Putting it in perspective

Who would have thought that 2006 was to become a transitional year for the Red Sox?

Granted we can look back and be critical of Theo but in the end the injuries took its toll.

I am very happy to see Red Sox management INVEST in the future and give the Farm System a chance to develop fully its great talent. The list of traded Red Sox farmhands that fully developed to the BIGS elsewhere is pretty sad.

So having an off-year is not so bad when you consider this the preparation for a series of great years based on Home-Grown talent.

Finally, lets all agree the Red Sox organization can not out-spend or try to keep parity with its NY neighbors. If you concede this point and it makes more sense to focus on a Moneyball approach to team management.

Remember what it was like when you were waiting your whole life just to see them win one World Series? Not only did they do that, but in the most historic fashion imaginable. So now, sit back and enjoy following this team. Commiserate with the bad times, but don't let it consume you. Just wait to see them win again, you know it won't take another 86 years.

This was a nice thing to read first thing in the morning, Ian. Pretty much what I've been saying all along. Thank you!

http://redsoxchick.mlblogs.com

Yeah, I agree. I mean, Theo remade the entire infield, and pretty much turned the bullpen upside down. To have been as good as we've been the first half of the season is already pretty cool. I see a pretty exciting offseason for us this year, maybe as exciting as the Mets and Blue Jays offseasons in the past 04 and 05, respectively.

With prospects finally coming up and trying to establish themselves, we're going to get a pretty decent amount of excitement in the coming weeks. How will Pedroia do? Will Papelbon stay effective?

Plus, we have some new players on the team, namely Hinske and Pena. How will they perform? I admit, it's not as exciting as "Will they win the WS?" but hey, it's better than nothing, right?

Things are finally back the way they should be in Red Sox nation. Depressing and woeful. This is below rock bottom, and I love every minute of it.

You're captian is down and out, you're best player is having heart problems (probably from the steriods or HGH that he's on I might add...so no sympathy there), and Manny is sitting himself with a phantom injury. And your best pitcher is giving away runs like candy. Not to mention your GM didn't do anything to improve a mediocre team who was still in the chase at the trade deadline.

And yet you all treat the situation as if it were bound to happen. Maybe it is, because since you had your 1 championship, you are back to your old ways of lamenting your perpetual mediocrity and dreaming about the next year that is never likely to come.

I hope that when you look back over this disaster of a season you all remeber the exact weekend when the nail was put into your coffen.

Boston Massacre II

Ralphie:

You are cold. People like you give us Yankee fans a bad name.

I am all for wallowing in the Red S-u-x misery as much as the next guy, but to take ANY happiness from Ortiz' heart troubles is pathetic.

To say he deserves it because of 'roids or HGH is assinine, especially when you probably cheer every single Giambi home run. I am still a fan of Giambi; it is not his fault the system needs to be fixed. But to take joy in another person's pain and life threatening illness is lower than low.

Bad karma, dude.

Hello everyone - just wanted to throw my two cents in before I grab a bite to eat. Not much to say, I still love my boys no matter what. At this point in time, my only concern is for our injured's to be completely healthy. I'm praying that Lester's tests for cancer come back negative - that certainly didn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I'm glad to see that Papi was released from the hospital (so ESPN said anyway) and it gives me thrills that Trot and Jason are on schedule to make a few minor league rehab starts - here's hoping they're successful runs and we get back them back soon.
Ralphie, I think you're a piece of well, you know (I wouldn't want to give the sensor thing the joy of blanking out what I really think). How dare you come on here and claim someone deserves something like that because of steroids when your "star player" fessed up to it. I hope that comes back to bite you in the *** one day.

And Ellen, it's the Padres that are interested in David Wells and more than likely going to get him. Just to let you know.

Anyway, I've said my piece. I'll be more than happy to defend everything I just said too.

In case it wasn't clear, ralphie does not, in ANY way, represent Yankees fans. He's the guy who spends the first four innings in the box seats attention whoring, oblivious to his own social inadequacies, but doesn't get his rousing ovation until security finally comes by to drag his sorry *** out of Yankee Stadium.

Maybe Ralphie and his pals have short-term memory loss and just maybe their heads are too far up their rear ends to remember who led the AL East until the All Star break and would be continuing to lead it if they were not plagued by injury.
Anyone who needs to win by default is not a champion. And anyone who is happy for others to suffer injury and illness is an evil, low-life loser.

