SoxSport

Steinbrenner had a dominant personality--to put it mildly. He was a dictator. Obsessed with winning. Horse racing and baseball. Spent his father's money lavishly. He was also paranoid, and had some shadey dealings following people. But he had a good side, too. He gave millions to MIT--just a stone's throw across the Charles River from Fenway. His father was an all-American track star at MIT--Olympian, I think--and George funded the Steinbrenner Stadium there named for his father.

As somebody who has played the game, I'm not sure I agree with Ted on this one. There are other sports I found more difficult than baseball. The key is to start young. I was playing ball when I was 6-7 years old. Pedey is my hero. I'm the same size as him, played the same position, always was leadoff batter. The only difference is I have more hair plus he is about 100 times better than I was.

Cafardo's header on page 1 of the story reads "Valentine has his critics". But when you click on the story, the title reads "Why aren't these fans in Valentine's camp?" Completely different headers, which tells you which side Joe Sullivan, the Sports Editor, is on. Cafardo says Valentine is running a very creative, fundamentals oriented camp so far, and that criticisms of Bobby are mindless. He also implies it's a breath of fresh air compared to previous camps. Something a lot of people suspected, based on the poor starts and fundamentals of the Red Sox the last couple years. Cafardo seems to be locking heads with his boss on this Bobby vs Tito thing. He'll be OK, since he appears to have an "in" with Bobby and LL. Not being Irish may help.

Well, the "big mouth" so far in the pre-season is turning out to be Francona, not Valentine. With his comments about drinking bans being "PR". Apparently PR for most major league clubs. But not for Tito's, unfortunately for him. The Globe is beginning to take sides. Guess which side. This morning the sports internet headlines say "Tito meant no harm..." in one place and "Valentine has his critics" in another. OK. Well, this year they've switched roles. Tito's in the media at ESPN--Bobby's old job, and Bobby now has Tito's old job as Red Sox manager. That means Bobby is now the media target. Tito is one of their own. Plus his bio is being ghosted, I hear, by Shaughnessy. So the Globe's position is no surprise. Just be glad you aren't in the media crosshairs. Keep low and out of sight.

I agree Beckett should just shut up and pitch. Everybody should just shut up and play. Valentine should just comment about the lineup and his field plans. Stick to baseball, Bobby. The clubhouse crap is just being used by the media against the Red Sox, and a good PR spokesperson should be dealing with it. It is a distraction to the players and the management.

Great column by Callahan in the Herald this morning which says it all: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1406791 What would have happened if CC makes that sliding catch against the Orioles and the Red Sox make the playoffs? The answer is nothing--unfortunately.

I still don't like CC playing LF at Fenway, being left-handed in that corner. I hope Bobby tries him out in RF. His speed should overcome any percieved throwing deficiencies. Cody is better in LF.

I think he's not happy about whoever told the Globe about the clubhouse--which is off limits to the media during the game. And he has a right to be. I got that impression listening to him on Millar's show. Millar was sympathetic, as you might expect. I'm not sure how that relates to Francona? Maybe I missed something. I do think things are getting out of hand at the Globe. Now they're pitting Tito vs Bobby. And Tito is making money at ESPN criticizing the Red Sox. ESPN is a NY--oriented network. Tito should shut up about the Red Sox. He clearly didn't do a good job running the ship the last couple years. Beckett had a good year in '11, and was in better shape than most at the start of the season. I hope he does as well this year--and pitches more innings. Lester and Buchholz, too. These guys will have to work harder if the Red Sox are going anywhere.

I would forget about last year's numbers. He should be back to his career numbers this year. Bobby V is too busy competing with Francona in the Globe to be concerned about lineups right now. Wish Tito would shut up about the Red Sox.

Great career. Hope he's in the bullpen coaching this year. They can use his experience.

The poll should include those who think there should not be a captain. That would get as many votes as Pedroia.

I think the Braun story has put a damper on Baseball for me--at least at this point. There have been too many liars in Baseball--guys who just won't admit they cheated to inflate their stats--especially in contract years. Clemens got off on a similar technicality in court--though the judge is reviewing that, I hear. Didn't Bonds get off in a similar way, too? I think most fans realized, after the Mitchell report, that Selig and the rest knew about players taking steroids, and just looked the other way. They were more interested in increased revenues from Mac and Bonds hitting 100 HRs. The game stinks because of it. Too bad, because the rest of the game is still pretty good--as good as ever. Maybe it just doesn't make any difference. Some think the players should just come clean, admit it , and everything should be legal. After all, ARod just had some undisclosed treatments in Germany to restore his knees--the Yankees are paying him $28mil per year until he's 42, and last year Colon suddenly developed a bionic arm after years of being washed up. High tech is alive and kicking in Baseball, so what's the big deal about steroids and HGH.

