Spring training starts today, so I guess it's a good time to start it up.

No long write ups this year. This team is a complete wild card (along with the rest of the AL East) but to make the playoffs the starting pitching must step up and have big years. I really like the bullpen the team has build and they have pretty decent depth. All this team needs is good health, good years from their star players and some luck and they should be in the race all year.

Let's go Sox.

 

You think Padre could be Ortiz?

Seriously though, you'd think Ortiz would love computers, as if it wasn't for them the Sox never would have signed him in 2003 and he might never have become Big Papi right?

Of course what Ortiz, and others, don't realize is just because front offices use sabermetrics it doesn't mean they don't also go out and watch games/players etc too. Having too much information is never a bad thing.

 

Certainly it's great to see. All the scouts have been gushing over him already but again all just depends on health. If he can stay healthy he has a shot to be an ace. But they're going to bring him along slowly in the spring and he has almost a zero chance of making the opening day roster. But in the 2nd half who knows.

 

The team kind of has a 2003/2004 feel to it at least offensively with a lot of solid professional players that can work the count, get on base and score runs. I do worry that they really don't have a big power hitting threat outside of Ortiz and Napoli if both can stay healthy but I wouldn't be shocked if they ended up finishing in the top 5 in runs scored in the AL.

But it all depends on the starting pitching. If they do well the team should be good.

 

Allen Webster is sitting at 94 to 97 mph so far today, hit 99 mph a few times. Big arm, he just needs to throw strikes consistently.

 

Just finished the Francona book. I really liked it. Not really any juicy/gossip stuff nor does Francona knock or blast any players/ownership that much, although Henry/Werner and Lucchino don't come out looking great in most parts. Definitely wish they were more juicy details of things but Francona isn't one to do that kind of stuff. Overall I do recommend it.

Still crazy to see how far and fast the franchise fell from September 2011 to now.

 

Who really knows how they are as human beings but does that really matter? As a fan of a team don't you want an owner that cares about winning and is willing to spend a lot of money to put into the team? This ownership group has certainly done that. Sure there is other nonsense that as a fan you wish didn't/doesn't take place but it is a business for them while it's almost a way of life for us.

You can have a lot worse owners that the Henry group. Don't forget in the 10 years they owned the franchise under them the team won 2 World Series, made the playoffs 6 times, totally redid Fenway Park (ungraded it from a dump to a fancy dump) and spent billions of dollars in team payroll, player/development etc.

And I do think the ownership group is passionate about baseball.

 

Then I really don't understand your original statement.

And yes it is still a dump but they did make huge improvements to the place. Without them you wouldn't have gotten the Monster seats or RF roof deck or having Yawkey Way closed during games etc. They absolutely made Fenway a better place to watch a game. The park still isn't perfect but it's much much better than it was.

 

Good to see the season starting off so well. Saw the play live, it didn't look good. Bring on the Brock Holt Era!

 

Yeah, I never like it when hitters hurt their hands/wrists. Just kills all of their power. Hopefully it's nothing but it's really a shame if it keeps Middlebrooks out for an extended period of time.

 

Looks like the Sox dodged a bullet right now with Middlebrooks as of last night he had full strengthen in his wrist with no swelling or ill effects. He just felt pain on the check swing and said he probably could have played but it scared him. They'll probably have him take a x-ray or MRI but it looks like he didn't break anything or tear any tendons or muscles. So that might be good news.

But just playing along and saying he can't play they don't have any decent in house options. Depending on how long he'd be out they would probably stick with Brock Holt and Pedro Ciriaco. If he was out for the year they'd probably hold tight and hope Xander Bogaerts might be ready in the 2nd half.

 

It's obviously concerning even if nothing is wrong with it. Again I never want to see a hitter was a bum hand or wrist.

Yeah I saw that about Bobby V. I actually work about 10 minutes away from him so maybe one of these days I will drive over to Sacred Heart to yell at him. Going from managing the Boston Red Sox to being an AD at Sacred Heart is quite the fall from grace but hey at least Bobby V thinks he did a good job last year.

 

Oh that's possible too. Even so it's a bit concerning whether physical or mental. He said he felt pain in the wrist, it turned out not to be a big deal, my question would be whether it's normal to even feel pain in a past broken bone if after it's healed.

 

That's what Middlebrooks is saying it was probably just scar tissue. We'll see. It still worries me a little bit.

 

Never put too much stock into ST stats, with that being said it's nice to see him playing well so far and not look overmatched. The hope of course is Ellsbury has another big year so they can get a draft pick for him when he walks and Bradley plays well in the minors and can contribute in the 2nd half and be ready by 2014 as the everyday CFer.

 

Well I think JBJ will probably be a pretty solid MLB player, maybe make an All Star team or too, since he's a very good defensive CFer and has very good plate disciple however he's played in only 61 games in Double A. He still has work to do. I wouldn't be shocked if he was up by mid-season if there was an injury but to have him start the year in the MLB like some people want would be a little aggressive.

 

I didn't think you were knocking, I was just saying that even though you need to take ST stats with a grain of salt, I think JBJ has the tools to be a good player unlike Cain for example.

And yes I never pay much attention to ST stats or September numbers much.

 

Why what did Hanarahan do?

 

Good get those runs out of the way in March.

 

First of all he's a complete idiot. Second he's a complete idiot. Third, when is the MLB going to step in and start suspending guys that do this? Do we need another player to kill himself or something else first?

 

I don't know it's possible and it would be in there best interest to have a rule as it would only help protect the players.