Attack of the Sox Vol.1 Issue 4

I love how no matter how hard I get each blog entry to look exactly as perfect as I can get it in its preview state that in the long run it doesn't mean anything. In my last post all those stats were lined up in a beautiful little OCD world and then WAM! I hit the publish button and everything is incredibly hard to read. Screw you blogger.

All right as promised my Teixeira blog. First things first the man is a Scott Boras client. Does Mark Teixeira deserve more money then A-Rod? No. More money than the man he would essentially be replacing, Manny Ramirez? Yes. I am fully supporting anywhere between 22 and 26.5 mil a season for a player of his caliber entering his prime years.

The question of years is another matter though. I heard rumor that Boras was asking the angels for a ten year contract which is just insane. Does Scott Boras remember what happened to his client A-Rod who opted out of his long contract with the Yankees last year (then re signed without Boras help essentially screwing him of his cut). Does Boras remember the last time a Red Sox had a long term contract? It was only a few months ago when Manny Ramirez was faking his way out of his long term contract 2 1/2 years early. Within one year two of the biggest & longest contracts on the books found ways through loop holes to end early.

Ten Years is insane, but Mark Teixeira will be just 29 when the new season gets rolling and is definitely the type worthy of a longer then usual contract. I would justify somewhere up to 6 years for him. I would be OK with a 7th year, but anything more then that and I would get a little sick to my stomach. 

So why do we need him? A lot of people think are offense was fine with Jason Bay replacing Manny. Don't get me wrong at all I love Jason Bay and hopes he re-ups with the team, but Jason does not make up for the offense we lost when Manny left. Its hard to gauge Manny's worth after last year. He was a very good player for us and then turned into and absolute beast in the national league. I don't know which Manny his new team will get or if it will be a whole new Manny yet again.

Either way we could not get past the Tampa Bay Rays this year and I totally believe we need a kick to our offense. Youkilis will still be good, but will he be as great as he was in '08? Same question is thrown out to Dustin Pedroia. What if David Ortiz doesn't bounce back? Can Mike Lowell recover from major hip surgery? Those are way too many questions to put our hopes around for another title. Mark Teixeira is simply the best and most obvious choice to fill our holes this year and to build around in the future.

Below (hopefully more organized then the last post) is a comparison of stats for Manny in '04 (Probably his last great healthy season as a Red Sox), Teixeira in '08, Jason Bay in '08 and Mike Lowell in '06 (Probably his most true to form season for us).

                   G      R       H    HR  RBI   AVG.  OBP.   Win Share

Bay          155   111   165   31   101    .286     .373      25.6

Manny    152   108  178   43   130   .308     .397      24.1

Teixeira  157   102  177   33   121    .308      .410     27.8

Lowell     153   79     163  20   80     .284      .339     11.5

Yes, Jason Bay is only a few steps behind Manny, but Teixeira is right there and leagues above Mike Lowell. I do like Mike Lowell, but I honestly don't want to bet the farm on him for his final year in the contract. Mike Timlin didn't know when to throw in the towel and look what happened to him in '08. I don't want to see Mike Lowell coming back if he can't really do it and bring the team down more then help.

One of the things I always loved about Lowell was his great defense, but you saw at the end of the season how his injury was increased by his fielding. I can only think that his range will be hurt dramatically after an injury like the one he had. Yes, I know Youkilis won a gold glove at first, but he is equally good at third base and Teixeira has won 2 gold gloves.

A comparison of career fielding Stats for Teixeira and Youkilis (at 1b & 3b) and 2008 Al 3b gold glove winner Adrian Beltre. RF9 stands for range factor which is a handy stat some brainiacs have come up with. The lg in front of 2 of these stats means league average if given the same opportunities. For more crazy stats check out the Hardball Times.

                    G      E   F.PCT   lgFP   RF9   LgRF9

Teixeira    853   31   .996      .994   9.84     7.97     

Youk 1B    396   9     .997      .994   9.24     8.70

Youk 3B    154   14   .962      .955   2.94     2.69

Beltre        1553   191   .956   .956   2.82   2.71

As you can see Teixeira and Youk are on par at first although Mark might have a leg up on range. Youkilis numbers are just as good at the harder position of third. Teixeira would be worth nearly every penny. An upgrade in offense and defense. We have money to spend this year and I cannot think of another position that we can improve with free agent cash then 1b/3b. Next week I will weigh in on the catching conundrum and our many options for next year's rotation.