Isn't Shaughnessy writing a bio with Francona? That would make it a slight conflict of interest to be talking about this stuff, since Tito was in the middle of it. The Globe is way overexposed on this subject, anyways. They continue to try to milk it for all the readership they can get. At this point, it's pretty boring--counterproductive, in terms of the home team. I can't remember the last time the Globe said anything negative about the Yankees--or any NY team, for that matter. They covered the Jets this year almost as much as the Patriots. Aren't they owned by the NY Times? Well, that's a partial explanation.

No chicken? I bet Bobby will import some stuff from his restaurant in Conn. For a price.

Things I'd like to see Bobby V do: Have Crawford lead off. Bat Ellsbury 3rd. Make SS Iglesias' job to lose. Run like hell at the top of the lineup. Get 40 stolen bases out of Crawford. Get Lavarnway in there against LHP. Split up the catching. Hire Tek as BP coach. Get rid of the 100 pitch limit for starters. Tell these guys they have to pitch 180+ innings. Cut down the total BP innings--especially middle relief. Have your best relievers throw 2 innings when necessary. None of this one pitcher per inning automated stuff. No more pitcher rehabbing in Florida or Pawtucket. They rehab throwing innings in the bullpen, like they used to do in Baseball. Just think of the travel money they save. And not have to throw junk pitchers out there in mid relief. The way it used to be --before Baseball got rich. And oh yeah--if you win a game, there's beer. Only if you win. In the machine. You pay for it.

I'm looking for some CHANGE on the Red Sox--after years of "Francoma". The team deteriorated after 07. Kind of like the Celtics, you could say. The last couple years, they stopped playing as a team. Just a bunch of individuals. No smallball. No base running. Coddled starters. Overworked bullpen. Guys rehabbing in Florida just to pitch an inning or two--and then they complain about their $190 million budget. The thing is, the only team that busts their butt to win every year is the Yankees. That's because they have a win-obsessed dominant owner, Steinbrenner. Plus NY teams HAVE to win. It's mediatown. No f**king nonsense in NY. It's win, baby, or out. In Boston, Henry behaves like a dilettante compared to Steinbrenner--except when he loses it and mouths off on WEEI. Yawkey was the same way. Rich guys who own Country Clubs. How many rings do you need? Just break even, baby.

It looks like the players will have to go to the press room to get their free booze from now on. Now there's the rub.

I saw Nava play two years ago at a Scranton-Pawtucket game. Salty and Montero were the catchers. Montero had a big night--3 hits and a HR. But the best hitter on the field was Nava, who also had a HR--a frozen rope to RF over the fence. Salty and Montero looked about the same at that point defensively.I think Salty is better now--looks in better shape. With Nava, sometimes a guy needs time to build confidence. Confidence is half of sports performance. I bet Salty will be better this year--he looked good when he peaked mid-summer.

I think Cafardo is closer to the situation than Gammons these days. Gammons old connect was Epstein. Cafardo's connect are his fellow paisans--Bobby V and LL. Bobby V will decide who goes north, and Cafardo said last week that Iglesias was getting a good look. This stuff about Iggy's hitting is getting overplayed. The kid hasn't even had a full season in AAA. None of the major league defensive SSs in his mold were very good hitters. The big hitters were bigger guys who wound up playing 3B later. ARod , now Hanley, come to mind. Ordonez stuck with the Mets, and never hit more than .250 or so. Ozzie Smith never hit in SD--he didn't hit for average until later in his career in St. Louis. Belanger was a weak hitter. So was Aparicio. Most all these guys played on pennant winners. There is a precedent for good field, no hit SSs playing on championship teams. I doubt it will be hitting that will keep Iglesias from going North. Not on a team with a DH. And my hunch is they might need Aviles at 3B before too long.

I get the impression from this Buckley article in the Herald today that the SS job is Iglesias' to lose. http://bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1406070&position=0 The comparisons with Ordonez and Ozzie Smith--and Aparicio, for those who remember--are compelling.

This decision is just another black eye for MLB. Getting off on a technicality for cheating. Another example of an arbitration process corrupted by the Players Association. In every other major sport, the Commissioner rules on player infractions. In Baseball, the Commissioner is really just an extension of the owners, and the Players Association shares the power. It's a question of just how long the fans will tolerate the stonewalling of those who have cheated on steroids and HGH. Baseball is betting they will, but each episode like Braun just pushes them a little further. I think at this point we have to assume that most all the major HR hitters have used steroids or HGH at one time or another --and many are probably still using HGH. The burden of proof of innocence is on them. Their day of reckoning will come with the HOF balloting. Braun just killed his HOF chances.

I'll give him a B+, because I think he's done well on a short leash. I don't think he has anywhere near the power Epstein had before he left--which is to be expected. Epstein overspent badly, and Ben has been pretty much cut off financially. He has made some good deals under trying conditions, and I think he has improved the bullpen--in terms of depth. I also think Bailey is as good as Pap--if he stays healthy. Heck, he has the same fantasy value. You can look it up.