Bellhorn04

Not sure you can make a valid comparison between Orioles fans and Sox fans. I think 2013 Sox attendance will depend a lot on onfield results. For the first time in a long time, Sox fans are going into a season very unsure if they have a team that has a sniff of the playoffs.

You're right, none of the potential benefits of the trade have been realized yet. Nothing is proven until a lot of games have been played.

It's anybody's guess how Napoli and Victorino will do. But even if Napoli's contract was 3 for 39, that's 2 players making 7 million a year less, and signed for 3 years less and 2 years less than AGon and Crawford. Plus we got the pitching prospects.

There are signs that AGon's contract could end up as a bad one. 6 more years at 22 per. His home run power has mysteriously vanished and his walks took a big dip last year. Something is not right with him.

De La Rosa and Webster both hitting close to 100 MPH...I know it's too early to get excited about this stuff, but it seems like the Dodgers were incredibly generous to us.

Webster reportedly throwing very hard today. Fastballs between 94-97 MPH with one hitting 99. Seems like the Dodgers sent us a couple of guys with heat...

Minor league depth signings always go over well here.

Sounds like Rubby was pretty impressive today.

Pedro Martinez: Rubby De La Rosa has chance to be ‘someone special’ 02.23.13 at 7:47 am ET By Rob Bradford FORT MYERS, Fla. — Pedro Martinez has taken to Rubby De La Rosa, and not only because the pair just discovered they’re related (cousins on Pedro’s mother side). The new Red Sox special assistant and the 23-year-old pitching prospect have been inseparable throughout camp, with Martinez constantly at the ready whenever De La Rosa might need a round of advice. And, besides bloodlines, there’s a reason for the former ace’s interest — he sees a bit of himself in the youngster. “Anything you want to do in baseball, as far as pitching, that kid has a chance,” Martinez said. “He has an opportunity to be someone special. Not just a regular player, but special. When you see someone like De La Rosa you think someone special, like a [Roger] Clemens, a Juan Marichal. You think about elite players. That’s the type of stuff he has.” De La Rosa — one of the players who came to the Red Sox in the August trade with the Dodgers — has been the talk of Red Sox spring training. While he is being limited two two-inning outings throughout the Grapefruit League schedule while returning from Tommy John surgery, and will see his innings total hover just over 100 innings in the coming season (most likely for Triple-A Pawtucket), there is an excitement in the organization regarding the righty. “He’s been impressive, not just in terms of the sheer stuff, but his ability to manipulate the baseball,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after his team’s workout Friday. “He’s got a good feel for his changeup. He can throw his breaking ball for strikes. But we’re dealing with a set of circumstances that are different than [John Lackey's], coming off Tommy John. We’ll be a little bit more slow-paced with Rubby, but he’s been impressive early on.” It isn’t the first time De La Rosa has impressed, as was evidenced by comments made by his former minor league pitching coach, Chuck Crim, to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier early in the offseason. (That was when Pedro’s name first came up.) “Very few guys have that arm speed that Rubby has and still are able to start, carry innings and have a tremendous out-pitch,” said Crim. “I would say a guy like maybe Pedro Martinez. The throw is different, but the stuff is there. You could probably compare his actual stuff but not his [throwing motion] to a guy like that. Granted, it’s going to take Rubby a few years to have all the experience and knowledge of major league pitching, but the stuff you could probably compare to Pedro. I consider the attitude the same — the mound presence is very confident that he can get anybody out. With that guy’s stuff, who wouldn’t be confident?” And while Martinez prefers to reference the likes of Clemens and Marichal, he isn’t averse to getting in line with Crim’s analysis. “What really impresses me is his progress,” Pedro said. “He’s a young kid. Very young. The way he changed physically, and the way he improved … His velocity went from day night and day. It’s unbelievable how he changed. Also, his will to work. You rarely see a young kid like that so willing to work, and so open to work to do things things nobody expects a young kid wanting to do.”

Does anybody think it would be good to have a separate 'baseball strategy' thread here? I think it would be great for topics like this.

Ah yes, but one of the beauties of baseball is that it forces you to make irrevocable decisions that can come back to haunt you. If you use your best reliever to get out of a bases loaded jam in the 7th, you're usually going to have to use somebody else to get those last 3 outs in the 9th, when it might still be a very close game. That's what scares the manager. You need 2 closer types really. The Sox had a great setup with Papelbon and Bard. Francona did use Bard earlier than the 8th to get out of jams several times.

Yeah I would guess Cano ultimately gets 7 years and 175 million.

Let's be fair now. Bard didn't just fail at being a SP. He lost a lot of velocity and he also lost his control. His walks and hit batters were off the charts. It's not unreasonable for people to think he might be another case like Steve Blass or Rick Ankiel. It happens.

You're right, 2.65 million is a serious chunk of change compared to what Aceves has made before this year.

Beckett's place is on the list of 'Greatest Seasons by a Red Sox'. He's on the short list for pitchers.

Losing 3/5 of the rotation, Kuroda, Pettitte and Hughes, wouldn't seem to me like much of a plus for the Yankees. 'Flexibility' can be overrated.

Shaughnessy being ridiculous as only he can. Cherington got a free pass in Year 1 but there's plenty of heat on him this year. Anybody that reads message boards knows this.

Easy. $25 * 5 = Hamilton money...with a drug dependency discount on the years.

C'mon man, they made a big splash with this signing.

Aceves reportedly was a model citizen today and spoke highly of Farrell. I think Farrell can keep him in line.

If we release him, he'll probably get scooped up by the Rays or the Marlins.

It is a big mistake. The guy is too susceptible to a good hook. Fans will quickly tire of him floundering at the plate, producing nothing but LOBsters.

Fred, truth be told I just don't think I care about it as much as you, buddy. If they keep him they keep him, or not. Looks like they're going to give him a chance. So be it.

TwitterPete Abraham @PeteAbe #RedSox live BP report: Buchholz looked healthy and Aceves looked sane.

The jete man! What's up dude?