Dice-K is all of the talk right now.  Either people are saying to trade him for anything, just drop him, or keep him.

I dont see the trade being a possibility.  He makes too much and wont bring back enough in return.

Just dropping him doesnt seem ideal because he is one of the better #5 starters in baseball even if he is the highest paid one.

Right now Im with the keeping him.  But I think we are all in agreement that he needs to pitch better. 

The Sox have seemed to try everything to get the results that he is capable of having.  I have an idea that just might work......after the jump

Continue reading this post »

I just had to post these results because even I couldn't believe it.  Now keep in mind it isnt as deep of a league as the Gedman league.  Less starters but its still a 12 team league.  I just wish it was for money though.

We start C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, UTIL, OF, OF, OF, SP SP P P P RP RP B B B B B

My draft results after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

We have definitely discussed the numerous possible lineups against RHP.  I find the possible lineups against lefties a little more intriguing considering some of the splits the Sox hitters have.  I created a quick lineup that I found interesting and I know will probably cause some discussion, which is one of my biggest joys.  I did base this on a few assumptions.  I do understand that some of these assumptions may or may not come true.  I also realize that the Sox have a lot of flexibility with their lineup against lefties as they do against righties.

Assumptions as of right now......

1.  I believe they will give Ellsbury one last shot to show he can leadoff and improve his OBP.  Because of this I'll go with the Sox having the same 1-4 of Ells, Pedey, Agon, and Youk agains lefties and righties.  Ellsbury, to my surprise, actually hits better against lefties than he does righties.

2.  Lowrie is definitely the starter against lefties at SS.  Not only has he killed lefties last year but throughout his whole career.

3.  I believe Cameron will be starting against lefties.  I dont think it will be an all out platoon with one player though.  Originally I assumed they would platoon either Papi or Drew, as they both have had problems with lefties.  I was also thinking it would most likely be Drew because Papi is Papi and he is probably more likely to hit a homer off a lefty.  Now Im thinking more in lines that sometimes it will be Drew, sometimes Papi, and occasionally Crawford (definitely less than the 2 former). 

4.  I tried to keep in mind the LRLR that Tito likes to do.

Since Im only going to put out one lineup in this post, Ill go with Cameron starting and Drew sitting.  Im also only doing one lineup because I want to see what you all suggest and some of your ideas.

Im not saying this is what the Sox should or will do.  Im just striking up conversation.

Continue reading this post »

Assuming he wins the starting SS job.  I see alot of people on here think he is the second coming of Hanley Ramirez, which I dont really understand myself.  I consider him and Scutaro just about the same player, the only difference being is age and potential.

My projections for Lowrie, assuming he'll be the starting SS and plays the whole season are

.275 avg  15 HR's  75 runs 75 RBI's 40 doubles .350 OBP .410 SLUG .760 OPS

Now dont get me wrong, I like these numbers and Ill def take them, since he would be batting 7,8, or 9th anyways.  But these comparisons to Hanley Ramirez and Tulo just have to stop.  I would like to see what you all project.

The draft is tonight at 8:00, we need some more managers by 7:00.  It is a free league, auction draft, with 3 keepers.

If you are interested just email aedan_luv@yahoo.com and the league manager will send you an invite.

The league is on espn.com.  Pretty good setup with some decent owners.  Some are homers  but they arent totally pathetic.  I know this is a baseball site but you are all very knowledgable and I figured you would know about football too.

Jason

So pitchers and catchers are reporting soon and Mike Lowell is still on the roster.  He had surgery on his thumb, which is what stopped the trade to Texas.  According to reports he should be able to play in Spring Training.  So what do we do with Mike Lowell?

I like Lowell for how good he plays and for how well he plays too.  I know his defense has suffered since the hip injury but nobody can deny that he can still hit.  With this in mind I say we should keep him on the roster this year instead of trading him and I have numerous reasons why.  Yes I understand he wont be happy being a part time player but oh well....you still get your 12 million and a chance at another ring.

1.  Why pay him 9 million to play somewhere else when for 3 million more he can contribute.

2.  Have him platoon with Ortiz.  Lowell against lefties and Ortiz against righties. 

3.  Insurance for Beltre.  I think Beltre is going to have a great year but he is coming off an injury.  If Beltre goes down for a lot of the year who do you want?  Billy Hall, Lowrie, or Lowell manning 3rd for an extended period of time.

