Is it too early for a baseball hot stove Thread???

[Dave James]

Hockey jerseys are very slimming, especially so when there are no pads underneath. It's just the way they're made. Did you know that Shilling's wife is a biscuit short of 185? You'd never know it looking at this picture.

Up over and out.

[Dan Gould]

Now you're just making shit up.

But I tell you what, no more pics of Curt until pitchers and catchers report.

[PHILLYQ]

I just had to share this image with my Yankee friends:

That's photo was taken just a week ago. Have you ever seen Schilling so slender? He sure looks to me like a man on a mission to prove that 2005 was lost to injury and rehab, not declining skills. I think Curt's gonna put up numbers like 2004. Now if Foulke returns to 2004 form, I don't care about Damon, the Sox will be very tough to beat.

But he's wearing sandals in the winter!?WTF???

[Matthew]

I just had to share this image with my Yankee friends:

That's photo was taken just a week ago. Have you ever seen Schilling so slender? He sure looks to me like a man on a mission to prove that 2005 was lost to injury and rehab, not declining skills. I think Curt's gonna put up numbers like 2004. Now if Foulke returns to 2004 form, I don't care about Damon, the Sox will be very tough to beat.

But he's wearing sandals in the winter!?WTF???

Are those Birkenstocks????? Mr. Tough Guy wearing Berkies!

[Dan Gould]

I just had to share this image with my Yankee friends:

That's photo was taken just a week ago. Have you ever seen Schilling so slender? He sure looks to me like a man on a mission to prove that 2005 was lost to injury and rehab, not declining skills. I think Curt's gonna put up numbers like 2004. Now if Foulke returns to 2004 form, I don't care about Damon, the Sox will be very tough to beat.

But he's wearing sandals in the winter!?WTF???

That's a Coyote's game, not a Bruins game. It was probably 80 degrees that night.

MEANWHILE, great news out of Boston (if the report is accurate):

Red Sox Sign Julian Tavarez

I tell ya, we may not have a shortstop of centerfielder, but with Tavarez, Seanez & Mota added, plus Timlin and the rookies who figure to make an impact, Hansen and Delcarmen, PLUS a healthy Foulke, there's no doubt in my mind the Sox will have the best bullpen in the majors next year. Especially if Foulke is the Foulke we've known and loved.

But either way, with the shakeup in the Yankee bullpen, Yanks fans better hope Mo's arm doesn't fall off and that he doesn't start his inevitable late career slide. But either way, there's no question about it: The Sox have the better bullpen, and to top it off, they added a stud starting pitcher. Add a slim-downed, man on a mission Schilling and I'm ready to start the season with Cora at SS, cuz this team will win plenty of 4-0, 5-2, 3-1 games.

[Dan Gould]

The follow up to Tavarez is that there are whispers that with so many arms in the bullpen, someone is sure to be traded, with one possibility being Mota & Wells to the Dodgers for JD Drew ... an interesting possibility, I'd be more excited if Drew weren't so injury-prone.

[chris olivarez]

Wells and Mota would be a good exchange for the Dodgers but I dont think the Bosox would let LA off the hook so easily. My guess is that Boston would want a prospect(s) from the Dodgers and they have some good ones.

[Soulstation1]

re: schilling and his sandals

i'm sure he still has a place up in the phoenix area (he's wearing a coyote's jersey in the pic)

it's been in the 70's and 80's the past couple weeks

it's gonna be 200 degrees this summer

[Matthew]

The follow up to Tavarez is that there are whispers that with so many arms in the bullpen, someone is sure to be traded, with one possibility being Mota & Wells to the Dodgers for JD Drew ... an interesting possibility, I'd be more excited if Drew weren't so injury-prone.

Drew is one of those players whose stats make him look better then he really is. However, saying that, Boston is a place where he could disappear into the woodwork; he wouldn't be the public face of the Red Sox like he was for the Dodgers; Drew has to have the dullest personality in baseball. Of course, any talk about Drew always begins: "if he stays healthy..." Good luck on that.

[Dan Gould]

Well, it should be noted that this idea is being propagated on Red Sox discussion boards. I think the Sox are more likely to try to extract Coco Crisp from the Indians or, heaven forbid, Reed from the Mariners, or else look at a three way trade with Oakland that brings Jay Payton back. Trading major chips to get someone who's proven he can't stay healthy is nuts as far as I am concerned.

[Dan Gould]

I don't want to jinx anything before its official, but the Herald is reporting that once the Indians secure an outfielder, there's a deal in place for the Sox to trade Mota and the super-prospect Marte for Coco Crisp.

