AL EAST 2009
- Thread starter BillD1984
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Jimbo, I don't why you're taking offense to this.
That article was a minor league blog about a Red Sox prospect.
If it makes you feel any better, I've seen Bodine's name mentioned in the Boston Sunday Globe as a VERY promising prospect.
Believe me, that blog wasn't meant to dis a Tigers top prospect.
The Red Sox have to give innings to their young arms. Wakefield will be moved out of the rotation before the end of July, even if he has a plus .500 record.
We've had this debate on this forum before, but IMO, IF ALL four Boston teams are championship contenders (which right now they are) then the pecking order goes like this (BTW, this is not MY personal order of preference):
1. Red Sox - FAR AND AWAY numero uno.....win, lose or draw
2. Bruins- when the Bruins are good, THIS a HUGE hockey town
3. Patriots- they were a distant fourth until Parcells came to town
4. Celtics- ironically enough, the most successful franchise takes up the rear. That doesn't mean people don't care, but somebody has to finish last.
I am not going to argue, but I will let you know that the Patriots draw the highest rating on TV, Go look what the 3 highest rated sports events in the history New England.
I live near Springfield, so I can't give a Boston perspective, but a New England one. And yeah the Sox are probably still number 1, slimly, but the Bruins over the Pats. No Way.
The Bruins have long had the most loyal fan base, but it is inelastic. They drew 13.909 paid for decades whether there were six teams in the league or 21, and whether they were in first place or last. Their TV ratings in the Esposito/Orr era were never high enough to get onto a VHF station, back when that was still important.
Until Parcells came along, there were more Giants fans in New England than New England fans, owing in large part to the fact that Giants games had been televised in New England in the 1960s and early 1970s while Patriots games were generally not televised in that era.
I remember that the Patriots came to my local Jr. High to play an exhibition basketball game against our gym teachers. I think the only party that believed it made money on such exhibitions was H. P. Hood, which furnished the jerseys bearing their name and logo.
Two decades later, even after the Patriots had made it to the Super Bowl, they were still struggling for community support by playing basketball in high school gyms. Even with Doug Flutie at point guard, these exhibition games were still an easy ticket to get.
The Celtics could draw big as long as they were winning and white. When Bill Russell was the face of the franchise in the 1960s, they'd have playoff game attendance figures down around 7,000, but with Cowens and Havlicek leading the way in the 1970s, they played to full houses and got televised on powerhouse WBZ-4.
I now reside in the Washington, DC metro market. There are diehard Redskin fans here. The second largest fan base is for the Boston Red Sox. The New England Patriots seem to have the second largest local football following here, with several sportsbars featuring them, but I suspect that is like it was nationally with Cleveland and Pittsburgh in their hey-days, when most major cities had a bar that featured them.
The Red Sox have control of the Boston, Providence, Portland Maine, Springfield MA and Hartford Connecticut DMAs, giving them the third largest baseball television audience and of course, more people listen to baseball on the radio than football. The Red Sox are truly new England's team, win lose or draw.
Until Parcells came along, there were more Giants fans in New England than New England fans, owing in large part to the fact that Giants games had been televised in New England in the 1960s and early 1970s while Patriots games were generally not televised in that era.
I remember that the Patriots came to my local Jr. High to play an exhibition basketball game against our gym teachers. I think the only party that believed it made money on such exhibitions was H. P. Hood, which furnished the jerseys bearing their name and logo.
Two decades later, even after the Patriots had made it to the Super Bowl, they were still struggling for community support by playing basketball in high school gyms. Even with Doug Flutie at point guard, these exhibition games were still an easy ticket to get.
The Celtics could draw big as long as they were winning and white. When Bill Russell was the face of the franchise in the 1960s, they'd have playoff game attendance figures down around 7,000, but with Cowens and Havlicek leading the way in the 1970s, they played to full houses and got televised on powerhouse WBZ-4.
I now reside in the Washington, DC metro market. There are diehard Redskin fans here. The second largest fan base is for the Boston Red Sox. The New England Patriots seem to have the second largest local football following here, with several sportsbars featuring them, but I suspect that is like it was nationally with Cleveland and Pittsburgh in their hey-days, when most major cities had a bar that featured them.
The Red Sox have control of the Boston, Providence, Portland Maine, Springfield MA and Hartford Connecticut DMAs, giving them the third largest baseball television audience and of course, more people listen to baseball on the radio than football. The Red Sox are truly new England's team, win lose or draw.
I'm a Sox fan in that DMA and I'm not so sure the Sox have control of it. Hartford is pretty much the dividing line for the Nation, so I'd say Hartford County is something like a 45/45 split, with the remaining 10 going to the Mets.
Tonight's Sox lineup:When are they gonna drop Papi in the order??
0-7, 12 LOB
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. J.D. Drew, RF
4. Jason Bay, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Rocco Baldelli, DH
7. Julio Lugo, SS
8. Jason Varitek, C
9. Jeff Bailey, 1B
-- Jon Lester, SP
Nope, I didn't anticipate that. Waiting on an update from Francona....Dropped ....I don't think you meant dropped right OUT of the order
IMO, it's a good move.
