BrandoFan

Does he telegraph his pitches? How is his control? Breaking ball any good? This is major leagues. Last thing we need is a poor man's Koch. I do trust your judgement though.

Say, isn't Rhonda Mitchell (High Art, Phone Booth) an Aussie?

Ah 1981, what a great year - my dad was tapping my mom's ass something crazy and apparently I was already in the blue-prints.....

Last time I heard, Majewski's fastball topped out at 93-94, I could be wrong though. In any case, as Joe Valentine and Matt Anderson have proven, and as Politte is proving now, you need a lot more than a plus-fastball to succeed in the majors. Majewski was absolutely SMOKED in Spring Training. I'd rather see Baj.

Ever heard of this little quaint concept called......ODDS? As in "odds heavily favor the Cubs tomorrow and on Saturday"? If I say "logic says Sox lose 5-1", these momos read it as "logic says Sox lose 5-1 and only 5-1...the destiny is carved in stone and there is no other possible outcome to that game...thre is no way Sox could ever pull the game out". God, stupid people suck.

She is average in looks and above average in body. Far from "butt ugly". So her nose is not as tiny as Kate Bosworth's or Rhonda Mitchell's. Big deal. There are a hellalot more girls who look like Ashlee Simpson or Amanda Bynes in the "real world" than they are girls who look like a young Michelle Pfeiffer or a young Zeta-Jones. Yawn.

Sox did not face Prior in the regular season last year and only saw Wood once - got dominated of course. That's why I regard last year's series as a fluke - Sox caught Clement at his worst and also feasted on Shawn Estes. Rught now we're scheduled to face Prior, Zambrano, Maddux, Maddux, Rusch and Clement. Which means should Sox miraculously beat Prior and Zambrano, it would mean they have a GREAT chance to take 5 out of 6, which would provide (knock on wood) a SUPER-TREMENDOUS boost for the rest of the season, and would single-handedly restore Sox pride. Of course, we'd be lucky to win 1 against Prior and Zambrano, but who knows, if the stars align just right.......

When was the last time Sox "hit" a really good RHP? When was the last time Sox took what was given to them - how many of our hitters love nothing more than than pulling and uppercuting the ball? Logic says Sox lose 5-1 tommorow. I hope the logic is wrong - we need to beat Prior and Zambrano in a WORST way

Prior is MUCH better. Sox should lose. I hope they win - it would be absolutely a HUGE boost heading into Zambrano-Show game.

Wite, Sox can't afford to have 6 'quality' arms in the pen - even Yankees only have 2-3 good relievers. Let's face it, Bajenaru, Cotts and Politte will have to stay, which is ok if you don't pitch them in close games. But a playoff team better have The Big 3. We got Shingo and Marte - they'll never be confused with Mota/Gagne or Rivera/Gordon, but they are more than tolerable. I envision Urbina completing the Trio - his primary dury would be to retire RH's since LH are hammering him pretty bad. Since the #1 pitcher is BY FAR our biggest priority right now, I am willing to wait on Urbina until after the ASB. Once Detroit is well out of it, he could easily be had for nothing since he ain't exactly lighting it up right now. I think he'll be just little more intense playing for Ozzie, on a playoff team - he got much better after going from Texas to Florida last year.

Meaningless fact: the "guy" quoted by AHB_2000 is none other than....... Roman.

I can't say Ozzie is the reason pitchers are crapping out on us as we speak. Maybe he let them throw a few more pitches than Ghandi would, but how much responsibility can be layed on Ozzie for: 1. Loaiza showing up to the camp throwing 2-3 mph slower than he did last year, thus rendering his cutter, slider, change less effective? 2. Garland worrying more about a no-hitter than whether the team wins or not, and generally having the most erratic curveball in baseball? 3. Buerhle giving up 3-run homers in the 1st inning to no-name scrubs? 4. Schoenweiss's change-up not working? 5. Munoz, Diaz, Rauch choking in a worst way? 6. Wright being forced to pitch a full year after it became apparent his arm is f***ed up? 7. Williams telling him to use Koch as a closer? 8. 96-mph fastball-throwing Politte being the pussiest puss that ever puss'd? 9. Cotts not having much in a way of control or consistent secondary arsenal? 10. Jackson being 5 years past his prime? Give me a f***ing break, what can Fisk do with this band of clowns and chokers? Can he bring Glavine and Smolts with him? I'll even settle for Leiter.

