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Tom Strange
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Well starman... I would (rather begrudgingly) acknowledge that this year ARod's numbers weren't completely hollow (and that pains me) in that while he was going off in April and May wasn't he pretty much 'keeping the NYY in it' ??? Or was that just the hype we got sold here in the hinterlands?

It appeared to us 'out here' that he made more of a difference (this year) in just getting them to the post-season...

I too would agree that Papi has a big payday coming ...if he wants one

But I'd bet that the BoSox will make him a pretty good offer to stay there...

I also think that contract for Schilling is fair... and I'd also bet he has no doubts in his mind that he's gonna hit those numbers...

Edited by Tom Strange
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It's true that Arod kept the Yankees alive during a time of complete collapse. They were 14 !/2 games out at the end of May and should have been much further out. He also was consistent through most of the season, and did have meaningful hits before he did his usual playoff fold.

That doesn't make him worth 350 mil, or mean that he's now 'clutch'. But he did have a fine year, and you can't take that away from him.

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Sure , Ill negotiate it for you, you have had one of the most prolific posting years ever at GSC. How could Cuban not notice that? Near Ruthian, nearly in league with...excathedra...the greatest poster of her generation....

But he did have a fine year, and you can't take that away from him.

Im not trying to take it away from him. It was one of the best years by anyone ever, I just thought that the comparison was interesting and that there are others "in his league', although you would hardly know it these days.

As far as the Drew money--I honestly dont know, other than the RedSox saw something that they wanted and Drew is another Boras client which I am sure jacked up his price.

I have yet to hear anything about Ortiz being discontent, or wanting to opt out of anything. He seems to really like it here!

Honestly if you are making 13 -14-15-17 million does a million either way mean all that much and is it worth complaining about, if you are being treated well and respected? I suspect that the Red Sox will continue to treat Ortiz well and adjust things as necessary. I dont know but I doubt that there is much if any animosity from Ortiz toward Drew. They are both in the same boat as teammates and in the same framework of payscale. Should anyone ever complain if they make 13-14 million dollars a year playing a game?

The thing that would really frighten me as a general manager signing Arod at his prices and perk demands (last I read he wanted his own souvenir section, a business office, some private flights and a bunch of other stuff as well..) is that no matter where he lands-it setups a 24 plus 1 situation on any 'team'. where one is inordiantely treated differently than all of his teammates. Maybe Im stupid but I dont see how that could practically work over a long season without causing all sorts of negative backlash.

Most teams have a variety of salaries but they are at least in the same ballpark depending on experience and skills. someone that far ahead would throw a whole team out of wack.

but Im starting to think the whole $350m is a bluff by Boras so when someone signs him for $200-300 they will think they are actually getting a deal and the perception will be that he left some money on the table and isnt so needy/greedy afterall but really wants to play for team xxx.

Who knows?

Edited by mstar1
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Who knows?

Nobody but Boras...

and I don't think Papi feels any animosity either, he's hit the motherlode and he gets to see good pitches!

...I've just always had a bad taste in my mouth about Drew, but that's just me, doesn't mean it's true... he benefits as well from hitting in that lineup...

And to your (paraphrasing) "if you're being treated well and respected"... I think that's where ARod has always missed it... he can't understand that he is being treated very well (by ownership) and respected (for his abilities) but he gets neither for the "type of persona" he projects...

He was a cancer here... gave nothing back and took everything he could... I'm not spewing sour grapes here, he's just a jackfoot who happens to be very talented...

Managers meetings this week... I wonder what juicy tidbits will come out of that... I think we're trying to move Laird because we've got Salty and a bunch of young catchers as good prospects... I thought we might have been able to move him to Detroit for some of their pitching but they took the option on Ivan's contract...

there's a guy... IRod... folks here still speak highly of him and are thankful for his time here and don't begrudge him his money at all... totally different from ARod... weird isn't it?

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IRod... folks here still speak highly of him and are thankful for his time here and don't begrudge him his money at all... totally different from ARod... weird isn't it?

I dont think its all that weird-he works hard, is a team player, goes about his business

Who could not like IRod? Ive never seen anything not to like about him--ever

...except that friggin cannon arm at the wrong time--which still inspires awe and respect from me.

..............

I just heard Laird rumors over this way, (what I hear had Coco involved),

but Im a little in the dark about him. I do know the Sox need a good backup catcher who isnt a blackhole in the batters box as well as someone who can grow to be THE catcher in a few years as Varitek declines. That will be some tough shoes to fill, but good young catchers seem to be at a premium, and that is one position where there isnt anyone particularly noteworthy thats homegrown coming up anytime soon

Fill me in a litttle on Laird..

(so's I can let Theo know what to offer :biglaugh: )

Edited by mstar1
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Fill me in a litttle on Laird..

