The Red Sox Thread

[RenoHightower]

Normally I'd agree with you, but this reall looks like it's a big time seller's market. There aren't a lot of good players available with so many teams still in contention and the two other big pitchers are both free agents the end of the year, while Lester is signed pretty cheaply through 2014.

For these purposes, he's signed through 2013, but the point more or less remains. He's a pitcher with a good track record having a down year in a terrible situation. In reality, his year isn't even that down, as he's got a 3.57 FIP and 3.60 xFIP.

[pleasepassthesoup]

For these purposes, he's signed through 2013, but the point more or less remains.

Team option in 2014, so they get him for 2 1/2 years as long as they want him for the modest $13mill he's owed that last year.

[False1]

Normally I'd agree with you, but this reall looks like it's a big time seller's market. There aren't a lot of good players available with so many teams still in contention and the two other big pitchers are both free agents the end of the year, while Lester is signed pretty cheaply through 2014.

Can the Sox afford to be sellers though? Looking at '13+, Beckett and Buchholz both are enigmatic, Bard has almost got to be considered a non-option for the rotation going forward, and while Doubrount and Morales have flashed some ability, if they don't continue to develop they could be in for a rough immediate term. Will be interesting to see if they go into complete rebuild mode prior to next season or try to regroup/retain key players.

BTW - I think it is awesome that the Sox have spent roughly $25MM so far this year on Lester, Beckett, Lackey and Dice K and those guys have a 9-13 record at the ASB.

[b-ball-lunachick]

Older pic:



Newer pic:



granted, one was right after he pitched but it's still a big difference..he was also younger than so maybe his face just filled out but even his arms and stuff look bloated to me lately...like a kidney thing. Dr Lunachick on the case.

[pleasepassthesoup]

Older pic:



Newer pic:



granted, one was right after he pitched but it's still a big difference..he was also younger than so maybe his face just filled out but even his arms and stuff look bloated to me lately...like a kidney thing. Dr Lunachick on the case.

One was also when he was 23 years old and relatively recently removed from having cancer.

[nhyankeefan]

Team option in 2014, so they get him for 2 1/2 years as long as they want him for the modest $13mill he's owed that last year.

The team option is voided if he's traded but I can't see a team being scared off by that.

[pleasepassthesoup]

The team option is voided if he's traded but I can't see a team being scared off by that.

ah. didnt see that. my bad.

[ieddyi]

Older pic:



Newer pic:



granted, one was right after he pitched but it's still a big difference..he was also younger than so maybe his face just filled out but even his arms and stuff look bloated to me lately...like a kidney thing. Dr Lunachick on the case.

I think you're right- he's definitely looking bloated

He's become much more of an obnoxious whiner also

[b-ball-lunachick]

One was also when he was 23 years old and relatively recently removed from having cancer.

I realize that -- I could see that if it was just weight gain - like filling out as you get older and/or coming back from a disease..but i've seen people that have kidney issues before and they have that bloat like that with water retention...you see it in his forearm too. maybe i'm wrong -- maybe it's the salt from his diet (like fried chicken) and he's just retaining water..i would think there are enough doctors around him to notice that...

[b-ball-lunachick]

I think you're right- he's definitely looking bloated

He's become much more of an obnoxious whiner also

it's been getting worse and worse..both the bloating and the whining.

[ieddyi]

it's been getting worse and worse..both the bloating and the whining.

Midol?

[b-ball-lunachick]

so Lester was answering people on twitter

A lot of u have some harsh things to say. No one is more disappointed w/ how the 1st half of the season went than us. That's why we ‪#NVRQT

Get it all out now. And for those of you who remain positive and supportive, I can't tell you how much we appreciate it! ‪#NVRQT

Wah!!! Wah!!! Wah!!! RT

Is that the extent of your vocabulary? RT

actually u do quit. Stop ................in sucking

Perfect example. RT

Hopefully you'll be traded in the next 20 days. You are not ace material and you never will be.

Haha, why do you follow me then? RT

I can't wait until you and the Texas tough guy get traded

Sorry you feel that way. RT

and then after the abuse, he tweets:

Guys, I love Boston, very happy here. Nothing better than playing for the @RedSox, hope to be here for my entire career! ‪

I find this very amusing for some reason.

https://twitter.com/JLester31

[teknetic]

I find it a bit sad actually.

