AL EAST 2009

[Jimbo]

Double good news for the Red Sox!

Smoltz Throws 47 Pitches, Kotsay Hits

By: Rob Bradford

John Smoltz threw his second bullpen session of spring training for the Red Sox -- throwing all of his pitches -- with Mark Kotsay standing in the batters box. After the session Kotsay took swings in the cage for the first time since undergoing back surgery. The outfielder/first baseman is eyeing a return to the Red Sox around May 1. "I was pretty anxious my first time out," Smoltz told MLB.com. "Today I felt I accomplished everything I wanted to do. I threw every pitch. The ball came out of my hand really well. I threw all five pitches. What I will do now is take each side session as a step closer to try and get to the next step. I'm not staying right in the time frame that I want to be in. The ball is coming out of my hand. I know what I want to do. I'm super excited with today, but I'm try not to get too carried away with it."

This is Great news for the Red Sox :up

In more discouraging news :
Tigers Joel Zumaya will not be going north with the team.
Although it doesn't look like it should be for more than a week or two .

Also, Jeremy Bonderman has been left out of the Starting Rotation to start the season .... working for an extra week to gain arm strength.

On the Bright side:
Both Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson both went 7 strong this week and looked very good.

Jimbo

 

[BillD1984]

This is Great news for the Red Sox :up

In more discouraging news :
Tigers Joel Zumaya will not be going north with the team.
Although it doesn't look like it should be for more than a week or two .

Also, Jeremy Bonderman has been left out of the Starting Rotation to start the season .... working for an extra week to gain arm strength.

On the Bright side:
Both Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson both went 7 strong this week and looked very good.

Jimbo

Jimbo,
so far the Jackson deal is working out great for the Tigers! :up

I read somewhere that Matt Joyce won't make the Rays roster out of ST.

 

[Jimbo]

Jimbo,
so far the Jackson deal is working out great for the Tigers! :up

I read somewhere that Matt Joyce won't make the Rays roster out of ST.

Last I heard, he had some mysterious illness in his leg, not allowing him to play.
Some of the Rays fans might have more info.

Jimbo

 

[BillD1984]

Interesting............


I've always loved Bernie, he's such a class act and always played the game the right way! :up

I just wonder if he has anything left?


WBC inspires Williams to mull return



ESPN.com news services

Former [ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/clubhouse?team=nyy"]Moved Permanently[/ame] outfielder [ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=2538"]Moved Temporarily[/ame] has been concentrating on his music career for the last two years. But his appearance with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic has Williams thinking about a return to the majors.
Williams told reporters on Friday that his stint in the WBC has rekindled his interest in playing baseball. He never formally retired after playing 16 seasons with the Yankees.
"I felt really good about playing," Williams said. "I am my worst critic and I didn't feel very bad about it. It took me a while to get acclimated. But after a while, I felt very encouraged."
"I can still play," said Williams, 40, who was in New York to tape an interview for the YES Network's "CenterStage" program. He went 0-for-5 with two walks during the WBC.
Williams has yet to ask his agent to contact any big-league teams and would not say if he'd play for a team other than the Yankees. But he did say he's not interested in playing for an independent league team or working his way back through the minors.
"At this point, I don't want to be the guy that tries to come back and goes to the independent leagues or the minor leagues for a couple [of] weeks," Williams said. "I would certainly welcome the opportunity to play in the big leagues at some point, even though the window is very short right now."
His second album, "Moving Forward," is scheduled to be released April 14th.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Interesting............


I've always loved Bernie, he's such a class act and always played the game the right way! :up

I just wonder if he has anything left?


WBC inspires Williams to mull return



ESPN.com news services

Former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams has been concentrating on his music career for the last two years. But his appearance with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic has Williams thinking about a return to the majors.
Williams told reporters on Friday that his stint in the WBC has rekindled his interest in playing baseball. He never formally retired after playing 16 seasons with the Yankees.
"I felt really good about playing," Williams said. "I am my worst critic and I didn't feel very bad about it. It took me a while to get acclimated. But after a while, I felt very encouraged."
"I can still play," said Williams, 40, who was in New York to tape an interview for the YES Network's "CenterStage" program. He went 0-for-5 with two walks during the WBC.
Williams has yet to ask his agent to contact any big-league teams and would not say if he'd play for a team other than the Yankees. But he did say he's not interested in playing for an independent league team or working his way back through the minors.
"At this point, I don't want to be the guy that tries to come back and goes to the independent leagues or the minor leagues for a couple [of] weeks," Williams said. "I would certainly welcome the opportunity to play in the big leagues at some point, even though the window is very short right now."
His second album, "Moving Forward," is scheduled to be released April 14th.

