Baseball (the talkin' sport)

[mstar1]

102 days

Time to turn on the hotstove for the winter

who is goin where? Who do you want?

The Red Sox first big signing could be Theo Epstein--he'll be afree agent in about 3 or 4 days

[excathedra]

i enjoyed the world series, well i didn't make it through the 3rd game (neither did mac, tommy)

i love when fans get to see their team make it after all these years

i know houston has never been in it, but i still feel happy about the chicago white sox

is it true they are not superstars individually but as a team that's what really made it happen for them ?

it sounds like they really care and support each other, plus ozzie seems like a great guy

**

simon, i read that the sox are the regular good ol' "joe's" blue collar team and that the cubbies are more of a yuppie team. is that true ? i would have put you as a white sox fan

[Tom Strange]

who is goin where? Who do you want?

umm... we'll take any of the starting pitchers from the final four teams if they don't mind pitching in the heat...

(this message is now in it's 33rd year of being reposted)

[GeorgeStGeorge]

simon, i read that the sox are the regular good ol' "joe's" blue collar team and that the cubbies are more of a yuppie team. is that true ? i would have put you as a white sox fan

The north side of Chicago is more "yuppie," and the south side is more "blue-collar," but it doesn't really translate to the teams. The Cubs and Sox are both pretty "proletariat."

George

[mstar1]

Well Tom, Raf -whoever you may be today

A breakdown free agants of available players by position. This isn't an enclopedic list. i will imagine that there will be alot of trade rumors starting soon as well

1st Base:

Paul Konerko

Euribiel Durazo

Kevin Millar

Daryle Ward

Travis Lee

Jeff Conine

J.T. Snow

2nd Base:

Craig Biggio

Mark Grudzielanek

Tony Graffanino

Miguel Cairo

Damion Easley

Fernando Vina

Shortstop:

Nomar Garciaparra

Rafael Furcal

Alex Gonzalez

Neifi Perez

Jose Vizcaino

Rich Aurilia

Royce Clayton

3rd Base:

Bill Mueller

Joe Randa

Jose Valentin

Jeff Cirillo

Outfield:

Johnny Damon

Hideki Matsui

Brian Giles

Matt Lawton

Preston Wilson

Jacque Jones

Reggie Sanders

Juan Encarnacion

Kenny Lofton

Richard Hidalgo

Jose Cruz Jr

BJ Surhoff

Brian Jordan

Starting Pitchers:

Roger Clemens

AJ Burnett

Matt Morris

Kevin Millwood

Jarrod Washburn

Jeff Weaver

Paul Byrd

Esteban Loiaza

Kenny Rogers

Jamie Moyer

Tony Armas Jr

Brett Tomko

Jason Johnson

Scott Elarton

Relief Pitchers:

BJ Ryan

Trevor Hoffman

Billy Wagner

Kyle Farnsworth

Ugueth Urbina

Mike Timlin

Octavio Dotel

Scott Eyre

Ricardo Rincon

Al Reyes

Julian Tavarez

Tim Worrell

Rudy Seanez

Chris Hammond

Jay Witasick

And EX-that is the first halloween costume that has actually scared me in many moons

[Tom Strange]

It's my halloween costume... I'm dressing up as Jon Lovi... er... Raf!

I'm quite content with our infield (who wouldn't be?)...Lessee now... I'll take me a Jarrod Washburn, an AJ Burnett and a Kevin Millwood... mix 'em in with the youngsters we have and see what happens...

...oh... and if there's a fast, rangy centerfielder out there... although G Matthews Jr did all right this year...

[mstar1]

fast, rangy? sorta Johnny Damonish?

His arm is gone and he has a penchant to run into too many walls--I dont know if he will last out the long contract that he is seeking....

I just happened to find THIS ARTICLE on Al Lopez-who lived to see the White Sox win it all.

Longest ever living Hall of Famer. The last living player to play in the 1920s. The last living catcher to catch Dazzy Vance and Walter Johnson.

The only man to beat Casey Stengel in the American League - he won the AL pennant in 1954 with the Indians, and in 1959 with the White Sox.

Thanks Al

[mstar1]

Im stunned-Theo Epstein resigned about an hour ago...

