The Red Sox Thread

[JOBA RULES]

Tito has got to be laughing like the joker at all this mess.

[4bronxbombers]

Anyone see the little temper tantrum last night with Gonzales?

Here's the recap: Cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez and Valentine were both ejected in the eighth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Mike Everitt.Both contended that Orioles reliever Pedro Strop threw a quick pitch to Gonzalez, who bounced out to second."I wasn't even set," Gonzalez said. "I was just sitting there waiting for him to come set so I can get into my stance. We're trying to win a game. I'm the leadoff hitter, down two runs, trying to get on base."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320815101

Gonzalez is a perfect fit for Boston.

[JL25and3]

I'm always worried when a big organisation hits rock bottom. Cleaning house and starting again is the best way to fix the problem. Good stuff can come from that. Would much rather they sit in mediocrity, flirting with a run but falling short each time. Like they did before employing Epstein.

As one who remembers the 1965-6 Yankees, I can attest that it can take quite a while to come back from rock bottom.

[JL25and3]

I can't write them off THAT long, lol. If they managed to shed Beckett and acquire a legit #2 or 1A, it's not a stretch to see Lester rebound and they're right in the playoff mix.

Now, I do believe Ellsbury will bolt after next year, and I think Pedroia is vastly overrated, but with a decent staff, the core of their offense, Fenway Park and the second wild card, they should always be close to a playoff birth.

I also expect Big Papi to leave after this year. Without him and Ellsbury, the core of their offense suddenly looks pretty thin.

[ajra21]

Gonzalez is a perfect fit for Boston.

I really liked him when he was in SD but he does seem to be a perfect douche for Boston. He's been there two seasons and been part of two fairly awful situations and on both occasions he's come across as a baby with toys to throw out of his pram.

[pleasepassthesoup]

Anyone see the little temper tantrum last night with Gonzales?

Here's the recap: Cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez and Valentine were both ejected in the eighth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Mike Everitt.Both contended that Orioles reliever Pedro Strop threw a quick pitch to Gonzalez, who bounced out to second."I wasn't even set," Gonzalez said. "I was just sitting there waiting for him to come set so I can get into my stance. We're trying to win a game. I'm the leadoff hitter, down two runs, trying to get on base."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320815101

Gonzalez is a perfect fit for Boston.

Adrian, it was God's plan that you grounded out to 2nd base. Get over it.

[chisox]

This explains everything

[ajra21]

I also expect Big Papi to leave after this year. Without him and Ellsbury, the core of their offense suddenly looks pretty thin.

You're right, they don't have much after those two. They have two more years of Beckett and Lackey. Gonzo and Crawford are there for much longer. Pedoria's contract isn't that bad. After that, there isn't much money. I think their biggest problem is Beckett. Hs one of the most overrated pitchers of the last decade.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

I also expect Big Papi to leave after this year. Without him and Ellsbury, the core of their offense suddenly looks pretty thin.

Ellsbury will be back next year, though, unless they decide to try and trade him. I can see Ortiz leaving, but on the other hand, I can see them offering him more than other teams, and it's pretty obvious what his motivation is

[NerfBall55]

I also expect Big Papi to leave after this year. Without him , the core of their offense suddenly looks pretty thin.

http://instantrimshot.com/classic/?sound=rimshot

[effdamets]

Anyone see the little temper tantrum last night with Gonzales?

Here's the recap: Cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez and Valentine were both ejected in the eighth inning for arguing with home plate umpire Mike Everitt.Both contended that Orioles reliever Pedro Strop threw a quick pitch to Gonzalez, who bounced out to second."I wasn't even set," Gonzalez said. "I was just sitting there waiting for him to come set so I can get into my stance. We're trying to win a game. I'm the leadoff hitter, down two runs, trying to get on base."

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320815101

Gonzalez is a perfect fit for Boston.

I never really had an opinion on A-Gon.
But for real - what a whiney bee-yatch!
I mean really, STFU.
Give him a tampon or Midol or something.
All that guy has done since he got to Boston is b*tch and moan. Out loud!

WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

[4bronxbombers]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...inN/story.html

Here's the parts that made me laugh - if you believe LL, you'll think this was all a dream and nothing happened at all at the meeting in NY - it may have been a figment of our imaginations.

- there were strong denials from players and owner John Henry Wednesday, and emerging as a major issue for upper Sox management is concern over the sources cited in the story and their motivation.

- We are very concerned about a breach of confidence in this matter because in the 10 years we’ve held these meetings, we’ve never had information leak like this,” said Larry Lucchino, the team’s president and CEO

- For more than a decade we have had a code among players, staff, and ownership that our meetings are private and do not leave the room,’’ Henry wrote

- For more than a decade, not one person in any of those meetings has gone to the media with private information

- No one in that meeting at any time took the position that Bobby should be or needed to be replaced.”

- It’s a shame that someone would do that and spread wrong information,” Valentine said. “It hurts our team. If you really care about our team, why would you do something like that, no matter what your agenda is?”

- We’re supposed to be together. We’re supposed to be in this together. To spread gossip like that about important players on this team who have been falsely accused is just horrible. That person should be ashamed of himself.”

