Spitball

As much as I love Carl Yastrzemski, you are right. Ted Williams is possibly the greatest hitter in the history of baseball. Yaz had a great year in 1967, but for his career, he was not really close to the greatness of Ted Williams. Williams' career OPS of 1.116 is better than any season recorded by Yastrzemski. And before anyone tries to tell me about the greatness of 1967, forget it. I was there. I remember that year as my favorite baseball year ever. I remember Yaz's magic. I also remember the great year by Jim Lonborg. I remember great pitching performances by journeymen pitchers Gary Bell, Lee Stange, and Jose Santiago. Tony Conigliaro, George Scott, and other components made for a great team that was tied together by manager Dick Williams. Yaz was great that year but he didn't do it alone.

I believe Chris Carpenter came back better after his first TJ surgery. There have been some who have returned at about the same level like Tim Hudson, John Smoltz, and Stephen Straberg. There are some who are still trying to find their way back like Adam Wainright, Francisco Liriano, and Edinson Volquez. I am skeptical of the belief that pitchers return from TJ surgery throwing harder than before.

I really don't think there were runners on base... or at least in scoring position. I remember the pitch hitting way up on the screen (or net) that runs from the backstop to the broadcast booth. As I remember it, the ball rolled a little towards the booth before rolling back down to the playing field. I believe my attention would have been drawn to the base runners instead of Dwight Evans's comical reaction. Plus, even though it took a second or two to recognize what had happened, it would have been a wild pitch and the runners would have scored. I am pretty sure it was 1977 or 1978, so a few years have passed. My memory might be clouded, but I don't remember base runners. I remember Bert Campaneris was the shortstop for the Rangers that day. This was before ESPN, and I hadn't seen him play for awhile. I was really sorry to see how poorly he played in that game. He had gone from an exciting player to an old man sometime in between.

http://tracking.si.com/2013/02/06/doug-flutie-diamondbacks-mlb-nfl-knuckleball/?sct=uk_t2_a15

Right! I'd have to go with Captain Carl Yastrzemski as number 2 with apologies to Pedro Martinez.

The batter was Dwight Evans, and I was at that Sunday game against the Rangers. I have talked about it before on this board. I am almost positive the bases were empty when Evans was batting. Barker was young and a hard thrower. He threw a pitch that almost reached the announcers' booth and rolled back down the net before landing by the backstop. Poor Evans had no idea where the ball was going but knew he couldn't see it. He bailed out and ended up about fifteen feet from the plate with his hand on his helmet.

I have been off arguing politics on another board and am just seeing your thread, RedSoxfanforlife305. The Science of Hitting by Ted Williams is interesting, but Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero by Leigh Montville is my favorite on Ted Williams. Besides his baseball and military life, Ted Williams was an accomplished outdoorsman and was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame. He was employed by Sears to test their fishing and hunting equipment. As a kid, I proudly had a Ted Williams fishing pole from Sears.

Well, I honestly hate any Yankee. Louis Tiant was possibly the only exception.

Earl Weaver's early 1970s Orioles advocated going base to base and waiting on the three run home run. Billy Martin's late 1970s Oakland Athletics and Whitey Herzog's 1980s Cardinals ran, ran, ran. The 1990s brought PEDs and a return to Earl Weaver's philosophy. The early 2000s saw Money Ball with smaller market teams. I have followed baseball for a long time. The 1960 and 1970s saw the NL dominate with fast offensive/defensive teams on Astro-turf. The Big Red Machine was a poster team for the movement. The AL Royals were there, also. Trends change and successful teams recognize the changes before they become common practices. 2012 and recent years have seen the A's, Reds, Rays, Nationals, and other smaller market teams develop into forces. The Rangers and Yankees were out of the playoffs early. The Red Sox and Angels were out of the play-offs all together. Is the current winning trend about developing home grown talent that can be controlled for longer and less expensive periods? Is there a trending change that the Red Sox should recognize, or should they continue to use the same methods

Well, negativity always plays well...but there isn't always a five-six year waiting period. Tim Wakefield April 20, 1995: Released by the Pittsburgh Pirates. April 26, 1995: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Red Sox. Charlie Hough July 11, 1980: Purchased by the Texas Rangers from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joe Niekro, Wilbur Wood, along with most other knuckleballers were late developers. If Farrell (who knows more about pitching than anyone on this board) brings him up, I am more interested than I am with any poster's negativity...and I am not taking shots at you.