[4bronxbombers]

I find it sad too. And a bit pathetic.

[b-ball-lunachick]

I do agree it's a bit pathetic..he's answering these people that for all he knows are yankee fans.

more on Lester in Abraham's review of the first half:

Key player of the second half: Lester is capable of being an ace, as good as anybody in the game. If he flips that switch, he can carry the Sox into the playoffs. If he meanders along the same path he has so far, they have no chance. Lester has become too reliant on his cutter and his secondary pitches, trying to fool hitters instead of burying them with his four-seam fastball. You used to watch his starts and wonder if he had no-hit stuff that day. When is the last time you thought that? Lester also has to put aside the negativity. His glaring at umpires reeks of insecurity and all too often his starts seem almost painful as he slows down and labors on the mound. Lester would seem to have everything in the world going for him. He has a beautiful family, a World Series ring, financial security, respect in the clubhouse and he beat a terrible disease to become an inspiration to thousands. So why is he so grouchy?

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/20...g7N/story.html

[ArodEra]

He looks like one of those nasty drunks sitting on a park bench, shooing away pedestrians that are filming him.

[Mr Coffee]

He looks like one of those nasty drunks sitting on a park bench, shooing away pedestrians that are filming him.

I thought they rehired Zimmer.

[ArodEra]

I thought they rehired Zimmer.

You're right! I thought he resembled someone and couldn't pinpoint it.

[freebubba]

He looks like a young bloated Jon Voight.

[b-ball-lunachick]

He looks like a young bloated Jon Voight.

I can kind of see that...

it definitely looks like a "get off my lawn" picture.

[Snatch Catch]

He actually looks like Joba, if we're being honest here.

[wat]

He actually looks like Joba, if we're being honest here.

A little, but at least Joba has always been "big-boned"...as far as I can recall, anyway.

[snapple]

A little, but at least Joba has always been "big-boned"...as far as I can recall, anyway.

Joba really has never been a whiner.

edit: quoted the wrong guy, but the point stands.

[just-blaze]

I find it sad too. And a bit pathetic.

Very classy on his part.

Replied to your post specifically because I love your sig

[nhyankeefan]

Poor Bobby, it appears that he is having communication issues with both his players and coaches...

Valentine has voiced frustration to associates over his lack of communication with members of his coaching staff, especially pitching coach Bob McClure, but also bullpen coach Gary Tuck and bench coach Tim Bogar. McClure said Thursday such reports "are overblown," noting that he and Valentine spent considerable time before Thursday's workout discussing the team's pitching plans in the second half.

"There's no animosity," McClure said. "I've never felt slighted. He's never said anything to me that would make me think he feels that way."

...

Still, it's hard to ignore the signs:

• Tuck keeps his communication with Valentine to a minimum. He is known to walk past the manager without so much as a hello.

• Cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez had to come out after the second inning of Sunday's game against the New York Yankees because he was ill. He had said something to Bogar in the dugout, but the manager said he was surprised to find out only afterward that Gonzalez was feeling ill enough to require medication.

"It took me by total surprise," Valentine said in his postgame media session. "If he's going to say anything, it must be something to notice. I saw he and Bogie talking about it, then I didn't hear anything about it. All of a sudden, [Gonzalez] told me."

• David Ortiz publicly stated his support recently for the manager, but another respected player on the team said privately that it was all for show. That same player has gone weeks without speaking to Valentine and said that the manager does not have the support of "anyone" in the clubhouse. That is likely an exaggeration -- another veteran told a friend he has come around on the manager after initially being shocked at his hire -- but Valentine told associates that he knows he is being bad-mouthed in the clubhouse and is at a loss to understand why.

• Valentine went out to the mound in Chicago for a visit with his pitcher, and all the infielders joined him for the conference except star second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who remained at his position.

...

• McClure goes to the mound to visit only certain pitchers, while Valentine usually has taken it upon himself to visit the younger pitchers. Valentine has told associates that, at times, McClure tells him little of what was said at the mound; McClure acknowledged that was true, but anytime there was something of significance to report, he always did.

"I'm not exactly a chatty Cathy," he said.

Some of those comments are hysterical, hard to believe these are paid professionals that are having those issues. I've had personality conflicts with people I work with and for before but I still managed to get my job done.

Much, much more here...

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/...all-directions