Possibly the last Filter for a few days - FanPosts get lots of discussion if anyone wants to talk about a few links in the meantime (like who is offered arbitration before tomorrow's deadline). Anyways, let's hit the links!

Apparently, journalists like to make their own stories (SHOCKING).

@clarkspencer

There is no truth to the rumor that the #Marlins are in trade talks with the #Red Sox -- or anyone else -- for shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

Oh, and this should have been our number one hint as to why this was a non-story. But, since it came up...

Red Sox Reportedly Eyeing Hanley Ramirez - Bleacher Report

The package would have to be pretty overwhelming, and would presumably deplete their farm, but if they could somehow get the Marlins to take Kelly, Bowden, Westmoreland, and another prospect not named Reddick, Bard, or Buchholz, I would pull the trigger.

So, basically, this guy only like prospects that have reached the majors. I understand putting Bowden below Buch and Reddick, since he's been struggling of late, but below Bard? I think I'd put Kelly and Manifest Destiny above at least Bard, probably Reddick as well.

More Bleacher Report laughs later; first, some other stories.

Free Agents: Saito, Nishi, Kobayashi - NPB Tracker

Since I can't translate very well, I'll go with the English news; Saito could be lost as well, it appears. Thoughts?

Theo May Get Burned on Saito Too - Fenway West

Nevermind, first comment says it for me. Next topic.

Commissioner plans to step down after 2012 -- chicagotribune.com

GET OUTTA HERE, BUD. So... anyone want to revisit the Bush idea from last year? (Disclaimer: That FanPost probably makes me look really stupid. Enjoy it if you want to find it.)

History Unblurred: The 10 Best Starting Pitchers from the 2000s - Bleacher Report

Interesting methodology. Any issues with the rankings?

Elias Numbers For Type As - MLBTradeRumors.com

With an excellent explanation as well.

More links after the jump, including some projections, complaints, and an opportunity.

Continue reading this post »

First, we're going to get the stuff that hasn't been covered before out of the way. THEN we can come back to the same old topics.

Cost and Value: Economic Realities (Part 1 of 3) - Pinstripe Alley

Cost and Value: Salaries and Future Value (Part 2 of 3) - Pinstripe Alley

Evaluating the financial efficiency of the Yankees' lineup.

Yeah, I know, MFY fans, eww. But that's no excuse not to read these.

Black Friday Baseball Bargains - Fenway West

Nothing shocking or crazy, just a reminder of what's out there.

Rivals bicker over Red Sox relic - Boston Herald

A coveted piece of Red Sox lore sits deep in Yankee country with an uncertain future as a pair of rival collectors bitterly feud over who will profit from a potential sale of the Olde Town Team’s 1912 World Series trophy.

STORY TIME!!!! And don't give me some excuse about having to hear about Pilgrims and Indians all week - we all know that no one talks about that after the kindergarten plays with construction paper outifts.

The Brain: Humanity's Other Basic Instinct: Math - DISCOVER Magazine

Thanks to Tommy at BtB for this link.

Discussion: The Trade Of The Decade - MLBTradeRumors.com

Torey Lovullo to be named manager of Pawtucket - SoxProspects.com

After the jump, a whole bunch of stuff about assorted Blue Jay players (and a Detroit Tiger as well).

Continue reading this post »

It's not that difficult to imagine Tito being the guy holding all the bags and sitting on the bench outside the store where Theo's shopping. Then again, maybe I had a little too much eggnog. Anyways, not a lot of links:

Another Thing I'm Thankful For: Baseball Reference - Brew Crew Ball

Trades Of The Decade: A-Rod For Soriano - MLBTradeRumors.com

The one that nearly sent Rodriguez to the Sox; how different would the baseball world be if Selig had let it go through?

The Price Tag For Roy Halladay - MLBTradeRumors.com

I swear, this is like trying to convince someone that they save 100% off the price by NOT BUYING what they don't need.

Hard to hold AL West at Bay - Boston Herald

This offseason, the competition with the West is expected to take a different form, with the Angels a prime contender for free agent left fielder Jason Bay.

That wouldn't be weird, for them to be rooting for Bay after how well he played against them in the 2008 ALDS.

Looking Forward to the Holidays in Boston, Not a Holliday or a Halladay! - Bleacher Report

I think this guy takes his logic a little too far.

Holliday open to playing in any part of the country - newsday.com

As he sits atop the free-agent market, Matt Holliday says he can envision playing anywhere.

The Sox Try to ReHash ‘09, Tug Hulett Who? - Fire Brand of the American League

Links, comments, etc. Good luck to anyone who has to fight crowds of people today.

