've seen from Dusty Brown the last few springs. He's continued to bear all the hallmarks of a very adequate backup catcher type and I'm not really that sure that I want Varitek over him considering where Tek is in his career. There's virtually no chance Brown finishes the year with the Sox system if he doesn't crack the roster, as he will likely be traded for some minor league filler to make way for an Exposito propmotion in midseason, and I think that's a pity. He could have done something for us if we hadn't picked up that option on a dead in the water catcher.

We do have some young catchers that are supposed to have good upside, that should enter into the equation as well. Expo is probably not going to be ready to take up the gauntlet next year but he's more than talented enough that if he shows up well it put us into a position where we're looking more for a stopgap than a longterm solution. And Federowicz is supposed to be even better defensively than Expo. I would not be particularly surprised given the way our contract situation works out right now, if we signed V-Mart to a frontloaded deal and mixed in more and more first or DH after a couple years to make way for Expo or Federowicz. Besides being a very talented offensive catcher V-Mart's situation with his knees and health actually has a strong silver lining for a team with young catching waiting to prove out. Having a veteran with strong offense that needs days off in a DH league creates an ideal situation for easing in a young catcher. You can use him as a late inning defensive guy, and he will get starts and at bats as well, so you get a good well rounded chance to see what you have.

Not to mention that in the past, the much-maligned Drew hit 30 and 27 homers and several years has produced at 30 HR paces before falling to injury.

I don't know Kurt Suzuki that well, but if Yadier Molina decided to test the free agent waters at any point, I'd be all over him. I would love to have a defensive guy who wasn't a total waste of at bats and Yadi fits that bill better than anyone. Unfortunately we're more likely to wind up hoping that Expo becomes a Yadi Molina type, because the Cards know what they have there.

So basically, you decided to try your hand at trolling? Little tip, if you're going to troll. please don't fail at it. that's very boring.

Daisuke cost only money and has been above average for 2 years, and hurt for 1. I don't think you can pronounce him a bust. I wish he wasn't so stubborn and uncoachable though.

We know that. so?

You guys are reading too much into the signing. All we're doing is giving him a look. I think he'd have to really pwn to get a job.