Waiting With Baited breath

News broke late in the afternoon that Mike Lowell got placed on the 15-day Disabled List. Not only is this a very discouraging piece of news for the Fenway Faithful. This brings up a LOT of questions, especially with the actual treatment of his ailment.

Mikey is getting his hip lubed. Yup some KY injected right into his side. But the kicker with this remedy is that sometimes it is ineffective. So what could this mean long term for the sox. There are some theories about platooning Lowrie and Green, if Lowell can't get healthy but is that the best option? I think not

There are 2 better options both via the trade market. You either Look for a Third Sacker/Power Hitter/Gold Glove player or some sort of combo of the 3. Or you move Youk over to third (probably the most realistic) and you find a First Basemen/Big Bopper/ Corner infield staple to sign for years to come.

The best options are as follows:
At 3B I think they could have a legitimate shot at Garrett Atkins from the Colorado Rockies.
That would be the only viable option as far as I'm concerned at 1B.

At first base everyone is wondering who has the pieces for Adrian Gonzalez, if anyone does the Red Sox do. Start with Buchholz Sandwich in Lars Anderson and a BUNCH of other prospects while you're at it. Look for 6 players for 1 with this blockbuster.

Victor Martinez is probably going to command much of the same minus one minor leaguer most likely but a 5 for 1 deal sounds about right for Victor also including Buchholz.

Adam Dunn is another option but I feel as if his defense is such a liability that the Sox would probably stay away from him while the DH position is occupied. His price won't be as high as the first two but would still be steep especially for a constantly rebuilding franchise.

Todd Helton could be an option but the gorilla that would be his contract is the scariest part of his acquisition because you know he would be the consummate professional and always give you a chance to win with a big league AB or gold glove defense.

Another name that could be interesting is Hank Blalock. I say this would be interesting if its 2003 and we are still at the height of the Steroid era. Yes this is me accusing Blalock of doing "the nasty" we'll call it for baseball terminology. We don't want him unless he comes with Josh Hamilton in his suitcase.

I also refuse to think that Nick Johnson is going to help anyone let alone the Red Sox. The guy is a walking Disabled List Trip waiting to happen. He peaked in New York...I will stop watching the Red Sox if they give up anything more than Julio Lugo for him. ( I still think we win that trade though).

This becomes very easy and clear if Lowell comes back healthy but that may be a tall order given his age and the amount of wear and tear already this season on his weather beaten hip.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Jonny Brav-O's

There are fewer matchups that come to mind than the dominance displayed when Jon Lester takes the hill against the Orange Birds of Baltimore. Pedro against the Mariners anyone?

He goes out in the 7th at over 100 pitches and still shines like the Ace he is. J Les grabbed the bull by the horns and the Red Sox take the first game of the series for the 7th time in 9 series in June.

JD Drew was just a double shy of the cycle. I do however like the move back of moving Pedey back in the two hole. He was pressing and trying to take too many pitches that he normally hammers (and by hammers I mean hits hard in the hole for a single).

That's about all I have for the Sox tonight. But here's a couple questions:
What sort of market is there for Vladimir Guerrero once the season is over? I've gotta think that given his recent injury prone-ness he doesn't command what he used to but is still worth atleast 3 yr 25-30 mil. Let me know what you think in the comments? Please?

The question of the last decade. Why don't the Rangers trade for pitching? They have a Murderer's Row type offense out there with Hamilton Kinsler and Co. and I'm not sure if a damaged Ben Sheets is going to be enough...They have trade chips and I think they need to use them if they want to keep Hamilton in a Rangers Uni longterm.

Time and Time again I'm going to ask this. Who is better than Albert Pujols? This guy is THE MACHINE. ALSO, why would you pitch to him? No disrespect to Mark DeRosa but does anyone scare you in that lineup? Ryan Ludwick? Please, he's a poor-mans Aubrey Huff. The STLers need to get Holliday in their lineup for SOME SORT of protection for the BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL.

Lastly, When do you think the O's start selling some of their older good players like Brian Roberts or Aubrey Huff? Should be soon! They have some GREAT young talent with Wieters, Reimold, Jones, Markakis, and some young pitching. They are definitely poised to make a run in the future but why not get some more prospects or an arm of the future to solidify your competition in the years to come?

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Recovering Hick-story

So I finally caved and became a redneck, actually not referring to the obnoxious sunburn which makes my face look like Elmo, but being very Hickish and watching a bunch of cars fly around a circle for about 3.5 rain shortened hours. But being that I for some ungodly reason (most likely alcohol poisoning) am seeing 6 'u's on the keyboard right now I have just a brief story for you.

Here's the sitch (I realize I sound like Ron from "Kim Possible"):
As I was stumbling to my seat my future father-in-law receives a phone call. I don't think much of this because (a. it's not my phone, and b. the concept of a plane is far too complex for me at this point.) It happens to be his daughter (not the wife but the future sister-in-law) and she asks to talk to me.

Normally filled with some sort of innuendo or stupid blonde joke this phone call had my entire attention. Here goes the convo:
"Guess who died"
"WHOOOOOOO" *drunken stammer*
"Willy Mays"
"WHAT, WHO, ARE YOU F'N KIDDING ME?" *breaking into a cold sweat*
"Willy Mays, I just saw it on the internet."
"NO I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, BUT I HAVE TO GO THERE'S A FLYOVER IN MY EAR." * irritated and dumfounded, quite the combo, I don't recommend*

Then I start a Veruca Salt like rant and make a complete jack ass of myself screaming, "My favorite baseball player just died, this week is a catastrophe." Not that any of the three prior deaths (Farrah, The King, and Star Search) are that important to me, but what kind of horse shit luck is going on in Hollywood?

After hearing my chants of dismay three people in front of me vigorously text on their Sprint phones...Sorry for the plug but I was at a NASCAR race. They go..."it wasn't Willy," almost in unison. Confuzzled (yes it IS a made up word, but completely explains my mood) they said "Billy Mays the pitch man."

Immediately I let out an exasperated sigh and belt out, THAT BITCH HAD ME GOING CRAZY! Probably not the best thing to say in front of the future father in Law and all of her family, but you live you learn. This just goes to show you how much the iconic ball players of the 50's and 60's can impact even someone who was born in the Flock of Seagulls generation.

