Spitball

I have watched also, but Fred may have a different kind of account. Maybe it makes a difference when you sign up or what package you buy. I don't remember how my billing works.

Right, but the systems will only be in three ballparks in 2014. By 2015, they will be in every major league ballpark...which might be why Jeter is retiring.

This sounds really interesting. For all of us who have had doubts about the present fielding metrics, this should be the most satisfying way to measure fielding efficiency. http://regressing.deadspin.com/mlb-announces-revolutionary-new-fielding-tracking-syste-1534200504/@kylenw

I am guessing you are talking about the Cardinals and Marlins game. That was the only one I found on MLB TV today. I love spring training games no matter who is playing. Btw, I hate the Cardinals and seriously have since the 1967 World Series.

AL East Boston *New York Tampa Bay Baltimore Toronto The Red Sox will win AL East easily and will win the WS over LA. The Yankees, Rays, and Orioles will battle it out for second. The Yanks will win out for the WC because Cano's production will be covered by improvements to key positions. AL Central Detroit Kansas City Cleveland Minnesota Chicago Detroit will win easily and KC will beat out the Tribe in a close battle for second. Detroit will lose to Oakland for place in ALCS. AL West Texas *Oakland Los Angeles Seattle Houston Texas will barely beat out Oakland, but the A's will beat out the Yankees for the Wild Card. NL East Washington *Atlanta New York Philadelphia Miami Washington will beat out the Braves in a close race. The Braves beat Cincinnati in Wild Card game. NL Central St. Louis *Cincinnati Milwaukee Pittsburgh Chicago Cards are the best team in NL, but will lose to LA in championship game. If Cueto is healthy, the Reds have the best rotation in NL but lose to Braves in Wild Card game. NL West Los Angeles San Francisco Arizona San Diego Colorado LA goes to WS but loses to Boston in five games.

The Sox just signed Chris Capuano to a minor league deal.

I believe Bailey's signing is more about paying a player what the team thinks he will do rather than what he has done in the past. It is probably a smart move when you look at Bailey's recent progress. Injuries with pitchers are always a concern, but that is true no matter when you sign a pitcher.

I did not see this posted but apparently Dempster has already gone through his divorce. Also, his five-year-old daughter has DiGeorge Syndrome and has had numerous treatments and surgeries. No one has the right to call him a jackass.

I remember watching this game on the big screen television at The Ground Round on Route 1 in Lynnfield. I had a huge crush on this one server. I think I was making progress with her until one of my buddies told her I already had a girlfriend.

“I don’t feel like I am capable of performing to the ability and standard that I am accustomed to. I feel it’s in the best interest of both the club but most importantly myself to step away from playing baseball at this time," said the 36-year-old (via Twitter links). "The time is right. I’m not saying retirement but I definitely won’t be playing this season." - Ryan Dempster I agree it was a classy and unselfish move. Gil Meche similarly helped the Royals out in 2010 by walking away from $12 million when he knew he could not longer contribute to the team. These players make millions in their careers and should be able to do the honorable thing when they can't perform at the same skill level.

I still have my Ellsbury number 46 and Manny number 24. I may never wear either again but hold out hope the Sox will sign someone with the same name and give the same number...Heck, I am probably just a horder.

And there was this. Alex Rodriguez slaps the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove and is called out for interference. The Yankee fans threw balls and trash onto the field. Bronson Arroyo is still one of my favorite ex-Red Sox players.

The 1967 season was my favorite Red Sox moment, but the late July 2004 game when Bronson Arroyo hit Alex Rodriguez was a great memory, also. As A-Rod was going to first, he was shouting, "F... you!" Varitek stepped between them and ended up shoving his glove in A-Rod's face. A brawl ensued. At the time, the Sox were 9.5 games behind the Yankees. They went on to win that game 11-10 when Bill Mueller hit a 2-run walk off homer against Mariano Rivera. The game seemed to give the Sox a new life the rest of the season.

Mine is easily the 1967 and the Impossible Dream season. The Sox had not had a winning season since 1958 and had finished 1/2 game out of the cellar in 1966. With a four team race coming down to the final game of the season, the Sox and Jim Lonborg beat Dean chance and the Twins on the final game of the season to earn a birth in the World Series. The Sox lost in seven games to the Cardinals, but it was an unbelievable experience for a Red Sox fan. Anyone else have a favorite memory?

