Fenway West - The Boston Red Sox Western Home

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Lester is Already at Camp

With an abundance of pitching on the Red Sox, John Lester is not taking any chances. He has arrived in Ft. Myers early to begin throwing and told mlb.com: "I had a full offseason this year to work out and didn't have any [chemotherapy] drugs going through me, I feel good. I just put on a little weight -- I'm about 225 now. Hopefully, I can maintain it and not lose it the first week I'm down here in the sun. Maybe [I'll] be a little stronger for the long haul this year." Lester is not an automatic for a spot in the rotation and will most likely have to compete with Clay Buchholz to become one of the starters. There is still a chance Boston will go with a 6 man rotation keeping both Lester and Buchholz as starters.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Things to Look For at Spring Training

Even though the Red Sox are returning most of the players from last year's championship team there will still be a few things to watch for at Spring Training:

-The Coco-Jacoby tryout for the center field starting job

-Kolb, Miceli, and Aardsma competing for a spot in the bullpen

-Lowrie putting a little pressure on Julio Lugo

-Lester and Buchholz....who goes to the pen? or do the Sox go with 6 starters?

-Manny's official arrival date

Will Sox Let Beckett Go After 2010?

Peter Gammons cited an undisclosed Red Sox executive as saying " "We'd better enjoy Beckett the next three years, because we won't be able to sign him after his deal is up after 2010." This comes after the precedent set by the huge dollars the Mets gave up in the Johan Santana deal. Who knows what the pitching market will be like in a few years but I think it is too early to say the Red Sox would not be able to afford to re-sign Beckett after giving up the money they did for Dice-K.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Sox Need to Extend Tito's Deal

In November I posted some reasons why Francona's contract needs to be extended beyond 2008. With such a quiet off-season it is troubling that this has not happened yet. The Globe reports that it will not take long to work out once each side sits down but that has yet to occur. There are risks involved in long term contracts for coaches (Charlie Weis) but there is also a risk of managers not making the tough choices if they have to worry about their contract and what the execs might think. Tito's contract needs to be worked out before the Sox get to Florida for spring training.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

This Super Bowl is Not Red Sox -Yankees

As much as the press wants to make the matchup of the New York Giants against the New England Patriots as a continuation of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry it does not fit. The Patriots and Giants do not have a long history of playing against each other in the same division, there is no Babe Ruth, no amazing comebacks, no Munson-Fisk brawls at home plate. There are many old time Giants fans in New England left over from the pre Patriots days when the Giants were the closest team to Boston. There are even may Bostonians on the Giants staff. You will not see any Patriots Suck shirts at the Meadowlands and in Foxborough and you will not hear any 19-90 chants in Foxborough . Enjoy the game no matter what team you root for and understand that after Sunday people in Boston and New York will not care who won the game for long....after all, its almost time for spring training.

Old Man Manny

"I want to be like Julio Franco and play until I'm 48."

A recent quote by Manny Ramirez, which would give him 13 more seasons in the Bigs.

Sox-Dodgers Exhibition Game Sells Out in 1 Hour

80,000 tickets for the exhibition game between the Red Sox and Dodgers on March 29 were sold in 1 hour this morning. The game is in high demand because it will be played at the L.A. Coliseum and because of the large number of Red Sox fans in southern California. This will be the first game the Red Sox play after their trip to Japan. Two of the games against the A's in Japan will count as regular season games and then Boston will return to the U.S. to play an exhibition game against the Dodgers. The Red Sox will resume their regular season series with Oakland on April 1.

Sox Skipper Happy With Rotation, Glad Santana Will be in NL

Terry Francona shared his views about the Santana trade and the Sox rotation with an Associated Press reporter on Friday.

"That ain't bad. I wish every pitcher would go to the National League. I can't lie about it. You don't want to face him five times."

"I'm happy with our roster. Our youth is exciting to me. To come through our organization, they know how we feel about things. Every kid that comes through, they know how to play and they know how to act, and that's important. They integrate themselves in the clubhouse and at work and there's a lot of people in player development that need a pat on the back for that."

When asked to discuss the Yankees rotation, Francona said, "I don't want to rate the Yankees. I've got a tough enough time worrying about us. I don't know. I hope every team we play struggles."

Friday, February 1, 2008

Santana Deal Done

The Mets and Johan Santana have reached an agreement after a 2 hour extension to the 72 hour deadline. Santana will become the highest paid pitcher in baseball after signing a 6 year $137 million deal with an option for a 7th season.

Goodbye Hinske, Hello Casey

The Red Sox signed veteran first baseman Sean Casey to a one year $800,000 deal today. Casey is the left handed hitter and bench corner infielder the Sox have been looking for. This means Hinske will not be returning and Trot Nixon will not be coming back. Casey has often been called the nicest player in baseball so he should fit in well in the clubhouse and be well liked by fans. Casey hit .296 with 4 HR's and 54 RBI's in 143 games with Detroit last season.

Curt Schilling and McCain Involved in $ Controversey

Everyone knows Curt Schilling is an outspoken Republican who often talks about politics on his blog. Last month Schilling went to New Hampshire and campaigned for McCain helping him win the primary in the northern part of Red Sox Nation. A controversy has developed because McCain donated $4,600 to Schilling's SHADE Foundation with campaign funds shortly after the appearence. There is nothing wrong with McCain giving money to Schilling's charity, the problem with the donation is that it came from campaing contributions not from McCain's personal bank account. This is legal but makes it look like Schilling was paid for his performance. Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had this to say:"In general it is inappropriate for members to be giving away campaign dollars for charities. It's not why people made their contributions, if John McCain personally believed in Curt Schilling's charity it is one thing. It is another to ask people to give money to his candidacy and have it go to Curt Schilling's charity. The only way that makes sense is that he is paying for the endorsement, although they are apparently long time friends."

Red Sox in L.A.

Tickets for the Red Sox-Dodgers exhibition game at the L.A. Coliseum go on sale this Saturday at 10 am Pacific. They are expecting to sell all 92,000 seats very quickly for this one. The left field wall of the Coliseum is only 192 feet from home but there will be a 40 foot high screen that will be in play. You can purchase tickets on the Dodger's website or by calling 866- DODGERS.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Alex Cora Arrested

Alex Cora was arrested yesterday and put in jail in Florida for failing to appear in court for a probation violation tied to a 1999 DUI charge. Cora had turned himself in yesterday and was released after he posted $20,000.

