Recent Posts

Damn I'm pleased for Johnson!

I really like what I've seen on Zizic. The kid is a real banger and relentless. Don't be surprised if he is part of the rotation by mid-season. I've read everything you all said about Giles. What do think about Tony Bradley from UNC? As a fan of the Tar Heels for over 40 years, I was disappointed he decided to stay on the draft. He would have been the "man" next year and probably been a lottery pick next year.

Zizic will play 15 per game next season!

I like the idea! Just because many of these coaches have been in our system for a long time, means little if we don't get results. It is time for results and maybe less loyalty.

It seems like every year there is a new restriction on organizations who have extra resources financially. Whether we are talking about the cap on MLB rosters or how much a team is allowed to spend on draftees or international kids, the rules are all about keeping a competitive balance. Now, to some degree, I agree that we need a check and balance, but when you root for a team and an organization like the Red Sox...let's face it...it can be frustrating. I admit it, I want the Sox to sign every good prospect out there, but that is not possible.

The excellent article today www.overthemonster.com/2017/5/22/15672392/red-sox-starting-pitching-depth-johnson-owens-velazquez by Max Marcovitch is well worth reading, and is on target. We can't seem to develop our own pitching and it is hurting us currently and the future big time.

It is difficult to always have to "BUY" pitching. We seem to have a decent handle on developing positional players, but not so much hurlers. It is enough for a fan to "hurl" themselves when a huge share of our roster cap is designated for David Price, Rick Porcello, and Chris Sale. It hurts our ability to add players down the stretch every year. Read the article and see what our history, on developing pitchers, looks like over the last 12 years.

So let me go back to my reason for starting this thread. Few organizations have our resources, why not go after the TOP pitching coaches in baseball and put them in places they can make major differences. Isn't it amazing that particular organizations just consistently develop pitchers? Why is that? What are they doing that is so different? Why can't we copy some of this?

In my opinion there are, at least, 4 outstanding pitching coaches at the major league level. They are Ray Searage (Pirates), Jim Hickey (Rays), Derek Lilliquist (Cards), and Dave Righetti (Giants). I'm sure I'm missing someone. Now the major league team position is one thing, and I would advocate throwing some money at these guys, but there are some outstanding work being done in these organizations in the minors. For example: Stan Kyles --- AAA Pirates.

But since I live in Ray's country, here are 2 names that you may have not heard of, though you probably recognize the first...Kyle Snyder (3 yrs in Durham - AAA) and R.C. Lichtenstein - for 12 years as a Ray's pitching coach in the minors and currently in AA at Montgomery.

I'm sure the guys we have in Pawtucket, Portland, etc. are very knowledgeable, but the results never seem to change.

One last thing, find out WHO the tops scouts are in DR, Mexico, VZ, Cuba, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and, yes, in the USA...and offer them a hefty raise also. We can't spend excess dollars on draftees and free agents, then lets find the best people out there and double their salary!

Nice performance from Brian Johnson today. Isn't it totally obvious by now, that Johnson is our best bet for giving us, at least, an OK start? There is no reason to go thru Owens control or Kendricks lack of swing and miss. BJ needs more than one start and back to Pawtucket. That is all they ever give him. The kid is a quick study. Let him get comfortable and give him a couple of starts. Price needs to get back into rhythm before bringing him up. Give David 2 more AAA starts, and then bring him up. Don't hurry him. GIVE BRIAN JOHNSTON 2 STARTS...and let him get comfortable.

I know what many of you are going to say about considering Frazier, but we do NOT have many options that are believable. This thread is about trying to catch some "lightning in a bottle"...not dreaming about some blockbuster. The worse thing, IMO, we could do is trade away any more of our top prospects. So I'm not thinking that way. Devers and probably 4 or 5 others should be held on to.

Todd Frazier is not close to be a perfect player. He strikes out way too much and his OBP is terrible. But with that said, we have such a "black hole" at third and a big void in the power department, that we need to see if someone, who won't cost a lot, can adequately fill the role.

I sort of think the SS-Sandoval has left the port, or at least sunk...jamming up the harbor. I can see the Sox giving one more month, but I'm not confident. Holt is a "band-aid". Marco is probably finished for most, if not all, of the season. Rutledge is a total waste of a spot on the 40 man.

I know there will be negativity about trading for Frazier, but I would like to see what is thought of as enough for him. I'll start...Danny Mars and a little cash.

I would like to see someone written in on the score card at 3rd almost every day who will play average defense and have the potential for an extra base hit. Currently...that looks like a tall order with the cast of characters we have at our disposal.

Michael, if he stays healthy, is my break-out player of the year! Hoping he understands he will have to just hit the ball hard consistently at Salem, and not attempt to hit homers this season. He has power, but Salem can make even The Babe question himself. Solid contact, better-2-strike approach, and using the opposite field once in awhile will go a long way to propping up his status this year. I'd be ecstatic if Chavis hit close to .280 with 8 bombs and 30 doubles...and played every game.

Same here. Lawrie may be a very good upgrade over Rutledge. Love to see them make a move and see where it goes. None of us are sure about Panda.

Never heard much about it until 3 months ago, when my brother-in-law decided to go that route instead of a knee replacement. He came down to Sarasota to have it done. It seems to be gathering a lot of steam down here. My brother-in-law had stem cells taken out of his hip and placed into his knee, and there has been some improvement. Supposedly, the process takes closer to 6-minths, in his case, to see great improvement.

Basabe, Martin, Romanski, and maybe Ysla. I think Romanski and Martin would definitely be picked by someone. Romanski has always been a pretty sold defensive catcher, but man did he step it up offensively this year!

I didn't get the game last night on TV here in Florida. All I can tell is from the box score, and it seemed Pomeranz was pitching pretty well. Once they took him out, the pen just gave us no chance at all.

Now, let me 1st say I haven't been on board with a lot of you about Farrell needs to go, but I have to ask...why was he taken out after 5 1/3 innings last night? His progress and comfort are of huge importance to us getting to the playoffs. It's easy to be a Monday night quarterback, but should he have been kept in?

I measure a successful start as 6+ innings and 2 or less runs. Pomeranz's line looked like we could have gotten there. Thoughts?

Moncada is having a "hat" trick tonight. He is 0-3 with 3 fielding errors!