Following Former Red Sox: 2014

[MakMan44]

Rich Hill signs with the Yankees
 
https://twitter.com/LoHudYankees/status/489895429317074945

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Rangers DFA Carlos Pena

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Imagine if the Red Sox had listened to Eric Van and resigned Adrian Beltre instead of trading for Adrian Gonzalez?

 
It's such a shame the Sox have only won 1 WS since that move.
 
I mean, yeah, in retrospect they probably shouldn't have made that move, and probably should have taken into account the wear playing 3rd would have on Youkilis' body, but bitching about it now strikes me as really odd.
 
IIRC Van was not working for the Sox at the time of that exchange, and thus had no input on the decision whatsoever.

 

[mabrowndog]

Maddening how?

 
At the time of my post, we'd just been subjected to yet another frustrating outing by the schizophrenic enigma known as Clay Buchholz.
 
Meanwhile Matsuzaka, the guy that cost the Sox $103 million to acquire for 6 seasons, and who produced similarly frustrating and inconsistent results during his Boston tenure, goes out and tosses a 7-inning gem for the Mets while earning a prorated share of $1.5M during his time in the majors this season.

 

[Rovin Romine]

 
It's such a shame the Sox have only won 1 WS since that move.
 
I mean, yeah, in retrospect they probably shouldn't have made that move, and probably should have taken into account the wear playing 3rd would have on Youkilis' body, but bitching about it now strikes me as really odd.
 
IIRC Van was not working for the Sox at the time of that exchange, and thus had no input on the decision whatsoever.

 
Having Gonzalez was the only thing that made ditching Crawford/Beckett possible.   And that in turn opened up the door for all the 2013 FA signings.  While I was on the "Beltre, not Gonzalez" bandwagon, in retrospect it might not have really strengthened the franchise (should we have signed Crawford and Beckett and Lackey and had to play them all, regardless of their level of production.)  
 
Also, the players acquired in the Punto trade may end up playing huge dividends in this new "hold on to your prospects" environment.

 

[mabrowndog]

Hard to believe it's already been 25 years. Jesus...
 
Dennis Eckersley ‏@Eck43 5m
Kicking off #Athletics #89reunion
 

 

[DavidTai]

Aww jeezus fuck, I was wondering who that was supposed to be, before I saw Deadspin say "Wily Mo Pena".

 

[Harry Hooper]

Aww jeezus fuck, I was wondering who that was supposed to be, before I saw Deadspin say "Wily Mo Pena".

 
Why do I get the feeling Dan Duquette will try to get Wily Mo in Baltimore for the last week of the season?

 

[Adrian's Dome]

Does he have the most raw power ever?
 
I mean, he has awful zone judgement and can't hit breaking pitches to save his life, but when he runs into a fastball...

 

[MakMan44]

Cap could be getting a start this week against the Nationals. 

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Sizemore is on fire.

 

[Eck'sSneakyCheese]

Sizemore is on fire.

10 for 26 since joining the Phills. Last 3 have all been multi hit games.

 

[Back Bay]

Anthony Rizzo now leads NL with 24HR.

 

[Lowrielicious]

Anthony Rizzo now leads NL with 24HR.

now 25. 

 

[mabrowndog]

After a decade in Pawtucket, old friend Ken Ryan is moving his baseball academy to Lincoln next week.

 

[TheYaz67]

Just noticed Papelbon's nice ERA (1.34, albeit 2.62 FIP) this season, but of course b/c the Phillies are struggling again, he has had only 26 save opportunities through 100 games.
 
Also reminded me that in his 7 years in Boston, he went to the postseason 4 times (and should have been 5 - 2011) - now he is staring down the very real possibility that his 4 years in Philly will result in no postseason appearances....

 

[Al Zarilla]

And he shit the bed again tonight against the Giants. Well, to be fair, last night, Buster Posey hit a good pitch on the inside corner for a HR and blown save for JP. Tonight, Paps gave up a bases loaded triple to Hunter Pence after he'd loaded'em up against the bottom of the order. That's after AJ Burnett threw a 131 pitch 8 inning shutout. Clubhouse fight between AJ and JP after the game!

