FredLynn

It is entirely conceivable that this injury is related to the previous injury and that we are not being given the full story about it. It would not surprise me one bit if Pedroia is out for an extended period of time or if he eventually required surgery that might have been avoided if he had been put on the DL when it first happened instead of being allowed to call the shots at that time when he declared "No one tells me when I am going to play".

He might make it back next year in some capacity. I don't believe that he will be the "lights out" 8th inning guy ever again. Our FO saw to that.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp193/JIMMYLIMO1/a-bombgif1-new.gif

I voted "sell" (big surprise, eh?) because I think thats the best strategy going forward. What they WILL do is anyone's guess.

Its actually pretty simple: if you still hold out hope for this year's run at a ring, it would be foolish to trade away your best offensive player. If you think that this year is a lost cause already, your best offensive player is a great chip with which to plan for the future, given his age and attitude problems.

Because Cherington is still running the show. Valentine is not being given full reign here. He didn't want Bard to start, but Bard was converted anyway. He wanted Iglesias up; Iglesias is still a minor leaguer, for better or worse. Valentine has been a breath of fresh air to this team, but he is not a miracle worker. As for jettisoning Ortiz, if you believe we have no real chance for a ring this year, he is a valuable piece to trade. Its a winning strategy, just not for this year. Its important to keep things in perspective and formulate a sound plan for the future, and that future should not include a nearly 40 YO fossil.

Papi got what he deserved at his age. His rant is revolting. What does he mean when he said "guys like me don't deserve to be treated that way"? Does he mean that its OK to treat others that way, just not prima donna MEFIRSTS like Ortiz? Does he have any idea how selfish his rant sounds to the fans or how divisive it is right now? Even if thats what he thinks, he really ought to know when to keep his mouth shut. This will (or should) be his last year here anyway; lets make is a memorable one instead of an embarassment.

Maybe a good Josh Beckett fried chicken recipe. And good home brewed beer.

Do exactly the opposite of whatever Jacko says to do. He is a Yankees fan.

You know what? I really don't much care how this weekend series turns out. In the grand scheme of things it might even be better for the Sox to lose this series. Winning it could create false hope that this franchise has some chance to make good when those chances are very very slim. Sometimes it takes a major event to effect change. That is true in life, and its true in business too. If the Sox keep stumbling along at close to .500 all year and somehow either back into the playoffs or narrowly miss them then the excuses and rationalizations will follow. Thats not what we need. We need wholesale changes in our FO and probably in the ownership group as well. Here is further evidence that a complete housecleaning is needed. Its Ortiz, commenting on his offseason negotiations and how "a guy like me" got his ego bruised. Guess he meant that such negotiations should only be perpetrated on someone else. Its an example of the MEFIRST attitude that still infests this organization. Until its eradicated we aren't winning anything. Here's his comment: "It was humiliating," Ortiz said. "There's no reason a guy like me should go through that. ...

I think its going to take something more convincing that a 42-40 team, or an 84-78 team. Its going to take a last place, maybe a fourth place team that threatens the income of the owners to force change. The fans have to vote with their feet. We can hurt Henry in the wallet if things get bad enough. Change is never easy. Until the fans FORCE Henry to fire LL and Cherington, thereby eliminating the old guard, nothing will be much different for many many years. This is Duquette all over again, only worse because the expectations are different. The longer they wait to make that change the longer it will take for our team to become relevant again.

Letting Youk go was the right move. So was letting Moss and Reddick and Crisp go. However, signing Lackey and DiceK and Beckett and Lester and Jenks and Lackey and and and.....were blunders. It will take years to extricate our franchise from the useless flotsam Epstein left behind. And the longer it takes for us to accept the mess we are in and hire competent management to correct it, the longer it will take before we sniff another ring.

What are you willing to give up for a Hamels two month rental? He won't come cheap, and if we lose the one game (away, most likely) playoff game, we have nothign to show for what we surrendered. Each to his own. I respect your opinion to go for it. For my part, its time save and not spend. Cut our losses. Three years of this crap is enough.

It was the nail in the coffin Doc. Look, lest folks here get the wrong idea, I too want this team to win rings every single year. But for whatever reason this version of the Red Sox is likely going nowhere this year and nearly everyone realizes it. Its frustrating; its maddening; its plain unacceptable. But thats the way it is. Truthfully, right now these games have little meaning for me other than the kind of entertainment video games provide: cursory meaningless white noise. The real issue is what to do about this team, not whether we are "going all the way" this year. Something is very seriously wrong with this version of the Red Sox. Frankly, I don't really know what it is besides mediocre pitching. Attitude? Professionalism? I do know that every single game lately I have commented on the sloppy brand of ball they are playing. I don't see much of that from the other teams in the league. I am not sure that losing games would not be in our best interests now. No, I am not hoping for loss after loss, not yet. If we do manage to finish below .500 and in last place the court of public opinion will weigh heavily on our current owners to do something about this: sell the team? Fire the GM and Lucchino? The team is going DOWNHILL from last year. Unless major changes are made, why should anyone expect that their fortunes should change? Enjoy the fireworks.

What I heard about Sully is that he is in the mold of Glen Davis. Not particularly athletic, but a wide body who can score and rebound. If he can play good defense, I am all for him. Melo is a work in progress. He was a soccer player and in college played in a zone mostly. He is considered athletic and might be a good defender of the rim once he develops.