bosoxmal

Every time I read something about Pablo Sandoval I have to think of Shanty Hogan. High on my most favorite player list, I won’t bore you with starts, but he did hit over .300 about 5 times, and was a lifetime .295 hitter. He was from Somerville, as most of you know, and a 240 lb catcher for the Braves. When he showed up at Spring Training one year (while with the Giants) at 265, John McGraw had seen enough, and made him show his meal tickets when on a diet. Shanty fooled ‘em.. When his meal ticket said “spinach”, the waitress knew it rally meant “mashed potatoes”. I was 6 months old when Shanty played his first game, and I was1- when I first saw him in a game at Braves Field. Two years later, I sat on the slats they called bleachers at Trum Field in Somerville, and listened to his routine. Shanty was a lovable comic-type guy who actually went into show business with a guy named “Cohen” (Sammy, I think) after his career ended They played vaudeville (or burlesque) as a stand-up comic team. On the road, they were Cohen & Hogan. When they played d Boston, they were Hogan & Cohen. After that Hogan would show up in the early summer evenings at at Trum Field or, as I once heard, at a field near Southern Jr. High. A few times during one of these pick up games, Hogn would come down between innings and tell me (I was a catcher) that I should be wearing a mask! Too bad there aren’t any Hogans around these days. ESPn could than put on some real entertainment and get rid of the SC6 crap.

I can't believe the whole troop has Leon catching. He ended up last year swunging at everything in the dirt and has he improved? Doesn't look like it. Meanwhile, Swihart is hitting about .350 and that's no fluke. Everyone gave up on this guy after he ran into the wall. He's a solid switch hitter. I'd rather see him in LF w/Benni in CF, but the bosses still think JBJ will hit! The guys who produce in ST should get the nod. Other wise what's the purpose of S? Getting in shape means getting timing. Swihart hasm Bradly and Leon have not.

When do you think the bosses will wake up to the fact that Swihart can hit? After he's playing LF for the Rays and hitting .325?

Did anyone notice Kyle Kendriks' stats today? Did anyone happen to be there asnd answere the question: was he as good as the stats?

I hear you. My son, Eric, was born in 1953, and there was no way in hell I would ever try and convince him that Foxx was a better hitter than either Ted. In the mid to late fifties, I worked for a company down in Norwood. The highway whatever that was. Two blocks down the street was a lounge that carried some afternoon games on their little TV over the bar. 2 other guys and I pleaded for 1 o'clock lunch time. We'd scoot down the road, watch Teddy's first at bat then go back to work. When it came to "color" Ted won hands down! And thank you for your comment. I'd love keep posting (or anything else for tat matter!)

I may be the only one on this board who was around when Foxx was in his prime---and Teddy. I saw a lot of Papi, but only on the tube and in spring training. . I have to include their fielding as a tie-breaker, Papi and Tedddy both were lousy fielders. Foxx had zero range at 1B, but never made errors. I he got there, he made the play. Foxx is my choice, and I admit some of that might be nostalgia. I was 11 years old during his first year with the Sox (1936) and about as avid and impressionable as as kid that age can be.

I see they have Swihart in to -days lineup. Wrong spot in the order (9th) and wrong spot on the field ©

It's amateur baseball. Keep it that way. Send the pros off to ST where they belong.

Is this the same Fr.Andrews that Sox players have been seeing since Joe Cronin was the manager? Price is alrady IN Ft Mayers. The home of more orthopedic surgeaons than octogenerions. I'll bet Dr. Kagan wouldn't have to ask Price to take off his shirt!

Swihart will go to the minors? Never happen. He will eith be the 4th OF or traded. Which, I hope for his own good, will be the case. He's on somebody's s--- list. Probably JF's. He has a good number 2 hitter sitting around trying to be a catcher, and doesn't know what a good hitter he's throwing away.

Where's the mystery? He is NOT a catcher, never has been, never will be. Too good a hiter to leave him on the bench or in the sticks. Put him in LF and he'll beat out Young, and force them to put Benni in CF and Brad,ey? Well, somewhee else would be nice. Maybe a middle releiver.

He'll never be a top flight catcher. In fact I don't thing he wass A catcher until genius in the organization decided he should be! He's been jerked around enough. He looked pretty damned good in LF (while he was in there)

So, for $84, I get all home and away games except for thos normally blacked situations. Right? Xtra Innings is $200. Big benefit comes by being able to put it on the task bar and switch over and check my eBay, email, etc. Right? For $100+ less.

Anybody heard any details? For those living outside the teams aras, this may be a better option than XtraInnings. I already get Rays, Marlins, ESPN, Fox and what have you. I have a large screen Internet access, so I don't "need" anything except the Sox. Maybe save a hundred or more. Any news available on this?

Farrell should keep his mouth shut. Every time he opens it, we get nothing but bulls--t. He's telling us he does not know his own players. Every year he says that guy will bethis or this guy will be right fielder. He's a bad psychologist. He must know by now that Swihart isn't a catcher, yet he persists in jerking this future star from one position to another, like over night! As soon as this guy found a position he could handle, he got hurt. Farrell must have forgotten. Swihart's a good (and will get better) switch hitter. They don't grow on trees. I haven't figured out if he's stupid or just incompetent.

Which are too hard to read for us old farts. But easy to skip over!

Well, it was a great game anyway.

Monday, April 6, 2015 Game 1 Red Sox at Philadelphia Weather: drizzly Top of the third Mookie’s on first At this point it’s zero-zero Is this too early in the game To have an honest-to-God hero? At any rate, Castillo get’s a pitch A little inside, but he’s swinging; It’s into left center, and around third Mookie Betts comes a-winging! When it’s all over, Uehara gets a save In a 4-3 win for the Red Sox Napoli both walked and struck out twice Castillo had two hits and two walks. Kelly was the winning pitcher Even though he only lasted through 6 He seemed a little wild at times; Can he stay in this rotation-mix? FINAL SORE: Red Sox 4---Phillies 3

This is one of the 1000 or so stories that game from dad. In 1905, my father was 20 years old when the world series got under way between the Giants and the A's. Dick (my dad) had four brothers He was the oldest and already working for he B&MRR Somehow, he wrangled a deal whereby he and three and his brothers got on a train and off they went to NY. It was Oct. 15 and game 5. Matty had started the first game on Oct 9. Then one in between and now his 3rd start of the series, He threw his 3rd shutout, of course, and history was made. Mathewson was well known for his fade-away. I was watching a game (on TV) that Pedro was pitching, (for the Sox) and realized, from the descriptions I got from my dad, that Pedro was throwing a ;ot those Christy Mathewson fade away.Anyone else make the connection?o

Swihart has more chance of being our LF than Young does.

Bautista would be worth about 1/3 of what he's asking. He and JBJ wold be competing for the strike out king of the year.

I do. cover to cover. Win or lose. Rain or snow. Spring training or regular season. And they should forget about Swihart as a catcher. He's not a catcher. He was awful. He played well as in LF last year until he was hurt. It was not necessary to catch every game to see that. A .285 switch hitter in LF? Not bad, I'd say.

That's the only lineup that makes sense. I'd take a young starter for JBJ. Somebody similar in experince, age, etc. to ERod. JBJ seems to be a great guy and great teammate, but------!

Takes one to know one. I was born Dec. 11, 1924. Yep, 92 and NOT counting.

Coin Flip