 

[TheYaz67]

See - he's trying to force his trade by pitching awful and starting clubhouse fights - he wants no part of year 4...

 

[Al Zarilla]

See - he's trying to force his trade by pitching awful and starting clubhouse fights - he wants no part of year 4...

There wasn't a clubhouse fight. I was "lobbying" for one.

 

[mabrowndog]

Catching up with Khiry Cooper, the Sox' 25th-rounder in 2012 who signed but never played in the minors as he was focusing on football.
 

 
Q: Where do you see yourself five years from now? Ten years from now?
 
KC: I see myself married and in ministry serving the Lord. I am not sure where I will be, but I hope to be a good influence on kids. I just really want to pour into kids’ lives. I will be training high school and college kids in baseball and football. I thought about going back to pro baseball after my shoulder surgery, but I had to realize that having a family and moving forward in my life was more important.

 

[Hagios]

Interesting hit piece on Damon from the usually good Sports on Earth:
 

He said the game "was fun," and winning championships was even more "fun." He learned how to have "fun" with the A's and then taught his teammates with the Red Sox and Yankees how to have "fun." His concept of "fun" was mostly that of a young boy. "I could buy different toys," he said. "Jet Skis, boats, motorcycles, all the stuff that baseball affords you the privilege to buy." His first wife, Angie Vannice, explained that her husband "plays better when he's buying things. He likes to shop more than anybody."
 
He also liked to play childish pranks. He dropped water balloons from the upper floor of hotels on passing pedestrians below. He and his teammates held down other teammates and poured ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard all over their clean uniforms, which he thought was hilarious. In the clubhouse he performed pull-ups naked, his penis dangling in his teammates' faces. He liked to "party" after games with his teammates, drink booze, smoke pot. He collected women as if they too were toys. Some might say that his sense of "adult fun" was a lot like his sense of childlike fun.

 
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/86025432/johnny-damon-baseball-red-sox-yankees-idiot-in-exile#!bk9mAM

 

[vadertime]

Capuano traded to Yanks.
 
http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/3671/chris-capuano

 

[mabrowndog]

Not a new story by any means (it's from the June 15, 1977 Milwaukee Sentinel), but it's been making the rounds on social media today.
 
"Frank Tanana: Fox Hunter"
 
Just... wow.
 
 

 

[vadertime]

Is it odd that the Sox released Capuano, Sizemore, and Pierzynski - and weren't able (or didn't try) to trade any of them?

 I believe Sizemore was the only one outright released.  AJ & Capuano were both DFA.  So I'm sure the Sox at least tried to trade those two.  And AJ still hasn't signed anywhere, so apparently he's not in too much demand.

 

[MakMan44]

nvm

 

[mabrowndog]

The return of a sordid tale involving two former Sox:
 

 
From his days playing T-ball as a little kid, Johnathan Nathans was focused on playing in the major leagues.
 
That dream ended on the evening of Aug. 14, 2007, when the Bridgeport Bluefish catcher was injured in a bizarre on-field bat attack that is the subject of a civil case being heard this week in U.S. District Court here. Nathans, now an attorney in Portland, Maine, is suing Jose Offerman, the man who swung the bat, and Offerman's team, the Long Island Ducks, for $4.8 million.
 
"I didn't get to leave the game on my own terms," Nathans said Wednesday, turning to the jury box. "He took a bat to my head and ended my career."
 
In the second inning of the game between the Bluefish and the Ducks, Offerman was struck on his left leg by a pitch thrown by Bluefish pitcher Matt Beech. Offerman, in a moment of anger, charged the mound, swinging his bat, and Nathans followed him there in an attempt to protect his pitcher.
 
Nathans testified that during the fracas that followed -- lasting for only a few seconds by all accounts -- he was struck by Offerman's bat on the back-right side of his head. Beech, a left-handed pitcher, had the middle finger broken on his right hand. Nathans continued to catch, but said he soon noticed that things did not seem right.
 
"I was giving Matt confusing signs and every light in the stadium seemed super bright, like lasers," Nathans said, adding that he was transported to Bridgeport Hospital after the game for an examination and that he has been suffering from dizziness, nausea, weight loss, headaches and sensitivity to lights and noise ever since.
 
