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Well, despite the Red Sox being 6722, or so, miles away from Boston, they are set to open the 2008 MLB season in about 9 hours.

What does the season hold for Boston?  While we need to wait until the 31st of March before Peter posts his predictions, most are thinking Boston has a good shot in 2008.  The concerns?

1.) The loss of Curt Schilling for some or all of the season

2.)  The health of Josh Beckett

3.)  The age of Tim Wakefield

4.)  Whether Jacoby Ellsbury is for real

5.)  The loss of Dr. Charles Steinberg

6.)  No replacement for Jason Varitek in sight

The positives?

1.)  The Red Sox kept Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz (and Masterson and Lowrie)

2.)  J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo and Daisuke Matsuzaka have a year of experience under their belts in Boston

3.)  A year of maturation for Manny Delcarmen, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia and Ellsbury

4.)  The minor league machine has been largely left to build for the past 3 seasons (save someone named Hanley something or other)

Line-up for tomorrow (my guess):

2b - Pedroia

1b - Youkilis

dh - Ortiz

lf - Ramirez

3b - Lowell

rf - Drew

c - Varitek

ss - Lugo

cf - Ellsbury

sp - Matsuzaka

For those looking for a more expert pediction than mine, Sunday's Globe had a baseball preview.  Notice Nick Cafardo picking Toronto finishing 1st in the AL East (Nick, really?).

Anyway, you should be asleep right now if you want to catch tomorrow morning's game.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

As I write this, the Red Sox are on a plane heading to the Eastern lands  Actually, they are flying West, but you they will end up in the East.

That behind us, it was an interest past 24 hours for the Red Sox.  Firstly, the players threatened a boycott of the entire Japan trip over a pay dispute for coaches and staff.  Previous trips to Japan had coaches and staff getting a stipend, but for some reason this trip did not.  When it became apparent, the Red Sox players tried to right a wrong.  And please, don't try and educate me on the greater nonsense of this issue.  I understand that $40k for a trip to Japan for the players is a joke.  But I do think that equal pay for equal effort is important here.  If an assistant trainer is not going to get a stipend, then his/her ability to afford such a trip might be limited.  Again, $40k is a joke, but equal pay for equal effort is my stance (I think $100 a day would suffice frankly).

Here's what we know:  Daisuke Matsuzaka will start game 1.  Jon Lester (seriously, who'd have thought this) will start game 2.

Terry Francona has made it clear he will not risk injury to win these 2 games.  No pitcher will pitch back-to-back to games.  In addition, MLB allowed Boston to bring 30 players with 3 needing to be declared inactive prior to game 1.  That means there will be a bevy of arms available during the 2 game set.  Overuse should not be an issue.

Bartolo Colon was assigned to minor league camp, presumably in an attempt to get him some more work.  He was never a candidate to start game 1 or 2, so him pitching in warm Florida is a good idea.  My guess is that when he is ready, he'll be on the big-league squad.  If I am not mistaken, he needs to be on the roster prior to game 3 in Toronto to have his contract guaranteed.

2 exhibition games and then 2 real games (3/25 and 3/26 early AM) in Japan and the season is underway.  This season came very quickly.

Question:  What's your take on the AL East this year?  Here's my take:

Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays, Orioles (O's will be deep in 5th, they blow).  As an FYI, Boston Herald writer Tony Massarotti has it:  Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees, Rays, O's.  Interesting.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 12:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

In what I considered a bit of a surprise the Boston Red Sox cut Doug Mirabelli.  Here's why I'm surprised.

Mirabelli is probably the best hitter of the back-up catchers in camp (Kevin Cash and Dustin "Dusty" Brown being the others).  Now Brown has hit a bit in the minors, but has only 27 at bats at AAA (none at MLB) while Cash, well Cash has just not hit since 2005.  I can't say what it was that caused him to stop hitting, but for some reason, no longer can hit for average nor get on base.  A bad combo.

Back to Brown, he has slowly made his way through the Red Sox farm system (Red Sox 35th round pick in 2000 draft).  He gotten on base a bit, but with each promotion, he has gotten worse.

While hitting is important for the back-up catcher, the key will be his defense.  And with that in mind, Cash has the edge.  He successfully caught Tim Wakefield last season and is far more experienced.  I expect the decision will come down to Cash or...Mirabelli.  Yes, Mirabelli.

The Red Sox might just have decided to waive Mirabelli because his deal had far too many incentive clauses for a now borderline major leaguer.  I think it is a toss-up between Cash and Mirabelli at this point.

The sad point in all of this is that the Red Sox really have done a poor job in grooming Jason Varitek's replacement.  Barring a trade, I just don't know who will take his place.  I know I've railed on this subject before, but it's the truth.  George Kottaras stopped hitting once the Red Sox got him for David Wells in 2006.

Chris Carter and Brandon Moss are both making noise in Spring Training in their attempt to win a roster spot on the 25-man squad.

Curt Schilling was placed (or moved to) the 60-day DL meaning he won't be seen until June at the earliest.

Opening day (dawn) 12 days away...

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been big on saying I don't put much stock in Spring Training games.  But time's a awaistin' and there are some developments that concern me and should concern you, assuming you are a Red Sox fan.

It is being reported that Josh Beckett will not be ready for opening day.  He is suffering from back spasms, a condition that can flare up time and time again.  That's your ace.  Strike One.

Daisuke Matsuzaka isn't a lock to head to Japan either as his wife is due with their first child.  She is due the day the club is schedule to travel to Japan.  If she goes past due, his ability to attend is in question.  That's your #2 starter.  Strike 2.

