2008 Baseball Season .........

[blueline]

Okajima came in based loaded, no outs and gave up 2 hits and a walk, allowing all 3 inherited runners to score. That's a horrible situation to come into, but I can't say he "shut the door" this time.

Well, you're right, poor choice of words on my part, but you know what I mean. He came in with a raging fire burning out of control and at least put a stop to it. 4 runs later but at least he got somebody out. IIRC the first batter hit a ground ball to second that squeezed by Perdroia. Now I read where DelGagne was dizzy while warming up, still feeling the effects from the flu. Gee, it was hard to tell from where I was sitting that there was anything different about him.

Oh just in - they let Corey go last week and now he is back, armed with a new gas can. Great. The BP never looked better.

 

[lawyerman]

The Red Sox seem to have another keeper in Masterson. I know it is only one start but he is highly touted.

 

[blueline]

The Red Sox seem to have another keeper in Masterson. I know it is only one start but he is highly touted.

Michael Bowden is another one.

 

[lawyerman]

Michael Bowden is another one.

He is a good couple of years away. He has almost unlimited potential.

The Red Sox know how to develop young players. Enough said.

 

[bigdik]

He is a good couple of years away. He has almost unlimited potential.

The Red Sox know how to develop young players. Enough said.

Now they do. It's been awhile. Gorman and Duquette had no interest in developing players. Theo's crew turned it around. It's what happens when you hire the brightest guys top to bottom, rather than being afraid your underlings might take your job, like some large beaked fellows?

 

[blueline]

He is a good couple of years away. He has almost unlimited potential.

The Red Sox know how to develop young players. Enough said.

The other night, they had their 4 top picks in the lineup from the 2005 draft.

Ellsbury, Buchholz, Hansen and Lowrie.

 

[lawyerman]

Now they do. It's been awhile. Gorman and Duquette had no interest in developing players. Theo's crew turned it around. It's what happens when you hire the brightest guys top to bottom, rather than being afraid your underlings might take your job, like some large beaked fellows?

Sorry. Now they do. They are doing a great job.

 

[lawyerman]

The other night, they had their 4 top picks in the lineup from the 2005 draft.

Ellsbury, Buchholz, Hansen and Lowrie.

Agreed. In my opinion, they will win the East.

 

[bigdik]

The other night, they had their 4 top picks in the lineup from the 2005 draft.

Ellsbury, Buchholz, Hansen and Lowrie.

And Bowden is the fifth.

Bucholz and Lowrie were the sandwich picks they got for Pedro and Lowe.
Looks like that will work out ok?

2005 would be the year the Jays picked Ricardo Romero over Troy Tulowitzki, wouldn't it?

 

[blueline]

And Bowden is the fifth.

Bucholz and Lowrie were the sandwich picks they got for Pedro and Lowe.
Looks like that will work out ok?

2005 would be the year the Jays picked Ricardo Romero over Troy Tulowitzki, wouldn't it?

I hear he's pretty good .......

 

[blueline]

It will never happen but should MLB contracts have minium standards that players should meet if they are going to collect their contract ... Injuries will be covered by insurance and should not be a factor when making my argument ... Hey just a thought

Barry Zito

The 126 million dollar man ... 0-6 7.53 ... Has lost his starting job and is going to the pen ...

Now that Z will be spending time in the pen, he also gets to work on other parts of a pitcher's game.

-The old, light a fire on the back of unsuspecting players' shoes routine

-Blowing chewing gum bubbles larger than Barry Bonds over-sized melon

-Placing said bubbles onto the backs of player's caps without getting caught

-Getting his drum beat back so he can help form a Giants bull pen band (similar to the famous Red Sox bull pen band)

 

[blueline]

M.A.S.H. unit in Boston ...........

For the other few RS fans out there...........

WTF is going on in Boston? Every few days a player seems to be going down with some type of injury or illness, yet, they have such great depth that they keep on winning. How is this for an injury list .......

