Beantown Sports Guys

Lowell trade is thumbs down

It's looking more and more like Mike Lowell will be back in Boston this season unless they decide to waive him outright. After failing his physical (torn thumb ligament) that would have sent him to Texas to play for the Rangers, you can't expect for this to end well. You would have thought the Sox would have done a complete workup on Lowell before trying to trade him.

On the one hand, maybe this could be a good thing for the Sox - if Lowell didn't know he had a torn thumb ligament perhaps that is a big reason why his overall bat speed has slowed and his production has dipped. Hip and elbow problems aside, if you couple either of those injuries with a torn thumb ligament you aren't going to be able to produce no matter how good you are. Surgery could fix it, but will it mend the relationship between Lowell and the Sox?

It's a very long offseason and I am sure this isn't the end of the trade attempts as Theo tries to make another big move to shore up the infield situation.

How to truly rid MLB of steroids

People keep saying that they are let down when the biggest stars are caught using Performance Enhancing Drugs like steroids or HGH. But it won't ever be fixed until MLB does the one thing they should have done in the first place:

Suspend players without pay for an entire year the first time they are caught. The second time they are out of the game forever.

That's what MLB could do to clean it up because you'd have to be crazy to do them if there were repercussions like that.

Another solution goes against the CBA and the Players Union would never let this happen but that shouldn't matter because they are made up of the players and the players should vote for it: allow players to voluntarily give urine or blood samples whenever they want.

Think about it: Albert Pujols said the league could test him every day and if he tested positive even once he would give all the money he has ever made back. But the Players Union would never let that happen.

But they should.

If big name players like Pujols, Longoria, Howard, and Ortiz did that wouldn't others be hard pressed to prove it?

Or how about this: players sign contracts that explictly say that if they test positive for steroids or any other PEDs that not only is their contract null and void, but they need to pay the team back whatever was paid to them under that contract.

This might all sound very Draconian but if you want to save the integrity of the game this is how you do it. You need to be ruthless. I know if I was a player in the MLB I would do everything I could to make sure the Players Union was working just as hard at ridding the game of steroids as MLB is trying to make people think they are working on it.

Did A-Rod really leave it all behind?

Alex Rodriguez claims now that he is now really leaving all that baggage behind, moving forward and ready to start the 2nd phase of his career.

But did he?

Or is he still lying? I watched the entire interview, and have mixed feelings about it. For the most part, I believe him - I believe that it was the first time he did it in his career, that the environment was so loose it really was acceptable in that culture, and that he was stupid. I believed most of the raw emotion I saw - he was fidgety, chose his words carefully at times so not to breakdown, and he generally was not comfortable.

But that's where it gets fuzzy for me.

I question whether he "knew he made a mistake with Katie Couric and lied because how could he be truthful with her when he couldn't be truthful with himself". I think he didn't say anything because he figured it would never come to light.

I question whether "decided to end his steroid use because of a neck injury". I think he ended it because he knew he was already caught in 2003 and why risk it all now when he escaped that incident?

I question whether he truly is sorry about it, and whether he is just sorry he got caught.

What I don't question though is that he did the right thing. And for that he has my respect. He could have gone the Clemens route, but didn't. He could have gone the Bonds route, but didn't. He could have gone the Palmeiro route and shake his finger at Couric, but didn't.

If he is clean from here on out and plays are the level he has been the last few years for the majority of those years I think he gets into the Hall of Fame. Maybe not first ballot, but he'll be there. And with his numbers, he should be.

And if a diehard Red Sox fan like myself can write that, I guess that should say something.

But it won't stop me from yelling "A-Roid" or "A-Fraud" at Fenway this year.

Yanks sign Texieria

Below are excerpts from four diehard Sox fans (most who have contributed to the blog) about the signing of Tiexieriaiairria or however you spell his name. Contrary to what the national media is reporting, most of Red Sox Nation is not pissed off at Theo and the Sox for not pulling the trigger. Enjoy.