Music career? OK. No wonder he wants to come back.

 

[BillD1984]

Music career? OK. No wonder he wants to come back.

LOL!!

I've heard Bernie was pretty good. I guess he's even jammed with Peter Gammons.

 

[BillD1984]

Teixeira: Public comments hurt Sox in negotiations

In an interview with sports radio station WFAN in New York on Friday, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said the public comments the Red Sox made during their pursuit of the free agent last winter "probably worked against them a little bit."
"I think always had the Yankees in my sights, and one thing that my agent and I had asked every single team is, we're not going to negotiate through the media, and we ask you not to," Teixeira said. "The Yankees were really the only team that did that. The other teams went out and told everybody their offers, and told everybody they're gonna talk to me, that they've made made this call, and they made that trip, and they did that. The Yankees just kind of kept quiet. We talked with them all throughout the offseason and when they were ready to make their final offer, it was a great offer, and my wife and I were very excited about going to New York."
Teixeira was asked specifically if the public nature of the Red Sox negotiations last winter bothered him. "It did, it did," replied Teixeira. "And I think in the end, it probably worked against them a little bit, because everyone thought the Red Sox were [my] No. 1, but in reality, the Yankees were gonna be the team, like I said all along, if all things were equal, the Yankees were the place that I wanted to go. It made the most sense for my family. It made the most sense for me and my career and where I wanted to go. Being a Yankee and wearing the pinstripes into the new Yankee Stadium, it doesn't get any better than that. They had a leg up all along."
Teixeira signed a $180 million deal with the Yankees in December after spurning offers from the Red Sox, Angels, Orioles, and Nationals.

Okay Mark-my-words, let me get this straight, the Red Sox hurt their chances by negotiating through the media, but the Yankees were (in your own words) your team all along???

Thanks for clearing that up Mark-my-words, for a moment I thought it was about the Benjamins!

 

[BillD1984]

Wilkerson out?

Posted by Tony Massarotti, Globe Staff March 29, 2009

The Red Sox have not made a formal announcement yet, but Red Sox manager Terry Francona acknowledged this morning that Brad Wilkerson has at least temporarily left the club to assess his options, suggesting that he will not part of the Red Sox' plans when the club breaks camp.
That leaves two men for what seems to be the one remaining spot on the positional roster: Jeff Bailey and Chris Carter.
Even then, the decision might be largely irrelevant, at least from the standpoint of the team. Regardless of which player makes the club to start the season, neither Bailey (minor-league contract) nor Carter (one option remaining) must be exposed to waivers in order to be demoted. As such, the Sox can keep both in the organization. Each will likely make an appearance and/or contribution with the team at some point.
The right-handed-hitting Bailey is batting .357 this spring entering today's game against the Phillies. The left-handed-hitting Carter is hitting .350.
With regard to the final infield spot, all signs continue to point to Nick Green, who played right field on Saturday and almost certainly will serve as the utility man with Julio Lugo's absence forcing Jed Lowrie to be the starter. Green's ability to play the outfield lessens the need for either Carter or Bailey to do so.
Signed to a minor-league deal after the Mark Kotsay injury, Wilkerson has had a dreadful spring at the plate, batting .119 with 18 strikeouts in 42 at-bats. His deal allowed him the option to leave the club on April 1 were he not on the big league roster, and it is likely that he left camp because the club informed him that he will not be making the team.
Today's game against the Phillies is due to start at 1:07 p.m. with Jon Lester opposing Joe Blanton. Designated hitters will be used.

Okay Jimbo, what do you want for Marcus Thames?

 

[cosmo_kramer]

LOL!!

I've heard Bernie was pretty good. I guess he's even jammed with Peter Gammons.

I know it's an extremely small sample size, but an 0-5 performance insipired him?? How much more would he have been moved if he had gotten a hit??

