The baseball thread.

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Mariano started out as an "8th inning guy".

Rivera IS the Yankees of the last decade+. And Jeter.

I disagree and think Joba should be groomed as Rivera's replacement.

Let him be a long reliever too for 7th inning duty until he takes over for Rivera who should retire a Yankee.

Jim.....Mariano, like most relievers, was a failed starter that was converted into a reliever. He just happened to luckily chance upon a dominant pitch and the rest is (glorious) history....

It's different with Joba, because he's pretty universally recognized as having "the goods" and having a chance to be a dominant starter for years to come.

Can you really say that three outs in the 8th matter more than twenty-one outs through the first 7 innings?

Pettite rettires. Moose retires....Who are we left with?? Wang + ??? You gotta take a chance and develop a talent like Joba. We just simply don't have the luxury of slotting a talent like Joba for the late innings.

 

[wa-loaf]

Manny traded to the Dodgers this afternoon. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

 

[Swamp Dog]

Manny traded to the Dodgers this afternoon. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

has he ok'd this deal? I thought as a 10 and 5 player he has veto rights, and he has a no trade clause.

I haven't heard anything said about it today.

 

[o3jeff]

It was just on the news that he ok'd it.

Have to see how he gets along with Torre.

 

[drjeff]

Up on ESPN's site now:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3513383

Manny and Nose-mar are back together!

While as a Sox fan I can see and understand the unfortunate trading of Manny, I wasn't really happy to see that pitcher Craig Hansen was part of the package deal and is heading to Pittsburgh. While Hansen had some struggles last year from time time, he's a decent young arm that has some good velocity

 

[thetrailboss]

I can't believe they are trading him.....but then again, when they traded Nomar everyone was upset but it turned out to be the right thing to do...

 

[Philpug]

Tough breaks for the Dbacks.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Geesh....Tough break for the fans. Yes, Manny brought two World Championships to the Sox, but, really, what a whiny spoiled ($160 million) brat....He finally got his wish to be rid of "the Nation"! (Not that I can blame him....;-) ) Say what you will about A-Rod, but at least he doesn't piss all over the game and its fans.

So....Does Manny go into the Hall as an Indian or a Red Sox? The two championships scream Red Sox, but you could make an argument for Cleveland. Do Red Sox fans want him wearing their cap on his plaque? It'll be a strange, bittersweet induction ceremony if he doesn't kiss and make up with Boston.

 

[deadheadskier]

Him holding that sign in the dugout saying trade me for Favre was the final straw for me. I've ALWAYS hated how he has put himself above the team, but have tolerated his behavior to an extent because of his production. The fact that he's 37 years old makes losing that production a little more palatable.

He has certainly helped win a lot of ball games over the years, but after the past few weeks, I'm glad he's gone. If I were Francona and Epstein and a trade wouldn't have happened; I would've benched him for the rest of the year for his antics.

GO JASON BAY!

 

[drjeff]

I liked the little quote that Francona had in Sports Illustrated last week. The reporter asked him what's tougher, being the father of a 14 year old daughter or being Manny's Manager , to paraphrase his answer, no comment!

 

[2knees]

Mannys numbers and Jason Bays numbers, since the start of last year, are pretty damn close. Bay actually has hit 3 more hr's and only has 8 less rbi's over that time frame. And Bay, like manny, had a pretty bad year last year.

I think some of the stuff i'm hearing on tv and radio is way out of line. People are acting like manny is still a 35-45 hr guy who drives in 125+ runs every year. News flash, that manny is gone. At 36, he isnt getting better, he's declining.

 

[drjeff]

Mannys numbers and Jason Bays numbers, since the start of last year, are pretty damn close. Bay actually has hit 3 more hr's and only has 8 less rbi's over that time frame. And Bay, like manny, had a pretty bad year last year.

I think some of the stuff i'm hearing on tv and radio is way out of line. People are acting like manny is still a 35-45 hr guy who drives in 125+ runs every year. News flash, that manny is gone. At 36, he isnt getting better, he's declining.