Yanks sign Texieria

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Hyndsy
To: Steve, Wun
Free agent first baseman Mark Teixeira has reached agreement with the New York Yankeeson an eight-year contract worth more than $170 million, a source involved in the negotiations tells ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. The Yankees swooped in on Teixeira on Tuesday when it was believed the Boston Red Soxor the Washington Nationals were the likeliest of his future employer. The Red Sox's offer was believed to be in the range of $170 million, and the Nationals reached out with an offer perhaps greater than that of Boston.

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Steven
To: Hyndsy, Wun
In all seriousness, for me, the only thing that sucked was Tex going to the Yanks.  If he chose the Nationals, that would have been perfect.  Personally I don't think Tex is worth that committment and money.  I don't think he is a sure thing for 8 seasons and I hate getting stuck with guys.  Yanks gave him a no-trade clause!  F that!  None of us have any idea what the guy is going to do after these next 2 seasons!!  What if he suddenly goes Travis Hafner or Victor Martinez and can't hit???  I think this could be a blessing in disguise.  Tex isn't that money!  30-35 HRs and 120 RBIs can be put up and will be put up by many up and coming guys.  Plenty of guys.  Longoria anyone??  Some young guys come out of nowhere and are suddenly the guy to have.  Someone will have a breakout year this year and be the next Tex.  I may be in the minority but I am glad the Sox held their ground and didn't give in to Boras ridiculous contract.    I agree Tex would have given us what we lost somewhat with Manny leaving as a big bat for the middle of our lineup and would have been nice for the short term.  And I do think for the short-term, the Yanks seriously upgraded with their signings and Tex is huge for them to balance those pitcher signings.  But Theo shouldn't be done.  Maybe he gets creative with a trade.  If he goes out and gets Peavy, that would be better than anything the Yanks did in my mind.  Take a chance on Sheets as well.  Put some money into extending Jason Bay.   2 seasons ago, Tex was a first round fantasy pick and he was a bust.  Last year he put up close to the same numbers as Youk.  He is not other-worldly.  I am hardly in mourning over this today.  It just sucks it was the Yanks who got him basically.

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Hyndsy
To: Steve Cc: Wun, Thomas
You know what sucks? The Yanks swooped in and stole KEVIN CASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, if we protect Bay and put people around him I think he can put up similar numbers. I mean it.  I agree 100%. I am not upset about it. What I am upset about is Cash AND the fact that the country thinks that all of us Boston fans are pissed about the non-signing and that they STOLE him. They didnt. If you check out the Globe, 54% of the people in the poll said they didnt want him for that kind of money and commitment and they backed Theo. 23% said they should have upped the ante. Boo hoo.

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Steve
To: Hyndsy Cc: Wun, Thomas
I know, love how the national media thinks we all wanted him.  UM, sorry, but he is not worth all that!  Yanks beat the Sox??  Haha, that's fine.    I totally agree about Jason Bay... I seriously think he could EASILY match Tex's production!  He should be more comfortable going into this season also.  Sox should lock him up now in my opinion with a contract similar to Pedroia and Ortiz and Beckett.  Give him some money and security now but don't break the bank on him like Tex would have.   I want our pitching rotation to look like this: Beckett, Peavy, DiceK, Lester, Sheets   Trade Bucholtz and Bowden to get Peavy and his managable contract for the next few years.  Sign Sheets to a 1-2 year deal which won't be too high since no team is going to be willing to over-extend for his services so he will come cheap.

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Hyndsy
To: Steven Cc: Wun, Thomas
Honestly, I feel bad for Yankees fans. They needed something like this to feel good after missing the playoffs and being relatively insignificant over the past few years. You heard it here first - AJ Burnett will do well...until he gets hurt aka Carl Pavano. They spent WAY too much on him. I would much rather make a trade for a Peavy or Sheets that dont have a long history of injuries than him!!! I wonder if Cash's agent is Boras...you know, have him sign with the Yankees and then make the Sox overpay for Tek...sounds like him

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Steven
To: Hyndsy Cc: Wun, Thomas
sad part is we do need Tek

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Thomas
To: Steven Cc: Hyndsy, Wun
i don't know about sheets and peavy in our rotation. i think the sox will sign some stud pitcher this year or next in the event the beckett is out of here (i have no proof of it, but i just feel it). i'm more inclined to pursue peavy but i don't know about giving up two stud pitching prospects.  i'd do buch or bowden and a hitting prospect (san diego can't hit for shit) not named lars anderson or chris carter.

