On Willie Harris:

 

 

——

 

LINEUP: Coco Crisp (CF), Mark Loretta (2B), David Ortiz (DH), Manny Ramirez (LF), Trot Nixon (RF), Jason Varitek ©, Mike Lowell (3B), Kevin Youkilis (1B), Alex Gonzalez (SS).

 

If healthy, Ortiz and Ramirez ensure that the lineup will remain formidable. It is their colleagues who will determine whether the Sox offense is just very good or exceptional.

 

Crisp and Loretta have been everything the Sox anticipated atop the order this spring. Crisp looks primed to continue his upward career trends, and Loretta no longer seems affected by the torn thumb ligament that sapped his power last year. The performance of those top two batters will be crucial in providing Ortiz and Ramirez with the chance to drive in runs.

 

"It's going to be key for Coco and I to get on base," Loretta noted. "(Ramirez and Ortiz) have shown throughout their careers that they hit well with men on base and men in scoring position. They drove in, what, 140 runs last year? That's a lot."

 

The group batting behind the twin mashers is more ofan unknown. If the numbers amassed by Lowell (.236 average, .298 OBP, .360 slugging) and Gonzalez (.264, .319, 368) represented new norms, the Sox won't match the 900-run outputs of the past three years. If Lowell, in particular, bounces back, the team will find such production within reach.

 

" If Mike Lowell bounces back," noted Francona, "all of a sudden, you guys are going to be asking about our scoring more runs than last year."

 

Youkilis shows significant promise at first. His typical command of the strike zone yielded notable power this spring, as seven of his 11 hits yielded extra bases.

 

Wily Mo Pena gives the Sox more sock than they had last year as Nixon's platoon partner against lefties.

 

The rest of the bench lacks pop but is steady afield, rounded out by savvy Alex Cora in middle infield, defensive whiz J.T. Snow at first, Josh Bard at catcher and speedster Willie Harris (who will soon replace Adam Stern) as a pinch-runner and utility man.

Does that assembly have the look of a champion? Time will tell. The answers start to arrive today.

 

Alex Speier covers the Red Sox for the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News.

 

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?he...d7-4c8a00bf2f57

 

willie looks to have hope

Can't wait to hear Hawk and DJ on Tuesday.

3 more outs

and on comes boone logan!!

 

i finally get to see him

cant wait for hawk and dj aswell

boone to come in i think

and nice contact by g-load

Boone Logan about to come in.

It'd be nice to get Boone some confidence. Here's hoping that we don't see two or three bloop hits.

BOONE!

THE LEGEND OF THEEE LOGAN

HERE WE GO :]

Aww. No boone.

no boone

Heh, Thornton's still in.

thorton still out ? ah well that still works. go thorton

Thornton's still in.

Thornton looks nice.

That's aight. Just blow em out again on Tuesday and bring him in then.

thornton looking good

37 strikes out of 57 pitches for MB

2 outs one more till a white sox winner

1 more out biatchs

 

EAT s*** INDIANSS

HERE WE GO ON YOUR FEET

anypne see casey blakes quotes on our ring ceromony?

 

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/14248607.htm

Casey Blake wonders why the White Sox picked this series.

 

``They could have done it some other time,'' he said.

 

Does that mean they're trying to make a statement?

 

``Probably,'' Blake said.

 

what a tool :headshake

And here's the man we've been waiting for for 6 hours...

when should we have it Casey?

lol @ blakes comments..