The Great Rivalry

Sox Win Big

     On the heels of a couple of kick-in-the-nuts-rub-in-our-face-just-how-bad-we-look-right-now losses to Texas, the Sox win pretty in 11 Saturday night. Lackey pitches great, the bullpen (Bard, 2 innings of Papelbon, one of Thankyoujesus Delcarmen) pitched better, and the Sox play immaculate small ball to tie in the bottom of the ninth, then walk off two later. The main culprit? This mofo:

'I know what a badass I am.'

      This is the kind of win that makes you forget, if temporarily, just how bad things look right now. Also, Tampa beat up on the Yanks, so there's a full game on them. Beckett sucked against some AAA team tonight, but whatever, he'll be back and that's awesome. Buchholz will be back, then Hermida, Victor, Pedroia, Ellsbury and Varitek. Have fun selling your prospects for a Deadline boost, rest of the league. Ours come free.

      So we survive the best (or second best) pitcher in the AL, everybody looks good, more or less, the healthy clock is ticking. To paraphrase Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life: 'F@%k yeah!'

     Take care, folks.

    -Matt

Happy Second Half!

       So much to say. Uhh, let's start with a moment of silence for George Steinbrenner. Whether you're a Sox or a Yankees fan reading the blog, I want you to recognize the George did a lot for fans of his own franchise, and did a lot for the development of baseball. I think he has increased emphasis on winning all over the sports world in the last 30-odd years, and I can't complain about that. He was also a pretty classy guy, able to laugh at himself, and some of my favourite moments from the Jimmy Fund NESN/WEEI Radio Telethon were him calling in and donating large amounts to the Jimmy Fund.

     Next - the AL sucks, and I'm pissed at how Girardi managed the game. A-Rod should have gotten into the game in the 9th, and I don't think he got Yankee pitchers enough innings. (Sarcasm)

     Most importantly - David Ortiz is a bad man. Not like Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca, Leroy Brown, or Al Capone, or Leo Major, or Brad Penny. He's just... the baddest man. After winning the Home Run Derby Monday night, a veritable middle finger to the collective media that announced his death a few months ago, he had this to say on Boston's beat-up but relatively successful first half:

"Like I always tell you guys, this is a long season and anything can happen. Anything can happen. We have guys in this clubhouse that are able to play the game and they're here for a reason. You play 162 games and we're just over halfway home. Whatever happened in those first 80-something games means nothing. All I know is there are some more to play, so it's on."

     Timmeh just allowed 6 runs in the first to Texas, but it's OK. Rally caps, and let's get 'em tomorrow.

     Thanks for coming out,

    -Matt

Good Day, Good News, Good Finish. I guess.

     Don't doubt this man:

     Say what you want about Daisuke Matsuzaka, but there are way worse pitchers out there. Evidenced by his 6-inning, 2-run performance yesterday afternoon, the man can pitch. Bard pitches two beautiful innings, Papelbon goes 1-2-3 in the 9th, add in a two-run homer from Darnell McDonald and an oh-my-god second-deck shot from Papi, and the Sox take the game 3-2, from the Jays. 

     Though a rather well-played game, one of the highlights was when All-Star Adrian Beltre pulled his hamstring running to first base after a groundout, and being lifted from the game. But wait! Put the gun back in the drawer, he says he is fine, and can play in the All-Star game, so let's just hope he doesn't and is raring to go in the second half, with Hermida and the rest of the boys.

     In other great news, Josh Beckett threw a great rehab start at Triple-A, with four K's and no walks in 4 innings, apparently touching 97. So we have that to look forward to, since nobody wants to watch tonight's Derby.

     No, I'll probably tune in to watch Ortiz, if nothing else. I am kind of disappointed that Jose Bautista wasn't invited to the event, seeing as he leads the world in home runs, but whatever. I think Ortiz takes it. He's back, baby.

     So, Good luck for Papi tonight, hope everybody enjoys the break as much as the various ravaged body parts of the Boston Red Sox.

     Thanks,

    -Matt

Red Sox Players Can Come Back... Healthy?

 

     That's right, George. It's July, and you know what that means? Three things, for the Red Sox.

     1. Annual Theo magic time: TheoCorp works a little magic every July, except for 2006. So he'd better work some this year. Anyway, that's something to look forward to.

     2. Returning players. Beckett is starting his rehab. Hermida might be ready after the break, shortly followed by Victor, and by the end of the month, we could see Pedroia and Ellsbury. I don't need to tell you how awesome this is.

     3. To quote the literary great Woody Harrelson, July will be time to nut up or shut up for our 2010 Red Sox. The Yankees are taking the Division, the Rays made us look like the AAA team we are right now, and if it keeps up, this race could be over in three weeks. Or, our guys could keep us in this mother, and when the real Boston Red Sox please stand up, we could take the Wild Card down the stretch.

 

     Unfortunately, there is almost nothing else exciting to report about the Red Sox. The Jays made John Lackey look like the Olympics this afternoon -- amateur. This after a big night from Jonny and the Bats, my personal favourite rock group since Def Leopard. So I don't know what to take from our recent play, especially since the Rays took three last week at the Troplease-get-Orlando-a-new-baseball-stadium.

 

      In better news, the Yankees, the World's Classiest Organization, not only failed to get Cliff Lee, but threw a hissy fit yesterday. Turns out, what Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik really wanted for Lee all along was Rangers prospect (and next Mark Teixeira, depending on who you ask) Justin Smoak. The Rangers held out, so Jack Z went to New York,  appearing to take their package of Jesus Montero and Dave Adams. Keeping his eye on the Rangers, he stalled, making the Yanks jump for his stick by switching the deal several times, before the Rangers blinked and added Smoak. Seattle backed out with New York and took what they wanted from Texas, leaving New York to feel cheated.

      I say good for Zduriencik -- baseball is a business and he was doing his job; the business world in 2010 is no place for handshake agreements (I don't think they actually shook hands (I wouldn't touch Brian Cashman, would you?), but you get the point). The Yankees are just upset because they got played like a fiddle and then lost. 

 

     Tomorrow it's Daisuke against Litsch at 1:07. Here's an idea, let's win a series against a fourth-place team.

 

     Thanks for coming out,

                Matt

Yankees Win Yet Another Series

Phil Hughes pitched 7 shutout innings giving up four hits while walking one and striking out six as the yanks beat the White Sox 12-3 to win there 7th series in the first 8 this season. Hughes is now 3-0 with an era of 1.44 in his first 4 starts this season. This is a terrific start for Hughes so far and not bad for a number five starter to be that good. Mark Texeira went 4 for 5 while Robinson Cano belted his 9th homerun of the year to ignite the offense.  Bret Gardner chipped in with his first homerun of the season and a couple of runs batted in. The Yanks (16-8) will host the Baltimore Orioles tonight at the stadium game time set for 7:05 tonight the pitching matchup features C.C. Sabathia (3-1) against Jeremy Guthrie (0-3). Currently the Yanks are in second place 1.5 games behind the red hot Tampa Bay Rays who a major league best (18-7). The offense seems to be getting back on track including Mark Texeira who has 7 hits in his last two games. After the series against Baltimore the Yanks travel to Boston to take on there rival RedSox over the weekend

Yanks beat the Angels to win third straight series

Phil Hughes went 5+ innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 5 and striking out 6 in his first start of the season as the Yanks beat the Angels 6-2 last night. In the second inning former Yankee Hideki Matsui hit a home run to give the Angels a 1-0 lead but Hughes settled in after that giving up just one more run in the 6th inning. The offense was provided by Robinson Cano who hit 2 home runs on the evening giving him 4 for the season already. Curtis Granderson had a pair of triples in the game and scored 2 runs as well. The three game series began with the championship ring ceremony as the whole teamed mobbed Hideki Matsui in appreciation for what he meant to this team over the years and in last years world series. The yankee fans gave him a standing ovation on Tuesday. The Yanks by winning last night have now won 2 out of 3 in each of the first three series to start the season. Tonight the Yanks hope to build off the momentum when the Texas Rangers are in town C.C. Sabathia who is coming off a 1 hitter in 7 2/3 innings against the Rays will get the start he will be opposed by C.J. Wilson for the Rangers game time set for 7:05 at the stadium. The series continues tomorrow with a matinee and concludes on Sunday with a day game as well.

