SoxFanForsyth

Just found out that Gonzo will be wearing number 28 next year. Not sure if that's already been reported or not, but I just found out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/columns/story?columnist=edes_gordon&id=5947374 Solid behind the scenes story of what happened with the whole Adrian Gonzalez deal. Stuff most people probably didn't know about.

Last year I came up with a term for every blown save that Papelbon has. They are called "Pap Smears" and last year I was able to use the term much more often than I wanted to.

Looking deeper into Papelbons numbers, in 2006 and 2007, when he was at his prime, his BABIP was .239 and .237, both extremely low. Since then, his BABIP has come up to normal levels, (around the .290-.310 range for those 3 years), and as that came up, his ERA obviously rose and his blown saves and losses rose as well. So, I guess my question is this. Was Papelbon ever really that good? Or were we all just predisposed to an unlikely chain of events which allowed him to have such a low BABIP for his first two years, thus creating unrealistic expectations? From the stats that I've been looking at tonight, I think that Papelbon may be, as a career player, closer to the 2008-2010 Papelbon than the 2006-2007 Papelbon, and the more I think about it, the more it becomes clear that if we truly expect him to revert back to 2007 form, we're really just rooting for him to have a lucky season.

Do you guys use Cot's for the salary numbers?

If we do Salary Cap - are we going to us AAV of contract? Or are we going to just use payroll from 2010?

Definitely count me in.

Fastballs. If I can quote Rookie of the Year.

By the way - just to let everyone know - I've read a lot of posts and seems like an awesome place to have some good discussions. Do you guys get on here during the actual games and post, or is it more of a preview/reactionary posts?

I like Burbon chicken? I don't know if that's the same thing. There is a Chipotle almost within walking distance from us. Absolutely delicious fajita burritos. Amazing.

The idea was that the Sox could sign him for 6/125mm. So we are allocating $20mm on a shortstop, a position which we have young, talented depth. I would much rather allocate that $20mm on someone like Chris Carpenter once DiceK leaves, or on a solid DH/OF that we could use with more versatility. Just one man's opinion, though!

Dude. You're like a walking episode of The Office.

wow. walked right into it.

We'll have to try out the City House. Never been there and always looking to try new things. 2009, huh? You were there when Price was there then. I graduated from TN Tech in 07. Haha. I don't know whether to be more confused about the price of the rabies shot, or why you would need a rabies shot. I thought Rabies was cured via the Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-Am Fun Run Race For the Cure? Maybe I'm mistaken. By the way - SatCo is possibly the best fast food mexican on the planet. Delicious.

Oh and just for the record, I'm not Dutchy. I just introduced myself on the Intro page, and they let me in on who Dutchy is. I'm really not him, just to be clear. Hopefully that's not an insult comparing me to Dutchy, but if it is, at least I'm ignorant to it haha

This just in - the Yanks had to pay $18mm in Luxury Tax payments this year. Since the current tax began in 2003, the Yankees have run up a bill of $192.2 million. The only other teams to pay are Boston ($15.34 million), Detroit ($1.3 million) and the Los Angeles Angels ($927,000). Strange. The Yankees all try to savage the Sox for signing Crawford for 7 years/$142mm, but hey, at least if we spend $140mm, we get a 5 tool player and aren't just making a CBT donation!

Wow that's crazy. I live about 4 minutes from Vandy. I'm in downtown Nashville. My wife actually worked at Vandy in the Medical ICU when we met, and I know a lot of people who still work there. How long ago did you go to Vandy? And are you still in Nashville or have you moved away?

Thanks SoxFanForLife! Yeszir - What school did you go to? I've lived here for about 10 years now, but I'm ready to get back up to the northeast.

Who's Dutchy? I'm really not Dutchy, swear to it. I don't even know who Dutchy is? I wish I had been around longer, I've just found the site recently. I appreciate the welcoming! Glad you guys are getting at least a little something from my contributions!

But I've posted quite a bit. How rude of me not to introduce myself. Definitely enjoying the conversations I've been a part of. Sox fan originally from Connecticut, now in Nashville, moving to Boston in a year. Hello Everyone. (wait should that have been written at the top? - oh well)

Theo seems to think that Kalish would do well with 1 more year of grooming down in Pawtucket this year. I can't argue against that really. Get one more year under his belt playing everyday and then come up and make a smoother transition than only playing 60 games this year. I think Cam is the guy who will see the biggest bulk of PT with Ells and Drew's injuries, although I think Ells will play around 145 games next year. The media blew him up beyond belief last year. I've never broken a rib, but I've bruised a couple before, and when I bruised mine, it hurt to breath for weeks, much less swing or run or dive or throw. And he broke his. And then played with 2 of them broken. The slate will be wiped clean of last year between Ells and the FO, no more LF for Ells, no more injuries, no more problems. As far as not re-signing him next year, that would be ridiculous. He's arbitration eligible, and if we were going to get rid of him, we would trade him, not just not resign him. But we'll keep him around for at least the next 3 years until he hits FA. By then, I would assume that one of Ryan Westmoreland, Brandon Jacobs, or Bryce Brentz will be ready. (Keep an eye on Jacobs, that guy is going to be an absolute stud)

That's what I'm saying. Papelbon ran into trouble far too often for a closer. Far, far too often. Of all relief pitchers with at least 20 saves last year (29 pitchers), Papelbon was tied for 1st with Francisco Cordero with 8 Blown Saves, he had the 5th worst ERA, and he had the most losses. He blew 8 saves and converted 37, so he had a 82.23% conversion rate. That's right at the bottom next to Leo Nunez of the qualified closers by the parameters set above (20 saves or more). I know you're not defending him at all, but the guy was just absolutely awful last year, and I really think people who are thinking he's going to bounce back this year just because it's his contract year don't have too much to lean on. I'm pretty sure Teixera and A-Rod aren't going to care that it's his contract year when they're up in the bottom of the 9th in a 1 run game. By the way, more 2010 stats to make you worry Pap vs BAL - 5.19 ERA Pap vs NYY - 6.97 ERA Pap vs TOR - 4.26 ERA I mean....that's our division right there outside of TB. That's who you have to be good against. Papelbon? :thumbdown

Well at least we got rid of the usual suspects. Oh wait. Papelbon is back. Can't beat having a closer with as many or more losses than 3 of your 5 starting pitchers! Papelbon - 7 losses DiceK - 6 Losses Beckett - 6 Losses Buchholz - 7 Losses Oh, and Pap - you can thank Pedroia for bailing you out of back to back losses in Colorado too. Somehow he got the W that night. Ridiculous.