The Official 2009 Boston Red Sox Thread

Ah whatever I'm glad he made it and all but he didn't really deserve to pitch in the game. I'm sure Maddon was going to send him out there if the game went to extra innings. I'm just happy Beckett did pitch and no one on the Sox got hurt.

 

He'll be a Met in 10 days.

 

Haha good point. But Lugo is sadly an upgrade over Alex Cora, Argenis Reyes and Angel Berroa at least hitting wise. And I'm not kidding, the Mets should seriously pick up Lugo for 400k, they've picked up everyone else teams have released, maybe in the NL Lugo could be a decent player.

 

He barely played in LA though and got a total of 146 at bats and when he did play he was out of position playing 2B, 3B and the OF, he onyl played a total of 8 games at SS. There were a lot of factors there not to mention the small sample size of 2 months. I'm not saying he would be a world beater but he still could be at least a decent player. Also playing in Quadriple A might be the best thing for him. Hey it worked for Edgar Renteria.

 

It's official Lugo was DFA. He was pretty much a disaster from the minute he signed with the Red Sox minus October 2007 where he hit pretty well in the playoffs and from what I remember minus 1 pop up played pretty good defensively as well. I didn't really like him as a player but I do respect that he kept his mouth shut and never complained openly to media about his lack of playing time this year. This was clearly the right move for the Red Sox.

 

I didn't see the game but heard Buchholz pitched well, those 3 walks in less than 6 innings weren't great but hey baby steps. He clearly still has great stuff. Makes you wonder why the Sox are sending him down tomorrow. I think he's better than Penny is right now.

EDIT: I just heard Theo's comments about releasing Lugo, I'm glad he didn't sugar coat it and was not only 100% honest but was right.

 

It's definitely possible. I still think he won't be traded for anyone less than a stud (i.e. Halladay, Victor Martinez, Adrian Gonzalez type). His change up and curveball from what I saw was really working and he was locating his fastball well which was his main problem last year.

 

Wakefield on the DL due to a bad back. Buchholz called up to pitch tomorrow. I have a feeling this wasn't something out of the blue and it's been something planned for awhile.

Either way glad Buchholz is back up. I guess whether this injury is real or not, trading Penny isn't likely now.

EDIT: Apparently Wakefield hurt his back on Saturday during his side session. Buchholz is already in Texas.

 

Haha moral of the story you can never have too much pitching. At least we have Bowden, Masterson and possibly Junichi Tazawa and Kason Gabbard in the minors before we have to see Zink again, although Rob Neyer would love to see him back in the bigs again.

 

Yeah no kidding. The bats have been dead since the break ended. Bay has really done nothing since May.

 

I'm going to see the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox double A) team tonight at the New Britian Rock Cats (Twins). It's a double header so I will most likely see everyone on the roster, at least hitting wise, play. Excited to see Anderson, Reddick, Kalish, Place and Diaz. Tazawa was scheduled to pitch but since last night's game got rained out I'm guessing they're going to push him back so I think I will at least see Felix Doubront. Anyway I'll come back tonight and post a mini scouting report if the games even get in, it's suppose to rain again today/tonight.

 

Word going around that the Red Sox have just traded for Adam LaRoche. No word yet on who they traded but I had heard it would be cheap if they took on all of hsi remaining money on his contract which is around 7 million. Hey LaRoche on the team beats having to watch Kotsay hit. I wonder who goes from the Sox roster to make room, I'd think it would be Kotsay but then the Sox would have to count on Baldelli as the 4th OFer.

It's funny I had heard LaRoche was traded around 11:30ish and just had a strange feeling it was to the Red Sox. No inside knowledge or anything just a weird feeling.

 

I actually never heard of Strickland and Diaz has a very good glove but can't really hit, neither guy was a prospect really. The Sox did pretty well getting something for nothing.

 

It's what you get when a River Rat and a Mud Hen mate.

 

Just got back from the Sea Dog DH. They won the first game 3-0 and were winning the 2nd game 2-0 when I left with 1 inning to go. EDIT: They ended up winning Game 2: 5-1.

Josh Reddick is going to be good. The kid can track down a fly ball in the OF and has a hell of an arm. He can also fly around the bases and hit 3 line drive base hits. I could see him up with the Sox in 2010 sometime.

Lars Anderson hit the ball hard twice both into outs but other than that I wasn't really that impressed, granted it was 2 games and 5 at bats. You can tell pitchers are pitching around him. He's got a good eye at the plate and didn't swing at one bad pitch. He looks like a skinny Adam Dunn. EDIT: Just checked out the box score and since I left early I missed him hit a 3 run double, figures.

Ryan Kalish hit the ball well too and looked like he had decent speed. But isn't as good as Reddick is.

 

The Sox traded Lugo to St. Louis for Chris Duncan? I'm shocked we got anything for him. I'm sure the Sox are probably paying almost all of Lugo's contract but hey we got a nice Triple A player in the deal. I think with that deal it shows that Kotsay will be DFA tomorrow to make room for LaRoche.

Boy this Sox team is pathetic with the bats right now. Frustrating but I'd rather they go through this slump now than in September or October.

 

I think I would have said no too.

I trust the F.O. they have done a good job in scouting players and making trades. I don't think Theo is done dealing but I don't think Buchholz is going anywhere.

 

I don't understand all of this V-Mart talk. The guy is a good hitter but he's 30 years old and is a catcher, and not a very good one defensively. The Indians have already started to move him from behind the plate. What catchers still hit well into their 30s? It's rare.

I'd only trade Buchholz if the Sox got a big time young power hitter/impact bat like an Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Carbera, Hanley Ramirez or a Justin Smoak.

I really think the Sox can still make a big move for another 1B/3B. They could easily trade LaRoche again or just dump him if that happens. The Sox are clearly worried about Lowell breaking down again and want to have insurance (someone better than Kotsay) to back him up just in case. Lowell will probably play 4 or 5 times a week to give him a rest and to try to keep him fresh.

 

Going to the Sox game tonight. First time seeing Lester live. Hopefully he continues to dominate the O's.

 

Tazawa is headed to Triple A. You have to assume he's going to get at least a cup of coffee this year in Boston and might be the next guy up in case a starter goes down or if the Sox feel Smoltz is likely done as a starter, which it might look like it right now.

If Wakefield comes back healthy and Buchholz pitches well, you'd have to guess that's where Smoltz will end up. Could be worse.

I do have a feeling the Sox are going to make a big move by Friday at 4:00pm eastern time.

 

Its nothing. One of the Sox owners said Theo has been working the phones and has been known to make big deals.

 

Yeah Smoltz is having a tough time putting hitters away. Maybe he'll be better in the pen if the Sox decide to move him there. But I don't have a lot of faith in him moving forward. He's a gamer and all but he's getting hammered out there.