Fenway West - The Boston Red Sox Western Home

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Hansen Awful in Loss to Twins

Pitcher Craig Hansen, working to earn a spot in the Sox pen, looked awful today. He faced 9 batters giving up three walks, two hits, and hit a Twins batter. Hansen had 4 earned runs in the lone inning that he pitched, debuting his ERA for the Spring at 36.00.

Hansen usually has good stuff. He had an ERA of 3.86 in Pawtucket last season. He features a fastball in the mid-high 90's and a good slider. It's too early for this to mean much of anything. Let's hope Hansen gets back on track in his next outing.

The Sox lost to the Twins 8-2. Lowell and Pedroia had the only RBI's for the Sox, both going 1-3. Lowell hit an HR in the 2nd inning.

Wake Looks Good, Buchholz Shaky

Tim Wakefield pitched two scoreless innings today, giving up one hit and no walks. He looked good.

Buchholz, on the other hand, did not. The Twins were able to bat around in the 3rd before Buchholz was able to get out of the inning. Buchholz gave up two doubles, two singles and a long ball in the inning.

Let's hope he's just trying out some new stuff.

John Henry Makes Steinbrenner an Official Member of Red Sox Nation

Red Sox Owner John Henry told the Boston Herald the following in an email:
""Just to ensure he knows how cool Red Sox Nation is, [Saturday] we officially inducted him as a member of Red Sox Nation and we are sending him his membership card giving him access to an array of options including our newsletter, bumper stickers, pins, Green Monster seats and a hat personally autographed by David Ortiz."

If you want to send anything to Hank yourself you can mail it to:
Hank Steinbrenner
Legends Field
1 Steinbrenner Dr.,
Tampa, FL 33614

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Is Wake 100%? We Find Out Sunday

Tim Wakefield will pitch his first game since going on the DL for the World Series. Game time is 1:05 Eastern. How will we know if Wake has fully recovered from the shoulder injury...will his fastball hit 78? He sometimes starts slow and settles in but he will only go 2 innings so it will be difficult to see where he's at.

On another note, how much does MLB.com suck? They constantly have the wrong info (yesterday they sad Tek was not making the road-trip and then he played and homered, today they have a picture with a caption that says Ellsbury is running to first after a single...he went 0-3. When you try to sign on to listen to the game you have to go through 8 pages of ads telling you why you should sign up. Enough bitching for one day...the Sox are 4-0 in the spring.

Sox Pitchers Can't Find the Plate Against the Twins

Jon Lester struggled in his first outing since game 4 of the World Series giving up 2 hits and 4 walks in 1 inning against Minnesota. Tejera walked 3 more batters in 2 innings. Ellsbury is 0-3 giving Coco the early lead in the battle for center. You can look at the live box score here.
Casey goes 1 for 1 with and error (Youk would have had it)...Moss and 4th string catcher Brown hit long balls (can Brown catch a knuckle ball?) Pauley goes 2 scoreless and is still in the hunt for spot #5. Sox win 7-6,

Yankee Hat

Got this in an email today...you may have seen it before but if not enjoy.

Blue Jay's GM Trashes Fenway

Toronto Blue Jay's General Manager J.P. Ricciardi told the Toronto Sun his view of Fenway Park:

"I'm waiting for the day somebody leans on a brick and the whole place falls down"

This from a guys who's team plays in the SkyDome. Seems like an appropriate time to listen to the Arrogant Worm's song Toronto Sucks:

Dumbass Hank Keeps Saying Stupid Things

Here's the latest brilliant remark from Hank Steinbrenner:

"baseball's not as complicated as football, so I don't know that a manager means as much in baseball as he does in other sports."

Of course when the Yankees start losing again, who do you think Hank is going to fire? Jeter?

Friday, February 29, 2008

Twins Game Recap

In his first game of the spring Dice-K gave up 2 hits in 2.2 innings with no earned runs but no K's. The runs were hard to come by until the 4th when the Sox put 3 runs on the board. Items of note: Coco was 8th in the order with Lugo leading off, Youk and Tek go yard, Coco proves he wants the starting job by going 2-2 with a RBI and a SB.

In the battle of the pen: Oki, Timlin and Aardsma don't give up a hit in 1 inning each. Kolb gives up one hit. Tavarez gives up a tater.

Sox win 8-3....all is well in the Nation

Lineup for 2/29 vs.Twins

The official lineup has not yet been announced but the following players will start: Kevin Youkilis, Pedroia, Julio Lugo, Mike Lowell, Manny Ramirez, Coco Crisp and Bobby Kielty.

Ellsbury and J.D. are not making the trip.

Quote of The Day

"If you're in New England and you're sitting in the snow, there's nothing better to watch than the palm trees, and what is a beautiful area here, and the thought that baseball at Fenway isn't that far away." -Don Orsillo

NESN will broadcast tonight's Grapefruit League game against the Twins. Dice-K will be on the mound. First pitch 7:05 Eastern.

Hank Is A Dumbass

Hank Steinbrenner had the following to say about Red Sox Nation to the New York Times:
“Red Sox Nation?” Hank says. “What a bunch of [expletive] that is. That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans. Go anywhere in America and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

Was that the Red Sox I saw on the news at the White House this week Hank? I guess this website does not exist because there are no Sox fans outside of Boston.

Manny Being Manny No Excuse For Dissing Veterans

Everyone seems to have a take on Manny missing the trip to Washington.

Jim Donaldson sports writer for the ProJo was unforgiving:

"He doesn't want to visit with the president? Fine. That's his prerogative. It's not inconceivable that a few of those wounded veterans might not want to shake hands with the president, either.
And, while it's interesting that Ramirez clearly considers himself to be special, that he obviously believes his obligations to the team are not the same as those of his teammates, that's a problem for the Red Sox to deal with in the clubhouse, and as an organization. But turning his back on hospitalized veterans? That's inexcusable and unforgivable. "

The satirical newspaper The Onion says, Manny actually was in DC, he just missed the big events: "Although Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez was present for the official team visit to the White House, he did not meet the president due to being preoccupied with rolling on the Rose Garden lawn and playing tug-of-war with Barney, the Bush family's Scottish terrier.