 

                                                  ( 2nd baseman Robinson Cano hits his second homerun of the game)

Yanks Prepare For The Home Opener Against The Angels

After a 4-2 road trip to start the 2010 season the Yanks return to yankee stadium for the first time since they won their 27th world championship. The yanks will receive their world championship rings before the game today. The irony is that they play the angels the team that they beat to get to the world series and the team that Hideki Matsui was traded to which bodes perfectly for him to get his ring. The yanks have started the season by winning 2 out of 3 in both Boston and Tampa Bay and will look to keep that momentum going against the Angels a team that until last season had seemed to have the Yanks number. Andy Pettite gets the start which is pretty fitting after he pitched the decisive world series winning game last season. The Angels will counter with Ervin Santana who is (0-1) with a 6.00 era. The Angels have started the season (2-5) out of the gate but it is early and this is a dangerous team. I am very excited to get this home season under way. The yanks prepare for the second season at the new Yankee stadium after opening it up quite well last season.  There are some new faces for the Yanks but at the same time many familiar faces it should be interesting to see how the yanks respond from last season winning 2 out of 3 in both Boston and Tampa isn't too bad a start. On thursday the yanks will get there first look at Phil Hughes as a starter for the season should be a fun series im looking forward to it. Hideki Matsui should get a standing ovation from the crowd as he was a big part of the yanks success last season. Game time set for 1:05 today let the games begin.

Yanks Look To Continue Momentum In Tampa

After taking 2 out of 3 in Boston the Yanks go to Tampa for a three game series beginning tonight. Newly aquired Javier Vazquez will get the ball for the yanks he will be opposed by David Price for the Rays game time set for 7:10 eastern time. Although it's early in the season if the yanks can take at least two in this series the will have made a statement early heading back home taking the series over both the Redsox and Rays on the road. Andy Pettite went six strong innings giving up just one run while the bullpen went 4 shutout innings including three shutout innings by Chan Ho Park in the final game of the Redsox series. The yanks bullpen has now pitched 8 consecutive shutout innings in the last two games. Curtis Granderson hit the game winning homerun in the 10th his second homerun as a yankee in just three games.  Mariana Riviera nailed down the tenth for his second save in as many games. The yanks home opener is set for Tuesday against Hideki Matsui and the L.A. Angels.

Season Opener Not All Negative For The Yanks

Although the yanks lost on opening day there were some positives despite the loss. New Yankee Curtis Granderson hit a homerun in his first at bat as a yankee that should definitely shake any cobwebs he had coming in to play for the yanks. Another positive was the offense in fact just about everyone up and down the lineup got on base at least once. There were plenty of really good at bats by the yankee hitters including a 9 pitch at bat by Brett Gardner who eventually singled and stole home in that same inning. The pitching however was the problem although Sabathia was pretty solid through the first 5 and struggled in the sixth when he gave up 3 runs. The bullpen couldn't hold on to the lead as new yankee Chan Ho Park gave up three runs and couldn't hold a two run yankee lead. The good news for the yankees is that is very early in the season in fact i remember last season the yanks started off the season by losing the first two games only to go on and win 103 games and the world title. it is definitely not time for yankee fans to panic i believe they will be just fine and i anticipate another run at the title when it's all said and done.

Yanks Fall to Redsox 9-7 In Opener

In the beginning things looked great for the Yanks as they got off to an early lead. In fact back to back homeruns in the 2nd inning by Jorge Posada and new yankee Curtis Granderson gave the yanks a 2-0 lead off of Josh Beckett. The Redsox scored in the 2nd inning when Kevin Youkilis doubled and scored on a sac fly. In the 4th inning the yanks scored three times off of Beckett when Brett Gardner got a two out rbi single he then later scored when he stole home to make it 5-1 yanks. the Redsox scored a run in the 5th inning off of C.C. Sabathia and three more in the 6th to tie the game at 5-5. The yanks scored twice in the 7th when Texeria walked and Rodriguez doubled and later scored. The Redsox scored three times off of reliever Chan Ho Park in the 7th inning the big blow was the two run homerun by Dustin Pedroia. The sox added another run in the 8th inning and Jonathan Papelbon came in to save the game in the 9th. C.C.  Sabathia went 5 1/3 innings charged with 5 runs, 6 hits while striking out 4 and walking two.  The three game series resumes tonight at Fenway with A.J. Burnett going for the yanks against Jon Lester for the Redsox first pitch scheduled for 7:10 eastern time.

Yanks-RedSox Get Set To Kickoff Opening Day At Fenway

Spring training is behind us as tonight begins the official start of the 2010 major league baseball season. The defending champion Yankees travel to Fenway Park to take on there bitter rivals the Boston RedSox. A great pitching matchup is setup for tonight when C.C. Sabathia goes against Josh Beckett two of the better pitchers in baseball.  These two will take off tomorrow while most of baseball begins there games tomorrow. The three game series will resume on Tuesday and finish on wednesday. The Yanks finished 13-15 in the spring training games but there record goes back to 0-0 starting tonight. Phil Hughes was named the fifth starter in the Yanks rotation as Joba Chamberlain has been put in the bullpen as a setup man for Mariana Riveria. Curtis Granderson will start the regular season as the center fielder. I agree with both these decisions and i think that it should work out well for the defending champs. In my opinion Joba has great stuff that is mean't for a late inning role. Phil Hughes went 0-4 with an era over 4 during the spring but i think he will be just fine when the regular season kicks in. I am looking forward to this season as a yankee fan this team is ready to compete the road to repeat begins tonight at Fenway.

Yanks Win First Spring Game In Walk-Off Style

Left fielder Colin Curtis hit a three run walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to give the Yanks a 6-3 victory over the Pirates in the first spring training game. Chad Gaudin started for the Yanks and  pitched two scoreless innings striking out one and giving up only one hit. Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre also pitched two scoreless innings each in there quest for the role of fifth starter for the Yanks in the 2010 season. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when the yanks broke out for three runs in the bottom of the sixth when Ramiro Pena hit a homerun to give the yanks a 1-0 lead. The big hit was newly aquired (DH) Nick Johnson's 2 run double that gave the yanks a 3-0 lead. In the top of the seventh the Pirates scored three times to tie the game setting up the three run walk-off homerun in the ninth. New aquisition Curtis Granderson (CF) went 0-2 in his debut as a Yankee. The Yanks (1-0) will face the Phillies tomorrow afternoon in Clearwater, Florida should be a great pitching matchup scheduled C.C.Sabathia vs Roy Halladay gametime scheduled for 1:05.