Fenway Improvements

When Henry, Lucchino and Werner purchased the Red Sox their plan was to keep Fenway Park but find a way to improve revenue. Each off season they have added seats and made significant changes like roping of Yawkey Way on game days, adding the Monster Seats, and expanding the press box. This year they are at it again, watch what is happening this winter:

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Benefit From Losing the Santana Sweepstakes

As great as it would have been to have Johan on the Sox, there is more upside to not having him. If Lester and Ellsbury play as well as most fans think they will and Boston adds a few more banners to Fenway the joy Sox fans feel will be far better than if they had won a few World Series with Santana. With Santana the Red Sox would look like they went out and bought a championship to fans in other parts of the country, they would look like the Yankees. I remember my reaction when A-Rod signed with New York; everyone else was saying they would be unbeatable but all I could think about is how much greater it would be when Boston beats them, and it was. When Boston beats the Mets in the 2008 World Series and it will be that much better because it will have been won with home grown talent.

Fallout From the Santana Trade

Several Red Sox players and fans emerged from the limbo they were in when Santana was traded to the Mets yesterday. For Lester and Ellsbury it had to be great news; both of them have played in the World Series and both seem very happy to be staying in Boston. As soon as the trade was announced Jacoby had this to say: "I'm happy with what happened. I'm happy to be a Red Sock. I'm happy that I wasn't traded at his expense, and it's nice to know where I'm going heading into the season." Lester has overcome cancer while being a member of the Red Sox and looks to be a major part of the organization for years to come. For the fans it was both good and bad new; they get to keep the young players who have such great potential but they also missed out on having the most dominant rotation in baseball in recent memory. Boston can now decide what to do with Coco Crisp. There has been talk of keeping him as a 4th outfielder but do they really want to pay $4 million a year for a backup, all the while watching his trade value decline? Bobby Kielty will not know his fate until the Sox make a choice on Coco but the Sox could have him at half of the price of Coco. The Red Sox will be over the luxury tax line next season so they may want to unload Coco for that reason alone. The Santana trade has opened the door for Boston to make the few remaining moves they need to do before spring training. They enter the 2008 season with the best rotation in the American League and they know that Santana is not on the Yankees. Things could be much worse for the Red Sox.

Pettitte to Confirm Roger's HGH Use?

The Associated Press is reporting that a lawyer for Andy Pettitte's former personal trainer believes that Pettitte will confirm that he discussed HGH use with Clemens* between the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Pettitte will testify before a Congressional committee in February.

The lawyer, Earl Ward, said Pettitte talked about HGH with trainer Brian McNamee following a conversation with Clemens.

“We’re hopeful based on Andy’s reputation that he will corroborate Brian’s statements with regard to Roger,” Ward said in an interview.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Santana Traded to Mets

The Twins have traded Johan Santana to the Mets for Carlos Gomez, Phil Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. If the Mets can sign Santana in 72 hours the deal will be done but this is not a given because the Mets don't want to go beyond a 5 year contract. If the deal is completed the Red Sox will start to seriously look to trade Coco in the next few weeks.

Tina Cervasio Is Leaving NESN

NESN reporter Tina Cervasio who covered the Red Sox and travelled with the team last season will leave the network in March. Cervasio reported from the stands at Fenway and on the road for the broadcasts with Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo. She said she was leaving so she could spend more time at home with her family. No word yet on who will replace her.....maybe Hazel Mae?

Santana Talks Heat Up Again

There is a building sense that Santana will be traded very soon and the two teams that seem most likely to be in the running are the Mets and Red Sox. The New York Post had this to say this morning : "The Red Sox essentially have sat on their offers since the early December winter meetings. There were reports in recent days that they had pulled Jon Lester from an offer, but officials involved in these discussions deny that. Executives surveyed feel an offer of Lester, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson is superior to what the Mets can assemble, especially because even yesterday Met officials were saying they were still refusing to include outfield prospects Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez in the same deal." That would make Boston's offer as the best one on the table. Theo has been playing this very well and has refused to move from his offer knowing the Yankees would have to pay more than they wanted to beat it. If the Mets sell the farm to get Johan that would be fine with Boston; it is still a great situation for the Red Sox to be in.

As for other Sox news, it looks like Wilkerson is going to sign with Seattle so the Sox still need a backup corner infielder if they do not re sign Hinske.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Roger's* Agent Issues Report Defending His Career

Roger Clemens* has released a report showing why his great pitching career was legit and not from using PED's.

Methinks Thou Dost Protest Too Much

you can read the report here.

Red Sox Trade Pitchers with White Sox

The Red Sox traded pitchers Willy Mota and Miguel Socolovich to the White Sox for pitcher David Aardsma. Last year Aadsma pitched in 25 games with an ERA of 6.40. He was a great prospect that did not work out in Chicago but is still only 26 years old. The addition brings the Sox up to 39 on the 40 man roster. Much like Miceli and Kolb, Aardsma will come to spring training looking for a permanent spot in the pen. He is another roll of the dice for Boston but if any of the 3 recent signings work out it will be all they need to have a solid bullpen in '08.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Some News On Santana

Charlie Waters of the Pioneer Press has reported that Santana will be traded in the next 10 days. He also brought up Ryan Kalish as a part of a deal; we have not heard his name thrown in the mix since the Winter Meetings. If you are keeping score at home, Santana has now been close to being traded 532 times in the last 2 months.

Buster Olney of ESPN said the following today: "Heard from a couple of sources that Boston has taken Jon Lester off the table, for good, in the Santana trade discussions."

That could mean the Red Sox are no longer seriously going after Santana....or the Twins really like Ellsbury. I tend to believe the first is more likely. There is also a chance that they are still willing to deal Lester and are just trying to force the Twins to feel a little pressure.

The New York Post is reporting the Mets are concerned the Twins are saying they are the front runners just to get the Yankees, or Red Sox, to up their offers.

More speculation....nothing concrete. The Mets and Twins and Yankees might be starting to feel a little pressure but Boston can sit back and ride this one out.

Is Trot Coming Back to Boston?