I did, but as UN said, there was a different approach. The Yankees spent unreal millions going into the coming season while the Sox spent on lower profile players in 2013 that brought them a championship. Despite their spending, the Yankees are still old and full of question marks. Their pitching has been improved a bit by Tanaka, but their infield is questionable and their outfield is crowded with 30-something question marks. Cashman built a team that accepted very high dollar contracts while Cherington systematically built a team constructed of reasonably priced players who were well meshed to win. If the Yankees don't win in 2014, Cashman should be replaced.

The Yankees just spent $475 million on new baseball players. Going into the 2013 season, the Sox spent only $54.35 million on Victorino, Napoli, Drew, Dempster, Gomes, and parts. I see a big difference in the approaches.

"What's so fascinating is to see many of these same clubs falling over themselves trying to sign Tanaka for five or six years. The way he has been developed -- the early workload as a teenager, the high pitch count games, the 53 complete games -- is anathema to what MLB clubs have embraced today." - Tom Verducci I am okay with the Yankees getting Tanaka. The Yankees will surely regret this guy and Ellsbury in a couple of years.

This is exactly what I did. It was great way to get the repetitions when my dad or friends were not around. Btw, I became friends with the late, great former pitcher/pitching coach Johnny Sain in the 1980s. He explained to me how he invented the pitch back concept.

Boras's clients typically wait until the market clears out. The Ellsbury signing was unusually early because the Yankees seriously over-paid.

Jonathan Herrera

I am pretty certain it has to do with multiple factors. First of all, the off season seems to have come to a halt while Tanaka finds a home. Drew will cost a draft pick. Many potential teams that would have been interested have other options. His agent, Scott Boras, likes to wait it out.

I hope they bring him back on a fair and reasonable contract. The Red Sox don't want any unhappy campers.

You are correct, Fred. The Reds' second biggest offensive plus last season, after Votto, was their leadoff hitter Choo. What the Reds needed last year, and again this year, is a big right handed bat to insure Votto sees some pitches to hit. If Choo couldn't spark that offense then Gardner certainly can't. Batista for Phillips (plus a prospect or two) makes sense. The salaries balance. The Reds need a right handed bopper to protect Votto, and the Blue Jays need a lot more production out of second base. I realize the Blue Jays probably don't want to trade Batista, but this trade would be a lot more along the lines of what the Reds really need.

You sound like a Yankee fan's perspective. You make several assumptions and they are all leaning towards making a case for Gardner being worth Bailey for the Reds. You assume Hamilton is a poor fielder (he is a very good fielder) and you said Hamilton has a below .300 OBP (not true) and you mention Bailey having his break out year in 20013 (he actually has been good for at least three years and has two no-hitters) and you say he is homerun prone(He ranked third among the Reds' starters). The Reds would never take the risk of making a qualifying offer to Gardner. Saddled with losing a draft choice, he might take it, and they'd be screwed. The Reds can't afford to operate that way. They couldn't gamble on an offer to Arroyo, and they wouldn't Gardner. The Reds are better off keeping Bailey for one year if the return is one year of Gardner. Replacing Arroyo's and Bailey's innings would be difficult enough, but they also have to be prepared to replace Latos (elbow), Cueto (lat), and Cingrani (back). The Reds will probably go with Hamilton in center. He is their top prospect and they are willing to go through the growing pains. They went a few years with Drew Stubbs in center and leading off and won their division with him there in 2010. Basically, your suggestion is that the Reds can be better by getting rid of Bailey and replacing Choo with Gardner. It doesn't make sense. If the Yankees are willing to take Phillips and his contract, that would work for the Reds.

There is noooo way the Reds would extend Gardner a qualifying offer with Hamilton waiting in the wings. Besides, why would they extend a thirty-something guy that offer? Even if Hamilton fails, the Reds would not pay a guy with Gardner's skill set $15 million a year. Jay Bruce will make only $10 million in 2015. Is Gardner worth $5 million more than Bruce? The answer is a definite noooo.