Hopefully this isn't an omen of things to come, but it sure heard my Engines Started. *yes another hapless NASCAR reference.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

No Moonwalk, I mean Cakewalk for Smoltzy

Wasn't much of a Thriller at the ballpark on this historic night. Smoltz came to a new team this year to win Playoff games. Just like with a rookie, the adrenaline on his first start back was probably through the roof and he just wasn't on point tonight, but that's to be expected. Playing the role of Smooth Criminal tonight was earlier in the year Red Sox catcher Josh Bard.

From the get-go on Thursday he didn't have command or his best stuff, but you are not alone, everyone last night seemed so out of sync that Smoltzy was doomed from the start. Seems to me that everyone short of Rocco Baldelli last night were doing their best Julio Lugo and He Who Shall Not Be Named impression.

There was no gray area tonight the Nats played like the Red Sox should have played. This black or white style of play isn't going to win us many games so hopefully we can get back on track because we were just flat out bad.

It's easy as 1-2-3 you hit the ball, field the ball, and hit your spots (Yes Smoltzy this means you're HOF ass too) you're going to win the game. I'll give you a pass on this one, I'll reach out to protect you if you falter on your second start but after that I'm going to probably chastise you with all the Brett Favre comments you can handle. Probably some sort of Never can say goodbye slander but that's enough for now

Have to give credit where credits due, that Jordan Zimmermann threw one hell of a ballgame. You rock my world, bottom line and I'm hoping every Red Sox fan took note because with him and (if he signs) Stephen Strasburg that could be a pretty formidable 2-1 combo for a LOT of years.

In other, News the Yankees made D-Lowe look like Freddy Prince Jr. from Summer Catch (pre-no hitter, of course). Remember the time that A Rod could hit home runs seemingly at will. Oh yeah, unfortunately that was yesterday. Maybe his cousin was in attendance?

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and with so many teams still in it this may be a year with a lot of last minute action. The Royals came out yesterday and said that they would field offers on anyone but their core players. The White Sox if they keep going in this downward spiral should look to trade Jermaine Dye, whom despite his injury history has been somewhat of a stalwart the last few years and as consistent as anyone. The Astros owner is telling everyone to beat it when it comes to his favorite player Roy Oswalt. We're probably just going to need to wait this one out.

And for all my other swimsuit loving fans here's another homage paying dandy.

 

Stay Tuned

Ryan

A Look Into the Past

While sitting at the dinner table last night talking with 'the wife's' grandmother a baseball talk ensued. Now you would think that for me this wouldn't be the most exciting chat in the world, but she completely enticed me to keep this conversation going for a solid twenty minutes. Here's How it went down:

While watching the news during dinner last night the shitshow that is Manny Ramirez's minor league rehab stint came on and she promptly said, " He makes me sick." I asked why and she went on a small tangent about how when she grew up she had players to look up to and baseball used to be what's pure in America.

"I had Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Stan Musial; These were American Icons." I then told her that Mickey was my favorite player of all time even if I didn't get to see him. What he did on the field was simply majestic.

So I needed to inform her that there was one person whom she could believe and trust in. Albert Pujols. I realize that I have all but had intercouse with him in this forum but I told her all the things that makes him the Icon that used to be associated with Major League baseball. From Donating a portion of every paycheck to charity, to marrying a single mother whom has a child with Downs', and just being the all around BEST player in the league.

You could see tears well in her eyes, and this is what I'll leave you with today. "We need more people like him. We need more people like him for you, we need more people like him for your son, and we need more people like him for the children of this country. To right the ship and bring baseball back to the heirarchy it once was held."

I thought this was one of the most profound things I've ever heard not just an older woman but anyone say. The she asked me one final question, "Do you know who ruined baseball?"
"Jose Canseco?" I asked.
"Marilyn Monroe, she not only slept with our ball players then she 'spread' her ways all over our president."
Laughing, I smiled and said, "Thanks for dinner."

Stay Tuned

Ryan

The High School Phenom

If you haven't read Tom Verducci's Sports Illustrated article on Bryce Harper. I not only suggest it but implore you to read about this kid. Here's a little question for you baseball buffs: Who holds the record for longest home run at Tropicana Field? Was it Carlos Pena? Nope, guess again. The Crime Dog Fred McGriff? Nope...I'll give you a hint he's not in the MLB...Yep you guessed it. This 16 yr old phenom holds the record for longest home run. Had it not hit the back wall at "The Trop" it would have been farther than 502 feet but that was more than 30 feet farther than ANYONE else.

For anyone that hasn't watched ESPN or checked mlbtraderumors.com in the last 2 weeks Bryce Harper has decided to forego his Junior and Senior year of High School. Normally I would completely disagree with this decision but his case is different. He isn't just some dumbass that only knows 'ball and bat make fun,' he is a straight A student and has devised a plan to achieve his GED this summer and go to Junior college as a 17 year old. This would enable him to enter next years draft.

He has made up his mind that he wants to play professional baseball, and not only play baseball but become the best ever. I have been watching video after video on this kid and being a former hitting instructor and catching coach this is what I've seen. Short, compact stroke with unmatched power. This swing is for real and his raw power is nothing short of Josh Hamilton and Mickey Mantle just to throw a couple names out there.

Did I mention he is a catcher? A position very near and dear to my heart. This kid has an absolute heat seeking missile for a right arm and is above average on the other aspects of his defensive game. What does this mean you ask? All the hype that surrounded Matt Wieters a few short weeks ago will seem like a Rick Astley concert.

Unlike Steven Strasburg whom I think is going to try to hold out for a much larger contract than he's worth ultimately proving to be detrimental to his development, as Larry Lucchino pointed out in the Globe on Tuesday, Bryce Harper has the tools and isn't inevitably going to need surgery for overuse of his arm like SS is within 2 years in pro ball. Of course if things keep up the way they're going they'll be battery mates within 3 years in Washington and could prove to be the catalyst that Washington needs to turn their struggling franchise around.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Players that Caught My Eye

In hindsight, who wouldn't do the Beckett for Han-Ram Deal? We won a World Series, and came within a few outs of going to another. Not to shabby for an ace and a throw in third baseman ( whom coincidentally won the World Series MVP in 07). But this post isn't about our beloved Sox. It's about two players that we've recently seen come to The Fen. Hanley Ramirez and Nate McLouth.

