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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Pahk your cah in the yahd: The Bawston Red Sox Thread

Discussion in 'Archive: The Arena' started by Saper, Nov 21, 2006.

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  1. Onoto

    Onoto Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2004
    Yes. I just hate it when the season ends. More than any other sport, baseball entwines itself in your life, and when it ends, there's an empty feeling in your heart. I feel like I know Papi and Youk and Pedey and Josh and Paps and Dice-K and Tek and all the rest, and I feel like we lost.

    Still, good job, Rays, and I'll rooting for the AL in the WS.
     
  2. DarthWormie

    DarthWormie Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2004
    That was a heck of a series, even though the Sox game out on the short end. Simply put, the Rays were the better team all season and were again in this series. While there are a couple of players on their team I don't like, I don't have the 'hatred' for them like I did for the Yankees in 03 & 04 or the Indians last year. They're a talented bunch of young players who hopefully Tampa will keep around for a long time. If not, maybe the Sox can sign a couple of them when they hit free agency. ;)

    As for the Sox, I think it's safe to say that Timlin, Casey and Cora are done with the Sox. Others that may not be back include Lugo, Lopez, Wakefield and yes, Varitek. They need a new catcher. If they brring Tek back, I only want him as a back-up playing about 30 games a year. His days as an effective starting catcher are bihind him.

    I'd like to see them take a run at Teixeira but they just have no place to play him with Youk at 1st and Lowell still signed for another 2 years. The starting rotation should be alright with Dice, Beckett & Lester at the top. They probably need to go get a dependable 3rd or 4th starter and then hopefully Bucholz can be the #5. Add in a new face or 2 in the bullpen and a healthy Ortiz and they're ready to roll in '09.
     
  3. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    It was a heck of a ROLLER COASTER of a series. In the end, the Red Sox didn't make it and that sucks. This is a World Series I have zero interest in watching. I mean come on... the Phillies vs. the Rays? Not many people are really going to care. I bet it isn't watched by as many people as usual.
     
  4. MistrX

    MistrX Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2006
    Yeah, one of the ESPN radio guys was calling is a "baseball apocalypse". I'll be watching, if only for the fact that it'll be a team that's never been against a team that hasn't been for about fifteen years.
     
  5. Onoto

    Onoto Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2004
    I think Tek could stick around and be all right. He might be best served by going full-time to the right side of the plate and just trying to crank some homers. If he could hit 20-25 and be his usual, excellent defensive self, the Sox could live with a .230 catcher hitting at the bottom of the order. They're a good team as is, and I think there are more pressing needs than the 2.
     
  6. Eeth-my-Koth

    Eeth-my-Koth Jedi Grand Master star 9

    Registered:
    May 25, 2001
    The only problem is that the Red Sox won't pay someone hitting .230 the kind of money he's going to want.
    I say pay the man the money for his leadership alone.
    Don't let him become another Johnny Damon.
     
  7. Onoto

    Onoto Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2004
    If he'll accept something along the lines of two years/$16-18m, they'll keep him. They might even go three years, like they did with Lowell, provided they don't have to go higher than $24m. If he starts calling for $10m a year or a four-year deal, I think the Sox will be willing to part with him.
     
  8. DarthWormie

    DarthWormie Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2004
    I respectfully disagree with all of this. No way they offer him that much and no chance in hell they go as long as 3 years. My guess, best offer is 2 years $12-14M. If he wants more, I PRAY the Sox let him walk. Who the heck else in MLB is going to pay more than that for a 37 year-old catcher? I've already seen reports saying his agent is looking for a Jorge Posada-type deal (4/$52M).

    I know there's very little out there on the market (free-agent or trade) for a decent catcher, but that doesn't mean you commit resources to a guy who can't hit anymore AND his defense is starting to go as well. I also think the Favre-like treatment he gets around here ('here' meaning Boston) is ridiculous. The whole 'he's great at handling pitchers' and 'he calls a great game' BS? C'mon, look at the pitchers he's had of late. Pedro, Schilling, Beckett, Lester, Dice K. Those are some pretty good-to-great pitchers. Not sure how much of a difference Tek made to each of them. I don't want to give him zero credit, but funny every one praises him for a well pitched game, but when the pitchers get lit-up, it all the pitchers fault and not that Tex called a bad game.

    I appreciate what he did here. He helped bring 2 WS trophies to the city AND he punched A-Rod right in his $252M mouth. [face_laugh] But no reason to go dropping a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract on a guy who has nothing left in the tank.
     
  9. Onoto

    Onoto Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2004
    You have to consider what the market is offering in constructing a deal like this. The simple fact of the matter is that the Sox don't have a replacement readily available, and there isn't likely to be anyone on the free agent market worth more than Tek. In 2007, he was one of the top five catchers in baseball. He was an average hitting catcher last season, but that's not a terrible thing to have in the 8-hole.

    I bet the Posada bit is just hyperbole to try and get more out of the front office. My guess is he'll be willing to sacrifice the cash for three years, and for a guy held in such high regard, they'll probably be willing to do that. As you said, Tek is beloved in Boston (for good reason, as he's been here during the greatest stretch in Sox history, and good catchers always earn a special place in the fans' hearts), and management will be willing to bend a little when they have more pressing concerns (pitching staff, first/third base).
     
  10. New_York_Jedi

    New_York_Jedi Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 16, 2002
    He wasn't average. Out of 35 catchers with at least 250 at bats, he was 29th in Batting Average, 22nd in OBP, and 27th in OPS and Slugging.


    regarding people available, Buster Olney mentioned in a chat yesterday that the Dodgers may explore offers for Russel Martin.


    That said, I can live with Varitek getting say a 2 year deal. Nothing longer though.
     
  11. Onoto

    Onoto Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2004
    Up the number of at-bats and plate appearances and you'll see why Tek is worth keeping around. He gave the Sox 483 plate appearances, and studies have shown that a lesser player who plays more often is more useful than a better player who plays less often. Only 13 catchers had at least 450 plate appearances last season, leaving a great many at-bats to be taken by back-ups. Tek also has a history of bouncing back after tough seasons. 2006 was a sub-par season (and it had many fans wondering if he was done), but he responded with an excellent 2007 campaign. He struggled at the beginning of the decade before reeling off some fantastic seasons. I'm willing to give him a shot, provided the money isn't ridiculous.
     
  12. DT421

    DT421 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2003
    The new road jerseys. The iconic hanging socks are a nice touch.

    [image=http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8937/redsoxlogoap2de6.jpg]
     
  13. DT421

    DT421 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2003
    Wow, looks like Papi has lost at least 25 pounds this past off-season.
     
  14. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    How did this go all season being locked?
     
  15. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    Because there aren't that many Red Sox fans here who wanted to post here, evidently :p
     
  16. Strilo

    Strilo Manager Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2001
    I wanted to post my grief.
     
  17. Salty

    Salty Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 24, 1998
    Gonna post mine here too.
     
  18. DarthWormie

    DarthWormie Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2004
    It's weird, maybe it's because of 2004 & 2007, but I'm really not all that bummed out about how the season ended. Other than the fact they beat up on a joke of a AAA-level Cleveland team the last week of the season, the Red Sox were playing pretty horrible baseball the last 2 weeks of the season. I definitely wan't expecting them to get swept, but when your offense hits around .200 for an entire series, it doesn't matter how well your pitching does.

    There is a silver lining though. We may have FINALLY seen the end of Jason Varitek in a Red Sox uniform.
     
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