The latest addition to the Red Sox arms race is John Maine, former pitcher for the NY Mets. Maine signed a minor league deal & will compete for a spot out of the bullpen.
Like several other rehab hurlers in camp, Maine is coming off shoulder surgery. He has playoff experience, in fact he won 2 playoff games as a starter, & could fill a void in the pen for multiple innings now that Dan Wheeler signed with another team.
Keep stockpiling arms, Ben. One or two might become the Alfredo Aceves of 2012.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Oswalt, Jackson Not Interested in AL East?
I caught a quick video on-line from Buster Olney on ESPN Boston. He had a good thought on the Red Sox chances of landing a short-term deal with either Roy Oswalt or Edwin Jackson. Buster thinks that both pitchers may not want to face the AL East where 3 of the top 6 teams in run production reside.
If so & Olney is right, what a bunch of weenies! As a professional, don't you want to test yourself against the best to see how your skills match up? No, instead & as usual, it's all about money. Pitching in an easier division to inflate your stats will bring a bigger contract next year.
Let's see if Oswalt or Jackson have any you-know-what to sign on in the American League East.
If so & Olney is right, what a bunch of weenies! As a professional, don't you want to test yourself against the best to see how your skills match up? No, instead & as usual, it's all about money. Pitching in an easier division to inflate your stats will bring a bigger contract next year.
Let's see if Oswalt or Jackson have any you-know-what to sign on in the American League East.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Ross In, Oswalt Maybe
Nice move, Ben.
As previously reported, the Sox made an offer to Cody Ross & their offer was accepted this week. Ross brings a much-needed right handed bat to the outfield. Boston fans should like Ross' gritty style of play. He should be a nice fit. His contract is a 1-year deal worth $3 million plus incentives.
The Sox made an offer to Roy Oswalt this week. Oswalt would bring an experience arm to the starting rotation & give the Sox more leeway with Daniel Bard. It was odd to me that Oswalt said he preferred to pitch for Texas or St. Louis, the 2 World Series teams from last year. Really? How about pitching for a contender like Boston who is actually offering you a contract? I don't like how this is starting out.
I will say, however, that I admire Oswalt for pitching on the USA team that competed in the World Baseball Classic. No one was interested in playing on that team & he stepped up. I like his competitiveness.
We'll see if the Sox get to ring in Oswalt.
As previously reported, the Sox made an offer to Cody Ross & their offer was accepted this week. Ross brings a much-needed right handed bat to the outfield. Boston fans should like Ross' gritty style of play. He should be a nice fit. His contract is a 1-year deal worth $3 million plus incentives.
The Sox made an offer to Roy Oswalt this week. Oswalt would bring an experience arm to the starting rotation & give the Sox more leeway with Daniel Bard. It was odd to me that Oswalt said he preferred to pitch for Texas or St. Louis, the 2 World Series teams from last year. Really? How about pitching for a contender like Boston who is actually offering you a contract? I don't like how this is starting out.
I will say, however, that I admire Oswalt for pitching on the USA team that competed in the World Baseball Classic. No one was interested in playing on that team & he stepped up. I like his competitiveness.
We'll see if the Sox get to ring in Oswalt.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Jorge Posada Retires
In my mind there are only 3 real Yankees left on that pinstriped team -- Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera & Jorge Posada. Everyone else is a hired gun. Now there are only 2 left.
Jorge Posada, like Jason Varitek, caught thousands of games in the same uniform for many, many years. Some of those years resulted in World Series rings, the most recent being in 2009. Posada was a switch hitter & he had the knack of coming up with a big hit, usually a long ball, at a crucial time in the game. It happened in games against the Red Sox more than we would like to remember.
Last year was perhaps his toughest as a Yankee. Posada was relegated to a part-time DH since his throwing arm was no longer adequate & his batting average plummeted. He & Girardi had a very public blow-up over his lack of playing time & position in the batting order. But all got resolved as Jorge started hitting better over the second half of the season.
Jorge Posada retired a Yankee for life. Time marches on.