 

Attack of the Sox Vol. 1 Issue 3

Oh welcome to my winter wonderland! I might be the only baseball fan who finds the off season just as exciting as the regular season. I love the battle for free agents and the creativity (or lack of) in trades. I find it exciting to watch my team rebuild and retool for the future. I find it comical to see the Mets waste millions of dollars every year. I find it a great mystery to sit around and see what crazy shit Billy Beane will pull off next and who will be first to jump on his band wagon as his team again goes nowhere farther then the 1st round. I wait and wait on the edge of my seat to see which owner finally takes out a professional hit on Scott Boras. Oh its better then a Michael Bay movie.

This off season for the sox started before I could even get my first off season blog off. Last week the sox traded Coco Crisp to the Kansas City Royals for Ramon Ramirez. A hard throwing middle relief pitcher who could possibly become our new set up man. Good ol Pessimistic Keith Law is back at it hinting that both teams will be disappointed.

Coco Crisp did a very good job for us in a more limited role this year. He kept his mouth shut and did his job. He deserved this trade. He earned it. There is no reason to keep a player as good as him on the bench as a fourth outfielder. The Red Sox can get another fourth outfielder easily, but what they cannot seem to get is a stable top line bullpen.

So first thing's first. Is Jacoby Ellsbury better then Coco Crisp? Jacoby has only played one full year for the Red Sox so its hard to really tell, but lets compare his '08 season to Coco's best season for the sox ('07 in my opinion).

                  G         R        H      RBI      SB      SB%       OBP   WS (HIT) Fielding  WS (FLD)
Jacoby    145      98      155      47       50      82%       .336         9             1.000           6.5
Coco        145       85      141      60       28      82%       .330       7.5              .998           8.5
Rocco     136      79      145      74        17      81%       .326     10.4              .978           4.9



You will notice a line for Rocco Baldelli up there. It is from his last fully healthy year back in 2004. Keep in mind the Rays were 70-91 that year.I bring him into the equation because he is a free agent who was in town last week to talk to Boston about that 4Th outfielder spot. In my opinion if his mitochondrial disorder is all better (and doesn't go all Parasite Eve on him) then he is worth the risk. Moving Coco so he can get a full time gig and picking up Baldelli would be a great set of moves to start the off season.

Now as far Ramon Ramirez goes I don't see how this hurts us at all either. A lot of people are saying he will come in and be the new set up man because of how Okajima apparently let everyone down last year. I don't know what Okie I was watching, but I never felt let down. Was he not as good as his debut year when no one knew who the hell he was? Yes. Was he bad? Not by a long shot.

Ramirez would be a good middle relief man as well. They say getting Ramon could allow for Justin Masterson to get put back in the rotation (where I think he belongs), but they just lost Mike Timlin to retirement so they had a hole to fill anyway (granted Timlin's hole could be filled by a baked potato). So getting Ramirez not only makes the bullpen better, but does something to it that I have not seen in awhile: He makes it flexible.



                          G      ERA  WHIP   HR     K     INN    Win Shares
Masterson    36    3.16    1.22    10    68    88.3        8
Ramirez        71     2.64   1.23      2     70    71.7       8.9
Okie                64     2.61   1.16      6      60     62          8
Timlin            47    5.66   1.62      9      32     49.3      1.4



Keep in mind that 9 of those games for Masteron were starts. Now that I look at those numbers on screen it blows my mind even more that people were upset by Okie's performance this year. 2.61 is a damn good ERA for a reliever. Well anyway that's it for now. Next time I have a chance to write it will be about why the Red Sox should be going hard after Mark Teixeira and why the naysayers to that plan should shut their mouths.

Attack of the Sox Vol. 1 Issue 2

The future of the Boston Red Sox

AAA Pawtucket won the wild card from the international league's northern division with an 88-58 record. They were eliminated by the scranton Yankees in the first round of playoffs.

AA Portland clinched a playoff spot with a 74-66 record,but were knocked out by Trenton - another Yankee farm team.

A (advanced) Lancaster won their division in the California League in both the first and second halves with an overall record of 76-64, but lost the championship to the Stockton Ports an affiliate of the Oakland A's. Next year the Lancaster Jet's will be representing the Houston Astros while the Red Sox will move their affiliate to Salem in southwest Virginia.

A Greenville won their division with a record of 47 and 22.

A (short-season) Lowell won their division in the New York - Penn League with a 40-33 record, but were eliminated from playoffs by Batavia an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardnials.

Rookie League GCL Red Sox finished third in their division with a 28-27 record. 

My Top Five Favorite Prospects '08:

5) Yamaico Navarro - SS in 2008 for Class A Lancaster and Greenville, 20 years R/R

83 games for Greenville: .280 with 54 RBI and 46 runs. 

42 games for Lancaster: .348 with 23 RBI and 33 runs. 