Schilling - 4-6 months shoulder
Colon - injured when signed, yet slowly making way back. Due to throw again on May 5th. A few weeks away from a MLB start
Beckett - back spasms missed ST, 2 starts then the flu and neck, missed 1 start
Dice-K - missed 1 start, next start pushed back due to flu
Timlin - 15 day DL with cut on finger
DelCarmen - few days with flu and whiplash (Frank Thomas .....lol)

Casey - now on 15 day DL
Cora - 15 day DL with elbow
Varitek - close to 1 week with flu
Lowell - just off 15 day DL
Drew - back, neck, quad, missed a few games here and there
Coco - neck, hamstring, missed a few games here and there
Ellsbury - missed entire Blue Jays series with sore groin
Papi - will be day to day most of season with knee, already missed a few games
Moss - latest one to go down with emergency appendectomy after going 2-4 with HR, threw out a runner at home Friday night while being sick

Seems Tito is shuffling players in and out of the lineup on a regular basis. They are fortunate to have such depth and to have such a well stocked minor league sytem. Their 'AAA' and 'AA' callups have all filled in admirably - Lowrie, Moss, Masterson, Hansen. Also doesn't hurt to have a player like Sean Casey come off the bench to fill in and an OF combo of Crisp and Ellsbury.

So far so good, but it is a long season and so far the AL East is proving to be very competitive now that T-Bay is on the rise.

 

[Herodotus]

Good thing they didn't trade Coco, huh?

Are you sure the Sawks didn't want to take Frank Thomas and the $20 million he was owed over the next two years?

 

[blueline]

Update .........

Good thing they didn't trade Coco, huh?

Are you sure the Sawks didn't want to take Frank Thomas and the $20 million he was owed over the next two years?

Just tuned in to the game today - Papi out of the lineup with a sore knee. This just doesn't stop.

Rays have Kazmir, their ace, making his 2008 debut today.

 

[blueline]

Dice-K...........

is now to be known as Dice-K Walksusaka.

Nice line from last night's game:

5 IP
2 H
1 R
1 ER
8 BB
109 Pitches

It is amazing he keeps getting away with wins (now 5-0) as the offence keeps bailing him out. He went 89 pitches last night without giving up a single hit. Thank goodness this team has been able to hit because their pitching has not been good - overall. 3 of the top 6 starting pitchers in walks allowed are Red Sox, with Dice-K leading the way. How about this for a K-BB ratio:

Dice-K 33-27
Lester 27-26
Wakefield 19-21

Isn't a good measure of a quality pitcher a ratio of about 2-1 (K to BB) ???

They are fed up with Manny DelGagne so they just re-called Eric Hansen, who has similar stuff, throws in the upper 90's and has a wicked slider. He also has an ERA of over 8.00. Similar stuff as well as similar results.

Starters rarely get past the 6th inning as pitch counts rise fast. Middle relievers can't hold leads, Okajima has now been forced to come into many games with runners on base and is allowing inherited runners to score. Him and Papelbon are being used way too much because they are the only 2 that can be relied on.

I keep saying it, you Blue Jays fans are so lucky to have 5 quality starting pitchers. After Beckett, every game I watch now is with my hands over my eyes, just waiting for the meltdown to begin.

Sox are in 1st place now but this won't keep up all season with DelGagne, Timlin, Lopez, Tavares, Hansen coming in every night after the 5th inning. What was one of their strengths in 2007 is now their weakness. However, they didn't need Johan Santana. They have Bartolo Colon on the way.

 

[blueline]

Who posted that crap about Boston's pitching?

I am not sure who that was last night wearing Tim Wakefield's uni, but I hope he shows up again. Nice outing from a starting pitcher, best I have seen from Wake in a long time. 8 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs and 0 walks. At one point he retired 17 in a row. Just what they needed.

Also, the 'Manny Watch' is on .... he jacked number 497 last night.