Bill Burt writes in the Gloucester Daily Times that Manny being Manny is good enough for him:

"The only place Manny is expected to be is the No. 4 spot in the Red Sox lineup from late March through late October. He can leave trips to Washington, D.C., to the important people. "

I have to say that I agree with Donaldson. Missing the White House visit is one thing, but slighting the veterans is really disappointing. That's Manny being Manny. Sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it pisses you off.

Beckett Shows No Mercy to College Hitters

Ace Josh Beckett spoke to Rob Duca of the Cape Cod Times about pitching against college hitters.

A guy said, 'Are you going to at least let somebody hit it?' 'No, I'm not going to let 'em hit it,' " Beckett said after the Red Sox rolled to a 24-0 triumph. "I'm out there trying to do my job and my job right now is to get in shape for the season. If I'm facing a college team and I'm messing around, I might take that into another game. That's not what you're trying to do."

Beckett retired 6 batters in a row with only 25 pitches, 18 for strikes. It looks like Beckett is starting from where he left off last year. Given the Schillng situation, we need our Ace to be dominant. Sure it was only BC, but you have to like how he pitched, and more importantly, you have to like his attitude.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Red Sox Pummel Northeastern

The Red Sox swept today's doubleheader against amateur teams by beating Northeastern University 15-0 in 7 innings. Even though they were facing college teams the Sox outscored their opponents by a combined score of 39-0 and gave up a total of 4 hits in the 2 games. Masterson pitched well giving up 1 hit with one K in 2 innings. Coco went 1-1 with a walk winning the day over Jacoby and even J.D. got a hit. It is really way to early to worry about hitting but it is nice to see the Sox playing so well in their first 2 spring games.

Sox Destroy BC

The Red Sox had no sympathy for their neighbors from Chestnut Hill. B.C. only got one hit off of the Red Sox staff and lost the game 24-0. Ellsbury did not get a hit but scored a run after being walked. Pedroia had a hit and a 2 RBI's, Papi also drove one in with one hit. The minor league players were the ones who ran up the score with 9 runs in the 5th. Beckett pitched 2 innings with 4 K's and no hits. You can check out the box score here. You can take your hand off of the panic button (unless you are a BC baseball fan)...things look good in the Nation.

Feds to Investigate Clemens*

The Associated Press is reporting that the FBI has opened an investigation into whether Roger* lied to Congress when he denied taking steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.

Roger needs to learn the cardinal rule of holes: "when you're in one, stop digging."

Timlin Talks About White House Visit

Reliever Mike Timlin spoke to WBZ Radio about yesterday's visit to the White House.

Listen to him here.

Masterson to Show His Stuff

Sox 2006 second round pick Justin Masterson will start tonight's game in Ft. Myers.

“It’s exciting, just making the first start (of the spring),” Masterson told the ProJo. “It’s good to face a college team and sort of get my feet wet before I face some major-league hitters.”

Masterson pitched for AA Portand last year. He throws a high speed sinker (95 MPH), and has a decent changeup). Masterson may be used in the bullpen in the Sox farm system this year.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Video Of Red Sox Ceremony At The White House

RemDawg Sworn in as Prez of the Nation

Today in Washington, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer issued the oath of office to Jerry Remy to become the official President of Red Sox Nation.

"I, Jerry Remy, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of Red Sox Nation. I pledge to be true to the game, true to our fans and, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and promote all that is great about the beloved sport of baseball and the Boston Red Sox."

God Bless America. God Bless the Nation.

Let's Hope the Mound Holds Up

The Red Sox ground crew will have a little more to handle next month. Bartolo Colon is scheduled to make his first spring training appearance on March 9th. We can only hope that the mound will be able to sustain the weight.

Keep an eye on your hot dogs, fans.

Sox Visit White House...Manny Misses It Again

The Red Sox were in Washington today to show off the World Series Trophy to President Bush at the White House. For the second time in 4 years Manny Ramirez did not make the trip. Bush even made a joke about Manny not being there:
"Manny Ramirez isn't here, I guess it's because his grandmother died again."

Lineups For First 2 Games

Here are the lineups for Thursday's games:

PROBABLE RED SOX LINEUPS

vs. BOSTON COLLEGE
Ellsbury, cf
Pedroia, 2b
Ortiz, dh
Lowell, 3b
Varitek, c
Youkilis, 1b
Lugo, ss
Kielty, rf
Moss, lf

Vs. NORTHEASTERN
Crisp, cf
Cora, 2b
Drew, rf
Ramirez, dh
Casey, 1b
Carter, lf
Mirabelli, c
Lowrie, ss
Ginter, 3b

Ellsbury gets the start in game 1...does it mean anything?....also Crisp and Ellsbury are in the lead-off spots.

Sox Take A Look At Freddy Garcia

Freddy Garcia was in Fort Myers for an evaluation today, usually a step when teams are interested in signing a player. Garcia pitched for the Phils last year earning $10 million and getting just one win. He only pitched in 11 games and had 5 loses and a 5.90 ERA with batters hitting .319 against him. He like many of the other pitchers the Sox have signed this off-season are players coming off of injuries and bad years but have had success in the past. The Red Sox have not signed him but if they do he will be even more insurance for the rotation. He will most likely come cheap and have good upside, similar to Colon, give or take 80 lbs. This move would just be another example of Theo being Theo.

Should the Sox Sign Jenny Craig?

It works for celebrities, why not ballplayers?

