The Suffolk Voice: Manny, Was it Worth it?

The homerun we will never forget...

Well Manny, I hope you're happy.You made such a big deal about this contract situation, for what? A lousy $5 million more?

All you had to do was continue to hit the ball and not hit old men. We put up with the showing up late to Spring Training, we put up with your flopping around the outfield, and we put up with the fact that you never wanted to speak to the media. We put up with it! Somewhere along the lines, that became "Manny being Manny", don't ask me how. I loved you, Manny. You're like the ex girlfriend that I want to hate, but deep down I'd probably take back in a second.

So why?

Read the rest of this amazing opinion piece here at THE SUFFOLK VOICE

Defending JD Drew: So hard, nobody can do it

Check out Youkilis standing in the fourth row.

Matt, Matt, Matt...

Way to bring the children into this. In my post I say nowhere that I was fed up with JD Drew's production, I said I'm fed up with the fact he's always injured. That has absolutely ZERO to do with his son. Not to mention I believe you're exagerating his son's injury, as his son had surgery on his hip and had to wear a cast (which is still serious) but there really was no extended period of time where his son was going to die, based on my knowledge. I'm talking about how his play is affected by his injuries, not family life. He's not dependable at all. On any night, he could be out with a back spasm and it wouldn't surprise anybody. The Sox were willing to pay this bum $14 mil, but weren't willing to pick up Manny's options in advance? Thats only $6 more by my math, sounds like a bargain to me.

That being said...

Maybe I'd be a little easier on JD Drew if he wasn't currently at the top of the Red Sox's salary list making a whopping $14,000,000 this year. More than Youk, Ortiz, Pedroia, Lester, etc. It's a scam. If you're going to make that much money, earn it. If you're going to sit with injuries, fork the cash back over. It's simple. Drew has been about the money since he was drafted into the league, just ask anyone in Philadelphia. Drew is worth about half of what he is making, and until I see a season close to injury free with solid numbers, thats how I think of him.

Yeah he had a hot month and a half, but is that what we are paying him for? A month? And as far as white players go on the Sox, take a look around. Aside from Jacoby, our entire field is white. Nobody is whiter than Jed Lowrie.

P.S. JD Drew is doing a disservice to Trot Nixon's number 7.

Shocker: J.D. Drew still injured

There are a few guarantees in life. You'll be taxed, you'll die, you'll probably go to the bathroom at least once a day, you'll crave pizza when you're wasted (and when you're not wasted), and J.D. Drew will have an injury during the season.

I almost didn't post on this, because like Martin Lawrence signing up to be in another terrible movie, it really isn't news.

ESPN reports that J.D. Drew is still hindered by a back injury that he sustained last season. Something about a herniated disk, I don't know I stopped reading because I'm so fed up with the guy. Supposedly he's still able to hit and run and play blah blah blah but lets be honest here, it's only a matter of time before this thing gets more serious and he is forced to miss games.

The solution? Rocco Baldelli.

Rhode Island's own is here to save the day. Boston needed a backup outfielder for obvious reasons, so they went ahead and signed the most injury ridden outfielder they could find. I'm kidding, but not really, but I do like Baldelli and I feel since they diagnosed the problem, hopefully he can stay healthy and be good for us.

--JT--

Greedy Varitek signs for cheap contract

Well, well, well Mr. Varitek. Does the saying, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" ring a bell? You declined an $11 million offer for some reason nobody will ever understand. By doing so, you screwed yourself over royally and by doing so helped out the good ole Sox of Red.

First of all, you should never have gotten nearly close to $11 million per year. Justice is served. You're obviously a terrible business man if you didn't jump all over that deal. Did you see your numbers last year. Christ, I'm starting to think $5 million is too much!

I'm glad we have a catcher, and one for cheap. But to be honest, the idea of getting Taylor Teagarden or Jared Saltalamachia makes my mouth water. I'll take Varitek for one more year at $5 million and then the Sox will decline his second year when he sucks at hitting as much as he did last year. Then, we will trade for a big name catcher most likely.

