There's no sharp bite on his breaking stuff, it's pretty flat and up in the zone and hasn't been commanding it well.. His fastball has been around 91-93 but he's just not putting hitters away when he has 2 strikes and/or 2 outs.
I am sure Theo wants to make a move but so far there hasn't really been much this deadline like I thought. San Diego is going to want a king's ransom for A. Gonzalez with his contract and the fact he besides Peavy is the only Padre people could name. This is a much worse market than I thought, teams aren't really that desperate.
I think the problem is most teams can't take on additional payroll. Teams that have players to dump for nothing can't dump them. Teams who need starting pitching could have Arroyo or Harrang for nothing but they can't afford to pay them over 20 million or so for the next 2 years afterwards. The good players people want like Halladay, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee, Gonzalez all have very reasonable contracts. By the way the Blue Jays asking price from the Red Sox for Halladay was Buchholz, Casey Kelly, Lars Anderson and an additional prospect.
Well at least today I got to laugh at Matsuzaka's comments blaming the Red Sox for his pitching struggles and that he's hurt. He said he's frustrated by the Sox training program and told them that in a meeting last week. Hopefully Theo or Francona told Matsuzaka that they're frustrated with him throwing 120 pitches in 5 innings each time he goes out and pitches. It sounds like Matsuzaka is becoming a bit of a diva now. I had heard reports that Boras and Matsuzaka aren't on the best terms anymore because Boras had backed the Red Sox and told Matsuzaka he needed to get in better shape.
Yeah they got Anderson in case anything happens to an OF at the MLB level. Pure insurance move since Jonathan Van Every is out for the year, the Sox had no one MLB really to fill in at CF. Although one can argue Anderson isn't MLB ready either.
Gordon Edes is reporting the Sox offered Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden and Ryan Westmoreland for Roy Halladay. If its true it's probably the Jays best offer thus far. I'd probably make the deal. Word going around that Daniel Bard and Casey Kelly are the only untouchables.
I would make that deal in a heartbeat. I would add Tawaza to my untouchable list also but anyone else could go. If we don't trade for a bat, I think we will regret it down the stretch, I would give up that same group and another for 3 years of A. Gonzalez at very little money, then spend more on pitching next year.
According to Edes....the Blue Jays are also shopping Marco Scutaro...a third team may have to get involved to swing this with the Red Sox. I hope it doesnt happen....
Eh. He has a hot wife. Seriously google her. That's the best I can say for him. He can also play 1st and the OF. Other than that yeah he has a hot wife. Which is the nice way to say Kotsay is most likely cooked as a player.
Who is Casey Kelley? I have heard of Bowden, Anderson, Bard, and the rest of our top prospects but not Kelley
Yeah pretty much. It gives the ChiSox someone who can play CF and it gives the Red Sox OF depth in the minors.
If the Sox lose this game there will be no words to describe it. I've been giving Papelbon a free pass all year but he's been bad. He gives up way too many walks and hits. I don't want to hear about a new delivery I want to see results. He hasn't been the same pitcher all year.
Yeah he is not striking people out at the level he was before and is almost always giving up a walk or hit in every save opp. Night and day from last year to this year. Losses like that really hurt. No excuse for losing like that at all.
Sorry I missed your post. Casey Kelly was the Sox first round pick last year. He was a pitcher/SS and had a full ride to U of Tenn. to be their starting QB but the Sox paid him 3 million to get him to sign with the Sox and also an argeement that Kelly would pitch until he reached his inning limit and then play SS (because Kelly still liked to play the field and hit). Kelly has been basically untouchable on the mound, showing great control and 3 plus pitches. He made it to the future's game this year as a 19 year old. Many scouts are saying he has ace stuff. The Sox shut him down for the year because he reached his innings limit and now he'll play SS for the rest of the year in A ball. His future is on the mound and after this year he'll probably be a full time pitcher. Go to soxprospects.com and read up on him and the other Sox prospects. It's a great site.
