Sox: 3 Angels: 6
With this loss, the Sox are officially in the AL East cellar. Yes, it's only four games into their season and standings at this time of year are as meaningless as a Spring Training game, but can we PLEASE score some more runs here? Wake had a mixed-bag kind of outing, but only allowed three runs. Yet, he continues to be the victim of crappy run support. Masterson, who is usually pretty sharp and can produce double-play balls on cue, was apparently possessed by his evil embedded Yankee (or embedded Angel) twin who goes by the handle of "Disasterson" and allowed the Halos to double the score.
Now for our MIA bats. Jake, though he did hit into a double play, went 2 for 3, snagged a bag, and advanced to third on an errant throw. Pedey roped a double in the 8th and snagged a bag of his own, but his bat was silent earlier on. Kottaras, making his first major league start behind the plate managed a single, as did Mikey. Youk has cooled down a bit, but he went 1 for 3. The 0-fer club consists of Big Papi, J-Bay, J.D. and Lowrie, who is 1 for the season so far. Papi does deserve some credit for a sac fly, however. Oh, young Lowrie, where hast thy bat gone? When you make us wonder how long it will be before Lugo's back, something's just not right.
It was nice to see the tributes to Nick Adenhart in Angel Stadium, including the "34" on the mound and his jersey in the dugout. This had to be a very hard game for the Angels to play, the first one played since the tragedy and they got a win for the kid. Frustrating for the Sox to lose another one, but an uplifting win for the Angels.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Ball Meets Glove. Sox Go Down.
Sox: 3 Rays: 4
I've had just about enough of the Tampa Bay Rays, thank you very much. Especially their outfielders, who thwarted the Sox bats time and again this afternoon, their gloves gobbling up fly ball after fly ball. Even MVPedey's day at the plate ended in futility, going 0-for-5. Lowrie left his bat in Fort Myers, it seems. Or maybe in Citi Field, where he knocked a grand salami off of Oliver Perez last Saturday. Youk, however, had his second 3-hit game in a row. Aside from an RBI triple by Bay and the second Tek homer of the series, Youk was the team's one-man offense. Tek gets special kudos for working on his swing from the left side and bringing the pop back. Even if his average stays low, if he can knock some homers every now and then...
Dice-K was letting them fly today, giving up 3 dingers in the 5 1/3 innings he pitched. He K'ed more batters than he walked, but those long balls put the hurtin' on him and the team. MDC came on in the sixth in relief of Dice, and got the two outs he needed, but got all walky when he came out again in the seventh. Ramon Ramirez, of the flawless inning in yesterday's game, bailed MDC out big-time when he induced a double play to get out of the inning. He went on to pitch a flawless eighth. So far so good for the guy the Sox got when they shipped Coco to Kansas City.
Tomorrow night's a night-owl special as the Sox go west for their first encounter with the Angels. Right now, the Angels are in my thoughts and prayers after the tragic loss of their young pitcher Nick Adenhart in a car accident last night, hours after he threw six shutout innings against Oakland. He was just 22 years old. So young and full of promise. He had earned a spot in the rotation when several of the Halos starters turned up injured to start the season. Now, all we can do is wonder what could have been:-(
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!
Rest In Peace, Nick Adenhart.
I've had just about enough of the Tampa Bay Rays, thank you very much. Especially their outfielders, who thwarted the Sox bats time and again this afternoon, their gloves gobbling up fly ball after fly ball. Even MVPedey's day at the plate ended in futility, going 0-for-5. Lowrie left his bat in Fort Myers, it seems. Or maybe in Citi Field, where he knocked a grand salami off of Oliver Perez last Saturday. Youk, however, had his second 3-hit game in a row. Aside from an RBI triple by Bay and the second Tek homer of the series, Youk was the team's one-man offense. Tek gets special kudos for working on his swing from the left side and bringing the pop back. Even if his average stays low, if he can knock some homers every now and then...
Dice-K was letting them fly today, giving up 3 dingers in the 5 1/3 innings he pitched. He K'ed more batters than he walked, but those long balls put the hurtin' on him and the team. MDC came on in the sixth in relief of Dice, and got the two outs he needed, but got all walky when he came out again in the seventh. Ramon Ramirez, of the flawless inning in yesterday's game, bailed MDC out big-time when he induced a double play to get out of the inning. He went on to pitch a flawless eighth. So far so good for the guy the Sox got when they shipped Coco to Kansas City.