Enjoy your cooked birdies today folks, even if it's not a celebration native to your country. I mean, why not be thankful? Links:

Poll Results: Fans say Bay isn’t worth more than $60M - The Bottom Line

Hmm. What's the max you'd offer?

Holliday-Bay: Visual Scouting Reports 1.0 - The Baseball Analysts

Less about the debate than the visuals, but still cool. Pause the Maple Leaf Flag stuff for now though.

Interviewing Alex Wilson: 2009 draft pick closest to the bigs - Fire Brand of the American League

Just something to read while drifting off to sleep after turkey time.

Latest buzz from the MLB offseason - FOX Sports

Source: Red Sox interested in Duchscherer — 3:26 p.m.

Apart from their interest in Toronto ace Roy Halladay, the Red Sox are checking on a long list of possible pitching upgrades.

Justin Duchscherer, an All-Star as recently as 2008, is one of them. The Red Sox are interested in Duchscherer as a starting pitcher, one major-league source said Wednesday. The right-hander didn't pitch in the majors at all this year — in part because of clinical depression — and is now a free agent.

Duchscherer pitched out of the A's bullpen from 2004 through 2007, before moving into their rotation in 2008. He went 10-8 with a 2.54 ERA in 22 starts during what was his second All-Star season.

Duchscherer underwent hip surgery in 2008 and arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow this March. He has been on the disabled list five times in the past four years.

MVP voting confirms Utley as most underrated - Circling the Bases

Ungrateful BBWAA members.

Daydreaming for Adrian Gonzalez...Again - Yawkey Way Academy

After the jump, lots of stuff at the bottom of the Filter.

Continue reading this post »

Funny to see how similar opinions are starting to form on separate sites. Of course, some sites form the opinions more in the posts, rather than the comments. Could be a function of how the sites are set up though. Anyways, here's two quick, random links:

Rising star, prospect win Boston honors - redsox.com

Buch and Lavarnway are the best. Anyone have issues with these awards?

Projected WAR and Contract Values for Free Agent Position Players - BtB

Interesting - Beltre is projected almost equal with Figgins. Oh, and Holliday is far ahead of Bay (yes, UZR issues, but still).

Now I can show you how other sites are coming to the same conclusion as we have.

Will the Sox Acquire Adrian Beltre to Replace Lowell? - Fire Brand of the American League

Wow, that's a lot of writing. Pretty much consolidates all the stuff we've been saying.

Working out the Beltre Theory - Yawkey Way Academy

So it appears everyone agrees: this isn't an easy decision - especially when there's this option:

Report: Tigers' Miguel Cabrera Available Via Trade, Red Sox Listed as Prime Candidate - NESN.com

We discussed this shortly in the Mauer MVP thread, but here's the official story.

Miguel Cabrera? No thanks - Extra Bases

The Tigers are owned by pizza magnate Mike Ilitch and have a pile of money. If Cabrera is being shopped, it's not for budgetary reasons. It's because they decided they would be better off without him. That should give teams plenty of pause.

Oh snap.

Comparison shopping sluggers: Miguel Cabrera and Mark Teixeira - Boston Herald

Okay... and your point is?

Some sites don't really come up with new stuff, and then some sites find random ideas that actually might work:

Have Homicidal Tendencies, Will Travel - Surviving Grady

Hmm... interesting. Not sure where'd he fit, but it's definitely worth looking into if we somehow manage to need MORE players.

After the jump, some coaching staff items, a bit of alarming news, and trying to get everyone caught up.

Continue reading this post »

Okay, so I lied about the Filter being daily this week. Yes, I realize this situation's stupid. Let's move on to the links, shall we? As an experiment, I'm not going to say much about most of the links - except these:

This Dirt Is Free - A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory

Not completely relevant, but I figure that some people are going to want to be on the lookout for this. Doesn't bother me too much, but I don't own a blog and I don't see most advertisements anyways. That's more of an aesthetic choice than a political one though - I don't enjoy explaining the presence of certain ads to anyone that glances over my shoulder. However, there is a political aspect to blogging that I'd love to discuss:

ESPN is a bunch of morons

I don't particularly like Mr. Simmons's work. Most of it isn't entertaining, to me. But that doesn't mean I think that ESPN should be able to control what he can and can't say. (Yeah, I know, the stupid kid is ranting about stuff that he's not old enough to understand, but just bear with me.)

