2008 Boston Red Sox

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    Rookie
    • Feb 2004
    • 76

    #16
    Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

    Written by Josh over at The BoSox Blog:

    Holding pattern

    A week ago, this was the most boring offseason anyone could remember. Same team as last year (for the most part), relatively little drama in spring training. Sure, there was a little competition over who would start in centerfield, and Curt Schilling was being Curt Schilling, and maybe Coco Crisp had a little groin thing going on and Julio Lugo had some tightness in his back, but no major headlines.

    Then Josh Beckett walked off the mound on Saturday during warm-up tosses and everyone’s heart skipped a beat, which just goes to show you how important a true ace of a pitching staff can be. You can have a little uncertainty in who’s going to play the outfield, but life goes on. You can trade an aging Curt Schilling for a young Clay Buchholz in your rotation without really changing much of anything. But lose an ace? That’s a scary thought.

    Though no one’s come out and said it yet, it seems that there’s a pretty good chance that Josh Beckett will miss his Opening Day start in Japan on March 25. There’s apparently been some lower back spasms, some soreness and pain that hasn’t gone away just yet. They’re taking it day to day.

    The gut reaction is panic. Josh Beckett might not be able to pitch opening day. But then you sit back and think about it for a while, and while it undeniably sucks, you start finding the silver lining. I’m much better at complaining than I am at looking at the bright side of things, but here’s my attempt:

    1. Opening Day is about a week earlier this year than it was last year. OK, duh, but here’s my point: if Opening Day was a week later, who knows, Beckett might have been able to pitch. So when they say he might miss the opener, that’s not as bad as it sounds.
    2. It’s inevitable that there will be some injuries over the course of the season. Wouldn’t you rather get it out of the way now? Anyone who was watching the team in August/September 2006 knows exactly what I’m talking about.
    3. “Lower back spasm” sounds less scary than “torn rotator cuff” or the like.

    The most frustrating part of anything like this is the wait-and-see approach everyone has to take. It’s easier when there’s an exact prognosis, when there’s a timetable in place, a calendar to cross days off of, and a return date to shoot for. But make no mistake, the Red Sox are absolutely taking the correct approach here. Inasmuch as a single player can be a team’s most important asset, Beckett is as important to the Sox as any one person could be. They’re not going to mess around or take any unnecessary chances, and while that can be a little frustrating when everyone’s chomping at the bit, if there’s one thing this Red Sox organization has excelled at, it’s being patient in these kinds of circumstances where some other teams might not be.

    Here’s an interest thought to ponder, though I think it’s far too early and uncertain to make a big deal of it just yet: let’s say Beckett can’t start opening day. Let’s also say that Dice-K is unable to travel to Japan because his wife is going into labor. Who starts opening day? The number three starter projects to be Tim Wakefield, and you know what? Wake has time and time again put the team’s best interests ahead of his own, and much the way he got the ball to start the 2004 World Series, it would somehow seem an appropriate tribute to the man to give him the ball on day one if it comes to that. I wouldn’t feel badly about that at all.

    I humbly submit, with Opening Day being a week before the true beginning of the season, with it being the wacky arrangement of two real games followed by a weekend of more exhibition games before the next real game is played, that it really doesn’t matter that much. On an emotional level, sure, you want your ace out there. On a practical matter… maybe not so much.

    -Josh

    Comment

    • Misfit
      All Star
      • Mar 2003
      • 5766

      #17
      Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

      Won't they be playing in a dome in Tokyo? Given that, starting Wake makes a lot of sense, actually.

      Comment

      • Beantown
        #DoYourJob
        • Feb 2005
        • 31523

        #18
        Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

        Clay Buchholz is a stud...

        He's currently dating Penthouse's 2008 "Pet of the Year," Erica Ellyson. Two of the interests listed on Ellyson's page according to the Herald? "Being naked and spanking"

        Comment

        • Beantown
          #DoYourJob
          • Feb 2005
          • 31523

          #19
          Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

          Alright so...

          Who is waking up at 6am to watch the games? I know I probably will be.