DQ must be pleased that his Indians came back to beat the Yankees, thanks to a PH home run off Joba the Hutt.

 

[salsamarc]

Congrats to Joey Votto of the Reds

Toronto ( Etobicoke ) Born hit 3 Home Runs for the Reds in last nights action ..

Votto killed me last night........he is a player in my rival's fantasy league team

 

[blueline]

Go figure ...........

this just in - Eric Gagne stinks!!!!!!!

After his latest meltdown, he won't be pitching in any close ball games anytime soon. All over New England, Red Sox fans are smiling. $10 Mil well spent. WTF were they thinking in Milwaukee? Gee, his lousy performace wouldn't have anything to do with his name appearing on the Mitchell Report would it? Nothing to do with how he tosses up 87 MPH meatballs since he isn't taking PED's anymore?

GagMe was quoted to say "Every time we get a little momentum, I come out there and kill that rally," Gagne said. Don't we freaking know it in Red Sox Nation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080511/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_brewers_gagne

How about Red Sox arsonist Julian Tavares going to the Rockies? There have been talks between the two teams and Rockies are very interested. I have two things to ask. Why? and How soon can they get him on an airplane?

 

[jwmorrice]

Casey in, Tavarez out for Red Sox
05/12/2008 5:16 PM ET
By Robert Falkoff / MLB.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Red Sox activated first baseman Sean Casey on Monday and cleared space on the 25-man roster by designating veteran right-hander Julian Tavarez for assignment.

Tavarez had made an appearance in long relief on Sunday night after starter Tim Wakefield lasted just 2 2/3 innings. He was 0-1 with a 6.39 ERA.

"Last year, Julian saved us," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He started for about three months and did a pretty good job. He has always been there for insurance. It was a real safety valve for me. You try to evaluate, 'Where do they come in handy, where are you using them?' We thought we can win more with the other pitchers. For as much as you use that safety value, it wasn't enough."

Tavarez had pitched only twice since April 24.

The decision to part with Tavarez impacted right-hander Craig Hansen, who had been bracing for a possible trip to the Minors. Hansen was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket on May 5 and had allowed two hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Hansen said he first got wind of the move at lunch when he saw Tavarez saying goodbye to everyone.

"Julian is a great teammate," Hansen said. "I've learned a lot from him."

Hansen said he wouldn't have been downcast if he had been the odd man out.

"I would have gone down there and kept pitching," Hansen said. "It's all part of the game." While the 25-man roster is set, Francona continues to make out his lineup card with a mission of providing periodic breathers for the regulars while keeping others as sharp as possible.

Jacoby Ellsbury, who was hit on the knee by a pitch in Sunday's game, wasn't in the lineup for Monday's game against the Twins. Casey played first base with reigning AL Player of the Week Kevin Youkilis getting a rest. Alex Cora was again at shortstop as Julio Lugo recovers from a mild concussion.

 

[blueline]

Tavares .............

don't let the door hit your ass on the way out!!!!!!!!!

Thank freaking goodness another one is gone. Corey gone to the Padres. Look for Timlin to be next as he has given up more runs than IP. Only problem is that Tito is loyal to a lot of his guys. With Colon throwing 97 and making some progress in AAA, he may be up soon. Casey was actually back on Sunday but they were keeping him off the active roster til after the Sunday game. It was expected fireballer Craig Hansen would go back to Pawtucket. He may soon replace Manny DelGagne as the 7th inning guy.

Now if someone can step up, throw freaking strikes, get some outs, keep pitch counts under 100 before the 5th-6th innings, they will have the looks of a decent pitching staff. Right now it is very shakey. Luckily they keep averaging 10+ hits and 5+ runs per game, so they are never out of a game.

That's 2 arsonists sent packing. Now if Sox can find someone who will be willing to take JD Drew and Julio Lugo (and his league leading 11 errors for SS), we could all come down off the roof.