Looks like Cliff Lee is headed to Philly. Which means right now the Sox have the best offer out there for Halladay, if the rumors they made an offer for him are true. Jon Heyman is reporting the Sox are trying to get Victor Martinez but I can't see how they can get both. Other reports are the Sox are trying to get Adrian Gonzalez. I'd rather have Halladay. And I'd rather have Gonzalez over Martinez. Don't you all love the MLB trade deadline?
Wow. Lester spits the bit in the 6th....Sox on verge of losing 3 of 4 vs Oak (without Holliday). Odds are the Sox come back to take this one and simply split the series...but even that is a bad sign.
Oh the Red Sox flat out suck now. Bay has been hitting under .200 since June and his agent is asking for Teixeira money (sure good luck with that one). Youkilis has slumped since he came off the DL in May. Drew has been bad all year. Ortiz needs to take more steroids. The Sox have switched bullpens with the Nationals without telling anyone. The rotation outside of Beckett and Lester have been terrible. Matsuzaka is too worried about eating hamburgers and donuts than trying to get in shape. Smoltz is shot. Jonathan Papelbon turned into Jonathan Mesa. Brad Penny is Brad Penny. The month of July has been a disaster. The offense have been pathetic. The only ones who have been playing well have been Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Beckett, Bard and Okajima. But on the bright side it could be worse.
A great article/interview with Schilling on Ortiz, Matsuzaka and the famous 2004 brawl between the Sox/Yanks (you have to read scrolling down to read them, they are 3 seperate interviews). http://38pitches.weei.com/ Very good read. And pretty interesting hearing what players do after the brawls etc. Check it out.
Word is Sox are close to trading for Victor Martinez. No word on who they'd trade but most likely it will be Buchholz.
That would be a nice win for Sox.....I know we all think highly of Arms on the farm and especially those that have shown brightly even briefly in MLB games....but switching hitting legit MLB bat would be huge from a strategy standpoint in that lineup. 1B/C is not a bad addition. Even with you all moving Buchholz, I wouldnt be happy you acquired VMart!
Masterson and Hagadone are pretty good pitching prospects. But I'm surprised the Sox didn't have to give up Buchholz. Kazmir's contract doesn't make him very tradeable right now. Nice move by the Sox, although I wish they were getting Halladay or AGon instead. LaRoche is being shopped now with the Braves taking a look at him. EDIT: Braves just got him.
Think about this.... Lee and V-Mart dealt but without Drabek, Happ, Taylor, Brown, Buchholz or Bard included... can you say buyer's market!!!!
Yeah, not sure if it's a good or bad job by them. I mean I love Masterson but don't think he'll ever be more than a righty specialist since left handed hitters just kill him. Hagadone has a big time arm but is coming off TJ surgery.
You have to wonder if the Sox keep Kotchman up if they're going to try to sneak Kottaras through waivers. Otherwise unless they go with 11 pitchers I don't see who else the Sox can dump. I don't see them carrying 3 catchers.
That would be a shame, I mean Kotchman is not a superstar but he's too good to be playing in triple A. I'd think they'd trade him if they don't have room.
There's no way Kotchman plays over Youkilis, Martinez, Lowell, or Ortiz. My guess is he's strictly for insurance or defensive replacement late in the game for at least the next 3 months or so. Good to have depth like that though.
i wouldnt say that. if he could post better power numbers i would agree. but his bat is not good enough to be a ML 1B right now. he has a very good glove though.
I like the deal. I would rather have Adrian Gonzalez but Victor Martinez will do. Didn't have to give up much either.
Feel bad Masterson is going. I like him and he seemed like a good kid. I wish him well and I hope he turns into a star in Cleveland.
Sox called up Josh Reddick and Marcus McBeth for likely tonight's game only. They're down 2 roster spots with LaRoche and Masterson gone. Drew is hurting to Reddick is insurance in case anything happens. I'm pretty surprised Reddick is being called up, it looks like he might get a cup of coffee with the team in September.
Padres wanted way too much for Gonzales. Heard they wanted more for him than Jays wanted for Halladay.
