WCSox

QUOTE (greg775 @ Apr 11, 2009 -> 12:46 PM) That was a classy move by the organization. I wonder how many teams would have done that? Maybe some others, maybe not. The Sox have come a long way since the Carlton Fisk incident of '93. Big ups to them for giving Joe a fitting thank-you.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 11, 2009 -> 04:01 PM) Good win with the crazy all right sunday lineup. Do like giving Konerko and Thome extra rest. Welcome back Bartolo. Ditto. Welcome back offense, as well.

And after six solid innings, The Score's feed is choppy again. WTF??? How difficult is it to stream a radio signal over the Internet with halfway decent quality? Individual radio stations do a better job over their own web sites than MLB. And it's not like this is MLB's first season of providing this service. I'm glad that I only paid $15 for this.

OK, both radiocasts are now available... 20 minutes after the first pitch. The Score is coming in unusually clear, lacking it's usual "choppiness." QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 11, 2009 -> 01:22 PM) Well done MLB. Well done. No kidding. How many years have they been doing this now?

Gameday Audio is screwed up again. Not working for either the Sox or Twins radiocasts.

Unfortunately, that doesn't include the West Coast. LAA vs. BOS out here.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 10, 2009 -> 03:06 PM) I think you might be underestimating how many former HOF players really dislike Bonds and don't want him anywhere near Cooperstown. That may be true, but they don't vote. And many of them (hell, MOST of them) likely used amphetamines ("greenies") and other PEDs as well. I'm sure that many HOFers and members of the HOF committee also intensely dislike Bonds on a personal level. That said, I still can't see Barry's mercurial personality blocking him from enshrinement. Like him or not, he was the greatest position player of his generation. That's kind of the crux of how I judge an obvious PED user's eligibility for Cooperstown. Find the point where they're obviously 'roiding, go back one year, and erase all of that player's numbers and other on-field achievements from that point forward. Pre-1998 Barry is a HOFer. Pre-1997 Roger Clemens is not. My guess is that Pudge still gets in. Inflated offensive numbers or not, his defensive skills were unparalleled, and what he did with the Marlins in the '03 playoffs was pretty remarkable. It also helps that Mike Piazza is his only contemporary at that position, and that there aren't many catchers in general in Cooperstown.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 10, 2009 -> 09:34 AM) If you ask most baseball scholars and reporters/media, they would take Jim Thome for the Hall of Fame over Edgar Martinez. Having said that, Edgar SHOULD make it, if not on the first ballot, sometime in the next 2-3 years. He only has 309 career HRs, 2247 hits, a good-but-not-stellar .312 average, and he played DH most of his career. Great guy who overcame a serious handicap (vision) to play at a high level, but not a HOFer in many people's books. Harold has far better numbers and he won't get in. Hell, I don't even think that Jeff Bagwell gets in. I disagree with this as well. Even before he began roiding (winter of '98 by most accounts), he had three MVPs, 400 HRs, and almost 400 stolen bases. I could see voters not electing him until the second ballot, to "send a message," but the truth is that Barry was pretty much a lock before he used PEDs. I don't like the guy at all, but Cooperstown's credibility will take a massive hit if Barry's left out.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 02:15 PM) On the other hand...you took 4 young guys and said they all might drop off this year, except they all could get better as well given that they have more familiarity with the pitchers (alexei and Q), they may have added a pitch or two, and they're now a year closer to their prime age. That very well could be. I'm still not convinced that Danks or Floyd can repeat what they did last year (although I'd love for them to prove me wrong). And it's tough to imagine Quentin putting up MVP-caliber numbers again. Out of those four, I'd say that Alexei has the best chance of improving. Of course, most of this is an illogical gut feeling on my part, so who knows.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 02:02 PM) I think we'll like this team better than the 08 team though. I think eventually, Getz is going to be a step up above Cabrera offensively, I think Fields will be a huge leap from what we've had at 3rd base, and I think we'll actually be healthier than we were last year. We may like them better, but I'm not sure that they'll perform better. I would expect Quentin to have a moderate drop-off from last season (still good, but not MVP-good) and I wouldn't be surprised to see Alexei, Danks, and Floyd's numbers drop off slightly. And with Thome and Dye a year older, who knows. The offense will obviously pick up at some point, but this series' theme of less production at the plate and better pitching could go on throughout the season.

It's tough to watch Corpseball. But you have to believe that this lineup will start hitting more consistently. And the pitching as been outstanding so far. If Contreras and Linebrink can stay healthy this season (not likely, I know), this could be a very competitive team.

QUOTE (robinventura23 @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 12:37 PM) I have a feeling Danks is done for the day. 95 pitches through 6 innings. I agree. He's been battling and there's no need to make him throw 120 pitches in early April.

C'mon, let's score some f'n runs! Can't let the pitching and defense down like this!

Are those boos I'm hearing?

That'll work too.

Might be a nice time for a bunt.

Sweet!

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 11:36 AM) Is he getting booed? Faintly, as he was being announced.

DJ is comparing Wise to Robin Ventura. My God...

Alright, Paulie. Nice to see that you're still alive.

QUOTE (Sox It To Em @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 11:07 AM) Quentin walks with two outs, nice AB. I see Quentin getting at least 20 more walks this year. After last season, I don't see many pitchers challenging him when they get behind in the count.

QUOTE (daa84 @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 11:03 AM) i give danks and floyd alot of credit....but don cooper is really good at what he does...if danks and floyd get their curve balls over with the consistency they have shown in ST and in this brief glimpse of 2009...they could both be all stars Absolutely. Coop can't physically go out there and get hitters out, but he's the next best thing. No way that we have a championship and a few other strong seasons without him. He's arguably the most valuable piece of the organization.

Anderson should also be more frequently in the game late as a defensive sub.

I really hope that Anderson gets some at-bats against MIN this weekend.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 9, 2009 -> 08:54 AM) I think considering them "On notice" would be a good plan. Another ball comes flying at one of our guys' heads and then either the umps better warn people or the Royals take a hit. Yeah, that's pretty much where I stand. Another Sox batter getting hit today would set the wheels in motion for a bench-clearing brawl. I'd much rather that the Sox broke out the lumber and kicked their asses on the scoreboard.