Ya know this last month has been miserable. I've been unable to even post never the less read the box scores each morning, but ralphie you brought me out. Give me a break, Ortiz is not a roid guy, ya wanna know roid guys, they are the ones who were hitting 20 more than than average, Ortiz has always hit between 30-40 as an everyday player. Perpetual mediocrity? I've seen the Red Sox make the playoffs what 11- 12 times in my life, not as good as the yankees, but go ask the cubs or brewers about their success. A lot of yankee fans post on this blog and all and all they are not hateful nor ignorant of the game. Your loving a guy with cancer a guy with a heart murmor? How pathetic is your life? Maybe if mommy gave you a real name you could have sat at the table with the popular kids in high school. Who knows, either way you got some issues that I'd suggest you get help with before you climb up a clock tower with a loaded weapon.

Let me start by making clear that I am in no way supporting ralphie.

ctzmom, You were not injured by the break. You lost the lead by the time ur guys started getting injured. Even the series at Boston, the only guys that missed were Varitek, Nixon and Clement. Dont make it look like it was all injuries.

*you=your guys

hi Jen. How are you?

First of all, Ralphie, you have to be one sick dude to be happy about Papis heart problems. As much as I hate A-Rod, I would never be happy if he suffered something that serious. But that's okay. Karmas a b**** and the Yanks are going to get spanked by who ever they play in the playoffs, anyway.

Wasn't Varitek hurt before the Yankees series?

yankee indian go home.

If you know anything about baseball, you know that teams get hot and they get cold cyclically.

And if you think that injuries to Foulke, Wells, Wakefield, Clement, Gonzalez, Varitek, Mirabella, Crisp (2 times), Ortiz, Ramirez and Pena are of no consequence and haven't affected the team's record, then you just shouldn't be here commenting. Oh that's right, you shouldn't be here anyway.

It's been ages since I've posted here. Long summer....trip back to Boston, one Red Sox game at Fenway and loads of time on the Cape.

It's a bummer how things have turned out but if I'm forced to look on the bright side....it's one major distraction I won't have in the new semester. Teaching duties as well as student stuff.

It's HOT in Texas...

gil_g: I mentioned Varitek was injured if you did not notice.

ctzmom: You are a classic example of an apologist. Foulke, Wells, Gonzalez, Mirabelli, Crisp, Ortiz, Ramirez AND Pena were all playing when the redsox were swept (5 games) by the yankees.

And neither you nor your papa is paying for this blog. so dont tell me whether should be here or not as long as I conduct myself. Bring it up with Ian if you want to.

dont think the world is stupid. If you were still in the race all those guys with minor nicks and bruises would have been playing.

I never thought I would be so happy to hear Julian Tavarez is starting tonight in place of Wells. It means that the white flag is up and we are probably trading Wells for some future help later today. He's been pretty darn good lately, so hopefully that means we'll get something decent in return.

Red Sox Nation, I am a Yankee fan, but I am not here to argue. I saw that a Yankee fan had posted some immature things about Ortiz being on performance enhancers, and I want to make it clear that this is one person's statement, not a generalized sentiment in the Empire. The truth is, I along with many Yankee fans and Yankee players don't want to see Ortiz in the situation he is in. He's one of the best natural hitters in the game, and I hope he's okay.

The injury bug hit the Red Sox hard, and its tough to win games when your 3 and 4 are Loretta, and Youkillis. I personally wish that the Red Sox were still in the runnings because that's what makes baseball interesting. Yankees v. Redsox in the post season is some of the greatest baseball you can ever watch.

guys, can u give us Wells for Pavano.

It's getting ugly when the balance is not equal. nobody normal hopes ill will towards ortiz, he is a great ambassador for the game and I sincerely hope he is not in life threatening trouble.

But don't for a second assume no redsox fans were on Giambi about being sick when he admitted to steroids and had all sorts of heart and body problems. Both fan bases have their faults and their beauty from knowledge to ignorance and it is something the more sophisticated, better represented fans have to deal with from BOTH sides.

Ryan, varitek may call one of the best games in baseball, i'm not on the field and am not yet knowledgable in that field of baseball to formulate an educated opinion on whether that is true or not, but don't for a second try to treat jeter like a typical middle infielder that happens to be our captain.

Losing a captain is losing a captain. the difference is Jeter was having a good year when he was hurt, but it was also in may and not the 2nd half.
In addition, how many times will we circle talk about the injuries? Whoever said injuries gave the yankees the division outright and implied they don't deserve it is just as pathetic as any other misinformed polar fan. The sox in the first half, in the beginning of the 2nd half, all year were not great against the AL and after winning 3 of the last 4 were not good against the yankees either. While it is impossible to tell how close the two teams would be had matsui sheffield cano and all the minor yankee injuries and varitek wakefield and all the minor redsox injuries (obv what has happened now is a whole nother level of injury) never been injured, but to say without a doubt the SOX would have held on and won the division is downright illogical. We don't even know if they would have ever had a lead had the yankees never been injured. If anything, look at the second halfs of the teams over the last decade, the yankees not only have won it every year (i use decade loosely) and they are generally a better 2nd half team anyway. I'm not here to argue about it, but i will if people want to, but to say this division was urs for the keeping before the injuries is plain and simply wrong.

ralphie, do you have a soul? that sould have been the second thing your momma taught you (other than the golden rule) never wish ill health upon someone else. that was a cruel thing to say and karma is gonna get you good.

and im done with the injuries ****. why risk screwing up your career for a pointless month? it just gives more spots for the rookie call ups.

