Swingandalongonetoleft

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7259614?MSNHPHMA I would hide under a rock if I were him.

I think I remember it bouncing in the concourse.

/\/\ Concur. Oh wait, but this s***s all over our chances of drafting someone who won't sign because we won't give him Fort Knox and a grilled cheese sandwich made out of gold.

Sports Illustrated wrote that one assistant GM called this position "poison". Could this be the same one who took himself out of consideration?

I think they should have fired him in the middle of the World Series!!!111!one1 Some people need to take a deep breath, and reach deep to pull that copy of Moneyball out of their ass. A WS title in a wire to wire season, followed by a 90 win season? Not good enough. But I hear the first base coach in our -1 A rookie league club in Bufu, Canada is the next big thing! He's bound to take the bigs by storm!

I love Paulie, but Frank is a hall of famer. Paulie will always be one of the greatest Sox, but probably not quite a HOF'er. If he does it, God bless him. Either way, He has a place in Sox history.

Just curious, but has anyone seen Pods injury record prior to the recent problems? If it's just the 06-07 situation, then I still would argue that it would be rash to dump him because of it, especially since he's not breaking any banks salary-wise. For what we're paying him, if he stays healthy, he's worth it. FLsouthsider: You're right, and I wouldn't unless I was sure he could play. Detroit took care of that one with some stipulations in his contract, and he signed it. Ghost: having a severe injury and believing someone is injury prone are essentially the same scenarios. The club doesn't have faith in the health of the player in question. As for the defensive situation and power hitting, if we have all the power we need, but lack speed, what difference does it make if our shortstop or third baseman (not to mention right fielder, first baseman, and DH) can hit for power and our left fielder doesn't? Neither of our power hitters can run. If he were getting 6-8 million then yeah, I'd want more than speed and a .270 hitter, but he's not. I keep bringing this up, but when he's in our lineup, we're a better team. We've taken bigger risks than this, and if it works out, it would help the club on the cheap. ***I don't actually think he'll be brought back next year, I just don't think it would be a terrible idea to do so.

Other than the w's we've been getting as of late, the thing that's made me happiest about this team is Contreras not getting lit up like an Exodus 1959 Carlos Torano. *I* still remember the 17 straight wins he gave us once upon a time.

Kalapse sez: "Because he is always injured, isn't very good and will make about $3M next year. That's why. He's spent 70% of the season on the DL, don't let 1 game cloud your judgment. " Don't let (roughly) 1 season cloud your judgement either. When he's healthy, he produces. I'm not gonna pretend I know how much time he's spent on the DL before he got to the Sox, but I get the feeling that the problems he's had in 06-07 are limited to 06-07. ***Many a ballplayer has frequented the DL more than Pods only to come back and produce again.*** Baseball isn't a game of "what have you done for me lately". Think of it as a phase. Look at Mags. I'm not comparing the two production-wise, but rather their situations. Management thinks he's injury prone, dumps him, and now he's gonna be the AL MVP, and a big part of the reason D-Town got to the show last year. Patience is a virtue. Everyone is already writing 08 off (unjustifiably so. how many wrote 05 off as well?) On paper, we should've won in 06, but "on paper" means s***. Look, if he gets injured again this year, then perhaps I'll agree with you, but if he can stay healthy, there's not too much risk in bringing him back and enjoying his production. He's fast, can hit, and isn't exactly Bill the Butcher in left. There are worse defensive everyday outfielders in the bigs-not everyone on the team HAS to be a gold glover for a team to succeed... Again, our win/loss record with him in our lineup is better than without. I'd rather roll the dice on Pods than sticking Fields in left when he belongs at third. (In fact, the injury problems Pods has are far less alarming to me than what Crede is pulling nowadays. Back problems are a wee bit worse than groin problems). Owens in my eyes is still unproven, and I can't see how anyone can say he's "everyday" quality just yet. I don't think we'll be getting an A-Row for center next year, so why not platoon Jerry with Pods in left and whoever gets center. Owens will get his playing time, be it in left or center, we have speed either way, and if Pods goes down, we have a somewhat acceptable backup plan.

I'd like to see him stay here next year, in a lesser role so as not to lose the season because of an injury to him. Cubs don't really count on Cliff Floyd to carry them, and he's been helping them... Owens goes down, or struggles, then we have Pods to take his place, or vice versa.

Gotta be one of the best W's of the season.

I hope we keep Pods, not as a primary leadoff option, but as backup. I'm still not sold on Owens, but it's looking like he's earning the '08 job. If we don't put all our eggs in the Pods basket, the production he gives us will be that much of a sweet bonus, and as the Win/Loss record w/ Pods shows, he helps the team.

I never thought I'd see suck 'em up in a Sox uni again. It'd be touching if I was wrong pausenot

"the Sox are going to have to be careful with the Iguchi situation. They have built up good will with Shingo, who loved playing here and Iguchi...so, they have to at least get Iguchi to a decent team." Why not just resign him? He isn't hurting our team any more than this alleged "god of second base" Richar would, and he's a good team player. We could probably get him at a good price, and second would be one less "hole" to fill. Richar is unproven, Iguchi has been there done that, and in only 3 mlb seasons. I don't know what it is with this rush to get rid of him... If Richar is so good, then use him to fetch what you would with Gooch, and see who bites.

I think they're out of the slump that has held 'em back. Playoffs? It's too late, yeah, far too late, but a respectable mark at the end of the season after all the chicken littles screamed 70 or less wins is do-able. The slump seems to be done with and funnier things have happened in baseball. My way of looking at it is he's saying he has faith in our guys. (and if we can get rid of Count to NYM for something sweet, it'd just be icing on the cake)

In reference to the first post, if Crede and Fields were both on this team, I'd dh Joe with his back and let Fields have a ball at third.

I'm sleeping with one eye open when it comes to this team. The teams we are competing against in the ALC will damn any comeback we hope for, but it would be nice to finish with a respectable record. I can't envision D-Town's bats or pitching going cold. ever.

How bout both and we get rid of Count?

Even if he is just blowin smoke outta his ass, why would this matter to anyone other than Mariotti?

CARL EVERETT!!!woot!!!11

It's weird to see this going down with our offense cause in my MVP season Pods has been lighting it up, but Gooch, Konerko, and especially Dye have been lighting it up like a caveman starting fire for the first time with a rock and some twigs. I'm taking a bat to my gamecube.

Iguchi, Pierzynski, and Garland.

Rome rules

Media (your sports page/magazine, and most importantly sports radio/espn) have this funny way of sensationalizing and glorifying everyone who's had a good career. Some of those in the Hall probably shouldn't be there, but you can't start being selective now. I think the Hall should be reserved for legends: If there's any question about a given players deservedness, then he's not a legend. He's got the right idea, just a few decades too late and probably a bit too extreme. If you wanted to make the Hall perfect, you'd have to start all over. Since you can't, everyone on that ballot should be scrutinized, and only the best should make it, which was the original concept of Hall of Fame voting, wasn't it?

It's amazing how so many people will give up on a guy for one bad season. Keep him around, he probably won't cost too much, and look around for a suitable plan B.