Everyone agrees that you can never have too much pitching. Sox fans reacted favorably to the news that Bartolo Colon had been signed. There's just one problem. He's gotta drop some lbs.

Pitching coach John Farrell spoke with the Associated Press about Colon yesterday:

"There's really no timetable on when he's going to get in a game," Farrell said. "Without having really picked up a ball over the past three weeks, it's going to take him a little time to get back in shape. But he's a guy that definitely provides us some depth as a starter. To answer any more questions about that, it's too early to tell."

"I don't know the exact number of pounds that might have to be lost," Farrell said, "but I think there's some self-acknowledgment on his part that he is a little bit overweight right now."

Colon will talk to reporters today. Remember, Bartolo, don't talk with your mouth full.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Who Will Lead-Off This Season?

One of the ignored topics so far this spring is who is going to be the lead-off hitter. The Sox have employed several players at the top of the order for the past few years so lets take a look at the options:

Ellsbury- a perfect lead-guy; can create trouble for defenses when he is on base...but will he start?

Coco- good speed but no bat during the last 2 seasons and a pretty low .330 OBP

Pedroia- only 7 SB's last year but an OBP of .380..... an OK choice but not great

Youk- walks were down last year but a .390 OBP.......not exactly a threat to steal

Lugo- weak OBP of . 294 but 33 SB....if he can bat this year he might be OK

The spring games start Thursday and should shed some light on to who's number Tito will pencil in at the top of the order

Me Llamo Jonathan Papelbon

After some lessons from Julian Tavarez, Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has been working on his espanol. Check out the video:

Where's Colon?

According to the Boston Globe, Bartolo Colon is not yet in camp and is said to be driving across the state. With the large number of Waffle Houses he will pass on the way it may be a while.

Update: Colon arrives at camp....sorry about the maple syrup on the hand.

Are Sox Playing a Game of "Respect" With Coco?

Bill Burt of the North Andover Eagle Tribune thinks Coco isn't going to be the Sox Opening Day starter. He argues in his column:
"...and for the other handful of people who believe general manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona when they say Crisp is still the starter in center, I've got two more words. White lie. The Red Sox are playing this game of "respect" because they are not willing to give Crisp away — at least not today."
Burt believes that Coco won't be with the Sox come mid-March.

The Boston Herald outlines why dealing Coco is not going to get done until teams figure out what they have in spring training. The article breaks down the options in center for St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Chicago and shows why Coco is not a good fit anywhere right now.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Ellsbury Talks About His Speed and the Center Field Competiton

Is Ellsbury one of the 10 fastest players in the league? What does Manny D. think about the upcoming season? What is it like playing with Ortiz and Manny? Watch the clip and see what they have to say:

8 Players Named to Red Sox Hall of Fame

This year's inductees in the Red Sox Hall of Fame include pitchers Bill Lee, Wes Ferrell and Frank Sullivan, first baseman Mo Vaughn, outfielder Mike Greenwell and shortstop Everett Scott. Scout George Digby and the late Edward Kenney, Sr., a team official for more than 40 years, will also be inducted.

It's good to see that the Spaceman has reached the lofty heights.

Bruce Hurst Returns to Sox as Special Instuctor

The Sox brought back pitcher Bruce Hurst to serve as a special instructor for player development.

Hurst pitched for the Sox from '80-'88 including games in the '86 World Series.

He won 88 games for the Sox.

No Media Circus Surrounding Dice-K This Spring

Last year, every pitch thrown by Dice-K in Spring Training was dissected by the media. It's hard to imagine how hard it must have been for him to get ready for the season with the flock of reporters constantly around him.

This year is different. After a season in the majors where he was overshadowed by Josh Beckett, the bright lights have faded. While there is still media attention, it's nothing like last year, and that's a good thing.

"Most of the things that were a source of stress for me last season have disappeared," Dice-K told the AP"and now I'm just able to practice."

The Nashua Telegraph reports that he's off to a good stard, "Dice-K made a very positive move forward today," pitching coach John Farrell said. "He threw the ball again in the bottom of the strike zone. His fastball command was solid."Matsuzaka also made a slight adjustment on the release of his changeup, which makes it "a much more useable pitch. I think hitters will have to respect it. They won't be able to detect it so early upon it's release," Farrell said.

Progress on the changeup, however, began late last season."I was able to grasp a few points on my changeup that were really going to make a difference," Matsuzaka said. "I just hope that I can apply those right away early on in the season."

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Sox Get A Whiff Of Bartolo Colon

According to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, the Sox have inked right hander Bartolo Colon to a minor league contract. Colon will attempt to make the Opening Day roster.

Colon was injured for much of last year, going 6-8 with a dismal 6.34 ERA. He has won 20 games twice in his carrer, and was the 2005 Cy Young Award winner.

It looks like Theo is trying to see if he can fill in the gaps left open by Schilling's injury. It will be interesting to see if the Sox get the Colon of old, or the Colon of last season.

I think it is a good gamble. If Colon rebounds from his injuries, he could be a major asset for the Sox.

Sox Take First Live Batting Practice

Rob Duca of the Cape Cod Times caught up with some of the Sox coaches and players following the first live batting practice yesterday.

As is usually the case, pitchers were ahead of hitters.

Tito told Duca, "This is probably the toughest day for hitters in camp. Any bit of confidence that they accrued over the winter is gone today. But when you take that screen out in front of the pitcher it will come back, for whatever reason."

Numerous pitchers took turns throwing, including Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Bryan Corey, Javier Lopez, Mike Timlin, Craig Hansen, David Aardsma and invitee Lee Gronkiewicz.

"What we want to get done is, since it's the first time they've seen hitters since last season, not to fear the swing of the bat, not to pitch away from contact, to take almost a more aggressive approach to inducing contact," pitching coach John Farrell said. "See the ball hit, see the ball hit the ground, because once we get in games they have to pitch to the strike zone early in the count. So that's the main key — as well as getting up their volume."