Spring Training Games Begin

Spring training games officially begin tomorrow in Tampa Florida for the defending champs who host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:05.  Chad Gaudin gets the start for the Yanks with Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves getting the ball as well. These three pitchers are showcasing themselves for the fifth and final starting rotation job come april. On thusday a great pitching matchup at brighthouse field in Clearwater will feature C.C. Sabathia and much talked about Roy Halladay for the Phillies.  This may be just the second preseason game for both these teams but i am looking forward to that already. Spring Training is all about getting ready for the regular season and looking at who will stay and who will go but most importantly staying healthy. One person that knows about staying healthy seems to be the always durable Mariano Riviera who threw 21 pitches in his first bp session and said he felt great. Mo is 40 years old but seems to be as good as ever. C.C.Sabathia threw 28 pitches to yankee hitters and also said that he felt great all positive signs for the defending champs heading into spring training considering this time last season all the talk was negative with Arod's admittance of steroids all seems to be great in yankee land one year later as they take the field the defending champs.  

Yankees-RedSox Greatest Rivalry In Sports

This season will mark the 110th season of the greatest rivalry in sports the Yanks and RedSox. The first meeting between these two fierce rivals was on April 26th, 1901 but the yankees were the Baltimore Orioles at the time it wasn't until 1903 when they transfered to New York but were called the Highlanders at the time. In 1908 Boston was called the RedSox.  On April 20th, 1912 they opened up fenway park with a game against the Highlanders the sox won 7-6 in the 11th inning. The RedSox won five world titles in the early 1900's. In 1919 Babe Ruth was sold to the Yanks. From 1920-2003 the yanks won 26 championships and the redsox had won zero. Many people considered this the curse of the bambino.The yanks and Sox have met twice in a final regular season series for the division in 1903 when Boston won and in 1949 when the yanks won. In 1978 the yanks beat the sox in a one game playoff to decide the division.  During that season the Redsox led the division by 14 games in July by mid-september the two teams were tied for the division lead. Not only would the yanks comeback to win the division but they would go on to win the world series for then the 22nd time. Some of the more memorable games between these two came in the postseason were they have met three times. In 1999 the yanks won 4-1 over the sox enroute to there 3rd title in four years under Joe Torre. In 2003 the series went seven games to decide who went to the world series. The redsox led 5-2 into the sixth inning with Pedro Martinez on the mound the yanks tied it at five and then evetually won in the 12th inning on unlikely hero Aaron Boone's home run. The next season the two would faceoff again in the league championship series the yanks dominated the first three games including a 19-7 bomb in game three it looked to be all over for the sox but they would win game 4 and 5 at home and then game 6 and 7 at yankee stadium to shocked the world the so called curse had been lifted or so everyone thought.  In 2007 the redsox won the world series again holding off the yanks from a 13 game lead in the division. In 2009 the sox started the season by beating the yanks the first 8 times they met but the yanks turned it around and won 9 of the final 10 meetings in the regular season. The yanks did even better in the post season when they would go on to win it all for the 27th time. On April 4th, 2010 the yanks and sox will begin the season against one another the rivalry continues a new chapter has been written in this fierce rivalry what will these two have in store for this season and beyond only time will tell.

Damon Signs With Tigers

Former Yankee left fielder Johnny Damon has finally found a home with the Detroit Tigers. Damon's departure from the yanks was inevitable it was pretty much a question of where and when he would be signed. Damon spent 4 years with the yanks hitting 24 homers twice in 2006, and 2009 12 in 2007 and seventeen in 2008. Last season Damon was the leadoff hitter for the yanks and filled the role admirably with 24 home runs and 82 runs batted in. Perhaps the most memorable play that i think yankee fans will remember is in the ninth inning of game 4 of the world series when he worked a wonderful at bat against Brad Lidge he singled then stole second and third when no one was covering third for the phillies 2 batters later he would score the game winning run when Alex Rodriguez doubled. In my opinion that at bat gave the yanks the series they took a commanding 3-1 series lead and never looked back.  Damon has seen both ends of the yanks-redsox rivalry and has won a championship with both. In 2004, Damon helped seel the tremendous redsox comeback from a 3-0 series deficit by hitting a grandslam at the old yankee stadium in game seven. As a yankee fan that series was certainly difficult to watch but i must admit that Damon is as gutty as they come and i wish him well with the Tigers they have inherited an outstanding player although he is 36 years old.  Damon's career began in 1995 with the Kansas City Royals from (95-2000), in 2001 he played for the Athletics for just one season. In 2002 he went to the RedSox thru 2005 and then of course the yanks from (06-09). This season will be his 15th season of his mlb career with his 5th team he has 2 world championships during that span. One thing is for certain about Damon is that he is very durable over the last 14 seasons except for one he has played in over 140 games every season he definitely brings a leadership quality and a winning attitude Good luck Damon you will be missed. 

Defending Champions prime and ready to repeat

With the start of the 2010 season just around the corner it's time to put 2009 away and look towards a new year. The Yanks are doing just that which is the first step in defending a title. As great as last season's ending was concentrating on right now and the future is the main priority. This year's Yankees feature a great mix of young talent and savvy veteran leadership which are two main ingredients you need to win a championship. The fab four from the (96-01) dynasty still remain Andy Pettite, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Riviera. Although Mo is 40 years old he still has what it takes to get it done and he certainly proved it last season.  Andy Pettite was given a 1 year contract for this season but he is also pushing 40 and has had a history of back issues recently but i believe that his heart and passion for the game will keep him going.  Derek Jeter at the ripe old age of 35 may in my opinion had the best all around season of his career last season and has proved the critics wrong about him being done and not having it anymore. Jorge Posada has had some injury issues recently as well but has still proven that he has what it takes in a very difficult position to play. This year's team also has some very young talented players with championship experience which i believe can only help for the future. Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain lead a list of great young talent and have proven that they can play for this team. In my opinion both these pitchers have what it takes to be huge for many years to come. Robinson Cano has also shown great flashes even though his numbers in the postseason last year weren't that impressive i think that he will learn from it and it will only make him better this season and beyond. The yanks also added depth and versatility in there outfield by signing soon to be 29 year old Curtis Granderson from the Tigers. Of course there is Mark Texiera who is 30 years old and was a tremendous defensive and offensive player most of last season. Of course there is Alex Rodriguez who i believe has finally risen into his potential. The past ghosts are behind him and i expect him to have a monster season this year. The 2010 yankees are ready to defend and i believe that they will be a great team yet again this season. Manager Joe Girardi is so confident that he even changed his uniform number from 27 to 28. One thing is for sure the quest to repeat begins in a little over a month against there rival Red Sox.