No one said that the Sox would have definitely won the division, league or World Series, but you see, what we hope for, because we are Red Sox fans, is that they will. So you coming over here saying neener, neener my team's better doesn't make us want to cheer for your team. Get it now? There's almost always some other team that is going to be better. Probability works that way.

Just like the odds that there is always going to be some one smarter, nicer, better-looking and richer than you. Duh.

If we're supposedly looking towards the future for the Sox, why is Tavarez being given the mound tonight? Why not give it to Papelbon to see how well he can handle 'starting' on the big stage?

I'm a Yankee fan and I don't enjoy hearing the suffering of Red Sox players regardless of the history between us. Ralphie is completely out of line with his comment celebrating someone's illness. But remember for the better part of the season the Yankees have been without Sheffield and Matsui and brought in players like Melky who in my opinion is fantastic. What I will miss is the intense playoffs between the Soxs and Yankees. In years past it's been some of the best baseball I've ever seen. It's no fun when the AL East is won too easy.

Hi, All:

I'm excited about the prospect of getting George Kottaras from San Diego. He is a top-tier prospect, and someone who can take over when Varitek retires. He is expected to contend for the backup job next season.

All this banter between Yankees fans and Sox fans is rather amusing - including comments from Vince. Like I have mentioned numerous times, baseball is a game of cycles - even in one season. Who knew the Sox would face all these injuries and be seemingly out of contention in one month's time. If you know baseball, you understand that some seasons you have it, and some you don't. Even when you're a team like the Sox, who are usually in contention year in and year out, sometimes it's just not your year.

I'm confident that Epstein will do what needs to be done, as evidenced by this Wells deal to get a catcher of the future. I don't think Papelbon should start this year. They should keep him as the closer until next season, when he should move into the rotation. Beckett's last two starts are very encouraging. The Sox should have a solid rotation next year, with pieces they already have, and a starter or two that Epstein will sign or trade for.

As for the Yankees, they will win another AL East title, but with the holes they have, it is likely their stay in the playoffs won't last long, which is a consolation for a frustrating end to the Red Sox season.

And, no, Ellen, I'm not giving up hope for this season. I'm still following the team closely and rooting hard as I have been for years, but this doesn't appear to be the Sox year. Next season will likely be a different - and more positive - story. As for the remainder of this season, it will be interesting to see what Pedroia and other guys (Ellsbury?)do.

I was catching up on some posts, and I agree with Ian's commentary. The Red Sox are poised to contend for World Series titles year in and year out. It won't be another 86 years until another World Series title. Likely not even another six years, as long as the current GM and ownership tandem remain. It would be great if the Sox caught fire and won the wild card. Anything can happen. Even if it doesn't, I'm excited about the off-season and what will entail. The Sox have a lot of good young players, and guys like Nixon, Wells, Timlin, and Tavarez will be gone with younger players in their place. Though this last month has been frustrating, and the season isn't turning out as we anticipated, the future is very bright for this franchise.

Maybe Ralphie and his pals have short-term memory loss and just maybe their heads are too far up their rear ends to remember who led the AL East until the All Star break and would be continuing to lead it if they were not plagued by injury.
Anyone who needs to win by default is not a champion. And anyone who is happy for others to suffer injury and illness is an evil, low-life loser.

Posted by: ctzmom@aol.com | August 31, 2006 01:57 PM

gee, I always thought saying "their rear ends to remember who led the AL East until the All Star break and would be continuing to lead it if they were not plagued by injury" meant somebody was saying the sox would definitely be winning the division without injury. Maybe "would be continuing" changed meanings overnight, or maybe the writer of the words is too inept to comprehend their own thoughts.

Yes jeff, any fan realizes baseball is a game of cycles, but any fan can also realize making up 9 games in one month on a 1st place team is pretty much impossible. We both agreed baseball is a game of cycles, I just said the yankees would have the last cycle.

btw "mom" smarter, better looking, nicer than me? I was not under the impression we have met before. I did not, however, forget that the very fact you had to get on a personal level to defend a team you don't know personally and attack someone you also don't know personally is a sign of being a sad, sad, little and unimportant human being.

btw in case you're confused, "mom" had you said "would probably be continuing" then you can get away with saying "No one said that the Sox would have definitely won the division"

If me coming over convinced you as a sox fan not to cheer for the yankees, you have a whole lot more baseball issues than anybody else on this blog.