Julio Lugo has missed the past 8 games with a back injury.  Coco Crisp is still on the roster and has only played 8 innings this spring, Curt Schilling is done for a minimum of 3 months and likely the year.  David Ortiz doesn't have a HR yet, nor does Manny Ramirez.  Clay Buchholz has been bad, so has Julian Tavarez, Kyle Snyder, Jon Lester (good last appearance) and Matsuzaka have been bad and the Red Sox are 4-8 in Spring Training play.  Strike(s) 3.

These sorts of things happen in baseball, but this combined with the toll that is expected to be taken with the extreme travel ahead, the Red Sox might start and end the month of April with their heads spinning.

Old friend Mike Greenwell was in town to throw the opening pitch.  Somehow he has managed to grow a denim mustache.  In all seriousness, he admitted in an interview that had it not been for his wife, he would have tried steroids.  Interesting.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Boston.com had this Jonathan Papelbon quote today:

"That situation, man, it's a tough situation for me right now because basically I'm at a point to where I feel like the position I'm in, there's a certain standard that needs to be put in place here," Papelbon said. "I feel like with me being at the top of my position I feel like that standard needs to be set and I'm the one to set that standard. And I don't think that the Red Sox are really necessarily seeing eye-to-eye with me on that subject right now. Hopefully we can get somewhere.

"We're chugging away at this thing and we want to get it done, believe me, and we can move on. At the same time, I feel a certain obligation to not only to myself and my family to make the money that I deserve, but for the game of baseball. Mariano Rivera has been doing it for the past 10 years. With me coming up behind him, I feel a certain obligation to do the same."

I guess all I can say is that he "deserves" whatever the Red Sox think he is worth and if that means he gets renewed and not signed to a long-term deal, well then, deal with it.  The Red Sox are operating within the confines of the CBA and have the right to do what they want with this deal.

Part of the game is proving you can last and if you can, you'll get your payday.  Prior to that?  Take your apparent sub-standard pay of $400k and keep pitching.  As a fan of the Red Sox, please do not tell me what your responsibilities are to your family and please don't tell me why you are worth substantially more money than than the $400k you were paid in 2007.  You aren't going to find many people that sympathize with you on this one aside from your teammates, maybe.

Jonathan, you play baseball and make a ton of money.  If you can keep it up, you will make a ton more.  Save the sob story and please, please do not compare yourself to Mariano Rivera.  He's been closing games at a high level for 11 years.  Let's talk in a few years and see where you are.

Having gotten that off my chest, I remain a big Papelbon fan.  I have to assume some of this is posturing, but all I ask is that he not expect me to become indignant along with him.

I love the financial part of the game, I just hate it when players air their claims of poverty to the media.  It doesn't sit well with me.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Just regurgitating some news:

Bartolo looked good in a bullpen session yesterday.  I don't know about you, but I would feel much better letting him lock down the 5th spot in the rotation rather than let a one or more of Kyle Snyder, Julian Tavarez or a AAA option handle things.  Of course that means Clay Buchholz is not an option.  I think it might be best to start him in AAA having thought about it.  People are likely to have high expectations for Buchholz so starting in a lesser pressure situation might be best.  Of course, if the other options mentioned above don't pan out, Buchholz is the next best option.

Jonathan Papelbon and the Red Sox are talking about a long-term deal.  Certainly it would be nice to lock him up for a while, but at the same time, they can't let his current year overly influence further years pay.  In other words, don't give him too much now so that he can lay claim to larger amounts later.

The Red Sox are at approximately $129mm in payroll.  That covers 28 players expected to make up the 25-man roster and 3 others that could start the season on the DL or extended spring training or the minors.  That means the Red Sox have saved up some room to A.)  Extend players starting this year (i.e. potential front load) or bring on additional talent prior to the 2 trade deadlines.

Last year the Red Sox had an official payroll of $143,026,214.

There is some great back and forth between the Red Sox and Yankees ownership groups the past few days.  Despite not thinking much of Hank Steinbrenner's previous comments, I think he showed a sense of humor and class in discussing his relationship with John Henry.  I think if both sides keep this friendly, great.  If it turns in another direction though, I do wonder what that might mean for opposing fans in either Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 05:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I was driving home from work the other day and I heard one of the baseball guys on ESPN Radio's 850AM.  It was one of their local (Boston) shows and the radio personality (I didn't catch his name, but it isn't important) said that the Red Sox sent Clay Buchholz to Athletes Performance Institute in Tempe as punishment?  This guy said that because he didn't condition properly in 2007, they sent him to Tempe, AZ to learn him some conditioning skills.

All the reports I've read suggest he was disappointed when the Red Sox ended his season in September over fears of hurting his arm.  The sent him to Tempe to help him get better, but not for punishment's sake.

Sorry for the lack of details (like who and when), but I thought it a controversial take on the matter.

Anyway, who's ready for a 6:05 am game?  It's just 23 days away until opening day for Boston.  As you know, they start things off in Japan with two 6:05am starts against Oakland, then fly back to LA to face the Dodgers for 3 more spring training games with starts times of 10:40, 10:10 and 4:10pm.  Then they continue with the regular season on April 1st and 2nd with two more games against the A's with start times of 10:05 and 10:05pm.  Great, for those with kids and/or jobs, don't count on watching a real Red Sox game until April 4th when they visit the Blue Jays for a 7:15 start, that's game 5 of the regular season.

This schedule could really cause problems.  I hope they leave the guys not expected to start in Oakland so as not to screw with their internal clocks.

Anyway, slow news day with the Red Sox.  Spring training games this early really don't offer much.  If a guy goes 4-4 with 4 HRs or a pitcher gets shelled, is is just an early spring training game.  I did read somewhere that Freddy Garcia was seen in camp.  Apparently the Red Sox were doing some testing to see if he was worth a contract offer.  Garcia had major shoulder surgery in 2007 and likely won't be ready until mid-season.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)