The Boston Globe has reported that Trot Nixon has been working on his defensive skills at first base to be a more valuable free agent. The Red Sox are looking for a left handed hitter and backup corner infielder. If the Wilkerson deal does not work out there is a chance the Red Sox may sign the original Dirt Dog Trot Nixon as a backup. When J.D. starts out batting .167. you can be sure to hear the following from the Fenway faithful....we want Trot!!...we want Trot!!...we want Trot!! He would be great to have back on the team but it may be a long shot.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Hank Defends His Steroid Using Players

Hank Steinbrenner said the following in an interview with the Sporting News about why he was angry with the Mitchell Report:

"Don't make any mistake about it: Our team in the late 90s beat everybody, and we beat everybody because we were that much better than everybody," he said. "And they had just as many players doing stuff -- all the teams. I guarantee you go through every team in baseball, and they all have the same basic percentage of players doing stuff. They just weren't as good as us. You think the Red Sox didn't have players doing stuff back then? Give me a ... break. They just weren't as good as us, and neither was anybody else."

The more Hank opens his mouth the more reason people have to hate the Yankees, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Tickets

Just got my seats for the U.S. opening day for the Red Sox in Oakland on April 1st!!!! I have been trying to get some Fenway tickets for 2 hours with no luck but I got the A's tickets in about 1 minute. Let me know how the ticket sales worked for you. However, my wife is due with our second child on April 5th so I may not be able to go. I was also able to get 4 field level seats for the Saturday game in May vs. Oakland.

Snyder Deal Done

The Red Sox continued their efforts to avoid arbitration with players by signing Kyle Snyder to a one year deal worth $835,000. I posted an outlook on the '08 season for Snyder earlier. Kevin Youkilis has filed for arbitration and is the only player that Boston has not come to an agreement with. Youkilis made about $425,000 last season and is now looking to make $3.7 million. The Sox have offered $2.5 million. The Sox have until next month to come to an agreement and avoid arbitration.

Don't forget that tickets go on sale today for all Red Sox games.

Friday, January 25, 2008

'08 Outlook for Coco Crisp

Since he is still on the team with spring training a month away, we might as well look at him.

'07 Season: Coco came into the season with big expectations; the low average of '06 was blamed on the finger injury so the new season was supposed to be much better. His start of the season did not go that way and he ended up hitting below .230 for April and May with only 1 home run. Fans and the media got on him and he stopped talking to the press. In the mid season he heated up hitting .330 in June and .323 in July. It looked like he was the player the Sox had trade for but his hitting retreated again at the end of the season. Coco made some amazing plays in center field and saved several runs with his defense. His speed helped at times and he stole 28 bases.

'08 Outlook: If Coco starts out slow like he did last season he will find himself as the late inning defensive substitution in the outfield and will get the occasional start when players need a rest. In his two years with the Red Sox Coco is hitting below his career average. He may be a better hitter than he has been for Boston but he is going to have to prove it quickly in '08. Coco will go into spring training competing with fan favorite Jacoby Ellsbury for the center field job. He may not be able to handle this situation and might alienate fans even more. There is still a good chance that Coco will be traded before the season begins but if he is not his trade value could drop if he is not an every day player. If he can adjust to being the fourth outfielder the Sox will have a great backup when injuries happen or they could run the risk of having a clubhouse cancer if he can not adjust. The Coco situation will become more and more interesting the closer we get to opening day.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Sox Offer Wilkerson 1 Year Deal

According to mlbtraderumors.com the Red Sox have offered Brad Wilkerson a one year deal worth $2 million plus incentives to be a backup infielder/outfielder. Boston is said to have given Wilkerson until the end of the day to accept the offer.

Ads On the Uniforms or No More Fenway Park...Which Do You Prefer?

Yesterday the Red Sox ownership announced they would put an advertisement for EMC Corp on the uniform during their trip to Japan. The Dirt Dogs site ran the headline "Nothing Is Sacred." I am not that concerned about putting the ads on as long as it is only for the Japan trip and it does not lead to a permanent thing. John Henry talked about the difficulty for the Red Sox to keep up financially with the Yankees and Mets, both of whom will have new ballparks soon, and the need to find new revenue sources. I can tolerate an ad as long as the current ownership group continues to support and renovate Fenway Park. If the trade off for ad free uniforms is the destruction of "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" then I choose ads. Ads are as much a part of baseball as hot dogs. The first professional teams were playing for businesses, the Green Monster used to be covered with advertisements, and ballparks are now named after companies. It is not a perfect scenario but it beats raising ticket prices.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Sox Tickets on Sale Saturday

Tickets to all home games will go on sale this Saturday at 10am Eastern (7 Pacific). The tickets are on sale online at redsox.com and by calling (617) 482-4SOX. Max 8 tickets per customer....good luck.

Red Sox Sign 2 Former Closers

The Red Sox have signed Dan Miceli and Dan Kolb. Miceli was not in the majors. last year but was a D-Rays closer for a short period of time in '06 before getting injured. He was released after a poor showing in spring training last season. Dan Kolb only pitched in 3 games last season after being called up by Pittsburgh. In those 3 games he had an ERA of 9.00 and opponents batted .462 against him. Kolb was the closer for the Brewers in from '03-'04 where he picked up 60 saves. Both pitchers were signed to minor league deals and both have not pitched well in recent years. The Red Sox are rolling the dice that each pitcher may show some sort of rebound during spring training. Both players are past their prime; Miceli is 37 and Kolb is 32. It would be great if one of them could find their old form and find a spot in the pen but it does not seem too likely.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Glenn Geffen Is Out of Red Sox Booth

Glenn Geffner's tenure as Red Sox play by play announcer on WRKO lasted one year. (one year too much in my opinion). He has left the network to become the play by play guy for the Marlins where he will be heard by the 10 fans who listen to their games on the radio. Geffner added nothing to the broadcasts last year and was often painful to listen to. I often heard him described as an announcer who sounds like he his covering a high school JV game. For some good old Geffner bashing take a look at a few of these posts. Dave O'Brien may take over the play by play in '08.

Eric Hinske or Tony Clark

The Red Sox have not signed a backup corner infielder yet and there are rumors they may be interested in Tony Clark. The Boston Herald reported that Eric Hinske may sign with the Diamondbacks as early as this week. With the opening for a backup at first Boston may chose to bring back Clark. Tony Clark played in 90 games for the Red Sox in 2002 hitting .202 with 3 HR's. This season he hit .247 with 17 HR's with the Diamondbacks. The Giants are also said to be interested in Clark. The Red Sox have the luxury of signing a first baseman as their backup corner infielder because they can move Youk over to third if Lowell gets hurt.

Monday, January 21, 2008

'08 Outlook for Alex Cora

Time to move on to the bench players:

'07 Season: Cora hit .246 in 83 games for the Red Sox filling in for Lugo and Pedroia. He was a fan favorite early in the season when Lugo waas struggling, he hit .278 for the first half. Cora struggled the second half by batting under the Mendoza line and played less and less. He was not on the post-season roster.

