December 2008
2008 The Year In Pictures
2008 started off with a good dose of drama….
After an hour long boycott to protest managers not getting an appearance fee for the trip to Japan, the Red Sox finally took the field for their final Spring Training game. The game was televised on ESPN giving the Sox players the stage they needed to convince MLB to do the right thing.
The World Champs open their 2008 season in Japan with local legend Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound in front of 44,268 fans in the Tokyo Dome.
Joining Red Sox legends Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams and Carlton Fisk, Johnny Pesky has his number 6 retired for all time.
The 2008 Red Sox…. A great team, a great season and one tough loss.
Bring on 2009!
We have a score to settle!!
Rumors and Thoughts
By Chris Cue
December 30th, 2008
Rarely do I like to spread rumors unless I think they there may be some merit to them, but I do embrace “thought”. So, I’d like to take a rumor that has been floating around and turn it into a thought.
In case you haven’t heard the rumor, then here is what I’m talking about.
Back in late November, there was some reporting going on that Tim Wakefield was considering retirement. I first came upon this
hearsay while reading a post on “The Bottom Line” (another Red Sox Blog). A link to that read is HERE. The reason given for Wakefield’s possible retirement was because he reportedly was having off season issues with that balky shoulder of his. You remember, the same shoulder that kept him out of the 2007 Playoffs and World Series.
Originally, the poster at The Bottom Line gave thought to the idea that if this was true, then perhaps Theo Epstein might be more interested in AJ Burnett or Derek Lowe then he had let on. Well, since that time, as we all know, AJ Burnett has signed with the Yankees. So you can scratch that thought. Derek Lowe from all the accounts I’ve read recently, looks like he could be a Met by the end of the week. The jury’s still out on that one, but it is the popular rumor of the day. So, you may be able to scratch that thought too.
Why am I bringing all this up?
Good question.
I’m glad you asked:-).
One answer: Brad Penny.
It’s my opinion that Brad Penny is not a #4 starter on an American League team. Especially on an American League East team called the Red Sox. He is however, someone that I could consider to be a #5 starting pitcher. His up and down performance and injury history has me doubting that he could be relied upon for anything more than that. In 9 career seasons, Brad Penny has recorded 10 or more wins in a season a total of only 4 times. His career win percent (all in the National League) is .556. I believe him to be nothing more then a .500 pitcher in the American League (he wasn’t even that last season in the weak NL West).
I can hear your what you’re thinking even as I type this.
You’re thinking: “But Chris, we already have a #5 pitcher with Tim Wakefield.“
To that my reply is: “Do we really? I’m not so sure.“
I am sure of one thing. There are volumes of information that we don’t have access to regarding what is really going on behind the scenes from day to day.
Like I said, I don’t normally go for passing along rumors unless they show some merit, but think about that one for a second. Remember, it’s a rumor not a fact. It’s not anywhere close to being a fact. However, given the recent acquisition of Brad Penny, the loss of Wakefield’s personal catcher Kevin Cash, the apparent disinterest in bringing Jason Varitek back who could also catch Wakefield and the acquisition of Josh Bard someone who absolutely can not catch Wakefield’s knuckleball….well, that rumor suddenly turns into a thought doesn’t it?
Time will tell.
Baby Paps Has Arrived
Credit to Amalie Benjamin from the Boston Globe for bringing us this news…well most of it anyway 
Jonathon Papelbon’s wife Ashley gave birth to the couple’s first child,
Parker Alice Papelbon, who checked in at 8 pounds 4 ounces……… and
immediately stared down the doctors in the room. Baby Paps also
backed staff members off a diaper change by vomiting some chin music
towards the nurses in the room. Both Mom and Dad Paps are said to be very proud….. 
Look at the arm on this kid…..
Baby Paps Warms Up
Congratulations to both Ashley and Jonathon!!
It’s True. Penny And Bard To The Red Sox
Updates courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors, WEEI’s Rob Bradford, The Heralds Sean McAdam and the Globes Amalie Benjamin…….
