mstar1

Love you too!! I hope you keep us up to date on the exploits of number one son--what position is he playing this year? Strange story of the day: The New York Times says that Pedro Martinez occasionally throws pitches with his eyes closed because it “has helped him develop a consistent arm angle and release point.”

i finally saw the video-It was a little awkward, Hwy s right he was trying to show his support for Pettitte, It came out pretty weird sounding, Hes good at alot of things-- speaking to the media isnt necessarily one of them. We got 10 more inches of snow yesterday---this is depressing--at least there are some spring training workouts to watch on the tube

. I still have all my TWI Bibles, but I dont read them very often. If i do they are more in the mode of Shellon in that it reminds me of who I was and what I was doing way back then more than reading it for the content. I do like looking at old Bibles occasionally that arent mine that have various things underlined or notes. They give some insight into the person that once made those marks. I didnt touch mine for about ten years as i found that I when I opened them i was rarely ever actually clearly reading 'the bible' but moreso hearing echoes and arguments of old way teachings and opinions. If I have an inclination to read a Bible now I read my grandfathers which was left to me. It was well read but clean as a whistle. It is much easier to read what is actually written when all the clutter and distractions are removed. Its one of those books that needs no help from me or anyone else to speak for itself

Good visual on the transistor radio, i hadnt thought of those in awhile--sitting in the bleachers with the ancient pre earbuds that went halfway down your earcanal listening to Ned Martin was a part of the 1960's for me..seems like a perfect thing to do for a retro game Sony's got one HERE for $10.00, if you really want to go retro I bet you could find one of the twirly dial ones on ebay or somewhere. Im looking forward to the pictures when they come... without checking Id guess youre probably right, but I gotta wonder, with all the specialists now, if we'll ever see another one. ............. My tickets to the series at Camden Yards came the other day --- Im gettin a pretty good stack together---I'll have to eat at Boog Powells while I am there

good luck with the Cats, Id give them my money and support too Tom. As far as Henry I never said he was perfect, he is darn good though. The RS medical staff has been very good over the last few years especially handling pitchers. They took Tim Wakefield off the World Series roster, even though he had won 17 games rather than risk a career threatening injury with him (and he is well into his 40's) they gave Matt Clement an entire year off with pay, Jon Lester a year to recover from cancer. Pedro was famous for never going beyond 6 or 7 and then taking a built in 'vacation' after memorial day for a 3 or 4 weeks every year. There was a difference of medical opinions which happens all the time, Im sure they have some pretty top docs on it, and I doubt he'll pitch, be jeopoardized or his arm will fall off ala Koufax with the 60's Dodgers, or Yankee staffs under Billy Martin

Well of course who could live in just one $35million home? <_< God im thankful that McCourt failed in his bid to buy the RedSox Swindlers, ---Toms case sounds like blackmail--Im surprised nobody in Texas has organized a mass boycott--billboards, radio stations , websites the whole deal and gone enmasse to support a (nonaffiliated0 minor league team for awhile, until Hicks either wakes up and gets a clue or sells off Who on earth does business like that? "if you buy my crappy product then one day-I'll make it better" Bull---make it right first. i have said it before but I feel very lucky to have John Henry as the owner, His first few years i was amazed when, instead of sequestering himself away in an owners box, he spent most of his game time in the bleachers getting a feel for what the fans concerns were and what they needed and wanted. Drinking beer and eating hotdogs in The Bleachers-what owner does that? When he had the players in full uniform work the turnstiles and welcome fans for afew games early on, I knew that this guy had a much different approach than I was used to..he responded to the fans and has made it not only a much better experience just to go to a game but has (obviously) also worked very hard to figure out how to put great baseball on the field. It costs --but it pays off Its not perfect by any means but in a few short years a middle of the road team has climbed pretty high in alot of ways and become far more profitable than anyone ever thought it could be.... If profit is the primary motive for these guys like Hicks and McCourt, its not exactly rocket science that in any business you have to go above and beyond to satisfy your customers. If thats done they'll pay you back in spades.. maybe its part of the delicate balance that Simon was talking about, most owners are idiots, there is war in the mideast, and you can never get a hummer just when you want one. It doesnt have to be that way, some of these owners could learn a thing or two if they wanted /end rant

Damn Simon you oughtta be a poet! I dont mind the balance being thrown off a few notches at all, the whole thing is kittywampus to begin with...it would do the world some good..a lot of good for the Cubs to win......besides The Cub hundred year rebuilding program is complete. They always win in years ending in '08. My money is on the Cubs..... you're right dowm near them -are we going to get any spring training stories? I'd latch on this is their year :)

Myself, Im a terrible businessman, but I have been gettin a schoolin from the Red Sox for the last few years of what can be done in baseball by savvy businessmen. For the first time in my life that part of the game has been interesting to me Fenway is still the smallest park in baseball but the owners have figured out how to market the team, and capitalize on a whole slew of fronts. Cable being one of the massive cash cows. You'd think that the Cubs would be doing well. I would think it would be near impossible for the Cubs to lose money, even though they spend a lot, if the management does even a mediocre job. They're the Cubs! They play in Wrigley Field! Is there anything anywhere that is more american? They'd be like dream franchise to own, I think you would have to have advanced special degrees of ineptitude to make it a loser ....when they finally sell, I do hope that they get the right person or group who realizes what they have and makes it what it could and should be. Owners for most of my life were a curse, the last few years with the right guys have been an amazing amount of fun mostly just because they really "get it" welcome back-- hang around or stop in more often will ya?

