FredLynn

Thanks Emmz. I am always willing to listen to reasonable criticisms such as yours and I will make an effort to rein it in a bit. Yes, I am passionate about the team as we all are (except Jacko). When criticisms are presented constructively like this they are easy to digest; when someone comes on here and calls other posters idiots or *******s, thats really not a constructive criticism, its a personal insult. Very few of us know one another well enough to determine who is or is not an idiot or an *******. I think its fair to say that many if not all of us ACT that way here sometimes, but thats different than actually being one. Sandusky is an *******. He has lots of company, but I am not in the subset. Probably none of us here are. Have a good day.

Thanks. Thats very helpful. As the Japanese say, "I will give it my utmost consideration". You are now on ignore.

How Youkilis will perform over the next 3 1/2 months is anyone's guess. You base your opinion on his career record, and I am basing mine on more recent history, the last 11 months. Neither of us can claim to be right until Oct 1. Therefore, you cannot categorically reject claims by me and by Nick that it is our opinion that Youkilis is likely finished as a major player. We can revisit this in October and only then see whose opinion (because thats what it is) proves right.

As for Elktonnick, his response to being presented with statistical evidence was to dismiss it because... well, because it works against him. He's ignoring evidence to cling to a gut feeling. Yet you are basing your opinion that he can still hit on gut feelings as well. Right now, there is no statistical evidence that he is remotely like the Youk of a year ago. Also, you are saying, if I understand you, that he fell off a cliff last year because he was injured. That isn't exactly denying that he fell off a cliff, its giving what you feel is the reason he fell off a cliff. Maybe he just can't stay healthy playing 3B. All I know is that his numbers are hideous for almost a year and he has given me no objective reason to think that he is ever going to be productive again. This year he has 136 PAs and he is .231/.681. Its not like its 20ABs; its well over 100. Put that together with what he did last year and MY gut feeling is that he is not going to contribute in any significant way. At one point you have to give WMB a try. When is that, in your opinion?

If you honestly think he's dropping off a cliff like Drew did last year, you're an idiot. I assure you that Nick is no idiot. Youkilis began his drop off the cliff nearly a year ago, on July 15, the ASB of last year. Here are his statistics from before the ASB, after the ASB, and year to date: BA/OPS/%BBs/%Ks Before ASB: .285/.911/13.7%/19% After ASB: .199/.660/12.1%/20% Year to date: .231/.681/8%/27% Thats dropping off a cliff to me, and its been almost a year. How much longer do we wait until we give WMB a chance?

Because our FO is inept and slow to react? Thats a reasonable explanation for the continued infection Youkilis is perpetrating on this franchise. Got news for you Bob: by the time this FO makes the necessary moves for us to compete for a playoff spot this year, we will be so far behind that it won't even matter. We could already be there.

I know they are. And I don't give a damn. They miss pitches both ways. The umpiring has been horrible, but they are not singling out the Red Sox to s*** on. The point is that its time to stop whining about the umpiring and blaming them for missing calls. That happens. When you complain about someone else you aren't looking at the real reason we are entrenched in last place. Its the players doing it to themselves, not the umps. They need to look in the mirror if they are looking for a reason the team sucks.

Better than who? We aren't better than the Rays, the Yankees, the Orioles, the Jays, the Nats, or the Marlins. All those teams have better records than the Flops. We are better than the Cubs so I expect a win in Chicago.

Mighty Mouth complaining about balls and strikes after today's loss: "Yeah, it's pretty disappointing," Pedroia said of the umpires after Sunday's loss. "We're trying to compete, everyone is, both teams, and you don't want them to come into play and stuff like that. It's hard enough playing the game against good pitching and good players. So it's pretty disappointing." He really should shut up and perform. Gonzobum isn't doing anything to help the team, but at least he keeps his mouth shut.

Well thats just great to hear. I am sooooo happy for Gonzobum that he hit well in San Diego and hit a bit here last year too. Wonder how he would perform if his paychecks were dependent on his OPS. Bet he would contribute a bit more. Checked the scores: winners include the Yankees, Rays, Orioles, and Jays. Loser Bums: Red Flops. The team sucks. It has no intestinal fortitude and they are playing like they don't give a damn about it. We are not catching the Rays this year, and the Yankees are getting out of reach as well. These losers deserve to be in last place for a long long time.

OK...thats it. I am outta here. This team is disgusting.

This guy is hitting .225. Gotta get him out right?

Need another K here. Watch for the squeeze here...

Winning run on second base now.

Better get someone up in the pen immediately. Winning run on first base.

And the Jays are now leading too. Its going to be tough to catch all these guys. There are no patsies in the ALE this year.

Didn't Sweeney win some sort of competition for best athlete on the team before the season began? I sort of remember something like that.

Of the USA? =United Stiffs of America?

Come on Gonzalez. Earn your money

Wonder what the ERA was league-wide over that time period. Are you using BBR to find this stuff?

Looks like Zimmermann is getting the outside calls and Lester is not. Some consistency would sure be nice.

O's, Yankees, and Jays all losing. Rays up 4-0. Lester has to hold these guys down now.