For one, maybe it's the young and naive view that needs to be considered here; I haven't been around long enough to be corrupted into thinking money is the only thing that matters. That'd be why I tend to over-romanticize simple stuff like curfews - but I digress. To me, there isn't a thing in the world more valuable than my voice. Without it, I wouldn't be able to write this post. Without it, I wouldn't be able to further my education through questioning the material. Without it, I wouldn't be able to express my many, hormone-driven emotions, I wouldn't be able to share my faith, and I wouldn't be able to be the die-hard fan I am. In short, I wouldn't be me without my voice.

Unless Mr. Simmons shares my flair for the dramatic and decided to sign an iron-clad contract with Lucifer so that he could have his voice amplified, I don't see how ESPN can justify censoring someone who was simply defending himself. Even though he probably could have found a more intelligent way of doing it than name-calling via Twitter, Mr. Simmons was not in the wrong to speak his mind. It may be part of the conditions that he agreed to when he signed onto ESPN, but I'm sure an insanity plea wouldn't be that hard to make for Mr. Simmons' case.

And now, onto the other links: some interesting, in not confusing, stuff about different parks and their effects upon stats; a couple of takes on recent Sox news; and plans for MLB domination!

Continue reading this post »

A couple of awards were announced this week, and a few remain for next week - when I should be able to produce a lot more content, since I'll have a week off from school. (Thank you, beyond-stupid school district.) Anyways, the first few links are about the recent controversies that have been occurring in baseball.

The Carpenter Travesty - Wezen-Ball

Excellent satire. Ironically, the BBWAA got almost as mad about Law and Carrol as the sabermetric community gets when the rest of the writers mess up awards.

The Current State of Baseball Economics - Fire Brand of the American League

Good breakdown of how the arguments are being made. So sad that the game has become so corrupted, too.

McAdam: Yankees won’t bid on Bay/Hollliday - The Bottom Line

Didn't someone report this about Teixeira last season? Just saying', doesn't mean much.

Theo Epstein, Here's My Christmas List - Bleacher Report

I really hope this is one of those lists where you demand a load, and expect Santa/(I'm ignorant of what fictious person is supposed to deliver gifts in other religions, I'm sorry)/Theo to get you one or two.

Of course, that strategy never really worked out for the greedy little bugger version of me from years past; I usually ended up with a nice pack of socks, maybe a new toy car or something. Best lesson I learned: When you ask for books, you end up getting a lot more of your wish list. Basically, I blame the commercialization of a holiday for my nerdom.

Red Sox call PawSox manager Johnson up - The Providence Journal

Wait, what's Tito going to call him? Johnsie?

After the jump, some rumors and catching up on course work for our sabermetrics course.

Continue reading this post »

Terry Francona Hopes Red Sox Re-Sign Jason Bay - NESN.com

Of course. He's a player's manager, and he wants to support the guy who he thinks will be signed, right? I mean, he's one of those guys that believes heart and sportsmanship wins games...

Coaches Tim Bogar, DeMarlo Hale to Step Up Following Departure of Brad Mills - Terry Francona - NESN.com

Wow, he explains why "team chemistry" is a load of bull. Maybe I was wrong about Tito...

Our Manager is a Closet Stat Geek? - Yawkey Way Academy

Tito needs to talk about stuff like this more often - I was totally wrong when I said Tito was loyal to a fault. My bad. I really hope we get to see the saberfriendly Tito in action a lot more this season, so that we'll at least know what the thought process is if there's a controversial decision.

VORP v RARP - Inside the Book

Since ESPN has decided that VORP can be grasped by our feeble minds, you might as well find out how it compares to Baseball Prospectus's OTHER value stat.

What John Henry Can Learn From Belichick’s 4th and 2 - Fire Brand of the American League

Still, despite the loss, the second-guessing, and the media advocating for everything short of an all-out lynching of BIll Belichick, John Henry should use this occasion as an opportunity to learn something from Robert Kraft.

Since there's a couple Pats fans on here, this link will probably mean more to y'all.

After the jump, a look at the pay scale for the 2009 free agents, "modern" Moneyball, and some recognition for some of the most important Sox of the decade.

Continue reading this post »

Still trying to catch up. Hopefully, I'll have a short night of homework sometime this week and I can post a bunch of links. Anyways, here's a bunch of more recent links (I'll save the still-relevant ones from earlier this week for later).

First, since I promised it to ferret:

Criminals of WAR - THT

I'm guilty of several of these offenses. Good reminder that it's not the end-all stat.

And now, some fielding fun:

How the Gold Gloves Work - Inside the Book

Try to avoid puking.

2010 UZR Projections - Beyond the Box Score

And guess who's projected as the worst CF?

With the Jumping and the Diving and the Whole Thing - The Baseball Analysts

Web Gems counting, for giggles.