"I haven't gone a day without symptoms since Aug. 14, 2007," Nathans said.

 
For those curious, here's Nathans' B-Ref page.

 

[vadertime]

 
 
 
For those curious, here's Nathans' B-Ref page.

 
Its unfortunate he got a concussion but to say that it ended his career is stretching the truth.  Stick to the everyday problems you''re facing and have faced since then.
 
Stuck out an average of every 3.4 AB
.219 career hitter
No power, no speed, even looked to be a below average fielder.
He was on borrowed time even for Independent Ball, so the concussion just accelerated the inevitable.

 

[richgedman'sghost]

One of my undergrad classmates from Fairfield U is Offerman ' s defense attorney. Frank Ricco..is a fine fellow even though he is a Yankee fan.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Ask him if he can get Jose to do a chat here.

 

[mauidano]

AJP 3-4 with 1 RBI so far today in his Cardinals debut.  Who knew?

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

AJP 3-4 with 1 RBI so far today in his Cardinals debut.  Who knew?

I'm glad he got 3 hits as it only makes me hate him more. Go win the MVP, douxhebag

 

[AlNipper49]

Ask him if he can get Jose to do a chat here.

Actually I believe Riccio's dad was his lawyer. When his dad died the Offerman deal was his by way of inheritance. However I think Offer man is on the run and Riccio hasn't been in contact with him


My info could be dated.

 

[mabrowndog]

MLBTR via Cafardo
 

 
The Tigers are so impressed with Eugenio Suarez‘s play that they could look to trade Jose Iglesias, according to some scouts.  It would definitely be a sell-low move on Iglesias, who seemed to be Detroit’s shortstop of the future before stress fractures in his shins cost him the entire 2014 season.

 

[mabrowndog]

Never appeared in a major league game (only with for Pawtucket for 2 weeks at the end of 2008)  with us but former OF Jason Lane has returned to the majors with San Diego after a 7 year hiatus....as a pitcher.
 
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/jason-lane-returns-to-majors-as-pitcher-after-seven-seasons-away-154756163.html

 
Hard to believe, but he's made it all the way back. Good for him.
 
Ace of MLB Stats ‏@AceballStats 22m
Jason Lane is the #Padres starting pitcher tonight, his last start came on August 20, 2007, as a center fielder.

 

[Adrian's Dome]

Andrew Miller for Iglesias?

 
No.
 
Hell no.

 

[mabrowndog]

BTW, Lane's start in the SDP-ATL game is on MLBN right now with Dick Enberg on PBP.

 

[mabrowndog]

Lane's stuff looks pretty damned good so far. Great to see.
 
San Diego Padres ‏@Padres 6m
A scoreless 1st inning for @JasonLane16, who is the oldest Padre to make his starting pitching debut at 37 years, 219 days.

 

[Adrian's Dome]

Lane also has the only hit for the Padres so far.

 

[mabrowndog]

5 shutout innings so far. Outstanding.

 

[mabrowndog]

Lane ends up going 6+ with 2 Ks, 6 hits, no walks and just 1 ER (Evan Gattis solo HR).

 

[Laser Show]

https://twitter.com/OverTheMonster/status/493807189694640128

 

[ngruz25]

Lane ends up going 6+ with 2 Ks, 6 hits, no walks and just 1 ER (Evan Gattis solo HR).

 
How about his hitting line in AAA this year? 51 PA, .419/.490/.721, 3 HR! That's across 37 games. Since he's made 19 starts, I guess they've had him pinch-hit too. That's awesome.
 
Also the rare lefthanded thrower who bats righty, like notable ex-Sox Dave McCarty and Rickey Henderson. Fascinating guy.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Erik Bedard DFA'd by the Rays

 

[TheYaz67]

Ahh - Papelbon, always the team player (from the NY Post/Sherman)!:
 

 

• [SIZE=14pt]Jonathan Papelbon[/SIZE][SIZE=14pt] has told the Phillies that he won’t waive his no-trade clause to go to a team that will use him as anything less than a full-time closer.  Between the lack of teams looking for closing help and Papelbon’s large remaining salary, this is yet another obstacle that would hamper the Phils’ ability to trade their stopper, though they’re reportedly willing to eat at least some of Papelbon’s salary in a trade.[/SIZE]

 

[mabrowndog]

Ahh - Papelbon, always the team player (from the NY Post/Sherman)!:

 
The ego is one of the most mystifying of all human traits. Especially when considering those possessing double-digit IQs.