4.  Insurance for Youk and Ortiz too.  If any of these 2 go down or Ortiz flops in the first few months again we have a guy that averages 17 homers and 75+ RBI's with a bad hip on the bench.

6.  A real threat hitter off the bench.  Now I dont know if he would definitely be a good pinch hitter but he definitely has the talent to hit.  Having a professional hitter with pop coming of the bench could be huge.

5.  With him coming off of surgery, I just dont think we can get value back for him.  The only way we can is if he goes crazy during spring training.  And even then it wont be a top prospect and we will still have to dish out a lot of his contract.

I understand if the Sox can get anything for him that they will ship him.  And that it has more to do with respect for Lowell than a real baseball decision.  He is good enough to start for a lot of teams.  The guy can still hit, he plays the game right, he wants to start, and is a class act.  but you just dont give away good, solid, players for nothing because they want to be a starter.  I also understand that they could use a few million of savings, but seriously, what is 3 million when you lose all the insurance that Lowell gives you.

So what do you think.

1.  Trade Lowell for anything and pay most of his contract

2.  Keep Lowell for insurance and occasional fill in.

3.  Lowell platoon with Ortiz and #2.

Well steroids is back on the subject again, thanks to McGwire finally admitting what we already knew.  Now what is the problem with players taking steroids or HGH?  Is it because its illegal?  or Is it because they are deemed performance enhancing?

Well they are not performance enhancing for everyone.  Just because you take them doesnt mean you will be one of the top 10% of players in baseball, for example Manny Alexander was one of the first players caught using them.  If you dont know who Manny Alexander is then that pretty much proves my point.

Lets start with McGwire.  Did you know that he hit 49 homers as a rookie and that is still the record today?  I would imagine that we could all agree he probably wasnt on steroids at that time.  So its safe to say that he had the potential at a young age to gain strength to possibly get the home run record anyways.  He did go to the National League which has weaker pitching.  To a park with a short LF porch and there were (4?) more teams added to the majors from his rookie year to 98.  Did he just need to be healthy for a full season and the stars aligned.  How many of the homers wouldnt have made it over the fence without steroids?  Does it add 5, 15, 20, 50 feet to flyballs?

Now to Barry Bonds....yeah he is a jerk but lets just look at him as a player.  He is watching 98 with his 3 MVP's and being (with Griffey JR) hands down, the best player in all of baseball.  He has 2 of the best years in the history of baseball.  In 04 Bonds walked 232 times, he was intentionally walked 120 times.  Just to put that in perspective, Babe Ruth most BB in a season was 170 and he was hitting more HR's than TEAMS.  Barry Bonds was intentionally walked more than any TEAM in baseball!!!!!  Does steroids/HGH make him more patient?  Does it make his hand/eye coordination that good?  The man had 373 official AB (excludes walks) and how many times do you think he saw a fastball down the middle when he was feared that much?  That season he struck out a total of 41 times!!!!!  41 THATS IT!!!  How many of his home runs just barely made it?  Does steroids add 5, 15, 20, or 50 feet?

Im not saying what they did was right or wrong.  If I was in their shoes I would have done it myself.  Someone comes up to me right now and says "if you rub this cream on your arm your salary would go up 10 fold"  I wouldnt hesitate and I make 50k.  These guys are making a jump from 6-20 million contracts to 100 million dollar contracts.  You have to be able to understand the attraction to it.  Then add in the fact that while the fans, writers, sportcasters, and owners all pretty much knew and nobody seemed to care then!!!!  Noboby even brings up Bret Boone and 2b with a good glove goes to Seattle and becomes one of the biggest power hitters in the AL!!!!  His former Reds teammates didnt even recognize him the following spring training.  Where was the investigation?  Damn his name doesnt even get mentioned!!!!  And one of his teams has the record for most wins in the regular season. 

Now lets talk about laser eye surgery.  It wont make you stronger but if you can see better that is a performance enhancing in baseball.  Even more so in baseball than any other sport.  Now if your problem with the 2 players above is about steroids being illegal then fine.  But if it is about those drugs being performance enhancing then you should have a problem with laser eye surgery.