3 years-3 playoff trips -1 World Championship-- and the boy genius walks away

somebody is going to be lucky somewhere-wherever he lands--it may not even be baseball

meanwhile -this sucks-the dismantling of the Red Sox begins.

Damn, i have walked out of jobs because of 'philosophical differences' before, but can being 30 and getting $1,500,000 a year to run the Boston Red Sox be all that bad?

Edited November 1, 2005 by mstar1

[Tom Strange]

I know what you mean... I'd sure never "walk out" on a job like that... he's gotta have something else cooking... maybe he feels like he's done all he can do there and can't top it... you know how kids are these days... last I heard they had a deal, then WHAM!

His "protoge'" already took another job didn't he?

[mstar1]

Yea Josh Byrnes the asst GM signed with the DBacks about a week ago...Theo is very principalled-i dont think it was about the money, but at perceived disrespect from the CEO Larry Lucchino who leaked a personal story to the press on Sunday, in a sort of typical employer-employee power game.

It couldv'e been that or that although he is a near God around here-the toll being with the Red Sox takes on people due to the constant unending attention and lack of private life.

I don't know what he has cooking --He has said that he would like to do social work like his brother-I personally think he could be the next jr. senator from massachusetts if he goes that route--baseball may or may not be involved in his future. How do you top what he has already accomplished?

He is 30, a Yale grad, a millionaire, the architect of a miracle, and the most eligible bachelor in New England, whatever he does he is going to be good at it.

[excathedra]

Geoff Blum is the 29th player to hit a home run in his first World Series plate appearance. He's the second to do it in extra innings. The other was Dusty Rhodes, who hit a 10th inning walk-off home run to win Game 1 of the 1954 World Series for the New York Giants.

my kid hangs with dusty's grandson, dan rhodes

[mstar1]

Cool--I remember reading about that 1954 HR when I was about 10 and thinking that Dusty Rhodes had to be one of the coolest and most intriguing names i had ever heard

[excathedra]

i'm glad you remember him

[mstar1]

Well seems like the hot stove is starting to warm up--throw another log on the fire--I am almost hesitant to speak before it all officially irons out, But Josh Beckett to the Red Sox sure looks good right about now, although I would have loved to see the incredibly highly touted Hanley Ramirez alittle closer

I heard that the stRangers were in the lead to get him but they hesitated a bit too long, --sorry there Tom

[Tom Strange]

well... the winter meetings are winding down here... and the stRangers keep teasing... oh well...

[mstar1]

Is Hiway still coming around? gotta ask him what he think's of gettin' Grady.

You already know what I think of him.

I ran across THIS ARTICLE

in the LA Times---Bill Plaschke, most often seen making no sense on ESPN, characterizing the signing as “hitting- a late-inning, backdoor slider out of the park.”

Well, we'll see, I'm bettin pretty soon he will have a valid point of comparison as the Grady tenure will give him many chances to see opposing teams hit late inning dingers off of tired starters and poorly selected relievers. But on the upside, you don’t have to worry about the Dodgers getting a situational lefty. To Grady, there are no situations.

He was apparently “canned by weak-kneed Boston officials who bowed to a region of whiny, self-absorbed fans." This management may be manipulative and devious but weak-kneed? Remember to tell that to Nomar and Theo the next you see them. Plaschke does say one thing that makes sense in that he compares Little and Don Zimmer. In my thinking they are similar in that they both reigned over catastrophic collapses, except that Plaschke means it as a complement.

I dunno--- maybe a change of scenery and that California sun will do him some good--but if he stays being the old Grady, managing straight from the gut and on 'intuition' half the time, beware--- because it can get really bizarre and almost absurd--especially in the late innings

[hiway29]

Grady Little. No, I'm not thrilled about Grady Little, but admittedly don't know much about home, except that I thanked him for leaving Pedro in too long in that playoff game a couple years ago. I really don't know his style or personality, but based on mstar's report, I think we're in for some 'fun'. People like Plashke are saying that he got a bum rap in Boston for that one move. They say that Sox fans are bitter and would also say Bill Buckner sucked.

I'm thinking mstar knows what he's talking about.

I was releaved they didn't choose Jim Fregosi though.

