cp176

Sorry but I am very non complicated. A team that wins their division and wins 65% of their games at home would be a team that I would think had a very good chance of winning at home.

I think that you are right. he might do 0 as well - i don't expect that though - not in his DNA

This is where my word smithers comment was supposed to be.

The "word smithers" here are unbelievable.

I think that the overall advantage of playing on your home field is going to obviously be answered differently based upon who you ask. To the teams that won 65% of their games at home this year, it probably would seem very very important. Having rested players (very few of the good ones are well rested at this time) is very important. The question of how much rest it takes is debatable for sure. A 40 year old with bad feet and a second baseman with a bad knee might need some good down time. When your talking about how much rest a healthy 23-28 year old player needs, I would err on the side of not much for sure. Playing for a championship may not come around again. Having your rotation lined up is important. I certainly have not said that not having home field advantage cost us the series. It very well might have been a factor. How would anyone know? We got outplayed by a team that won 65% of its regular season games at home this year. Great debate we are having - mostly just all hind sight though. We had a great year and quite honestly, I hope that cleveland gets it done.

54% vs 46% = advantage - I would take that advantage anyday in any length series. Just enough maybe. That is all anyone could ask for.

It is not some sort of new revelation that pitching is ultimately what gets it done. We all know that . We all get it. it is the top priority and I am going to guess that at least 95% of the people posting here get it. It is first and foremost. Aren't we lucky though that the team we cheer for can have both - big time hitting and pitching. This is in no way an either or situation! It is actually laughable that someone suggests that because there are some of us who would like to see EE in the middle of our lineup that we would pass on an opportunity to improve our pitching in order to sign him. That is a joke. The Red Sox can do both.

Cp's stance - john henry please spend your money on our team.

i'm thinking that if a trade is made for the right guy, he will already be under contract. Everybody wants pitching as opposed to signing a dh. That isn't even an issue. 100 million spent on any free agent starter this year would be a waste of money. This isn't an either or situation. Multiple choice quiz - A. great young starting pitcher B. gets you an aging but solid hitting dh. Do you see much of a debate over what the right answer is? it really has nothing to do with money being spent this year unless you want the organization to save up. I don't - I want them to spend.

sign EE for 4 and no more. The dollars will not be the primary concern trade for that totr youngster tinker with the bullpen Say hello to baseball in October again. If getting that young pitcher via trade means giving up a current starter not named Betts, go for it.

156 games - 26 home runs - 87 RBI's - possible gold glove - .267 ? Even my old school statistical look shows that he has some value.

If that s*** works, I'll take an extra bottle! Me and the rest of the old guys just keep hanging on. I'm a proud supporter of the society that still believes that wins and losses, eras, home runs, and rbis still matter. And while I am ranting, yes clutch does exist. I see you down there! You know that you are with me. And here's to home field advantage too. I'm willing to bet that every ml player had rather play at home as opposed to being a road warrior most of the time as well.

why is it that so many teams win so many more games at home than on the road? If it was a 45/55% split, I might see some sense in this feeling. It isn't. Home cooking in the real world is important.

Doesn't always work out for sure but I'm going with the fact that over 80% of the teams playing mlb had better records at home as opposed to on the road. Those are odds I like.

Really - 26 homers, 87 RBI's, 156 games and a possible gold glove in cf. Now don't get me wrong, he might get dealt, but those numbers say that he is a long way from being even close to hopeless.

A great season. We saw a lot of growth from some players that should play key roles going froward. A couple of my random thoughts are that home field sure as hell does make a difference. Cleveland more than proved it. The playoff atmosphere is super charged. It really is nothing like the regular season. These players aren't robots and the games are not decided on their acquired yearly statistics. Once again, it isn't strat-o-matic baseball. Also, many have you have been very adamant that it is about the pitching. You are right. I totally expect that someone will be added to our starting rotation which wasn't all that bad throughout the course of the regular season. Personally, it is about the slow steady march to be in a position to play meaning full baseball in October. This was an enjoyable experience.

I would love to see Cleveland and Tito take it all. Sorry goes out to the Cubbies - they are not the mid-western version of the Sox. I will never be a fan of Maddon. Lets go anybody else!

He is the man!!! Maybe this is why some of the "old school" guys seem to hang around. For all his apparent politically correct responses, he has a solid tough assed side to him. Good to see! Drinking another "American" to him tonight.

"the doc" played a game in the pit in Orono back in the day. I didn't see the game but a friend did. Forever underrated player when people talk about the greats in the game.

I wish I was

That is right where Moncada should be come playoff time. Who in their right mind would want a virtually untried prospect running the bases in a crucial situation? Who could that possibly be good for? This possibility has been mentioned before. It is a joke. There is believe it or not a learning curve for baselining in the major leagues. Being the fastest human on the planet would not necessarily make for a good baserunner. Of course Hernandez and almost everybody else except Wright would make better candidates for this job. I'm not sure why Moncada's name even keeps coming up.

It is still very early to be declaring Benintendi the next best thing. He looks like he should be very good for us going forward but he still has some developing to do. He looks right now to be a very good possibility for us in left field for some time. Looks to me like a possible top of the order kind of guy.

Just giving the bear a little poke. I actually agree with much of what you have said. I really hope Vazquez becomes that catcher that we all want him to become. He isn't gong to be handed the job though.

Leon is a very good catcher. if there is a difference between Vazquez and Leon, it is minuscule. Who should be the starter gong forward isn't debatable at all unless personal sentiments play a greater role than actual performance. The only question really is who should get mop up duty. Saltalamachia never was what I would call a very good catcher.

i think that in this case that is the way you have to look at it. What have you done for me lately? Leon gets the job but does it really make a difference?