Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

[Stu]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

If Theo managed to move Manny Ramirez before the end of July, we should erect a statue of him outside of Fenway Park immediately. I'm not kidding. Manny receives his 10/5 rights at the conclusion of this season, aka - no trade provision in his contract. If Theo does not move Manny by the end of this month, we're essentially stuck with him for approximately $18-21M/year for the next 3 years (at least). Think about the kind of players they could acquire with that saved money.

Of course, nobody seems to be willing to take on that contract. I don't think even Sabean is that dumb. The Yankees and every other team had the chance to have Manny for JUST the waiver wire fee at the end of 2003. They chose not to.

Manny is owed $19 mil next year, $18 mil in 2007 and $20 mil in 2008. The team has $20 mil options for 2009 and 2010, which they obviously won't pick up.

I'm not sold that dealing Manny would be a good thing. I'm not sure what combination of players you could sign for that money that gives you the consistent production that Manny does. You'd probably be able to get 1 front line starter and 1 mediocre slugger. $20 mil just doesnt go as far as it used to. I just don't think there are any better options out there. Obviously if you could move him and there was a chance of signing somebody like Vlad, you'd do it, but there are very few players in MLB that can replace Manny's bat.

[Misfit]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Manny has a bad contract for the team, but he does produce. They just need to bite the bullet and accept the fact that he is signed to this ludicrous deal and they have to see it through. It makes no sense to trade him and have to pay the club who takes him half of his contract (because you know no one would take on that entire contract, even if Manny was hitting .370 right now with 30 homeruns). There aren't many right-handed bats out there as good as Manny's right now, so they might as well just stick with him and hope his production does not drop significantly over the next 3 years.

[Beantown]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

There are some new rumors circulating about Hanley Ramirez and how some people inside the orginization, there haven't been any direct sources(names) given, but some people don't see Hanley ever being a Red Sox player. He won't be traded this season(i'm assuming) but next season if Damon resigns I wouldn't be surprised to see him move, because we have Pedroia to play second now. I wouldn't think it's out of the picture to, while Theo has denied it, see Kelly/Hanley/Miller or Arroyo for Schmidt offer sometime before the deadline. I don't see how trading Papelbon would benefit our club, as he's projected to be a front-line starter by our own orginization, and with him, Lester Sanchez in our rotation, if they all pan out, in 2-3 years it'd be a rather good rotation, not to mention Alvarez as a lefty if we keep him that long.

[Misfit]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I don't know about that. Ramirez has the tools to play almost anywhere on the diamond and I doubt Damon resigns anyways (especially if he insists on getting a 4 or 5 year deal). If they are thinking of moving Ramirez, I would think they would want something better than a 32 year old pitcher with elbow problems.

[Stu]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

There are some new rumors circulating about Hanley Ramirez and how some people inside the orginization, there haven't been any direct sources(names) given, but some people don't see Hanley ever being a Red Sox player. He won't be traded this season(i'm assuming) but next season if Damon resigns I wouldn't be surprised to see him move, because we have Pedroia to play second now. I wouldn't think it's out of the picture to, while Theo has denied it, see Kelly/Hanley/Miller or Arroyo for Schmidt offer sometime before the deadline. I don't see how trading Papelbon would benefit our club, as he's projected to be a front-line starter by our own orginization, and with him, Lester Sanchez in our rotation, if they all pan out, in 2-3 years it'd be a rather good rotation, not to mention Alvarez as a lefty if we keep him that long.

I've heard similar rumors about Hanley, but I wouldn't put much stock in them. Hanley has been our top prospect for so long, I think people are starting to wonder why he isn't in the majors yet, when in reality he's only 21 years old. In comparison, Nomar didn't play his first full season until he was 23. The way Gammons and others were raving about Hanley in spring training, I still think he has a good shot to be a star for the Red Sox.

I'm not as optimistic on Papelbon as you are. I think he's a good prospect, but I'm not sure if he's a front-line starter. I see him as having more of an Arroyo type ceiling. We have some decent pitching prospects but I don't think any of them are projected to be front-line.

[Stu]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Some comments from Gammons column:

There is a lot of anticipation in Boston for second base prospect Dustin Pedroia, but Sox officials say that because Pedroia doesn't have to be protected on the 40-man roster, if something happened to Edgar Renteria, they would likely bring up shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez.