...by the way. I did not say i was "happy" for Ortiz's illness. I said I have "no sympathy" for Red Sox fans losing a player who, in my opinion, is potentially using performance enhancing drugs. They Yankees lost Giambi a few years ago, and I'm sure there were Red Sox fans out there saying that he got what he deserved for using them. So for those of you who called me "cold, souless, a piece of ****", and all those other things, you simply misunderstood me. My no sympathy comment was aimed at Red Sox Nation, not Ortiz.

By the way, we're up 8.5 games now :)

...Go Blue Jays

Nice swing Alex!

c'mon now mike, don't fart around

Solid win on all fronts for us tonite minus julian tavarez aka nacho libre. The Blue Jays aren't exactly burning up the league either but anytime you beat Doc Halladay your doing something right, especially with the p i s s poor lineup we are throwing together. At this point in the season we must take it one game a time, because just winning series' are not good enough. I may be the only one, but with this game tonight I still see a glimmer of hope for the ole ball club.

Hopefully Kyle can continue the trend tomorrow and our murderers row of Loretta, Youk, Mikey and Co. can take another from the Jays, and keep this 25-5 (1-1 so far) stretch to hypothetically make the playoffs a reality.

ralphie its a lot different to compare someone who admittedly used roids to someone who has never tested positive.

To say that Papi is using steroids is completely retarded and idiotic. The guy is genuinely one of the most honest and down-to-earth guys in the world, and to compare him to someone like Giambi is just plain stupid. I don't think Yankee fans ever have to feel any sympathy for Sox Nation (since we would never feel any sympathy for the Yanks), but don't put Ortiz and Giambi's name so closely so carelessly. They are VERY different types of people - one is a player whose career is owed to illegal, harmful drugs, and the other one worked his *** off to get to where he is. Implying that Ortiz uses steroids is an affront not only to all Sox fans, but to baseball fans everywhere - in fact, it's disgusting to SPORTS FANS everywhere.

and the fact that dominicans seem to have more natural power than white boys. (guerreo, a-rod, manny, papi, soriano to name a few)

Nice win tonight-even though Cora's "homerun" needed a little help. Great job defensively-especially Pedroia's screened double play set-up. And an excellent grab by Kapler who came out of the dugout looking to win.

Maybe the Sox are not ready to pack it in.

GO SOX!

The Sox traded Wells, currently our best starter, to the Padres.

The FO has thrown in the towel.

I don't necessarily think that this is a bad thing, but I really hope that we get a good prospect in return; not a top-tier one, of course, but someone who can actually make a difference.

Jamie, just becuase ESPN isn't bombarding the airwaves with speculation about Ortiz using steroids doens't mean he isn't.

1 side effect of steroids is "blood pressure that can damage the heart or blood vessels over time" if you think i made that up just put steroids effects into google and see what you get. I think it should at least be a question asked of Ortiz.

FACT: Ortiz's best 3 years in Minn he averaged just over 15 HR's per season.

FACT: As a Red Sock he has averaged over 41 Hr's per year.

So magically he managed to find the power to hit (on average) 25 more home runs per year?

Sure there are factors like the green monster and the other dimensions of Fenway, and the fact that he sees better pitches with Manny behind him than he ever did in Minn.

But still I don't think it's proposterous to suggest, question, and wonder whether or not Ortiz has had any artificial help reaching this new higher level.

I'm only asking why no one else is even discussing it.

Ralphie: Its not that nobody suspects it. But there is a time and place to question something. This clearly is not.

Ralphie, Ortiz was injured constantly in Minnasota. The # of home runs doesn't necessarily determine the player's power, or ability to hit homeruns. Ortiz hit a homerun every 17 at-bats in Minnasota, and that's more than 30 homeruns every 600 at bats, which constitutes a whole season. Factor in the benefits of Fenway and Manny, as well as physical development that comes with age, Ortiz's success is not something to scratch your head over. I bet that if someone asked Papi to submit to a steroid test at any given time, he'd gladly just smile and hand over his pee.

No one is discussing it because it's a pretty preposterous claim that someone like Papi would use performance enhancing drugs.

I'm pretty sure that if Ortiz's heart issues were related to drugs, he wouldn't be heading back to the lineup on Saturday... do you?

yes ralphi but in minn he was taught to be a gap hitter, small ball. in boston, not only does he had manny behind him, but he has the freedom to swing for the fences every pitch and not sacrifice the runner. and papa jack (hitting coach) taught him how to fill the holes in his swing.

and maybe you should start making valid points. if you had proof then im sure people would listen. an irregular heart beat and high blood pressure doesnt mean hes on drugs.

