I'm not sure I get this. Did Santos get hurt or something?9. Remember when we were fretting that the Red Sox didn’t obtain Sergio Santos from the White Sox and he went to the Blue Jays?
I was shocked by this sentence. Obviously, I don't know Canseco personally, but from everything I've read or heard Jose Canseco is widely considered to be one of the biggest assholes to wear a uniform. An anecdote, on the director's commentary from the softball episode of "The Simpsons" the producers and writers were talking about how all of the players were really nice, accommodating (this includes Clemens and Daryl Strawberry) except for "a person whose name rhymes with Blose Banseco." Now, obviously one day doesn't mean he's the Hitler of baseball, but it's pretty telling.16. Too bad Jose Canseco’s reputation has been tainted by steroids and flamboyant behavior off the field, because those who know him well say he has a heart of gold.
Why? He hasn't managed in 16 years.17. With Duquette back in the majors, it’s time for someone to give Kevin Kennedy a chance to manage again.
After I read this one, I was hoping that Alan's last name was Trannell32. I am on board with my good friend Scott Miller of CBSSports.com when it comes to supporting Alan Trammell for the Hall of Fame. I have voted for him for years. Extremely underrated. It’s so frustrating that he gets so little of the vote. He wasn’t Cal Ripken, but he was the best all-around shortstop of his time and was instrumental in the Tigers’ success. Trammell is so quiet and unassuming that he has never politicked for himself. So Miller and the rest of us “Trammies’’ will do it for him.
Berardino will be 75 this year. Malzone will be 82 in February. "Important instructional roles???"47. Would love to see Valentine incorporate some of the old-school guys like Dick Berardino, Frank Malzone, Tommy Harper, Fred Lynn, and Jim Rice into important instructional roles.
Trammell: 7.5 dWARHe wasn’t Cal Ripken, but he was the best all-around shortstop of his time
Edes used to work at the Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale, about 15 miles or so from Margate. There's no way Edes submitted this question himself; so was it someone trying to see if Nick would bite, or someone at the Globe sending a little jab toward Edes?b]Now that Theo and Tito are gone, who not re-sign Manny Ramirez for cheap and let him sit out his 50 game suspension with the Red Sox? That way he will come back in clean, with a clean slate with Bobby Valentine, and if Carl Crawford doesn't turn it around by the All-Star break, then trade him and re insert Manny back into left field.
Gordon, Margate, Fla.[/b]
Don't have too many thoughts on this topic, other than to say "No chance." The horse is out of the barn, as they say.
Shades of Ben's anti-Drew comments....Part of that toughness, that dirt-dog mentality, is giving 100 percent effort. That means running out ground balls. We know some big guys feel they’re so slow that they wouldn’t beat out a grounder even if an infielder bobbled the ball, so they tend to not bust it down the line.
Some of that toughness left the Red Sox when Jonathan Papelbon signed a lucrative four-year deal with the Philllies. The good news is that they got some of it back when Ben Cherington signed Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey.
He loves to dump on Lowrie, but at the same time in Sunday's article he is pimping Drew as being a valuable pickup for someone.I find it ironic that Cafardo worships baseball players who give 110% effort, yet he doesn't seem to mind sportswriters who don't.
Slapping ball out of fielder's hand, yelling an infielder trying to catch a popup, and taking steroids: "Playing the game the right way" as long as you run out grounders!You really come to appreciate players like Pedroia, Alex Rodriguez, and Derek Jeter who run out every ball as hard as they can.
Finally someone at the Globe comes up with a rational explanation of 2011 that doesn't include chicken, beer, or prescription pain killers. And it's been a long-standing trope among the statistic-arazzi that quality starter innings are more valuable than reliever innings. And it's good to see Cafardo question the Sox' plan for 2012. That is, we're not likely to see much of an improvement in starter IP. (Though it is laughable to see Carlos Silva's name mentioned in the same breath as "quality innings.")Beckett’s 193 innings and Lester’s 191 2/3 were 1-2 on the staff. Buchholz gave them only 82 2/3 before going down with a back injury. Lackey gave them 160 horrible innings, and the Sox had to rely on Tim Wakefield to give them 137 1/3 starter innings. Fill-ins Wakefield, Andrew Miller, Alfredo Aceves, Erik Bedard, and Kyle Weiland accounted for 276 1/3 innings, a 15-17 record, and a 5.44 ERA. Ouch.
Crawford and Posey I can see. But as for the rest... What do you think the over/under on how many of these guys come back to put up career average years? I say 2.5 of seven.Players I expect to come back big in 2012: Crawford, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, Ichiro Suzuki, Buster Posey, and Alex Rodriguez.
Sounds like he's made a pretty damn good recovery. Any success at baseball is just icing on the cake.Ryan Westmoreland, OF, Red Sox - He had what was termed a successful week in the Dominican facing live pitching and is now in Fort Myers to continue getting ready. The Red Sox are not rushing anything with Westmoreland, who had brain surgery in March 2010. The goal is to get him back in the full swing of minor league baseball, but at his own pace. The signs have been very encouraging.