Tomorrow night's a night-owl special as the Sox go west for their first encounter with the Angels. Right now, the Angels are in my thoughts and prayers after the tragic loss of their young pitcher Nick Adenhart in a car accident last night, hours after he threw six shutout innings against Oakland. He was just 22 years old. So young and full of promise. He had earned a spot in the rotation when several of the Halos starters turned up injured to start the season. Now, all we can do is wonder what could have been:-(
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!
Rest In Peace, Nick Adenhart.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A Fizzle in the Fenway Hizzle
Sox: 2 Rays: 7
Allow me to compare my beloved baseball team's game today to a soda bottle whose cap has been left off too long. Fizzle, fizzle, fizzle...FLAT! After yesterday's terrific, feel-good opener, the Sox fell short today. Lester started out strong, striking out 5 in the first two innings. A throwing error by Youk in the third led to the Rays scoring their first run. However, Lester escaped further damage by getting Longoria to ground into a twin killer. Lester set down the side in order in the fourth, thanks to a diving play in right by Rocco, robbing his former teammate Dioner Navarro of a hit. In the fifth, however, the wheels came off. He walked former Red Sox Gabe Kapler and then a hit and run single by Iwamura advanced Kapler to third. Bartlett pulled off a safety squeeze bunt and Lester took a mental holiday, throwing to a surprised Tek at home instead of getting the sure out at first. To make matters worse, Haverhill boy Carlos Pena takes him yard after a double play scored the third Rays run. A four-run fifth inning for the pesky Rays. Ouch!
The Sox bats, they were plumb tired after yesterday's festivities. They took some free passes from Kaz, but the hits were few and far between, and when they happened, they weren't all that timely. They managed to scrape together two runs, but left too many guys to languish on the sacks. Deja Game 7, anyone? But, let's not be too hard on our Sox; it's only game 2 of 162 and no team ever goes 162-0. Being 1-1 sure beats where those Bronx boys are right now, doesn't it?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Allow me to compare my beloved baseball team's game today to a soda bottle whose cap has been left off too long. Fizzle, fizzle, fizzle...FLAT! After yesterday's terrific, feel-good opener, the Sox fell short today. Lester started out strong, striking out 5 in the first two innings. A throwing error by Youk in the third led to the Rays scoring their first run. However, Lester escaped further damage by getting Longoria to ground into a twin killer. Lester set down the side in order in the fourth, thanks to a diving play in right by Rocco, robbing his former teammate Dioner Navarro of a hit. In the fifth, however, the wheels came off. He walked former Red Sox Gabe Kapler and then a hit and run single by Iwamura advanced Kapler to third. Bartlett pulled off a safety squeeze bunt and Lester took a mental holiday, throwing to a surprised Tek at home instead of getting the sure out at first. To make matters worse, Haverhill boy Carlos Pena takes him yard after a double play scored the third Rays run. A four-run fifth inning for the pesky Rays. Ouch!
The Sox bats, they were plumb tired after yesterday's festivities. They took some free passes from Kaz, but the hits were few and far between, and when they happened, they weren't all that timely. They managed to scrape together two runs, but left too many guys to languish on the sacks. Deja Game 7, anyone? But, let's not be too hard on our Sox; it's only game 2 of 162 and no team ever goes 162-0. Being 1-1 sure beats where those Bronx boys are right now, doesn't it?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Grand Opening!
Sox: 5 Rays: 3
The Red Sox got the '09 Season off to a good start with a victory over division rival Rays today on Opening Day at Fenway Park. After a nice, albeit ringless, opening ceremony, Josh Beckett took the mound and looked every bit like the Josh Beckett that dominated in '07, making quick work of the Rays in the first inning. Bottom of the first, Jake whiffs, but Pedey, always one to start off with a bang, delivers a ball into the monster seats and takes his jog around the bases to give the Sox their first run. Papi follows Pedey with a single to center. Youk flies out, Drew doubles, Bay walks, and the bases are loaded. Mikey Lowell comes up and ends the inning with pop-up to Navarro.
Beckett coasts through the second inning, but hits a speed bump in the third, walking two batters in a row and giving up a run via Carl Crawford's sac fly. In the bottom of the third, the Sox add three more runs when Pedey walks, Papi flies out, Youk hits a single, Drew grounds out, driving in Pedey, Bay singles, Lowell doubles, and Lowrie singles. Things aren't looking too good for Shields, who seems to have the most trouble in odd-numbered innings this game. Beckett settles down, and Shields does, too, but not for long. After Tek goes yard in the bottom of the 6th, Shields is outta there.