Today was a GREAT and timily outing - points for style do not matter when your team is on the brink of a freefall and the day is somehow saved. However, I hope that people recognize this: it was a good pefromance by somebody who has little hope of being anything more than a 5th starter. Godforbid, Sox somehow think Rauch could turn these performances every 5th day and therefore there is no need to pursue Glavine or Garcia......which let's face it, they might. Sox were desperate for a win. Rauch delivered just as Rusch delivered unexpected wins for the Cubs. That's ALL it was - a semi-fluke. It changes nothing - we NEED a top-of-the-rotation starter badly.

Yeah let's stay out of playoffs for a few more years while the Cubs win the World Series or two....and thus render the Sox utterly irrelevant for decades to come, effective eroding our already deteriorated fan-base.....drying up revenue streams and negatively affecting future talent-buying power - the very future of which you speak so fondly. Throwing away the "future" on guys like Finley may not always be a great idea because CF is not such a burning need, but when it comes to big-time pitchers who can propel the team to WS title, you have to sacrifice your Borchards and your Rauchs - it's not as if we're talking about Pujols and Prior, the two can't miss real deals here - Borchard is 26 and is nothing special in AAA sandbox, while Rauch has less velocity, less break and more erratic control than he did in 2000. If you're the Sox and you play in the s***ty ALC, you have to go for every year. We already blew HUGE opportunities in 2001-2003; each progressing year is a mini do-or-die situation for this franchise. Jeremy Reed and maybe Sweeney and the Gonzalez dude ares the only prospects I'd miss at this point.

Isn't the guy who is sometimes referred to as one of the biggest talent wastes in the history of baseball?

A bulk of that 950 OPS has come against LHP. RHP comprise 70+ % of all MLB pitchers as you know. Rowand doesn't have the eye/pitch selection to be a full-time 950 OPS player. The more he plays, the more complete the "book" on him will be. I am not disputing your assertion that he has trade value in the least here. I will still take his hustle, deceptive athleticism and a live bat (800+ OPS) at 400 K

I don't know about 950 OPS since Aaron has never really hit righties all that well, but OPS of 800-825 is certainly within reach. I am glad he brought his hands back down in his stance.

Konerko needs to get on a streak of a lifetime in the next month, so there will be takers for his contract. I mean, sure, there is always a possiblity that JR gracefully opens his wallet and pays, say, Randy Johnson's and John Smoltz's salaries......But we know that's NOT going to happen, so getting Konerko's money off the books would be the first logical step. Lee is more versatile and has a higher upside than Kong, so he is the one staying. If the deal does go down, than there should be NO talk about not being to "afford" Drew and Urbina, the two guys Sox haven't talked about. I am presuming they already have the money set aside for Garcia.

What a hilarious article. Tim Hummel sucks. Saw him in the series against the Cubs last year. Left a lot of runners on base and was simply AWFUL defensively at third - an error and really should have been given at least another 2, including a big "double" that just ate him alive. Below average speed. He would't make this year's Sox team this year anyway. Francisco? Throws hard. So did Matt Anderson. Ring? AAAA player. Webster? A-ball. Almonte? Chipper Jones would love to see him again, fo sho. Rupe? Not sure where he is now. I would trade low- and mid-level prospects for Drew or Finley in a SECOND.

Ah yes....Manuel leaving RHP Sullivan to pitch to LH Ortiz with Sox up by 1 in late innings while LHP stud Marte was waiting to come in from the BP. Jerryball! :puke

I remember Manuel not pinch-running with Willie and Aaron getting thrown out. Would have been a HUGE run and a huge ballgame. The difference between leading the Twins by 3 games and 2 games with 5 head-to-head to go. Thanks Jerry. :fyou

Come again? Who said anything about "rooting" for the Yankees? I simply stated that they won't be stopped. Ideally, neither Yankees or Red Sox make it, but that's not realistic.

Belle, Sosa, Santo. Honorable mention: Thomas, Shoe-Joe, Seaver.

*cough*JDDrew*cough* Waidaminute, why am I coughing? J.D. Drew LHP power. Makes 4 Mill this year. Seems healthy enough. Plays best RF in NL. Trading Konerko is key, though. Lee moves to 1B/DH and you can put Drew in LF.