Very true. The diehard New England sports fan in me can totally rationalize this move, as it has for *most* of the moves that Boston sports team GM's have made in the last few years(Note the Bruins are essentially completely excluded from my last statement )

Will Manny probably go on a tear these last few weeks of the season, yup. Will Manny like hit 40 odd hrs NEXT year and knock in 125, probably not. I'd also bet that the Dodgers may very well be less likely to put up with his "Manny being Manny" BS and give him the liberties that the Sox did from time to time. Lastly, I wonder if Manny realizes that LA is about an extra 4 or so hour plane ride back home to the Dominican Republic if he needs one of his Manny breaks

The things I worry about, is will Bay be enough of an offensive threat to force teams to not be able to pitch around Ortiz?? And also as I said before, that Craig Hansen is going to find all that potential that his arm has. Time will tell on those.

 

[Mildcat]

The Dodgers got him for two prospects and they don't have to pay him a dime because the Sox are picking up the remaining $7 mil for this year. If I was a fan of another contending team like the Mets or Phillies I'd be pissed my team didn't go after him.

What were the Marlins thinking? The impression I get is they let the deal die because they wanted an additional $2 mil on top of the remaining $7 mil.

Manny was acting like a whiny little runt here but I think he'll hit the skin off of the ball in L.A. or would have in any other place he could have gone.

 

[deadheadskier]

So far....so good with Bay in the Bay State. Scores both of the Red Sox runs in his debut one resultant from a TRIPLE. Manny hits the ball the same way, his lazy ass would've been on second with no chance of scoring on Lowrie's soft bouncer to short.

This win/play exemplifies EXACTLY why that self centered whiny bitch was sent out of town. I'm certainly not saying Bay wins us more games than Manny would, but at least the kid is going to TRY from what I've heard and now seen.

If Manny over his career tried to play to his ability even 80% of the time; he'd go down as perhaps one of the top five players to ever play the game. Even on defense he has/had enough athletic ability to be an above average outfielder if he were to have focused and worket at it. The guy could've probably challenged the career record for doubles had he hustled. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the two titles and the extrordinary production he had in Boston during his time here. However, there's nothing more frustrating to me than seeing someone with so much god given talent dog it as often as he did. There are hundreds of average Joe's making no money in the minors working twice as hard as him, tens of millions of Americans giving it there all for their work and barely putting food on the table for their families, yet he has the audicity to act the way he has making TWENTY million dollars a year. Hell, you read about CEO's of failing companies getting ivestigated and scrutinized for receiving compensation packages that are half of what he makes.

good ridance Manny and welcome to the Bay State, Jason Bay. We love ya already

 

[JimG.]

I wish Manny luck in his new home or should I wish the Dodgers luck .. as for me I am glad he is gone .. what a distraction on and off the field .. I don't have to watch his lousy fielding and base running anymore..

I think you Sox fans will miss Manny...alot.

He is an all time great clutch hitter.

 

[2knees]

miss him? miss his stats but not him. knocking down a 64 year old man should have been the end.

right then and there. no excuses no b.s.

he wasnt going to play for the sox if this deal fell through. he had quit on the team completely. contract year or not. In my opinion.

 

[deadheadskier]

miss him? miss his stats but not him. knocking down a 64 year old man should have been the end.

right then and there. no excuses no b.s.

agreed

I think any one of us would've lost are jobs for similar behavior. The leeway superstar athletes are given is maddening at times.

 

[Swamp Dog]

is it my imagine, or is Jery Remy happier than ANYONE that Manny is gone? Poor anouncer boy keeps trying to rein him in but Jery is definately in his glory.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

knocking down a 64 year old man should have been the end.

right then and there. no excuses no b.s.

True 'dat.....If the Sox organization had any class or standards, they would have punished him for that.

Seriously though, not even benched for one game??

Nice message for the kids there.....If you're a big enough fish, you can do what you want with no repurcussions.....

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

No I am more than happy that Manny is gone....

I miss the pre-2004 Sox fans......No way a Sox fan would have been "happy" to have a key player like Manny gone while "the curse" still existed....