After Beckett pitches 7 innings of 1-run, 2-hit ball, Oki comes on for the 8th. He gets off to a very shaky start, hitting one batter and walking the next. He K's Crawford, then is lifted for Masterson. With Masterson on the mound, the inherited runners double-steal, putting both of them in scoring position for Longoria's single to right. Masterson recovers by fanning Pena for the infamous Golden Sombrero and getting Burrell to fly out to right.
9th inning in a save situation: It's Papelbon Time. He sets down the side in order to grab his first save of the season and put the Red Sox in the win column.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
The Red Sox got the '09 Season off to a good start with a victory over division rival Rays today on Opening Day at Fenway Park. After a nice, albeit ringless, opening ceremony, Josh Beckett took the mound and looked every bit like the Josh Beckett that dominated in '07, making quick work of the Rays in the first inning. Bottom of the first, Jake whiffs, but Pedey, always one to start off with a bang, delivers a ball into the monster seats and takes his jog around the bases to give the Sox their first run. Papi follows Pedey with a single to center. Youk flies out, Drew doubles, Bay walks, and the bases are loaded. Mikey Lowell comes up and ends the inning with pop-up to Navarro.
Beckett coasts through the second inning, but hits a speed bump in the third, walking two batters in a row and giving up a run via Carl Crawford's sac fly. In the bottom of the third, the Sox add three more runs when Pedey walks, Papi flies out, Youk hits a single, Drew grounds out, driving in Pedey, Bay singles, Lowell doubles, and Lowrie singles. Things aren't looking too good for Shields, who seems to have the most trouble in odd-numbered innings this game. Beckett settles down, and Shields does, too, but not for long. After Tek goes yard in the bottom of the 6th, Shields is outta there.
After Beckett pitches 7 innings of 1-run, 2-hit ball, Oki comes on for the 8th. He gets off to a very shaky start, hitting one batter and walking the next. He K's Crawford, then is lifted for Masterson. With Masterson on the mound, the inherited runners double-steal, putting both of them in scoring position for Longoria's single to right. Masterson recovers by fanning Pena for the infamous Golden Sombrero and getting Burrell to fly out to right.
9th inning in a save situation: It's Papelbon Time. He sets down the side in order to grab his first save of the season and put the Red Sox in the win column.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Spring Is Here! (Sort of...)
By "sort of", I mean it's February and can you really call February "spring"? Only if you're a baseball fan. Spring Training Fever has descended upon The Nation as our boys report to camp at Fort Myers ready for a brand spankin' new season. For the sake of cutting right to the chase, here's the lowdown on the 2009 Boston Red Sox:
Pitchers
Josh Beckett: Becks sporting a much healthier bod this time around and he's determined to be the Beckett of 2007, the fearsome 20-game winner who just missed winning the Cy.
Jon Lester: He's the early bird, arriving at camp first, a week early and ready to follow up a breakout 2008 season with an even better 2009. If he can even duplicate his 2008 numbers, he will be well on his way to the cream of the AL pitching crop.
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice is training for the WBC in Japan and will not be at the Red Sox camp. Hopefully, pitching in the WBC won't wear him out down the stretch. If he can do what he did last season, but cut down a little on the walks and high pitch counts, 2009 should be another great year for him.
Tim Wakefield: Wake's back again with his enigmatic knuckler. The big question is how will his endurance hold out as the season goes on. The back and shoulder tend to bark loudly from late August on, but with the team's pitching depth, they can afford to rest Wake when needed.
Brad Penny: One of the team's new West Coast imports, ex-Dodger Brad Penny is one of the low risk/high potential reward signings Theo made this off-season. If all goes well, he's a very solid #4 starter who is as good as many team's #1's and #2's.
John Smoltz: Smoltzy is one of those pitchers who seems to defy Father Time. He's 42 and if his rehab goes well and his history of bouncing back from injury holds up, he will be a fierce weapon down the stretch and into October.
Clay Buchholz: He threw a no-no his second major league start, but couldn't recapture the magic in '08. Things seemed to go from bad to worse for him last season and it really messed with his head. He turned to the team sports shrink in the off-season to work out some of those mental kinks and he's looking for a chance to get back on track this year.