I don't understand how you can make such blanket statement that "someone like" Big Papi woulnd't use steroids.

What does someone like mean? A nice person? A good ballplayer? Flyod Landis is a nice guy, a talented athlete and a person who also used performance enhancing drugs.

As for playing on saturday, assuming that Ortiz DOES use PE drugs, why wouldn't he play on Saturday? What would be the differance?

Again, im not claiming that he IS or HAS used PE drugs, im just wondering why there isn't more of a speculation in the media about it. Especially now that he has developed a very prominent side effect that can be directly attributed to steroid use in some people.

simply coming out of the blue and saying hes on roids is like pointing to a random guy in a stadium and saying hes ***.

Also, if you've read Seth Mnookin's "Feeding the Monster", you'll see that Ortiz was forbidden from using his huge, powerful swing. "You want me to hit like a *****"? is what the section was called, I believe.

and if he was on drugs and had the condition he has, the result would be a lot more fatal.

ah, but what if he were holding hands with the man next to him, had a pink shirt on, and had frosted geled hair?

I am simply making the argument that if it walks like a duck, hits homeruns like a duck, and has heart problems like a duck, maybe the media should ask whether or not it's a duck.

Ryan: While it is preposterous to say HE IS on steroids, I dont think anybody is immune from suspicions in this day and age. Especially when he shows the symptoms of steroid usage. Chances are Ortiz is NOT on steroids. But wouldn't be shocked if he was.

Things are finally back the way they should be in Red Sox nation. Depressing and woeful. This is below rock bottom, and I love every minute of it.

You're captian is down and out, you're best player is having heart problems (probably from the steriods or HGH that he's on I might add...so no sympathy there), and Manny is sitting himself with a phantom injury. And your best pitcher is giving away runs like candy. Not to mention your GM didn't do anything to improve a mediocre team who was still in the chase at the trade deadline.

And yet you all treat the situation as if it were bound to happen. Maybe it is, because since you had your 1 championship, you are back to your old ways of lamenting your perpetual mediocrity and dreaming about the next year that is never likely to come.

I hope that when you look back over this disaster of a season you all remeber the exact weekend when the nail was put into your coffen.

Boston Massacre II

Posted by: ralphie32584@hotmail.com | August 31, 2006 10:16 AM

dont say that you werent claiming he is using roids cause thats what you said.

Ralphie, I'm pretty sure that there's an urine test whenever a patient has a heart-related problem. Therefore, if steroids (which is illegal) was found in Ortiz, he probably would've been in custody of the police by now. Maybe not. But he CERTAINLY would not be back to be playing baseball in 2 days...

or even ARod of Hafner for that matter

As for me "starting to make valid points" that is what I have bene attmepting to do. How? you ask. Well by quoting HR numbers, and well known side effects to steroids. And not making any sweeping generalizing comments like jamie about Ortiz being a good guy who would never use PE drugs.

and thats the problem vik. every great slugger today (arod, pujols, ortiz) will always be under that cloud. theres no way to hide from it. but hey, innocent until proven guilty.

of=or
I brought ARod because he is a yankee and Hafner because he is one of MY favorite players now.

Hey ALL!! 1st of all my thoughts and prayers go out to Jon Lester.. Hope all goes well with the tests.. Come back soon. Just a note before my comments... I (and my husband) spent 4 F O U R hours (and that is true time not exagerration(sp)) on the phone with bellsouth.net, between csr's and mgrs tonight to get me my game. Just got off the phone. It was something that could've taken 10 minutes on the 1st call, but they didnt have the time to deal with it.. Oh well, I'll have the game tomorrow night.. But danm I missed the first win in how long????
Ian said "don't wallow", why would I want to do that?? Just call me a homer, but I've been able to see almost every game,start to finish this year.. 1st time in my life. The only thing better would be to have been at Fenway!! Yes, I'll cry when (I'll still say if) we are by the numbers absolutely out of it!! But as a SoxFan, I klnow we are not going to make it every year, from past experience, not most years. But I'll say something to each and every one of you. No matter where we are at the end of any given year, I couldn't be more proud than to be a part of THIS REDSOX NATION. I love each and every one (almost EZept a couple) of these guys. And even the Ez bros. probrably did the best they could on any named day. They just didn't live up to expectations.. And yes I expressed my outright hatred of them. But ther'll come a day when I look back and say "you remeber the EZ bros??, they weren't, no they just weren't!!!!!!(anything) We can all use every if and, and or that we can come up with, but if it comes to pass that we are not there, it just comes down to, it isn't and we weren't.....