Rob Bradford of WEEI.com spoke with Brad Penny, who confirmed his deal with the Red Sox.
From Bradford:
“There were a lot of teams involved,”
said Penny in a phone conversation. “But I wanted to go somewhere where
I knew we had a great chance at winning, and Boston is that place.”
Bradford adds that Penny will be in Boston on Jan. 7 to take his physical and will begin his throwing program next week.
Bradford also updates the status of Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett,
who has started exercises on his throwing shoulder, which is earlier
than in years past. Bradford’s post states that the injury that plagued
Beckett at the end of the 2008 season has subsided. The injury centered
around the intercostal muscles near the ribs and not the oblique as
previously thought.
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Free-agent catcher Josh Bard has reached a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, McAdam from the Herald and Benjamin of the Globe are reporting
The Bard agreement is a nonguaranteed major-league deal worth
$1.6MM. According to McAdam, Bard is viewed as a backup, but he could
see more time depending upon what Boston decides to do at catcher.
Bard, 31 in March, spent seven games with the Red Sox in 2006 before
Boston traded him to the Padres. He hit .202 in 57 games with San Diego
in 2008.
McAdam has more on the Brad Penny deal, too. The
agreement, a one-year deal with a base salary of $5MM, will be
finalized Monday. Incentives and performance bonuses can increase the
total deal another $3MM if Penny pitches more than 160 innings, McAdam
reports.
Penny, 31 in May, went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two
relief appearances in 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The
right-hander played 4.5 seasons for the Dodgers. He played with the
Florida Marlins from 2000 until he was traded in 2004.
With the addition of Penny, the Boston rotation now consists of Penny, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester.
The move also allows righty Justin Masterson to remain in a setup role for closer Jonathan Papelbon.
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I’m gonna have to sit on this one for a while. Initially, my thoughts are we could have done a lot better in both spots. Bard’s deal at least is a non-guaranteed contract, so maybe Theo has something else in the works. At least, I’m hoping that the case because let’s face it, if this was the problem….
Jason Varitek .220 /.313 /.359
…then this certainly isn’t the answer
Josh Bard .202 /.279 /.270
I’m going to need time to warm up to both of these deals……
Red Sox to Add Brad Penny?
It’s from Rosenthal so take it with a grain of salt…
The link to the story is HERE
The Long Wait Gets A Little Longer
By Chris Cue
December 26th, 2008
The Red Sox 2008 season came to an end on October 19th and since then the fans have been waiting. What players will stay? What players will go? What new players will be added? These are all questions Boston fans have been asking since that loss to Tampa Bay, but relatively few answers have been handed out by the organization.
Since the season ended players such as Coco Crisp, Sean Casey, Paul Byrd and Kevin Cash (now a Yankee) have all gone. Jason Varitek remains tied to the organization with talks of renewing his contract presently underway, but he too is technically no longer with the team.
So here we sit. Waiting for some news on who the replacement players might be or if word will come that the Red Sox have resigned any of the still available former players from 2008.
We’re going to have to wait a little longer.
Typically, from Christmas day through January 5th of the following year, Major League Baseball pretty much closes up shop. While there may be an aquisition here or there, normally very little is done while most officials are out of the office.
Sixty eight days after the season ended, We still don’t know the answers to key questions surrounding the 2009 Red Sox.
Who will be the 5th starting pitcher to complete our rotation?
Who will be our catcher and backup catcher?
Who will be our 4th outfielder?
Who will be our backup corner infielder?
Frustrated yet?
You’re not alone.
However, you can take some comfort in the fact that in recent off season activity, the majority of the signings and trades have been completed in the months of January & February not November & December.
So, hang in there. The answers are coming. The action is about to heat up.
We will just have to wait……..a little longer.
Merry Christmas To All
…..and to all a Great 2009 Season!!
How About Some Presents?
Oh Heck I know it’s probably really wrong to put a Jewish guy in a Santa suit, but darn it Theo……
Sometime between now and the end of Hanukkah would be nice.
Before Christmas would be better.
Chris Cue
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