'08 Outlook: Cora is a good bench player who fits in well with the Red Sox. He can play either 2nd or short and has good defensive skills. He does not have a lot of power but can heat up quickly when he gets the AB's. Cora will continue to be the choice for Francona when he wants to give Lugo or Pedroia a rest. He should get less playing time this year unless there is a major injury to an infielder, look for him to play around 75 games and hit .250. Overall, Cora is a solid player to turn to when in need.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

More Evidence Against Roger*

Roger Clemens will have a hard time to continue to deny he used steroids now that new information about McNamee meeting with his agent has come out. According to an article in the Daily News, McNamee wanted to discuss some potential problems Roger would have with the new drug testing policy in MLB. He spoke with Clemens' agent in 2003 and notes of the conversation were kept. I don't think Roger will be able to dig himself out of this hole with his "poor me" denials anymore.

'08 Outlook for David Ortiz

'07 Season: Big Papi had a great season batting .332; his highest career average. His power numbers were lower than past seasons but he still hit 35 HR's and drove in 117. He did not have as many of the magical late inning heroics last year so it made it seem as if he was having an off year. Ortiz was playing with pain in his knee most of the season which explains the lower power numbers.

'08 Outlook: David Ortiz is the face of the Red Sox and maybe even all of Major League Baseball. His constant smile and friendliness to teammates, the media, and fans make him a great clubhouse presence. Big Papi's knee was fixed in the off season, he will still have Manny hitting before him and Lowell hitting behind him. Big Papi is due to win the MVP, he is in the prime of his career on an excellent team. His power numbers will be back up so look for 40+ HR's, over .300 average, and 120+ RBI's.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Tito Would Be Happy With 4 Outfielders

Terry Francona told the Boston Globe he would be happy to keep Coco Crisp and have 4 options in outfield going into '08. There is no question that Coco is a great defensive player and could be a good late inning option but he is such a streaky hitter it would be a challenge for him to not play everyday. Boston has most of the puzzle pieces in place so they do not need to trade him right now; it may make sense to keep him a trade him at the deadline for a player that could help out in the stretch run. He is also good insurance for when Manny or J.D. get hurt. Coco's agent told the media that he did not want to platoon but he has to say that to try to get the best long term deal for Coco. No team will sign him for big bucks if he only plays 20% of the time next year and hits .250.

Friday, January 18, 2008

'08 Outlook for Jacoby Ellsbury

'07 Season: Jacoby Ellsbury only played in 6 games for the Red Sox before the All Star Game. He was not a major part of the team until injuries forced his permanent call up in September. During the last month of the season he hit .361 with 3 HR's and 17 RBI's. He became an instant fan favorite and demands for him to replace Coco or Drew grew louder. He replaced Coco in the ALCS and in the World Series and became the lead off hitter for the Sox. He hit .360 in the post-season with 3 stolen bases (including the free taco steal).

'08 Outlook: Jacoby's speed and bat bring some excitement to the top of the Red Sox order. He can be a game changer when he gets on base. Ellsbury's defense still has room for improvement but he does cover a lot of range. The Red Sox have been changing their lead off hitter constantly for the last few years looking for a good solution; Jacoby is the solution. He has a good bat and can beat out a few infield singles. The biggest area that Ellsbury need to improve is becoming a more patient hitter, he only had 8 walks in 116 AB's last season. The Red Sox are very good at helping batters become more selective at the plate so Jacoby should improve in this area. He will face pressure from being labeled as the second comining of Tony C. by Red Sox Nation, but he proved he can handle it. The sky is the limit for Ellsbury in '08.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Mike Lowell Speaks to Baseball Writers

Mike Lowell spoke at the annual dinner for the Boston Baseball Writers of America and said he would be open to a blood test for HGH but only if it was 100% accurate. He noted that a 99% accurate test would lead to 7 players to test positive. I have to say that I don't agree with Lowell here. There has never been a test for a drug or disease that is 100% positive, even DNA test that are admissible in court are not 100% positive. I understand that a false positive can have a very negative impact on a player's career but baseball can use the test and keep the results private. A positive test could spark a private investigation that must turn up additional evidence before a player is suspended. Players and MLB must work together in to create a workable solution for this problem or it will continue to exist. Take a look at Bill Simmon's article on how steroids can destroy baseball for fans.

Bud Selig Gets An Extension

After presiding over the Steroid Era, baseball owners voted to give Bud Selig more time as commissioner of baseball. The new extension will keep him in charge of MLB through 2012. I guess we have 4 more years of poor leadership to look forward to.

Twins Will Trade Santana Before Spring Training

A Twins official told the Star Tribune that Johan Santana will be traded before the start of spring training. The official believes the Mets offer is the best for them right now even though they are offering players who are not yet ready for the majors. The Yankees and the Red Sox have most likely put their best offers on the table but they may tweak them slightly to get the deal done. Boston will be fine with Santana going to the National League and keeping the young players they have but they want to make sure the Yankees do not beef up their rotation. I think fans in Boston, New York, and the Twin Cities just want a deal done so the teams can move forward. The Red Sox need to determine who the bench outfielder and corner infielder will be in the next month and they can not do that until Santana goes somewhere. Coco, Kielty and Hinske are all sitting in limbo until Twin's GM Bill Smith decides to sh*! or get off the pot.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Get Up Early Or Stay Up Late

The first regular season game for the Red Sox will take place on March 25 and the game is scheduled to start at 6:07 AM ET (3:07 AM PT) at the Tokyo Dome in Japan against the Oakland A's.

'08 Outlook for J.D. Drew

'07 Season: You could sum up J.D.' s season by watching a clip of a weak grounder to second to end a rally over and over again, then watch a clip of the grand slam in the ALCS and you have seen enough. J.D. did not win over Red Sox Nation when he replaced Trot in right. When he was signed fans complained about the big salary for a guy with a history of injury problems, by mid season they were wishing for one of those injuries. J.D. hit .171 in May with no home runs, he started to heat up in June by hitting .325 for the month but quickly went back down in July. In July he hit .213 and failed to hit any home runs. By the time August rolled around most fans were done with him; he needed to have about 3 walk-offs in a row to win them back. He brought his average up but the power numbers were not there. His grand slam in the ALCS was his first real moment where he contributed in a big way and may have set the tone for next season.