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Hyndsy
To: Thomas Cc: Steven, Wun
Brewers might be willing to part with Sheets, Peavy is on the market for sure, they just want the right combo of guys I think. I thought Chris Carter was working on ANOTHER X-Files movie or is that just hearsay?

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Steven
To: Hyndsy Cc: Wun, Thomas

To my knowledge, Peavy would need to be traded for but Sheets is a free agent right now.  Brewers have no say I don't think.  So to sign Sheets would be free, just money, whereas Peavy is tougher since it requires players to be dealt.  BUT Peavy is way better and way worth it.  We have no room for Buch and Bowden anyway.

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Hyndsy
To: Thomas Cc: Steven, Wun

True! I forgot he is a FA....man, I'd love to have Sheets if we can't get Peavy.

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Steven To: Hyndsy Cc: Wun, Thomas
Peavy is the real prize though   Landing him could almost trump all the Yankees signings

BoSox slam door shut on Halos, advance to ALCS

You can't point to one guy in this win and say he was the reason why they won. It was an all-around effort. On both sides.

The Angels hung in there for a while, while Lackey did what he could to keep the Sox at bay, his fielders behind him weren't at the top of their game (save Texieria).

Varitek's tag on a squeeze play that would have put the Angels up a run in the 9th was both controversial and pivotal. Tek tagged Reggie Willits as he was retreating to third base and after he tagged him out, he stumbled and the ball popped loose when he hit the ground. It was made clear by MLB that the right call was made by Umpire Tim Welke who noted that it was not a case where the ground can cause a fumble.

"That's the NFL," said Steve Palermo, the Major League supervisor of umpires, after the game. "We don't have that in baseball. He had possession of the ball when he made the tag."

Tek certainly had possession of the ball, and Welke signaled Willits was out even before the ball popped out.

In the bottom of the 9th Jason Bay hit a ground rule double that bounced into the stands as Willits dove for it. Had the ball not hopped into the stands, there was a good shot that Bay could have ended the game with a walk-off inside the park HR.

But he didn't need to.

Jed Lowrie came up to the plate and lined it to the outfield and Bay rounded third with a head of steam, diving headfirst into home and slapping home before jumping up and being mobbed by his teammates.

The Angels were arguably the team to beat in all of MLB, and the Red Sox took their best shot. But now they head to Tampa for what will surely be a series that goes to 7 games and will have it all: solid pitching, good hitting, and great fielding, from both clubs.

This is why we love October.

So long, Manny

No sooner did I finish my writeup of Manny staying in Boston, he left town. I'm not shocked to tell you the truth. The basis of my writeup still holds true: Scott Boras is an evil, evil man.

Yesterday, over 50 emails transpired between myself and a few of my Sox buddies, and the overall theme was we needed to make a move and get rid of Manny, almost at any cost. We kicked around various trade scenarios we thought would better the team, but in the end, it always came back to a team without Manny. Not because of his bad or glove. But because he became the cancer in the clubhouse. That was a departure from previous seasons. Whenever the trading deadline neared, Manny would talk and people would take notice, but it wasn't until this season, when he took on Scott Boras as an agent that it got evil and vindictive. That's when we were content with saying goodbye.


(Jim Rogash / Getty Images)

My buddy Steve, who writes for this blog, said it quite succinctly in our fantasy league forum:

Yep, sucks it had to come to this, but this is all about Manny shooting his way out of town for a new longer contract. Evil Scott Boras obviously somewhat behind this. They never wanted the Sox to pick up next years $20 mil option and then be able to wait to pick up another option the year after. Boras gets nothing with that and Manny gets no lengthy security. So really what else could the Sox do here? They forced the team to trade him and us fans all lose out.

We all loved Manny's hijinks as long as he produced with the stick and he always did. Esp in the clutch and when it mattered most in the playoffs. He even flashed leather here and there which would have you shaking your head and laughing.

We all would have enjoyed him ending his career here and retiring with the Sox. Going into the Hall with a Sox jersey and being proud. He could have enjoyed his fame here long after his playing years had ended. But as usual with these players, they lose perspective and get too greedy. And like this guy really had to after the contract he has had all this time.