Great guy to call pitches (so they say), terrible hitter, terrible at throwing out baserunners. He's only getting older and slower. Can we make Youk or Pedroia our captain? Beckett? Lester? Someone maybe who doesnt reject loads of money (in a recession mind you) and then angirly settle for a cheap contract? That my friends, is not a leader.

Varitek is starting to really piss me off. Sure he's been here for two World Series championships, and for that I'll always be thankful. But this offseason with him speaks volumes about who he is now on the field and off the field. Just another greedy washed up player. Prove me wrong Varitek, prove me wrong.

--JT--

Suck-holz

Obviously not practicing pitching because he is so bad...

Since we are on the subject of baseball (and actually back to blogging) I need to get something off my chest.

(Rips unidentified object off chest) AAAAAARRRRRGHHHHH!!!

OK wow that thing was like sucking my blood or something. Anyway now I can concentrate and I need to say something. The Red Sox are being stupid. They have given Clay Buchholz enough opportunity to prove he can be a pitcher at the major league level. They should SELL HIGH on this dude right now... like today... like five minutes ago. Send him to the Rangers for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and probably a lower level minor leaguer. They wont regret it! He will flounder in the bandbox confines of Arlington, thus removing any blame or doubt from upper management, and by the time he goes to his 3rd destination (presuming he actually pitches well) no one will remember he was ours! Then, in the meantime, we have a fucking STUD for a catcher for the next 6-8 years who hits for power and has developing defensive skills.

Everyone just needs to get over the Buchholz honeymoon because he threw a no hitter against the ORIOLES. Leo DiCaprio from What's Eating Gilbert Grape throws a no-hitter against them in a deleted scene for christ sakes! But we all know what's going to happen. Hes gonna get another chance and SUCK some more and then we are gonna trade him finally in 2011 for a macaroni necklace and 68 pennies that were smushed by a train. For shame Theo, for shame.

P.S. - Varitek sucks and he declined arbitration so he deserves to not play this year for being a complete moron and passing up $10MM to try his luck on the worst market in recent history. Plus hes just a bad player.

--MM--

Papelbon signs for $6.25 mil

ESPN reports that Jonathan Papelbon and the Red Sox avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year $6.25 million contract. To put that in perspective, Bobby Jenks just signed one year deal for somewhere around $5.5 mil. I'd say the Sox should be happy with this signing.

Unlike the Yankees, we have players on our team ALREADY, that we want to REMAIN on our team. We don't go out and break the bank for fat overrated pitchers or lame cleanup hitters (Say what you want about Teixeira, the guy is a tool).

Re-sign Pedroia? Check.

Re-sign Youkilis? Check.

Re-sign Papelbon? Check.

Don't re-sign Varitek? Check.

I've said it before, I wanted a starting pitcher and a catcher. We didn't get Lowe which sucked, but I'm willing to give Penny and Smoltz a chance. Who knows, maybe Bucholz will live up to the hype as well. It's not looking like we're getting a stud catcher anytime soon, but honestly it's not a big deal. If the dude can catch the ball and throw the occasional runner out, he's good enough for me. Varitek had a great stretch and I thank him for his years here, but unless he's willing to a) sign for cheap, and b) split time with Bard, I'm fine with him leaving.

I will also say this: Jonathan Papelbon will go to the highest bidder. The Sox got away with a one year deal from him this year, but the dude is young and he's out to make money. If the Sox will pay him enough, then he'll stay. If not, he's gone. He knows he deserves to be the highest paid closer and so does everyone else. I'd be very very surprised if Papelbon signed a long term deal with the Sox, as I'm sure he wants to test the free agent market.

I love Papelbon, but he's not a Pedroia or Youkilis. Pedroia and Youk would take a hometown discount to stay here, Papelbon, I'm not so sure. The truth is nobody knows what Papelbon is thinking. The guy is borderline crazy. He's the Kevin Garnett of MLB. I think he blacks out when he's out on the diamond and just lets instinct take over. Legend has it Papelbon made Jack Bauer cry...

Regardless, this Sox team is still looking strong going into next year. There's no doubt the AL East will be the strongest division in the league and one team will definitely get screwed out of the playoffs. Here's to hoping it's the Yanks.