1.  Did the players, even of the 80's, have a chance for laser eye surgery?  Nope so the records should have astericks right?

I ask you if Greg Maddux didnt have laser eye surgery, would he have gotten to 300 wins?  I dont think he would have at all.  If you cant see you cant hit or pitch as well, THAT IS A FACT!!!!!!  Seeing is paramount even over bat speed in baseball.  Now I dont have the list of players that have had eye surgery but it is plentiful that is for sure!!!

Im just tired of fans that were cheering McGwire, Bonds, and anyone else that was using during the era, now crapping on them.  You had no problem with it at all while they were playing like GODS and now you want to hold it against them.  The had an edge to what level nobody really knows for sure, were allowed to do it, profitted from it, and cheered for it.  Then after the fact of rule changes they are getting crusified for what they did!!!  It is hypocritical!!!!  And now our government, most of whom are the biggest crooks around, spend millions of our tax dollars to send these players to jail?  This is a joke.

Have a section in the Hall about the steroid era.  The writers can vote any way they want for a player, whatever.  But it is wrong to put astericks on a record.  It was wrong to do it to Maris and it is wrong to do it to these players after the fact.  If they want to put astericks on records for steriod use then I say they should put astericks on any records/player stats that used laser eye surgery.  Its performance enhancing and the players of the past didnt have access to it (sarcasm)

Well its going to be pretty boring now that the Sox have pretty much finished their off-season.  There might be a couple of minor moves until March and then we can at least start speculating on where Lowell gets traded to.

So I figured we could discuss next year's HOF ballot.  There are some interesting newcomers coming in.  Noteworthy holdovers are Roberto Alomar (should be in already), Blyleven, Jack Morris, Mark McGwire.  The new additions are Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, Larry Walker, Jeff Bagwell, John Franco and Kevin Brown.

I think Alomar is a lock, Blyleven will probably get enough next year, and maybe Jack Morris as his percentage has gone up every year.

I dont think Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez have a chance in hell of making it ever.  The ones that interest me the most are Jeff Bagwell and Larry Walker.

Bagwell was a beast for many years but how does the Steroid Era effect his status.  Im pretty sure he never hit more than 15 homers in the minors and then in the majors he is a power threat.  Does speculation keep him out?

His career stats .297 avg, 449 HR's, 1529 RBI's, .408 OBP, and .540 SLG.  He won the ROY in 91,  and a MVP in 94.  He doesnt have a great track record in the playoffs though.  He played in pain and through injuries and was always considered a old-fashioned type of player.

That brings me to Larry Walker.  Man could this guy play, he had a cannon, was a good fielder and what a friggin hitter!!!!  BUT he played 10 years and Colorado, does this get held against him?

His career stats are .313 avg, 383 HR's, 1311 RBI's, .400 OBP, and .565 SLG.  He won the MVP in 97 and 7 Gold Glove awards.  He batted .357 with 2 HR's in the 04 World Series but they didnt win it because of destiny was against the Cards that year LOL. Outside of that 1 World Series his playoff stats are nothing to brag about.

I give my vote for Alomar which shouldnt be surprising considering my previous Fanpost.  I always thought of Bagwell and Walker as HOF's as they were playing but Im not sure they get in.  Walker didnt even get 400 homers (seems to be the line to start with) but has a good career avg and was great defensively.  Bagwell has the career homers but does 400+ homers mean as much anymore?

Hoping for some comments to help me decide.  Who would you vote in next year?

1.  Ozzie Smith makes the HOF only for his defensive prowess.  Now Im not saying that he shouldnt have made it just what gets 1 player in should get another in too.

Roberto Alomar is the best defensive 2b to ever play PERIOD!!!  The man would get to balls nobody else could get to.  He also could bat 3rd in a lineup.  Back in that era there wasnt any (Ryan Sandberg is the exception) 2b that did that.

Right now he has similiar amount of AB's as Jeter.  He compares to Jeter in every offensive catergory too.  Now Jeter isnt remotely close to Alomar defensively.  But if Jeter was on the ballot with his present day stats he would make it into the HOF first ballot.  There seems to be no consistency. 