New Yankee Curtis Granderson Poised to help team in 2010

During the offseason the yankees picked up Curtis Granderson (outfielder) from the Detroit Tigers in exchange the yanks traded Ian Kennedy, Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to the Tigers.  Last season Granderson hit 249 with 30 homeruns, 71 rbi's, and 20 stolen bases. Granderson was an all-star last season with the Tigers. In the last 3 seasons he has hit 20 or more homeruns and in 2006 he hit 19.  Granderson's career started in 2004 all with the Detroit Tigers through last season.  The  expectations this season with the yankees should be higher as he will be hitting at a very short porch at Yankee stadium. During spring training Granderson will be battling Brett Gardner for the centerfield job but he has already told manager Joe Girardi he would play left field if they needed him to. When the season starts Granderson will be 29 years old he is a flashy player with great speed and he will probably be hitting near the top of the lineup when the season begins.  Granderson gives the Yanks versatlity in the outfield  and with his speed he should cover a lot of ground something that the older Johnny Damon  just may be lacking not taking anything away from Damon who is an outstanding player. I think Granderson at the top of the lineup followed by Jeter, Texiera and Arod would be a very potent offense. As a yankee fan I am looking forward to watching Granderson play for the yanks he is a great player and he is still relatively young he should be able to contribute very well barring any major injuries.

Pitchers and catchers report

Today is the official start of the spring training season as pitchers and catchers report. The world champion Yankees have a good battle going on for the fifth and final starter role for there rotation. The first four starters of the rotation look to be set. 

Andy Pettite who is coming off a tremendous post season run where he won every clinching game including game 6 of the world series. Andy Pettite is coming off of back problems over the last few seasons and is pushing 40 years old but he can still bring it and has settled with the yanks for at least one more season.

C.C. Sabathia who was sensational last season both during the regular season and postseason is back for his second season as a starter for the yanks. I'm looking forward too seeing what C.C. can do for an encore in 2010.

A.J. Burnett had a real roller coaster ride of a season last year he will be back for his second season as a yankee.  During the offseason the yanks picked up former Atlanta Brave and one time former yankee Javier Vazquez. Last season Vasquez finished 15-10 in 32 starts with the Braves. In 2004 Vasquez finished 14-10 in 32 starts as a member of the  yankees. 

There is now one spot left on the yankees five man rotation with the departure of Chein Ming Wang who signed with the Washington Nationals yesterday. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are definitely prime candidates for a starter role but several others including Alfredo Aceves and Chad Gaudin could be considered. Last season Chamberlain was worked slowly into the starting rotation by Joe Girardi with several stints of just 2 or 3 innings. In the end it worked out well in the postseason when Chamberlain threw 95 mph and above in the world series. Chamberlain is definitely a good candidate for a starting role this season but he could also make a great setup man for Mo Riviera. Phil Hughes is also a great candidate for a starter role this season. Last year Hughes pitched primarily out of the bullpen as a setup man for Riviera and worked the role very nicely especially in the second half of the season. There could also be a case for Alfredo Aceves who was spectacular last season out of the bullpen winning ten games out the pen for the yanks. There were several games in which Aceves went four innings or more last season when the yanks needed a middle relief man. Another candidate could be Chad Gaudin who made some emergency starts last season after Wang went down. The yanks were fortunate to get some decent starts out of Gaudin of four or five innings. The yanks have welcomed in several more pitchers to spring training Dustin Moseley who made three starts for the angels last season, D.J. Mitchell who made 24 appearences last season with class A Tampa and Charleston going (12-7), and Ryan Pope who pitched for double A Trenton last season going (5-12). in the catchers role is veteran Jorge Posada who has been with the yanks since the middle 90's during the 96-01 championship years and Francisco Cervelli who filled in Admirabily last season for Posada. Spring training this season should be a very interesting one for the defending world champions several pitchers vying for a chance to be a starter when the regular season begins and the journey and quest for the repeat officially begins today the first signs of warm weather have arrived  spring  training officially begins today.         

Aquisitions live up to expectations enroute to number 27

In 2008 the yanks suffered there first season with no playoff baseball in 14 years. During the offseason of 2008 Hank Steinbrenner son of George Steinbrenner went on a market spending spree reeling in some big key aquisitions C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Nick Swisher and Mark Texeria. 

First was C.C. Sabathia (pitcher) from the Milwaukee Brewers who single handedly led the brew crew to it's first playoff appearence in 26 years. Sabathia was a horse down the stretch for the yanks and in the postseason as well he went 19-7 in the regular season and 3-1 in the postseason including earning the mvp award in the a.l.c.s against the angels where he went 2-0. Sabathia had previously struggled in the postseason before his great success in 2009.

Another offseason pickup was A.J. Burnett (pitcher) from the Toronto Blue Jays. Burnett went 13-9 last season but was up and down at times during the course of the season. One of Burnett's most memorable games was the 0-0 game against Boston when he went 7 scoreless innings against the sox potent lineup. In the postseason Burnett was also up and down he pitched a fantastic game in game 2 of both the alcs and world series but struggled to get out of the first inning in both game fives of them series.

Nick Swisher (right fielder) was another pickup for the yanks in 2009.  I have to admit when i heard the yanks signed swisher i thought they were crazy. Swisher winded up being a great pickup hitting 29 bombs and driving in 82 rbi's in 2009. Another contribution of Swisher is his personality keeping his teamates feeling good even when things are going bad a kind of player that every team needs in the clubhouse.

The final offseason pickup of 2009 was Mark Teixeira (first baseman) growing up Tex was a huge yanks fan especially hall of famer Don Mattingly who he idolized. Mark Teixeria reunited with former teammate Alex Rodriguez then Texas Rangers. During the 2009 season Teixeria hit 39 homeruns and drove in 122 rbi's along with some fantastic defense at first base helping the yankee pitching staff. In a nutshell the four big offseason aquistions were important pieces in the yanks championship season last year along with the original four from the (1996-2001 dynasty) the yanks reeled in there unprecedented 27th world championship. Going into last season the expectations were very high and the offseaon pickups lived up to there expectations and quite possibly beyond. What will 2010 bring for these players will they help the yanks continue towards a dynasty or will this be a one year thing the season begins in just over a month only time will tell but if history tells us anything it's the yanks usually win more than just one.

Around the Horn: Catcher

     To quote your friend and mine, Bruce Buffer: "Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's TIIIIIIiime!"

     The off-season, as far as Boston is concerned, is essentially over, and it is time to begin the usual flurry of pre-Spring Training looks at the team. Today's edition? Catcher.

     The team's catcher position is simpler than it has been since the days of Doug Mirabelli. There will be one starter, and one backup, the same as pretty much every team in the world, and instead of the question marks that have been around the past couple of Spring Trainings, here is your roster of catchers:

     Starter:

    
 Victor Martinez. In Victor we trust - for now, anyways. Victor is a perennial All-Star-type catcher

with plus tools pretty much across the board.

     As a hitter, you can't ask for anything more. Without being greedy, anyways. Victor has ridiculous career numbers. A .299 BA is impressive, but a stellar .372 OBP and .465 SLG% are even better.

     The thing with Martinez is the consistency. Every season, he's going to hit .300, hit about 25 HR's, draw 70 walks and hit a bunch of doubles. One concern was his strikeouts (used to whif an easy 70 times a year) but that has been a declining trend, and last year he finally walked more than struck out. Also, he had a career high 11.2 walk percentage last year. His developing patience should only make him better.

