JimEdHOF2009

Daniel Bard is the LEAST of my worries.. My only worries with him would be sh!tting his pants in the post-season vs. Yankees or Rays...if we even catch either of them.. without another slugger we won't..mark my words..remember I said this.. WE WILL MISS PLAYOFFS UNLESS WE GET A MAJOR BAT VIA TRADE.

Beckett's problem is location ...it is terrible.. Had he hit the spots Tek was giving him I would not be discussing this. For some reason he has struggled early in recent years... I really cannot explain it. His velocity is there...the movement on the 2 seamer and drop on curve is there though it(12-6 curve) isn't consistently there and almost never over for a strike). I would like to see Beckett develop a splitter because his changeup has no movement and really doesn't have much velocity differential in relation to his fastball.. His change is usually 89-90 MPH..fastball 94-96. A splitter would come in at 84-86 providing more movement and a better change of pace. It doesn't help that Josh's change-up is as straight as his 4 seam fastball.l. His other pitch is a spinning curve...A splitter has little spin. In terms of spin, a splitter is between a knuckle and a fastball..it "tumbles" to the plate...Hitters look for the spin..or lack thereof for quick pitch recognition-- which obviously is essential for making consistent, solid contact. It always help to throw another variable in for the hitters to think about. I think the addition of a splitter would drive Beckett into the upper echelon of MLB pitchers...provided he can learn it. Pelfrey developed a splitter over the winter and he has been nearly unhittable.

3 points.. ONE. I don't care how many positions Bill Hall plays.. as far as the OF positions go..he is f***ing horrible.. Scott Showenweis should be released... he proved once again he cannot even get lefties out...not only does he not get them out..they hit vicious liners by his head and he serves up 420 feet HR's to 10-13 HR a year guys like Overbay. Beckett is MEAT right now.. absolutely pathetic. No wonder he took the 4 year offer from the Sox.

He may have a K/9 ratio above 9 but his BB/9 is up over 6..he is garbage unless he can throw strikes.. I guess the Royals figured they already had one guy with great stuff who cannot throw strikes in Tejada and decided to flip a coin and get rid of one WILDMAN.

I would love to know what Hoyer feels about Buc/Bard/Anderson/and whomever else he wants in Sox system besides Kelly. I am sure he could come up with something. What don't you guys get? HE IS LOSING GONZALEZ for nothing in 1.5 years! As it gets closer to that time...Gonzo's trade value goes down! Teams like the Yankees who can afford him don't need him.. There are many, many factors that determine whether or not trades get done and it isn't always completely EVEN value. Of the teams who can afford to GIVE the necessary prospects and extend Gonzalez to a Teixiera-like contract...who can do better than Buc/Bard/Anderson/plus more spects...????? Tell me who? I would LOVE to hear this. Baltimore is one team I would be worried about.but they are far more concerned with their lack of bullpen and thin SP to go after Gonzo...hitting the ball is not their biggest problem.

I would love to get Konerko..would cost a whole lot less.

I just threw that out there. Anderson was rushed.. He is CRUSHING The ball at Portland this year and his stock is back on the rise. He is 22 years old...he will be in the bigs in a couple of years. Hoyer knows he is a blue chipper whether he played well last year or not... http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=1B&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=502249 Kalish is not producing but really..who cares what OTHER people in baseball think..if we are talking Gonzalez it only matters what HOYER thinks and he had his hand in the scouting and drafting of all of these players. Add whomever you want..Gonzo will be your face for the next 7 years.. If I were Theo..and Hoyer pushed hard enough..I would include Buc or Kelly and Bard and Anderson/and Kalis or Reddick..maybe even Bowden. The only thing I wouldn't do is include Kelly and Buc in same deal. Anything else..I would. Gonzo puts the Sox right back into the mix. Buc/Bard/Anderson/Kalish/Bowden You have an ace and a closer for many years... I don't see why a deal like that cannot be made.