And I gotta say, Crisp replacing Damon sounds very good to me. Not only is he cheap having only two year's service time, but if you look at his numbers in his two years as a starter, they're very similar to Damon, including homers, doubles, RBI, SB. And while he hasn't played much centerfield at this level, he was a centerfielder coming up through the minors. The main difference between Damon and Crisp lies in OBP and willingness to work the count ... since Coco would lead-off, hopefully batting coach Papa Jack will get him on the same page with the rest of the roster.

Bottom line, this is a much better move than overpaying Seattle for Jeremy Reed, who hasn't even shown he can hit major league pitching, and they wanted Arroyo and either Papelbon or Jon Lester! Giving up Marte may hurt in the long term but of the potentially strong arms they've stockpiled in the bullpen, its Mota who has slipped ever since he got traded to the Marlins, while Tavarez and Seanez have been lights out for a couple of years.

The Herald also says the Sox have reached agreement with Alex Gonzales to replace Rent-a-Wreck. His bat bothers me but his glove work is very strong ... and better to sign a free agent than give the Devil Rays what they want for Lugo when this is Lugo's walk year anyway.

So if all this goes down, it will be a different Red Sox team, one showing stronger defense and pitching than we've usually had. In fact, if they don't move Wells (and there wouldn't be a reason to) they'll still have a surplus of SP and relievers too, and that's with Hansen not even making the roster, and Arroyo probably in the BP. I gotta like a rotation of Schilling, Becket, Wells, Papelbon and Clement, which leaves Arroyo and Wakefield in the pen with Timlin, Tavarez, Seanez, Foulke. Come to think of it, if they can fill their holes and only give up Mota, they probably still have to move a pitcher.

But that's a big difference between the Yanks and the Sox: They both have too many starters, but the Yanks can't move anyone cuz they don't know what they've got between Pavano, Wright, Smalls, etc. Sox will be dealing from strength when it comes to the pitching staff.

Oh, and with Crisp on board for the next four years, that would allow them to move Coco to rightfield after this season and go after Hunter or Andruw Jones for the long-term centerfield solution. I'd really like that!

[Dan Gould]

Well, I was afraid there for a moment that I had jinxed this trade, but I'm definitely glad its gone down finally, and I'm extra glad that the Sox didn't waver and give up a young pitcher like Manny Delcarmen after Mota's physical supposedly gave the Indians cause for alarm.

Not so thrilled to give up the young catcher Shoppach, who has been talked about as the next Sox prospect longer than anyone. But I do like the fact that in giving up Mota, the Sox got a decent middle reliever back in David Riske. His penchant for giving up homers is a little worrying, but his WHIP this year puts him in the select company of people like Rivera and Flash Gordon, so an argument could be made that the Sox actually got a better middle reliever than the one they gave up.

Now if they sign Alex Gonzales, they'll have significantly improved the rotation, bullpen, and defense while giving up only one of their stud pitching prospects. And they still have a potential surplus of pitching with SPs Schilling, Beckett, Papelbon, Clement, Wakefield, Arroyo and Wells. Right now I'm guessing that Wells goes to the Dodgers for a whole bunch of strong prospects, but even that move puts Wakefield or Arroyo in the pen, yet another addition/improvement. And it also leaves Delcarmen, Hansen, Van Buren and Jon Lester down on the farm, waiting for their chances. I'll tell you what, in a couple of years Yanks fans may be looking at the Sox bullpen with great envy.

Paging SS1: Your beloved Indians traded away a fan favorite, what do you think?

Edited January 28, 2006 by Dan Gould

[Dan Gould]

Here's a pretty funny site with parody Gammons Diamond Notes:

http://www.humbug.com/diamond/notes.html

Click on the refresh button to get another dose. Not sure if the guy just wrote a whole bunch of them or if it really is using a random generator of some sort.

Edited January 29, 2006 by Dan Gould

[Soulstation1]

i'm not happy abot losing my coco crisp

i was talking to kenny lofton @ the barbershop about going back to the tribe

he said they were interested, but they wanted him to play left and he took a pass

was theo just on vacation leave?

ss1

[Dave James]

Interesting if lengthly article cribbed from the ESPN website about three teams that continue to pursue The Rocket. Lots of question marks out there - in addition to those involving Clemens - for all concerned.

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Not a day goes by without another news alert from the Roger Clemens-watch -- which could be the difference between the U.S. prevailing or getting smoked in the World Baseball Classic. But the real intrigue begins in April (or May), which will impact the two 2005 playoff teams most in need of Clemens' fastball this summer.