'08 Outlook: J.D. was below his career average in almost every stat last season, this can be attributed to switching leagues and the pressure players face in the Hub. With the new lineup for Boston next year he might start towards the bottom of the order taking away some of the pressure he felt last year. He is a good defensive player and does have some speed on the base paths. With the expectation bar set so low for J.D. next season he could win back fans by putting up average numbers. It will be hard for Drew not to improve in '08 which can only mean good things for a team that won the World Series with him in right.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

'08 Outlook for Manny Ramirez

'07 Season: Manny was not being Manny for most of last season; for the first time in 10 years he did not hit 100 RBI's. His 20 HR's was his 2nd worse performance in his career. For the second year in a row Manny started off the season very slowly, batting only .202 in April. Manny picked it up for the remainder of the season before he was injured. He only played in 6 games in September before returning for the post-season. Ramirez did have his usual controversy when he said it did not matter if they won the series against the Tribe. Manny made up for his comments at the plate where he hit .409 for the post-season including his first ever walk-off home run. As of January 15, 2008 he has not asked to be traded.

'08 Season: This year will mark the point where Manny has played more games for the Red Sox than for Cleveland. He has Hall of Fame numbers and has found more comfort in Boston; he even speaks to the media now and then. His workouts have been documented and his preparation for hitting is exceptional. Manny would have had his typical numbers last year if he remained healthy so there is no reason to believe he is in a downward trend. Only a fool would bet against him getting 100 RBI's in '08. Defense will never be his strong point but you will get the occasional web gem followed by a train wreck in left. Manny is surrounded by players he likes on the Red Sox and has been much more of a team player in the last two years. Francona knows how to handle the Manny situations perfectly and always makes sure that he is in the lineup when needed most. Manny will continue to deliver in '08 and may even talk more about finishing his career in Boston. A few more typical Manny years will ensure a red #24 hanging between #9 and #27 in right field.

MLB Gets Grilled On The Hill

Bud Selig and Donald Fehr are in the middle of testimony in front of the House Oversight Committee. Their testimony has been filled with squirmy answers as to why they were not responsible for the Steroid Era in baseball. Bud Selig thinks there needs to be more testing and year-round testing for PED's. Donald Fehr does not commit to off season testing and says it needs further investigation. Fehr sums up his attitude towards drug testing when he is asked if players have a misunderstanding of post-season testing when he said that he hopes they are not under a misunderstanding because they might use steroids and fail a test. He is more concerned that a player might get caught by the system than ridding the sport of steroids. Selig continues to play the tough guy role when the Steroid Era took place under his watch. Many people will say that Congress should not get involved in baseball but without some outside action Fehr and Selig will continue to ignore the problem.

Tejada May Be Charged With Perjury

In his opening statement for the hearings on steroids Congressman Henry Waxman said he will send a letter to the Department of Justice to ask them to open an investigation into Miguel Tejada's lying to Congress. Tejada told a congressional investigators that he did not provide Rafael Palmeiro with steroids and that he had never used them himself.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Steroid Hearings Start Tomorrow

The first round of Congressional hearings into steroid use in MLB will take place tomorrow beginning at 9:30 am (6:30 Pacific). Bud Selig and Donald Fehr will both testify about new information uncovered in the Mitchell Report. The hearings will be broadcast in their entirety on ESPN as well as on CSPAN. You can watch the hearings online here.

Yanks Say They Are Out of Santana Sweepstakes

This may not be the last time we have heard this with Hank at the helm but the Yankees are reportedly out of the Santana race. An unnamed Yankee official told ESPN radio that they have dropped out of talks for the Twins ace. That leaves the Twins with 3 choices: continue to negotiate for some young players from the Mets, take the Red Sox offer, or keep Santana for the season and let him go into free agency next fall. The Mets do not have the number of players who are ready to play in the big leagues as the Sox do so Boston will once again be the front runner. Since the Sox have not traded Coco yet it appears they are still interested in Santana.

UPDATE: Hank says the report is not true but they never had a formal offer for the Twins...whatever Hank

'08 Outlook for Mike Lowell

'07 Season: Mike Lowell had a career year for the Boston Red Sox. It was the first time in his career that he batted over .300 and he hit 15 more RBI's than his previous best season. He was just 9 hits shy of a 200 hit season. Lowell led the team in RBI's and finished the season as World Series MVP.

'08 Outlook: It will be tough for Lowell to repeat the numbers he had last season but he should still put up good numbers. He is a very good defensive third basemen and has become more patient at the plate. If J.D. Drew starts to hit next season Mike could see some better pitches. He now is used to American League pitching and he will should be in a better offensive lineup next season assuming Manny is more productive and Jacoby is the hitter fans think he is. Lowell was at the top of his game last season and should not drop off too much, expect him to hit .290 or above with 100+ RBI's.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Roger* May Not Testify To Congress

Roger Clemens* may not testify to Congress because his lawyer believes it would interfere with his lawsuit against McNamee. What a load of crap. He files a lawsuit for the sole intention of avoiding answering questions under oath. Clemens' lawyer has also said they will not turn over the tape that was played at a news conference last week. Clemens did not play the entire tape to the media. Roger* wants to keep this as a "his word against mine" situation where he controls the questioning. He is playing a game he can not win in the court of public opinion. Roger can delay his admitting use of PED's but he will not chance the public attitude about him with this approach. The common advice to someone who has found himself in a hole is to stop digging. Will someone please take the shovel away from Roger?

'08 Outlook for Julio Lugo

'07 Season: Lugo signed a 4 year contract to play short for the Red Sox and to use his speed when he got on base. Unfortunately for Boston, he was not on base very much during the first half of the season. The Mendoza Line was wishful thinking for Lugo in June when he hit an unbelievable .089 for the month. Lugo made some big plays in the field but also booted an easy grounder to ruin Schilling's perfect game. Julio turned it around in July with a 14 game hit streak and a 7 RBI game. He ended up batting .280 for the second half of the season. Lugo had a career high 73 RBI's and his second highest stolen base total of 33 last season.

