It's Mole Day!!! /chemistry nerd who wishes he could have set this to publish at 6:02
Wakefield upbeat after good news - Clubhouse Insider
Wakefield looking for 200 wins - Extra Bases
Hope he can get a lot closer after next season - would be nice if he's healthy for the entire year and gets within single digits. As stupid a stat as WINZ is, it still carries a lot value among the media, meaning most fans as well.
Theo: Big Papi Will be Ready for 2010 - Fenway West
Full Count " How a Hitting Coach and Little League Saved Ortiz’ Season
"I said, ‘[Expletive] it – I’m going to play like it’s Little League." I’m serious about this. One day, I woke up and I went, ‘Okay, I guess I’ve got nothing to lose anymore. I’m way behind what I’m normally used to. I’ll go to the field today, and not do [expletive]. I’m just going to act like I’m in Little League,’" Ortiz said late in the regular season.
This explains so much - it probably came naturally to him, being the big kid that he is.
Pros & Cons: Rich Harden - The Bottom Line
He's got pretty good mechanics, so he shouldn't be having any more issues. If he's not getting much interest, he'd be a great option to look into - 28 years old (NG-approved age), good pitches, wouldn't be asked to be a front-line starter.
After the jump, it's one of our fellow SB Nation bloggers vs. a famous former Sox employee (hint: stats), and we continue the theme of the offseason, looking back and forward at the same time.
Who is the better free agent in the hot stove season, Matt Holliday or Jason Bay? And what do the Bill James projecions have to say about it?
Double connection to the Sox here: the decision between Bay and Holliday, and a look at how well one of the biggest names in sabermetrics is keeping up with the rest of his field.
The 2009 Red Sox Minor League System - Sox Tea Party
Boston is fed through their farm system and the 2009 season proved to be successful for the organization, but how does the system look going forward?
Hope the minor league coverage that USG and others have provided will help y'all recognize at least a few names.
Theo speaks on offseason, Drew, and philosophies - Full Count
Full transcript, for your critical analyzing pleasure. Any hidden messages?
Padres general manager decision may impact Red Sox trade options - Red Sox Monster
In baseball's personnel market, relationships are also important. Be it because of personal comfort, previous success or shared values, certain teams seem to make trades with the Red Sox more frequently, while others are more likely to leave a flaming bag of poo on Theo Epstein's door step (I'm looking at you, Colorado).
Pretty funny look at Hoyer's departure to San Diego and its impacts.
An MLB Infield's Greatest Offensive Season - Bleacher Report
Cool little history lesson - it'd be interesting to see if anyone can disprove the claim that this is the best though.
Odds & Ends: Parker, Okajima, Kikuchi, La Russa - MLBTradeRumors.com
- Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima has dismissed agent Peter Greenberg in favor of Boston-based Joe Rosen, according to a Japanese report passed along by NPB Tracker's Ryo Shinkawa. Shinkawa takes this as a sign Okajima wants to stay with the Red Sox. He is already under team control through 2012 as an arbitration-eligible player.
- Yusei Kikuchi's NPB-vs.-MLB decision seems to be coming within a few days, says Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker.
So my interpretation of the translation wasn't horribly wrong. Anxious about Kikuchi's decision, too - could be a good indicator of how the Dice-K effect has trickled down.
Zach Daeges looks to resume promising career following ankle surgery - projo.com
BOSTON –– Red Sox outfield prospect Zach Daeges is recovering well following ankle surgery to remove an extra bone in his foot last month, and expects that the problem that caused him to miss the entire season is behind him.
"It’s going good. I just got out of the boot the other day, so it’s going good," Daeges said from his Iowa home.
Based on Jed's situation, this means that Daeges will never amount to anything right? We should be surprised that he was even able to remove the boot without snapping his ankle?
Boston Red Sox Fans Fear a New York Yankees World Series - The Faster Times
I asked some Red Sox bloggers about how they were holding up over the possibility of the Yankees winning a World Championhip. Guess what? They're not happy.
Again, Go Phils!
I want to see Avogadro's number of comments on this post - links, comments, homework problems will all be addressed if left here.