Well... I know you can look up his stats so I'll skip that... this was really his first full season as "the guy" and then they got Salta... in the Tex trade with ATL so they split time later in the season... he's always seemed like a good guy, calls a decent game, has an exceptional arm. He's not Ivan, but to call him 'above average' just seems not fitting...

It seems like he seldom hits anything but home runs and doubles (although the stats might prove me wrong)... he and Ron Washington kind of got off on the wrong foot, but I don't think that's why he's on the table... the stRangers have three quality prospects at catcher that'll be ready in the next year or two and Salty can fill in until then... we hope our young pitchers will take the next step as well...

Laird seems like a good guy to spell Varitek, he's almost 28 though, hits right, below .250 avg... but his arm is just a tad below what we saw with Pudge... oops, I forget you guys had a Pudge, too...

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Gee, 3 in the pipeline, and Saltalamacchia can 'fill in'until then?

heckuva 'fill in',-- these kids must be good

I'll pass the cornucopia , I think you should share of your abundance......

Seriously--That should give the Rangers some leverage to pick up some quality pitching that they always seem to be looking for...

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They have high hopes for Taylor Teagarden who is hitting .391/.464/.652 in Az Fall League play.

He caught for UTexas for three years... there are a couple of others as well...

of course, we're really hoping (isn't everybody) that some of the young pitching takes the next step...

hey... do the BoSox want Padilla for Drew?

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I dont know--(what do I know???), people were riding Drew for a good portion of the season but the end of his year wasnt all that bad. The FO may see more than I do, and be content for that to be an 'adjustment year' for him. (new league, New city, etc blah blah blah, he also had a deathly ill child much of the year that isnt well known, which Im sure to some extent adversely affected his play.

. Personally although he had an overall downyear I think he is safe for another year here. One thing is though there are OFers here no one really is equipped to play right other than Drew

If an OF is going I am guessing it may be Crisp ( who had a phenomenal fielding year, ran well, but underperformed as a hitter) providing he can bring the right thing in return.

Just a guess.

there are alot of young pitchers here, but I have already grown too attached ( too many years of seeing no one coming up!) for me to even contemplate letting any of them go.

The one luxury I do have that I never in my life had before is that I now trust the FO almost all the time after hating/fearing/despising, wanted to burn them at the stake or pluck their eyes out for decades.

Even when huge prospects like Hanley Ramirez get traded, that you wait a few years to see, it seems to turn out well (...well yea Beckett and Lowell were worth that...)

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Drew has alot of talent. Enough that he tantalizes, and gets people to think, gee, he's really not bad, he played well here and there, so let's stick with him.

I'm just glad he's not in LA anymore. His on again off again style got old. It was mainly his attitude, not seeming to care, never playing when he got a hangnail.I suspect he's being given alot of slack due to a couple of big hits in the post season. Never fear, he'll be the same old JD come next May.

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I suspect he's being given alot of slack due to a couple of big hits in the post season

His September wasnt really that bad either. He did warm up just at the right time FWIW.

If any slack is being given, I think its also because, unbeknownst to almost all of us, his young son was on deaths door for a good part of the year, something which he kept quiet about, never mind the new league, new town etc that I said earlier...

He does lack the outward enthusiasm of a lot of players, he is never gonna be a fist pumping rah rah guy--- but something like that had to be weighing heavily on him....I know it would me,

I can give him a lot of leeway for something like that, however it doesnt hurt that things turned out like they did either

Edited by mstar1
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I can understand his concern for his son, and of course that's a distraction. I'm not sure what his concerns every other season were. I heard that same song about JD adjusting, coming into his own, etc, for years. He never has 'disappointed' in his ability to not live up to expectations. He had stretches with the Dodgers where he looked like the next mvp, until you realize he's just gone 3 weeks without an rbi, and has sat out half the games, and you wonder where that great player went.

After a world championship, everyone looks wonderful. I've been there a few times with the Yankees.

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The thing about JDD is that he's almost (to me) like ARod in that he's always seemed to be about the money... whenever I hear his name the first thing that always comes to my mind is his whole draft thing... and then it always seems like he's gotten the money he wants but hasn't really performed consistently... for whatever reason. The whole thing you've mentioned mstar about his son this year is tragic and sad... but like hiway said "what about the other years?"

I was just looking for a way to domp Padilla's contract. When he wants to be, he can be an excellent pitcher... but his head is screwy. When Washington was asked about Padilla's future here next year he actually said something to the effect of "well, I really don't have much choice in the matter, I'm stuck with him"...

This was right after a game in which Padilla was mowing down the other team, then all of a sudden decided he was gonna lob curveball after curveball slowly over the middle of the plate... Laird couldn't get him to stop, the pitching coach couldn't get him to stop... next thing you know we're behind in a game we should have won. And he just doesn't seem to care. The starts on both sides of that outing were superb... pitched like a stopper...

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Holy dysfunction-

I know Ive seen and heard things like that its just been a few years since Ive heard a manager say something like that, or a pitcher do something like that.