     On defense, Victor isn't dazzling. He's fairly athletic back there, and was almost an elite defensive catcher until he was derailed by an elbow injury in 2008. Since then, it appears he has lost a lot of 'uumph' when throwing out baserunners, nabbing just 12% (less than half of the league average) last season. Elbow injuries often take a couple seasons to heal after surgery, so we might see some bounce back here, though whether he can get up to his lofty 35-40% CS of a few years ago (absolutely great) remains to be seen.

     People in the know seem to believe that Victor will have no problem catching the Red Sox staff, which I hope is true. Notably, he was fine with Wakefield in his game last season.

     Another aspect of Victor's game is his ability to play first. He isn't really good at it, but he's passable, and it'll allow him to play 150 games, rest Youkilis and get Varitek into some AB's.

     Bench:

     Jason Varitek. it was kind of hard to write that. The Captain, following years of decline, finally hit the Mendoza Line - hard - last season, and will be relegated to bench duty in what may be his final season.

     Offensively, I don't know what to tell you. Move along, nothing to see here. Jason Varitek hit about .200 against righties last season, and don't look for that to get much better. Varitek did post a healthy .807 OPS against southpaws, though. For this reason, you can expect him to see a lot more time hitting situationally, or stepping in against lefties for Victor (who is 4% worse than his norm in terms of OPS).

     On defens, there isn't much to say, except that 2005 was a long time ago. Varitek has lost a lot of mobility through the years, but is not by any means a bad catcher just yet. 2009 was his first season in years of posting an rtot below 0 (by the numbers he cost the team 6 runs in 2009, after 'saving' nine over the previous three seasons). As far as range and blocking and catching in general goes, I think Varitek is still an average catcher.

     His game calling ability is the stuff of legend at this point, but his throwing arm is a joke. Last season Al runners stole - get ready - 108 bases off of him. A hundred and eight. Jorge Posada was second in the league, allowing 80 steals. And he even had an average arm (28%) snagging 30 runners. Varitek caught 16. Of a hundred and twenty-four. That's 13% for those of you keeping track at home.

     I'd say everything counted, Varitek is a perfectly average catcher, and a fine backup. His offense should bounce back a little from the rest (he almost always wore down and hit horribly in the second half), and be an asset off the bench.

     Depth:

     Boston has three catching prospects.

     Mark Wagner is a Minor League veteran, at 26. He seems to be a pretty good hitter, though notoriously streaky. Good discipline, and is apparently made for Fenway with a right-handed pull swing. On D he has the potential to be a great major league catcher. He will be playing AAA this season and first in line for a callup.

     Tim Federowicz will be playing in Salem at 23 years old. Appears to be the most naturally gifted of the three, but needs a lot of seasoning. Hit well in Greenville, but hasn't really been consistent in his pro career. Needs to develop plate discipline. Federowicz is toolsy and is presently an above average defensive catcher, with the ability to get much better. Has the talent but is a ways off.

     Luis Exposito. Currently ranked as Boston's 11th overall prospect, Exposito is still only 23 and will be starting 2010 out at AA Portland. Exposito has all the tools. He projects to be a plus big-league hitter, consistently hitting around .300 so far in his pro career. His peripherals need time to develop, though. His eye is quite mediocre, and he hit just 10 HR's last season, despite hitting over 20 in '08 and drawing scouts' rave reviews for his slugging potential. On defense there is a lot to like tools-wise, but needs experience calling a pitching staff. A year with the Sea Dogs could do wonders for him and turn him into an elite catcher in waiting.

     So there's a keyhole look at the Red Sox' present and future catching position. Tomorrow should be the infield. Keep an eye out for that.

     Thanks for coming out,

    -Matt

Dr. Matsuzaka: Fatness Doesn't Make You a Bad Pitcher

     I was reading Ian Browne's Red Sox Spring Training preview this morning and came across this little tidbit of information:

     "Matsuzaka quickly fell out of favor with the Red Sox when he wasn't in good enough shape to pitch effectively. "

  

     [Right: Fat Daisuke cries as his flub prevents him from getting hitters out and gets booed off the field at Fenway, apparently.]

    

     Now, I kind of like Ian. He writes fair entries. Not often enough, in my opinion, but he's a good writer and a good reporter. But I have spent all winter watching him write articles about whether or not John Lackey is on par with Beckett and Lester (laughable) and whether he should get the Opening Day nod, or about how much we're going to miss Jason Bay, or our offense is 'questionable' (Article link).

     You're wrong Mr. Browne. Just wrong. Beckett will be pitching Opening Night, we're not going to miss Bay that much, and the Mets will regret that signing in three years like they did with Pedro.

     Anyways, this Dice-K thing really irked me. First of all, let's use common sense. How much do you think being out of shape matters? A little? Some? Let's ask David Wells, Curt Schilling, and every pitcher before WWII. Bob Feller wasn't jacked. Cy Young was shaped like a pear.

 
     [Left: Tubbs gets rocked by Atlanta's Gary Sheffield.]

    Do I think Daisuke wasn't ready for the regular season? Absolutely. Out of his usual shape? Yup. But I don't believe that contributed as much to his 8.23 ERA before he stepped back as did his injury.

     Yup, Daisuke has already admitted to injuring his hip and not telling Sox brass - "Early on in January 2009, I hurt my right inner thigh. I consider movement around my hip joint a crucial part of my pitching motion." Apparently the guy didn't even tell his wife.

     From what I can gather, he hurt his hip before the WBC, and that caused his inneffectiveness, also probably hurt his workout regimen and contributed to his out-of-shape-ness.

     Now, this information is not new. In fact, the article I am referenceing here was published over a month ago, and there were whispers about this kind of thing before that. So I find it hilariously wrong that Browne and people of a similar mindset still consider his ineffectiveness to be due to a little chub.

   

     
[Above: New, ripped Dice-K dominates the Halos thanks to his suave-ity.]

      

      In fact, towards cretens like Browne, Daiskue said in this interview:

     "I think I got through to [the team] that shoulder strength and pitching stamina are two different things. They have generously agreed that I can have long bullpen sessions as long as I can pass the measurement for shoulder strength. The reason I was able to come back strong after my second DL stint was because my thigh was healed AND I was able train with the long bullpen session. It was not because I lost weight (laughs), if by losing weight you become a better pitcher, I’d lose much more. It is not that simple."

     See that, Ian? Even Dice-K is laughing at you.

     I actually have a lot of respect for Browne as a professional, but, seriously, just try to use your head a little, folks.

     Thanks for coming out,

    -Matt

Season of Redemption for Alex Rodriguez

The year 2009 was a roller coaster ride to say the least for one Alex Rodriguez. From the admittance of steroid use before the season to his incredible playoff run and hoisting of the world series trophy at the end it was definitely quite a year. Alex Rodriguez started the season on the disabled list missing the first 28 games of the season ironically.  His admittance of steroid use came as a shock to the baseball world and not without many doubters who had already been hounding on him for his past playoff history as a yankee. Despite all the controversy and adversity A Rod ended up having a decent season with 30 home runs and 100 rbi's.  But A- Rod will forever be remembered for his heroic post season run in 2009 were he hit several 9th inning game tying or winning home runs. In a very Reggie Jackson like fashion A Rod pretty much single handedly led the yanks into the world series this past year.  After this past season's heroics has A Rod changed the way people look at him?  has he won the fans of baseball back? I think 2010 will be a great year for him expect him to hit more than 50 home runs the weight of the world has lifted off his shoulders no longer is he the playoff goat.

