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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 23, 2020 18:48:22 GMT -5
I can see the interest and the fit, and I figured he'd be the guy the Sox naturally turned to if/when they lost Betts, but with Bloom at the helm, unless Springer gives the Sox a big discount, it probably won't happen. I don't think ownership dumped DD and hired Bloom so they can blow a bunch of money on 30 year old free agents. I think they hired Bloom to redevelop the farm system and make the small crafty moves and value deals, kind of what Andrew Friedman did so that when it was time to make an investment in the free agent market they had the money and farm system to get the premier pending free agent on the market. I can see the Sox extending Devers which would be wise. The pitching? I don't think Bloom will use free agency $ there. Probably trades (benintendi) and perhaps a scrap heap raid hoping to find the next Luis Tiant? I just don't see the Sox spending big until they're back in a position where one key free agent could put them over the top. They're nowhere near that right now, George Springer or no George Springer. Hopefully Duran gets a chance and gives the Red Sox a good reason not to spend money on OF help. I don't disagree with your take. The only thing I can think is how long will the Red Sox fans tolerate paying some of the highest ticket prices in baseball (once they start allowing fans back in) to watch mediocre teams while the farm is rebuilt in the hopes of catching the next Mookie lightning in a bottle again?
After 4 world championships I don't think Sox fans have turned into a group who now expect a championship every year. But they do want to watch teams that are competitive and exciting. This team is neither and under your "rebuilding with Bloom" scenario they won't be for the foreseeable future.
Devers extension would really be nice. Has anything been said on that tho? I've not heard a thing, other than what read here, the globe and Weei, which isn't much. One other thing is finally developing starters, which this team hasn't done since the early 80's in Clemens, Schilling, John Tudor and Bob Ojeda. That bunch, over a few year period in the mid 80's was it for the drafting of talented starters. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 23, 2020 15:31:25 GMT -5
The two biggest what ifs in the last 40+ years in this franchise is what if Mo Vaughn stayed and Fred Lynn stayed. Fred Lynn fine, but that Mo Vaughn take is pretty out there. I'd go with Freddie Lynn and lester. Both enjoyed fenway and wanted to stay. Lester said publicly multiple times wanted to stay, but we saw (if true) was low balled by the Sox and then traded. One party (lester) made the effort while the Sox did not. Lynn was part of the purge of stars, other than Yaz moved over 3 seasons by Sullivan. He, of all those guys moved was the best, other than the Fisk contract fiasco.. Another of his blunders during that span. As for what another poster mentioned about california.. Whole heartidly agree. Nice weather, but oppressive taxes and government, was like that 40y ago as well when stationed there (San Diego) and worse when went there on a visit with my family, who wanted to see it in '07. Florida has the nice weather, same beaches, only not the rocky ones. actually warm water one doesn't freeze in, far less taxes, NO state income tax and no oppressive government trying to limit what one says, or does, or a state ruled by unions.. IOW.. It's still a free state and beholden to the people. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 23, 2020 6:38:54 GMT -5
Believe what was rumored by Boston's offer to be of a shorter, 7-8y offer of more money would have been much better.
As is, 120-150m of this new contract is going to be dead money it looks like. betts is a terrific, player.. A generational player, like Trout. Compare him as a Willie Mays minus for instance. Mays dropped way off from age 36 onwards. Still a fair player, but not nearly the SS he once was and remember.. Betts never hit 40+ HR every year to begin with.
A superstar, all around player would have been nice to keep and it really appears Boston tried, but it takes both parties to get it done and seems only one tried that hard in this instance in Boston.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 22, 2020 7:46:07 GMT -5
The Red Sox have a negative run differential on the year but snag a wild card spot, get hot at the right time, and win the pennant. Beyond bold prediction. More like a "miracle on 34th street" occurring. It would take another '67 style impossible dream with everything falling into place perfectly for this team hate to say. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 20, 2020 23:59:41 GMT -5
General statements (summer camp caveats apply). Over the past few days I've seen relatively positive tweets about Arauz, Peraza, Duran and Perez. Relatively negative tweets about Workman & Verdugo. Also, apparently, Devers gained some lard and has been booting easy grounders (unknown if those are related). I don't tweet, use/have a phone to see all these messages most see and would be curious on Workman Phil. He's had issues some springs with his velocity being very low until around midseason and was curious if he was maybe only in the upper 80's again. Doubt will ever join the phone crowd. Hard to see small things myself. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 20, 2020 21:18:02 GMT -5
No crowd noise at Tampa (St Pete) tho. impossible to hear any fans due to hundreds of infernal cow bells clanging all the time. Everyone does realize we have Curt Schilling to blame for that racket i hope.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 18, 2020 4:22:13 GMT -5
I am actually surprised that we haven't seen Matt Barnes mentioned. I am guessing that if he didn't catch Covid, Darwinzon would also be in the conversation. I'd rather see them throw a Hembree out there for a couple innings in a 1-3 inning role if the situation is that bad. barnes is the only other reliever the team can count on fairly certain, other than Workman for late innings. Without just one of those the pen is miserable instead of just plain bad. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 14, 2020 13:40:11 GMT -5
Went and dug out the Petrocelli 8x10 and was reminded of something.. How autographs from that period fade.. Used plain old ink mostly then. This one he used blue ball point pen. I've also got a 1967 Sox WS ball, autographed by the team, given to me and most all the autographs are faded away. Can barely make out joe Foy and jerry Addair still, yaz on a sweet spot is all but gone and it's been kept inside of a secretary most all the years since, in a case.