So for the short term, the Sox lose out and the Dodgers win this trade. They get Manny got FREE for the rest of the season for a couple of who cares prospects.

But since the Sox HAD TO MAKE THIS MOVE and get something for him, I really actually like the deal. Jason Bay should be good enough and is better defensively and constant hustler and we have him under contract for the rest of this year and all of next for chump change. Sure I would have liked Holliday better, but Bay was the next best thing. And was good to NOT have him go to Tampa!

I did think the Sox paid too much having to add in Hanson and Moss, but when ya think about it... Hanson has absolutely sucked since we have drafted him!!! Moss is nothing special. I thought David Murphy was a much better prospect and sure enough he was... I don't expect Moss to go David Murphy on us here. Yes it sucks the Sox lose a couple of chips they could have used for another trade, but I can't say I will miss either of them.

Manny and Boras really put the Sox organization in a tough spot and I think the Sox are fortunate they landed Bay at all. I am actually excited to watch a new player with his talent here.

The Pirates really get screwed not getting either of the top two players in the 3 way deal. Have fun with 4 prospects Pitt!

Of course if the Dodgers miss the playoffs, they will be the biggest losers as Manny will be a free agent and sign elsewhere for whatever sucker team is going to pony up $100+ mil for the next 4-6 years. Dodgers will be left with nothing.

So see ya Manny, your act did indeed grow fucking tired here - really for me just in the past couple weeks opting out of big games where you could finally see the writing on the wall. Thanks for the 2 world series wins and have fun joining all the other dummies who could have stayed here if they weren't so greedy like Nomar and Damon and Pedro and then see their careers plummet and just vindicate the Sox brass choice of letting them walk.

Yanks, you can have him in the twilight of his career and pay him that ridiculous money as he pushes 40!

Overall, good job Sox!

And he's right. I told everyone in the slew of emails I expect Manny to be a New York Yankee next year, and he will. Absolutely. The Yanks will throw $100 million at him for 4 years, and they'll be giddy to get him. But will his production continue? Time will tell.

 

Here is a general roundup of our email exchange yesterday:

Steve said:

At this point with all the smack Manny is tossing around, I guess its better they deal him.  It has never gotten this bad.  And if they can get Jason Bay, it looks like that is about the best they are gonna get.  Doesn't look like 'Rado is moving Holliday.  And frankly, Bay and Manny do have similar numbers if you looks at their runs, HRs and RBIs.  The fact that Bay is doing it in a not so lethal Pitt lineup makes him look even better.  He did have that stud year back in '05 and 06 was just a bit of a dropoff from that.  Only '07 was real bad for him, but he looks to be rebounding back on this season (once Kraig gave up on him for his fantasy team)  so I kinda hope they make the deal now.  Get Bay for rest of this season and next year for only 7.5 mil and then he'll prolly be gone since his agent is also big bad Boras who will want to get paid.  God I hate Boras!!! 

Tom:

There's a part of me that believes that the Rockies would part with Holliday at the right price.  There's not much the Sox can do to prevent the Yankees from getting Manny the second we decide not to exercise his options or shred those up and give him a 3/4 year contract.  As much man-love as i have for Manny.  it's over.  you can love the girl you're with because she's got a nice rack of lamb or does other things well, but in the end if she proves to be more cancerous than not, it's time to get a babe.  Jason Bay doesn't exactly rev my engine...i'm gonna be real and say that we could probably entice the Rockies to give us Holliday (whom they certainly can't keep after next season) and possibly Fuentes or Corpas for Manny, Buchholz, and an A-level and B-level pitching prospect.  The Sox farm system is loaded with pitching and we're inevitably going to have to use them as trade bait for bats, which we don't have many.  

 

Me:

I would also love to get Holliday and Fuentes. It would be a win-win for Manny because the air would inflate his numbers, thus improving his ability to sign a bigger contract, plus he gets out of Boston. I would send Manny and Hansen out there along with someone that is low on the totem pole that shows promise. I'd be more than fine with that.