BUT MAN YOU JUST GOTTA LOVE THESE GUYS, I KNOW ID AND I ALWAYS WILL. signed homer cullum

I never said that Ortiz was a "good guy"... I said that he's down-to-earth, which means that he doesn't have the ego or desperation necessary to use drugs. I've played sports in high school, and there is PE out there. If you're down-to-earth and modest, you wouldn't think of touching that stuff. Only bigots like Giambi would try to cheat and benefit from steroids.

innocent but can be a suspect

and that **** "i unknowingly took them" is a bunch of BS. its like taking candy from someone youve never seen before.

ah, now you're calling giambi a bigot. That's a whole new can of worms.
So it's ok to completely bad mouth giambi, but as soon as I raise the POSSIBILITY that Ortiz might be on steroids I get totally crusified.

Whatever, i have to finish studying, ill come back tomorrow and stir up a whole new can of worms about Jon Lester, cancer, and cigarettes. Wonder how the site will react to that one. :)

Hi Ellen! I continue to admire your unwavering belief in the Sox. Today's win probably helped lol. I think that, if the Sox weren't already so buried in the standings, today could've been a HUGE turning point: Our best hitters are nowhere to be seen. Our defense prevails, by making half a dozen great plays. A seemingly-divine intervention creates the go-ahead HR by Cora, who hasn't had a HR yet this season. We didn't even have a starter... our bullpen did extremely well. And... we did it all against Roy Hallady, a top-3 candidate for AL Cy Young...

raphi were you not on this planet when giambi said that he used roids? its totally different to suspect someone who admittedly took them to someone who had never tested positive.

lol Giambi is pretty much a convicted felon in my book. Doing drugs and setting such bad examples for teens (including me, I might add...) and trying to LIE your way through it all instead of admitting guilt is nothing by acts of a little coward. That's why I despise Giambi and Bonds, among others...

The POSSIBILITY of Papi using PE drugs is pretty ridiculous... that's why you got "crucified"... this guy is an inspiration to many, a decent and honest guy in an industry full of scoundrels and liars. He's the hero of not only Sox fans, but for teens and athletes everywhere. I know he's mine. Saying that Papi has a POSSIBILITY of using PE drugs is like saying that George Washington had a POSSIBILITY of betraying America to Britain...

yankee indian: ANYONE can be suspect!!

yeah you dont see giambi on any commericals for the childrens club or whatever it is.

Therefore, comparing Giambi to Ortiz is like comparing Washington to Benedict Arnald...

Anyone really is a suspect, but naming one particular person is pretty much an accusation.

Ryan: Giambi neither tested positive nor did he admit to anything. He just apologized vaguely. But everybody knows what he was apologizing for.

really? i cant remember that far back (sad huh?) but i though he told the NY times that he used em but i do remember the press confrence.

Vik, that's exactly why I hate Giambi and Bonds... they're nothing but cowards... first they cheat, and then they "vaguely" admit to it, basically, trying to get away with it. If they own up to their faults and apologize properly, that's a different story. Trying to weasel through it is despicable...

and im not accusing him but thats what makes this season even more suspicious. last year he looked like a sept. callup and this year he looks like an mvp. (once again im not accusing, im just making a point so dont gun me down)

So anyway, I'm going off to bed. Hopefully, this issue will be dead by the time I wake up tomorrow (wait... I mean today lol).

yeah guys i better go too, still got a lot of geometry homework. night all

Thats right Allen. Anyone can be. But the people jump on anybody that shows "steroid usage" symptoms.

But I think the reason for Ortiz's irregular heart beat is overweight. And Ortiz's weight looks like he has a lot of fatty pounds on him. Thats why I think he is NOT on steroids.

Giambi deserves to be second-guessed. Why? well, he's not exactly an innocent angel, is he?

And now, time for me to get some shuteye. G'night you guys.

I'll (god I hate to say this as a Sox fan) take Giambi over **barry bonds any day** (those little atersisks should be next to his name in the record books CHEATER!! I don't say that Giambi is differnent. But the fact that he had the cajones to stand up and admit it in public (pressure or not, Bonds has had plenty of pressure but is still the King Of Denial) makes me a little MORE forgiving of him, that and the fact that since then (and I'm assuming that since then he's tested negative) he still BANGS THE BALL, like few others. Man He's hit our guys a bunch!!!!

Do you really expect a multi-millionaire to incriminate himself out of honesty. Forget it. Even Tom Brady would have acted like a coward if it was a question of ruining his career. Just an example.

G'night Jamie!!

Vik, that's ELLEN

Jen, i knnew previously that San Diego was interested in Wells, but according to ESPN last night so were the DODGERS. sorry so late in the reply 14 hour shift!