Signed as an international free agent in 2005 he has shown great improvement in '08 with improved patience at the plate and is getting better at defense in the ss, 2B and 3B roles.

4) Josh Reddick - OF in 2008 for Class A Lancaster and Greenville as well as AA Portland, 21 years bats left and throws righty.

14 games for Greenville: 0 homers, 7 runs, 9 RBI and a .340 avg.

76 games for Lancaster: 17 homers, 60 runs, 57 RBI and a .343 avg.

34 games for Portland: 6 homers, 22 runs, 25 RBI and a .214 avg, but had a .290 OBP

17th round draft pick in 2006 is an excellent outfielder with a great arm. While his averaged dipped in AA he did take the time to work on his plate discipline. 

3) Lars Anderson - 1B in 2008 for Class A Lancaster and AA Portland, 21 years L/L

77 games for Lancaster: 13 homers, 58 runs, 50 RBI, .317 avg and a .408 OBP

41 games for Portland: 5 homers, 27 runs, 30 RBI, .316 avg and a .436 OBP

18th round pick in 2006 is probably the best 1B prospect in the minors right now. Has great patience and could have amazing power. Decent defense might be his only weak link. Red Sox named him offensive player of the year.

2) Daniel Bard - RP in 2008 for Class A Greenville and AA Portland, 23 years R/R

16 games for Greenville: 43 K in 28 innings with a 0.64 ERA

31 games for Portland: 64 K in 49.2 innings with a 1.99 ERA and 7 saves

1st round pick in 2006 he struggled at first in AA, but quickly calmed down . Has a 97-98 fastball, a cut fastball, a slider and a circle change with movement. Should be in the bullpen at some point in 2009. Red Sox named him their pitcher of the year.

1) Michael Bowden - SP in 2008 for Class AA Portland, AAA Pawtucket and at the MLB level, 22 years R/R

19 games for Portland: 9-4 with a 2.33 ERA, 101 K's in 104.1 innings with a 4.21 K/BB

7 games for Pawtucket: 0-3 with a 3.38 ERA, 29 K's in 40 innings with a 5.80 K/BB

1 game for Boston: 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA struck out 3, walked one in 5 innings

1st round pick in 2005 with a 90-94 four-seam fastball, 12-6 curve a great circle change-up. Has excellent control and I would rather see him in the rotation that Bucholz.

Best pick in the 2008 draft: Casey Kelly SS/Pitcher in 2008 for Sarasota High School, Rookie League GCL Red Sox and class A Lowell, 18 years R/R

Has great power potential and could be a great defensive SS. Wants to play SS, but the organization may move him back to pitching where he has a low 90's fastball, hard curve and a changeup all with good command. He was their first round draft pick this year.

Trade 'im or play 'im: Charlie Zink SP in 2008 for AAA Pawtucket and the MLB team, 28 R/R. Ok forget about his horrible debut start against Texas. He is a very good knuckleball pitcher who deserves to play somewhere wether in the rotation or in someone's bullpen. This year he was 14-6 with a 2.84 ERA. 

Other Red Sox award winners were: Che-Hsuan Lin (20 year old OF for class A Greenville) for Defensive player of the year, Wilfred Pichardo (18 year old for GCL Red Sox and A Lowell) for Base Runner of the year (42 of those in 55 games), Manny Rivera (18 year old LHP for rookie league DSL Red Sox) for Latin Program pitcher of the year and Eddie Lora (19 year old 1B for rookie leagues DSL & GCL Red Sox) for Latin Program player of the year.

The future of the Red Sox looks very bright. 

Attack of the Sox Vol. 1 Issue 1

The Story of the Bitter End

In my hands I struggle to hold a small cardboard box which contains a cheap piece of bread surrounding sausage, vegetables and the saliva of a man who hasn't eaten all day. As I push by thousands of people to find my place to sit, as I revel in my surroundings, as I follow an adult friend who moves with the anticipation of a small child I try in vain to put some of this cheap bread with sausage and vegetables into my gullet, but fail to get anything more then a few onions and maybe one pepper. Finally I arrive at my seat and sit down. The cheap piece of bread has turned into two pieces of cheap bread and it no longer surrounds meat and vegetables as they are now lying in a pool of oil and grease at the bottom of the cardboard box. It doesn't matter though because its September 10, 2008 and I am sitting in the bleachers of Fenway Park. The failed attempt to eat a whole sausage meets with no ill will from me; it means little when everywhere I look, everything I smell, every noise rattling in my ears is an onslaught of history. Its the first inning and I am breathless, I am bliss, I am on the edge of a seat that can barely hold my fat ass and I am friggen starving for more.