Without Roger Clemens, the Astros are a likely a longshot to return to the postseason.Baseball executives speak with one voice when they say that without Clemens, the Astros are doomed as a wild-card entry, let alone finishing second in the National League Central. And those same industry voices are saying the Red Sox, still sorting through the residue of a frenetic offseason, won't win 95 games again unless they can pluck the Rocket from Houston before May 1.

In fact, the Boston Globe says a face-to-face meeting between Clemens and Red Sox officials might already have taken place last week.

With so much at stake, it's no wonder that Clemens' agents are fielding a steady stream of just-checking-in phone calls from GMs, including the Yankees' Brian Cashman. He all but revealed the team's courting strategy this week, saying, "Roger's got a great place in our history. It doesn't mean history can't continue to be written."

Still, the Yankees know they're long shots in the Clemens vigil, which is why they're not exactly sweating the next two months. Cashman told reporters that "we have depth" in the starting rotation. Despite Randy Johnson's and Mike Mussina's advancing years, Yankee officials still believe their starters will be more dependable than Boston's.

And for the Astros, GM Tim Purpura doesn't try to minimize the Rocket's imprint on the franchise, or what his loss would mean. In a recent radio interview, Purpura said, "Our goal is to get back to [the World Series], and it would certainly be easier with Roger on board."

Here's the breakdown of the Red Sox's and Astros' potential trouble spots:

Boston

After so much reshuffling, the Red Sox like to think they're younger and more athletic than they were in 2005. But one American League executive said, "There are too many question marks for me to think they're better than the Yankees right now." First on the list of curiosities is how well-conditioned Curt Schilling will be. He gained weight after post-surgery rehab on his right ankle last year, which resulted in the highest hits-per-inning ratio of his career and a diminished fastball. Depending on who you believe, the 39-year-old Schilling is due for a bounce-back season or else is on a slow, insidious slide towards mediocrity -- not unlike Mussina's potential trend line.

The Sox are just as hopeful (or anxious) about Josh Beckett, who has the chance to be a young Schilling -- or just Josh Beckett, who's won more than nine games just once in his career and whose ERA on the road last year was almost two runs higher than at Pro Player Stadium. There's a whispering campaign under way about Beckett's health, as well, focused on his right shoulder that's in rougher shape than anyone at Fenway is letting on. It's no secret that at least one Red Sox executive was ready to kill the Beckett trade with Florida after an MRI of the right-hander's shoulder revealed excessive wear and tear.

After being a World Series hero for the Red Sox in 2004, Keith Foulke suffered through an injury-plagued season in '05.However, the Yankees are fighting suggestions that Johnny Damon's shoulder is a mess, too. One rumor has it that Damon, who received a cortisone shot in his left shoulder last September, has been getting secretly treated all winter, although Cashman says, "That's news to me. He had to pass our physical, and he did."

The Sox's list of concerns extends to Keith Foulke (how effective will he be after surgery on both knees?) and Mike Lowell (is he really just 32?) and Coco Crisp, who's better suited to play left field, not center. Alex Gonzalez is a far better defensive shortstop than Edgar Renteria, but the Braves' faith in Renteria -- admittedly fueled by Rafael Furcal's defection to the Dodgers -- will be worth watching.

The good news for the Red Sox is that the Yankees, aside from Damon, are a slow and relatively unathletic team that has no choice but to engage in high-scoring games. Mussina and Johnson are older and not necessarily better than they were in 2005, and a completely new setup relief corps offers no clue as to whether Mariano Rivera will breathe any easier this summer.

In fact, the Yankees will have to carry 12 pitchers because of lefty reliever Mike Myers' inability to retire right-handed hitters. That will leave just four players on the Yankees' bench: Bubba Crosby, Andy Phillips, Miguel Cairo and Kelly Stinnett. In the words of one scout, "[Joe] Torre better hope no one gets hurt."

Houston

The Astros were two different teams last year, losing 32 of 51 games in April and May, but winning 19 of 30 after September 1 en route to reaching the World Series. But not everyone was impressed. Nationals GM Jim Bowden told Florida Today, "I'm not sure they would have gotten into the playoffs as a wild card had the Phillies played the same schedule that [the Astros] had."

Clearly, the Astros are pinning their hopes on Clemens' return. Other than adding Preston Wilson, the Astros, who were 11th in the National League in runs, haven't upgraded their offense. The Cardinals are the logical favorites in the Central Division, but second place could be anyone's prize, including the Cubs, who've added Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones as their Nos. 1 and 2 hitters. The two top spots in Chicago's lineup scored 173 runs last year, third fewest in the National League.