The Dodgers will be different if nothing else next year. They just made a deal for Furcal from Atlanta. I guess they couldn't wait for Ceaser Isturis to get off the dl. Isturis is one of their few great strengths at shortstop, now they'll want him to move to second. In order to do that jeff kent will have to move to first. I don't think they discussed it with either player, and if kent doesn't like it, it's going to get ugly.

At least Furcal has a history of dui's and bad attitude, so he'll fit in with Milton Bradley here.

Apparently Bill Mueller (SIC?) likes grady, so the Didgers may pick him up at third, which would be a vast improvement from last year. There's also talk of Soriano from the sTrangers coming,but I'll believe that when I see it. Where they play him is anyones guess, but it's looking more like Cesar isturis won't have a position when he gets back.

Another Marlins firesale. The Mets and Sox jumped all over that. Paul Loduca is following in the Mike Piazza tradition of being wrongly traded by the Dodgers to the marlins, then going to the mets.

[hiway29]

I just read that Soriano is going to the Nationals, so there goes that possibility.

Dodger owner Frank McCourt is still working to create a bizarro world version of the Red Sox. I think Bill Muellar will wind up here, and there's interest in David Wells. There's speculation of a deal for Manny even, but I cannot imagine that happening. Manny to the Angels is more probable if he goes anywhere.

My long shot move is Nomar on the Dodgers-which will prove to be as effective as last year's J D Drew signing.

[mstar1]

Well you already have one ex sox king of the bizarros in Derek Lowe, who imo could be one of the great pitchers in the game if he could maintain a focus.....

I think you would like to watch Bill Mueller, to me he is one of the most underrated guys around. Not flashy, but he is the consummate professional who does the job and all the little things day in and day out. Its too bad he isn't more of a name, but he is just a quiet guy who just goes about his business and does it right. There are a lot of characters, names, personalities, all sorts things you can attribute to major leaguers. Bill Mueller is a 'ballplayer' and a good one, I'd hate to see him go, but it seems to be the nature of the game these days. His only weakness is that his knees are about gone after about a billion surgeries on each one.

My long shot move is Nomar on the Dodgers

I gotta wonder how Nomar is feeling after turning down $60mil afew years ago-I doubt after the last 2 years he will ever see anything like that tossed his way again

that one got by him--- E6

[hiway29]

Bill Muellar sounds almost too good to be true for the Dodgers, who specialize in getting the wrong player at the wrong time.

Derek Lowe is a pitcher I want to get begind, as he has periods of brilliance, but always manages to lose focus, as you said.

[mstar1]

Like I said -the only problem with Mueller is his knees which are just about toast-he still plays through them but he may spend tim eon the DL.

Lowe is funny, He is like that Forrest Gump thing "You never know what you are going to get--- a brilliant 3 hitter with 20 groundball outs? Back to back to back bombs? Pouting on the mound like a 3rd grader? (His body language can be hilarious), or absolute command.

When he wants it and he is confidant he is unstoppable, but if he gets rattled it can take him weeks-months sometimes, to get him back on track...

Well Renteria is off to Atlanta so it looks like the Red Sox are going to have a whole new infield next year.

It still doesnt cease to confound and perplex me how fast things change in this game, of the 2004 World Champ 25, there are already only a handful left and many of those are being mentioned in trade talks--and its only been 14 months.

Edited December 9, 2005 by mstar1

[mstar1]

..Well its now official Bill Mueller is with the Dodgers, I gotta stop and say thank you.

After the playoffs this year he said that It was an honor to wear the uniform, I have to add it was an honor to watch him play the game the way it was meant to be played for last three years-- he is a class act all the way

[hiway29]

Well, now I have a reason to go to Dodger Stadium besides Dodger Dogs and swiftly eroding ambience.

Bill Mueller is the type of player that will elevate the Dodgers, and I am quite happy to welcome him.

[Tom Strange]

and now I hear the BoSox are trying to talk Theo into coming back in "some capacity"....?

Matt Morris has evidently told the stRangers he'll be signing elsewhere (Cardinals or Giants?)... big surprise huh?

[hiway29]

I see Bill Mueller to the Dodgers is not a done deal, and that the Pirates are offering him a better deal.

The Dodgers did pick up Sandy Alomar Jr as a back up catcher-He's only 39 years old, and they needed another catcher with bad knees who can't throw anyone out.