Also have a 1935 Phillies team ball, given to me in early 70's by the dentist of the Phillies who lived in Winter haven then. Phillies had ST for awhile in WH during the 1930's and had the privilege to know the kindly gentleman who did the dental work and befriend several of them, become friends with a few (ted Kleinshans mostly) and gave him several team balls. This 1 he varnished after he got it and it has held up better with ink signatures.
One day will go and get out more of things have and various yearbooks from 70's got autographed and see how held up.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 12, 2020 18:13:30 GMT -5
Amazing how our perspective on things change as we get older isn't it towards many things.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 12, 2020 15:31:05 GMT -5
I watched Masterson pitch for Lancaster when they played in San Jose years ago. It's hard to imagine a delivery that would make it harder to throw a change-up. He wrapped his wrist and came in from the side which was just devastating to right-handed hitters. They would bury the ball in the infield over and over again. Finding a way to duplicate that motion to throw an effective change would have been very difficult I think. The most effective pitcher we watched during that series was Michael Bowden. I imagine the team asked him to change his delivery when he was sent up to Portland because it was so slow and deliberate that I could have run on the guy. But it was that overhand motion that gave him such a tremendous drop on his pitches. It made them practically un-hittable. At least that was my take. He's the one was probably most wrong about in a long time myself from seeing videos. His FB has so much drop, like a hard sinker from Bob Stanley days, only much harder. I thought he was really going to be a great starter. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 11, 2020 21:25:05 GMT -5
So kickham is added for? Another SP body to have on the 60 man nobody expects to help out?
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 10, 2020 18:41:22 GMT -5
Matt McCarthy @mattmccarthy985 · 17h Current Red Sox starting rotation: 1. Nathan Eovaldi 2. Martin Perez 3. Ryan Weber 4. Some guy. 5. Some other guy. Not even a "Spahn and Sain" followed by nothing in this rotation, but 1 hopeful and nothing. Bleak year for SP in Sox rotation. Have seen some weak rotations over the years, mostly late 60's and few 70's seasons, but this one is worst hands down. Projected No.3 isn't even deserving of a roster spot on most teams. It's going to be win games by 10-9, or lose until ERod can get back and hope both he and Eovaldi are REAL good. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 8, 2020 16:15:17 GMT -5
Where were all these voices screaming to pay off that scrub Sandoval after injury number 1? many of us knew from the start he was a dud, given 100m after nothing more than a hot post season, the worst of reasons to give out a LT deal, like Joe kelly's by LA, but we all KNEW there was no chance he was going to return a nickel of his contract and sit out every last day, or get released and take the money and run!
Let pedroia collect his contract in peace and stop trying to find ways to cheat the guy out of it, he's done more for this team with his heart and soul (and hustle) than any player i can remember in a few decades.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 8, 2020 14:00:17 GMT -5
Boston isn't going to ask the face of the franchise, who already signed 2 below market deals to give away more money again. It's not going to happen. I have -0- idea why it's so hard for some people to get it thru their heads there is a limit to being a single jersey team type player.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 8, 2020 6:57:05 GMT -5
Heaven save the Red Sox from a headcase like Puig. Isn't baseball a team sport? How would be getting an all me guy and head case like Puig accomplish that? |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 7, 2020 9:48:29 GMT -5
Enough MLB players decline, then maybe some network will broadcast the possible nashville 2 team "league" consisting of both former players and AAAA types here: nashville leagueSeveral people, including myself have mentioned am sure quad A players would enjoy playing in the limelight should MLB not play out any season. It's been shown before during strikes, tho this of course isn't a strike. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 6, 2020 12:54:10 GMT -5
That 2 paragraphs is key. Go to work, those jobs needed and then home! no partying, hanging with groups for nonsense.. How to get through thick heads? So many people now will do the opposite of what is told/best however. It's been proven over the last few weeks in graphic detail across several cities.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jul 6, 2020 10:35:09 GMT -5
So, this is the battle of the century, a WWE special: individual freedom vs. community transmission. Place your bets. It's a Rorschach test and it's all about team-building. Reminds me of a Rod Sterling episode of the Twilight Zone. Those with better immune systems flourish, those with compromised immune systems don't (flourish). Nature is conducting this team building exercise. As get older immune system weakens and other health issues don't help any either. Why see more deaths among the elderly. We see more younger people ignoring the warnings and doing what they want with this issue, taking for granted their strong immunity will take care of any situation. I remember when was younger would ignore issues because of that. Placing myself with some where shouldn't, like with a friend who had a measles variant hadn't had for same reason younger ones now flock to bars, beaches, parties and other places they have -0- business being and greater chance of contracting the virus and can easily pass it on. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 29, 2020 21:12:46 GMT -5
Petrocelli had that reputation as kind of a boxer himself and not afraid to mix it up during altercations in games when they happened, but i found him to be one of the really nice guys the team had. maybe because was a teenager a reason, but he'd let me carry his things to the dugout sometimes for him and thought it was an honor myself back then.