Why Jason Bay is still unsigned - Extra Bases

Kinda old, but it still applies; it's not like he's signed somewhere yet.

After the jump, money, plans, and the minor leaguers.

Continue reading this post »

I'm back from my vacation/travels/schoolnight-curfew. And, I brought LINKS. I'll have to dig through a whole pile of them that I built up while away, but this should hold y'all over till then.

(My apologies if I link to something that's already been linked to before; I don't recommend cramming a week of OTM into 90 minutes.)

The triumph of Moneyball - THT

What was the impact of the book that Billy Beane didn't write?

Did it cause OBP and salary to correlate better, as is popularly believed?

MLB Exec: Moneyball is a Flop - New York Baseball Digest

Chances this is a MFY executive? Seriously, the person who said this isn't going to win over any sabermatricians by justifying his position with the results of sabermetric GM's teams.

Fun With The Elias Rankings - Lookout Landing

A very brief glance at the awful awful Elias free agent rankings.

This is just sad. So very, very sad. In fact, I need something to cheer me up...

Guest Harry Pavlidis examines Bard’s breaking ball - Fire Brand of the American League

BARD!!!! Always fun to talk about him.

Trades Of The Decade: Hanley Ramirez For Josh Beckett & Mike Lowell - MLBTradeRumors.com

Who didn't see this one coming?

After the jump, arbitration notes, examinations of the old guys on the team, and slightly less rumors than your standard high school (assuming my observations from the bottom of the social ladder are correct).

Continue reading this post »

Sorry about the lack of posts for the past few days - apparently, parents don't like realizing that they've raised an insomniac. Posts might be a little further spaced out, but with more links in each edition, depending on how much I can get done before I literally lose my Internet connection on school nights. Hey, that's what you get when a teenager is your news aggregator. Now, with that out of the way, here's the first set of links:

Does Boston's Trade for Jeremy Hermida Mean the End for Jason Bay in Beantown? - Bleacher Report

Though Hermida is by no means a middle-of-the-order slugger, this could very well signal the end of Jason Bay's tenure in Boston. Bay recently shot down a four-year, $60 million offer from the Sox, and his worth will only increase as the offseason wears on.

Among other reasons why Bay might not be returning, but if this sticks out to someone as a red flag of sorts, we'll have to see if they're right.

Marlins Trade Jeremy Hermida To Red Sox: A Sign of Things To Come - Bleacher Report

Due to the economy, these are the types of trades you are going to see this winter. Teams who can’t afford to wait on young players or can’t afford a player’s salary will be forced to trade them to teams who can.

Lots of different spins on this whole deal. Of course, Hermida was also part of another trade the Sox were involved in, or at least an attempt at one:

Let the Offseason Begin: Boston Red Sox Steal Hermida from Florida Marlins - Bleacher Report

That proposal didn’t gain any traction, and Hermida stayed with the Marlins, but despite missing out on his services, Boston remained infatuated with him and his potential, hoping he would someday be part of their quest for a World Series championship.

Totally forgot about the Manny-Marlins rumor. Although, now I do remember seeing a mockup of what Manny would look like in "fishstripes" on a Marlins' broadcast (don't remember why I was watching that). It was amazing how quickly they jumped on that rumor.

Jeremy Hermida: Bust Or Breakout - Bleacher Report

Seems to be more common view of the trade.

Yeah, I know, not much variety so far; it is interesting to see the variety of opinions available from relatively unconnected authors, as opposed to here, where the discussions can help figure out how we should feel about certain issues. After the jump, some more "independent" writing, an important discovery from YWA, and more general Hot Stove linkage.

Continue reading this post »

I declare it so. I don't care that I don't have the authority to do so, in my world, it's officially Pedro Day again in the Nation.

Game 6 script perfect for [Pedro] Martinez - The Boston Globe

Oh, man, this is going to be SWEEEEEEET: it's the first time that we've had a really good reason to not care what logo is on Pedro's cap since he left us. In fact, more than just one reason...

Jim Donaldson: 27 reasons to root against the Yankees - The Providence Journal

In case anyone was leaning towards Mazz's crazy side.

Now, in more directly related news:

Red Sox pitcher Buchholz prepared to play mind games - The Boston Globe

Sounds like he's maturing. I would absolutely love to see Buch prove me wrong and become the ace that replaces Beckett as Lester's partner in crime. Also, we're pretty damn spoiled to be able to talk about phasing one of a pair of aces out with another one. Of course, we'd be rotten to keep all three, right?

Valuing Josh Beckett - Yawkey Way Academy

Going against popular opinion here; an argument FOR signing Beckett to a relatively large extension.