Hanley Ramirez for all that its worth is a good hitter (not great) and a below average fielder. I still think at some point (given his size) he's going to have to move to a corner infield position or somewhere in the outfield with his +Speed. I was overall not terribly impressed with what he brought to the table last week in Boston. Yes he can hit for average but he's an unfinished product on both ends of the Diamond.

He was caught chasing numerous pitches out of the zone, and for the most part wasn't a factor in this series. I realize that everyone has an off game/couple of games but as the focal point of an offense, your presence needs to be announced with authority. *Yes I just stole that from Bull Durham.* Defensively I was thinking a faster and better looking Julio Lugo was out there. He wasn't taking charge in the infield as all good shortstops are supposed to do. And maybe this goes hand in hand but seemed quite indecisive on the do or die play. This kid has the potential to be an impact player in this league and already is too some extent but still has a lot of growing left to do!

On a positive note, Nate McLouth blew my socks off. What will probably eventually be a great trade for the Pirates in the long run, the Braves got a supreme talent in McLouth. This young man flies. He's got good pop as a leadoff hitter and maybe if he has one more year like last, I'll put him 1 and 2 with Grady Sizemore for top CF. He plays Gold Glove defense, sets the table for his offense and has power to boot.

He got his series started off with a bang on the first pitch of He Who Shall Not Be Named's outing and continued to open eyes with spectacular catches, clutch hits, and leadership qualities throughout the three day stint in Beantown.

While I still stand firm on thinking that McLouth and Wilson would have been a great fit here. Maybe we don't need to make trades with Ortiz's bat speed re-emerging, Nick Green's renaissance at Shortstop and our Starting pitching minus that guy I'm still not talking about has been nothing short of electric. Now if we could only get the cement off of Lowell's feet we could have a third basemen that can get to a ball a step and a half in the hole.

Anyone else think Nick Green is going to play a MUCH LARGER ROLE than just a utility man? Seems to be playing out that way. I think if Lowrie struggles Greenie is going to be the mainstay for atleast the rest of the year in our infield. Love to hear your thoughts and comments in the comments section

Just a few tidbits

With Rain dumping on what seems to be the entire eastern seaboard right now I didn't feel like writing much. But here's a couple things to ponder...

With Halladay injured and although just a 15day stint on the DL a groin injury for a pitcher is obviously something to be monitored. Could this be the hole that Tim Wakefield needs to knuckle himself in St. Louis? I hope so!

With the Padres desperately trying to revitalize their team and lose some payroll their first trade piece goes down, Jake Peavy. Then they think oh our number 2 pitcher is pretty good maybe someone would want him. NAHT, he's shelved too. Do the Padres have the stones to move Gonzalez in order to decrease payroll and alienate EVERY fan? I say no he's the cornerstone of their franchise, sorry Mr. Peavy.

I said it at the beginning of the year, THE YANKEES WON'T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. After losing 2 of 3 to that AA team (Nationals) New York has to be in complete disarray. Some of the headlines read: Yanks Nearly washed out, then whitewashed, ARod's Struggles Drawing Yawns, Soaking Fans, Then Throwing in Towel. The Rays are on a Roll and the yanks are going to take a backseat to both that pesky tampa team and the juggernaut that is the Boston Red Sox.

I firmly believe that Daisuke Walk-suzaka is getting secretly paid by the ghost (I think this is fair to say) of George Steinbrenner. But on the same token if Chien Ming Wang isn't on the Red Sox Payroll now they should atleast give him a ring as well in October.

One More...What the hell is going on with Kevin Youkilis in the last 3 weeks has batting avg has dropped 60 points? I realize he hit a round-tripper last night but he should probably not sit next to Ortiz in the Clubhouse anymore.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Say It Ain't Sosa

We all knew he was on it, but its still a sad day for me and baseball one one of its preeminent sluggers gets named to the PED list. If you live under a rock but have the electronic wherewithal to read this I'm talking about Sammy Sosa.

For all you 'post 1961ers' out there (myself included), you don't know how the nation or world reacted when Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle duked it out daily in the batter's box. I do know that every time I throw in the brilliantly Billy Crystal directed film 61* I get goosebumps. I was 10-years-old when the 'Amazing Home Run Chase' was going on. Not only did it captivate the United States but children everywhere.

Big-Mac and 'Slammin' Sammy were icons, no they were more than that. They were baseball gods. They were single handedly bringing baseball back from the depths of Hell the 1994 strike shortened season left it in. America's Pastime was back and fans were white knuckled with excitement.

But at what price? Feigning to the fans that this race was completely authentic? Being disingenuous to Congress? Tarnishing all of sports' most hallowed records?

To be honest I'm not sure how I feel. I realize that what these players did was immoral but what would you do for a million? 5? 10?

Here's my alpha quandary: Do we allow these players into the Hall of Fame? I have two answers for this, Yes and No.

Yes, if you make it known that they played/were involved in the Steroid Era. Whether that means a new wing built in Cooperstown or specific specification on said players plaque that they were caught or believed to be impure in some semblance of better wording than I just put together. But what does this mean for the players that I deem clean: Griffey Jr., Maddux, Glavine? I don't know. I don't have a guess I don't want to even speculate because they don't deserve to be lumped into the same category.

No, and not so much for reasons so much as for people. Pete Rose (all-time hits leader) and "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (career .356 BA). These two people NEVER did ANYTHING to enhance their performance on the baseball field. Which is what the Hall of Fame criteria should be judged upon. If these guys don't get inducted, either do the dopers, as far as I'm concerned.

My last point is about that goddamn anonymous test from 2003 that continues to leak the names off of it. I try not to use profanity in my blog but I can't get around it on this issue Bud Selig. SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT. Release all the names or shred the document. This is getting ridiculous. I don't care either way but pick an option. Now (rightly so) Sosa will get maligned, slandered, libeled, and lambasted but in fairness to him he doesn't need to be the only scapegoat.

So, you see, it's hard to process your boyhood heroes being a fake (see: Hollywoodland) But I guess that's what life is: Sugar coating the bad so that deep down you think it's good.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

How Much is Too Much Pitching?