Defending the world series championship

With spring training just around the corner the Yankees will officially begin there quest to repeat as world champions. After an incredible ending the first season at the new yankee stadium one can only wonder  what the future has in store. During the offseason the yanks kept many of there veterans from last season's championship team but also picked up some as well as got rid of some. One huge offseason acquisition was outfielder Curtis Granderson from the Detroit Tigers. Granderson was an all star last season and is very young and could be an outstanding pick-up for the yankees. Another offseason pick up for the yanks was Randy Winn an out fielder from the San Francisco Giants. This pick up leads me to believe that maybe Johnny Damon's days are numbered as a yankee. Unfortunately the yanks also had to say good bye this offseason to some of the pieces to the championship puzzle. One of the big players to leave this offseason was Hideki Matsui (outfielder and dh) Matsui had a fantastic world series against the phillies including a homerun and six rbi's in the decisive game 6 he was voted mvp of the world series. Hideki Matsui's career as a yankee began in 2003. Another player the yanks lost this offseason was Phil Coke in my opinion Coke was a very important part of the yanks success in 2009 as he was the setup man for Riveira.  in 2009, Coke went 4-3 and saved 2 games in 72 appearences as the bridge to Mo. As the yanks get ready for the new season they will have a projected rotation of Andy Pettite, C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, either Phil Highes or Joba Chamberlain or both and maybe new acquisition Javier Vasquez from Atlanta. In general, i think it wasn't too bad an offseason for the yanks they have great veteran leadership mixed with great young talent on this team and i'm looking forward to the new season.

Welcome

     Word on the street is that MTR finally found somebody to take up the Yankees side of this blog. So I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome Anthony to this thread, and I look forward to writing with him.

     With Pitchers and Catchers just a few short weeks away, I think I'll begin an 'Around the Horn' kind of thing and a 'prospects' post shortly, so keep an eye out for those as I try yet again to be a regular contributor.

    -Matt

Offseason Roundup

     With Pitchers and Catchers (the three greatest words in the English language) in a little over a month, I think it is a perfect time to start reviewing the Red Sox' offseason. We didn't get the precious Adrian Gonzalez. We didn't reel in Hanley Ramirez, bring back Jason Bay, or even manage to dump Mikey Lowell, but I still consider this offseason a resounding success.

     While I do appreciate the Tug Huletts and Robert Manuels of the game, I won't be focusing on every move the Red Sox made this offseason, so with that said, here we go:

     The first fish reeled in (get it, he was a Marlin?) was Jeremy Hermida. Hermida is chock-full of potential, and really still is, a the ripe old age of 25. He will serve as a left-handed bat (good career numbers against righties), and the fourth outfielder. I have no problem with this move. It gives the Sox a little more offense and a little more reliability than the man he replaced, Rocco Baldelli.

     The next move of note was the signing of RP Fernando Cabrera. The RIghty has been a journeyman middle reliever for a few years now - an archetypical AAAA pitcher, if you will - and will have the chance to replace one of the relievers Boston lost over the offseason.

     The Red Sox then went out and got shortstop Marco Scutaro. Scutaro, who has been a bench player for most of his career, has a penchant for getting on base, as well as a reputation as a very smart baseball player, and a good defender. This will be, I think, a suitable replacement for Boston's string of failed shortstops. It's only a small downgrade from the wonderful Alex Gonzalez on D, while an upgrade of about 50 points of OBP will be very valuable out of the 9-hole.

     Scutaro isn't as flashy as some of the players who have tried their hand in Fenway (Renteria, Lugo), he is more of just a good, solid player, and I think this will help him to successfully hold down the fort while we wait for Jose Iglaesias, SS of the future.

     The Red Sox then signed Lefty Fabio Castro. He also may have a chance to compete for the job as the lefty specialist job this spring. He doesn't have much of a big-league track record, and hasn't pitched in The Show since 2007, but we need a lefty, so...

     The Red Sox then traded a Player To be Named (those sweet, sweet words) for Boof Bonser. Boof has had his ups and downs at the big-league level, but like Hermida, Bonser could be a pet project for the Sox and pitching coach John Farrell. Now, with 6 established starters, Bonser will be relieving this year, and I had pegged him for a long relief man, but it looks like that will be Timmy Wakefield's role, so Bonser could get bumped up to middle relief, a position he has been abhorrent at for his entire career, with a relief WHIP approaching 1.7. That said, scouts claim tha Bonser has closer stuff. While I think that is a joke, I think that Bonser could be a valuable 7th starter, or eat 70-100 innings, whatever. I think that Farrell could improve him, or maybe not, but I think he has value on the Sox, at least for now.

     The came the wonderful 16th of December, when Boston inked SP John Lackey and CF Mike Cameron.

     Lackey will be teh #3 starter. This bull I keep hearing comparing Lackey to Lester and Beckett is just that: bull. Both are better, and I'm not being a homer, teh numbers support me heartily. Since 2008, Lester has been a top-10 pitcher in baseball. Beckett, a top-20 pitcher. Lackey? Top-25, maybe. Beckett is still Boston's ace, for whatever reason, like leading the staff / the 2007 postseason, but my extended point is that Lackey will be a very good, very expensive #3 starter. He'll pitch to 200 innings, post a 3.50-4.00 ERA, and probably benefit a little from Fenway Park. Either way you split it, Boston now has the best top-3 in baseball, and likely the best rotation in the world as well.

     Cameron I find an interesting signing. He is obviously the defender Jason Bay wasn't. In fact, he is so good, he will be moving to center field, shifting Jacoby Ellsbury to left. When combined with JD Drew, the Sox now likely have the best defensive outfield in baseball, which, you saw what it did for Seattle last year. I can't wait to see these boys in action.

     On offense, Cameron isn't a total bust. He'll hit around .250 or so, and hit 20-25 homers, which is more than great for the #8 hitter. He may be even better in the Fens. My only beef with Cameron is his age. He'll be thirty-freaking-seven by Opening Day, and this worries me. He has historically been a great defender, but last year was really only good, which was a step down from 2008 again. I fear that this could likely be a trend that will leave him only an average-above-average centerfielder (which is still an upgrade over Jacoby, mind you), but I doubt he'll be a Franklin Gutierrez out there.

     The Red Sox then tried to shift Mikey Lowell to Texas in return for catching semi-prospect Max Ramirez. Lowell's time as a benefit as a starter are more or less up. I believe the bat is still there - I would lay good money Lowell could hit .280 with 20 homers if he wanted to, but he isn't a very patient hitter (.343 career OBP, with 2008-09 both below that), and his defense has suffered incredibly. Now, for the mega-classy Lowell, my first hope is that he could rehab effectively, turn into a gold-glove third baseman again, and be an Al-Star. But that's not going to happen. He has been hurt several times over the past few seasons and is now a liability at third.

     So, to rectify the situation, the Red Sox tried to dump him for a catching future. Due to his injuries, the Lowell deal fell through, and he then got surgery. But this didn't stop the Red Sox from...