You cant say he wasnt a winner cuz he won at least 2 World Series with Toronto and batted over 300 in the postseason too.

Let me know what you think, should Alomar be in the HOF?

This is assuming the Sox dont trade Lowell which isnt a guarantee. 

                                                                    Projected Stats

1.  Ellsbury - LF/CF           .290 avg      8 HR's       50 RBI's     90 Runs      50+ SB's

2.  Pedroia - 2B                 .300 avg      15 HR's     80 RBI's     100 Runs     20 SB's

3.  Youkilis - 1B/3B           .300+avg     25-30 HR  100+RBI's  100 Runs   

4.   Martinez - C/1B/DH     .280+ avg     25-30 HR  100+RBI's   80 Runs

5.  Ortiz - DH                       .240 avg.      25+ HR's    90 RBI's      80 Runs

6.  Beltre - 3B                     .275 avg        25+ HR's    80+ RBI's   70 Runs

7.  Drew - RF                      .275 avg        20+ HR's    80 RBI's     70 Runs

8.  Cameron - CF/LF         .250 avg        18+ HR's    70 RBI's     70 Runs

9.  Scutaro - SS                  .275+ avg      14 HR's      60 RBI'S     70 RUNS

BENCH

Lowell  backup at DH/3B/1B

Hermidia backup at LF/RF

Varitek   backup C

Hall backup everywhere except P and C

ROTATION

Lester

Beckett

Lackey

Bucholhz

Dice- K

Wakefield

The 5th starter will be determined on Wakefields health and whether they want to throw Bulcolhz in the rotation (I feel its time to give him a shot).  I think Wakefield should be on the roster (Probably in long relief) if healthy just because of his ability to pitch innings and established record as a veteran prescence.

BULLPEN

Delcarmen

Okajima

Ramon Ramirez 1

Ramon Ramirez 2

Bard - SETUP

Papelbon - CLOSER

MINOR LEAGUE HELP IF NEEDED

BOWDEN

TAZAWA

BONSER (HOPE IT DOESNT COME TO THAT)

LOWRIE

REDDICK

I think this is a solid all-around lineup.  Yes its missing a Manny Ramirez type but the offense has solid hitters 1-9.  Im a little worried about the 5,6,7 hitters as they tend to be pitchable.  The defense should be great, the rotation should be outstanding as long as its healthy, and the bullpen pretty damn solid.  Lowell can come off the bench to hit assuming he isnt traded (Im sure he will be). 

 The 1 glaring weakness is the lack of speed on the bench, there is none at all.  The Sox have showed in recent years that they like to get that later in the year.  Hall provides a lot of versatility assuming Lowrie is just going to get hurt anyways.  And I think Hermidia makes for a pretty good and athletic #4 OF.

Now I know that Francona already told Ellsbury that he will be in LF, I dont particularly like that.  Ellsbury is your CF of the future and I think the stats are a little skewed.  No he doesnt always get the best reads on balls but he def wasnt on of the worse CFs in baseball.  He can only get better by playing the position.  To have Cameron cover it for the max of 2 years just impedes on Ellsbury's development, in my opinion.

Let me know what you think.

This is what I think the Sox should do next.  I would package Ellsbury, Bucholhz, Westmoreland, and Kelley for Hanley Ramirez!!!!!  Forget about Gonzalez and Cabrera.....Hanley Ramirez is the BEST all around player in baseball and he is signed with a great contract too.  He is younger, better, and cheaper than the other options.  You move Cameron to center, Scutaro to 3B (probably better at defense there than SS anyways), Youk at 1B, and trade either Ortiz or Lowell for whatever!!!!  Sign Bay, Dye, or some other LF, I would personally go after Bay since his price seems to be dropping, a 4 yr 70 million contract seems to be able to do it as of right now.

1. Scutaro  3B

2. Pedroia  2B

3. H. Ramirez  SS

4. Youk  1B

5. Martinez  C

6. Bay  LF

7 Drew  RF

8 Ortiz  DH

9 Cameron  CF

This is one potent lineup 1-9, with good speed, and improved defense from last year!!!!  Let me know what you think.