Ian and all others, I hope you'll excuse me if i stray from my otherwise pretty "straddle the fence" self. RALPHIE TAKE A HIKE, EVEN IF IT WERE A PERFORMANCE ENHANCING ISSUE, IT WOULD TAKE SOMEONE LIKE YOU TO TURN IT INTO A JOY FEST FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEARTS (OR LACK THEREOF) AS YOU!! Take a minute and think about his family, as I'm sure you'd like people to feel for your fanily if it were you, if you had LOVED ONES. You don't like hIm that's one thing but to almost come right out and wish not well, really SCHUCKS!! You should really just go back under whatever rock you crawled out from under.

sry Ellen. my bad. I know it is Ellen.

Hey Vik, Have a good night, I'm gone... Up later than my wake up time allows!! EVERYONE, NATIONERS AND ALL OTHERS, *for the most part* HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, TALK TOMORROW!!

Just to make sure the world makes no sense... we pummel the guy who was going to win the Cy Young while sending Tavarez out to start and still win the game.

My excitement around trading Wells was pretty short lived. We got a catcher batting .233 in AAA. Good defensive guy. Woo woo. It's not that Wells is worth a top notch player in return... but I thought the threat of him going to a NL competetor would be enough to drive up his price.

Can you believe that Dave Roberts is batting .312, with a .382 OBP, and is 40 for 44 in steals? Just look how much better it could have been if we just resigned him after the WS win. Our center fielders this season can't hit or run the bases.

I just wanted to say that people claiming they KNOW Ortiz isn't using juice sound every bit as ridiculous as people claiming they KNOW he is. Jamie, I'm looking at you. Your standpoint may be valid (I'm not interested in arguing with it or you; there are more intelligent conversations to be had), but your reasoning and foundation for why you believe it *****. I don't want to be mean, I really don't enjoy it, but I feel like it needs to be said.

Throw in a token "defending Giambi" line here. I know the audience here will dismiss it off-hand, so forgive me if I don't bother actually writing one.

You know, the other threads on this blog are usually pretty intelligent (making it the only Sox blog I visit). But this one's just a long, long trainwreck, and I feel like it's really exposing the weakest contingents of both fanbases.

Bah. Censor. The **** above covers a word that means, "is not high-quality."

The only thing that would put Ortiz under suspicion is his results. His body (and lack of body change) doesn't match any of the usual suspects who went from thin to double-wide nearly overnight (Sosa, McGwire, Bonds). Papi has always been a bit round and chubby.

First of all, lots of love from me to Papi and Lester. I pray that they will come through this good as new. After all, it IS only baseball, but these are real people type problems that make the SOX problems pale in comparison. Ralphie needs to watch his own health, for karma will get him for sure. Now, back to the game. Aside from the serious physical issues involving the aforementioned duo, I can honestly say that, while your team did suffer an unusually high rate of injury, I grow tired of hearing the Nation use that as some sort of crutch. As if you were really going to win the division with that joke of a pitching staff you trot out there. Please spare me that horsecrap. Like I said before, being a Sox fan means that you usually have to find some excuse around this time of year to start crying and making excuses, so at least I understand your behavior. Just don't take anything away from us. We kicked your butt good, and by the way, when we lost Matsui and Sheffield in May, all we did was hang tough long enough to watch the Sox fold like a tent. Pack it in Nation, you're done.

I'd have to hear the same stuff from your kind if the tables were turned, so deal with it and

GO YANKEES!!!!!

Hey, everybody. I'm a Yankee fan and I'm here to spout off on some random things I've seen while browsing this blog.

First of all, I'll take a moment to say how incredibly ignorant it is to look at Giambi the same way you look at Bonds. It's mind-numbing. While Bonds is having a weak season without his precious roids, Giambi has worked hard to return to level he was at before the steroid incident. Not only that, but to this point, Bonds STILL hasn't admitted to his steroid use. Giambi has apologized and put it in the past, but Bonds is still denying it. How can you view them both the same way?

Secondly, I'll say personally that I am nearly one hundred percent sure that David Ortiz isn't using steroids. He's just not the type of person I feel would do such a thing. Are there suspicions? Of course. But I think that he has worked to get where he is. The conditions he has here in Boston are not the same as the ones he had in Minnesota. You can't view a heart murmur has a definite sign of him using steroids.

Furthermore, what's with the "if it weren't for injuries, we'd be in first place right now" garbage? Sure, injuries have hurt the Red Sox significantly, but to blame everything on the injuries is incredibly pathetic. The Yankees have had more than their fair share of injuries this year, and they did what they should've done -- stay close and don't fall too far behind, make deals at the trading deadline and make your move when the other team is struggling. They now have plenty of outfield depth, even with Matsui and Sheffield out.