     Signing Adrian Beltre. Beltre is a step down from Lowell offensively (you can expect .275, 20 homers, low OBP), but is a massive upgrade in the field. Beltre, with the exception of last year, has been perhaps THE best third baseman in baseball. He will still be solid, though maybe not elite. Scouting reports still love him, but the numbers weren't kind last year. His 6.7 rtot/150 is pretty good (it means that had Beltre played 150 games, he would have saved 6.7 runs over the course of the season) is solid, but not overly impressive. Personally, I think he will be a small upgrade over Lowell. Worth $20 MM (Beltre's 9 plus 9-12 they will be paying Lowell)? When you're the Red Sox, it sure is.

    The last move of the offseason to date is the trade of Casey Kotchman to teh Mariners for super utility guy Bill Hall. Hall, a former star and right-handed bat, will get playing time at third and occasionally the outfield (spelling Drew in right, against lefties sometimes, if I had my guess). He is cheaper than Kotchman, and is more suited to a bench role, with his flexibility, so it's really a win-win for both sides.

    Well, there you have it. WHat the Red Sox have done this Winter and how I feel about it. I would have added pictures but it's just so late. Thanks for stopping in,

    -Matt

Sox Shore Up Shortstop Hole

     Number 8. The Red Sox have signed yet another shortstop to throw into the mix that has been their Achilles heel since trading franchise player Nomar Garciaparra. Last Thursday the Red Sox signed free agent shortstop Marco Scutaro to fill in the position last filled by Alex Gonzalez. Or Jed Lowrie was going to fill it. Well, I guess Julio Lugo was supposed to be the starting shortstop there last year. Though Nick Green had the most starts. Lord.

     That kind of turntable is why the Red Sox signed Scutaro, who will be 34. As it was, the most likely candidate to start Opening Day for Boston was Jed Lowrie, who has been either unhealthy or unproductive at the major league career since joining the team in mid-2008. Lowire has had a rough go of it so far in his big-league career, playing most often with a bum wrist.

     Marco Scutaro brings solid defense, versatility, and patience at the plate above everything else. There are a lot of question marks considering his age, but this will only be his second season as an everyday player. I think we sit back and ohpe for a .350 OBP and some nice defense.

     He was only signed for two guaranteed years at $12.5 MM, so I can stomach it if he fails, though with his history, this will be his first real shot at both a full-time job and a ring, so I think he will be hungry enough to not be affected as much as Renteria and Lugo were in Boston. Also, he has a penchant for big hits, so hopefully he can ignore the town's pressure.

     Look, sorry it took so long to get this out, but I'm more than busy in exam season. Expect a more in-depth analysis of this signing, and the shortstop position soon.

     Thanks for stopping in

    -Matt

    

The Good Ol' Days

     Not really a Red Sox entry here, but Tom Singer recently published an article on mlb.com that I found very interesting.

    I don't know about every fan, but many a baseball fan has complained about the lack of team loyalty in today's game. This isn't to criticize the players; they have every right to earn what they possibly can. But don't we miss the Ted Williams', Bob Fellers, Joe DiMaggios, and Stan Musials? Great players (legends, all), that all spent their entire careers in one town? In recent years, a star player willing to take a smaller pay cut to stay with their original team has become a rarity. There are often many other factors than money - look at Roy Halladay. The man has given Toronto all the opportunity in the world, but he is leaving because he wants his ring.

     However, recently, a player jumping ship for the amount of zeros is not an anomaly. Alex Rodriguez became the poster boy for such behaviour when he left Seattle as a free agent in 2001.     

     Tom Singer's article, however, shows that a recent trend in the game is the more common occurence in teams locking up their young players through their arbitration years, and into free agency. Boston fans witnessed this last winter when Boston handed out long-term deals to the homegrown trio of Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester and Kevin Youkilis. Jacoby Ellsbury can probably look for one to be offered this winter.

     But league-wide, these contracts are being doled out. Look at almost any team, and they are saving money by having a home-grown star locked up long term. The games reigning greats - Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez, Joe Mauer - are all in this category. 2009's most dominant pitcher, Zack Greinke, is in the midst of a four-year deal, and the games best emerging pitcher, two-time and reigning Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum, is in a position to talk long-term to San Fransisco this winter.

     The long-term deal to a young player was epitomized by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, when they locked up budding All-Star Evan Longoria to the tune of nine years, just seven games into his career.

     This trend is reflected in the free agent market these past few years, as well. For several seasons now, the lack of impact players on the open market has been growing. And when the free agent pool is deep, as in the '08-'09 offseason, seemingly no teams are interested, presumably because of their good, young talent.

     The return of the franchise player is something I think many fans can agree is a welcome sight.

---

     In Red Sox news, basically nothing has happened so far this postseason.

     Alex Gonzalez has departed for Toronto, creating a unique infield with defensive stars John Macdonald and Aaron Hill up the middle, but defensive liability Edwin "E-5" Encarnacion at third.

     I was, and I'm sure many Red Sox fans were, sad to see Gonzalez go. A combination of defensively-gifted Gonzalez and durability-questioned Jed Lowrie was at least an answer at a position where the Red Sox have managed to have eight different names at the top of the depth chart in a six-year span.

     Now Boston just has a big question mark. Does Jed Lowrie get the starting nod? If he does, will he be 100% by April? If he is, can he be productive? If he is, who will be the Red Sox' backup SS?

     One name being thrown around the Hot Stove in heavy connection with the Red Sox is Marco Scutaro. This is somebody I have no interest in. Scutaro has a good 2009. A .379 OBP stands out, but this season was clearly an anomaly for Scutaro, who recently turned 34. He holds a career batting average of .265, with an OBP of .337.

     I could stand for mediocre (at best) offensive numbers if he was a defensive treat like Gonzalez, but Scutaro has never turned heads in the field, and by the numbers, ranked 15th among 26 major-league shortstops with 750 innings played in UZR, 13th in Range Factor, 18th in Double Play Ranking. In short, he is an offensively-overrated, defensively unattractive, nonathletic (for a SS) player who, let's not forget, is 34.

     Also, he is listed as a Type-A free agent, meaning that Boston would forfeit their first-round draft pick to the Jays, assuming they offer Scutaro arbitration, which should happen, and which he should refuse.

     The only other Hot Stove news to report is that Boston is apparently applying a 'full-court press' to the pursuit of Jays ace Roy Halladay. I love this move. There are few Red Sox players or prospects I would hate to lose, and none of them are names being brandied. The proepect of a Halladay-Lester-Beckett-Matsuzaka-Wakefield rotation is worth losing Clay Buchholz, Casey Kelly, and (prospect's name here).

     Theo is supposedly trying to pry Halladay away from the Jays before the Winter GM meetings, where an all-out derby for Halladay could develop (think Johan Santana in 2007). If the Red Sox pull this off, not only is the rotation upgraded, but it's another 30+ innings of a lighter load on the bullpen, which trickles back down to the rotation again, and essentially the Doctor turns the whole staff up a notch. Boston goes from a 90-win team to a team that could topple the Yankees and win 100+ games.

     Well, there are my thoughts on recent happenings around the league.