he gave me an 8x10 one year in B&W.. Looks like a still shot for something he had made with the old citrus showcase which sat behind chain-o-lakes stadium in the background and personally signed it to me before ST broke and they went back to Boston. I've still got it.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 28, 2020 15:32:25 GMT -5
www.baseballamerica.com/stories/10-prospects-we-hope-have-a-healthy-2020/Another link with info on Groome. I usually stay away from sharing links that have paid content. Not sure of the rules. BA has also updated the rankings for the top 30 prospects. "The Red Sox were thrilled in 2016 when Groome, a New Jersey prep product who was considered one of the best pitching prospects in the class, fell into their laps with the 12th overall pick. He’s pitched just 66 innings since then, however, and missed the entire 2018 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Groome got back on the mound in 2019, albeit for just four innings. Still, scouts who saw him in the New York-Penn League reported the same combination of plus fastball and curveball that made him so coveted as an amateur as well as a potentially above-average changeup. The lefthander has missed plenty of developmental time but is still just 21 years old. A strong 2020 could remind everyone why he still belongs in the conversation of the highest-ceiling lefties in the game." I remember the single game saw him pitch his 1st year in pro ball how nasty the curve was when he used it, but scouts saying his FB is plus? i remember back then it was 91-3mph. |
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 28, 2020 1:58:55 GMT -5
JDB, During the early-late 70's i remember Dom Dimaggio, Bobby Doerr, Eddie Kasko, Johnny Pesky, Bill Monboquette being regulars at Sox ST as coaches and Dom, then still wore those little round glasses.
Ted Williams was at ST a cpl years, but never had a chance to say anything to him.. He was ALWAYS zipping around on a golf cart, or talking hitting in the clubhouse with players, or reminiscing with the coaches about times past it seemed when saw him.
How became a Sox fan? They began ST in WH during '65 season when Chain-o-lakes stadium was built. It was pretty easy for me, tho Minor league A ball team didn't begin playing there until think was 70, or 71. Was a mets farm team a cpl years, Nolan Ryan actually pitched a year for that A ball team.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 27, 2020 13:31:21 GMT -5
I'd like to hear some more from you fans that had a chance to interact with baseball people way back if you don't mind sometime here.
Mostly going with sort of humorous items so far, maybe some not interesting to many.
A reliever Winter Haven had 1 year named Pete Ladd was very good, later on went to Houston in that awful Bob Watson deal as one of those MiLB guys most had probably never heard of at the time players, but was probably the best player friend I made over the years.
He made his name for the Brewers in their WS.. Think was '83 and was outstanding cpl years for them. Pete loved to play that old time hockey game where you pull the rods and twist them on this table like thing that has figures of players on the end of it? Does that make sense? He was a Vermont guy and huge hockey fan. His appt was right behind where we lived and could walk over, play that, old time strat-o-matic baseball.. A kid at heart who loved games, yet was fierce on the mound.
1 of his "roomies" was another really good pitcher that year, California boy Danny Weppner. A lefty who was the best starter the team had and looked like had a real future, unfortunately he blew out his arm and was done. Super nice guy chatting with. Could picture him with that bleached (sun) blond hair on any california beach with a surfboard.
about 2y later he tried to comeback as an OF and saw him again, but the bat just wasn't there. A real shame.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 25, 2020 11:54:48 GMT -5
That's the neat kind of things that used to be the norm Ryanoid.. Family, coaches and even players who may have some health issue sitting in the stadium and not afraid of being swamped with fans.
Still see it here in Lakeland have noticed at Joker Marchant stadium for the A ball tigers over the years, tho they on paid admission nights are 2-300 a game. GCL games always have tons of players in the stands, at Ft Myers, usually more than actual fans when they use the main stadium have seen myself.
Anyway...
Jimmy Leyland time as I promised cpl days back..