--JT--

Take that Yankees! Sox sign pitcher just as fat as Sabathia!

McDonalds is sponsoring the first matchup between Brad Penny and C.C. Sabathia.

In what appears to be a counter move to the Yankees signing of extrememly fat pitcher C.C. Sabathia, the Sox went ahead and sign insanely fat pitcher Brad Penny from the L.A. Dodgers.

Penny is coming off an injury plagued year but he did win 16 games back in 2006 and 2007. His best year was definitely in 2007 when he went 16-4 with a 3.03 era.

It's only a one year deal so unlike the Yanks, the Sox can forget about this little rendezvous at the end of the season. It's a low risk high reward signing. If Penny can win 12-15 games and post a 3.50 era then mission accomplished.

I still think this team should sign Derek Lowe. I mean, we need to do something right? And who is catching this year? Are we planning on putting a trash can behind the plate? Hey wait a minute, that's not a bad idea. It would probably throw out more baserunners then Varitek anyways, and the batting average wouldn't be a big difference really either...

Youk to play in WBC

Good for Youk. Glad to see that the Boston athletes aren't too good to represent their country. Also good to see Youk play for a team that he actually truly represents and profits from, unlike someone else.

A-Rod is such a tool. He tries so hard, not at baseball, but at being accepted by the rest of the gang. Dude, you're banging Madonna, ew. A-Rod, how about we stop paying you in American dollars since you're too good to represent us? What a joke and a travesty. He should be booed by Americans across the USA because he's a joke, not because he's a Yankee, although that does help.

Pedroia and Youk will be representing the U.S.A. team and that is great news for the country. These guys truly represent what American baseball is all about and what Boston is all about. They are both hard-nosed dirt dogs who will do anything to win. Those are the players that U.S.A. should want. Not those Yankee bitches.

Report: Teixeira not coming to The Bean

I've got mixed emotions about this. Part of me wants Teixeira on the team because we need a huge bat like that in the lineup since Manny is out of the picture now (tear), but part of me wants to keep Mike Lowell on this team. Here is a guy that barely a year ago a lot of people were begging to resign over Alex Rodriguez. Now granted, A-Rod is a total queer, making it easy to root against the guy and not want him, but at the same time, A-Rod is pretty damn good.

I didn't want A-Rod. I'm not into the whole Former Yanks joining Sox and vice versa. I don't know how any Yankee fan could cheer for Johnny Damon when he joined the Yanks (Then again, when you have the highest payroll in sports and haven't won shit in eight years, you do what you have to do. See: C.C. Sabathia 7 years, $161 million). I respect the hell out of Derek Jeter, but I don't think I'd want to see him in a Sox uniform (not that he ever would be).

So, why throw Mike Lowell under the bus after an injury plagued season? This Sox team was good enough to win the World Series last year. Shit happened, the Devil Rays got retarded good out of nowhere and we just missed out. Ortiz and Lowell were injured for a chunk of the season last year. We don't need to break the bank to get to the World Series like "other" teams do. On top of that, Mike Lowell definitely could have gotten more money elsewhere. He took a hometown "discount" to play here, and after one year everyone is calling for him to be traded. A fine case of what have you done for me lately, I'd say.

I still like where our team is. If anything, I'd like to get some bullpen help and possibly another average starter in there. Beckett, Lester, Daisuke, Wakefield, X. We need somebody we can rely on in that fifth spot. A healthy Lowell gives us probably the best fielding infield in the entire league as well. If I'm worried about this team, it's the SS position and some minor pitching adjustments. Not looking to bring in Teixeira for 8 years $180 million, no thanks.

By the way, if we signed Derek Lowe I'd be the happiest man in Boston. I've always had a special place for Lowe in my heart. If I had to overpay for Lowe or Teixeira I'd pick Lowe. Overpaying for Lowe would still be not even close to what Teixeira will be making and not nearly close to the years. Lowe would fill this lineup out and he would be a great fourth starter. Come on guys, remember Lowe in the 2004 playoffs?! Come on! Who's with me here?!

--JT--