cp176

Agreed - you can't place too much value on spring training stats in general but the overall play of anybody during spring training certainly has value. Not a case where I would use spring training stats as a springboard to future success but it is poor sell if anyone suggests they are meaningless. Performance which kind of has to include stats mean a great to many players. In the spring for sure, you can paint any picture you want with them but they do have meaning. I agree with respect to the hype surrounding many players but Mookie's hype isn't just coming out of New England. Ramirez's comments certainly count for something. Wait - he is in New England again. Statistics can be deceptive at any time of year (obviously in ST) if you don't watch the games. I guess that means I rely on my eyes.

Pretty fair assessment I think. It should be close. No team really stands out as a clear favorite. They all have their issues. Betts isn't going anywhere. Although some would tell us that all spring stats are meaningless. Doesn't mean a thing till the games start for real right? I don't buy that at all. Betts has made it even more apparent that he is for real by having the spring that he has had. I wish that we had seen a little more of Castillo but he won't be pushing Betts out of that lineup. The East will be fun to watch for sure.

Good for you for looking him up. I like that. Wrong game for sure. Still - good for you! I am hoping that I remember my grandchildren's names. Added some new ones this year. Guaranteed Red Sox fans!!!

It is insulting that you wouldn't indulge me. Are you sure that you don't know who Bobby Layne is? Just joking about the insulting part.

C'mon Bellhorn - just tell her the truth. CP176 is old mentally. I keep getting the the two first names mixed up. Tommy - I got it now. He has pitched well enough to make this team. I realize that it won't happen but I would take him over Breslow.

I don't disagree with you at all. The key would be the right arm. I don't think that the right arm is available yet but it might be soon.

Looks like a good thing that everyone on here feels the importance in keeping your best prospects around. Pretty sure the Sox feel the same.

Bobby Layne and I hope that they don't move Barnes to the pen.

I know what you are saying and don't disagree with you but they still have to throw the ball. Bucholtz changeup can be extremely effective if his fastball has the velocity. If he is not somewhere in the low 90's at least, his changeup will get ripped. Not unlike Pedro, it has always been tough tell whether he is throwing the changeup or the fastball because that release action looks identical. His power on that body which doesn't look particularly powerful has always set up his change. I also like the fact that what some of these guys down there are working on is just trying to be on that opening day roster. After Porcello, I don't see any of the starting 5 getting an extended leash. There are young healthy arms just waiting to be called upon. You don't want to rush any youngster into action too soon but they might be needed. I was just a little more like Remy I guess. Outside of just a couple of players on this whole team, I'm thinking that there should be a little nervousness. Regardless of what specifically they are working on, I would like to think that they are all smart enough to know that they need to be motivated on a daily basis. Porcello has looked good but after him - shouldn't be any guarantees.

I agree with you to a certain extent. But, if players really have something to prove to their teams, then I do see the significance of really getting ready in the spring. All 5 of those "potential" starters knows that they have something to prove. I'm for giving guys like Ortiz the days off he feels he needs. We know what we are getting from him if he is healthy. A lot of competition should be taking place in this camp for most of the others. Of the starters, Porcello looks good.

You must be down there watching them! I wish that I could have seen Rodriguez on the mound. Of their young pitchers, I am sticking with what I said earlier. If any of them have the potential to be a frontline starter, he is the one. Pretty soon, we will start hearing from the people who don't see the significance of the power pitcher. We will hear about location, location, which of course is significant but if Bucholtz and Masterson can't find a few more mph's, they will get pounded. I hope that Ramirez has made the mental changes that he said he has made. We will sorely need his bat in the lineup. Not just 75% of the time either.

I think that that is a reasonable assessment. I would very much not like to see Barnes moved to the bullpen primarily because of the reasons above. He is a starting pitcher. Power arm - possibly middle of the rotation kind of guy someday. They will need all of the help they can get. I do think that they will score but not in the huge quantities that some people think they will. I think that they can win 85 games and that might be enough. More likely between 80- 85.

Obviously A won't happen but it is interesting. Over the long haul, I'm just not sure there would be much difference and they might even find a little gem in there. I hope you are right about them making an addition to their staff but I'm just not sure it will happen.

That is what I was hoping to see. I agree. Obviously not going to happen soon as well it shouldn't but the day might come when we see most if not all of those face up with us. I have to admit my love for the power arms.

Aches and pains for sure - if he says he is ok, no doubt he is. Whoever mentioned any kind of tendonitis was just taking a shot at a diagnosis.

I do not want to see Barnes moved to the bullpen.

I whole heartedly agree - choose for me - A or B Porcello - Bucholtz - Miley - Masterson - Kelly (A) Porcello - Owens - Rodriguez - Johnson - Wright ( Obviously to most it would be A right? I'm not sure there really would be that much difference. I wonder which of those two groups has the better chance of holding up for a whole season? Outside of Porcello, there is a good chance that at least 2 if not 3 of those guys in the B group will in the first 5 at some point if the Sox do not make a move. Whoops forgot about Barnes. Substitute him for Wright.

That is the million dollar question. I think the east looks a little sad. It is going to come down to whether or not the pitching staff can get it done or not. Regardless of all of the data, I am not sold on the fact that the Red Sox offense is going to lay over everybody else. I think that they will be better - how much better remains to be seen.

The work XB put in this winter is obvious to see I think. It probably will take some people time to realize the difference but there really is a difference. Confidence is up as well. Boy it is hard for me to understand though Kimmi what possible data would tell anyone that Ramirez will be stronger in left than XB will at short.

That's great. All a matter of how you look at things. If he doesn't find a few more mph on that fastball, I'm thinking we will be seeing the second one more than we want to.

I saw that last night. Worst case scenario is for these guys to start losing pitchers.

I'm just trying to be a hopeful Red Sox fan. Something I have been for many years. Trying to stay upbeat and hoping that they have some plan. The reality of the situation might be a little different. It's their lack of deals so far that has me concerned. I did not and continue to not like the Hanley Ramirez deal. The Porcello deal I do like. I don't know anymore about what they are up to than anybody else. I just figure there are two directions I can go in and I am a fan.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see it happen but if all 5 of the guys projected to start go 200 or close each it would be an absolute miracle. Personally I think that we are very apt to see both Owens and Rodriguez sooner as opposed to later. Maybe even Johnson. I also hope that they can keep Barnes out of the bullpen. A good not even best case scenario is that they keep all of their young arms and give them the time to develop this year. Looks like Wright might get the first look though.

I think that it will probably happen. I'm just not a huge fan of any knuckleball pitcher. That being said, I liked Wakefield when he was in his on mode. I don't see Wright being the next Wakefield. I do think that he will get his chance. After he gets it, maybe he will change some opinions and maybe he won't. Too many ups and downs out of most of these guys. Great when they are on and not so much at all when they are not.

I loved him. He was a grinder. I think that it was today that he was asked whether he felt more pressure to perform in certain situations than others. His answer pretty much defined the type of player he was. He said he always felt pressure to perform regardless of the situation. To him, spring training was not just a time to get his work in. He had to battle for his job. I think that too much is just given to many players today. I like the fact that some of them actually view this as a time that they have to show that they have the ability to get the job done. Sorry about the rant - I liked Remy's style.