Word broke around midday Tuesday that John Smoltz would be in a Red Sox uniform sometime next week against the Washington Nationals. Clay Buchholz made it known that he was "wasting his bullets" down in Triple-A. Michael Bowden expressed his love for the Red Sox organization and said he would "wait until called upon" to pitch in Boston. Tim Wakefield looks poised to get his first All-Star game under his belt. Brad "Sasquatch" Penny has been initiated into the Boston scene when he drilled A-Rod (an yes it was intentional) and then essentially told Joe Girardi to shut his whorish mouth, not to mention he's been pitching like a house on fire. Daisuke Walk-suzaka is pitching like he should be a mop up guy for the Pittsburgh Pirates. We won't even mention the Double headed no-hit tandem that is Jon Lester and Josh Beckett.

What does that all mean? It means we have a logjam at the Big League Level for pitching and there are a ton of speculative solutions that could potentially happen.

First we'll deal with my least favorite Red Sox just because I want to stop saying his name today because it's almost as long as every first inning that he throws. Daisuke has one more start before Smoltzy comes back and what will effectively be known as D-day for the Boston Staff. Let's say he doesn't pitch well this Friday against the Braves here is the scenarios concerning the "National Treasure." First off you could see a 15-Day DL Stint with some ailment close to a broken ego or Strained Chin. Second, A demotion to Pawtucket but with this would have to come Dice-K's OK on that decision being that in his contract he has the go ahead to veto any demotion. Lastly you could put him in the bullpen however you could completely break his psyche and therefore could lose for the rest of the year if not longer.

Brad Penny about 3 weeks ago was considered the expendable one but after the display of grit, toughness and arrogance against our arch rivals I'm not so sure. Out of 12 starts 10 have been quality starts and given his team a chance to win. He has CERTAINLY out pitched The man who shall remain nameless from one paragraph above and deserves to stay in this rotation. But here's what will probably happen. If Penny continues to get W's his price will only go up and we will probably get a B to B- Prospect for him and although that's not a bad trade I don't want to see the man that looks like Paul Bunyan on the hill leave town.

Smoltz is the easiest decision. When he's ready, he starts, BOTTOM LINE. Look for him to have the following stats: ( 8-3WL 3.5ERA, lights out in October).

I have mixed emotions about Buchholz and his comments. While I like the fire in his belly about wanting to be in the Big Leagues I've gotta think he's being an impatient little Brat. Most players that are destined for the big leagues spend atleast 3 seasons down in the Minors so for him to call out the Sox Brass about wanting to be up there speaks volumes of the Scott Boras like player that he could be. Look for him to either be traded in a BLOCKBUSTER or kept in the minors until September or if a starter gets injured.

Everyone wants Wakefield to move to the bullpen and to either deal Manny DelCarmen or Takashi Saito but why would a 42 year old potential all star this year who hasn't been healthy for a whole year in the last 3 season make the move to pen to just increase the likelihood of an injury. Although that is a very improbable option look for him to remain in the rotation.

There is now talk of a semi-6 man rotation which the only way this could be effective is to keep Beckett AND Lester on their normal 5 day rest and platoon the others to make sure they are used in a cycle around the aces of the staff. Ultimately someone is going to need a big league arm and we may need to fill some sort of hole in our team so one of these pitchers may not even be on our squad.

Lastly I'm starting to really warm up to the idea of Michael Bowden as a 5th starter NEXT year on the Boston Red Sox. He has the right menality, the PERFECT make up and great stuff. I'm not sure if I'd put him in a deal either unless it brings us an A List Bat or Arm. But this is the kind of player like Dustin and the Youkka that Boston is becoming famous for and I can't wait to see him in a Sox Uni full time!

It's not every day that you have quarrels with a future Hall of Famer joining your staff but hopefully you can see my dismay.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Ultimate Competition

I'm going to take a step back from big league talk with all but four teams having off days to talk about the College World Series. Personally I've always been a fan of the Tar Heels (in baseball only) and I'll admit that I do like Rice as well.

During the time that I played baseball competitively I played some very intense, hard-fought, heart breaking games but none of these compare to the 'hanging on to every pitch' style of play that goes on in Omaha, Nebraska. Everyone loves seeing the massive pigpiles that ensue after every game and the ultimate college experience that goes into every at bat on this big stage.

The thrill of playing in a Championship game in any sport is unparalleled but something really gets the adrenalin flowing when you think that Roger Clemens pitched on this mound I'm standing on, or Barry Bonds shagged flies in this outfield.

Some of baseball history's greatest moments have happened at Rosenblatt Stadium that few people remember or know of. How about I take you back to 1987? First off I wasn't born for this but that doesn't stop me from knowing about the happenings on that fateful June day. The number 56 will be forever embedded in Baseball, Yankee, and Joe DiMaggio legacy but Robin Ventura 1-upped him (actually 2-upped him but the catch phrase didn't work with 2). Robin Ventura entered the College World Series riding a 56 game hitting streak. He hit safely in his first two games in the CWS and then had a matchup against future teammate Jack McDowell. The hitting streak came to an end with an 0-5 performance but the national spotlighted streak put Ventura on the map for what was a long and proficient career.

Anyone remember Warren Morris? I certainly do. Back in the 1996 CWS Morris entered the bottom of the ninth, and his team down 1 with a runner on third and 2 outs, having not hit a homerun the entire year. One of his LSU teammates realized this as well and proclaimed that very statement. Well that changed on the first pitch and the title was theirs. Don't believe me? Check it out! The third baseman lying on the ground was a dejected Pat Burrell

With one more what we'll call retro play (it's only retro because I wasn't born) why not dig out the old Hidden Ball Trick? Oh it happened all right. 1982 Miami Hurricanes vs. Wichita State which I am convinced is the inspiration for the key scene in "Little Big League", the pitcher fires a throw to the first baseman to which he leaps over the runner and bolts towards the bullpen to where the ball skipped away. The clearly rehearsed play also included two relievers pointing the Right Fielder sprinting and the Hurricane ball girls jumping out of the way. The baserunner takes off for 2nd in a mad dash and by the time the runner realized that the pitcher had the ball the whole time and calmly thrown it to second the play was executed flawlessly.