- I hope it’s not someone on the team. Maybe it’s coming from outside. A lot of this stuff comes from outside, from people who we never see here

- When apprised of remarks Pedroia made after Tuesday’s game, in which he stated that the players, and not the manager, bore the brunt of the responsibility for the team’s record, Valentine said, “I feel bad that he has to have that kind of comment. Dustin’s the warrior of warriors, one of the greatest players that I’ve ever been around.

-
Before Tuesday’s game, in fact, Valentine came over to Pedroia in the dugout, put his hand around his neck, and kissed him.

“It’s an Italian thing,” Valentine said. “This kid is one of the greatest people I’ve ever managed. He’s a warrior. He gives you everything he has every day.



- Gonzalez also told the website that communication between the players and the manager has been improving, but former Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach, who was traded to the Mets, was quoted in the New York Daily News as saying, “There is a disconnect in communication between the players and upper management

[JL25and3]

http://instantrimshot.com/classic/?sound=rimshot

That was completely unintentional. Good job.

Here's a question: if they lose both Ellsbury and Ortiz, does that make their overall team speed better or worse?

[JDPNYY]

I think it's now the duty of all American League pitchers to quick pitch AGon whenever possible.

[4bronxbombers]

I think it's now the duty of all American League pitchers to quick pitch AGon whenever possible.

[jcarey]

I think it's now the duty of all American League pitchers to quick pitch AGon whenever possible.

So long as they're prepared for a quick-bitch in return.

[nhyankeefan]

Dusty is now "the warrior of warriors"?

It's also nice to see Kelly Shoppach getting thrown under the bus now that he's gone. I thought the Sox used to only reserve that treatment for stars, not backup catchers.

[4bronxbombers]

Dusty is now "the warrior of warriors"?

It's also nice to see Kelly Shoppach getting thrown under the bus now that he's gone. I thought the Sox used to only reserve that treatment for stars, not backup catchers.

I believe he is the gritty warrior of warriors.

[False1]

Dusty is now "the warrior of warriors"?

It's also nice to see Kelly Shoppach getting thrown under the bus now that he's gone. I thought the Sox used to only reserve that treatment for stars, not backup catchers.

He fields grounders from his knees with a cast on. He dives for balls that only warriors would attempt to go after on that terrible Fenway infield. He sends aggressive text messages to team leadership. He has a wallet that says Bad A$$ Motherf***er.

[Snatch Catch]

This Gonzalez quick pitch complaint has me laughing because it is so similar to a guy in a arc softball league grounding out and then screaming at the ump on the way back to the dugout "THAT PITCH WAS FLAT! WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL THAT FLAT?!?!"

Uhm, you swung at it, dude.

[OlgMvp]

Once again, the players have successfully passed the buck onto the manager. Bravo Josh & co. It's Bobby's fault that you're staying out til 3 AM the night before you're pitching a matinee against one of the heaviest hitting lineups in baseball. It's Bobby V's fault that Lester has an ERA north of 5. Bobby V's a horrible people person but he's a decent manager and his performance has nothing to do with the fact that Beckett and Lester have been absolute garbage this season, if they could just pitch to the back of their baseball cards, this is a different discussion, even with the injury bug that has taken out a good portion of their lineup for a number of games this season.

That being said, I'm loving every minute of this, keep throwing guys under the bus. We all know what will happen, Bobby V will be scapegoated. Only because you can't trade pieces of garbage like Beckett who has always had character issues but now can't back up his BS with on the field performance. I'm going to enjoy watching that jackasses demise, along with the rest of this 2012 band of washouts.

[False1]

Once again, the players have successfully passed the buck onto the manager. Bravo Josh & co. It's Bobby's fault that you're staying out til 3 AM the night before you're pitching a matinee against one of the heaviest hitting lineups in baseball. It's Bobby V's fault that Lester has an ERA north of 5. Bobby V's a horrible people person but he's a decent manager and his performance has nothing to do with the fact that Beckett and Lester have been absolute garbage this season, if they could just pitch to the back of their baseball cards, this is a different discussion, even with the injury bug that has taken out a good portion of their lineup for a number of games this season.

That being said, I'm loving every minute of this, keep throwing guys under the bus. We all know what will happen, Bobby V will be scapegoated. Only because you can't trade pieces of garbage like Beckett who has always had character issues but now can't back up his BS with on the field performance. I'm going to enjoy watching that jackasses demise, along with the rest of this 2012 band of washouts.

I found the bolded interesting. Intriguing how you can know and "see" that Bobby V is a terrible person from what you see on the field, but not "see" that he is a terrible manager. How many people accurately predicted that his hiring was a disaster? He inherited a mess of a clubhouse, but he's lost it completely and some of his actions contributed materially to that. As much as we complain about how boring Girardi is, he at least has a filter that prevents him from making inflammatory comments in public.

[False1]

This Gonzalez quick pitch complaint has me laughing because it is so similar to a guy in a arc softball league grounding out and then screaming at the ump on the way back to the dugout "THAT PITCH WAS FLAT! WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL THAT FLAT?!?!"

Uhm, you swung at it, dude.

I didn't see it. Did he have two strikes? Maybe he was protecting the plate instinctively?

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

I didn't see it. Did he have two strikes? Maybe he was protecting the plate instinctively?

Yes, and that was pretty much what he said after the game.

[Snatch Catch]

I didn't see it. Did he have two strikes? Maybe he was protecting the plate instinctively?

If guys "protected the plate instinctively" with 2 strikes, there'd be a LOT less walks in MLB.