Michael Bowden: He made his major league debut last summer and he's coming to camp with the goal of making a strong case for being the first one called up if a starter goes down.
Ramon Ramirez: The Sox traded Coco to the Royals for this guy, who put up some pretty nice numbers last year and now has the chance to play for a contender. He could be the eighth inning guy the team has been looking for.
Takashi Saito: He came over from L.A. with his former teammate Brad Penny in another low risk/high potential reward move and he could also be that eighth inning guy if he bounces back from his shoulder injury.
Justin Masterson: He's one of last season's rookie success stories, having succeeded both as a starter and a reliever. With the abundance of potential starters, the young bald one is most likely staying in the 'pen and he's another contender for the eighth inning role.
Javier Lopez: The lefty specialist of the Boston bullpen is back for another season. If both Ramirez and Saito keep putting up the low ERAs, Lopez and Oki could be competing for who will be facing the lefties.
Hideki Okajima: Like Javy, Oki is back for a third season with the Sox. Oki ran into some roadblocks last season, especially with inherited runners. He is still a very talented and solid reliever and if he's on his game, he may be the first choice out of the 'pen to pitch to lefties in the later innings.
Position Players
Jason Varitek: The Captain is back and he's hoping to lift some of those numbers out of the cellar after a rough season both on the field and off. He's still one of the most knowledgeable and prepared catchers in the game and it would be nice if he could be around to groom his successor, whomever that may be.
Josh Bard: Not to be confused with pitching prospect Daniel Bard and [hopefully] not to be confused with the guy they had to dump in a hurry three years ago because he couldn't handle the knuckler. Bard had a successful run with the Padres and he may see more playing time with the Sox this time around, to give Tek more rest and to face the toughest righties.
Kevin Youkilis: YOUUUUK had quite a season last year offensively, banging 29 homers and knocking in 115. His defense was also stellar. Was last year a career year or is Youk entering his prime and we can expect more of the same this year?
Dustin Pedroia: MVPedey has been unstoppable for two straight seasons. In '07 he was named AL Rookie of the Year and he followed that up last season with the AL MVP. What he lacks in stature, he makes up in swagger. But the swagger is hard-earned, having had to deal with naysayers his whole life who told them he would never make it as a major leaguer. He certainly showed them!
Julio Lugo: Dude's been pumping some IRON! Lugo is prepared to fight for the starting shortstop job, having gained 10 lbs of muscle in the off-season. Let's hope he has spent some time in the batting cage and in fielding practice as well.
Jed Lowrie: Most likely the reason there is 10 more pounds of Lugo, Jed Lowrie did an excellent job at short in the second half of last season. He tailed off at the end, but now we know he was battling a wrist injury at the time. It will be interesting to see who occupies the space between second and third on Opening Day.
Mike Lowell: He's had a challenging off-season, recovering from major hip surgery and having his name listed in trade rumors had the Sox landed Teixeira. His recovery is progressing well, however, and there's an excellent chance he'll be ready to play on Opening Day.
JD Drew: So what IS the deal with his back? There have been differing reports coming out of training camp about the status of his stiff back and how much he'll be able to play this season.
Jacoby Ellsbury: There's a little bit more of Jacoby this year too. He's been working out at API with Pedey, which bodes well for his performance this season. Could this translate to more pop in his bat? Possibly, but we'll take more consistency first and higher OBP first. If he gets on base, he gives the pitchers fits and opens the door for the offense to pounce.
Jason Bay: The Green Monster's new best friend (although you won't see him venturing INTO it during a coaching visit to the mound) is Jason Bay. He's in the final year of his contract and we're hoping he continues producing like he did when he came to the Sox in August of last year.
David Ortiz: Is the "pop" back in Big Papi's bat? He has come to camp in great shape and that's a good sign for a bounceback year. What kind of pitches will he see? Well, if Youk and Bay continue to mash as they did last year, he should be seeing some pretty good ones. Consistent production in the #4 hole will be key to keeping Papi's intentional walks to a minimum.
Mark Kotsay: JD's brother in back woes will be out for the first month or so of the season after going under the knife last month. This could give minor leaguers like Bailey or even Lars Anderson a chance to keep his bench spot warm until he's ready to come back. Someone's gotta back up first.
Rocco Baldelli: The Woonsocket Rocket is now where he belongs, in a Red Sox uni. His diagnosis has been changed to the less serious and more treatable channelopathy. How much he'll be able to play remains to be seen, but when he can play, that bat has some pop!