Who knows whom and when the next big play/ hit is going to come from but this is the stuff dreams are made of and it doesn't get much better than this.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Love that Dirty Water

Other than the Loss last night taken by the Boston Julio Lugos, I mean Red Sox we have been playing lights out baseball. And continuing to be the most obnoxious and diabolical player in the clubhouse is Julio Lugo.

As of late the emergence of Nick Green being a steady short stop is growing and coincidentally the time that Loogie is spending on the pine is also increasing. If not a tell all sign that Tito and management is about done with their 36 mil a year investment. He has been nothing but less than mediocre since his inception in Boston and don't look for that to change anywhere else.

On Saturday night he gets his first start in a week and goes out there and looks like Pete Rose at the dish, well Pete Rose mixed with Roger Dorn from Major League. He collected 4 hits and then it is almost assured that he's going to get the start the next day which he does. Partly for two reasons, you don't take a hot bat out of the lineup, but unless he drives in more runs then he lets in SIT HIS ASS DOWN! The other reason is to give the scuffling Pedroia two consecutive days off.

I'm starting to think that Dustin ISN'T allowed to take games off anymore if we don't have another utility infielder up here. Because Green is at second the shit show that is Julio Lugo has to attempt double plays (we'll say attempt because very rarely is it clean or textbook in the way he goes about his defense.) Sunday was no exception. a ball hit to green and with Chase Utley bearing down on him he doesn't get enough on the throw and forces Daniel Bard to dive/stretch for the ball which could have gotten them out of the inning. Also another throwing error by Lugo allowed them to get another runner to third at some other point in the game I'm not sure of because I was thoroughly disgusted with his play I didn't bother looking at the scoreboard.

I'm almost tired of writing about this bum, but somehow he keeps coming up in EVERY blog. He is kind of like Mike TV from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, he wants everything his way, he wants to play and he doesn't care who gets in his way. Now if we could only use that incredible shrinking machine to rid us of our problem we'd be all set.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Anno Domin-ation

First and foremost I should probably apologise to the couple of fans that I do have, for not blogging last night. For the wonderful world of being a "legal beagle" or being 21 took over and instead of allocating my skills in the blogosphere I was concocting drinks that you wouldn't feed your pot bellied pig.

So in the day that I didn't grace you with my presence (I say that thinking that you actually feel privileged to read the drivel that comes out of my mouth) we have witnessed the slandering of a certain Red Sox Shortstop, a noticeable change in the pecking order that is Sox vs. Yankees lore, a 42 yr old pitcher whom deserves an All-Star Game bid, and the heartbeat in David Ortiz's bat has risen from flat lining to 2 blips.

After what has CLEARLY been Theo Epstein's worst signing to date we find the Red Sox adamantly shopping their overpaid, sub par defensive, cancer in the dugout shortstop Terry Francona refers to as "Loogie." Omar Minaya and the New York Mets have been hit with the injury bug something fierce and have lost their All-Star speedster Shortstop Jose Reyes and their second and third stringers as well. As of right now I'm thinking the Red Sox will take a weekend series supply of baseballs for Lugo but the Mets front office went on record saying, "We'd have to be pretty desperate to trade for Julio Lugo." WOW. If that isn't a kick to the balls I don't know what is. The Mets are completely content with running the backup AA SS compared to a error-happy Julio Lugo who has been stating his displeasure recently. But if you were the Mets would you trade for him? *crickets*...Nope.

The Red Sox entering Thursday nights boogie down with the Bronx Bombers have won the first 7 games of the season against their arch-rival and 8 in a row dating back to the end of '08. To put this in perspective the last time they had a run of dominance like this was when Rose wouldn't move her fat ass off of that door to save Jack's life. Yes, you guessed it, when the Titanic sank in 1912. This to me puts me in something of a quandary. Growing up, the only thing I've ever known is that the Red Sox come second fiddle to the Evil Empire. Not anymore. They clearly have picked up what the Yankees are puting down and if the season series were a chess match it would be Bobby Fisher vs. Charles Barkley we are about 10 steps ahead of EVERYTHING they are even thinking about.

Normally I'm not one to jump onto bandwagons but I laced up me PF Flyers and I'm ready to leap on the Tim Wakefield for the All-Star Game in '09. He's got the 3rd highest win total in the Major leagues this year, and in a laundry list of accolades collected during his tenure he has never once made it to the Midsummer Classic. I say lets change it...For everyone that counts lets get Timmy to St. Louis. I don't care if he doesn't pitch but how invaluable would he be if we had another one of those extra-inning epics? The guy can throw for days and the way those games have been going you may need him.

Sitting here watching David Ortiz power a ball over the Green Monster for the first time this year I think (despite his BA) that the slump is no longer looming. His average will climb, slowly but surely. You can tell the timing is back AND that someone is going good when they can POWER the ball to the opposite field and to get it over that 37 foot wall out there you can't get cheated on that swing. On a lighter note dealing with Ortiz, does anyone else find the curtain calls a little condescending? We realize that he hasn't hit worth a lick thus far during the season and the first curtain call was warranted, the second was cute but the third was a bit redundant and the 4th and whatever else there is to come is probably a little overkill. I realize that he has been the face of this franchise for years and that when he struggles we struggle. But do we really need to keep putting him on display? You can tell Francona and Beckett are making it a personal joke each time he hits one now to make him give a curtain call. Ortiz is back *there i said it* now lets start acting like it!

PHEW! I hope that this appeased all of you disappointed Bottom of the Ninth Fans. And I will make sure that the blog is ready for Monday for you all! Enjoy!

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Pitching Wins Ballgames

The addage is simple, direct, and to the point; Pitching Wins Ballgames. And right now Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have studied that addage and are sh*tting out Gold. With the last few starts serving as a catalyst hopefully this will catapult their pitching to new levels.

OK, I realize they aren't going to go out there and flirt with no-no's all the time (that would be awesome), but after last nights performance against the AL All Stars, I mean the New York Yankees, Josh Beckett is exuding more confidence now than in the 2007 Playoff run when he plowed through the Angels and Indians as if they were minor leaguers.

What Beckett is doing is establishing himself as a true Ace. Thus far in his Red Sox career he has been should we say...Mediocre? (48-28 4.10 ERA) The win/loss record isn't indicative of how actually ordinary he has pitched, being that he has been on a team that has given him a LOT of run support during his tenure with the sox. During the entire month of May and now into June Beckett has almost been unhittable and one of the most DOMINATING pitcher's in the game.