This makes sense to me. No reason to put Pedroia on the 40-man until you have to.

Colorado is one of the teams that has tried to get catcher Kelly Shoppach from the Red Sox. Boston didn't seem interested in first baseman Ryan Sheely (whom they tried to get for Byung-Hyun Kim) or Joe Kennedy, but that bears watching.

Interesting. At least this shows there is some interest in Kelly Shoppach.

[Beantown]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I've heard similar rumors about Hanley, but I wouldn't put much stock in them. Hanley has been our top prospect for so long, I think people are starting to wonder why he isn't in the majors yet, when in reality he's only 21 years old. In comparison, Nomar didn't play his first full season until he was 23. The way Gammons and others were raving about Hanley in spring training, I still think he has a good shot to be a star for the Red Sox.

I'm not as optimistic on Papelbon as you are. I think he's a good prospect, but I'm not sure if he's a front-line starter. I see him as having more of an Arroyo type ceiling. We have some decent pitching prospects but I don't think any of them are projected to be front-line.

Soxprospects.com has Papelbon as "projects as a front-line starter" and I agree, but I don't mean Ace. I mean a good #2 or an amazing #3. I see a more of a mix between Schilling(the power-pitcher, big guy build) and Arroyo(the start off in the bullpen and break-out when you're given a chance) but I think that he'll be a good work-horse sometime in his career.

I also agree with not putting too much into Hanley being traded(especially after reading your Gammons quote) but I'm sure if someone was offering something good enough he could be traded for easier than Dustin or one of the pitchers.

Damon's situation really intruiges me, because I'd love to sing him for a 4 year deal, because I think that'd give Ellsbury enough time to become a MLB starter.

The catcher situation really intruiges me as well, because if there are teams asking about Soppach I'm excited. Mirabelli is probably the best back-up/situational catcher, and Tek is probably one of the top 3 catchers in the league(if I'm not mistaken he leads pretty much every offensive category and is probably one of the best defensive catchers in the league/best game-caller in the league) and I feel perfectly fine having those two for the next 3 years, because Doug seems perfectly fine in his role.

[Stu]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I also agree with not putting too much into Hanley being traded(especially after reading your Gammons quote) but I'm sure if someone was offering something good enough he could be traded for easier than Dustin or one of the pitchers.

I think Hanley could be traded as well, just not for a 32 year old pitcher with a history of arm trouble.

Damon's situation really intruiges me, because I'd love to sing him for a 4 year deal, because I think that'd give Ellsbury enough time to become a MLB starter.

IMO, they need to sign Damon. I'd go as far as saying, we aren't a playoff team without him. There are very few leadoff hitters that give the kind of production Damon does as far as getting on base and driving in runs. How many more in MLB? Ichiro, Jeter? That's about it. They need to give Damon 4 years. You might end up with a year like Bernie Williams is having now but it's still worth it to keep your team competetive for the next 3.

The catcher situation really intruiges me as well, because if there are teams asking about Soppach I'm excited. Mirabelli is probably the best back-up/situational catcher, and Tek is probably one of the top 3 catchers in the league(if I'm not mistaken he leads pretty much every offensive category and is probably one of the best defensive catchers in the league/best game-caller in the league) and I feel perfectly fine having those two for the next 3 years, because Doug seems perfectly fine in his role.

IMO, Shoppach is a must trade. He's already 25, so would be 29 before having a shot at starting for this team. Varitek is the best catcher in baseball right now, and like you said Mirabelli is a more than capable backup who is signed through next year.

[Beantown]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Here's an interview with papelbon, fron Red Sox Nation:
__________________________________________________ _______
RSN: Last year you worked on a cutter, and temporarily shelved your slider and threw more curveballs. This spring you changed your fosh into more of a true split. How much of an ongoing process is developing a repertoire, and do you foresee a time when you aren't tinkering with, or fine-tuning, it?

JP: I can see a time down the road where I'm comfortable with everything, but I think you always want to keep refining. You always want to try to find something you can improve on. Last year I learned a few grips on my slider and change, but this year I'm pretty good with both. So right now I'm just trying to build on last year.

RSN: Are command and feel the two most important words in a pitcher's vocabulary?

JP: Of course. For me, command is the most important because I throw a lot of fastballs. If you don't have command, you have nothing. Feel is more for offspeed breaking pitches, and it's big, but not as big as command.

