Look here.I was looking earlier for the Truck Day thread when it leaves Boston and found nothing. I just assumed we had lost interest in this yearly event.
Glad we have at least acknowledged the arrival in Florida.
On to pitchers and catchers...
I think it's a product of the changes in the front office. Bye-bye Lucchino and the Dentist, bye-bye the desperate need to keep the team in the headlines every single day of the off-season. Of course, a couple last-place finishes in a row is probably enough to kill the "Monster" that was the team during much of the Lucchino era. And I think with the season going in the tank so soon last year, all of the typical, "will this player bounce back" stuff was hashed and re-hashed and hashed out again before the World Series even started. Other than the new additions, which as you note came early in the off-season, there's not much left to talk about that hasn't been gone over twenty times already.I hate to say it, but this is the least hyped I've been going into a baseball season. I think just because of the Patriots season still providing interesting stuff, and the Peyton stuff continuing as well.
I feel like this side of the board has been dead all winter, too. No intrigue from big signing with Price being signed out of nowhere and no real stories since then.
Anyone else feel like this? I will be excited when they start playing, I'm assuming.
I'm pretty excited already. I think the real issue here is one you touched on, in that most of the big moves were made very early on in the off season, so there has been a lot of time to forget. I actually had a co-worker today who suggested that the Sox might be in trouble because they had done nothing to upgrade the rotation, until I reminded him that we got Price. Same with the Kimbrel trade, it just happened a while ago. But another year of X and Mookie and Edro, last chance for JBJ, farewell tour for Ortiz, the riddle of the Panda: I think that there is a lot to be pumped about, and a normal number of story lines.I hate to say it, but this is the least hyped I've been going into a baseball season. I think just because of the Patriots season still providing interesting stuff, and the Peyton stuff continuing as well.
I feel like this side of the board has been dead all winter, too. No intrigue from big signing with Price being signed out of nowhere and no real stories since then.
Anyone else feel like this? I will be excited when they start playing, I'm assuming.
I'm actually on the opposite side of this, I am super duper excited for this season to start. The second half of last year, even though they never competed for a playoff spot, was a ton of fun, and I can't wait to watch another season of Bogaerts, Betts, and Swihart, not to mention JBJ, a (hopefully healthy) Laser Show, a (hopefully healthy and mashing) Hanley, Ortiz's sendoff, Price being lights out and hopefully helping the other pitchers get better. Not to mention I read in the minor league forum that some people think Benintendi might see a cup of coffee, and guys like Espinoza working their way up. I agree it has been a quiet winter... but I think it is going to be a really fun season.I hate to say it, but this is the least hyped I've been going into a baseball season. I think just because of the Patriots season still providing interesting stuff, and the Peyton stuff continuing as well.
I feel like this side of the board has been dead all winter, too. No intrigue from big signing with Price being signed out of nowhere and no real stories since then.
Anyone else feel like this? I will be excited when they start playing, I'm assuming.
This is where I'm at, and I can't wait for the games to start. Add in EdRo, Shaw, Holt, Pawtucket's "post-prospect" pitchers and the Greenville Five, and there's a load of really compelling stories to follow about young players who may (or may not) continue to get better and turn themselves into some of the new stars of baseball. Plus it's the farewell tour for Big Papi.I'm actually on the opposite side of this, I am super duper excited for this season to start. The second half of last year, even though they never competed for a playoff spot, was a ton of fun, and I can't wait to watch another season of Bogaerts, Betts, and Swihart, not to mention JBJ...
I'm right there with you. The season cannot get here fast enough. Spring is going to be tough for me since we moved away from Fort Myers.I'm actually on the opposite side of this, I am super duper excited for this season to start. The second half of last year, even though they never competed for a playoff spot, was a ton of fun, and I can't wait to watch another season of Bogaerts, Betts, and Swihart, not to mention JBJ, a (hopefully healthy) Laser Show, a (hopefully healthy and mashing) Hanley, Ortiz's sendoff, Price being lights out and hopefully helping the other pitchers get better. Not to mention I read in the minor league forum that some people think Benintendi might see a cup of coffee, and guys like Espinoza working their way up. I agree it has been a quiet winter... but I think it is going to be a really fun season.
Me as well. I think I opened up this forum even before Robey finished running back the INT from the end zone on the failed two point conversion. Following that game I couldn't wait for the Red Sox to start. I still can't. I am looking forward to great things this year. I haven't been this excirted about baseball in a number of seasons, all the way back to '05 or '07.I'm actually on the opposite side of this, I am super duper excited for this season to start. The second half of last year, even though they never competed for a playoff spot, was a ton of fun, and I can't wait to watch another season of Bogaerts, Betts, and Swihart, not to mention JBJ, a (hopefully healthy) Laser Show, a (hopefully healthy and mashing) Hanley, Ortiz's sendoff, Price being lights out and hopefully helping the other pitchers get better. Not to mention I read in the minor league forum that some people think Benintendi might see a cup of coffee, and guys like Espinoza working their way up. I agree it has been a quiet winter... but I think it is going to be a really fun season.
I don't think there will ever be an athlete I love as unconditionally as Pedro and literally every single time I see his picture with any current player it makes me smile. It's just an unbelievable opportunity for these players to try and soak up any knowledge they can from him, its just so cool to see him in a Sox uniform again.Love this picture:
I don't think the photographer did, either--pretty sure that's Mike Brenly.
Swihart sporting a new look. I wouldn't have recognized him.
Thanks, Sittingstill! Spring training is the only time I read the Globe, but now the captions on the slideshows are unreliable, too.I don't think the photographer did, either--pretty sure that's Mike Brenly.
I certainly agree in general but...My mother used to say "February is the longest month." I know exactly what she meant.
Sure, it was a relatively underwhelming off-season. Also, as a fan base, we tend to skew very, ahem, negative. But these pictures are getting me downright jazzed.
I think hittery probably meant that they did all that stuff so early in the offseason, that it was relatively boring overall. They basically had the 25 man roster set by the time DD left the winter meetings. We didn't get much in the way of rumors or targets chased, like we usually do. In that regard, I agree.I certainly agree in general but...
They signed arguably the best SP in the AL, traded for a top-5 closer, added another ace reliever, and a great platoon bat in Young, and it was an underwhelming off-season? Man you folks are tough!
I suppose I can get on board with that. However there's not much that can be more exciting than a slew of huge additions to the club, drama or no. They needed a new SP, bullpen help and a lefty mashing OF and they basically got the absolute best option available for each of those. It's really hard for me to describe the offseason as underwhelming. But I get it.I think hittery probably meant that they did all that stuff so early in the offseason, that it was relatively boring overall. They basically had the 25 man roster set by the time DD left the winter meetings. We didn't get much in the way of rumors or targets chased, like we usually do. In that regard, I agree.
YEAH. It's as if he just lost interest in growing. Bad omen.What's with the guy on the left? He apparently slouched off on his off-season height improvement regime.
Maybe it's the shadows.