          Comment

          • CWood2
            TNA & WWE thanks you
            • May 2004
            • 4356

            #20
            Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

            Originally posted by Longhorn
            Alright so...

            Who is waking up at 6am to watch the games? I know I probably will be.
            I'm there. Will be exhausted all day at work, and mad about missing the last few innings, but I just can't sleep through opening ... morning.

            Comment

            • CS10029
              Th* *p*r*t**n *f Sp*rts
              • Feb 2004
              • 4616

              #21
              Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

              I hate this. This is the worst opening day. Why the hell do they do this? This should be later in the season at least. The idea of an opening day is supposed to be at someones home.
              I don't like the Yankees, I like the Red Sox, I don't like the Lakers, I like the Celtics, I hate the Canadiens and I love the Bruins. Soccer is the best sport on Earth, but most Americans are too ignorant to realize it. I am American.

              This is My Music:
              www.youtube.com/user/christoffascott

              Comment

              • Beantown
                #DoYourJob
                • Feb 2005
                • 31523

                #22
                Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                My friends think I'm crazy ("there's like 150 more games other than this one you can watch") but **** it...I set my alarm for 6 and I'll be getting up. Hopefully they take a 4 or 5 run lead in the first few innings so I can grab a quick nap before class.

                Comment

                • tWoSour
                  MVP
                  • Aug 2006
                  • 1080

                  #23
                  Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                  I'm setting my alarm, but we'll see how I feel at 6am. I'm DVR'ing it, just in case.

                  Comment

                  • Misfit
                    All Star
                    • Mar 2003
                    • 5766

                    #24
                    Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                    Originally posted by CS10029
                    I hate this. This is the worst opening day. Why the hell do they do this? This should be later in the season at least. The idea of an opening day is supposed to be at someones home.
                    My only issue with it is the Red Sox have won the World Series twice in four years but didn't get to open at home to defend either title.

                    I've been up for this one since the first pitch. Daisuke has been all over the place with no pitch showing any signs of consistency. He has thrown a couple of nice change-ups (the pitch that will make Daisuke a dominant starter if he can get it going) and curveballs, if you want the bright side. And despite his struggles he has only allowed 2 runs at this point.

                    The lineup has been asleep at the place. Lots of balls put in play weakly for outs. Blanton has pitched well, but he doesn't look like he's doing anything special out there (then again, Blanton will always look average even if he's throwing a perfect game) but hasn't allowed a run. The Sox have yet to string together back-to-back hits. The A's look like they're playing a real game right now, but the Sox look like they're still in spring training. Still just the bottom of the fifth though so there's plenty of time to turn it around.

                    Comment

                    • Stu
                      All Star
                      • Jun 2004
                      • 7924

                      #25
                      Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                      Anyone else make it up at 6? I did, although Dice-K made me wish I didn't. At least he finally seems to have settled down.
                      Sim Gaming Network

                      Comment

                      • Misfit
                        All Star
                        • Mar 2003
                        • 5766

                        #26
                        Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                        That was a sick change he just got Cust to flail at for strike 3. If he can keep that thing down consistently this season (he's thrown some great ones today, and some high outside ones that were pretty ugly too) it could be a great outpitch against lefties. And the screwball movement he gets on it would help against righties as well.

                        Comment

                        • Misfit
                          All Star
                          • Mar 2003
                          • 5766

                          #27
                          Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                          Manny!! Two-run game-tieing double in the 6th!

                          Comment

                          • Stu
                            All Star
                            • Jun 2004
                            • 7924

                            #28
                            Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                            Nice job by Brandon Moss.
                            Sim Gaming Network

                            Comment

                            • Misfit
                              All Star
                              • Mar 2003
                              • 5766

                              #29
                              Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                              Brandon Moss drives in the go-ahead run, way to go rookie!

                              Comment

                              • Stu
                                All Star
                                • Jun 2004
                                • 7924

                                #30
                                Re: 2008 Boston Red Sox

                                Moss ties it in the 9th with a HR. Good thing Drew sat.
                                Sim Gaming Network

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