Papelbon told the Cape Cod Times, "I'm just trying to get my lower half and my legs underneath me and worry about my mechanics. My arm will catch up later. I'm not going out there trying to throw 95 right now."

Sox Give Tito 3-Year Extention

This morning Theo Epstein announced to the Red Sox players that the Red Sox had signed Terry Francona to a contract extention. Players cheered the news.

The three-year deal is reportedly in the $3 to $4 million range. This deal makes Tito among the highest paid managers in the game.

After leading the Sox to two World Series Championships, it's well deserved. The Sox will have the game's best skipper leading them to a bright future.

It's Photo Day....What Will Manny Do?

Today is photo day for the Red Sox and the early word is that the new Manny made it this time...he was wearing his red uniform when everyone else was wearing white so he had to change quickly. The new Manny can still be Manny.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Okajima Names New Pitch

Although he would not tell reporters what type of "secret" pitch he has developed, Hideki Okajima has named his new pitch the "Doki Doki." Lets hope it works as well as the "Oki Doki" did last season.

Will Sox Go Into Season With Coco, Ellsbury and Kielty?

If the Red Sox have 12 pitchers on the roster they will most likely not have 5 outfielders so something hast to give. If Coco is not traded by opening day there is a good chance that Kielty will start the season in AAA. He has a clause in his contract where he can become a free agent if he does not make the team in spring training. The Sox want to keep Kielty as insurance if they trade Coco but they can not guarantee he will be there if they go into the season with him in the minors. It is possible they go with 5 outfielders and platoon center and right field; especially if J.D. start off slow. As with pitching the Sox are in a good position of having too much talent, things could be much worse.

Pitching Battles Begin

The most hyped battle of spring training will be between Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury for the center field job, followed closely by the competition for the #5 spot between Buchholz, Tavarez, Snyder, Pauley and Masterson. There is also another big battle going on between relief pitchers for what is likely only one remaining spot in the bullpen. The Providence Journal broke down the scenario well in today's paper:
"Assuming that Clay Buchholz wins the No. 5 spot in the rotation vacated by Curt Schilling, Julian Tavarez will make the team as a long reliever and spot starter. Kyle Snyder, too, must be considered another roster inclusion.

That leaves a handful of pitchers — Javy Lopez, Dan Kolb, Craig Hansen and David Aardsma — to compete for the final spot. And their auditions are being sped up by the calendar."

It all begins on Thursday with the game against Boston College.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Sox Are Headed To Washington

No they do not have to testify about steroids like most of the Yankee lineup, the Red Sox will go to D.C. on Wednesday to meet with President Bush at the White House and visit wounded vets with the trophy at Walter Reed Medical Center. Last time the Sox visited the White House after the '04 World Series Manny did not make the trip....will the new Manny be there?

Manny Is Now a Boras Client

Manny Ramirez will now be represented by Scott Boras joining many of his fellow Red Sox players. inlcuding Jason Varitek, Daisuke Matsuzaka, J.D. Drew, Julian Tavarez, Alex Cora and Jacoby Ellsbury. The Red Sox can pick up Manny's $20 million option next season but he will be very expensive for a long term deal. The good news is that Manny will have to put up good numbers and be a team player this season if other clubs are going to sign him to a major long term deal. For the time being enjoy what Manny does at the plate and worry about the future later...Manny is not going to worry about anything.

Ortiz Says He's Almost 100%

David Ortiz spoke to WBZ Radio's Jon Miller in Ft. Myers. He said he is almost 100% healthy following off-season surgery. Listen to Ortiz's comments here.

Theo Talks About Coco

Theo Epstein spoke with Redsox.com and discussed the Coco Crisp situation. Much of what he said was similar to Tito's take on the situation. He tried to show Coco's value to the team by saying:

"We allowed the fewest runs in all of baseball. He was a huge part on a club that won 96 games so he's got an opportunity to keep his job and go out and make an impact for this club again as an everyday player. It's premature to speculate about the next step."

It seems like the team's plan is to start Coco in center unless he has an awful spring. If he starts out well he could be good trade value before the deadline. Pitcher Ben Sheets will be a free agent next year so he could be traded at the deadline and would be a good fit with Boston if they can get him for a few years.

WEEI Broadcasts From Spring Training

WEEI is broadcasting from Fort Myers all week, they have interviews with Buchholz, Lester, Francona, Manny and Coco. You can listen to all of the interviews here.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Manny Speaks About the Future

Not only did Manny show up early but he spoke to the media. He says he wants to stay in Boston but he also said he did not want them to pick up his option. It wouldn't be Manny if it all made sense.

Pitching Order For 1st Spring Games

The Boston Globe put up this list of pitchers from Tito's press conference yesterday:

Feb. 28 vs. Boston College (1:05 p.m. at City of Palms Park)
Scheduled starter: Josh Beckett
Also likely to pitch: Kyle Snyder

Feb. 28 vs. Northeastern (6:05 p.m. at City of Palms Park)
Scheduled starter: Justin Masterson
Also likely to pitch: Craig Hansen, Michael Bowden, and some other young pitchers

Feb. 29 vs. Twins (7:05 p.m. at Hammond Stadium)
Scheduled starter: Daisuke Matsuzaka
Also likely to pitch: Julian Tavarez, Hideki Okajima

March 1 vs. Twins (1:05 p.m. at Hammond Stadium)
Scheduled starter: Jon Lester
Also likely to pitch: Devern Hansack, David Pauley

March 2 vs. Twins (1:05 p.m. at City of Palms Park)
Likely to pitch: Tim Wakefield, Clay Buchholz

Sox Games In Japan Sell Out

According to ESPN.com the Red Sox games against the A's to start the season in Japan have been sold out. If you were planning a trip to see them your price just got higher....although if you can afford to go to Japan to see the Red Sox you can afford the scalper price. The Tokyo Dome seats 55,000 and sold all of the tickets for March 25 and 26 in two weeks. (What's up with the Japanese fans? They would have sold out in 2 hours in Boston.)