Thats an honest question, if I wanted christian or spiritual education for myself or my children I would hope that the organization at the very least would be upfront and honorable about its policies, reviews and checks, curriculum--everything.. Even without the bad history --Its highly suspect and just plain a bad idea to entrust these types of decisions to an unproven 24 year old.

thats was my main consideration , although I didnt voice it very well, immediately when I saw the Sowers sight, It seems like a fools errand to attempt again something that has shown by its history to be headed directly to nowhere

My library is going to start getting bigger-Thanks for the head up --both of you-- The little I know of 1908 intrigues me. Amongst the thousands of interesting aspects to the season. I saw this picture of Mordecai"Three Finger" Brown's pitching hand recently that stopped me in my tracks... he went 29-9 with 2 wins in the World Series that year Good Lord.. I cant imagine what his pitches looked like coming into the plate and what they might have done as they apprached the plate with a grip like that.. ...off to amazon....

Maybe I'll pick that book up--it seems like a good thing to read during the 100th anniversary of that season.... I wonder what surprises this '08 will hold...

yea Toms right --time to move on-This could be an endless discussion but Ive heard enough of this for now.... Its 3am--7 hours til P&C-- Its time to :) finally.....Im gonna get to change my signature line soon

well--you'll have to come up here for abit when the dog days come around--Its not quite so ovenlike up here---- Anyone see the Rajah congressional hearings today? --I missed most of it, but I did catch a few moments including Waxman telling Roger to STFU ( in more acceptable language of course) which was priceless. It looked like Roger's head was going to explode

Have they got a logo yet? maybe something like this would work...

Its cold, gray, snowy, sleety, rainy and icey here UGGG---can we please start already?

Today was an unoffical holiday in New England "Truck Day" is the day that the equipment truck is loaded at Fenway and starts the trek to Florida for spring training. Its fairly exciting around these parts, like the fi9rst sign of spring Baseball is finally getting very close. There are about 100 pictures in the papers ---I like this one--nobody seems to know how this got mixed in with the Red Sox stuff--there might have been a little bit of confusion or something( ehh drunkenness maybe...) after the last game that was played and the equipment packed away.. lets play some baseball

There are apparently at least three differences of opinion. At least one Doctor is saying he will never pitch again, another says surgery and he will back by the AllStar Break another one is saying rest and rehab will get him back. He missed about 2 months last year but He pitched well down the stretch and in the playoffs. Apparently the physical before the contract signing looked OK but they dont always tell the whole story. He gets a pass from me (He came to win a World Series here and won two--yea he gets an eternal pass ) but even then still I know if I plunked down 8 million on that arm I would want some say in the matter. Im sure that their is alot of legal and contractual issues inolved as well The RedSox and their team of doctors as of now are going with the rest and rehab route. The management has been very careful and aware with their handling of pitchers for the last several years, much more so than in the past. For the most part it has worked out hopefully this will as well

Yea he was given an extension, there are conflicting reports right now that the Red Sox have tried to nullify the contract. I dont know if that will happen or not or if it is just hearsay. Im leaning toward hearsay Its too bad, I always liked Curt, no matter what anyone thinks of his politics, he was more than talk and put his body and career on the line when it really mattered taking a huge risk in legendary fashion sacrificing himself for the team and has never been the same pitcher since. Whatever happens in all this I wish him well--and a speedy recovery. Do you have a link or quotes I couldnt get past the registration.. The Santana thing is a nonissue. The RS still have 6, maybe 7 starters even without Curt and there are also upwards of 25 free agent pitchers available if needed, never mind another 2 or 3 in AA and AAA There are plenty of contingency plans that could happen in short order that could make up for his innings and 9 wins of last year. Its disappointing. yes, but hardly backbreaking. i would like to see what 'none too kind' things some writer 3000 miles away has to say and whether they are worth heeding or are as substantial as his baseball analysis

200 feet??? wheres that old smiley with his eyes bugging out? That puts the leftfielder basically about 50- 60 feet, if that, behind shortstop. I hope it doesnt screw up anyones swing should be blast to watch though... whats RF ... about 920?

Phineas and Ferb?? :) cool Ive never seen it but I do like cartoons-and I'll definitely watch out for it. Who/what do you draw? my friends grandchildren will be in awe when i tell them...Im gonna watch for them :) I think we need a Phineas and Ferb go to the ballpark episode.... .......the rest of my tickets came in the mail yesterday from the Red Sox, I now have a pretty good stack, ive been fanning them out, gazing on them and generally feeling like a kid who just walked out of the candy store with a dream come true of a whole dollars worth of penny candy.

I have no dog in this fight, Im not catholic Ive just been lurking, but for my two cents I did think it was rude that WhiteDove jumped in obssesing about cannibalism. (That was weirder than any doctrine ) There are plenty of other places to post your views or for you to start an anticatholicism or anticannibalism thread or whatever without being obnoxious about it.. Is that so difficult?

that sounds like some project..anything good? and yes I'll keep the 2x4 ready --in case

I'll send my requests to Baseball Jesus for you Tom. The one great thing about baseball is that no one knows what is going to happen-at this point everyone is even-and anything can happen I remember you were very optimistic last year at this time That had to have been a letdown ---maybe you were just off by a year. Who is going to be the surprise team this year??

Well screw it--the Super Bowl is yesterdays news .. the only thing left to do is show up early for spring training.... Baseball 2008 has begun!