I say one of the most dominating because of a southpaw from Washington named Jonathan Tyler Lester. In his last start carrying a Perfect game into the 7th inning, and the start before that setting a new career high in strikeouts. It's hard to think of a better 1-2 punch in baseball right now. And please spare me the CC and Burnett garbage...Burnett has lightning stuff but is a SPITTING image of what Carl Pavano does. Performs great in contract years and other than that is riding the pine becuase of an injury. CC is a horse and is one of the best all around pitchers in baseball but I'd take Beckett vs. the Yankee lineup than CC vs. Boston's anyday.

I also feel compelled to give the bullpen some much needed love. These guys have the best bullpen in the league and many people have gone on record (Dennis Eckersley, Curt Schilling, Peter Gammons) saying that this is THE BEST bullpen EVER assembled. At first I had my quarrels with Saito and now that "Gas Masterson" is out there, we turned a nine inning game into a 6 inning game, because if you don't score off of Boston's starters you're not winning this ball game.

Finally, all pitching aside. The Red Sox have selected Reymond Fuentes, the cousin of Carlos Beltran, and distant relative of the Road Runner (meep meep) in the First round of the MLB Draft. This kid straight up flies. Reports are that he ran a 6.3 60 yard dash, he did what? Yes that's just under 10 yards per second. Speed Kills.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Back to the Future

It's that time again, the Major League draft. Although Steven Strasburg should and Will sign with the Nats he isn't going to come cheap, Dustin Ackley will go to the Mariners and should be on the fast track to the bigs within a year and a half, and although ESPN and most mock drafts have the Padres selecting Center Fielder Donovan Tate but I've gotta go with Aaron Crow being that I think they'll need pitching after trading Jake Peavy.

The Uber-Prospect that is Steven Strasburg IS the best college pitcher in the history of the MLB Draft. If you want to debate me about it please do but before you do take a look at this. Strasburg is in one word, "the best damn non-major league pitcher ever." That may have been more than one word, but the fact still remains. Steven has been clocked as high as 103 on the gun. No that's not a typo, you don't have to adjust your eyes. His curve is about 80 mph.That's a 23 mph difference from his fastball for you non-math buffs. And if that's not unhittable enough his change up is in the 70's. So to put him in perspective, he has the hardest fastball in Major League history (aside from Mark Wohlers in spring training 1995), has a Barry Zitoesque curve ball (the amount of break), and a change up as good as vintage Pedro. What more could you ask for out of a #1 overall pick.

Dustin Ackley, SHOULD go to the Mariners but a small birdie told me they may not sign their pick in order to save some money for next season. But either way he WILL be the 2nd pick signed. He is one of the most pure hitters I have had the pleasure to watch. For me watching him is like watching a slightly more raw version of Tony Gwynn, but with the right seasoning and more plate discipline could evolve into one of the better hitters of our era. The quickness in his wrists is unmatched by anyone else in this draft. His base stealing prowess plays second fiddle and rightly so but it should not go unnoticed. In his time spent with the Tar Heels it was almost impossible to double him up on the back end of a double play. As previously stated he will be in the big leagues probably slotted in the 3 hole for the M's in a year and a half.

With the third pick in the MLB Draft I think that SD is going to choose the flame throwing Aaron Crow. Although he doesn't throw as hard as Strasburg (no one does) he does also project into a top of the rotation like starter. One of the major hang-ups is that San Diego has no money. They have a LOT of payroll and the revenue isn't coming in. This is why trading Peavy is almost essential to the rebuilding of their club. They need to free up the payroll, get 3-4 prospects/proven MLB talent in return and have plenty of capital left to sign Crow to a hefty 4 mil signing bonus. Crow sits 91-93 with a plus crisp slider and an average at best changeup. You can expect a LOT of work with that change-up to really make his "stuff" lethal when he humps the rubber. *Git ya mind outta the gutter, it means takes the hill.*

That's what I got for ya without getting too in depth and on a completely unrelated to the draft side note; I just watched Andrew McCutcheon fly around the bases on Baseball tonight and I think that he could beat Ichiro, Ellsbury, and Crawford in a footrace. How's that for bold??

Stay Tuned,

Ryan

A near-Perfect Performance

We were on the fringe of witnessing history on Saturday night when Jon Lester took the ball and toed the Rubber for our beloved Red Sox. Reminiscent of last year against the KC Royals Lester's only competition were the goals set for himself.

Lester, in a word, Dazzled, the Texas hitters for a complete game two hitter, which included being PERFECT through 6 1/3 innings. No-Hitters are hard enough to come by but this hard throwing lefty spit at that and said, "perfection is what I'm after." Well maybe in a more quiet, subdued not talking sort of way but nonetheless it was there.

Further solidifying the move by Theo "the boy genius" Epstein in signing J Les as we'll call him, being that he's probably going to put out a rap album soon, to a long term deal, J Les has found has groove. It was never gone. It took a No-No last year to right his ship for an unprecedented run of excellence and last weekends Blue Jay series may have been his turning point.

Straight dealing was Lester and his 2nd 10 strikeout performance in as many outings. His fastball was surgically located, his curveball had more break and more bite than I have seen in ANY outing thus far in his career, that cutter one word; lethal, and he even incorporated the Change piece. Kid was money tonight and look for him to rattle off HUGE numbers here on in.

In a small side note because Lester was CLEARLY the story tonight, David Ortiz has started blinking from his season long coma, although I'm not sure if it wasn't just a random tic he could be showing signs of life.

Stay tuned

Ryan

Take a Ride on the D-Train

Flash back to 2003 and the World Series winning Marlins. Not only were three of the pitchers from todays Red Sox, Tigers game becoming World Champs but we were seeing the emergence of a superstar, Dontrelle Willis. Flash Forward and the D-Train is staring at ending his professional career right in the face.

In 2005, he led the majors with 22 wins. Since then he has led the majors in hit batsmen (2006) been traded (2007), and demoted to the minors (2008). If he doesn't sound like a spitting image of Mark "The Bird" Fydrich's stat line I don't know who does.