 

[Rice4HOF]

Danny Valencia who had an OPS+ of 2(!) for our ill-fated 2012 team has been traded from the Royals to the Blue Jays for a pair of minor leaguers
https://twitter.com/Alleycat17/status/493900707955605504

 

[Al Zarilla]

 
The ego is one of the most mystifying of all human traits. Especially when considering those possessing double-digit IQs.

Double digit includes numbers in the 90s. Maybe double digit in octal would be better said for Paps.

 

[mabrowndog]

Former Red Sox OF Bill Renna has passed at age 89.
 

 
A US Marine who served in the Pacific during WW II, he came to the Sox from the Yankees in the spring of 1957 in a trade (for RHP Eli Grba and OF Gordie Windhorn). He spent that season with their AAA affiliate in San Francisco, hitting 29 HR with 105 RBI in 138 G before making the Sox in 1958.
 
Renna saw action in just 37 games that year, 30 of them as a pinch-hitter and/or defensive replacement for Ted Williams. He started in LF in place of The Splendid Splinter 9 times. Despite the sporadic action he managed a .268/.339/.571/.910 line which was good for a 140 OPS+.
 
He was used similarly in 1959, getting into just 14 games in April & May (5 LF starts, 8 PH/LF, 1 PR/LF). But he mustered only 2 hits in 27 trips to the plate before being sent down the club's new AAA farm team in San Diego for the rest of the year. His power numbers dropped like rocks there (5 HR, 34 RBI in 94 G while hitting just .230), and he retired from the sport that off-season at age 34.
 
Renna's highlights for the Sox included:
 
* A pinch-hit 3-run HR on 5/14/1958 in a 7-5 win over the Senators. It was his first Red Sox hit and his 4th game with Boston.
* A pinch-hit bases-loaded single that drove in a pair on 8/10/1958, tying the Yankees 5-5 in the 7th.
* A pair of 2-run doubles on 9/5/1958 to help beat the Orioles, 10-2.
* A 2-run HR in Baltimore on 9/7/1958 to help beat the O's, 6-5.
* A 2-run pinch-hit double on 9/10/1958 for Boston's only scoring that day against Billy Pierce and the White Sox.
* A 2-run HR on 9/17/1958 that beat the KC Athletics, 4-2.
* A 2-for-4 day on 9/26/1958 in his final game of the season, including a solo HR in the t-8th for the winning run vs Washington.
* A pinch-hit, 2-out RBI single in the top of the 9th on 4/26/1959 to spoil Bill Fischer's shutout bid in a 2-1 loss to the Senators.
* An RBI single in the 2nd to score Jackie Jensen on 5/3/1959, his final major league hit.
 
Then there's this from Wikipedia:
 

 
Renna entered the baseball record books while playing for the Kansas City Blues of the American Association. On June 29, 1952, the Blues belted 10 home runs against the St. Paul Saints to set a league mark for most home runs in a single game by one team. Kansas City amassed 53 total bases and hit six homers in an inning (also AA marks) en route to a 17-4 win. Roy Partee hit three homers (including two in the big inning) while Renna, Vic Power and Kal Segrist added two apiece and Andy Carey hit one.

 

[mabrowndog]

The return of a sordid tale involving two former Sox:
 

 
And we have a resolution.
 

Former major leaguer Jose Offerman was ordered by a jury Tuesday to pay out nearly $1 million to a minor league player he assaulted with a baseball bat in 2007.
 
Former Bridgeport Bluefish catcher Johnathan Nathans was awarded $940,000. He had sought $4.8 million in the lawsuit. Nathans suffered a head injury in the attack, which ended his career, and still has lingering symptoms.

 
Now all Nathans has to do is collect on his award. Yeah, good luck with that.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

3m
Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales
Doubront to DL with calf strain
 
 
That didn't take long.