Why couldn't he pitch like that for the Sox? (part 2)

By now, all Sox fans probably know how John Smoltz has been tearing it up for the St. Louis Cardinals. He's not the only reclamation project the Sox tried this year.

After a rocky April, Brad Penny seemed to get into a groove, and by the end of May had a 5-1 won-loss record. He got even better in June, allowing only 11 runs in 5 starts, giving him a 3.17 ERA for the month. Despite throwing 6 innings of shutout ball on July 24th, his ERA for July nearly doubled over the previous month. August was even worse, 8.31 ERA.

The experiment didn't work for this NL pitcher, either, so the Sox let him go. What does he go out and do? After signing with the SF Giants, he pitched 8.1 innings of shutout ball against Philadephia, allowing only 5 hits, 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts.

Did the Sox let him go too early? Or is he just another NL pitcher that can't handle AL lumber?

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Where Are They Now: Brad Penny

Brad Penny has cleared waivers and is about to be signed with the San Francisco Giants, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

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Where Are They Now: Dave Roberts

Every real Red Sox fan knows who Dave Roberts is. Just the mere mention of his name makes a Sox fan giddy with glee.

Roberts spent 2 seasons with the Padres, hitting .293 and stealing 49 bases in 2006. He then signed a lucrative 3 year contract with the Giants, but only managed to play in 166 games for them in two years. Sadly for Roberts, in the Giants pursuit of youth, he was released yesterday in a move that may cost the them over 6 million.

While this move may cost the Giant's some long scratch, it does give Roberts time to hook up with another team. However, should this not come to pass, this scribe thinks it would be a most befitting honor were Theo to sign Roberts to a 1 day contract. It has been suggested that Theo is not a GM prone to give out such deals, but this is Dave Roberts we're talking about! His name will live on in Red Sox history forever, with or without such a contract. He changed the course of Red Sox history. If he decides to hang up his cleats, his last game without a doubt should be in a Red Sox uniform. Give him one more chance, one last chance to steal one last base. Against the Yankees.

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Hello From the Cactus League

Scottsdale is 2280 miles from Fort Myers, but it's closer to drive down here from Durango, CO where I live. So, while I don't get to watch the Sox games in person, I can check out some of the other teams that they will face this year.

Today I was in Scottsdale Stadium for the Giants-Angels game. Proving once again that Hank Steinbrenner is a dumbass, there were lots of people in Red Sox hats, while I only saw one guy in a Yankees hat.

The Angels are going to be good this year. They have a solid offensive lineup. Vlad hit a double off the outfield fence that must have permanently dented the fence. Figgins went 2 for 2 and stole a base (grab him in your fantasy draft if you can). Jered Weaver pitched very well. He threw 5 innings of shutout ball giving up only 2 hits. K-Rod also pitched a scoreless inning.

The Giants on the other hand looked dismal. Their "ace" Matt Cain was shelled in the first inning, giving up 5 runs. He settled down later in the game, but the Giants proved they have no offense. They are in for a long season. The Angels won the game 5-2.

If you can't be in Fort Myers and see the Sox during Spring Training, I highly recommend the Cactus League. Unlike Florida, all of the teams are relatively close together. You can spend a week in AZ in the same location and see the majority of the teams. Thanks to the Internet, you can check in on the Sox score in between innings.

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