Buchholz loses trade value if he moves to the pen.. no need to stunt his growth as a starter.. he has pitched better and IS a better pitcher than Tim Wakefield. A kid who has confidence issues is fragile..it will do more harm than good sending Clay to the pen after he has pitched so well this season and the end of last year. You can bet Hoyer has his eye on Clay...he would be the ace of the Padres staff right now and for years to come.

It is not just this year...but last year which let's anyone with a brain know that this team needs a big bopper. I for one, am thankful that we got our tails kicked in by a better TB team because it gave the Red Sox a preview of what is to come if they don't go out and get a slugger. This team CAN afford to give up a Kelly or Buchholz...it cannot afford to give up on this season..which is in essence what they are doing if they do not go out and get a premier slugger. Gonzalez is ripe for the taking. The Padres though playing well aren't fooling anyone..they are nowhere near being a playoff contender..they will be in the basement again come September..mark my words... ' Hoyer knows who the real prospects are and who the "quasi" ones are therefore he will ask for..a minimum of... Buchholz or Kelly Lars Anderson Kalish Tazawa/Bowden the only good thing going is I think Hoyer knows they cannot afford a mega deal for Gonz after 2011... This trade needs to be made immediately.

Darnell f***ing Mcdonald!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it me or has Youks totally regressed back a few years to when he could not hit a curve from a righty or lefty>? He has been getting a steady diet of curves from Rays and Rangers and has yet to adjust.. then he guesses breaking ball and takes a fastball right down the pipe for strike 3? he is really fighting it.. Alot has been put on Papi and it is totally justified..but Youkilis has been dogshit since the First game of the year.

Awwwwww yeah! Bases loaded.. Times like this make me yearn for the days when Pedroia hit 2nd.

with McDonald, Lowell, Hermida... I don't see many AB's for Big papi when Jacoby and Cameron come back.. Hall with a hit! Papi is just about El finito in Beantown.

Darnell McDonald is an OPS and OBP Machine! 2-2, HR, 2B, BB. Nice start.

Ortiz is a DONE. He is a has been who can only run into mistakes from "mediocre" pitchers.. it is honestly embarrassing to see him batting 5th on a team with a $150 million payroll. This team will be lucky to win 85 games with Big Pop-Up clogging up the middle of the order. Two hitters in front of Ortiz have OBP's over .400 and he has 2 RBI's. Varitek has triple the HR's and started two or three games.. Yes, it is early...but honestly, when is the last time Ortiz got a big hit off a quality pitcher? He is finished and the sooner we get rid of him..the better. Gonzalez can be had.. look at SD's pitching staff! Their pitching prospects are a joke! They would KILL for Clay Buchholz...Casey Kelley... Gonzalez needs to be brought here now. I can deal with teams stealing all day on VicMart if we have Gonzalez driving in runs.. but this team cannot afford to have his gaping hole smack-dab in the middle of the lineup. Tonight was a PERFECT example of why Ortiz has to go.. Tampa GIFTWRAPPED the game for the Sox and Papi does what?? A feeble grounder.. he is a trainwreck.. What's worse than his batting average .154..is his frame of mind.. He will not recover.. Theo needs to make the move before the gap between us and the Yankees is unsurmountable.

NICE Choke Marte/Posada! HAHHAHAHAHAH! Bard then Paps... I hate Ramirez..he is f***ing terrible in close games.

Welcome to the LASER show,, Sincerely, Dustin Pedroia "The 5'6 MVP who just tied the f***ing game! Ask Jeff f***ING FRANCIS who the f*** I am..He knows"

I love being wrong when it works in Sox favor!)

Papi should have been lifted for Lowell... He has NO CHANCE to hit CC...or any lefty for that matter. Hermida better be pinch hitting for Beltre.. Nice job by Showenweis keeping it where it was.

