The incoherent ramblings of a Red Sox fan.
Posted on May 12, 2006 in Sports
After not saying too much here about the Red Sox for the first month and a half of the 2006 season and after taking the first full series pretty handily versus the Yankees its time for a 10 minute state of the nation address.
Manny is still struggling – I can’t remember a time where he hit a drought this bad. With that being said I’m still not concerned. Its Manny. He is a machine.
Ortiz is somewhat in the same funky boat – floating somewhere between the Dominican hitting well and struggling. With these guys not contributing and still the Sox are winning and in first place it makes me think of how kick ass they will be once they turn it up.
Youkilis is probably the biggest surprise of the year so far -- we all knew he was good -- we all hoped he was really good -- but there was no way to know he was Jesus Christ good! Not only is this guy on the pads more than an 80 year old woman -- he somehow is a defensive superstar!
So much so when the sox go into “defensive mode” the thought of thinking him out of the game does not across anybody’s mind. This all makes me wonder why JT Snow is still kicking around the clubhouse. Wouldn’t it be better served to kick him off the team roster and get somebody who can pinch hit once in a while -- who do we have now? Dustin Mohr?
Loretta has started swinging the light saber like Luke Skywalker the past few weeks -- quickly advancing his average from .200 to about .300. He, Gonzales and Lowell have turned around the dismal Sox defensive infield making spectacular play after spectacular play.
Lowell was one of the biggest gambles this season -- supposedly washed up and old -- he has proved to be extremely clutch -- hitting almost more doubles than singles this season so far who cares if his beard is almost fully gray.
Shilling has stepped it up -- slipped a little the past few weeks but he will be ok I think.
Jonathan “Wild Thing” Papelbon is about two saves away from me buying a poster of him and sticking it on my ceiling above my bed. He is just lights out and if you have a great working 2-1 combo of Foulke - Papelbon -- that will take us far into the post season. I wonder if we can we petition him to buy a pair of those glasses and to keep the mo-hawk?
Toss on top Coco coming back, Trot may heat up, Wake pitching well, a young Beckett settling down .. things are looking good.
Famous last words.
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Previous Comments
You left out Willie Mo, this guy is getting warmed out and if he gets consistant you have a guy to move into the 5 slot to protect Manny. Imagine Ortiz, Manny and Pena coming at you when they start to heat up.
Going to be hard to get Willie time when Coco comes back. What sucks is they will have start resting Lowell to move Youk to 3rd so Willie can play 1st. And lefties Nixon will of course sit so Willie will play right. Early on they may go slow with Coco and give Willie his shot in center but this guy needs to play 130 games to get his career moving. Nixon is gone next year and maybe traded if need pitching come that time of year. I don't think they dump Snow, come playoff time they like these kinda guys around for late innings.
We need a 5th starter badly. Maybe we package up Nixon now and get someone.
Found your site through your Mike D. post, nice. I'd have to agree, once they start heating up we'll be in really good shape. And if they can actually land Clemens I just think we'd scare half the teams out of the park with that kind of rotation and lineup.
What people aren't looking at with Clemens is he pitched in the N.L. the last 2 seasons. Coming back to the A.L., especially the A.L. East is no picnic for any pitcher. Clemens isn't improving his skill in his later years, when he left NY his ERA was 3.91, it dropped to 2.98 and then an amazing 1.87, his best ever and second to his 21 win year in 1990 in Boston.
The hitting in the N.L. is no where near the A.L. I would love to see Clemens return to Boston but coming back east is a lot tougher than staying w/the Astros. It could me a major let down.
Clemens coming back to Boston? Don't get me wrong -- but I'm not actually hoping he signs with the Sox. Sure it would be exciting -- but do you think he is worth about 1.2 million + a month? He would win some games -- but it could mess with the teams focus. I think hes going through all this just to drive his value up -- call it a college fund of sorts.
B -- you are absolutely correct. Willie Mo was left out of my posting by accident. He shows much promise for a really young hitter. If you compare his numbers with a young David Ortiz there eerily similar.
If Ortizzle can tutor him -- maybe we have something nice brewing there.
I think we can trade JT Snow and Trot (whom is probably not coming back next year anyway) for a sold #3 or #4 pitcher. Push Clement down a spot and that would solidify our pitching.
I wonder what Wells is up to and if he's going to make it back?