cp176

I too am very thankful for the championships that have been won. 2013 was just magical. My concern is with a previous post regarding our front office caving to fan pressure and signing free agents to huge contracts. I hope that that is not the case. I want to be able to voice my opinion but I certainly don't want to sway theirs'. Our front office has a job to do and they are paid well to do it. None of us are on the front line. We have opinions and that is it. I want them to be competitive every year! I think they should be if the job is being adequately done. I might not agree but I will always support.

You might be right. With respect to the Red Sox of 67, 75, 86, 04, and 07, I would argue that they had a pitcher at the top of the rotation that served them well. I don't like the term ace particularly but I prefer to see money spent on big arms as opposed to big bats. I guess I am prepared to be stunned if they don't make a significant trade before the start of play. Too many players and not enough positions for them all.

Can he pitch?

Don't know about Kalish but Lavarnway has a pretty good education to fall back upon

I agree with your analogy. Having competed in a few marathons, I would say that if you want to compete at a high level, You cannot lose track of the competition throughout the course of the race though. I think that the Red Sox are going to wait until the right deal is there for them. I do think that they will do something this year. I also think that they are dealing from a stronger position than they have in the past. They could start the year with what they have. Once the field realizes this, I think that the "right" deal will surface. I don't think that this is a finished product. Just doesn't seem to make any sense to me that it is. I don't think that they have any intention of waiting until the next free agent class either. Very confident here that they know what they are doing and that they will get the job done - "on paper" anyway.

Cafardo is right this time. The Red Sox have made numerous moves that will help them this year. It would make no sense what so ever for them to go in to this season without the pitcher they need. They have the trade chips, they have the money - bound to happen. Just a waiting game for us. Common sense says that it will happen.

I have liked what I have seen in Kelly as well. We still have a ways to go but it is starting to look like he will be fighting it out for the 1-2-3-4 or 5 spot in that rotation. Got to start getting used to that line of thinking.

I suffered through those vintage 60's teams. A miracle started to form in 1966. You could see it and feel that it was coming. Talented young group of players with a fiery, demanding, and knowledge manager going in to the 67 season. For the most part since that season, all expectations changed. We had left the dismal 50's and most of the 60's behind. I was one of those very disappointed fans on numerous occasions. 75, 78, and 86 (in particular 86) stand out. I will exclude 67 - they had Bob Gibson before the mound was lowered - we did not. Baseball is a journey for me though. Once again championships are very difficult to win - any game in any sport. Of course I would like to think that we could win every year but I also realize that it is not possible. For me - It's the hunt, the long season and everything that goes along with it. I do think this is a franchise that should compete year in and year out. 59 years a fan. I always had a National League favorite (the Giants) but I have lived with this franchise for a very long time. Seen all the owners, players, managers, and general managers come and go. the hunt begins again very soon. I would like to see a few subtractions as well as additions but we will all live with whatever they yard out on to that field. I can't wait for that green flag to drop. I miss just two things - the radio and lazy afternoon games.

Ted williams who I still believe had the best eye at the plate and was the greatest hitter of all time, was no fan of the media and a very reluctant fan of the fans until after his retirement. A little tough on his teammates as well but very respected for his baseball and fly fishing abilities. It was a great thrill to see him play. Championships are very hard to win. Do you need to win one to be considered the best of the best? In terms of pure hitting, with Ted I don't think so. He was the best.

A great trade for Mr. Duquette!

One magical season. Don't get me going. I will never forget it and to this day I have not really seen anyone do what he did for a complete season. Not casting all votes for him that season could be likened to casting 1 vote against Washington for President.

I am very pleased for all 4 of the inductees. I would like to think that the 3 pitchers were no brainers but who can tell by the way the voting goes on occasion.

Very true. That being the case, looks like the Sox still have some trade chips there.

He is young and looks like he is on the way up. I know that free agency is in both their futures. It is probably me but I just think I would not give up a quality arm for Cespedes unless I had a pretty good stable of young arms on the way. The old adage that you never can have too much pitching is a truism deluxe. I am happy we got him. Maybe Ben C. is the real deal. If he is, he will make 1 more big move I think. (I hope)

I'm still stuck on the Cespedes for Porcello trade. I realize every team can use a bat, but why would the Tigers give up an "up and coming" young arm for him knowing that they could also lose Scherzer. I don't think that Alex wilson is a difference maker in that trade. Detroit has been a pretty well run organization over the years. They had to have felt that Porcello was expendable. I'm thinking that Scherzer winds up back in Detroit but still that is an interesting trade from their perspective. Porcello pitched well last year. I hope he does the same for us. If he has top of the rotation potential or even your number 2, they must have some great arms ready to go. If he is anywhere near as good as we tend to think that he will be, I don't think that I would have made that deal.

I really would love to see him in a Red Sox uniform. With him and Porcello leading off (a little Detroit east), we would have a potentially very powerful team for a long while.

Very , very helpful post for me. I felt exactly as you did. since I had my little spat, I have realized that there are some really nice people on this board. I have always believed that if everybody agreed with me all the time, I would never learn anything. Your last paragraph. is a beauty. Probably just like you, I wasn't raised to quit when things got tough or even nasty. Just time to keep grinding. Thank you - this is going to be fun!

Tommy Layne's story is kind of neat. His wife was and maybe still is a practicing dentist who gave up work to follow Tommy and his dream. She took some baby sitting jobs this past summer for something to do. One of them was for my daughter. When he got the call up to the big club, the excitement was incredible. What a jump for them. Good people. I don't know if he will make it up there or not but a very nica story.

You couldn't ask for more than what Koji has given us for sure but I too worry a little about him coming into the season. He is not a young man by any means but I like a closer who throws strikes.

Kind of like a mad dash or even a muddle F_ _ _. Kerensky, Trotsky, or the after thought Stalin.

I am going to stay on this board. You do what we did one thing that you realize is that there are many ways to get a job done and if you take the time to listen you never know what you might learn or from whom you might learn it. When I first started posting, I just wanted to be a part of a group that shared a common interest and a love of mine. Never meant to make any personal attacks against anyone. But I, just like you, have a tendency to react when I sense nastiness. I don't care if someone disagrees with me. Normally that is how I learn. I did take your friend's advice by the way and it is good to be here. Always look forward to your posts.

Times certainly have changed with technological advancements. Face to face discussions about our baseball passions were always fun and usually ended in a friendly way. There certainly are plusses and minuses to the use of the internet. Being nonjudgmental, listening, learning and formulating your own opinions seems like a pretty good way to go. Back to the game - I have a little personal interest in Tommy Layne and hope that he hangs on to one of those 40 man roster spots. He is good man - good family man and a decent lefty to have in the pen.

Good to know. I agree with you about Fred. He is a baseball man. A Red Sox guy all the way.

700 and Fred - I am going to have fun with this. I know that there are some fine people and great fans who post here. I do need this outlet right now. Like I said - coached for a long long time. This is the first time I have felt retired and I truly miss everything about the game. Baseball, football, golf, track and of course basketball over the years. I am a baseball/basketball guy though. I miss the practices, the strategy, the games, and mostly the kids. It is amazing how young working with talented athletes can make you feel. I think that I will miss their foolish humor more than anything. Oh well- Spring training starts, I am quite close to Lakeland. I will hop up to see the Tigers for something to do. Fort Myers is quite a ways away. I wish they had stayed in Winter Haven. 15 minutes from where I am. A lot more $ on the coasts though. Happy New Year boys. ,,

A sensible woman there mvp. Happy New Year to all!