'08 Outlook: Lugo's batting average was about 40 points below his career average last season so we should see some improvement at the plate. Getting more than 70 RBI's in the '08 season is going to be a stretch for him especially when he bats in the 8th or 9th spot. Lugo will continue to be a decent defensive shortstop and his speed will help. There will be much less pressure on him in the upcoming season as the fans have now accepted him and won't be calling WEEI to ask why Cora is not playing short every time he gets out. Cora will bat in the upper .200's with over 50 RBI's and 30 SB's. He will be a productive guy at the end of the order but he will not be the hero of the team and I don't expect #23 shirts to be sold out any time soon.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

'08 Outlook for Dustin Pedroia

'07 Season: The Red Sox finally found a long term solution at 2nd with Dustin Pedroia. The rookie started the season at a snails pace batting just .182 in April. The fans and the press started to get on Francona for sticking with Pedroia. The patience paid off as he hit .415 in may and became a dependable hitter near the top of the Red Sox order and became the American League's Rookie of the Year. He hit .283 in the post season with 2 HR's including the big homer against the Tribe in game 7 of the ALCS. He accomplished all of this with a broken bone in his hand.

'08 Outlook: Pedroia will have to avoid the sophomore slump in '08 but he has shown he is not afraid of anything and is not the typical MLB player. With surgery on his hand last season and a full recovery he should have good numbers in the upcoming season. He will benefit from having Jacoby Ellsbury bat in front of him instead of Lugo. Ellsbury will be a pitchers nightmare on the base paths causing distractions that will benefit Pedroia at the plate. He did hit 8 HR's which is amazing for his size but he does benefit from the dimensions of Fenway. Conventional wisdom says second year players will decline now that pitchers have found the holes in their swings but Pedroia has shown he can bounce back from a slump and does not get intimidated. He will hit over .300 and his RBI numbers will be up with Jacoby batting in front of him.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Dropkick Murphys Will Be On Letterman Tonight

The Fenway house band Dropkick Muphys will make their first appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight. There is sure to be some talk of the World Series victory and the band will perform "The State of Massachusetts."

'08 Outlook for Kevin Youkilis

'07 Season: Youk broke the American League record for consecutive games at first base without an error, he has proven to be on of the best defensive players on the Red Sox and won a Gold Glove. Youkilis hit .328 for the first half of the season and earned his nickname as "The Greek God of Walks" by getting 40 free passes before the All-Star break. His average dropped to .238 for the second half of the season; some of this can be blamed on injuries from being hit by Yankee pitchers in the head and wrist. (Don't forget the 2 thrown over his head by Joba) Youk had a great ALCS batting .500 with 3 home runs against the Tribe.

'08 Outlook: Kevin Youkilis does not have great power for a first basemen; last season he hit a career high 16. However he is a very versatile hitter and can be placed anywhere in the lineup. It will be interesting to see where he ends up in the order in '08 because the Sox will most likely go with Ellsbury and Pedroia before Manny and Papi. Youk could bring some production to the second half of the batting order where it was missing for a large part of '07. Now that his injuries have healed he should be able to bring his average up. He will go back to being a more patient hitter at the plate and bring his OBP back to over .400. Youkilis' value, like Tek's, is hard to show with stats be cause he is such a well rounded player and clubhouse contributor. Expect to hear a lot more Yoooooooouuuuuuuuukkkkk in '08.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Doug Mirabelli Will Be Back

According to the Boston Herald the Red Sox are close to signing Doug Mirabelli for a one year contract. This will give Boston a backup catcher for next year and allows Wake to have someone who can catch the knuckle ball. Mirabelli is not a long term solution behind the dish but the Sox are doing the right thing by bringing him back. The deal is said to be for around $550,000 with incentive that could bring it up to $1 million for the year.

'08 Outlook for Jason Varitek

'07 Season: The Red Sox Captain continued to get it done behind the plate by managing his pitchers well and keeping balls in front of him. His batting average was up from '06 but behind his career average. He hit 17 HR's and drove in 68. It is almost impossible to show Varitek's value to the team through stats as he is the glue that holds the team together. He gets the most out of every pitcher (if Schilling did not shake him off in Oakland he would have had a no hitter.)

'08 Outlook: Tek will be 35 going into the season in his last year of his contract. When the Sox signed him for 4 years they believed they might be going a year too long for an aging catcher but Varitek has proven his worth. There have been some reports that Boston will meet with Scott Boras to talk about a contract extension during spring training. Varitek's numbers have dropped off slightly but not near what you would expect from someone who has caught so many games. The limited production at the plate is more than made up for by his catching ability. With young arms joining the rotation Tek becomes even more valuable. His average will be below .300 again in '08 and he won't hit 20 HR's but he will be responsible for many of the W's. When you look at the box scores next year for Tek don't just look at hits or RBI's, look at the ERA's of young pitchers who have never seen the batter before. If the Red Sox can find a backup to give him the occasional day off Varitek will put up another outstanding season as captain.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

House Delays Clemens Hearings

Roger* will have some more time to get his story figured out before he has to testify on Capitol Hill. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has moved the hearings from Jan. 16 until Feb. 13 so they have more time to prepare. There is still a hearing January for Donald Fehr and Bud Selig to get a grilling from some lawmakers about their lack of attention to performance enhancing drugs in baseball. Congress can take away MLB's legal monopoly but there is little chance of that. There will be some grandstanding by lawmakers and some defensive answers from Donald and Bud but not much more in the first hearings. The second hearings will be much more interesting because both McNamee and Clemens will be under oath. If both stick to their story someone will be committing perjury and Congress may take some punitive action.

Gabe Kapler Talks About the Issues

Gabe Kapler was on WEEI yesterday to give his thoughts on the Red Sox rotation, Roger Clemens, and his new job with the Brew Crew. It is funny how certain players never really leave the Red Sox; look at Bronson and the Hot Stove Cool Music Event or Mirabelli when he was in San Diego. Kapler will always have some kind of a relationship with Boston even when he plays in the National League.

'08 Outlook for Jonathan Pabelbon

'07 Season: Papelbon entered Spring Training as a member of the Red Sox rotation but after the failure of Joel Pinero he returned to the closer role. Numero cinco ocho had a 1.85 ERA in 59 appearances for Boston last season. He had 84 K's while only walking 14 batters. He had a small period during the regular season where he became human and blew a couple of saves before rising back to the top. Some of his bad appearances can be blamed on lack of focus from the occasional migraine he suffers from. He did not give up an earned run during the playoffs and struck out the last batter of the World Series to seal the championship for the Red Sox.

'08 Outlook: Papelbon enters the 2008 season as the best closer in baseball, he has two complete major league seasons under his belt and a World Series title. Papelbon has the nerves to be a great closer with an intimating stare and a great fastball. The late season arm problems from '06 were not present in '07 thanks to Francona not over-pitching him. He will continue to be a major reason for the Red Sox to do well next season; as long as they can get to the 9th, Papelbon will deliver his part of the victory. Even with runners on base opposing batters could only hit .187 against him last season. Other than Josh Beckett, Papelbon is the best reason to be confident about the Sox chances in '08. He is the real deal and will continue to shine for year to come.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Rem Dawg Reacts to Roger*

The President of Red Sox Nation does not believe the Rocket. Watch it.

