cp176

ok just had the chills up the spine - billy buck!!! welcome back - you took a beating you did not deserve.

The 1975 team was a very young team for the most part. A pretty good combination. 1977 - a little older. I will preface this by saying that I do care about stats even all the new crap but I don't really care what they say if they are used to compare today with yesterday. Those vintage late 60's and early 70's teams were mighty f---ing good. End of story! I absolutely love this team. A big difference I think is team speed. They run the bases and they run them well. Positionally, believe it or not, in terms of baseball players in general, i don't know how you get much better than the Sox of 75 unless of course you are the Reds of 75. This year's team takes me back actually. Top to bottom - I like them. I grew up in rural Maine - I followed them but seeing them was pretty much just a dream. I did see Ted though in his last year. He hit a homer. We were in the bleachers and I remember watching Jackie Jenkins in right. Jackie was a hell of a player! Did not get to Fenway again until the late 70's and have been going ever since. My Grandfather would have loved this team! They play hard and they play the right way.

it's beating the dead horse over and over I know but everyday that Swihart doesn't go behind the plate is another day longer it will take him to ever really be a dependable catcher at the big league level. Hope he hits.

Is Trey Ball really starting to do this?

Gives us something to talk about doesn't it.

I do think that they want to try to actually find out what they have here in Swihart. Why do I feel like I'm looking at another Josh Reddick on the field when I watch him play. They may just be reluctant to let this kid go before they get some answers to some questions. It is also very possible that they have decided that his catching skills might take a much longer time to develop than they initially thought. it is interesting that they have said that he will not catch during this recent callup. Even more interesting to me is that it was Swihart and not Castillo who got the call.

happy to hear that I am not the only dub that feels this way- The only explanation that I can come up with is that they really do not intend to move him.

Where is this coming from? Who is actually advocating to trade any of our top players? There is of course is talk about what might possibly happen but i don't get the impression that anyone would be happy to see us trade any of our best at this point in time.

Not sure i agree with your assessment and I am pretty sure that DD doesn't. What you are saying might become reality and it might not. No one knows for sure what you have in Wright. Actually, it is possible that this is Porcello. I wouldn't bet the farm on Kelly but who really knows - not like we are talking about an old guy here. I like Buchholz in the 5 hole. Could this all change?- of course but I don't think that with this team hitting and actually playing the way that they are gives any reason to rush to judgement about anything. A 2010 version of Garza would certainly be an asset for sure though. They may make a trade but if they do it will probably be for someone younger and better. It's the beauty of dealing from strength. 10 games over .500 without E-Rod! Really.

Once again, I will say that his value in any kind of trade is greater with him catching as opposed to him being in left field. Does he need to be traded - of course not. Could he become our permanent left fielder - maybe. Is he a special athlete - of course. Do you think Spud that anyone wants to see him traded? My guess is no. I hope we hold a pat hand right now. Now that being said - hypothetically if the Sox were shopping him, do you think he would be more valuable as a future catcher or a future left fielder?

I think you might be right for sure here. No Red Sox fan would like seeing Benintendi traded but I would add that the potential to replace him with two or three others is right there just around the corner though. He is a prospect. A good one for sure but a prospect none the less. I'm not sure this team needs to anything more than just let the players play and the coaches coach - no trades need right now. Being in this position puts him in a position of strength. People would love to have what we got and we don't desperately need anything. Pretty good deals come from this.

He may be the one who winds up in left field for us. I do still think that if he was really going to be used as a trade chip that he would be catching. If you are going to be trade partner would you give up much of a pitcher for Swihart as a left fielder or as a catcher? I get that he might be part of an overall package but if the Sox use him in left in Fenway, I don't think they plan to trade him. I'm ok with that because he is a young athletic kid.

if Buchholz pitches well, what do you think, picking up the option still make sense?

Not sure i guess. what do you think? I don't want to see the kid traded actually.

Who out there saw this one coming - Swihart!

Some of us don't want to see him in left field because as an up and coming catcher his trade value is significantly higher than as an up and coming left fielder. What ever they do with him, it still could turn out ok. No one is going to be happy if he winds up being dealt for sure but if he is a part of a package, we will probably get a pretty good arm coming back our way.

With Wright pitching the way he has, and Price looking more and more like Price is supposed to look, and the Red Sox competing the way they are, the sense of urgency to trade for a TOTRP isn't there today. The big picture is still clouded up. If Kelly can come back and pitch like he did last fall and Buchholz can just put up #4/#5 numbers things could still work out very well. I still think that DD will deal at some point but I think he will deal from a position of strength if he can. When a move is made, it is apt to be for someone very good and not someone expected to fill a temporarily created hole.

It's what we are particularly here in northern N.E. Quick to react fans - particularly on a forum board. I think that JBJ was a little unusual because he had performed so well in the minors. There was always that little question mark. It didn't add up that he wouldn't be able to hit ml pitching at all. While most of us expected more from him, I don't think that many were willing to just give him away. It is just a good story right now.

Just in case - so was I

Seriously though - Benintendi is the real deal and has been for a while at every level he has played at. Hope he is isn't traded and gets a chance to play in Boston. If DD moves him, I will forever hold our current starting rotation responsible.

Hey c'mon - With Benintendi moving on up, all we need to do is trade Pedroia (like someone here has suggested - who was that guy?) and we open up a spot for Moncada as well! lol

It is just too bad. s*** luck hits us again. We better hope that Kelly's last AAA start is what we might be seeing out of him for an extended time. you never know.

i think that he might be healthy for the first time in a while. he has some good talent.

glad to see hernandez moving back up. i've followed this kid for two years and he ain't bad. think he has potential that no one has seen yet. i don't think that he is destined to be just a utility guy either. Maybe for somebody else but i think he will surprise when he gets a real shot.

I understand your point . I was in no way commenting on whether signing him was right or wrong.