Running Red Sox thread

and Tim Wakefield appears to be the best clutch pitcher on the Sox. 15 wins. couldn't have asked for much more.

 

Kapler ruputured his achilles. Fuck. :banginghe

 

tic, tic, tic

 

if there's any good news coming out of this current implosion, it's Craig Hansen. The guy hasn't given up a run as a pro and last night had a 1-2-3 inning. I likes a guy who's got a mid-90s fastball and low-90s slider. good chance he's the closer next year.

three years from now, the Sox will have the top pitching staff in the league.


Manny for Beltran? I'd take it in a heartbeat and let Johnny go.

 

Yeah - I am definitely excited about the pitching coming through the system. Paplebon looks good and should contribute a bunch next year. I still can;t figure Arroyo out though. God knows he's got the stuff to be a 20 game winner. And Wake will probably pitch until he's 90.

For some reason I just can't get sold on Beltran. Maybe it was that he was just a really good player in KC that had an obscene couple of months in Houston. Maybe it was that he just hasn't been able to fit in in NY. I just don't know. Anyway, I will say that any "let Johnny go" thoughts that I may have ever had are gone. Like memory eraser thingy gone. As long as he is asking for something reasonable, they have to resign him.

Edit, I just looked at Beltran's stats on basebal reference. And now, not only am I not sold on that trade, but it is a no fucking brainer BAD move.

 

don't get me wrong, I love how Damon's played for the Sox. It's just that he's gonna ask for a four-year deal (after they broke their own rules and gave Varitek a four-year, he's got leverage to ask for one for himself). Don't think he'll last four. Think he's already starting to break down. Beltran is having a crappy year by his standards. But an average year for him should be as good or better than anything Johnny will put up in the next three or four years. He's younger, plays better D and I believe he can be a consistent 30-30 guy. If you let Damon go, you can sign someone like Jacques Jones or Brian Giles (I'd prefer Jones) to play left. Let Millar walk, too, and have enough cash left to sign Paul Konerko to play first.

end result: power numbers about the same if not better; team is younger, and defense is improved dramatically.

all probably a moot point. beltran has veto power over any and all trades.

 

I hate seeing Millar leave, but he's just not getting it done and Konerko is a solid major leaguer. It would be even better if they can keep Olerud too.

 

Yeah, there are a hundred guys out there doing what Millar's doing, at considerably less expense.

one interesting thing will be to so see what they do with Bill Mueller, another free agent to be. On the one hand, I love the guy. He shows up every day (when he's not hurt), plays solid third base and is a good clubhouse guy. But they've gotten to where they gotta shit or get off the pot with Youkilis.

 

Francona fucked it up tonight. He knows that Timlin is horrible when coming into a game with runners on and still brings him in when he could've used any one of the young guys to get 1 out. Timlin still should've been able to hold the lead. I know Francona is a loyalty guy and all but he's going to have to use Papelbon, Hansen and Delcarmen down the stretch just to make it into the playoffs.

 

yanks lead the division...I'd love to see the bosox miss the playoffs completely..

mwhahwlaalol