Jim Rice does not make Hall of Fame

Breaking News: Goose is in....Rice is not. Jim Rice had 72% of the vote but not enough to get in.

The Sporting News Ranks Sox Rotation #2

The Sporting News said the Red Sox rotation for '08 was 2nd behind the Indians. The Red Sox proved they had the better rotation in the playoffs and they will have Lester and Buchholz in '08 so I don't see how Cleveland gets ranked ahead of them.

'08 Outlook for Hideki Okajima

'07 Season: Okajima played a large role in the success of the Red Sox last season. He was not expected to be a great player when he arrived from Japan but quickly became the setup man. He was selected to the American League All-Star Team and won the TYIB Setup Man of the Year Award. Okajima's strange release and mixing up of speeds confounded batters and made him nearly unhittable for a large part of the season. He became fatigued down the stretch and was given time off by Tito which allowed him to be ready for the playoffs. In the post-season he had a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings.

'08 Outlook: Oki found his control last year but was not as good in the second half of the season, some of that has to be attributed to fatigue but it was also a sign that American League batters were getting a second look at him. He has proven he can be a dominant setup man but also showed some signs of weakness. It will be very hard for him to repeat his accomplishments of last season and I would expect some rough outings from him in '08. If he can maintain his control he will still be a good setup man but he will come back to earth a little. Tito needs to use him a little less next season to avoid the fatigue, having Delcarmen in the pen will help. Overall he should continue to be a good option for Boston but fans need to be prepared for a few implosions in '08.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Clemens Holds News Conference.. Plays a Taped Conversation, Walks Out

Roger spoke with the media today and played a taped phone conversation with former trainer Brian McNamee. You can listen to the tape and watch the news conference below.

UPDATE: McNamee stands by his claims that Roger* juiced.

Full Video here

Jim Rice Learns His Fate Tomorrow

Tuesday is the day for the announcement of new Hall of Fame inductees. Here's what Rice has said about the process: "Things are not like they used to be; the players are not the same. You have to put guys in different categories and ask, 'What were those guys considered during their time? You can go back before the steroids; you can go back to Nautilus equipment, weights, more teams, smaller ballparks. There's a lot of things you can go back into. The question is, what kind of hitter was I? Did I do things for the team or more as an individual? I could have been more selfish, but when I played it was a team thing. If you tell a young guy now, you've got to hit 500 home runs to get to the Hall of Fame, he'd have to decide if he wants to do that."

It should be a close vote, maybe the 14th time will be a charm.

'08 Outlook for Manny Delcarmen

'07 Season: The Massachusetts native had no decisions last season but did pick up one save and had a 2.05 ERA in 44 appearances. He did not give up a hit during his last 4 regular season appearances and made the post-season roster where he saw action in each of the series. His post-season was not good; he had an ERA of 8.31 and he gave up a home run in game 4 of the World Series.

'08 Outlook: Delcarmen has a good fastball and an average changeup. He has earned himself a spot as a situational reliever in the pen and will be used for a late inning here and there an will occasionally fill in for Oki as the setup man. He needs to work on a better secondary pitch or he will have batters sitting on his fastball like they did during the post-season. He has good control and limits base runners making him a good candidate for late inning relief. He should build upon his successes from last year and become a reliable option for Tito out of the bullpen.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Roger* Says He Might Be Open to a Lie Detector Test

Clemens goes on 60 Minutes and tells Mike Wallace he is angry at his former trainer, shocked that Pettitte took HGH and was only injected with pain killers and B-12. He went on to say "I was eating Vioxx like it was Skittles," he said, adding that he has since been made aware of its dangers and will possibly discuss its effects with Congress next week." He also declared, "You will never see me pitch again." Just like Nixon I guess we won't have Clemens to kick around any more. What BS. He dodges the lie detector test by saying he "doen't know if they work" and still no lawsuit because it would cost too much, maybe we should take up a collection for Roger. The testimony under oath should be more interesting. With his constant statements of denial he may be able to get a job with the Clinton campaign.

UPDATE: Clemens files lawsuit against McNamee, maybe he is telling the truth.

Theo Says Santana Talks Not Holding Up Other Deals

Theo spoke with the media yesterday and said he has been back at work for a week but many of the GM's took this week off. The "Hot Stove" may heat up again Monday and we may see some new negotiations that have been moving at a snail's pace this off-season. Theo said that other deals are not being held up by the Santana negotiations even though he admitted it was a factor during the Winter Meetings. Theo is still in a bind; if he trades Coco now he is basically telling the Twins and Yankees that the Red Sox are out of the Santana sweepstakes. If he continues to wait on the Twins he may go into the regular season with 2 center fielders. Ellsbury will be the starter and Coco will platoon making it harder to trade him. At this point it would be good if a team like the Mets got Santana soon. This would allow the Sox make the necessary moves even though Theo says they are moving forward.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

'08 Outlook for Julian Tavrez

'07 Season: Julian was 7-11 with a 5.15 ERA for the Red Sox. He was a member of the rotation while the team waited on Lester to return and when other starters were hurt. His first half of the season was better, especially May and June where his ERA was under 4. He started to struggle in the second half and was given as short leash by Tito and would be pulled as soon as he got in a jam. He finished the season out of the pen and was not on the post-season roster but as I posted earlier he was a total team player.

'08 Outlook: The Red Sox picked up the option on Tavarez but he appears to be the odd man out. He will not be in the rotation where the Sox have 6 solid options and Snyder seems to have locked up the long reliever position. Tavarez was not good as the setup guy in '06 so that is not really an option. His stats vs. left and right handed hitters is pretty close so he is not going to be a specialist. He has limited value for Boston with Lester and Buchholz coming up so look for him to be traded before the season starts. If he does remain on the team he will most likely spend some time in AAA and be called up when injuries occur. He has shown he can be handle being that type of pitcher in the past and that might be his asset.

Hockey at Fenway?