In a nutshell, the pitching's deep and could prove to be best in the league this year. The offense is not quite as fearsome as it once was and might be a concern. The team does have the means to land a bat via trade during the season if need be.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Pitchers
Josh Beckett: Becks sporting a much healthier bod this time around and he's determined to be the Beckett of 2007, the fearsome 20-game winner who just missed winning the Cy.
Jon Lester: He's the early bird, arriving at camp first, a week early and ready to follow up a breakout 2008 season with an even better 2009. If he can even duplicate his 2008 numbers, he will be well on his way to the cream of the AL pitching crop.
Daisuke Matsuzaka: Dice is training for the WBC in Japan and will not be at the Red Sox camp. Hopefully, pitching in the WBC won't wear him out down the stretch. If he can do what he did last season, but cut down a little on the walks and high pitch counts, 2009 should be another great year for him.
Tim Wakefield: Wake's back again with his enigmatic knuckler. The big question is how will his endurance hold out as the season goes on. The back and shoulder tend to bark loudly from late August on, but with the team's pitching depth, they can afford to rest Wake when needed.
Brad Penny: One of the team's new West Coast imports, ex-Dodger Brad Penny is one of the low risk/high potential reward signings Theo made this off-season. If all goes well, he's a very solid #4 starter who is as good as many team's #1's and #2's.
John Smoltz: Smoltzy is one of those pitchers who seems to defy Father Time. He's 42 and if his rehab goes well and his history of bouncing back from injury holds up, he will be a fierce weapon down the stretch and into October.
Clay Buchholz: He threw a no-no his second major league start, but couldn't recapture the magic in '08. Things seemed to go from bad to worse for him last season and it really messed with his head. He turned to the team sports shrink in the off-season to work out some of those mental kinks and he's looking for a chance to get back on track this year.
Michael Bowden: He made his major league debut last summer and he's coming to camp with the goal of making a strong case for being the first one called up if a starter goes down.
Ramon Ramirez: The Sox traded Coco to the Royals for this guy, who put up some pretty nice numbers last year and now has the chance to play for a contender. He could be the eighth inning guy the team has been looking for.
Takashi Saito: He came over from L.A. with his former teammate Brad Penny in another low risk/high potential reward move and he could also be that eighth inning guy if he bounces back from his shoulder injury.
Justin Masterson: He's one of last season's rookie success stories, having succeeded both as a starter and a reliever. With the abundance of potential starters, the young bald one is most likely staying in the 'pen and he's another contender for the eighth inning role.
Javier Lopez: The lefty specialist of the Boston bullpen is back for another season. If both Ramirez and Saito keep putting up the low ERAs, Lopez and Oki could be competing for who will be facing the lefties.
Hideki Okajima: Like Javy, Oki is back for a third season with the Sox. Oki ran into some roadblocks last season, especially with inherited runners. He is still a very talented and solid reliever and if he's on his game, he may be the first choice out of the 'pen to pitch to lefties in the later innings.
Position Players
Jason Varitek: The Captain is back and he's hoping to lift some of those numbers out of the cellar after a rough season both on the field and off. He's still one of the most knowledgeable and prepared catchers in the game and it would be nice if he could be around to groom his successor, whomever that may be.
Josh Bard: Not to be confused with pitching prospect Daniel Bard and [hopefully] not to be confused with the guy they had to dump in a hurry three years ago because he couldn't handle the knuckler. Bard had a successful run with the Padres and he may see more playing time with the Sox this time around, to give Tek more rest and to face the toughest righties.
Kevin Youkilis: YOUUUUK had quite a season last year offensively, banging 29 homers and knocking in 115. His defense was also stellar. Was last year a career year or is Youk entering his prime and we can expect more of the same this year?
Dustin Pedroia: MVPedey has been unstoppable for two straight seasons. In '07 he was named AL Rookie of the Year and he followed that up last season with the AL MVP. What he lacks in stature, he makes up in swagger. But the swagger is hard-earned, having had to deal with naysayers his whole life who told them he would never make it as a major leaguer. He certainly showed them!
Julio Lugo: Dude's been pumping some IRON! Lugo is prepared to fight for the starting shortstop job, having gained 10 lbs of muscle in the off-season. Let's hope he has spent some time in the batting cage and in fielding practice as well.
