Running Red Sox thread

The second column is his age. The last is games. He pitched in tons of games. He was also never a fastball guy. He lost 5 mph on his fastball because of 2004. His pitch was always his change up. Roids aren't going to help with a change up.

 

If they had gotten him 4 years ago, I'd have been all over it. What are his projections for this year?

Call me crazy, but in this day and age, I'm skeptical of hitters who suddenly lose their power because of a bad back.

And weren't you the one arguing that the Sox should get rid of Manny because he had lost it? What's the difference between these cases?

 

If your changeup is 75-78, a fastball isn't so different at 85-86. 90-91 is a bit different. SI interviewed NL hitters on how fast Hoffman throws his fastball, and everybody guessed 91 and over. He hasn't broken 88 in years. It's the same speed of his arm and the angle, throwing his change at 71. Roids can help you recover and throw a fastball with more velocity.

 

Oh, and I watched the game against the Twins last night. Julian Tavarez gave a moon shot to a kid who will be playing in double A for the offensive starved Twins. So much for him being a candidate to close.

 

Tavarez is only around to keep Manny happy. He is the new Kevin Millar.

They are basically paying him so Manny will show up at spring training and keep him from being a problem until his contract is up at the end of the year. No way they pick up club options of over 40 mill for 2 seasons.

 

do you really believe Tavarez is or was ever a candidate to close? c'mon.

 

ESPN reports Sox are try to deal for Brad Lidge.

 

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Now, those are the results the Red Sox hoped for when they invested $103 million in Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Matsuzaka hoped for more.

In the best outing by a Boston pitcher this spring training, Dice-K dominated -- one run, one single, one walk and one standing ovation. In 5 2/3 innings, he struck out seven and the Red Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 on Wednesday.

Matsuzaka fanned the Pirates' best hitter, Jason Bay, twice on a total of seven pitches and went to three-ball counts on only four of his 20 batters.

But his overview of the outing was "that I was able to pitch despite struggling a little bit," he said through an interpreter. "I was having a little but of trouble controlling my fastball."

The wind may have contributed to that.

"If that's struggling, we're in for some fun," manager Terry Francona said. "I think he's a perfectionist."


I know it was just the pitiful Pirates...let's see what he does against a major league team.

 

Papelbon named the closer again. Per Kffl

 

good

we don't need Dice or Shill holding onto a one run lead in the ninth and a closer blowing it for the 3rd or 4th time in a week,, because we know Tito would keep the guy in there