Clearly, Nick did not take 10 seconds to get some basic stats:Boras sees openings for Damon. The Yankees could use a DH type. The Orioles signed Wilson Betemit, but please . . . Betemit, who hit eight homers with two teams, over Damon, who hit 16 homers for Tampa Bay?
The Globe must laugh at me every time they cash my check.Hey- did you guys know that Jason Bay could have a big year, that 'baseball people' "can't believe" that Johnny Damon isn't signed, and that Koby Clemens is "a great kid" (who signed a minor league deal)?
Well, except for Cook, Padilla, Silva and Ohlendorf2. Scott Kazmir, LHP, free agent - The Red Sox decided not to delve into the rehab market for pitchers
http://twitter.com/#!/GordonEdes/status/171260732569161728/photo/15. OK, so when does Vicente Padilla arrive?
Carfado poses this question and then spends the next page and a half listing the salaries that came off the books followed by the money added in raises and new players."Do you wonder why the Red Sox didn’t add much payroll this offseason?"1/ 19/12 Boston Globe
Which is a pretty odd conclusion, actually..."At some point, you pay for the success of your players, and the Red Sox appear to be paying this season."
Um, then why did they trade their starting SS, arguably one of the 3 best SS's in the AL in 2011 who only had one year left on a very reasonable contract, for a bag of used baseballs. And when did "newfangled statistical analysis" de-emphasize the position? I must have missed that. And who are the Sox planning to play there save utility players? Iglesias?Once upon a time, playing shortstop meant something. Perhaps newfangled statistical analysis has de-emphasized the position to the point where teams think they can get by with utility players there. But the Red Sox don’t feel that way.
Maybe my math is off, but just for the players he lists, I count about $17M added to the overall payroll, not shed. Every returning player with the exception of Miller will have their salary stay the same or increase. The only apparent savings is going from Scutaro to Aviles/Punto, from Drew to Sweeney/Ross, and from Papelbon to Bailey. Those amount to about a $20M savings, which is wiped out by the raises to Gonzalez and Ellsbury alone.For although Cafardo doesn't add up all the numbers he posts, anyone who bothers to will find out that the Sox shed 12 million in salary this offseason - despite all the raises that Carfardo implies prevented them from "adding much payroll this offseason".
I didn't understand this part either. While I don't read all of the SABRE analysts, I do read some and I've never seen anything suggesting that the shortstop position should be de-emphasized. I know this is going to garner nothing, but I would love to see Cafardo show his work on this blurb. Most new-fangled stat guys have been crowing about an underrated offensive shortstop like Arky Vaughn for years.And when did "newfangled statistical analysis" de-emphasize the position? I must have missed that. And who are the Sox planning to play there save utility players? Iglesias?
[Beckett's] level of accountability for the Sox' September collapse at least was greater yesterday than in his recent MLB Network interview ...
Lester has shown the most accountability of any player for the transgressions of the starting rotation last season. He was outstanding again yesterday ...
n his own way, Beckett at least took some steps yesterday.
Just like every board should have a E5 Yaz. But not every board does.Every team does, Nick
He's fucking shameless with this.2 fellations of Zach Kapstein today.
Of course this is the same guy who pimps Koby Clemens relentlessly, and carried his dad's water for many years. Roger Clemens is at least as awful as a human being as Manny Ramirez is, and unlike Roger I haven't heard about Manny cheating on his wife with jailbait-aged country singers.He really, really, REALLY hates Manny Ramirez, doesn't he? This is a Borges/Belichick level of hatred, isn't it?
Yeah, that Manny Ramirez sure knows how to treat a woman.Of course this is the same guy who pimps Koby Clemens relentlessly, and carried his dad's water for many years. Roger Clemens is at least as awful as a human being as Manny Ramirez is, and unlike Roger I haven't heard about Manny cheating on his wife with jailbait-aged country singers.
What am I missing here that's so unprofessional?Nick has the "Extra Bases" blog today w/ Pete Abe off for the weekend. Here is his up to date, inning by inning synopsis...
Bottom 7th: Red Sox 7, Twins 2
The Sox scrubs score five times including a Lars Anderson grand slam to pull away. Anderson has really hit the ball well in camp.
Who knew the Globe employs talk radio callers...nice professionalism Nick.
First off its lazy. Five runs score but we only know of one hit. But my bigger point is calling a group of minor leaguers like Lars Anderson a bunch of "scrubs". Yeah it isnt the worst thing in the the world but to me it's still derogatory and insulting. Something I wouldn't expect from a guy who covers baseball for a living.What am I missing here that's so unprofessional?
Scrub - noun - A player not on the varsity or first team.First off its lazy. Five runs score but we only know of one hit. But my bigger point is calling a group of minor leaguers like Lars Anderson a bunch of "scrubs". Yeah it isnt the worst thing in the the world but to me it's still derogatory and insulting. Something I wouldn't expect from a guy who covers baseball for a living.