Spitball

That would be an interesting study on an inexact science like drafting potential players. Without an indepth study, I can say there have been some recent drafting errors. Matt Bush was taken number one by the Padres earlier in the last decade and was a complete bust. Brian Bullington was taken as the first player in the '02 draft by the Pirates and has not pitched much nor effectively in the big leagues. The Angels' former first pick Brandon Wood was chosen the Minor League Player of the Year a couple of years back but now is trying to win a utility job with the Rockies. The Red Sox and Yankees had a couple of first round shortstops fail in Jason Place and C.J. Henry. With more than a thousand players drafted every year, there have been many undrafted players be successful. Undrafted John Axford was an all-star last year. Heath Bell, George Sherrill, and Darren O'Day went undrafted. Rod Barajas and Ryan Hanigan were not drafted. Former Red Sox Matt Stairs and Daniel Nava were not drafted. I know there have been studies on the merits of drafting college versus high school pitchers. Billy Beane and others have made it more of a scientific approach. It will be interesting to see how drafting progresses into the future.

We are not going this year, but we will next year. I can't wait to see the new park.

I have always felt basing anything on spring performances is ridiculous. A player's performance over his minor league/major league career should be the only bar to measure a player. Anyone can have a good or bad spring training hitting/pitching against any variety of great/good/bad batters or pitchers.

Carpenter has a bulging disc in his neck. I wonder if we will see that signing soon.

Geez, I hope they don't go too hard for Lannan. A 4.7 k/9 rate and a 1.47 whip in the NL explains why the Nats are willing to shop the guy. I pray the Sox pass.

They read him so we don't have to: http://danshaughnessy.blogspot.com/

We can disagree on this, but the guy can't throw and won't have a place on the Red Sox in 2012. There are also other teams passing on the guy and there must be a reason. I'm not going to worry about his potential future. I seriously doubt it will be with the Red Sox.

Sweeney's OBP was 20 points higher than Damon's last year. Unless the Sox find out Crawford is out for most of the season, I say forget him. He is useless to the Red Sox. He is a DH and left field option wanting only to reach 3,000 hits. Besides, he signed with the Yankees and then declined the option to return to the Red Sox in 2010. He should never ever be welcomed back.

I don't think he throws well enough to play right. I am certain his arm is the main reason he doesn't play defense any more. He certainly can still run as his stolen base totals attest.

I'm pretty sure it has completed seven seasons. I have been watching for a couple of seasons and have the first six season set (which I recently finished watching) . Catching up will be enjoyable if you decide to do it. It is a funny, funny show. Even if you don't want to catch up, it can be still be enjoyed.

Haha! I don't suppose you remember if Beniquez was in center.

I was listening to games in the 1950s but wasn't really aware of the individual personalities until probably the early 1960s. By third grade, I was fully aware of Curt Gowdy, Ned Martin, and Art Gleeson. We would imitate Curt Gowdy play calling while playing wiffleball. I remember when Mel Parnell came onboard replacing Gleeson. I remember Curt Gowdy going to the national networks and being replaced by Ken Coleman. I remember Hawk Harrelson's first year and he wrote the song, "Hail, Hail Red Sox." Now he calls them the Bad Sox. I remember Jim Woods' first season in the mid-1970s, and he had a few rough moments. A friend and I were going someplace in my vw and listening to a game on the radio. Juan Marichal was way past his prime but attempting to hang on with the Red Sox. Woods was calling the action as Marichal pitched. One sequence went something like, "Marichal kicks and delivers. There's a swing and a long drive to center. Marichal is on his horse and pulls it down at the wall!" My friend said, "Damn! That Marichal is good!" It would have been an incredible play by Marichal, but it was actually Juan Beniquez who caught the long drive.

The "experts" were saying the same kind of things about Omar Vizquel nearly 3,000 hits ago.

I believe the Marlins Josh Johnson returned after 10 months and was as good as ever. Shaun Marcum did, also. There have been some improvements in the procedure and players are returning quicker than in years gone by. I don't know who did Wainright's operation, but fellow Cardinal Jaime Garcia returned after a year and made their rotation for the first time. Of course, Chris Carpenter (same surgeon?) took nearly two years to come back.

Cherington has made it clear defense is a priority. Sweeny, Punto, and Shoppach were all signed/traded for their defensive abilities. That said, I believe Iglesias will start in Pawtucket no matter what Valentine says. His bat is not ready and his FA ticker needs to be put on delay.

Hmmm...I doubt we see him again...even as a least of the horrible options.

I didn't say I'd advocate such a move. I do think that Zito will be released and signed by someone desperate for a fifth starter. If Bailey is an uncertainty, the Sox will be prime and desperate to find someone to fill the fifth starter role.

I can see someone like Barry Zito being released out of spring training and being signed on the cheap. Andrew Bailey's health (and history of injuries) is a big concern. If he is not healthy soon, I doubt Bard and Aceves are both in the rotation.

You are correct. Any sport activity requires thousands of repetitions to create rote muscle memory in order to recreate the process on a consisitent basis. But, muscle memory can be reworked. It may not be easy, and it certainly requires an acceptance and dedication by the athlete. Often times the player, successful through his life, resists change or modifications. I think some organizations believe it is acceptable to go with the athlete's natural or unnatural mechanics. The Pirates, for whatever reasons, are an example. Jimmy Anderson, Ian Snell, and Bronson Arroyo were examples of pitchers from the late 1990s and late 2000s who threw across their bodies. Arroyo came to the Red Sox and made some adjustments. He became successful but his K rate dropped in 2005 (I think that was the year). Traded to Cincinnati, he somewhat reverted to his across the body mechanics and struckout 180-something batters in his first NL season. Hmmm...