Also in Red Sox news: Trot Nixon has signed with the D-backs.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Yankees Become Accustomed to 2nd Class

"This is the first year since I've been here in five years that we're not the team to beat and I think it's a good position to be in."

Alex Rodriguez quoted by Sports Illustrated.

Tom Brady's Replacement?

Dice-K throws a football as part of a pitching drill
in Fort Myers today. (Boston Globe Photo)

Manny Shows Up Early

According to the Boston Herald, Manny Ramirez has arrived in Fort Myer. He dropped off his equipment and left. The only players not at camp yet are Bobby Kielty (who has an excused absence because his wife is about to give birth) and Alex Cora. Tito spoke with Cora and said he would be on time....that is if he does not get arrested on the way.

David Pauley Is In The Mix For The Rotation

Add David Pauley to the list of pitchers competing for the #5 spot in the rotation. Last season Pauley led the Paw Sox in starts and went 6-6 with 110 K's. Pauley will have an uphill battle to earn the spot because he will have to beat out Tavares, Snyder, Masterson, and Buchholz. Here is what Soxprospects.com has to say about David Pauley.
"Pauley mixes an excellent sinker with a low 90s fastball with good movement, a good changeup, and a top-notch curveball. Has 4th or 5th starter potential. Has been very consistent in recent seasons, with some flashes of brilliance. Seems to fade out late in August and September. Needs to improve his control somewhat. Gives up a lot of home runs. Good fielder with a strong pick-off move. "

Coco Arrives In Fort Myers...Says He Wants Start No Matter Where It Is

Coco Crisp arrived at spring training and spoke with reporters about the possibility of being traded and the center field job. Here is some of what he had to say:

“I know with Schill going through what he’s going through, they might want to fill another spot in the back of the bullpen and bring one of those guys to the front to fill a starting position. I don’t know it’s going to work out, but I could definitely see (a trade) happening.....I just want to play, I don’t care where."

I can understand his wanting to start and he can not say he is ok with riding pine before he even begins a competition with Jacoby. He did handle himself very well when he was taken out of the lineup last fall and did what he was asked to help the team win. I am fine with him getting the starting job if he can prove he can hit consistently which is something he has yet to do with the Red Sox.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Schilling Says He Will Earn the $8 Million

Curt Schilling posted an update on his blog to talk about his shoulder injury and plans for the season. He is going to go along with the Red Sox plan for treatment and discussed the money issue by writing the following:

"At the end of the day this really is and was a business decision on their behalf, and regardless of what you think that’s the way it is, and has been. At the moment they are out 8 million dollars for a guy that cannot pitch, that can’t be a good thing. I’d bet that I’ll figure out some way to validate this entire thing when it’s all said and done. If you don’t like that, or believe that, then feel free to bet against me, it won’t be the first time."

I hope he's right, the Sox might need his arm down the stretch.

Big Papi Arrives At Camp

David Ortiz arrived in Fort Myers today and said he was almost fully recovered from the knee surgery he had last fall. He took a few swings in the cage and said he felt good. The first team workout will take place on Friday. Time to start the Manny watch.

Castro Resigns...Theo Signs Him To a Minor League Deal

Fidel Castro resigned as head of the Cuban government today and was immediately signed by Theo Epstein for a minor league deal to pitch for the Sox with an invitation to camp. He has as good a chance as Dan Miceli to make the club. Castro was given a "weight clause" similar to Schillings' only he has to put on 20 pounds to get the bonus. When asked about the deal Theo said: "we missed out on Contreras to the Yankees but we were not going to let Castro get away."

Video of the Schilling Interview

Here is the video of yesterday's interview with Curt Schilling:

Monday, February 18, 2008

Gagne Issues An Apology For Causing A Distraction...Not For Using Roids

Eric Gagne issued an apology to his teammates on the Brewers (not the Sox) for the distraction he has created but he did not admit to taking steroids. This falls short on 2 levels....first of all, man up and admit what you did....second, apologize for the attempt at pitching you did with the Red Sox. If you are interested, here is some of what he said:
"I'm here to let you guys know that I feel bad for my family, what they had to go through, and all my friends and especially my teammates here in Milwaukee, I think that's just a distraction that shouldn't be taking place. I'm just here to help the Milwaukee Brewers get to the World Series and get to the playoffs, and that's all I really care about. "

Schilling Discusses Injury in Detail

Curt Schilling spoke with reporters about his injury today and tried to answer some of the questions that have been brought up in the past 2 weeks. You can read the entire interview here. Below are some of the answers he gave:

"If some people want to believe that this was me taking advantage of a situation financially, I wouldn’t have done it here. I would have done it for $14 million in at least two other places, if I was going to sit on my ass on the DL and collect a paycheck......I went out to throw in mid-December, and it felt like August again. It didn’t hurt, but it felt crappy. I said ok, I’ll give myself a couple more weeks, do some exercises, get stronger, give a little more rest. Went out early January again, felt the same. Not long after that, I had a throwing session where I couldn’t play catch. It was painful. Then when I went home, it was aching like a toothache. I knew that wasn’t a good thing, so I immediately reached out to them.....I reached out very early on to John Farrell and to Tito and told them I was concerned and I didn’t want that to mess up potential discussions between the Red Sox and Twins....I had three different doctors tell me three completely different things with three completely different courses of action....I signed a contract with this team and so I have to abide by the rules of the CBA. One of those rules is that from a medical standpoint, they get to dictate how and when things are supposed to happen.