I agree, but you never know about knuckleballers. Wakefield's signing back in 1995 went way under the radar. Look at R.A. Dickey's transaction record prior to signing with the Mets and then the subsequent trade to the Jays: June 3, 1993: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round of the 1993 amateur draft, but did not sign. June 4, 1996: Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 1st round (18th pick) of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed September 12, 1996. October 11, 2006: Granted Free Agency. January 10, 2007: Signed as a Free Agent with the Milwaukee Brewers. October 29, 2007: Granted Free Agency. November 29, 2007: Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins. December 6, 2007: Drafted by the Seattle Mariners from the Minnesota Twins in the 2007 rule 5 draft. March 29, 2008: Returned (earlier draft pick) by the Seattle Mariners to the Minnesota Twins. March 29, 2008: Traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Seattle Mariners for Jair Fernandez (minors). December 9, 2008: Granted Free Agency. December 26, 2008: Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins. October 6, 2009: Granted Free Agency. December 21, 2009: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Mets. December 17, 2012: Traded by the New York Mets with Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole to the Toronto Blue Jays for Noah Syndergaard (minors), Travis d'Arnaud (minors), Wuilmer Becerra (minors) and John Buck. Who knew???

We have already been throught this with Tiant, Boggs, Clemens, and Damon. There were others (Sparky Lyle for one), but we have adjusted and learned to hate them as Yankees.

Interesting. Thanks, Bell.

I believe the earlier post was his average on his four seam fastball. I also believe that site uses an adjusted formula at 55 feet.

Dempster's age worries me, but I like the signing. He is a real bulldog. Last season his average fastball was down to 89.7 mph, but his percent of swings and misses went up. He is a smart, gutsy pitcher who has learned to pitch effectively even as his velocity has started to diminish. He keeps ahead of batters and uses his slider and split-finger to put them away. I don't think he will be number one guy, but I do believe he improves the middle of the roation.

He is a lifelong friend of Patriot backup quarterback Ryan Mallett, btw.

Maybe it is a blessing in diguise. Now maybe the Sox will step up their efforts to acquire Garrett Jones.

Gary Tuck has long been considered one of the best at developing catching fundamentals. In Jorge Posada's retirement speech, he made a point of thanking Gary Tuck for developing his catching skills. When Jason Varitek gave his retirement speech he said, "If Webster needs a definition of coach, it has to be Gary Tuck," he said. "He has meant more to me at an age I was told my skills were depleted. But he pushed me, got me better, stood by my side, believed in me when no one else did. I forever will have a friend in Coach Tuck." Saltalmacchia may not be a good catcher, but that can't be blamed on Tuck.

If Gary Tuck is gone, the Sox are missing a great coach.

I don't know. If they can retain their pre-2012 OBP, I would like to see Ellsbury and Victorino in the first two spots. Pedroia number three and Ortiz number four. I agree Ortiz is better suited to the 3rd hole, but not with this personel.

Honestly, when Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, and Thurmon Munson were Yankee jerks, I appreciated my hatred. A-Rod takes it to another level.

And more A-Rod crappola: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130129/alex-rodriguez-ped-report-cruz-cabrera-gonzalez.ap/?sct=uk_t2_a3

Haha! You are right, User, but he is entertaining. He reminds me of my uncle who is a passionate Red Sox fan but very extreme in his beliefs. I never argue with him because he does not really know what he is talking about. He has great passion but is oblivious to reality. Basically, he is f o s, but I let him vent. If we all agreed all the time, this forum would be boring. Fred is extreme and passionate. That is why we want him around.

I believe you have been reading and believing the Yankee organizational propaganda. It is always hard to judge Yankee prospects because they generally come so over-hyped. I saw him in 2010 in Portland, Maine, with the Trenton Thunder, and he was awful. I couldn't believe how raw his technique was. He looked like he was too tall and slow to move to the pitch. He was reaching for everything. In fact, the winning run scored for the Sea Dogs on a ball that went to the backstop because he tried to backhand a ball breaking down and to his right. It really was pathetic effort and technique. He may have progressed some, but he sure had a long way to go. I believe injuries have kept him from playing all that much since I saw him, though. I watch a lot of double-A ball and can't say I have seen too many guys that looked less at home behind the plate.