THAT is what I am talking about! 3rd year in a row I have ZERO Yankees on my money league fantasy team! Had 2nd pick...got Hanley.. got Votto then..YOUKS! Got Clay as well! Anough about Fantasy....beautiful start for Beckett! Let's get some runs!

1. Lester 2. Beckett 3. Lackey 4. Buchholz 5. Dice-K CL Papelbon SU Bard Okie Ramirez Delcarmen Wakes Bonser/Ramirez that has to be the best staff..top to bottom..in baseball.. The best one I have seen in quite some time. When you have a #5 pitcher who has dominated on the World Level and won 18 games in the Bigs.. you know you are straight NASTY. Add to that one of the best defenses in baseball and a top 5 run scoring offense and you have the makings of a World Series contender. I am sure Theo will gauge the offense throughout the 1st half and see if we need to move on Gonzalez at the appropriate time. vs. RHP Ellsbury Pedroia Martinez Youkilis Ortiz Drew Scutaro Beltre Cameron vs. LHP Ellsbury Pedroia Martinez Youkilis Cameron Beltre Scutaro Drew Ortiz Looks weird to see Papi hitting 9th but Beltre/Scutaro/and Cameron all hit LHP MUCH BETTER while Ortiz's OPS vs. LHP was .746 in 2008 and a HIDEOUS .716 last year. I wonder if Francona has the balls to put Ortiz there vs. LHP.. if he goes by the numbers...he should.

The Red Sox staff can beat the Yankees..and beat them frequently. With the depth and quality of the staff and pen...NO LINEUP is going to have it easy against the Red Sox. They go from a Lester, Beckett, Lackey, Dice, Buc to a Bard, Papelbon, Ramirez, Okie.. who the hell is going to hit these guys consistently?? I understand the contention that the Sox could use another BIG bat.. and by BIG, I mean Holliday or Gonzalez.. but the Sox, at present..at the very least, are a playoff contender...at the most, with their staff and pen, you could make an argument that the 2009 Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball. [B]vs. RHP[/b] Ellsbury Pedroia Youkilis VicMart Drew Ortiz(Contract year..he has shed 15 pounds...can you say "bounceback?") Scutaro Kotchman(with increased AB's..I look for him to have best year of career) Hermida (25 HR type guy out of 9-hole) vs. LHP Ellsbury Pedroia Youkilis VicMart(DH) Drew Cameron Scutaro Lowell Varitek C (.805 OPS vs. LHP in 2009) I think this team is every bit as good as the Yankees.. better..no... as good and capable of beating them more than they beat us.. definitely.

I would definitely offer him a nice one year deal... Maybe $5 or 6 mill base, with incentives to push it through 8-10 mill.... Let him produce if he wants a long deal. I don't think anyone is gonna spend big money, long term on him after last year's offensive debacle. Lowell looks to be toast.. hopefully we can revisit the trade with Texas after he recovers and plays in ST.. I don't expect Mike Lowell to be on the Red Sox Opening Day roster. I would be shocked to see him there. With Youks, Pedroia, Scutaro, and Beltre...there will not be many groundballs sneaking through infield.. nor will there be any bunts or choppers turning into hits should they be anywhere NEAR Beltre... he is one of the best I have ever seen on the hot corner.

They wouldn't be the most front-running, MYOPIC, clueless, fans in sports if they actually took an objective look at things. I actually have come to like their obtuse thinking. It makes it MUCH, MUCH sweeter when we beat them... They can talk their crap all they want.... Lester/Beckett/Lackey/Dice-K/and Clay...with Wakes in reserve, is EASILY the best starting 5 in baseball..and it isn't even close. The Red Sox bullpen is also the DEEPEST bullpen in baseball.. and this cannot be argued either. Bring it Yankee fans.. I have plenty of stats to back up my contention. I can admit the Yankees have a better lineup...as of this second. Should the Red Sox add Gonzalez..then we will have one heated discussion... should they subsequently add Bay or Holliday... Red Sox will have the best lineup...staff...and bullpen in baseball.