Spudboy

Still, you do get raped for everything from parking to peanuts when going to Fenway. So your point is well stated if slightly embellished for emphasis.

Dito more or less.

The Yankees offense did not look good on paper in 2014 either. This year is about the same. Your pitching is what is what will determine what level of success is achieved.

Lol. "Unless Miley suffers from celiac disease, it would have been incredibly dumb for the Diamondbacks to insist that he adhere to a gluten-free diet. That is because people who reside in the "Gluten is bad for you!" camp are basically the dietary version of anti-vaccination nutjobs. Gluten is fine, and a pitcher should not be traded away just because he wants to keep eating it. If this is really what happened, the Diamondbacks are very stupid." Yup.

They won't unless they have been too busy whacking in the shed to notice that they now may be able to compete. They seem to being building a team to compete.

If you recall I advocated TJS for Tanaka last summer when the Yankees took the platelet route. He is one very expensive IF.

My GUESS is that is all chatter surrounding the Rays efforts to relocate within the Tampa metro area. Montreal??? Oye.

Fred what the Rays are doing is what they always seem to be doing. Controlling their payroll by adding mid-tier vets and loading up on cost controlled young prospects and talent. And just in case you have missed it, within the last week the City of St. Pete has consented to allow the Rays to look into another county as well as Tampa in which to build another stadium. I have heard nothing about them selling off the team. Losing Maddon and the well regarded GM ( Friedman ?? ) hurt to be sure. But that franchise is not crumbling in my view.

TROLL!!!!!!! Hahahahahahahaha.

This is all very true. However as we have all seen just about anything can happen with or to any team. The Sox rotation may be very good. I would not bet on it but I can see them being adequate to the point that the Sox are in it for at least part of the season. In regards to the Yankees pitching, big ifs exist, too. However IF Fatty, Tanaka, Pineda and I believe Nova ( is he even part of the team anymore?? ) come back solid then look out. That could be by far the best rotation in the East and possibly one of the best in the AL. And yes, I am still a Sox fan. Oh. I forgot Kuroda. He may swig some Geritol and have a go at it.

Well Fred while Delcarmen never did become great he always enjoyed immense popularity among Sox fans who lived in the Boston area because he was a home grown talent and grew up in Hyde Park / West Roxbury. He was also a really nice young man that was humble about his failed efforts on the mound. Unlike, say, Clay Buchholtz who make excuses or says that he felt good but they got some good swings on me type crap. Sometimes fans in remote areas do not get to see this side of players. You sort have to be living in this culture and environment to see this stuff. Even now with social media being so big much of what a player is seen as is not a complete picture. Edit: I believe that Delcarmen had TJS early in his career. Maybe he just never made it back to his original promise.

Me too! "Back in the day" I used to go to about 40+ games at Fenway each year 1972-1974. I paid $1.00 for a bleacher ticket and $0.75 to gain access to the rest of the park after the 3rd inning. I was on a first name basis with most of the Baltimore Bullpen. This because I looked about 10-11 when I was 14 and 15. I used to smoke HavaTampa cigars at the game. Those guys would be smoking real cigars and would get a kick out of passing their stogies through the back fence of the pen for me to toke on. Spital and all!!! The game has changed. I very much doubt that any player would spend 10-20 minutes joking around with a teenage fan now. The Baltimore relievers were a fun bunch or partyers that were often drunk or hungover and not bashful about it.

Cool. I loved watching him play before the shoulder injury. A very good athlete and a "gammer". I hope that he can make a go of it with the Jays.

Who knows? But it sure seems like they are trying to reload on young prospects. This is what they have come to be known for.

Very good point among several good points. Those young arms will be good for several years if they remain healthy. And they are cheap. At least for now.

I have to respectfully disagree with you here. What staff are you comparing the current staff to? If it is the rotation that started the 2014 season then you may be on point. There is no Lester or Lackey to give you 30+ starts apiece and many quality starts. Peavey was predictable in that he would not dominate and only give you a solid 4 or maybe 5 decent innings to stay in the game. Dooby was a lunkhead and did not pitch to his potential. Buch did not sniff his 1st half 2013 level. Although he did have a couple of good games very late in the year. If you are comparing the current rotation with the crap that the Sox threw out there after the deadline I'd say that you are wrong. Let's say Buch remains the same is nothing but a mediocre #5 at best. Kelly is young and has good stuff. He also appears to have a strong competitive spirit. He's no worse than a decent #4 if he can stay healthy and throw anywhere near 180-200 innings. Now the Sox have added three quality arms to the mix. Masterson can provide league average numbers if healthy and could be as much as a good #3. Porcello is full of upside and loves to compete. He too, is a good #3. I don't know much about Smiley but he seems to be a legitimate mid-rotation starter as well. Overall I believe the FO has done a pretty good job of retooling an inept rotation with what should be quality and experienced arms. And how can we ignore that the FO has not gone "dumpster diving" ( love that phrase a700! ). After all, they could have snatched up the glorious Brad Penny or the like. I wish there were more cost effective top tier arms available to go after but we will have to wait until the 2015 off season I'm afraid. I like that the FO has not used too many valuable chips to land some decent arms. And those arms are not on big contracts, either. A big splash pitching acquisition would be nice and probably enhance the chances that the Sox do go to the playoffs in 2015. Maybe it just is not in the cards for 2015.

Hey Fred. What level of school did you teach History in?

What MVP and Pals say makes sense. Throughout the history of this board there has been childish behavior. When it was mostly teenagers some of this could be excused as just plain immaturity. But now almost everyone here is an adult. We should all act like adults and accept what others say even if we believe them to be wrong or that they have their head stuck up their asses. I have dumb and unfounded ideas and opinions. I don't mind hearing from others how I may be wrong. That is part of learning and being an adult. Okay. That is all that I will say on this subject. And I hope that MVP does not take another long hiatus as his insight and whit will be missed.

^ This!

Did you see the Lester Intro presser? He made it clear that when he was traded that his perspective about playing for the Sox had changed. Again, I suspect that this whole thing was by design.

That would be one well kept secret! The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the Sox did not intend to sign Lester. Unless they got him at "their" price.

Amen Bro.

My taste in dinning is much better than my ability to spell!!!! Yes. Like a Poncho.

Maybe he knows that a pillow contract would back fire on him. I think both Headley and the Yankees did well here. At the very least, Headley has a 4 year deal at good $ and the Yankees have plus D at 3rd and a league average and possibly better bat. This also serves to remind us all that The Yankees are on the hook for 3/60+ for the Purple Lips. There is no use for him on the field unless Tex goes down again and they need temporary coverage at 1st. Maybe he can hit well enough to be an everyday DH but that is a big maybe and a very expensive one! GO YANKEES!!!!

I see your point. It's probably because this region has so much good seafood in abundance. The availability of fresh seafood here is accountable for that. I'm not talking Fed-Ex fresh, either.