RSN: If your fastball has less pop than usual, or you're not locating it well, how much do you still need to throw it to be effective?

JP: You can't just quit throwing it. Nobody can win without a fastball. At this level, most guys can make adjustments with their mechanics and find it. If I don't have good command, I just step back and re-evaluate. As for going out there without your best velocity, it happens. But if you're out there competing, and pitching, you can get guys out without your best stuff.

RSN: If you're going to throw 100 pitches in a game, how many do you want to be strikes?

JP: I'd say about 70 or so. If a hitter knows you're not going to walk him, and that everything will be in the zone, he can go right after you. Even if he doesn't know which pitch is coming, he can sit on strikes. You want to work ahead, but you can be effective off the plate, too.

RSN: Is there such a thing as a good walk?

JP: I think there is, in certain situations. If there's a base open and a good hitter up, pitching around the zone can be the smart approach. If the game is on the line, you have to be willing to nibble rather than groove one to a hot hitter. You want to attack hitters in most situations, but you have to pitch smart, too.

RSN: You gained some notoriety by buzzing Sammy Sosa this spring. How much do you need to intimidate hitters, and if you knock someone down by accident, do you want him to think it was intentional?

JP: Everyone has to pitch inside to be successful. I want the hitter to think I meant it, and I'd use that to my advantage. You don't want the hitter to feel too comfortable up at the plate.

RSN: Some hitters have reputations as guys who can't be intimidated and become tougher outs after getting knocked down. How much do you need to know about a hitter's psyche when you face him?

JP: I study hitters day-in and day-out, but you can't really know a lot about that unless you know someone personally. You just have to assume that everyone who picks up a bat is out to get you, and can't take anything for granted.

RSN: I often ask hitters what they consider to be the hardest pitch to hit in baseball. As a pitcher, what would you say it is?

JP: I'll stand by it being a well-located fastball. It's the toughest for the simple fact that without it, you don't have a pitcher. Everything works off the fastball, and if you locate one well, the hitter is going to have a hard time handling it.

RSN: The Red Sox just drafted Craig Hansen -- like you, a closer in college -- and there's conjecture that he could likewise be converted to a starter. Where do you think you'd be if the Sox had kept you in the closer's role rather than made you a starter?

JP: Boy, that's a tough question. My work ethic wouldn't be any different. If I was still in that role, I'd imagine myself as still being successful. As a closer, you can work with one or two good pitches, which is what I did. It's been to my advantage that I've been able to develop other pitches as a starter. But who knows, I could still end up in the bullpen someday.

RSN: What advice would you give Hansen once he signs and starts his pro career?

JP: I'd tell him to have fun, and not to get too high or too low. Just go with the flow, and everything will be all right. I came to that realization myself, once I started getting settled in. You want to approach it like a job, but still remember that you love playing the game.

RSN: When you look back at your first year -- in Lowell -- what are your memories?

JP: When I got there I was a little excited and ready to get going. Maybe a little scared. It was a lot of mixed up feelings all at once. And it was a turning point in my life. It was like, "This is what I'll be doing, and if I'm going to make it, I'll have to commit myself to it. This is my one chance."

RSN: In your Lowell days you won a cow-milking contest, and on another occasion dyed your hair bright red. Now that you're a few years older, and seemingly on the verge of playing in the Major Leagues, are those fun-loving days behind you?

JP: No way. If I'm not having fun, it's not worth it. It's a long season, and if you get too stressed and focused every minute, it's going to backfire on you. My personality is to have some fun -- that's just me. My brothers are the same way.

RSN: I understand that you and your brothers were very competitive with each other growing up, and on more than one occasion there were fights. Tell us about that.

JP: It was crazy bad. There have probably been over 400 fights, all with us competing over something. It was us three boys, and we grew up wanting to beat each other. If it wasn't sports, it was cards or something else. I remember one time playing basketball -- we were only six or eight years old -- Jeremy got so mad he slammed the side gate of our house into Josh so hard that he had to go to the hospital. And we got a trampoline once, which was a bad idea. We were always fighting on it. Man, we'd try to beat each other in everything.

RSN: Your brothers are playing college ball now. Are they the same way on the field?

JP: They are. We all think we're the best, but it's all about confidence. Without that, you're not going to get anywhere. As athletes, they're really starting to understand that now.

RSN: What do you see as the main difference between confidence and cockiness?