Lots of new info here; Schilling and the Sox kept the injury quiet to protect their negotiating position in the Santana talks. Curt and the Sox did not know the extent of the injury when they signed the contract. The 2 sides had some problems over the treatment plan but Curt has to follow what the team wants, it did cause some strife but both sides are trying to get through it.

Can Wake Break All-Time Sox Win Record?

Tim Wakefield will be 42 before the season ends this year.

He currently sits 38 games behind Roger Clemens (we'll leave the * off for this record because he likely didn't start juicing until after he left the Sox) and Cy Young for the all-time Red Sox wins record.

Wake has 154 wins for Boston. He spoke to the Associated Press about his hopes to break the record, ""I'd like to get to 200 wins and I'd like to maybe tie or break Cy Young or Roger Clemens' record for all-time Red Sox (wins) but I don't know of that's possible," Wakefield said.

"If I win 20 games the next two years, it's possible," he said with a laugh. "It's probably within reach if I can play for four more years."

If you look at Phil Neikro, who played until he was almost 50, it's possible.

I remember watching Charlie Hough, another ancient knukleballer (I think he was 45 at the time), pitch for the Marlins in Miami back in '93 He got them their second-ever win during that game. I don't think he pitched a ball faster than 65 mph.

I think Wake can do it.

Yanks Stew in Turmoil While Sox Remain Tranquil

Sean McAdam in today's ProJo sums up the different atmospheres in the Red Sox and Yankees camps.

While the Yankees in Tampa are dealing with the fallout from Pettitte coming to camp amidst the HGH revelations and trying to deal with life after Joe Torre, the Red Sox are "Traquility Base."

“Anytime issues come up that don’t have anything to do with winning and losing games,” said general manager Theo Epstein, “it can become a distraction.

“It’s nice,” said manager Terry Francona, “that we don’t have our attention diverted by any of that stuff. We’re trying not to let anything get in the way of getting ready for the season. We kind of get caught up in what we’re doing.”

Timlin the Ageless One

Someday Timlin is going to age. Isn't he? The fans worry about it. Tito worries about it. Pitching coach John Farrell worries about it. But Timlin doesn't.

Timlin told the Boston Herald, “I’m still the same old guy, I’m just two years older"(than he was when the Sox worried that he was overdoing it by playing in the World Baseball Classic).

“But I’m not going to change anything. I’m going to approach the game, play the game, any game, like I’m supposed to play the game - as hard as I can, as long as I can. When I can’t do it any more,” he said, “I’ll stop."

Sunday, February 17, 2008

'Tek Hopes for New Deal Soon

Jason Varitek is in the last year of his 4-year deal with the Sox.

The Sox captain is looking to stay in Boston and hopes to get a deal signed before the start of the season.

Without a future catcher on the horizon, it makes sense for the Sox to offer Varitek a deal. He will be 36, and only hit .255 last year, but catchers historically produce well later in their careers than other position players.

While he won't be getting another $40 million 4-year deal, the Sox should offer him a quality deal and keep him in Boston to finish out his career.

Science Proves It: Jeter Sucks

University of Pennsylvania researcher Shane T. Jensen presented findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The conclusion: Derek Jeter is the worst defensive shortstop in the game.

By analyzing every ball put in play in major league baseball from 2002 through 2005, researchers developed a probability model for the average fielder in each position and compared that with the performance of individual players to see who was better or worse than average.

It took world class scientists to prove what Red Sox fans have known for years.

The researchers also rated Coco Crisp one of the best defensive outfielders.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Snyder Will Compete for the #5 Spot

Yesterday Kyle Snyder learned he will be given a chance for a spot in the rotation during spring training. Besides the center field spot, the #5 spot in the rotation will be one of the most interesting developments for this spring. Now that Schilling is out of the rotation, Buchholz, Tavarez, Masterson, and Snyder will compete to win the postition.

Will Schilling's Injury Hurt His Legacy?

Curt Schilling is in camp after getting a cortisone shot last week. He is following the Red Sox plan for recovery even though he would rather have surgery. He did not speak with the media yesterday(watch the footage below)and has not posted on his blog since his initial announcement on the injury. Schilling has done what he has been asked so far and he seems willing to go through the motions for the Red Sox. The Boston media will not accept silence from Curt; it will lead to speculation of all kinds. Look at this article from today's Herald as an example. At one point Schilling is going to talk and it is most likely going to be about the media, not his shoulder. Sports writers do not like having negative things to said about them and they always respond. Think about the relationship Ted Williams had with the press in Boston, you can also put Manny in this category. In the end some bad press this year could taint Schilling's place in Red Sox history.

Friday, February 15, 2008

NESN Starts Live Broadcasts on Saturday

For the first time NESN will broadcast spring training workouts live. You may get to see a few sprints, some long toss, and perhaps a fungo bat or two. Not "must see" TV but it beats watching the truck drive to Ft. Myers. Tito gave his take on the broadcasts:

"I never thought about it until I came here," Francona said. "It doesn't surprise me here. What should surprise me, and it probably really won't, is that people will watch it because they care so much. I think that's a testament to how much people care about baseball in New England."

Will Masterson Get a Shot at the Rotation?

Justin Masterson was one of the players offered to the Twins for Santana but since that deal is no longer going to happen he could be on the Red Sox for a long time. He is a sinker ball pitcher who was in the bullpen until being converted to a starter last year. He arrived in Fort Myers early to begin working out with the club. Before the Schilling injury there was little chance of him getting a spot in the show at the start of the season but he now could if he has a great spring. According to Soxprospects.com he needs more work on his change-up to be ready. Buchholz and Tavarez are the front runners for the #5 spot but don't count Masterson out.

