Spudboy

Not as bad as Pitino.

This is exactly how I see it and feel.

I was going to add that!

Again, I can't wait for pitchers and catchers to report. It will make for far more interesting discussion here. I wonder if Hanley will report on time or if he is stupid enough to pull a Manny? If I were him I would have been shagging fly balls all off season and show up early to do even more of it. I wonder if Bradley and Graig have been in the cage at all in the off season. What happens if one of the new starting pitchers shows up with an injury or becomes hurt in spring training? Who takes his place? I have lots of questions.

I'm not commenting on each team's ability to spend big bucks. I am just saying that the price ( no pun ) for pitching has become exorbitant. The ass clowns that decided to pay Scherzer millions for years after he retires have made a huge mistake. That was just bad business. The type of business that governments run. I guess I should be happy that my team has the money to play this game. And to some extent, I am. However these recent salaries are ridiculous. It is highly unlikely that any pitcher will perform up to a 7 year deal, let alone for many years after his playing is done. It sets a bad precedent. And before long there will be other deals like this. The big revenue from television will evaporate eventually. A la carte cable is growing almost each day. It will be interesting to see how that effects players wages.

I'm with you. It is insane. The cost of pitching is getting way out of hand.

Well to be honest one can come onto talksox most days and be prompted to think this!!! We get some dumb comment around these parts.

I certainly don't know. But given his age, his recent injury history, and that his game is based on speed, my guess is that he won't be able to stay healthy. If he is healthy I see him taking away playing time from Betts which is too bad. We'll see.

Yup. I was new to message boards when I came here in 2009 and was alarmed at the immature behavior. It's part of the game here on talksox and from what I have seen elsewhere on the net too.

I wasn't on the board much then. Wow. I wish that I had not missed that!

Oh joy.

I mentioned starting pitching depth yesterday. If the Sox don't add to that depth this could be the Achilles heel.

Just looking at the Nats rotation. They are filthy stacked if the Scherzer signing has forced them to bumb this kid. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roarkta01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.mlbtraderumors.com

What do you mean by this? The deals for Sandoval and Hanley were not for top dollar or are you saying that the Sox FO has not paid for pitching with top dollar? I don't get it.

I don't follow the NL and particularly the Nats closely. Has Strasburg lived up to his hype? Or is he somewhat of a flop? Is he healthy?

I posted this blog because I thought that it was interesting how Donaldson revamped his batting and became more productive. I see no reason why Bradley can not or will not be able to do the same. Of course if he is an obstinate little d bag and refuses to try then at that point you say bye bye. He is a very athletic and talented baseball player with one giant flaw. I say stick with him IF and only IF he make an effort to fix his bat. The idea that Bradley is slow is absurd. He is not Ricky Henderson or Lou Brock. Is Pedroia fast? You pretty much have to get on base consistently to steal bases. I was not comparing Donaldson and Bradley as physical specimens. Although with proper mechanics allowing his hips and torso to be used to advantage, Bradley could conceivably become a more "powerful" hitter. That is just physics. I just want to see the guy hit. Hopefully in Boston but if elsewhere so be it.

Thanks for pointing out my omission of Wright. I was thinking about him a couple of days ago when this all occurred to me. Thanks Pal.

Bump. Could not find a better thread for this topic so I am posting it here. http://www.bluejaysplus.com/josh-donaldson-swing-adjustment-brett-lawrie/#sthash.d2qxxmJx.mP1kgxhV.dpbs I stumbled upon this Blog concerning Josh Donaldson's batting adjustments and thought it was interesting. It was painful to watch JBJ bat in 2014 and it was very discouraging to hear that he was for some reason reluctant to take some advise concerning his plate performance. At roughly the same age as Bradley, Donaldson made some big adjustments and became a more productive hitter. While I have not looked at his before and after numbers, it's still clear that he went from a poor to above average hitter after a total revamp of his hitting mechanics. I don't buy into the idea that JBJ "will never hit". The kid is very talented in other phases of the game. I think that he should make the effort that Donaldson made to become a better hitter. He certainly has little to loose!!! It would be great to see the kid become a complete player. His Defense is so good.

One thing that worries me is starting pitching depth. Most of the time a team needs 6-7 guys ready to contribute innings in a regular season. I don't think that the Sox are deep in this category. If one or two of the current starters falters or becomes injured, who steps up? Renaudo? Workman? Barnes? Owens? Will any of those guys be able to provide quality starts if needed?

I'm with both of you. I can not wait for the new season to begin. Even if the Patriots are now center stage, my heart is with the Sox! GO SOX!

I only get snippets about Crawford. I understand that he is in and out of the lineup with assorted ailments. At one point this past season he was the 4th outfielder. Imagine paying $21. mil. + for a bench warmer. I have lost all respect for the guy because of the way he acted here and the verbal diarrhea he has spewed about Boston since he was traded. The guy was one of the best professional athletes in North America. Now he is a never was ass clown.

I have nothing bad to say about Theo. To some extent he adopted responsibility for a fairly well build team. However he did make moves that shored up the defense and brought in a lights out closer and burner that help put the team over the top. As a native Boston fan from Newton, I feel some commonality with Theo ( a Brookline boy ). And I love his passion for the game. Even the most ardent of Theo detractors should acknowledge that Theo is a very intelligent, well educated baseball junkie.

Will Dan Douquette land in Toronto?

Before the Crawford signing many on this board were clamoring for Jason Werth. He was said to be a much better fit for the Sox. I was glad the Gonzo deal was made at the time. His spray chart and swing made perfect sense for Fenway. I was a huge Crawford fan having watched him play well against the Sox. Boy was I wrong. What a creep and sissy-boy he is.

Or the Sox FO are taking a less reactionary approach to building a team for the future with an eye to go for it in 2016?