After the jump, more links, likely in rapid fire mode, because it's hard to focus with it being a national holiday and what not.

Continue reading this post »

We've been in Hot Stove mode for a while now, and there's no reason to stop now.

Trade Market: Third Basemen - MLBTradeRumors.com

Trade Market: Left Fielders - MLBTradeRumors.com

Anyone stand out as viable option? Well, some people have everything figured out for us, so we don't even have to worry ourselves with the issue:

Time To Change Their Ways: Signing Bay Needs To Be a Red Sox Priority - Bleacher Report

There are no equivalent alternatives. It’s Bay or Matt Holliday (yikes) or some one-year stopgap in left. Or it’s trading a handful of prospects to find a player who best compares with a player you already have. The options aren’t exactly appealing.

Had to read through half the article to find the money quote: Anyone who is scared of Holliday, please try to convince OTHER teams of this.

Overpaying Orlando Cabrera Could Be Dangerous Risk For Red Sox - NESN.com

And if the Red Sox are willing to grant second chances to Gonzalez, who seemed to be past his prime and had found little success in the American League, why wouldn't they grant the same courtesy to Orlando Cabrera?

Because that makes no sense? It's a "dangerous risk" because we'd be playing a crappy SS, one who would be overpaid for pretty much any price he demands.

Now here's a decent idea:

Building a Package for Javier Vazquez - Yawkey Way Academy

Now we just have to 1) convince most Sox fans that it would be a good trade, and 2) figure out who we'd give up for him.

After the jump, Fielding Bible awards released, more decade wrap-up stuff, a preview for next season, and concerns about parity.

Continue reading this post »

Hopefully everyone set their clocks back and you aren't reading this as a way to pass the time because you woke up too early and can't get back to sleep. But hey, you're reading this, so let's get to the links.

Creating Obscure Red Sox Shirts - Sox Tea Party

I need to look into getting myself a Jed shirt...

Chips Are in Place for Adrian Gonzalez Trade to Red Sox - NESN.com

No new info here - not even a suggested package. Even the worst bloggers come up with a package, as ridiculous as most of them end up being (MDC + Lugo get it done, becuz they can't even ask four that from the Sox!!!).

Runs Created: A First Step - Intro to Sabermetrics 101

Today’s Friday lecture will discuss the first of many steps taken to estimate a number of runs. Bill James’ Runs Created, initially published in an early version of the classic Bill James Historical Abstract (in Dan Fox’s explanation, he has it as the 1979 version), was one of the first run estimation models and is likely the most well known. As a result, it will be the first of a few run estimators that we’ll look into here.

Has A-Rod lost his postseason magic? - Bleacher Report

IT'S NOT MAGIC - it's just random variance in performance output.

After the jump, Forbes needs to retake Statistics, Fire Brand gets another prospect interview, and the Padres are taking our guys.

Continue reading this post »

The title, of course, means that there will be minimal references to dead items in this post. See how the irony worked there? No? Okay, I need to stop trying to be funny then.

How the Economy Will Affect Salaries - Beyond the Box Score

Does the growth in GDP augur well for free agents to be this offseason? Or will discerning teams still find bargains?

Oh, wait, here's a link about something dead Nevermind, just read the first bit of the link again. Yay for a non-flushed economy! Anyways...

EXCELLENT info. AND it's been updated to meet the community's suggestions. Great job by Tommy Bennett; this data should come in helpful when looking at the big names this offseason.

It wasn’t just the good numbers - it was that he was locked in, confident, and loose! - Inside the Book

So fun to mess with some of my baseball fan friends over this. Seriously, even some of the MLB players understand this concept better than the experts; why is it so hard to believe that it's just bad luck?

Reasons to keep Jacoby Ellsbury in Center - Yawkey Way Academy

Pretty much what we've established as the default reason: the net defensive gain wouldn't offset the offensive loss, without a really good CF. If we can find one because some other team has a brain fart, go for it; if not, keep Ells in CF and have him practice fielding balls launched from home plate for a few hours each day.

Of course, Troy Patterson explains it a bit more academically than I just did. Plus, they have OTM on their blogroll, so there's that.

A-Rod Scandal of the Week: Creepy Bedroom Portraits - Fenway West

Umm... centaurs? Oh...kay... This has to be some sort of joke meant to scare us for Halloween, right?

After the jump, Jose and other SS options to compliment (supplement?) Jed, and an argument for expanded replay.

Continue reading this post »

Clay Buchholz' Transformation - Yawkey Way Academy

Pitch F/X breakdowns are FUN!!! Perhaps we need to look into the available pitchers using this technique. Hmm...