Look at his numbers compared to Manny's, last three years:

Last 3 years	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2006	COL	155	602	119	196	45	5	34	114	47	110	10	5	.326	.387	.586	.973
2007	COL	158	636	120	216	50	6	36	137	63	126	11	4	.340	.405	.607	1.012
2008	COL	92	360	66	123	25	2	18	63	51	66	14	1	.342	.429	.572	1.001

 

Last 3 years	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2006	BOS	130	449	79	144	27	1	35	102	100	102	0	1	.321	.439	.619	1.058
2007	BOS	133	483	84	143	33	1	20	88	71	92	0	0	.296	.388	.493	.881
2008	BOS	100	365	66	109	22	1	20	68	52	86	1	0	.299	.398	.529	.926

Something that should jump out to everyone is not only run production but sheer GAMES PLAYED. Manny taking almost 30 games off a year, while Holliday is always in there. Hits for a much higher average, slugging is close too. He doesnt walk as much as Manny but his power numbers are there, plus look at his triples, hits and overall runs.

Now compare to Bay:

Last 3 years	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2006	PIT	159	570	101	163	29	3	35	109	102	156	11	2	.286	.396	.532	.928
2007	PIT	145	538	78	133	25	2	21	84	59	141	4	1	.247	.327	.418	.746
2008	PIT	106	393	72	111	23	2	22	64	59	86	7	0	.282	.375	.519	.894

Not too bad, but Holliday is the better choice I think here, and the numbers prove it. I like Bay, but I'd be giddy if we got Holliday.

 

Mark said:

I'm happy w/ the deal. Here is why.

It seems over the last few years w/ the addition of Youk, Pedroia, Elsbury, & Papelbon that all Sox fans are now in love with all of our prospects; remember they are only prospects.

   

Hansen didn't do anything when he was called apon & Moss was never going to play in Boston's OF unless someone got hurt.  

   

We get OF Bay who 2 out of the last 3 years had over 100R, 100Rbi, 30HR, & 20SB. He did slump a little last year w/ only 21HR, but he already has 22 this year. Expect more HR because of the shorter LF & expect more rbi because he's in Boston & not Pittsburgh. He has decent speed & will run out plays in the field & on the base path.

   

If we had kept Manny till the end of the year, the Sox weren't going to pick up his option(s).

We have Bay for next season too, which gives Theo a year & change to evaulate Bay to see if he fits in Boston. Wondering who our LF is going to be is 1 less thing to worry about in the offseason. If Bay performs, he very well could be the Sox LF for years to come.

   

Paying the Dodgers to take Manny does sting a little bit, but I'll take the hit knowing we have Bay secure for next season for under $10mil. The Sox can use that extra cash to look for a solid RP.

 

In the end, we all are happy that we're getting fresh blood in town, and getting rid of a giant headache. We'll miss Manny and his playful antics, but Red Sox Nation was turned upside down when he turned against us. We thank him for his service, we'll remember the good times, and with Bay in a Sox uniform we'll look to forget the bad times…sooner rather than later.

Good luck in L.A., Manny.

 

 

 

Can the Red Sox keep pace with the Rays?

A little more than halfway into their season and the Tampa Bay Rays are in 1st place in the AL East. At 51-32, they lead the Red Sox by 2 1/2 games, the Yankees by 7 1/2, and Baltimore and Toronto by 8 1/2 and 11 games respectively.

The two main questions flying around are: "When will the Rays fall back to earth?" and "Can the Red Sox pull the AL East away from them?"

Some think the former question is nonsense, in fact, many think the Rays haven't even played their best baseball yet, just getting back Carlos Pena and Cliff Floyd, while their starting pitching has been the big story for them.

At this point in time, their standing in the division has just as much to do with them playing well as it has to do with the Sox losing close games. Not including last night's 3-1 loss to Tampa, out of the Boston's last 6 losses 5 have been by 1 run. Their bullpen is still finding it's way, and their starting pitching needs to get consistent. The DL is not their friend right now, and losing someone like Ortiz to it for an extended period of time was bound to bite them in the ass.

The latter question has everything to do with just that: getting healthy. Ortiz, Colon, and Timlin are all integral in getting the Sox back on track, especially Ortiz.