The fact of the matter is Papi is just not producing right now.
Comparing Red Sox teams
Bill, I'm watching "Who's #1?" on ESPN Classic ranking the 20 best MLB teams ever.
The 2004 Red Sox were ranked #13 on that list- I was wondering how you feel about that team that broke the Curse of the Bambino ranked as high as they are?
Here's a list of the 20 teams:
http://www.davidpietrusza.com/Whos-Number-1-MLB-Teams.html
(I'm cool with it; just wanted to get your perspective)
Also, which Red Sox team was better- 2004 or 2007?
Bill, I'm watching "Who's #1?" on ESPN Classic ranking the 20 best MLB teams ever.
The 2004 Red Sox were ranked #13 on that list- I was wondering how you feel about that team that broke the Curse of the Bambino ranked as high as they are?
Here's a list of the 20 teams:
http://www.davidpietrusza.com/Whos-Number-1-MLB-Teams.html
(I'm cool with it; just wanted to get your perspective)
Also, which Red Sox team was better- 2004 or 2007?
I actually think that the '07 team was SLIGHTLY better.
The '07 team was better at 1B (Youk over Millar), 2B (Pedroia over Bellhorn), 3B (Lowell over Mueller by the slimmest of margins) and RF (Drew over Nixon).
The '04 team was better at SS (BOTH Nomar and O-Cab over Lugo), CF (Damon over Crisp) and C (Varitek was a better player in '04).
Both DH and LF were a wash with Papi and Manny.
The rotations were VERY close, but I like the '07 rotation better.
Schilling was clearly better in '04, but I'll take the '07 Beckett, Dice-K, Lester and Wakefield over the '04 Pedro, Lowe, Arroyo and Wakefield.
Not to take anything away from Keith Foulke, who had a memorable postseason run in '04, but he's not the lights out closer that Papelbon was (is) in '07.
The supporting bullpen casts were close (I'd certainly take the '04 Mike Timlin over the '07 version), but I think the '07 pen of Timlin, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen, Brendan Donnelly, J.C. Romero, Kyle Snyder, Javier Lopez, Eric Gagne (UGHHH!!!) and Joel Pineiro was SLIGHTLY better than Timlin, Alan Embree, Mike Myers, Curtis Leskanic, Ramiro Mendoza, Scott Williamson and Lenny DiNardo.
Where 2004 gets a SIGNIFICANT advantage over '07, IMO, is the bench. The '04 bench of Doug Mientkienicz, Dave Roberts, Gabe Kapler, Pokey Reese, Kevin Youkilis and Doug Mirabelli was deeper than '07's Eric Hinske, Jacoby Ellsbury, Bobby Kielty, Wily Mo Pena, Alex Cora and Mirabelli.
Sorry for the long winded answer, but I wanted to provide my arguement that the '07 team was SLIGHTLY better (but the '04 team will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart).
Hurry back Youk!!!
Sun, 05/17/2009 - 1:17am
Reports: Youkilis targeting Wednesday return
By: Alex Speier
Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis took early batting practice on Saturday, and is now slated to begin a rehab assignment of as little as two games on Monday with Triple-A Pawtucket. If all goes well with the assignment -- which manager Terry Francona told reporters would include one day where he plays part of the game in the field, and another where he serves as designated hitter -- Youkilis could then be ready for activation from the disabled list as soon as Wednesday.
"Hopefully, I'll just get out there and play and hope everything goes well, and then be out there Wednesday, ready to rock," Youkilis told mlb.com.
Sun, 05/17/2009 - 1:17am
Reports: Youkilis targeting Wednesday return
By: Alex Speier
Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis took early batting practice on Saturday, and is now slated to begin a rehab assignment of as little as two games on Monday with Triple-A Pawtucket. If all goes well with the assignment -- which manager Terry Francona told reporters would include one day where he plays part of the game in the field, and another where he serves as designated hitter -- Youkilis could then be ready for activation from the disabled list as soon as Wednesday.
"Hopefully, I'll just get out there and play and hope everything goes well, and then be out there Wednesday, ready to rock," Youkilis told mlb.com.
IMO, it's a good move.
The fact of the matter is Papi is just not producing right now.
It is amazing how he has done NOTHING since Manny left. I mean Jason Bay is having a GREAT year so far...and still nothing. There are ALL KINDS of rumors going around...the one that has the most juice is that Big Pappi will be out of the line-up COMPLETELY...and very soon, maybe as soon as Youkulis is back....to be used ONLY against right handed pitching as a pitch hitter.
Big Papi is past the "slump" stage now. This much more serious than a "slump". too bad, I really like the big guy.
I heard today the Sox might be interested in Prince Fielder.
Not quite sure what they would do with Ortiz. Maybe trade him to KC aqnd pay most of the salary?