In the meantime, here's some other links about those pitchers:

Pitcher Rich Harden Worth a Test Drive for Thrifty Red Sox - NESN.com

Pros & Cons: Erik Bedard - The Bottom Line

Good to see that everyone is looking for every option possible. Of course, there are sometimes when those options should be for Plan B, not Plan A; here's an obvious (to me) situation:

The 2009 Shortstop Free Agent Market - Fire Brand of the American League

We definitely don't need to overpay for some safety net. While it's important to account for the risk associated with Jed's wrist, players shouldn't be paid more than they're worth when there's similar talent available.

How much will the Red Sox spend in 2010? - The Bottom Line

Taking the information from Mazz's column, Bottom Line has created a table showing the expected payroll of the Sox.

After the jump, a few more links to get you to quittin' time. Think BIG: big question, big trade, big difference of opinion.

Continue reading this post »

Guess what I found? An opportunity for OTM to become one of the most saber-friendly Sox blogs out there!

The International Currency of Baseball - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
Time to start studying up - in fact, here's a whole bunch of other material:

The Value of Walks and Baseball’s "Clock" - Intro to Sabermetrics 101

Intro to Sabermetrics 101: Glossary Sect. 1 - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
Pythag and expectancies

Intro to Sabermetrics 101: Glossary Sect. 2 - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
wOBA, defense, and DIPS (Defense Independent Pitching Statistics)

Intro to Sabermetrics 101: Glossary Sect. 3 - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
Replacement level and WAR

The author of that blog also writes for the SB Nation sabermetric site, Beyond the Boxscore. His work, along with the rest of a small army of writers', are HIGHLY recommended, and I'm not just saying that because we're connected to them (it's not like I get anything of tangible value out of it).

From another site, a link that isn't necessarily sabermetric, but still a good read:

Overreaction Comes in Many Forms - Yawkey Way Academy

Yeah, I'm probably going to be linking to some sites every day - they're just too good to ignore. Besides, some of this stuff needs to be spread; this time it's a reminder not to throw stones while living in glass houses.

That should hold y'all over for a while. If you have a particularly voracious appetite for links, there's some interesting hot stove ideas after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Since I missed the Filter for yesterday (sorry, couldn't see straight because of a pounding headache), here's some of the links that would have worked better yesterday:

5 YEARS AGO TODAY...WE WERE KINGS - Masshole Sports

Amazing to see the immediate reactions again with more hindsight.

2004: Where Are They Now? - Full Count

Excellent link if you want to see how much things can change in five years.

Chat with Jacoby Ellsbury - ESPN Boston

Darn, I would have asked him about his reads. Oh well, maybe someone will catch him next time.

Aroldis Chapman and a bucket of cold water - Yawkey Way Academy

Calm it down, peeps. Even if he is visiting and throwing for us today, doesn't mean we're going after him - especially because we probably shouldn't, based on the information available.

Bloggers Assemble! - The Bottom Line

Any views expressed in there that you'd like to comment about? Interesting to see how different sites form different opinions.

After the jump, an MVP ballot, talking about defense, and more nostalgia (but not about the same subject).

Continue reading this post »

MLB Jumps The Gun - The Joy of Sox

The curse didn't work, unfortunately. Oh well. NEXT!

MLB's Greed is Killing the Postseason - Fenway West

Wow, it almost November. The conspiracy theorist inside me wants to scream "The MLB is cementing Jeter's claim to Mr. November", but you know, gotta keep that guy quiet some times.

The Game of the Year? - Surviving Grady

Our choice isn't to be revealed for a while, so I'll let y'all debate for now.

ESPN will fire Steve Phillips - Projo Sox Blog

Wah, wah, wah...

After the jump, more links with minimal connections between them. Well, there might be one common thread...

Continue reading this post »

Barely anything today, because of the general lack of baseball activity recently. There are a few new, interesting links out there though:

Coming Soon: Jonathan Papelbon's Dubious Taste In Cinema - Deadspin

Wow, Paps, wow - anyone want to take a shot at predicting the new nicknames he's going to be bestowed with?

Baseball: Highly touted lefty Kikuchi opts for Japan over U.S. - Kyodo News

Darn. The best way to look at this, to me, is to consider that he could develop a little more in Japan - or maybe we avoid a disaster if a major flaw is exposed.

New book details 1912 World Series - redsox.com

The 1912 World Series, an eight-game act, is detailed in Mike Vaccaro's third book, The First Fall Classic: The Red Sox, the Giants and the Cast of Players, Pugs, and Politicos Who Reinvented the World Series in 1912.