The Rays are still a young team. They are on Cloud 9 right now but what happens when they hit a 3 or 4 game losing streak? Will they fall apart? Will they regroup and be better as a result? Who knows, but if you're a Rays fan, enjoy it while it lasts.

Support your Nation…Red Sox Nation

This year's MLB All-Star game is in Yankee Stadium. It's a fitting tribute and sendoff to a great stadium, as the Yankees say goodbye to it after this season and hello to their new stadium next year.

Now, what better way to say goodbye than to fill it with Red Sox players. Vote for the Sox! Don't be stupid. Just do it. Once you fill out the form, it remembers your entries so you can vote over and over again, you just need to do the verification box thing and you're golden.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2008/ballot_reg.html

Vote 25 times a day. You'll know when you did because you'll see this:

 

 

I did my part, now go do yours!

5 Rays players, 3 Sox players suspended

Major League Baseball doled out stiff punishments today for Thursday night's brawl between the Red Sox and Rays at Fenway Park, suspending eight players in all, five Rays, three Sox.

Outfielder Coco Crisp got the longest, a 7-game suspension (appealing), Jon Lester got 5 games (not appealing, as it will only move his next start back a day), and Sean Casey 3 games (not decided whether he will appeal yet).

For Tampa Bay, James Shields got 6 games, Jonny Gomes 5 games, Edwin Jackson 5 games, Carl Crawford 4 games, and Akinori Iwamura 3 games.

I am quite shocked that Jon Lester was suspended, as it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Whatever he may have done didn't warrant the umpires to eject him from the game, so why suspend him? And for five games? That seems out of whack to me.

Jonny Gomes is a punk. Not only did he precipitate the drama in spring training against the Yankees, but he was throwing bombs when he rushed the field. Navarro not only tackled Coco (which some think was in order to protect Shields) but he choke slammed him to the ground, held him there while Gomes, Crawford and Shields went off on him.

Crawford is a coward too, pulling on Coco's hair and scratching him like a little girl. They had Coco under control and all they needed to do was hold him down. But no. Crawford needed to get in some cheap shots and slide knee first into the back of Coco's head. Coco was none too happy about that.

"I charged the mound. [Shields] tried to hit me with a punch," Crisp said. "I'm not upset at all. We fought. That's all it is. There were some cheap shots there. [Carl] Crawford came sliding in. I don't know why he was pulling hair, scratching. After that it was three, four guys on one."

After the game Shields said that teams have been kicking the crap out of them for the last decade and it won't happen on his watch.

"I protected my own players and that's what we need to do around here," Shields said. "We've been getting stomped around the last 10 years and it isn't going to happen anymore. I had to let them know early and let them know right away."

You're right, Shields: the Yanks, Jays, Sox, and Orioles have all kicked the crap out of you the last 10 years because you've been an awful organization, have had terrible ownership that wouldn't spend any money, and have done nothing to make your team into a contender. It's taken 10 years to have some semblance of team unity, and if you have to throw whiff hardcore on a haymaker to Coco to show that unity to the rest of the league then so be it.

But beware what you wish for.

Manny takes care of Rays, Sox take care of their own

When I got to Fenway last night and saw how easily we had two guys get on base, I knew Manny had a shot to end the game very early. When he connected on his 503rd career HR to give the Sox a 3-0 lead I knew the game was in the bag already, which was great considering all of Fenway wanted to watch a great game and get home in time to catch some of the Celtics game.

And then James Shields decided to get "revenge" on Coco Crisp for what the Devil Rays called in spring training "playing hard" because he slid hard into 2nd the other night.

Shields acted like a little bitch, swung for the fences and missed, and Coco was on him, until their gutless catcher Navarro jumped on top of him while Johnny Gomes and Carl Crawford pounded away on Coco.

Sheilds should be suspended for 10 games, as should Gomes and Crawford, and I would expect Coco to get at least 5, but knowing Bob Watson he might be suspended for 50 games.

In a game that was more remembered for the brawl than Manny's 5 RBI night, or even Ellsbury spraining his wrist and leaving the game, I have to say I was quite pleased with the outcome (7-1 win, 13th straight at Fenway).

Order is also restored, as the Sox took a 1 1/2 game lead in the AL East and the Rays are about to start their downward spiral.