It takes little time for the Tampa Bay Rays to score and leave me fearful that Josh Beckett may not be fully recovered from his recent stint on the disabled list. Willy Aybar shoots a triple to deep right to score Cliff Floyd for the first run of the game in the top of the second. Thankfully thats all Beckett will allow in this inning. This is the first time I have ever seen him pitch in person. The last time I sat (or stood) in this majestic park was during memorial weekend way back in 2004. My good friend the J-Train and I had spent a few days in Boston watching the Red Sox face the New York Yankees. They were two of the most intense games I have ever attended especially in the wake of the Yankees destroying our World Series dreams in the previous year's American League Championship Series. Of course 2004 was a different story. The tables turned and for the first time in 86 years my team finally won the championship which set in motion a series of events that made it nearly impossible for me to get back to Fenway. The sox win a championship and suddenly everyone in New England loves them again. Tickets go quickly and the prices on EBAY rise dramatically. In fact the only way I even made it to this game in 2008 is because of the kindness of my friend Kyle's mother who gave me two free tickets that are usually saved for her company's clients.

Am I bitter that Red Sox fever has caught on with the rest of the population? No, not at all. In fact I am very proud that Red Sox nation broke the MLB sellout record just last week. I do feel upset though that while I sit at home watching all these games on NESN their are people who get to come out to Boston more often then I and whom do not notice how lucky they are. In fact they take their seat, this park, this amazing team and all of its true fans for granted. For example the gentleman from Gray, Maine who sits behind me. While thousands of people are enjoying every pitch of this game within these walls, this one "fan" who has come on a man's night out trip with the boys is ruining the experience for everyone around him. The man has spent these first three inning berating another fan who simply moved up to an empty seat to get a better view (threatening him at one point) and when he wasn't doing that he shot his mouth off at his friends. Clearly all these men were drunk before even coming in the park. Nothing wrong with that it happens all the time, but in this case he cannot hold his drink. He can do nothing more then shoot off his mouth and swear left and right trying to make a spectacle of himself. This is would be the one reason I despise the new Red Sox fever. This man who is being thrown out by security in the third inning (and forces his saddened friends to leave as well) has wasted a seat that could've gone to someone who actually wanted to see the game. To someone that would not have distracted me from seeing Dustin Pedroia double in Jed Lowrie for the tying run.

As the innings tick on so do the memories. I remember seeing both games of a double header against the Orioles as my mother's favorite player Lee Smith closed out both games for a sox sweep. I remember sitting behind third base with my uncle after getting lost all over Boston while the fans around us did everything they could to distract the Blue Jay's Kelly Gruber. I remember seeing Yaz's number retired. I remember sitting so close to David Wells in the Yankess bullpen that you could spit on him. I am sure someone did. I can remember sitting outside not once, but twice overnight with the J-Train. I remember taking my good friend Jon to his first baseball game to see them face off against the Royals, when for a brief time they were formiddable. Fitting now, since I am seeing the Tampa Bay Rays during the first season in their history where they have been a team to fear. The only thing I do not remember is how or why Neil Diamond became the 8th inning mascot, but good god its impossible not to sing along.

Now the 9th inning has ticked away and you would think I would be sad, but the game lives on. This game has been locked in a 1-1 duel since that drunkard was heaved away from my section. Its like that moment has frozen this game and condemned it to live on forever. Which is fine by me because its been too long since I have been here and as some of the crowd begins to leave I stay behind with my friend Jeff to take in every moment that is allowed to us.

Anyone who has talked baseball with me for more than five minutes knows that I am a fan of the pitcher's duel. Each team has moved into their bullpen, but still the pitching continues to shine. Now in the bottom of the tenth inning as I eagerly hope for a walk off win the hardest working player (and mouth) Dustin Pedroia leads off with a double. The crowd erupts. The cowards from Tampa intentionally walk Mr. Clutch David Ortiz. These are the moments when the crowd stops being a crowd and we all take on one form. One super fan. With our powers combined we can will another run. Kevin Youkilis comes to the plate and does one of the things I never expect from him...he hits into a double play. Dustin moves to third with two outs now and it is left to Jason Bay whose theme music comes blasting through the speakers. Pearl Jam's "Alive" seems incredibly fitting right now as Bay comes to the plate, but instead it becomes ironic as he grounds out to shortstop. The crowd becomes slimmer as fans head for their cars unable to go another inning.