With the success of the outdoor game in Buffalo the Bruins are looking to try an outside game of their own. Bruins execs have ask the NHL to let them play an outdoor game at Fenway Park and the Red Sox are open to the idea, so it may go forward. Red Sox executives have been very active in the past into expanding the brand by joining Roush Racing and by bringing the World Series Trophy to a Pats game. The Bruins are the one Boston franchise that is not doing great so they need a shot in the arm. Maybe a little Fenway Magic could put them back on top; they could put Big Papi between the pipes and no one could score on them.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Latest on Santana

The Twins are getting a little nervous as the off season progresses and are seeing if they can get the Yankees to tweak their deal by taking Hughes, Cabrera and a player other than Kennedy. The Red Sox are sticking with their two offers. The Yankees may get the deal done if they can find that player to subsititute for Kennedy, giving them a good rotation in '08. The news is not great for Boston, as of tonight it looks like the Yanks are back in the lead of the Santana sweepstakes.

Clemens* Asked to Testify Before Congress

Roger * will get a chance to tell the House Oversight Committee all about his vitamin injections on January 16th if he complies with a request by the Committee to testify. The Committee also asked Andy Pettitte to appear along with their former trainer, Brian McNamee.

On January 15th the Oversight Committee will hear from Bud Selig, Donald Fehr and George Mitchell.

UPDATE: Clemens' lawyer said Roger will accept the invitation and will attend the hearings and testify under oath.

Boston Signs 2 New Minor League Pitchers

The Red Sox signed 28 year old Jon Switzer and 31 year old Michael Tejera today. Both pitchers will start in AAA but will be invited to Spring Training as non-roster invitees. Switzer went 0-2 with an 8.05 ERA for Tampa Bay last year (with those numbers they might as well have signed Barry Switzer.) Tejera was 8-5 in AAA ball last season with a 3.90 ERA. Not much hope for either pitcher to make the 40 man roster.

Big Storm In California

We are getting a 2nd big storm with potential for hurricane force winds today in Northern California so there is a good chance the power will go out. We had 2 inches of rain yesterday and may get 6 more today!! I added a weather station at the end of December so you can check what's going on at the bottom of this page...until the power goes out.

UPDATE: Just as predicted the power went off at 7 am and has just come back on at 1:45 pm. Lots of downed trees and minor flooding but the worst of the storm has passed.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Clemens: It was just vitamins

Roger Clemens* told 60 Minutes in a soon to be released interview that trainer Brian McNamee injected him with the vitamin B-12.

I don't know about you, but I tend to think that taking vitamin pills is easier than getting injected with them in the ass.

'08 Outlook for Kyle Snyder

I've covered the starters so now its time to move on to the bullpen.

'07 Season: Kyle Snyder finished the season with a 2-3 record and a 3.81 ERA. After starting 10 games for the Sox in '06 he became strictly a bullpen pitcher last season. He seemed more comfortable out of the pen than he did in his starts after Boston picked him up when K.C. released him. He was not on the post-season roster for the ALDS or ALCS but was added for the World Series in place of Wake.

'08 Outlook: Synder is a good option to continue as the long reliever for the Sox. He has the stamina to pitch the innings they need and can get hitters out. He does have trouble getting out of jams and can blow up in a hurry but this happens with all long term relief pitchers. (if they were great they'd be in the rotation) His stats against hitters from both sides of the plate are pretty good, making him fit in this role well. He was much improved this last season and should build on it for '08. He needs to limit his walks and have better concentration with runners on. Snyder looked like someone the Sox should have left on the waiver wire at times in '06 but in '07 he was a good option for Boston. Snyder is like an umpire; he is doing a good job if you don't notice him. He is not a high profile guy but does his part for charity is well liked by teammates, and comfortable in Boston which should translate into another good year for the Red Sox.

A Whole Lot of Nothin Going On

According to today's Globe the Santana talks have not gained steam after the holidays although both sides are willing to discuss other players. The negotiations into offering Tito a long term deal have not begun. Additionally, the Sox have not offered Youk a long term deal and may continue to negotiate 1 year deals to avoid arbitration until he is a free agent. There is still plenty of time left in the off-season to make the moves and the holidays just ended. Theo just became a dad so it is likely we will not see much activity for a while. If you take away Santana the Sox still need a backup catcher and they need to trade Coco.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Voter Asks McCain To Thaw Teddy Ballgame

New Hampshire voter Jack Polidoro asked Sen. John McCain to help remove Ted Williams from the Alcor Life Extension Foundation where he has been frozen in 2 pieces in liquid nitrogen since he died in 2002. Polidorao said Williams should be cremated according to his wishes. McCain is a senator from Arizona, the state where Williams is frozen but told the voter he has no power to go against William's son's choice to have him permanently frozen.

'08 Outlook for Clay Buchholz

'07 Season: Clay Buchholz became a well known name around Major League Baseball when he threw a no-hitter on Sept.1. It was his second career start in a game he did not know he was going to pitch the day before. He pitched one more game out of the bullpen for Boston and loaded the bases before retiring the next 9 batters in a row and not giving up an earned run. He showed some arm problems so the Red Sox decided to end his season early to the disappointment of fans who thought he might be on the post-season roster.

'08 Outlook: The sky is the limit for Buchholz in the coming season. Buchholz is just 23 but has proven he has dominant stuff. He has a curve ball as good as Zito's, a change up like Keith Foulke used to have, and a fastball that can reach 97 MPH. He has ace stuff and could one day be the opening day pitcher for Boston. If he can stay healthy the Sox will have the best rotation in baseball, with or without Santana.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

'08 Outlook for Jon Lester

'07 Season: Lester completed his amazing comeback from cancer and arrived at Spring Training almost 100%. He began pitching in the minors in April but his stay there took longer than expected. He went 4-5 with the PawSox with a 3.89 ERA. When he arrived in Boston he pitched fairly well going 4-0 in 11 games with a 4.57 ERA. He got the win in game 4 of the World Series and won the MLB Tony C. Award.

'08 Outlook: Lester has shown he has the stuff to be a dominant power pitcher in the majors. He has a good fastball and can overpower hitters. He had some games where he lost his focus causing bad innings in an otherwise good outing. As he matures and works with pitchers like Curt Schilling he should be able to limit those situations in '08. He needs to have better control next season to be a great pitcher but he has shown signs of improving. Lester could be a 15 game winner next year if he can stay healthy, the cancer is no longer a concern but power pitchers usually have a stay on the DL. The other big issue is Johan Santana; Lester is the main player being mentioned in a trade for the Twins ace. If Lester had pitched a full season in Boston last year his trade value would be much better but he is a very good starting pitcher and the Red Sox could count on him in the rotation for years if he is not traded.

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