Willis quickly started to become one of the faces of Major League baseball. With his fiery style and completely unorthodox wind-up he was morphing into a sure fire All Star and the next coming of Bob Gibson.

As a throw in player in the Miguel Cabrera blockbuster in 2007, the Marlins unbeknownst to them had gotten the best of Dontrelle and were witnessing his fall from grace. I'm not going to lie I had him on EVERY fantasy team that year and ended up dropping him for some form of Rolando Arrojo or Walt Weiss of 2007.

Today was a good win for the Sox but I have to feel for Willis. He has been working hard to get his way back to peak form from his Marlin days but it's just not there. Granted he did throw a no hitter today but when you walk 4 consecutive batters the only thing that comes to mind is Bob Uecker's voice from "Major League". At times it was as if he was not only begging but wishing for calls. And as any self respecting pitcher knows you don't wish for calls you make them happen yourself.

I was completely enamoured by his pitching style, his flare, and the athleticism he brought to the table. But now I feel for him like those kids on those poverty commercials with that rich White guy that keeps asking for 41 cents a day. I wish you luck Dontrelle because this could be a long and windy road for you and the anxiety you suffered prior to todays start is only going to get worse going forward.

Congratulations Big Unit.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Rounding the Bases

Some pretty eventful things happened today in the world of Major League baseball. A 300 game winner gets released, the person with the most 60 HR seasons calls it quits, a near no no in Motown, and a first ballot Hall of Famer goes for win number 300. Oh what a night!.

I realize that Tommy "Lefty" Glavine is at the very end of his career but is there really no room for him to be released by the organisation that he won so many games for? Unfortunately the answer is yes. Look at it this way if they got rid of another HOFer earlier this year why not make it a two-fer? But the Braves, like the Red Sox are/WERE very rich in pitching. I say were as I put my foot in my mouth about a trade from yesterdays blog. They gave up two VERY good pitching prospects. One I had the pleasure of catching when I was 17 in a Legion All Star Game (Jeff Locke).

"Slammin" Sammy Sosa today finally turned in his batting gloves. Can't say that I blame him, aside from that attrocious attempt at a (hows that for alliteration) comeback with the O's, there comes a time when you need to leave, and he finally made the right choice. His place will be forever enshrined in Chicago Cubs lore and I personally will always remember that exciting race between he and Big Mac, performance enhanced or not. That was one of the most boyishly exciting baseball related thing to happen in my life that I wasn't a part of.

Have to tip the 'ol cap to the Ace tonight. He was on the top of his game. However I can almost assure you all that the No-No would have happened had my obviously inebriated friend not uttered the words, "No hitter." If you think I let this slide you are sadly mistaken. I first proceeded to give him whiplash from a verbal assault, followed by a Major League Lambasting, and all culminating into me wallowing in a pit of despair knowing that his run at history was over after the 3rd inning slip-up. But back to one of the men of the hour. He was "dotting" his fastball on the corners, "painting" his knee-buckling Uncle Charlie, and baffling hitters with his Change.

Randy Johnson doesn't throw 97 with a devastating 88 mph slider. But he's still one win away from getting to that 300 plateau. Which would make him the 5th lefty in baseball history to achieve such status. Although his bid is currently getting downpoured on here's a little bit of how dominating The Big Unit once was. And any time you can see John Kruk's mullet is a good day in my book.

An exciting day for an exciting sport, but I'll leave you with today's completely random NON baseball thought.
Anyone else agitated that the President of the United States needs to be consulted with any basketball related thing? NEWS FLASH He hasn't turned around a recession yet DON'T BOTHER HIM WITH THIS. Also he is not a basketball analyst if you need an opinion that matters on this subject, ask Tim Legler.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Hot Stove Speculation

Earlier today I was perusing the Boston Globe and came to the new section called Slugfests. Some joker told me that there may be grumblings of the Sox offering Ellsbury, Lowrie, and Bowden to the Pirates for Nate McLouth and Freddy Sanchez/Jack Wilson (the latter part of the deal being an interchangeable piece). At first I laughed hysterically at this ludicrous idea, followed by a "biff" to my own head pretending it was this numbskull (hindsight says I probably shouldn't hit myself when thinking someone else is stupid), and rounded up by thinking Holy S Batman, this trade is a stroke of Genius.


Pittsburgh has been a struggling franchise for the better part of 15 years now and they are still a rebuilding team looking for more pitching and cheap hitting youth. They need to unload some of the salary that they have taken on and the Red Sox seem to be the perfect fit to take on those obligations. McLouth is coming off of what could be the start of a brilliant career and although doesn't have quite the same explosive speed as Ellsbury still plays a gold glove calibur Center Field, will hit more HR's from the leadoff spot (with essentially the Same OBP) and still stole more than 20 bags last year.

Now I know all you Ellsbury/Sox fanatics are going to cut my nuts off for saying this but Ellsbury will never be as dynamic as he was during that '07 stretch run. I personally am a HUGE fan of his style of play but his OBP is ranked among the worst for leadoff men in the majors. Yes he can steal bases but his stolen base% (82) is just under the 85% quota that you want a franchise base stealer to sit.

For the last 6 + years Shortstop has been a rotating black hole for the Red Sox and Epstein regime. This year is no different. While Green has been a pleasant surprise his glove made of Gold (not to be confused with a "gold glove") has cost us a few games. I'm not even going to field Julio Lugo questions or concerns.Lowrie is a very good defensive player and although I applaud him for his stoicism during last years pennant race for playing through injuries I'm not sure he's a long term solution for the Red Sox at short. He's probably best served as a Super Utility ala Mark DeRosa. Sanchez and Wilson are as SOLID as they come defensively. Sanchez is batting a hearty .325 while Wilson has seen has Batting Average rise his last 8 games after a sluggish start and a stint on the DL. The ONLY problem I see with Sanchez coming to play SS for a Big Market Boston team is that he hasn't played there more than 28 times in a year in all of his Major League Career.

If I'm Pittsburgh (or if this trade goes through we'll start calling them a farm team for the Red Sox) I want more than just Ellsbury and damaged goods (Lowrie) for 2 potential game changers. This is why Bowden MUST be in the mix. Let's face it Bowden is VERY expendable with some of the pitchers coming up in Free Agency this coming off-season and being the 2nd best SP prospect in the organization. The "Burgh" which is what I'm going to call it for lack of a cooler name needs young pitching and that is something the Red Sox have a plethora of.