Papelbon Sets Expectations High

Speaking candidly in Fort Myers, closer Jonathan Papelbon told WBZ TV where he thinks the Red Sox stand going in to the 2008 season:

"If we're not the team to beat, I'd like to know who is. I think that our No. 1 thing is to stay healthy. If we do that, I don't know who can really compete with us."

Confidence is certainly something you want in a closer. Lots of teams will be gunning for the Sox this year.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Get Ready For a Controversy....Tito Says CF Belongs To Coco

Terry Francona talked about Coco and center field today and said the following:

"I just think, coming into camp, we're not going to forget as an organization that he's(Coco) the incumbent. We also understand, Ellsbury, what he can do. Again, I'm probably going to remind people from time to time what Coco has done for us, and I won't lose sight of that. We'll see how this shakes out."

The way I read this is that CF is Coco's to lose and Jacoby will have his work cut out for him. They may have to revive www.startjacoby.com. This could be a big issue if they both have an average spring. I really think they are going to give Coco the starting job to increase his trade value during the spring and trade him at the deadline. It might be tough to see Jacoby start the season riding pine but it might be best for the club in the long run.

Theo Opens Up About Schilling

Theo spoke to reporters today and gave his take on the Schilling situation, here are some highlights:
"Curt’s here in camp to work hard and rehab and do everything in his power to get back into position and help this team on the field. It’s way too early to put any kind of timetable on it. It’s just step by step he’s at the very beginning of the process. He’ll be rehabbing and strengthening for at least 6-to-8 weeks and then we’ll see where we go from there...His shoulder was strong at the end of last year at the time of the contract and it didn’t respond when it was time to start throwing. His shoulder was strong and he took an MRI and I wouldn’t put fault on our medical staff at all for that."

Nothing here that can be seen as a positive other than that Schilling is in Fort Myers. It looks as if the Sox do not know how serious the injury really is so it could go either way. The team is lucky to have options for both scenarios.

Tito's Outlook on the Season

Terry Francona talks about the off-season, Schilling's injury, spring training, and the Japan trip.
Watch it:

Winter Ends Today

Pitchers and catchers need to report to Fort Myers by 5 pm today, the sign that winter is officially over. It is pretty easy to say that from Northern California where the temperature has been in the 70's this week. For the second time in 4 years the Red Sox go into Spring Training as defending champions but somehow this one feels a little different than 2005. After the 2004 World Series there was not as much pressure on the team to repeat; several of the players were in new locations and fans could hold onto the memories of beating the Yankees in the ALCS for a few years. This year there is more pressure; the team is mostly intact, the bench is deeper than ever, and the young players have high expectations. Boston is no longer the lovable underdog around the country and teams will be looking to knock them down. The Red Sox are in a tough situation where anything short of making the World Series will be seen as a failure. As a reality check just remember how close the team was to losing to the Tribe last fall. The Sox are not going to dominate and win 120 games this year but they are going to be good. There will be the rough losing streaks and the Big Papi walk offs and with pitchers and catchers reporting today the predictions will be coming to an end soon and we get to see what the team can really do.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Delcarmen to See Some Time as Closer

There's no question that Jonathan Papelbon will once again be the Sox go-to guy in the 9th. However, on the days when Papelbon isn't available it's looking like the ball will be handed to Manny Delcarmen.

Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell told the Providence Journal, "“We’ve had a number of conversations already this winter to challenge him with an increased role, increased importance, and not to think that last year’s performance was the Manny Delcarmen. I think there’s still room for improvement, certainly with his fastball command. I’d like to think that at some point we can begin to expose him to the closer’s role.”

Roger* Throws His Final Pitch.....and Walks In The Winning Run

Somewhere Sammy Sosa is laughing; all he had to do was pretend he didn't understand english and he walked away virtually unscathed while McGuire went down in flames. If McGuires testimony was a crash and burn then Clemens was the Hindenburg disaster. He rode his BS all the way to the point where Rep. Waxman hit the gavel to silence him, and that is what he will be remembered for. Clemens will join other players who are remembered more for the scandals they were involved in than their performance on the field; he will become the Ty Cobb of his generation. When Ty Cobb died none of his former teammates attended his funeral, will Jeter and Pettitte go to Clemens'? Roger's* days in the limelight are over, he will disappear from the front pages and will not be talked about again until his name is on a Hall of Fame Ballot. Roger is making us "misremember" him; he is not to 20 stikeout pitcher for the Red Sox, he is the lying scumbag Yankee pitcher who threw his trainer, best friend and wife under the bus to try and hold on to something he lost years ago. Thanks for giving us the entertaining TV Roger*, pitchers and catchers report tomorrow so we are moving on, your time in the spotlight is over and HGH isn't going to bring it back this time.

Why are Republicans Defending Roger*?

In watching the hearings today I noticed the questioning of Roger* was very different depending upon political affiliation. Republican representatives Burton and Foxx defended Roger* and gave him a few softball questions while the Democrats on the committee went after him. Clemens even said George Bush Sr. had spoken with him and said how wrong this investigation was. I don't know what Republicans are trying to gain by defending Roger. After the hearings McNamee's lawyers called Burton and Foxx's actions shameful and thought they acted the way they did because of Roger's personal lobbying. Watch some of the questioning below.

Clemens Is Getting Grilled On the Hill

Roger* is getting grilled in front of Congress this morning, you can watch it live here. After the opening statements Roger's stories seem even less believable. Committee chairman Waxman said this in his opening statement: "“We have found conflicts and inconsistencies in Mr. Clemens’ account. During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue.” The longer Clemens keeps up this lie the more damage he does to his career. It is very likely Roger* will face a perjury charge after the testimony is done. Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch both corroborated McNamee's claims and Roger* said his wife did use HGH. Clemens is doing so bad he is making Mark McGuire look like he did a good job in front of Congress.

