Jim Fainter

I haven't seen box scores from Bristol lately, but Sweeney must have gotten several hits, because he is up to .290.

Jason/Mark: If we ranked our prospects yesterday, where would Webster have been? Borchard was ahead of him, but certainly not any more.

Thanks, Rex. Didn't know that. But if that's the case, Webster should not have been included. Just too good of a prospect to be traded for Everett, IMO. Let's face it, we have several guys in our system that probably won't play for the Sox, but might very well play for the Rangers that would have been appropriate for Everett. I hate to name names, but we have discussed them in other threads.

Ditto. White was in no way ready to start the season. He was awful for two months. He has no reason to b****. Lately, since he has been pitching better, he has had some meaningful innings. I think his role is very obvious. He comes in usually bettwen the 5th and 8th innings with the game on the line, but defers to Flash and Marte in end of the game situations.

Just saw Pete give a little dig toward Roger Clemons. He's pitching against Baltimore today, and mid-way through the game Mora tries to lay one down, but it went foul. This pissed off King Roger, because he is too good for anyone to try to bunt off him in a close game. So he very obviously plucks Mora on purpose. Got the warning from the ump, can't pitch inside, and the Orioles got some big hits off him to win. This was all Pete's take on things, but it looked that way to me, too.

Good. We would just get fleeced.

7-10 months ago everybody on this board was creaming in their pants over Webster. So we give him away for a .270 hitter with a little power who is below average in center. If we would have offered Anthony Webster alone to every team in the majors, I am dead certain that we would have been offered more than Carl Everett. Then you give them the choice of some very promising pitchers. Man, this is expensive. John Hart must have said something magical as he danced away with whoever made the trade. So far Carl has contributed one large two out, two run single that beat the Indians the other night. We always get out negoiated. The Rangers probably allowed us to put Yan, malone, and Allen in the pot, because they never had any intention of taking them. They were just window dressing. They wanted Webster, who was probably untouchable not long ago, and convinced us to put him in the pot, because "we want pitching." Then they take the stud. Other than Honel and Cotts, they had our very best pitching prospects available. All for a player that the Rangers did not even want. Sorry for the rant. I am out.

He's almost as good as Pacheco.

At the beginning of the year that lokked like a great bet, becuase we have so many games against Detroit, Cleve, and KC. Didn't work.

Foppert and Williams are more untouchable than Honel and Reed.

We have two other guys at Charlotte who are hitting way over .300, Gload and Hankins, but they can't get arrested because they are 27 or so.

By the way, that was a great double play to end the game. Alomar and Jose both were great on that play.

I'd rather have Pacheco and Rupe coming up.

Back to Sandy. I saw the replay again -- the tag at the plate. A lot of big league catchers would not have been close to making that play, and I'm afraid that includes young Mr. Kendall from the Pirates.

I don't think the Giants need Colon to win the West. Nine games ahead of D-Backs and the Dodgers is dead.

Remember, Olivo never had his year in AAA.

Wed. Now Gammons commented on the A's not wanting to give up Joe Blanton for Escobar, because Blanton might be in the A's rotation next year, he is that good. Sigh. Blanton is the guy that we could have drafted instead of Royce Ring in 2002, much to the delight and surprise of Mr. Personality, Billy Beane. Blanton just got moved to AA, by the way.

Let's watch him tomarrow.

Just saw the replay on that out at home, on the throw from Crede. That was one of the best tag plays I have ever seen by a catcher. Big time play.

Jason, regarding Fogg you have come up with a knack of reverse clairvoyance. I don't understand how you can come up with a theory that Fogg would NEVER have made it out of the bullpen had he stayed with the Sox in 2002. Both Biddle and Wright, for example, came up slightly before Fogg, were given some starting opportunities, and were anything but lights out. They continued to start on a sporadic basis in 2002 with very mixed results. Fogg came up at the end of 2001, pitched in relief, and not only was he effective, but he looked absolutely fearless out there. Had he stayed with the Sox he would have gone to ST in 2002, probably made the team, gotten his inevitable chances, and would have certainly started a few games, especially since Ritchie would not have been there. Even Gary Glover got 20 some starts in 2002, and he was awful. After that, everything is conjecture.

How about Tim McCarver? He called Dion Sanders a coward on live national TV and offered to fight then and there. He will always be the man.

Back to Frank. After seeing the replay of his long home run in the first inning Tuesday for about the eighth time, it was obvious that Frank really kept his head down on the ball all the way. Even after his follow through his head was down. It was the best swing from Frank I have seen in a long time. That type of swing was routine ten years ago.

Can you imagine how s***ty the Pirates would have been for the last year and a half if they still had Todd Ritchie in the front of their rotation and did not have either Wells or Fogg?

I thought the Pirates wanted prospects, and they give this kid Gonzales to Boston?

After thinking about it, I would pass on the Giles/Kendall duo. Too expensive. Giles is solid and would help any team, but Kendall could come over here and just as easily hit .210 as .310. There is a week to go before the trading deadline, and I don't think anyone else is going to help the Pirates by taking on Kendall and that ridiculous contract. Only the Yanks can afford it, and what would they do with Kendall? I would not be surprised if July 31st comes and Kendall is still a Pirate.