     Thanks for coming out,

    -Matt

Bad Move

     The Red Sox put backup catcher George Kottaras on unconditional release waivers Wednesday, ending the young catcher's short stay in Boston. He was claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers. Kottaras, 27, served mainly as kuckleballer Tim Wakefield's primary catcher for 2009, when Wake had his best season in years, when healthy.

     This strikes me as a bad move for several reasons:

     1, The kid has potential. I know I'm not Theo Epstein and don't have a details of George Kottaras' birth on hand, but it is a commonly accepted fact that the average player hits his prime at 27 years of age. So, it's safe to say George could have gotten significantly better, especially if trusted with playing time. Kottaras hit just .237 in 2009, but slugged an admirable .387, cinsidering the average. However, Kottaras had a track record of success in the minor leagues. He hit 22 home runs in limited playing time at AAA Pawtucket in 2008, slugging .456. He had a career MiL OPS of .811, a healthy number. Considering with more playing time and age, Kottaras could have potentially hit this well at the major-league level, i think it was fool hardy to spin him off now.

     2. This ensures that Jason Varitek is the backup catcher in 2010. Sigh. So now who catches Wakefield? I don't want to see Varitek do it. He hasn't caught Tim-May since what, 2004 (from memory), when he allowed 3 passed balls in just a short time in that playoff game against New York. Do you make your starting catcher, a below-average defensive catcher to begin with, who already has to spend time at first to rest his legs, does he catch Tim-May? I don't know what the answer is because the Red Sox released him.

     3. This move assumes the Red Sox have a plan for the future of the catcher position. This 'plan', I would assume entails one of three options:
         3.a) Joe Mauer. Only problem here is it's a $25 M a year investment. That's an issue.
         3.b) Victor Martinez. He'll be 32 by the time 2011 rolls around, has caught hundreds of games and already needs days off. And, as with Mauer, there's no guarantee of signing him.
         3.c) Luis Exposito. Sure, I love the kid, but do you want to put your fate in the hands of a prospect? Any prospect?
     I had it all mapped out. V-Mart would catch this year, move to first base or another team next year, Kottaras would catch full-time in 2011, then Exposito would take over in 2012. But nooo, that makes too much sense, apparently.

       I hope, I really hope, that Kottaras (who may get a chance to fight for a starting spot this spring) hits 25 homers for the Brewers, and becomes an All-Star catcher.

     Thanks, Jason Varitek,

    -Matt

He's Ba-ack

     No!!!

     All I wanted was for him to walk away. Ride off into the sunset and let Victor and George take care of his job for 2010. He's coming back for chump change. He was two World Series rings and has great stats that he can only hurt by returning.

     After the Red Sox declined Jason Varitek's $5 M 2010 option at the beginning of this week, Jason Varitek had until Friday to exercise his smaller, $3 Million option.

     Now, Varitek has given a lot to the Red Sox. I mean a lot. He was one of the games best all-around catchers for a little less than a decade, helped them win two World Championships, had two major injuries from playing hard for Boston and has been an asset to what has been the teams biggest strength - pitching - for several years now. But he needs to leave. Except that he didn't. Varitek exercised his option for 2010 on Wednesday, and the Nation weeps.

     Jason Varitek is the worst offensive catcher in the game, and that's a fact. He still has a good eye at the plate, but the man hit .203 last season. All I hoped for was that he would leave, and Victor could catch 100 games and George about 50, and we'd be set. In 2011 who knows, Victor probably wouldn't be catching full-time anymore, so Geogre could catch 130 games and we could see the light at the end of the tunnel: Luis Exposto. Is that too much to ask?

     So now we have, again, a logjam. Three catchers, or three corner infielders. Kottaras is out of options, so we can't send him down, and honestly, he's a big-league catcher anyways. Why, Jason, why?

     For all you've done for this club, you think you'd know that you can only hurt us by taking the field. Don't get me wrong, I love having the guy around. In the clubhouse, on the bench, talking to pitchers and catchers. But it's when the guy puts on his jock that I get nervous. Now, He will probably just be Josh Beckett's personal catcher, because Beckett loves him to death (not literally, unfortunately), and Beckett can't hold runners anyway.

     So we get one more season of the captain. One more season of grounding into double plays, or just popping out to second if we're lucky. But the good thing is, it'll only be once or twice a week, which is cool. Plus he will still have his usual professional, gritty, cerebral influence on the battery staff and the rest of the team.

     In other offseason news, David Ortiz is having touble getting closure on his PED case, as the courts have apparently re-locked up the names since they were apparently seized illegally by the government.

      Also, apparently Theo met with John Lackey's agent this week in Chicago at the GM Meetings. This can be viewed as only 'preliminary interest', as the Red Sox appear to have five quality starters (Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Matsuzaka, and Tim-May), all under contract for 2010 and beyond (except in Beckett's case), and since Lackey would be a key part of any rotation he is in. I can see him being a standup #2 for either New York team, or an ace on a Milwaukee or Minnesota squad, but I don't think he is needed in Boston right now. They will probably pursue depth options (the most interesting being Aroldis Chapman), but they do not need a 200-inning guy right now.

     I think the deck is stacked against Lackey returning to LA. He will get bigger, better offers from the big boys in New York, and LA will be more pressed to resign Chone Figgins, who is maybe the cornerstone to their offense, their team and their organization. He will be pursued by multiple teams as well, so the Angels may have to ante up to keep him. Plus, I think LA prepared for the potential loss of their ace by acquiring pitcher-who-hasn't-lived-up-to-his-potential extraordinaire Scott Kazmir in mid season last year.

Red Sox land OF Jeremy Hermida

     Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein began his offseason Friday by trading for Florida Marlins ex-top prospect Jeremy Hermida. The Red Sox traded AAA lefty reliever Hunter Jones and AA lefty Jose Alvarez. Both had successful seasons and are regarded as mid-level prospects, at best.

     Jeremy Hermida, drafted by Florida with the 11th-overall pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, had an immense ceiling as a prospect, and debuted with the Marlins in 2005. Regarded as a five-tool talent, Hermida impressed in his 'cup of coffee', hitting .293, slugging .634, with an OPS of 1.017, stealing two bases in 23 games.

     However, his career has stalled since. He had an OPS of .700 the following season, playing 99 games and a small role for the Marlins. In 2007, he had what appeared to be a breakout campaign, hitting .296 with 18 home runs in just 123 games as a 22-year old, but he has regressed, getting on-base at a .335 clip since then.

     Hermida is still just 25 years old. Epstein and the Red Sox see that he still has the tools to be a major-league caliber player, and will try to polish off his development.

     His role has yet to be defined as a Red Sox. As of now, is essentially insurance in case the Red Sox cannot bring back Left Fielder Jason Bay. Hermida can be an average big league player (career 102 OPS+), so the Red Sox wouldn't be mortified to have him starting out there, with the potential for improvement.

     If the Red Sox re-sign Bay, or acquire another big bat in Left, Hermida would likely be a left-handed bat off the bench and fourth outfielder. This is probably bad news for Rocco Baldelli if he intended on returning to the Red Sox, as teh Red Sox are unlikely to carry five outfielders. If Hermida does end up with the Opening Day assignment, Baldelli could return, as the Red Sox would have an all left-handed outfield.

     For now, though, this is another patented Epstein Depth Option, and should be viewed as nothing more. There is still hope Bay will be back.