cp176

David Bowie eyes! He is an old soul. Very traditional. Doesn't give a crap about those bad metrics. I like that . (just a little joke now) Don't need the saber metric folk going all unhinged on me.

Clearly big, tall, strong guys are the way to go. They run faster, hit harder, and hurt the ground more than themselves when dive for balls. The deck is clearly stacked against a guy like Pedroia. If he doesn't at least have blue eyes, he could be really screwed.

I see him as a hell of a lot better bet to get it done than I do of Ramirez getting it done at first. All projections aside, all issues about what we look like on paper, quite a few things really do have to go well in order for this team to be in the hunt next fall.

It is a very revealing article. The people who actually go onto the field probably aren't (hopefully) paying too much attention to the metrics. Most of these guys probably know less about what all of the abbreviations mean than I do. There has to be some sort of filter between management and players. Now that is not to say that all of the information gleaned from the compilation of the data shouldn't be used. Not very likely that many of the actual players are doing the interpretation.

Brian Johnson says that he is healthy as in 100% and ready to go. I could not be happier. He is my sleeper pick. He knows how to pitch. Buchholz, Kelly have attractive potential that we hope will morph into someone who can stay healthy and actually last for at least most of the season. Owens is tall and might be decent. Wright has an ever improving knuckleball. Johnson can just pitch. Nice curve, works fast etc. If he does in fact stay healthy, I am betting on him being in our regular rotation by June or July. I think that he will stay for a while as well.

I can buy that. Essentially because I believe that your first paragraph still can represent an essential part of the game.

Wish I did.

Not so much because I remember back to pre- marriage days and what the advice was for me then - If you want to know what your wife will look like later on, look at her mother. Very true but I got lucky there. I also get to look at my older brothers. It is unbelievable though.

In addition to the classic line - son, if you can't be good be careful - as I headed out the door, my Dad told me once when I told him that he was indeed old - look in the mirror, tomorrow you will see me. He was right.

It got shot off his head.

come on - those big guys throw harder and don't get hurt as often

I'm related tho that guy

Lincoln's hat

vertically striped clothing can do that

Loyalty is a great quality to have but when it reaches a point where it is flat out stubbornness and hurts the teams' performance it becomes joke like. If some of the positive predictions just don't seem to working out, I hope Dombrowski will be able to get things done.

Some of their success or lack there of this year will be determined by how quickly it takes them to react if things don't go according to plan. We all want to think that Hanley can get it done at first, Sandoval at third , and that Castillo will hit. If any of these guys don't get off to good starts, we have potentially very good and maybe even better options to replace them. If the decision is made to just hang on and hope that things will get better and they don't, .500 is still a good target. If the sun shines everyday, the skies are blue, and the birds keep singing, "on paper (once again)" we look fairly good.

I wonder if that is the best place for him. We have heard that he wants to be an infielder and specifically a second baseman. it might be better for him (maybe not us) if he was in the outfield.

A fast athletic guy on first is of more concern to an opponent than a fat slug who can't run. My point is that it very well may upset a defense to the point that it can be a disruption that could give the offense an advantage.

Not to the extent of being a contender or a bottom feeder like we have been. This year's team with a top of the rotation guy and a vastly improved bullpen may even allow us to hang in there throughout the course of the summer. We will see.

If everything works out the way we all want it to, that probably is a great estimate. Everything doesn't work out, who knows? Anybody's guess.

Price, Rodriguez, and Porcello will at least be around in the fall. Price will perform as he has in the past. E-Rod will remain a consistent starter. He will have his ups and downs but overall he will continue on an upward trend. Porcello may show signs of improvement but more likely will be what he has been for quite some time. He will be dependable though. Buchholz and Kelly will give us something and that represents an added bonus to me. If Brian Johnson is healthy, I expect him to be a pleasnt surprise. He knows how to pitch. I wouldn't be at all surprised if either or both - Owens and Wright- helped out significantly. Although I would like to see them add one more good one to the rotation, I think that they have other equally important issues that we all are hoping that will resolve themselves. First base - third base - the hitting of both JBJ and Castillo - what happens with the catching scenario. If everything comes together, could be an excitingly competitive season. If there is too much flopping around again, they will have to battle to get the 80-85 win level.

A fat slow guy on first base probably won't be of much concern to anyone. Athletic fast guys draw a little more attention.

Part of the package that has to be taken into consideration is what speed can do to an opponent from a mental aspect. I do not view the game in singular bits of statistical data. If I did, I would not like the game. It would lose its magic for me.

Anything to put pressure on the defense to make them do something physically or mentally different than what they want to do is a good thing from an offensive standpoint. Speed does that.

Ouch on that one!