Update: New evidence comes out about an MRI Clemens had during his time in Toronto.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Lester, Buchholz Talk About Their Roles in the Rotation

Sox hurlers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz talked about their role in the rotation to AP sports writer Howard Ulmanap earlier today.

Lester, who is already in Fort Myers was not taking his projected position in the rotation for granted.

"Penciled in, that doesn't mean anything. You want to be inked into that spot. I have to control what I do on a day-to-day basis and go out and pitch and worry about that.

"Only having a year in the big leagues and winning the World Series is a pretty big deal," Lester said, "and the way that it happened last year, with everything that went on and just kind of the road that I took to get up there, it was very special."

Buchholz talked about being shut down by the Sox before the playoffs. "They were really just protecting me, so I don't blame them for taking me off the roster, but it would have been great to be a part of it (the World Series)."

"This is the best place in the world to be in Boston," he said. "It was unbelievable last year."

Responding to Schilling's injury, Bucholtz said it, "just basically opens the window, the window of opportunity. If I want it I'm going to have to take it. If not, somebody else is going to get it."

It's great to see that Lester and Buchholz are coming in with the right attitude. Both are willing to compete for and earn their spots in the rotation this year. Their youthful enthusiasm will help keep a team that just won the World Series hungry for another championship.

Could Tavarez Make The Rotation?

With Schilling done for the 1st half and possibly the year to door becomes slightly ajar for Julian Tavarez to make the rotation. Beckett, Dice-K, Wake and Lester have spots in the rotation before the start of spring training but the 5th spot is up in the air. Most fans think it will go to Buchholz but Sox pitching coach John Farrell had the following to say today: "The two very clear candidates for that are Clay and Julian Tavarez. I think we can't [forget to] recognize what Julian provided for us last year. In the first two-thirds of the season, he was a very key component to our starting rotation. He gave us not only very good individual outings, but when you look at 125 to 135 innings that he pitched for us last year, that's a key role for us." Buchholz has more upside but with limited experience he may stumble out of the gate this spring allowing Tavarez to get the spot. Either way, with the inevitability of injuries both are going to be a part of the rotation at some time during the season.

J.D. Drew Makes Sporting News "All-Overpaid" Team

The Sporting News has released it's "all-overpaid" team. Coming in at #7 on the list...J.D. Drew with his $14 million dollar contract.

The number 1 most overpaid player in sports?... Roger Clemens*

Hide the Tamales, El Guapo Heads South of the Border

Rich Garces is going to sign with a team in the Mexican League today. Last season El Guapo played with the Nashua Pride for part of the season going 6-4 with a 4.42 ERA before knee injuries sidelined him . The minor league team believes Garces will return in mid summer to resume the closer role on the club. Until that point you are likely to see El Guapo frequenting various Mexican eateries.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Wally Goes to Sea

Wally, the Sox mascot greeted the U.S.S. DeWert today as it made its homecoming in Mayport, Florida.

“It was unbelievable,” the ship's commander, Bill Campbell said. Campbell treated Wally to a tour of the ship and let him check out the control room.

Red Sox Announce Radio Team

The Red Sox announced the team to broadcast the 2008 season. Joe Castiglione will be joined by Dave O'Brien for 135 games. O'Brien is a much better announcer than Glen Geffner but he was limited last year because of his schedule with ESPN. Dale Arnold from middays on WEEI and John Rish will also be part of the team.

The Roger* Show....Coming To a TV Near You

In the age of reality TV the Roger Clemens fiasco could not get any more intriguing. The best pitcher in the last 20 years is sticking by his story that he never did roids and will do so under oath on Wed at 9:30 am in front of Congress. Just in the last week we have heard about Roger's wife doing HGH, threats of intimidation of federal agents, warnings from a congressmen, possibilities of a criminal investigation, and personal lobbying of members of Congress by Roger* himself. This is going to be some great TV to keep you busy until the start of Spring Training.

Pitchers Start To Arrive In Fort Myers

Clay Buchholz and Josh Beckett have been seen in Fort Myers joining Jon Lester who arrived earlier. The wait is almost over.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Youk and Sox Avoid Arbitration

Theo and the Red Sox have once again avoided going to arbitration with one of their players. Today Boston agreed to a one year $3 million contract with Kevin Youkilis. Youk wanted 3.7 and the Sox offered 2.5 before they agreed at $3 million. Youkilis will be getting a big raise considering he only made $425,000 last season.

Sox Should Trade for Joe Blanton

Even though the team says they are fine with starting pitching and Curt Schilling will be back at the All-Star break to lead the charge into October, they still need to take a look at the best remaining pitcher on the market. Joe Blanton would be a great pitcher for Boston (Sox fans will remember him as the guy who pitched almost as well as Schilling in his no-hitter attempt last year.) It will take more than Coco to get him but he could be with the Red Sox for a long time to compliment Beckett, Dice-K, Lester, and Buchholz. That would be a formidable rotation that would have a chance at several titles. Wake is 42 and may retire after the season leaving the Sox with only 4 starters. If Boston waits to trade Coco before the deadline they will only get a pitcher for the remainder of the season, not a pitcher for the future.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

You Can Own The Manny Mobile

Manny Ramirez has donated his 1967 Lincoln Continental 4 Door Convertible to the Franciscan Hospital for Children, a special needs Pediatric Hospital in Boston. The hospital is auctioning the Lincoln on e-bay.

Make a bid and cruise in style in the "Manny Mobile"

Manny Being Manny

It was only a matter of time. Sooner or later Manny was going to talk about his future with the Red Sox. He gave a glimpse into his thinking about his '09 plans yesterday.

His statement is vintage Manny:

"I don't know. We're going to see. They want me to stay, I stay; if not, I want to move on. My meaning is I want to become a free agent after '08 and move on. It don't matter. If I be here, I be here, if not, I'm fine. If it's not here, it's someplace else."

...now that clears it up.

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