Bellhorn04

jung, I'm not sure the Sox organization is enamored with the left field wall. As has been noted, they have drafted a lot of left-handed hitters, and their big acquisitions last year were both lefty hitters.

Tavarez had one of the alltime outrageous quotes after the Nationals signed him in 2009. They were apparently the only team interested in him and Julian was not especially thrilled to be joining them, but, as he explained it: "Why did I sign with the Nationals? When you go to a club at 4 in the morning, and you're just waiting, waiting, a 600-pounder looks like J-Lo. And to me this is Jennifer Lopez right here. It's 4 in the morning. Too much to drink. So, Nationals: Jennifer Lopez to me."

That does appear to be the grim reality of it, though we might be a little better than 3 pitchers. Our only shot is the wild card. It could be an entertaining year. But on paper the Yankees pitching staff absolutely shreds ours.

This is a really tough one. I can't remember liking too many Sox players who really stunk. About the only thing I can think of is Ricky Gutierrez in 2004. Gutierrez didn't play much, or well, but for some reason he was in the Sox dugout in the ALCS cheerleading up a storm. It was pretty amusing.

Even the Golf Channel is following this policy.

Agreed on Doubront, not so sure about Cook. Too small of a sample.

True.

Padilla hasn't been terrible this spring. 11 innings, 13 hits, 5 ER, 9 K, 1 BB. We could probably do worse for middle relievers. But he's certainly out of the hunt for a starting slot.

Very good outing for Doubront, puts him a step closer to a starting slot.

In the last game, after the Jays scored their third run in the second, Bard's last twelve at-bats went like this. And this was hitters getting their second and third at-bats: Groundout Strikeout Popout Single Popout Groundout Lineout Groundout Groundout Groundout Flyout Strikeout

Actually I read Torre's biography a little while ago and I thought there were some striking similarities between his exit from the Yankees and Francona's from the Red Sox.

Only thing is, Bard didn't pitch that bad today. Small samples, aren't they? Based on these spring numbers we might conclude that Nova is f***ed up too.

Yeah, he kind of proved that by claiming Bard sucked hard in a start where he gave up 3 runs in 5 innings.

I have no problem with what Valentine did with Bard. The plan was for Aceves and Bard to each throw 4 innings. In Bard's first 2 starts Aceves came in after him. Valentine did it the other way around this time to give Aceves the start. Bard knew this in advance and should have been prepared. The rain delay may have been the thing that messed him up. But he needs to be able to handle stuff like that.

Somewhat lost in Bard's outing is that Aceves continues to pitch beautifully. It's only one game but it certainly must have moved the needle toward Aceves being the guy who earns a rotation spot.

How long have you been a fan? Since 1969. How did you become a Red Sox fan? I think it had a lot to do with being intrigued by the 1967 team and Yaz's Triple Crown. Geographical proximity and being able to pick up the games on the radio also helped I think. Who is your favorite current Red Sox player? David Ortiz. The luster of his past heroics still hasn't worn off for me. Who is your favorite all-time Red Sox player? Yaz. I loved to watch him play. He had that kind of mythical aura about him-he was unique. Who is your least favorite Red Sox player ever? Carl Everett. He represented everything that was depressing about the teams of his time with us. What state/country do you live in (to see how spread out the fan base is here)? Halifax, NS, Canada. What is your favorite memory being a Red Sox fan? Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. Winning in incredible fashion, right in Yankee Stadium, one year after our hearts were broken there yet again. When was the first time you ever went to Fenway Park? September 1974. Right in the midst of one of their epic collapses! Who is your least favorite Yankee player of all-time? Graig Nettles, for what he did to Spaceman. Any other comments that you would like to add? I'm a different person since the Sox won it twice. The pressure is off. Now I while away countless hours just jibber-jabbering on forums like this. It's fun.

Both Bowden and Tazawa had good velocity, Bowden was clocked at 94 on one of his fastballs and I think Tazawa hit 93.

Jeez, none of the candidates have even thrown 5 innings in spring training games yet, so it's a bit early. Hey, Cook, Miller, Ohlendorf and Tazawa all have spring ERA's of 0.00, so I'd say we're overflowing with good options.

This opens up a whole other discussion, but I have to give A-Gon a pass on those comments if he is being truthful about his religious beliefs. We've heard athletes who give the credit to God when they succeed. Presumably A-Gon would do the same if the Sox win the World Series. If not, then we might have a problem.

I find that paragragh by Shaughnessy so typical and irritating because it's so lazy. He's not really interested in discussing the possibilities of Crawford coming back, or the Ross and Sweeney platoon in right field, or the possibilities of Bard or Aceves filling one or both of the rotation slots.

The Sox still have holes at shortstop, left field, and right field. They have downgraded at closer. They don’t have fourth and fifth starters. New York, Tampa, Texas, Anaheim, and Detroit all got better. The Sox are not better. Anybody else skeptical about the Local Nine? Who will be the first to note that the home opener is on Friday the 13th? This paragraph is so typical of Shaughnessy's snide, irritating style. And the shot at Gonzalez was brutal. I've had enough of him, I really have. I certainly don't expect the writers to fawn all over the Sox and say how great they are. But Shaughnessy has been writing like a hack and being a pain in the ass long enough now.