I'm not saying that the Red Sox HAD to make a move. In fact, if you had asked me a month ago, I would've said that they were doing fine. But now it's clear that the thing they were missing were depth.

And, wait a second -- it's not all injuries, you know. Even with all the injuries, the team that the Red Sox has right now is simply not trying as hard as they were back when they had that twelve-game winning streak. They were swept by the Yankees and now it seems like they gave up for the season.

Let's face it. The Yankees want it more. This season, all you heard was that the Yankees wanted to get to the World Series. The Red Sox looked like they could've been that team, but as it stands, I'd say better luck next season.

Yes, I could most certainly rub it in. And I'm resisting a strong impulse to do so. But I'll save that for when a World Series is won.

Until then, let's go YANKEES!

Well, here I go again, back on hold with bellsouth.net, it's alreadY been 45 minutes. You know I'm really getting piszt now, 2 night in a row and incompetent outsourced CSR'S. Danm I' mad!! I can only watch on game day, that's free!! I paid for this service and bellsouth.net SKCUS!!!

Ellen- welcome to the life of watching the Sox on gameday lol. Unbelievable, I live in upstate NY, 2 and a half hours from Boston and don't get Sox games, but people in Buffalo 400 miles away get YES, that's another topic for another day however. Back to the here and now, Snyder looks very good (knock on wood) but Lilly looks like he always does against us so far as well. We need to tack on a few more runs here in the middle innings, 4 runs should do it tonight.

Have the Yankees really spent ONE BILLION Dollars since they won a World Series? For that much money even Haliburton could win! Yankee fans are right out of Willie Wonka. " Daddy buy us a World Series,please oh please." The cutest part is how fast they turn on a $20 milion player if he hits a slump.
P.S. The catcher we are getting for Boomer is a steal, and Wells wanted to go.

Its very much true elaguila, about 200 million a year means more like 1 and a quarter billion. The problem is the Yanks are going to go right down the chute just like the girl in Willie Wonka

Hooray! The money excuse is far preferable to the "Oh woe is us and our injuries" line.

Things really ARE getting back to normal!

You know, if you guys would go to school, get an education, and get a decent job, maybe Boston wouldn't be a small market team, mirite?

...

Hey... Wait a second... What's this NESN thing? And how many consecutive games has Fenway been filled to capacity? Hmm... HMMMMM....

PS - Yes, I'm teasing. Don't have a conniption.

AROD grounded into another double play hahahahaha, whats that about 30 now. He will probably hit a grand slam b/c its 3-0 NY in the fifth, but 5-5 in the eight we would pop out.

Oh my, now he's 5 for his last 6, and I can hear the cheers all the way from my house. Just wait till the next series when he goes 1-11 with 8 K's and they'll be ready to martyr him again.

Kyle is spinning an absolute beauty for us tonight!! What a boost it would be if he could throw quality starts in each of the last 5 or 6 he has this year. Twins and ChiSox also losing, possibly allowing us to pick up a game on each.

Rizzo: Thats how pathetic you and your team have become. You are talking abt yankees when the yankees are winning 6-0 AND the redsox are winning 2-0.

I'm confused, am I not allowed to talk about the Yankees? Are you censoring the content for this blog? God only knows people talk about the Red Sox on your blog. The fact that they are winning or losing holds no weight to me when I speak of them.

Usually people dont talk abt their rivals when they are winning. And they brag abt their team when they are winning. The fact that you are talking abt the yankees when they did not screwup and the sox are winning is amazing. It obviously means that you are more excited abt ARod's DP more than the redsox getting a rare win today. Knock urself out dude.

Papelbon now..

I'm gonna go choke on my own vomit

Man what next?! Hopefully Pap is going to be day-to-day. But an excellent win tonight with another make shift lineup. This pitching rotation could be a very bright spot in September. Snyder seems poised to become a rock in our rotation. Beckett's last 2 starts have been excellent. Wakefield is on his way back, and Schilling will turn it around with his regular catcher back Monday. The Varitek thing is huge because we are starting to pitch and with him back our ERA will go down because it is well documented how much better we pitch with him behind the plate.

Not concerned at this point with the AL East. But should be 5 1/2 out after tonight in the WC. Minnesota seems to be fading a bit after this loss as well as 2 of 3 to KC. With Chicago coming in for 3 and Tek, Trot, and David(?) back that series could be big for us.

Thoughts and prayers as well go out to Jon Lester. Baseball is a game, but cancer is no joke. Get well very soon and baseball aside, everyone is thinking and hoping for you to come out on top cancer free.