The Astros are hoping, of course, for Morgan Ensberg to hit the way he did before being struck by a pitch on his hand on Sept. 5, forcing him to miss the next 10 games. Ensberg set Houston franchise records for home runs (36) and RBI (101) by a third baseman in 2005, but he had just one homer in the playoffs.

The Astros' offensive profile is further complicated by an ongoing dispute with Jeff Bagwell, who insists he will show up for spring training and not retire -- despite the Astros' attempt to recoup through insurance $15.6 million of the $17 million Bagwell will be owed this year.

Purpura insists no one is trying to force Bagwell out of the game, nor is he being denied his money. But, ruefully, the GM also says Bagwell is "a mere glimpse of what he used to be."

Of course, Clemens could fix all this. At the very least, he could give the Astros what they most desperately need for 2006: hope.

Edited February 14, 2006 by Dave James

[PHILLYQ]

One factor that hasn't been mentioned much about the Clemens soap opera is how much $$ will he demand?If the Astros weren't paying him so much(I think it was $18mil) last year, they might have had money for some more offense.

Like last year, the Yanks have age and question marks in their rotation. Will Pavano have a decent year? Is Chacon for real? Is Mussina on a fast downslide? Is Johnson finally at the end of the line? Is Small a flash in the pan? I think the bullpen may be better, but the starters have to get the game to the bullpen. Should be interesting to say the least.

[Tom in RI]

At his age Roger Clemens has to be concerned about wearing down. The smart move for him is to wait until May 1 to re up with Houston (as much as I'd like to see his final season in Beantown). Houston presents the best adjustment for a guy who wants to come and go according to his own schedule. The Yankees are already own record that they won't go for Roger rules.

The Red Sox do have a lot of question marks going into the season. However, they are getting set up for what will hoepfully be a 4-5 year run based on (can it be?!?) good pitching and defense. I still can't figure out, though, why they didn't sign Caberera at short for 2005, should have been around 3 million less per year than what they spent on Renteria (maybe even more since the Sox signing of Renteria set the market for the other short stops that year).

Edited February 16, 2006 by Tom in RI

[BERIGAN]

I think the Rangers would be an excellent choice for Roger...I heard rumors a few weeks back.

[Soulstation1]

Is Sammy Sosa a HOF-er?

[BERIGAN]

Is Sammy Sosa a HOF-er?

Good question! I really liked him, but now feel he juiced up. I would say no...unless Bonds gets in. Then you might as well put McGuire in as well. Perhaps we can have a steriod using wing of the HOF.

[Dave James]

Even though it has not been proven that McGwire, Sosa and Bonds are juicers, one need look no further than their before and after pictures to know exactly what's going on. The fact that steriods were not illegal, at least IMO, offers little defense for their useage. Look, baseball is a game of numbers and records...it's sacrosanct in that respect. Anyone who does what any of these freaks did and who bastarized the game in the process should absolutely be shown the door when it comes to getting into Cooperstown. Yeah, I know all the arguments about Ty Cobb and what a moron he was and that there are other guys in the Hall who were far from princely people, but none of them denigrated the game itself and its history. That's what these guys did and they should be made examples of for their trouble.

Having said that, I fully expect that all three will wind up in the Hall. The writers will "punish" them by not electing them in their first year of eligibility, but after that, you might as well start working on their plaques. I couldn't disagree more.

Up over and out.

[PHILLYQ]

Even though it has not been proven that McGwire, Sosa and Bonds are juicers, one need look no further than their before and after pictures to know exactly what's going on. The fact that steriods were not illegal, at least IMO, offers little defense for their useage. Look, baseball is a game of numbers and records...it's sacrosanct in that respect. Anyone who does what any of these freaks did and who bastarized the game in the process should absolutely be shown the door when it comes to getting into Cooperstown. Yeah, I know all the arguments about Ty Cobb and what a moron he was and that there are other guys in the Hall who were far from princely people, but none of them denigrated the game itself and its history. That's what these guys did and they should be made examples of for their trouble.

Having said that, I fully expect that all three will wind up in the Hall. The writers will "punish" them by not electing them in their first year of eligibility, but after that, you might as well start working on their plaques. I couldn't disagree more.

Up over and out.

I agree with you there, Dave. the saddest part of Bonds and his usage is that he would have had a HOF career without juicing. Around now he'd have passed the magic 500 HR mark. As for Sosa & McGwire, they wouldn't have come that close without juice, especially Sosa.