Might have to pick this up - sounds like an interesting read.

On a related note, I'm going to spend part of today trying to locate a book I purchased a few years ago that contains loads of Sox moments' anniversaries for each date - blame my being 13 when I last saw this book for not knowing where it is. If I can find it, expect some mini-history stories each day; I'll even try to keep the dates straight.

Comments, links, suggestions on where to look for that book - whatever you feel like sharing, can all be entrusted with us.

You know, we have a pretty awesome community here - almost everyone who participates brings good information and opinions, we don't have too many problems with flame wars, and the tough times are just as fun as the good times. It may be something that we take for granted, but then we look outside of OTM, and we come running back because of articles like this:

Saddnes With The Red Sox - Bleacher Report

I`m sure most of you have heard about the Red Sox. Out of the 2009-2010 postsseason.When I saw what happened I was so mad, I even kinda hated Johnthan Papbon. I mean 1 out.Is it that hard to do.Who do you want to win the World Seris this year?

That was the entire article; I feel a great "saddnes" because of this. Seriously, how can some people manage to operate computers effectively enough to navigate their way around the web and STILL post crap like this? It's pointless, doesn't really state any opinions, and is nearly incomprehensible. Thanks to those of you who consider your audience when you're writing FanPosts or posts on other sites - it makes following the Sox and baseball much easier.

Unfortunately, it's not just the actual writing that separates OTM from other sites (I mean, c'mon, I write for this site). Sometimes, it's just... let's see, how can I word this without being too insulting... Meh, you can just see for yourself:

THEO EPSTEIN BLINDED BY SABERMETRICS, CALLS JD DREW "One of Baseball's Most Valuable Outfielders" - Masshole Sports

The Fail is strong with this one. Hopefully, this is just a minor issues that won't prevent either the sabermetric or "primitive" side from listening to the other's opinions. If you truly believe that JD Drew isn't one of the most valuable outfielders, perhaps you'd like to explain why - without referring to RBIs or errors or heart? If you feel you absolutely MUST use those qualities/quantities to evaluate a player, I, along with several other members of OTM, would love to explain why your support is questionable.

Theo Is Out Of His Mind - Sox vs. Stripes

Really? Really? He's actually worth more than we're playing him? Unless we're talking pesos or zlotys here, I think Theo just took the Crazy Train to Loonyville. Who can possibly look at what J.D. Drew has done in Boston and coherently argue that he is worth more than his salary?

Funny. To answer your rhetorical question, 1) Theo, 2) the rest of the Sox Front Office, 3) at least 2/3 of the rest of the executives in the MLB, 4) most of SABR (there might be some issues with BPro followers or non-stat SABR members), 5) several baseball blogs OR 6) anyone with access to Fangraphs.

Any more questions?

After the jump, the lovefest dies down - sorry guys, I can only bash links in the name of OTM so much. Instead, we'll get back to the normal analysis of links, ranging from a Reddick interview to the release of the data for an alternative to UZR for this season.

Continue reading this post »

It's Mole Day!!! /chemistry nerd who wishes he could have set this to publish at 6:02

Wakefield upbeat after good news - Clubhouse Insider

Wakefield looking for 200 wins - Extra Bases

Hope he can get a lot closer after next season - would be nice if he's healthy for the entire year and gets within single digits. As stupid a stat as WINZ is, it still carries a lot value among the media, meaning most fans as well.

Theo: Big Papi Will be Ready for 2010 - Fenway West

Full Count " How a Hitting Coach and Little League Saved Ortiz’ Season

"I said, ‘[Expletive] it – I’m going to play like it’s Little League." I’m serious about this. One day, I woke up and I went, ‘Okay, I guess I’ve got nothing to lose anymore. I’m way behind what I’m normally used to. I’ll go to the field today, and not do [expletive]. I’m just going to act like I’m in Little League,’" Ortiz said late in the regular season.

This explains so much - it probably came naturally to him, being the big kid that he is.

Pros & Cons: Rich Harden - The Bottom Line

He's got pretty good mechanics, so he shouldn't be having any more issues. If he's not getting much interest, he'd be a great option to look into - 28 years old (NG-approved age), good pitches, wouldn't be asked to be a front-line starter.

After the jump, it's one of our fellow SB Nation bloggers vs. a famous former Sox employee (hint: stats), and we continue the theme of the offseason, looking back and forward at the same time.

Continue reading this post »

First, before we get into the executive news, some good news for the most loyal player in baseball:

Surgery on Wakefield's back successful - MLB.com

Knuckleballer to be fully recovered long before Spring Training

Silence the doubters, Timmeh, silence'em. Here's hoping Wake outperforms his option yet again next year.