Thats all catastrophically unprofessional all the way around. I dont see how a team can function with that type of crap going on(.....well it doesnt function vert well does it?) Id dump him, dfa him or eat the contract and send him to A before Id subject the rest of the team to that. Washington souds like he needs a primer on keeping things in house, or at least trying to put some positive spin on it, He still is going to be the guy who has to somehow motivate him...

The last time I heard a hint of anything like that was Jay Payton vocally complaining(tirading really) that he wasn't getting his deserved playing time in 2005...Theo traded him that very day.

As far as JD goes, Im not as close to his history as you two seem to be, I have only seen him for a year. It was less than I expected at the plate but one thing in his favor is that right now he is at the very least an adequate starter on a World Champion. No other RF can say that right now

for his perceived faults that counts for something.

(and to the organization about an extra 45-50m).

There were no stretches of injuries alluded to by Hiway and none of the overt weirdness that is happening with Padilla. He did fill alot of holes in the lineup from leadoff to 8 as necessary over the year and was adequate and steady in the field

Would the Red Sox have won with Trot Nixon or someone else cheaper? maybe, maybe not

could they have gotten Drew cheaper? maybe.

It wasnt (obviously) solely Drew that brough the Championship to Boston BUT he was a part of it,

what part I cant calculate

Im not privy to the complex mathematical formulas they use to figure all this and amillion other things out.

I wish I was!

but now, although it sounds like a lot of money, they calculated the gamble and bottom line--it paid off.

Edited by mstar1
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Yeah... Ron Washington has a little edumakaten to go through... Mostly though folks appreciate his honesty and candidness... and he seems to have brought a really good attitude to the team... in this instance he was on his weekly radio talk show and the host just asked him point blank and he responded honestly... of course, it put our boy Jon Daniels in a bad spot when he got asked about it later, but he was more diplomatic about it but basically said the same thing: that they're going to have a talk with Padilla, try to trade him and if they can't they'll bury him...

of course, I don't know whether it makes that much difference to him or not, he's go his $$$... which many of us were surprised about as well given his predilection for doing this kind of stuff in the past...

so please tell Theo to take him... he can probably get ole Tom to pay part of the freight...

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:biglaugh::biglaugh:

I dont know Theo is pretty sharp.

I dont know much about Padilla, but even Im seeing giant redlights, caution flags, bridge out signs and hearing screaming warning sirens and yous guys are way over in Texas.

Good Luck unloading him....

...or...

to be nice I 'spose I could say--

good luck to him, maybe you can find a place that he fits, some guys just dont seem to fit in certain places and he can work out somewhere else....

speaking of which...I wonder whats up with Edgar Renteria, I know he didnt work well here, but he is starting to develop the Kenny Lofton style career path... he'll be on his 4th team in 5 years. I wonder whats going on there.

Edited by mstar1
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good for Micah-

:eusa_clap:

I had my moment yesterday. i was rushing around doing things, busy, distracted at about 5:30, when a thought ( Who's pitchin tonight?) entered my head :doh:

I realized immediately how far off base i was....and tried to stuff the thought back in--but it made me laugh....

oops.....

has that happened to anyone else yet?

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7:05

:)

.....

oops no game today..instead go

HERE to vote for the 2008 Ford Frick Award.

You can vote to select three broadcasters to be on the final top ten ballot for the Ford Frick Award and a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

My vote goes to Ned Martin, the voice of my youth,

Paced delivery, dry wit, poetic inserts (shakespeare wasnt uncommon) dramatic when necessary, simple yet creative, and highly objective...those were all Ned.

When every game wasnt on TV it was Neds voice that rang around New England for over 30 years

that kindled the love affair which is still going on....

He should already be in the hall---

If you have someone you feel is worthy---go vote!

Edited by mstar1
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All good choices--

Im happy for the little man--Dustin Pedroia was just named Rookie of The Year in The AL.

He earned it ---the kid is tough, a great competitor, and fun to watch.

Listed at 5'8" , I doubt he is even 5'5" .

It also just came out he played the last few months with a broken bone in his hand--

4y5od5g.gif

Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox 24 4 — 132

Delmon Young, Devil Rays 3 12 5 56

Brian Bannister, Royals 1 8 7 36

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox — 2 6 12

Reggie Willits, Angels — 2 5 11

Hideki Okajima, Red Sox — — 3 3

Josh Fields, White Sox — — 1 1

Joakim Soria, Royals — — 1 1

In the NL it was Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun, Brewers 17 14 1 128

Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies 15 17 — 126

Hunter Pence, Astros — — 15 15

Chris Young, Diamondbacks — — 10 10

Kyle Kendrick, Phillies — 1 4 7

Yunel Escobar, Atlanta — — 1 1

James Loney, Dodgers — — 1 1

Pretty darn close race.....

Tomorrow we get the AL CY

Its a toss up between Beckett and Sabathia

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