 

[Paul Wozniak]

LOL!!

I've heard Bernie was pretty good. I guess he's even jammed with Peter Gammons.

I jammed with Gammons about a year ago. He sucked.

 

[BillD1984]

I know it's an extremely small sample size, but an 0-5 performance insipired him?? How much more would he have been moved if he had gotten a hit??

LOL!!! Good point!

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Teixeira: Public comments hurt Sox in negotiations

In an interview with sports radio station WFAN in New York on Friday, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said the public comments the Red Sox made during their pursuit of the free agent last winter "probably worked against them a little bit."
"I think always had the Yankees in my sights, and one thing that my agent and I had asked every single team is, we're not going to negotiate through the media, and we ask you not to," Teixeira said. "The Yankees were really the only team that did that. The other teams went out and told everybody their offers, and told everybody they're gonna talk to me, that they've made made this call, and they made that trip, and they did that. The Yankees just kind of kept quiet. We talked with them all throughout the offseason and when they were ready to make their final offer, it was a great offer, and my wife and I were very excited about going to New York."
Teixeira was asked specifically if the public nature of the Red Sox negotiations last winter bothered him. "It did, it did," replied Teixeira. "And I think in the end, it probably worked against them a little bit, because everyone thought the Red Sox were [my] No. 1, but in reality, the Yankees were gonna be the team, like I said all along, if all things were equal, the Yankees were the place that I wanted to go. It made the most sense for my family. It made the most sense for me and my career and where I wanted to go. Being a Yankee and wearing the pinstripes into the new Yankee Stadium, it doesn't get any better than that. They had a leg up all along."
Teixeira signed a $180 million deal with the Yankees in December after spurning offers from the Red Sox, Angels, Orioles, and Nationals.

Okay Mark-my-words, let me get this straight, the Red Sox hurt their chances by negotiating through the media, but the Yankees were (in your own words) your team all along???

Thanks for clearing that up Mark-my-words, for a moment I thought it was about the Benjamins!

I always thought it was Teixeira's wife Leigh who was instrumental in making the decision of where her husband would play:

Throughout his free agency, Teixeira solicited his wife's opinion and she kept saying, "I just want you to be happy," Teixeira recalled. On date night, Teixeira asked, "Everything's equal, where do you want to go? She finally said, 'I want you to be a Yankee.'"

Mark Teixeira's wife Leigh nudged hubby toward Yankees

 

[KCK_Halo]

I wouldn't rust a f*&^ing word that comes out of that chipmunk-cheeked double-crossing a$$hole.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I wouldn't rust a f*&^ing word that comes out of that chipmunk-cheeked double-crossing a$$hole.

Hmm, I'm not sure, but something tells me you don't like him too much...

 

[BillD1984]

I wouldn't rust a f*&^ing word that comes out of that chipmunk-cheeked double-crossing a$$hole.

LMAO!!!!:haha:haha I knew I could count on you, KCK!! :up

 

[HD MM]

I wouldn't rust a f*&^ing word that comes out of that chipmunk-cheeked double-crossing a$$hole.

Similar emotions I feel for Jim Thome. This fan can relate to double-crossers.

 

[KCK_Halo]

LMAO!!!!:haha:haha I knew I could count on you, KCK!! :up

Mark my words, Bill...he will be the Yankees' poster child for ass-kissing the management as long as his wears the pinnies.

 

[SabresRule]

I wouldn't rust a f*&^ing word that comes out of that chipmunk-cheeked double-crossing a$$hole.

As if it was bad enough that he owned the Angels with his bat while in Texas, then he went out and sold out for the almighty you-know-what.

Seriously, I felt bad for you when he chose money over a possible pennant.

I don't understand why guys would rather make a gazillion bucks with 90-loss teams than sign for what Bobby Abreu did on a likely 90-win team.

 

[SabresRule]

This fan can relate to double-crossers.

When Thurman Thomas was released by the Bills and was signed up by the Dolphins, does that count as a double-crosser?

 

[HD MM]

When Thurman Thomas was released by the Bills and was signed up by the Dolphins, does that count as a double-crosser?

No it doesn't. It was the Bills fault. They were the ones to release him.