Jorge Posada, like Jason Varitek, caught thousands of games in the same uniform for many, many years. Some of those years resulted in World Series rings, the most recent being in 2009. Posada was a switch hitter & he had the knack of coming up with a big hit, usually a long ball, at a crucial time in the game. It happened in games against the Red Sox more than we would like to remember.
Last year was perhaps his toughest as a Yankee. Posada was relegated to a part-time DH since his throwing arm was no longer adequate & his batting average plummeted. He & Girardi had a very public blow-up over his lack of playing time & position in the batting order. But all got resolved as Jorge started hitting better over the second half of the season.
Jorge Posada retired a Yankee for life. Time marches on.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Prince No Longer A Pauper
Out of the blue the Detroit Tigers sign Prince Fielder to a 9 year, $200+ million contract yesterday. The Tigers were not even whispered to be in the running for Prince with the likes of Miami, Anaheim, Seattle & Washington.
The signing of Fielder immediately elevates the Tigers to favorite status to win the AL Central. At the very least the Tigers become another threat for the AL Wild Card with Anaheim & Tampa Bay. Watch out Red Sox & Yankees.
Pujols & Fielder become this year's version of the $200 million players club. It took a little longer to get there for Fielder, but Boras got his client the contract that he promised.
It's good to be Prince today.
The signing of Fielder immediately elevates the Tigers to favorite status to win the AL Central. At the very least the Tigers become another threat for the AL Wild Card with Anaheim & Tampa Bay. Watch out Red Sox & Yankees.
Pujols & Fielder become this year's version of the $200 million players club. It took a little longer to get there for Fielder, but Boras got his client the contract that he promised.
It's good to be Prince today.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Cody Ross Coming to Town
The Red Sox website reports that the Sox are close to finalizing a deal to bring outfielder Cody Ross to Boston. The deal is said to be worth $3 million plus incentives.
Yes, they finally listened to me. Look back at blog a few articles ago. I mentioned Ross as the best free agent outfielder still available on the market. And I guess Ben agreed.
Ross will give the Sox a proven guy on defense & someone with post-season experience. A right-handed bat, he may also surprise with his offense like Scutaro did last year. Good addition.
Yes, they finally listened to me. Look back at blog a few articles ago. I mentioned Ross as the best free agent outfielder still available on the market. And I guess Ben agreed.
Ross will give the Sox a proven guy on defense & someone with post-season experience. A right-handed bat, he may also surprise with his offense like Scutaro did last year. Good addition.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Joe Pa Dead At 85
As a graduate of Brown University, I feel a distant connection to Joe Paterno to know that he also attended the same college in Providence, RI. His passing ends a turbulent few months that rocked his legacy at Penn State.
Joe Pa instilled the concept of team in his players. No individual names on the back of uniforms. He actually took an interest in seeing his players graduate. Paterno's graduation rate for players was over 90%, a rate unheard of by other major football powers.
However, a living person that has his statue in front of the football stadium can be elevated too high. He was not God. He was just a man with failings like all of us. Did he continue coaching too long? Maybe. Did he overlook player behaviors in his later years that would have effected his team? Probably. Did his program become isolated & insulated from pressures from the administration? Yes. A football program than brings in revenue of over $10 million a year develops its own set of problems to deal with. Money remains the root of all evil. Just look at politics.
Joe Pa was human & perhaps he read his own press clippings for too long. But let's remember the good that he did over his tenure at Penn State, not just his takedown by Jerry Sandusky over past few months.
Joe Pa instilled the concept of team in his players. No individual names on the back of uniforms. He actually took an interest in seeing his players graduate. Paterno's graduation rate for players was over 90%, a rate unheard of by other major football powers.
However, a living person that has his statue in front of the football stadium can be elevated too high. He was not God. He was just a man with failings like all of us. Did he continue coaching too long? Maybe. Did he overlook player behaviors in his later years that would have effected his team? Probably. Did his program become isolated & insulated from pressures from the administration? Yes. A football program than brings in revenue of over $10 million a year develops its own set of problems to deal with. Money remains the root of all evil. Just look at politics.
Joe Pa was human & perhaps he read his own press clippings for too long. But let's remember the good that he did over his tenure at Penn State, not just his takedown by Jerry Sandusky over past few months.
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