Padres set to hire Red Sox executive Jed Hoyer - MLB Daily Dish

Congrats to Mr. Hoyer - he didn't get the Nationals job earlier this year, but I'd think he's probably going to have a better time in California with one of the biggest trade chips in baseball.

Red Sox likely to meet with Cuban LHP - Extra Bases

Unless he really develops into a pitcher, Chapman's going to be a risk, considering his less than perfect mechanics, the cost, and the extreme rawness of his ability. Being a lefty that can throw 100 miles per hour is great, but it helps if you can actually pitch with it - not sure I want the Sox to get involved in a such an expensive project, especially with the amount of resources invested in other projects.

Options Abound for the Red Sox - Full Count

Any options that should be declined? Aside from Wake, NG.

Trades Of The Decade [Runner-Ups] - MLBTradeRumors.com

Okay, so the Beckett-Lowell/Hanley deal is one of the biggest, based on it's absence from this list. Any other obvious ones?

After the jump, we continue to look into who's going to play LF next season, and Fenway continues its domination of the entertainment industry.

Continue reading this post »

Ted Williams Halloween Costume: Proof That His Legacy Has Been Destroyed - Masshole Sports

So... very... wrong.

Soccer at Fenway? - Extra Bases

Wakefield surgery [today] - Clubhouse Insider

Good luck, Timmeh. Hope everything goes well, so you can continue to disrupt lineups for days after your start.

岡島に新代理人、再契約へ地元に強いローゼン氏：ＭＬＢ：スポーツ報知

６年間の保有権を持つレ軍が、来季再契約を提示するのは確実。新たな契約を結ぶ上で、岡島は決意をした。「契約のことで、僕と代理人との間に理解の行き違いがあった。それについてきちんと説明がなく、苦労した」。ピーター・グリーンバーグ氏との代理人契約を解除した。

Or,

It is secure the [re] troop who has the possession right of 6 years to come and, to present seasonal re-contract.When concluding new contract, the Oka island determined."With thing of contract, me and there was the crossing each other of understanding with the representatives.There is no explanation securely concerning that, suffered hardship".Representative contract with Peter [gurinbagu] was cancelled.

So, in translation of the translation, it sounds like Oki wants to come back. EDIT: Or he fired his agent - more likely. Thanks, USG. If anyone can read Japanese and provide a better translation, please inform us of anything interesting that assorted online translators (AKA: The Sandy Method) missed.

Jason Bay or Matt Holliday on the Red Sox? It may be neither of the above - Red Sox Monster

Ooh. Best to cover every avenue, I guess.

After the jump, I try to avoid butchering any more translations and we will look at the future, from a programming note to a revolution within the game.

Continue reading this post »

Report: Takashi Saito Clears Outright Waivers, Open to Returning to Red Sox - NESN.com

Cool to see a player understanding that his contract wasn't going to work for the team.

Healthy or Not, Mike Lowell's Role Won't Be Defined For 2010 - NESN.com

As this offseason gets underway, one has to wonder whether Lowell's days in Boston -- as an everyday starter at least -- are numbered.

Red Sox Throwdown: 2010 Edition, Part One - Surviving Grady

I REALLY hope they weren't being serious with 90% of what they suggested. I mean, based on the general joking nature of the site, I want to assume they are, but it's going to nag me.

Big T's Blazin' Sports Thoughts - Trade Papelbon? - SawxBlog

You wanna know what’s really odd about what happened at Fenway Park last Sunday afternoon? No one really wants to talk about it. The Red Sox just gashed our hearts with two dreadful games out west and the definitive gut punch game, and people are ready to move on. Well, most people away.

Okay, so this guy's a little late to the party. Nice attempt to spin it differently though.

Who is the Sox shortstop of the future? - ESPN Boston

At least Jed's getting some respect; if he is overtaken by a matured Iglesias, he'd still be a pretty damn good utility player, and he could step in whenever the phenom is having issues with the bat.

Agent Scott Boras compares Matt Holliday to Yankees' Mark Teixeira -- latimes.com

Teixeira signed with the New York Yankees last winter, for $180 million. Boras would not say what his asking price would be for Holliday, but he made clear he considered Holliday's abilities in getting on base, hitting for power and playing superior defense similar to those of Teixeira.

*sigh* Here we go again.

The iPhone app is out: 2nd Guesser - U.S.S. Mariner

WANT. Just have to get past the whole too-cheap-to-buy-the-hardware thing first.\

Comments (see yesterday's Filter for awesome discussion) and links (which may or may not be stolen for later use) are appreciated.