Jed Lowrie: Most likely the reason there is 10 more pounds of Lugo, Jed Lowrie did an excellent job at short in the second half of last season. He tailed off at the end, but now we know he was battling a wrist injury at the time. It will be interesting to see who occupies the space between second and third on Opening Day.
Mike Lowell: He's had a challenging off-season, recovering from major hip surgery and having his name listed in trade rumors had the Sox landed Teixeira. His recovery is progressing well, however, and there's an excellent chance he'll be ready to play on Opening Day.
JD Drew: So what IS the deal with his back? There have been differing reports coming out of training camp about the status of his stiff back and how much he'll be able to play this season.
Jacoby Ellsbury: There's a little bit more of Jacoby this year too. He's been working out at API with Pedey, which bodes well for his performance this season. Could this translate to more pop in his bat? Possibly, but we'll take more consistency first and higher OBP first. If he gets on base, he gives the pitchers fits and opens the door for the offense to pounce.
Jason Bay: The Green Monster's new best friend (although you won't see him venturing INTO it during a coaching visit to the mound) is Jason Bay. He's in the final year of his contract and we're hoping he continues producing like he did when he came to the Sox in August of last year.
David Ortiz: Is the "pop" back in Big Papi's bat? He has come to camp in great shape and that's a good sign for a bounceback year. What kind of pitches will he see? Well, if Youk and Bay continue to mash as they did last year, he should be seeing some pretty good ones. Consistent production in the #4 hole will be key to keeping Papi's intentional walks to a minimum.
Mark Kotsay: JD's brother in back woes will be out for the first month or so of the season after going under the knife last month. This could give minor leaguers like Bailey or even Lars Anderson a chance to keep his bench spot warm until he's ready to come back. Someone's gotta back up first.
Rocco Baldelli: The Woonsocket Rocket is now where he belongs, in a Red Sox uni. His diagnosis has been changed to the less serious and more treatable channelopathy. How much he'll be able to play remains to be seen, but when he can play, that bat has some pop!
In a nutshell, the pitching's deep and could prove to be best in the league this year. The offense is not quite as fearsome as it once was and might be a concern. The team does have the means to land a bat via trade during the season if need be.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Congratulations, Jim Rice!!!
He finally got his due! He's made it to Cooperstown! I regret never seeing him during his playing years, from '75-'89. He was friends with The Monster long before it had seats on top. Over his career, #14 batted .298 with 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI. Like Hall of Famers Ted, Yaz, and Doerr before him, he spent his entire career as a Red Sox. As a Sox fan, him being a lifetime Red Sox makes his induction all the more special. Congrats, Jim Rice! You deserve it!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sox Go for Low-Risk/High Reward with Baldelli, Smoltz, Penny, & Bard.
Ok, I'm over the not signing Teixeira thing. It happened and it's time to move on. That said, the signing of a guy who WANTS to be in Boston, Rocco Baldelli, is a welcome one. He's from New England (Woonsocket, RI, to be precise), he has some pop in his bat, and his agent is not Scott Boras. Baldelli may not be a switch-hitting .300-plus hitter like Tex, but now that his illness has been re-diagnosed as something less severe, perhaps he can begin to realize his potential, both as a hitter and a fielder. His durability is still a question mark, but he will be the 4th outfielder, not required to play every day and his contract has incentives built into it, so it's a low-risk/high-reward deal for the Red Sox.
John Smoltz could be another really good pickup for the Sox. When healthy, he's a force on the mound and the team appears to be optimistic that he will recover fully from his shoulder surgery. He could serve as a fine mentor to the younger pitchers as well. Brad Penny is another pitching acquisition with a high reward potential if he has a bounce-back season. Josh Bard didn't really get much of a chance the first time around. A few more years experience could make a big difference for him.
A big gaping hole still remains at catcher. Will Tek be back for a short-term deal or will the Sox pony up a few prospects for Salty or another young catcher with a high upside?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
John Smoltz could be another really good pickup for the Sox. When healthy, he's a force on the mound and the team appears to be optimistic that he will recover fully from his shoulder surgery. He could serve as a fine mentor to the younger pitchers as well. Brad Penny is another pitching acquisition with a high reward potential if he has a bounce-back season. Josh Bard didn't really get much of a chance the first time around. A few more years experience could make a big difference for him.
A big gaping hole still remains at catcher. Will Tek be back for a short-term deal or will the Sox pony up a few prospects for Salty or another young catcher with a high upside?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)