That feeling that comes from being on the edge of your seat to having your head in your hands is one that I have become use to with the Red Sox. I remember Buckner. Morgan Magic. Aaron Boone and every year in between those events. Getting to the edge, but never crossing the line. Getting an inch closer each year, but the goal is always a foot away. Its what Red Sox fans know. Its who we are. Thats why I collected myself after the tenth inning and placed myself back on the edge of my seat. Just in time to. Just in time to see men at first and second with only one out. Just in time to see a sox catcher I have never even heard of have one of the worst at bats I have ever seen. Just in time to see Jacoby Ellsbury fly out to center. The crowd becomes slimmer as fans head for their cars unable to go another inning.

Oh the feeling of joy to discontent. We became so use to it. Their had been times to celebrate, but never the big time. Then came 2004. Down three games to zip to the Yankees in the ALCS and to the rest of the world it seemed to be over for the sox. Not in New England though. No in new England it doesn't matter how many times the Yankees kick us in the balls. In the pit of our stomachs we feel sick, but that sickness wrestles with hope. We felt it in game 4 as deep into extra innings we came back to win and again in game 5. Hope became something else. Now we believed and we did the impossible coming back from three games down to win the ALCS. Then they did what many said would never be done again: the Red Sox won the world series. So here in the twelfth inning with two men on and one out once again the pits of our stomachs screamed at us again. However two more quick outs dispels that feeling. The crowd becomes slimmer as fans head for their cars unable to go another inning.

The 13th inning comes and goes with nothing of any importance. Well seemingly nothing of any importance. For it is this inning I learn no matter how bad the song they play through the PA it will find a way to pump me and the rest of this crowd up to dizzying proportions. Eddie Money is screaming for me to take him home tonight and all I can do is scream back with a few hundred other people: "Be My Little Baby!". But the 13th is gone and the crowd becomes slimmer as fans head for their cars unable to go another inning.

In the top half of the fourteenth inning my worst nightmare comes true: Mike Timlin comes out of the bullpen with only one out in the inning. He promptly gives up a three run home run to Carlos Pena into the Green Monster. Everyones heart sinks. The crowd becomes slimmer as fans head for their cars unable to believe.

The announcer mocks us as he requests us all to stand for another seventh inning stretch. There is still a few hundred of us left. We will see this out to the bitter end. We have been here before. We feel weak and sick to our stomachs....,but still.....something else stirs. Tampa brings in their closer Troy Percival and something feels.....we don't know.....it just feels. Jacoby Ellsbury leads off with a double to right field. Suddenly we realize that feeling in our stomach can be dispersed by standing and screaming. Our boy, our MVP, Dustin Pedroia comes to the plate. We chant the title he has earned. "MVP!MVP!MVP!" and he walks. We are all bent over banging our hands against the many empty seats around us. Thousands of people have left and it is up to us to make enough noise to replace them....and just like that David Ortiz walks as well. The bases are loaded with nobody out and we are down by three runs in the bottom of the fourteenth inning.

Troy Percival decides he is injured and must leave the game. We wait on our heels, biting our nails as Jason Hammel seems to take forever to warm himself up. Then like a wave the sound of boos erupt through the park. Only on second listen it is not boos, but the chant of "YOU!". Kevin Youkillis has come to the plate and we believe he can deliver. Deliver he does. A sacrifice fly to right field brings us within two runs with only one out. The sounds of Pearl Jam's "Alive" come blaring through the PA.:

I, Im still alive Hey i, but, Im still alive
Hey i, boy, Im still alive
Hey i, i, i, Im still alive, yeah
Ooh yeah...yeah yeah yeah...oh...oh...

Jason Bay has stepped up to the plate. Our blood boils with anticipation. Pitch after pitch we wait without breathing. Then he strikes out swinging. Yet, we still believe. We have one opportunity left in the form of Alex Cora. We believe. When his bat strikes the ball we hold our breath. When we see the ball quickly dart into left center field dropping fast we open our eyes as wide as we can. When the center fielder catches the ball ending the game we feel our hearts drop one final time. The crowd becomes slimmer as we've reached the bitter end.

I do not feel bad though. Red Sox fans have seen this (felt this) bitter end hundreds of times before. Its what defines us. Its what makes us stronger. Its this team that teaches us to believe in hope. No matter how bad we are one year we always believe that next year we will be greater. No matter how bad we are one day we always believe we will be greater the next day. No matter how bad we are one half inning we always believe we will be greater the next half inning. Its this belief, this hope that brings us together in a way that makes me feel that I truly can use the word "we" to describe this team. The fans of Boston are as much a part of this team as the players. More so then any other professional team. Its this belief that can make a man like myself who believes in no God understand people of faith. This hope that leads me to believe. This faith that teaches us no matter how many bitter endings we may experience in life that we can always believe that their is at least one more moment of glory left in us to erase everything dark that has come before it.