1st of all.. Leyland was a nice guy, just kind of hard to get to know and figure out. Dry sense of humor and could be very gruff at times. Exact opposite of HaSox manager Rac Slider all those years.
He wore these steel cleats and you could hear him taking every single step along the warning area of chain-o-lakes park, which was all gravel, not clay that went around the park
A true gamer that wanted everyone to do the job the right way and expected it. Nervous? Crunch time, the smokestack went up inside of the dugout. I tell u it almost appeared it was on fire sometimes that guy was putting out so much smoke. I really wish had the guts just once to ask him how many cigarettes he went thru during a tough game back then.
The guy was good, have to give him credit. He developed Alan Trammel, Jack Morris, Kirk Gibson, Sweet Lou Whitaker and so many others.. His teams won about every other year.
Luis DeLeon...
Nice guy.. Seems to be a habit huh? Dominican, spoke Spanish and rotten English. I spoke rotten Spanish, but befriended him somewhat back then.
Story about how crappy players were taken care of and fed. Can be verified if any former miLB guys around here...
During double headers, which were 7 innings, guys would get hungry u know? No lavish spreads like those millionaire guys playing for big league teams have and i bet u minor league guys get fed now between games!
Back then? They got squat, except wait around for game 2. I and another friend would take orders from players, visiting team also and go to concession stand and players would have to buy a hot dog..
I can still remember DeLeon in his squeaky like voice.. waving a dollar bill yelling: frankfurter! Frankfurter! i guess someone played a joke on him and gave him that name to call a dog, but it was funny to me.
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 24, 2020 14:12:34 GMT -5
It was a different era and time. Players weren't swamped for the most part for autographs at the miLB camp and players, even many MLB ones were approachable, stars even, like Yaz and Tiant were nice guys and people could chat with them. Yaz's ST/winter home was 1 1/2 block from where we lived. He'd be out on the chain of lakes fishing often.. Or from the pier in front of his house facing Lake Howard.
I got somewhat of a help to start with my dad being friends with the guy who owned concession rights (Phil) at chain-o-lakes for years. We all would be together at the stadium and sometimes fly to boston together, where could get bleacher seats and sit in the press box.. As long as didn't sit on the front row..
As for funny stories to put an end to this? I once caught a wad of tobacco... several guys were playing pepper down in the Sox BP.. must have been '76..'77. I forget exact year.. I'm kind of half way watching them since it's pre game.. All of a sudden, something comes flying up towards me and instinct is to grab it.. U know.. guys playing ball.. It's wet and slimy.. Juice coming down my arm.. Denny Doyle hollers up "good hands!"
I coulda' killed him...
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Post by johnsilver52 on Jun 24, 2020 6:40:36 GMT -5
Good idea for a topic since I'm probably the biggest offender when it comes to bringing up something that happened way back at chain-o-lakes stadium in the 70's, or RS wise in the 60's-70's.
Have mentioned before am pretty sure, but just waiting for ST to arrive and seeing then MiLB managers Joe Morgan and Rac Slider again and take in the stories and knowledge those guys had was wonderful to me.
I remember a 1st round mammoth/hulking slugger they took 1st round 1 year (who never made it pas AA if remember correctly) was taking his turn at BP once while Joe and I were chatting. Joe was still keeping a watchful eye out.. I asked him what he thought of Otis's chances (otis Foster).. Oh man.. He responded in a loud enough voice so Foster could here every word.. "That damn 400z bat is too heavy and he tries to pull everything!
I'd never heard of anyone using a 40oz bat before, but was afraid to say anything more about Foster at the time, but did ask Joe later on who confirmed he DID swing a 40oz bat.
Joe was indeed like that. he was full of knowledge, yet would say off the wall things at off the wall moments like the Globe had him pegged when he managed the big league club, opposite of Rac Slider, who managed Winter Haven until like '81-82 (I was gone then). Both knew the game well and I learned most of what I know from those 2.
You mentioned pitchers also and will limit to RS.. I'll got with bruce Hurst. His curve ball was just so good. Batters couldn't square it up. balles went fould, or they missed it and he was one of the absolute nicest people you could ever meet, tho homesick as could be the year he was at Winter haven. A devout Morman who was extremely religious. Probably the best thing personally that could have happened to him was going to a place.. Like SD where he'd be left alone. I have always loved the Sox, but was glad he found a place like that, out of the spotlight and opposite.. Sad when my friend Pete Ladd was traded away in the Bob Watson deal, another super nice guy.
Richie Gedman also.. i remember his allergies and always having a red face from them. LOL Runny nose.. The works. He roomed with Ladd/Danny Weppner and Nipper if remember correctly when he got to Winter Haven.
Stories, stories, stories.. I could go on and on about them. Lakeland Tigers ones also with Jimmy Leyland chain smoking cigarettes and way more.
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