Spudboy

Ah. This explains why Buch, Kelly, and Masterson are in the rotation. Now I get it!

Oh I know. I am thinking that the Sox will pursue a younger top tier type.

Excellent Post Doc. I am not a Yankee fan by any means. However, I was used to seeing the Yankees being near the top and always competitive. It will be interesting to see how they rebuild.

Bullpens are crap shoots. This is why I was not happy to see a guy like Badenhop let walk. I guess they feel that they got better value or even have upgraded with some replacement arms. I certainly do not know. It will be until July or August until I do know unless they suck pond water all year. I believe that we can count on Tazawa at this point. I suspect ( and want! ) Breslow to bounce back. I think that he was just too pooped after 2013 but am not sure. I like Layne from what I saw of him last year in Pawtucket. Ogando ( who I was not happy that they signed, low risk / high reward be damned ) is looking good. He may be a great signing if his arm does not fall apart. I'm hoping to see more of the second half Mujica. Especially with the possibility that Koji will suck some more. I am still very curious to see how the Sox rotation depth pans out and who the successful replacements will be.

But you never know. They traded Hanley and Sanchez for Josh Beckett ( plus were made to take Lowell who I liked ). They could do the same thing for the right arm. We'll see.

I suspect that Kelly may be a very good fit on your chart. But the Sox may get lucky!!!

I see no reason to expect that the Yankees will show restraint if talent they feel that they need to win the division and more is available. This year there were not that many big ticket / impact players that they identified as needs available. If they need pitching this July I see no reason why they will not simply make some deals. And if most of the decent free agent arms are available in the 2015 off season, they could snatch up whatever they want. The Yankees have what should be a very good pen now. They need to get some offense and reliable pitching to get back to being dominant or at least competitive for a few years. Of course this is just my opinion.

Miley looked good today against a bunch of names I mostly did not recognize from the Pirates. Jackie Bradley had two more hits and they were not cheapies. Solid contact on both.

The updates from The Fort by our friend a700 is some of the most enjoyable reporting during ST. I know how he sees things. So I get a very good, realistic idea of what is being done. And cp176, I agree about Rodriguez. To be truthful, I have not seen a whole lot of him. But he looks good, is well thought of by pro scouts, and I am praying that he is the deal because the Sox will need at least 2 spare Starting arms this season.

And the numbers can hide some things. In his last start Buch went 4 innings. He allowed 4 earned runs and 6 hits, 6 K and 0 BB. I watched the game. Balls were in a hurry when they left the bat off Buch. He was leaning toward a solid pounding. He looked like s***. Of course after the game you get to listen to Remy and Orsillo gush about how good his changup was then hear the same crap out of Buch himself "a solid outing". So far, to my eyes, only Porcello and Ogando have looked promising. Everyone else is between "meh" and "suck".

Plus Barnes will likely be needed in a starting role soon. I listened to Olney talk about how industry observers ( scouts, etc. ) view the Sox rotation and their assessment ( ST so far ) is not good. It was pointed out that only Miley and Porcello have pitched 200 innings. Miley looks bad overall. Masterson can not keep the ball down. This is why Cleveland and St. Louis dumped him. He will get shelled. While the Sox are reporting that Buch's FB is 90-93 this spring, scouts have him sitting at 87-89. Kelly was not discussed at length but it was pointed out that he has injury issues and has never pitched more than 128 innings in a season. To compound the problem, the Sox pen lacks quality and depth ( ouch! ). Olney says that while the Sox will likely score tons of runs, most observers see the Sox not making the playoffs this season. Baltimore will take the AL East with very good starting pitching. This is what objective observers who are paid to know have to say. The good news is that Betts is universally seen as a monster in the making. That, and the fact that many good starters will be available mid season. Olney sees the Sox possibly landing Cuato (SP?) or Zimmerman. Regardless, he says it is doubtful that the Sox can score enough runs to make it to the playoffs.

I am having trouble going from one thread to another. I click "Top", "New Posts", and then the new thread. It is very slow.

I just read that he has a lower bicept injury. Similar to what he experienced last ST.

More good news from the Fort. Kelly was pulled today with some undisclosed injury while pitching. Who knows how serious it is. Now we get to see what kind of quality depth or team has at starting pitching.

The big money for this kid can be rationalized in several ways. I just am against paying a 19 year old kid this kind of money. He has done nothing to justify it. It is all speculation at this point. But at least the Sox out Yankeed the Yankees!!!1!!

I generally like Jerry Remy. Yesterday he said something really stupid that I had to laugh at. Masterson, etc., were inducing ground balls. Several were the "Bounding" type up the middle. Remy said because of the hard field surface that ball would "hit the ground and pick up speed". Apparently he is not a scientist.

Welcome to the Rogue State.

Of course there is the possibility that he will be an expensive flop.

^ This.

I can't believe that Talksox is still debating the Lester issue. Waste of bandwidth.

Not good news for the Yankees, obviously. This morning I read ( ESPN Boston ) that he was pitching side sessions or something and things were going well. Tubbie's knees are shot from what I have read. He needs all types of pre-game and post game therapy and attention. But again, I read that he is throwing well. The Yankees rotation could have been the best in the division. Now things don't look so great. I wonder if NY will make a play for Hamels?

I have never paid Maddon much mind until he bolted for the Cubs. It was at his intro that I began to suspect substance abuse on his part. Go back and watch the tape. He was either drunk, tripping balls, or was experiencing an Insulin Reaction. He was all but out of control.

So much for a soft camp. Ortiz and Sandoval homer, Red Sox top Pirates 0 2 Associated Press BRADENTON, Fla. -- David Ortiz and Pablo Sandoval homered in the third inning off Pirates right-hander Ryan Beckman to erase a deficit and lift the Boston Red Sox over Pittsburgh 5-1 Thursday. Pirates starter A.J. Burnett pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings but left two runners on base who scored on Ortiz's three-run drive. Burnett struck out two and walked three. Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz survived a rocky first inning that included two singles, a hit batter, a wild pitch, a wild pickoff, and a sacrifice fly. He allowed four hits in three scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Pirates closer Mark Melancon allowed two hits and a run in an inning, giving up an RBI double to Shane Victorino that boosted Boston's lead to 5-1 in the fourth. Sandoval, who signed a $95 million, five-year contract during the offseason, went 2 for 3. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

I should clarify my last comment about Lee. It is possible to have TJS and bounce back at 37-38 and provide production. I assume someone here will post a list of players who have done it. I just think that at that age surgery and rehab would sound even more unappetizing. It's one thing to go through all that if a large chunk of your projected career remains in front of you ( as with players say, 19-30 or so ). It really has to suck at 36 or 37. Lee should pack it in because that is what I would do!

I don't remember any of us advocating to acquire a non-healthy Lee. In fact, I seem to recall that those among us who liked the idea stressed that Lee would have to be proven healthy in ST before a deal should be considered. Whatever. I think that he is toast and should consider retiring. Why bother with surgery just to come back at age 38?