JP: Guys with confidence go about it the right way. Cocky guys only tell you they're going about it the right way -- they're not necessarily doing it.

RSN: Your brothers just played in the Division-2 College World Series. What was it like following them in the tournament?

JP: It was awesome. I was proud as hell. I was always on the computer, following them as closely as possible. I listened live when I could. Playing in the Series is a lifelong dream, and I couldn't have been happier for them. They'll be back at North Florida next year, and the baseball program is moving to Division 1, too.

RSN: Even though they're two years younger, and you're the one in pro ball, I assume you still learn from them?

JP: Absolutely. We work out together in the offseason at North Florida, and they're persistent about knowing hitters and staying focused, just like I try to be. They're good at the mental part of the game, and we talk about those things. And without their support, I wouldn't be where I am now. No way. As twins, they show each other support I can't even imagine, and we feed off each other. I definitely get a lot from them.

RSN: I understand that you have a fiancée. Tell us about her.

JP: Her name is Ashley, and I proposed to her in October of last year. We met at Mississippi State -- we were friends first -- and we've been dating for three years. She's from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and we're going to get married in New Orleans in November.

RSN: I assume she's a baseball fan?

JP: She didn't fully understand it until she met me -- things like definitions and technique -- but she does now. She went to all of the games at Mississippi State.

RSN: Last one: when did you first think, "I want to be a pitcher?"

JP: I didn't think that until I was a sophomore in college, because that's when I really started pitching. My brothers and I grew up playing tee-ball in Louisiana, and then kind of went to the next level when we moved to Florida. We played together on the same team when we got there. It was called the Red Sox, interestingly enough. They pitched in high school, but I didn't pitch until college. Once I did, I decided that if I put it my mind to it, I could do it. I could be successful at it. It's all about believing in yourself.
__________________________________________________

He definetly seems like he'd be a perfect fit on our team, with guys like Schilling and Tek, because like them he seems to be a cebreal pitcher who studies non-stop, and that seems to be what our team is built on...studious players.

[Beantown]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I think Hanley could be traded as well, just not for a 32 year old pitcher with a history of arm trouble.

Agreed.

IMO, they need to sign Damon. I'd go as far as saying, we aren't a playoff team without him. There are very few leadoff hitters that give the kind of production Damon does as far as getting on base and driving in runs. How many more in MLB? Ichiro, Jeter? That's about it. They need to give Damon 4 years. You might end up with a year like Bernie Williams is having now but it's still worth it to keep your team competetive for the next 3.

Agreed. Damon is porbably the most productive leadoff hitter in the league. Jeter isn't a pure leadoff hitter, he's just there because the Yanks have no one else to lead off. Ichiro is amazing, but doesn't produce the kind of RBI's Damon does(then again Damon gets a lot more chances than Ichiro) So as far as offensive production in terms of run production/RBIs combined, I'd take Damon over other leadoff men.

IMO, Shoppach is a must trade. He's already 25, so would be 29 before having a shot at starting for this team. Varitek is the best catcher in baseball right now, and like you said Mirabelli is a more than capable backup who is signed through next year.

Once again, agreed. If we could get a young 1B, another young OF, or a pitcher for him, I'd be happy.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Please don't let our streak end against Millwood. I think we'll pull this one out though, only down 3 and the great thing about this offense is it's ability to absolutely explode at any given time.

[Misfit]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Sizemore needs to send Nixon a thank you card for that homerun.

[Beantown]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I was at the game today and wow....you should have heard the fans get on Bellhorn after the game-costing error, it was hilarious. Guys in front of me were calling him gay, saying they had seen him in a gay oarade the other day, stuff like that(they also were boasting how they each had 7 beers) but it was hilarious.

[ILLCHILL]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

Last year, I called him Mark "The walkman" Bellhorn. No I just call him sir-sucks-a-lot

[Stu]

Re: Official Boston Red Sox 2005 Thread

I was at the game today and wow....you should have heard the fans get on Bellhorn after the game-costing error, it was hilarious. Guys in front of me were calling him gay, saying they had seen him in a gay oarade the other day, stuff like that(they also were boasting how they each had 7 beers) but it was hilarious.

Such morons. I love how Boston fans find one player to lump all our problems onto. Trot gives Cleveland a HR and nobody says anything to him.

Apparently you can't win if you don't score runs. Bellhorn had 1 of our 3 hits so that must've been his fault as well.

/end rant