Boston Red Sox - 2006

[Stu]

WEEI is saying that ESPN Deportes is reporting that Manny will be traded to LA or Seattle by the end of the day.

[Misfit]

ESPN Deportes is full of crap.

[Dispatch]

Anyone think that Craig Hansen might get a shot at being our closer this year? I mean he has everything we you need to be a great closer he just needs to learn how to pitch.

I think he is probably one of our best options available for closer next year since there isn't alot on the market.

I also read that the Marlins are interested in David Murphy, the only thing holding up a trade is they can't agree on a pitcher the Red Sox would get.

[GBrushTWood]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cisco Kid

Anyone think that Craig Hansen might get a shot at being our closer this year? I mean he has everything we you need to be a great closer he just needs to learn how to pitch.

Great idea. Let's hand over the most high leverage innings to a punk kid who doesn't even know how to pitch. If you want to see the Red Sox become the Boston Celtics, then by all means, this move would be great. I just think it is very unlikely that Hansen has magically cured all his problems this off season.

Hansen should be nowhere near the big leagues until he figures out his problems at AAA. To be honest, I think he is going to end up more like Ryan Wagner than Chad Cordero or Huston Street. I just haven't seen any improvement from him.

[K_GUN]

boston herald (micheal silverman) had an article in today's paper that basically says Dice-K won't be signing.

major bummer

[Misfit]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cisco Kid

Anyone think that Craig Hansen might get a shot at being our closer this year? I mean he has everything we you need to be a great closer he just needs to learn how to pitch. I think he is probably one of our best options available for closer next year since there isn't alot on the market. I also read that the Marlins are interested in David Murphy, the only thing holding up a trade is they can't agree on a pitcher the Red Sox would get.

He got smacked around last year like a pinata. I don't expect enough to change for him to go from being batting practice to dominant. His stock has fallen big time. According to Peter Gammons, if the season were to start tomorrow Devern Hansack would be the closer.

[eXperiment63]

Hansen... The only problem with him is he depends on his 97-98mph fastball too much. That is a complimentary pitch. He should stick to throwing his 94mph sinker and 89mph slider. Toss the heater in there from time to time... and just pitch.

[Misfit]

I disagree. His problem is location. When he goes outside of the strike zone they aren't quality pitches that guys will chase, and when he pitches in the zone everything is belt high and over the plater, not on the corners. Even his two-seamer would get a lot of the plate and seemed to get hit just as much as his four-seamer. His slider is pretty much all over the place and often was fairly flat. If I had the time and resources, I'd love to look at tape and see every slider he threw last year because I can't recall anyone swinging and missing at one outside of the zone.