Sad news yesterday as Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher Mel Parnell passed away. I didn't know much about Parnell so Iooked him up. Turns out he was a screwball pitcher which, if you've ever tried to throw a screwball, you'd know is crazy. It's basically a reverse curveball which means to throw one you have to turn your arm inside out. (This guy explains it acceptably well if you want to see how it's done.) Our condolences to Mr. Parnell's family, friends, and all of Red Sox nation on this loss.
Link time.
Yesterday I wrote about the derby that is ensuing for the fourth and fifth starter spots in the Red Sox rotation. The Providence Journal's Brian MacPherson bites off even more in attempting to sort out the mutated Jenga puzzle that is the Red Sox pitching staff as a whole. The key to the whole thing might just be Alfredo Aceves.
In his new digs at Bleacher Report, Steven Goldman digs into the Red Sox right field situation. Will it work? Will it not work? Will it kinda work? Will it only sorta work? Read on, oh searcher of knowledge and wisdom!
Over at Fan Graphs, Bill Petti does some great work looking at Adrian Gonzalez's evolution as a hitter. The graphs are particularly instructive (and fitting given the site's name) in showing what Gonzalez does and does not swing at. This is just part one of a two part piece so look for the second one coming soon.
WEEI.com's Alex Speier looks at Blue Jay's pitcher Brandon Morrow as a comparison for Daniel Bard's conversion to the rotation. The key point is that Bard very likely won't be able to step into the rotation and just pitch for 180 innings or what have you. There will be adjustments, bumps in the road, learning experiences. However, as long as Bard remains the fourth or fifth starter and the top three guys in Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, and Josh Beckett are healthy and throwing well, there is room for Bard to grow into the role.Like a family fed up with their dog who won't stop peeing on the carpet, Andrew Miller is abandoning his wind-up. I suggested he take it out back and shoot it, or at least hit it with a rolled up newspaper. But seriously folks, this could end up being a good thing (or not) but it won't be anything now or for a little bit as Miller is hurt again. This time he's strained his hamstring. Fortunately the Sox really aren't counting on him to provide anything this year. At this point he's purely an upside play, though the potential value in that upside play seemingly diminishes slightly every day.
Bobby Valentine is either weird or likes to play mind games. Or maybe it's a bit of both.
The Score's Dustin Parkes went to the SABR conference in Arizona and all he got was material for this awesome column.
The Royals have made some bold moves this off season, but already they're starting to get the downside of those moves. Rany Jazayerli explains.
According to the Associated Press, Derek Jeter "sensed" that Andy Pettitte wanted to come back to the Yankees. Please pardon me while I go throw up.
Finally, newest LA Angel C.J. Wilson thought it might be funny if he published former team mate and current AL West foe Mike Napoli's cell phone number on twitter. He was wrong. It wasn't funny. It was kind of mean though.