So here's what I (the most IMPORTANT GM not in the game) see when looking at this trade.
Ellsbury (++Speed, +Defense, +Steals)
Lowrie (+Defense)
Bowden (+command, composure)

McLouth (+Defense, Steals Speed)
Sanchez (+Defense, +Avg)
Wilson (+Defense, won Silver Slugger 2004)
Not so much baseball related stats are that Pittsburgh, as previously stated, needs to lower payroll to cope with a tough economy AND lack of fan support. We have cash to take on some more contracts and the pitching that a franchise like the Buc's need for future success. This also STILL enables us to utilize the L-R-L lineup if we batted McLouth Pedroia (Drew, Ortiz, or someone else that can actually hit the ball from the Left side.) The versatility that comes with Sanchez AND McLouth is also something that Theo covets. I hate to say it Red Sox fans but if this deal comes to fruition it seems to make baseball sense!

Stay Tuned

Ryan

Chi-Town Blues

In the last ten days we've seen two of the highest profile pitchers invoke their "no-trade" clause in order to steer clear of the Windy City. The real cause for concern is: why? Is their something in the water? Is the owner a bear to play for? Let's delve into this one!

First off Jake Peavy. There are many factors to consider with this one. His roots and family have already made a home on the San Diego area. Uprooting your kids at any age is always a VERY difficult process and for him to leave Cali he's going to need to be on an already contending team and I'm not so sure that the White Sox are the team that fits the bill. Jake Peavy, upon entering a team INSTANTLY will lower your team ERA by .5 and will almost guarantee 7 innings every time he sets foot on the field, for him to be dealt he's going to need to think he has an IMMEDIATE chance at winning. There are only a handful of teams that Peavy will OK a trade to. As far as I know that would be: Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Dodgers. There are few organizations that have the pieces in order to make this trade happen and to limit this even more Peavy wants to stay in the NL. But if/when he's a FA look for Boston AND NY to get in on the bidding.

Roy Oswalt is another of the games elite. And he is also another on the list of the White Sox, but to no avail. Oswalt went public saying that if any trade was even so much as talked about with the White Sox he'd wave it. Wow. Now we're waving speculation. Must be nice to have a Peyton Manning like "laser, Rocket arm." Not only does Oswalt not want to go anywhere but the Owner of the Rangers has gone so far as to say he's "untouchable." Recently after a well pitched game the Owner also bought Oswalt a tractor for his farm. But, if I've learned one thing about the business of baseball NO ONE is untouchable. If I were to venture a guess as to teams that are in the market and have the pieces to put together a package it would probably be, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and the LA Dodgers.

But what's wrong with CHICAGO, other than the fact that Richard Gere and Queen Latifah sang an attrocious rendition of your broadway musical. I'll tell you. It's called the Windy City for a reason. In the ball park the jet stream has winds that would make Katrina quiver and balls exit so quickly you'd think that Pamela Anderson was sitting spread eagle in the Grandstands. What else is wrong. Just off the top of my head it could be the intimidating yet brilliant manager Ozzie Guillen. One of the trend-setters for playing hunches and unconventional management he is loved and feared by most players. He is a strictly no BSer and always tells it like it is. I don't think I could think of one other manager that I'd like to play for but for some players that coddling provided by Joe Girardi is essential in their development.

The final reason that I can think of is that right now The Chi Sox are not a contender. With their breakout star Carlos Quentin battling a bout of what is essentially walking too hard (plantar fascitis) and one of the ROY runners up to Evan Almighty, Alexei Ramirez having an anhorexic April and a monstrous May but starting to rebound with the onslaught of summer. Those two pitchers want to be the man to put them OVER the hump not work up to the hump.

Peavy and Oswalt are born and bread Americans as showcased in the World Baseball Classic and you can assume they are going to get their money's worth wherever they go, but don't look for the Black Stockings to be a part of any more talks with these Aces in the hole.

Stay Tuned

Ryan

The Untouchables

There are some things in baseball that either should not be changed or shouldn't happen. These things are: domes, instant replay, and the 100 pitch limit.

The only good thing about a dome is that weather will never affect or delay a game. But, that being said, baseball needs to be played in the elements. Sometimes, that moonshot pop-up to medium depth Left is gonna get pushed out for an HR but that is the name of the game. Baseball is a game where the team that makes the most efficient adjustments, be it because of weather or strike zone, wins most often. The 'Trop' and the Metrodome need to go. Not only are they eyesores, but they affect the outcomes with their shoddy worksmanship and overhanging speakers. Bottom line: They're bad for the game and starting next season we'll only have to lobby fror getting rid of one.

Instant Replay in sports in general is a joke, but baseball especially is a game based on overcoming human error. If I were an umpire, in a game where my opinion now is being challanged by a computer (Questec) or TV monitor, I'd view that as a slap in the face.Just because we live in the "Information Age," where technology reigns, doesn't mean it needs to take over our sports world. Being a former player as much as bad calls aggrivate me, I know that its pare of the game. Most people, (and by most people I mean that incompetent money hungry bastard, Bud Selig) to realize that the umpires are just as much a part of the game as pitchers and catchers, and they have off games too. Ease-Up, if you're the best team on the field, the "blue's" won't cost you the game.

Call me, "Old School" but when did ballplayers become such, how do I say, " pussies" without being brash, oh, oops, point made. Why is 100 pitches deep in an outing the end of your outing? If you're throwing a gem you throw until you're no longer effective, bottom line. Especially when a college pitcher just threw 169 in 25 inning epic. The coaches and brass in an organization need to come to the realization that these are BALLPLAYERS* and it's their job to pitch. So, to you Terry Francona, Joe Girardi, and Eric Wedge if it ain't broke don't fix it. Let you're pitcher's pitch!

Alright I realize that rant was long winded, but also very long overdue. Remember, when baseball wsn't a commodity a team had 2-3 pitchers; they threw many pitchers whether they had it or not that day. Baseball has more things to clean up than just steroids and I'd just as soon see them sooner rather than later.

*Ballplayer-An athlete that has the MOST grueling schedule and plays threw pain and nagging injuries because it is their job to do so.

Stay Tuned

Ryan