Tag Archives: Johan Santana

July 10, 2012 · 6:33 AM

The Break

The Red Sox season has taken a merciful break. The wrapped up the first half limping to a .500 finish while dropping three of four to the Yankees over the weekend. They currently sit 9.5 games out of first place and in last place in the AL East.

Where do they go from here?

Well, the fans don’t think very far according to a poll over on ESPN.com. I have to agree.

Take out the likeness factor that I’ve talked about for most of the year and even back to last year. We know we don’t like this incarnation of the Red Sox. But it’s about the name on the front as my buddy Matty says.

The team is set to get back Buchholz (upset tummy), Crawford (Sally wrist), and Ellsbury (longest shoulder injury ever). In theory that would upgrade any team in a minute. But let’s look at it a little closer.

Buchholz is actually having the worst season of the “big three” in the rotation. His ERA is currently the 6th worse in the AL. So getting him back from the DL on an upset tummy, not really a good thing. If they said something was off on his mechanics and he needed to work it out, you’d feel so much better than an upset tummy.

Crawford has already said he’ll need surgery after the season. Don’t do us any favors Carl. You just go have it now. Your anemic .220 batting average can find its way back to the lineup next year. We’re in no rush to see you.

Finally Ellsbury and his shoulder. After his MVP like season last year, we really hoped he’d gotten over his sandyvagititus. He hasn’t. With Boras coaching him along to stay on the DL, his potential will never be realized. Hall of Famers are Hall of Famers because they put up those MVP type seasons every year. They don’t sit out half a season with an ouchie. Jacoby will never be the player he could be because he refuses to toughen up.

So think back to the Johan Santana for Ellsbury and Lester trade that was offered a couple years back. You’d pull the trigger on it today right? I mean for all that Santana was hurt in NY, Ellsbury was hurt up here. Lester has become mediocre almost overnight. It’s sad.

So I’m in the belief of a team that will possibly finish below .500. Sure they may get over .500 a few more times but I think last September will repeat itself. So again, I hope they blow it up. Start trading guys. Ellsbury, Beckett, Matzucrappa, even Lester. Watching the young guys play .500 baseball beats the shit out of watching these multi-year millionaire contracted assholes on the field.

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May 19, 2008 · 10:09 PM

No Hit Lester

I got a text message in the fourth inning when Ellsbury made an amazing diving catch asking if fantasy points were available for great catches. Well it turns out that catch ended up saving a no hitter for the Red Sox and John Lester.

You’d think it wouldn’t get much better than being the winning pitcher in a World Series clinching game but you have to think this would rank right up there. When this guy is on (like the game against Halladay and the Blue Jays) and throwing first pitch strikes, he’s nasty. It’s no wonder Peter Gammons said that John Lester had such good stuff he’s be an overall better pitcher than Jonathan Papelbon.

Lester the first left hander to throw a no-hitter for the Sox since the 1956. Jason Varitek became the first catcher in major league history to be the backstop for four different no hitters.

To say that this was an incredible game is a huge understatement. With all that’s happened in his personal life, coming back from cancer, this is truly one of the greatest stories in sports.

This is a guy that the entire off-season was rumored to be a key component in a trade for Johan Santana and to see this happen is the ultimate “F-YOU” to not only the Twins for passing up on the deal but to all the fans that said the Sox brass was stupid for not making the deal happen.

So now the Red Sox fourth (Lester) and fifth (Buchholz) starters have no-no’s under their belts. How great does this staff look now, not only for this year but for years to come? I say awesome.

Just an absolutely great night at Fenway. If only there wasn’t a retard with a mouth full of spit and half a functional mouth asking questions at his press conference. It can’t be perfect. But tonight was as close as you get.

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February 7, 2008 · 9:44 PM

WTF?

schilling.jpg

Well, the Sox didn’t get Johan Santana. You mad? I’m not now that the news that Mr. 38 Potato Pancakes (pictured above looking pretty not straight) has a torn rotator cuff and could miss some serious time.  By serious, I’m talking July.

So, as it stands to start the season, you’re going to go with a rotation of:
Beckett
Dice-K
Wake
Lester
Buchholz

Are you scared with that? I won’t lie, I’m a little worried, not outright scared. The rookie in the rotation is a red flag but I think Tek is that good as a catcher that if rookie boy listens, he should be fine.

You also have Tavaraz as an insurance clause should anyone get hurt.So, I’m thinking you deal Coco to Oakland (who Peter Gammons says loves Coco) for a solid long relief man/ 4th or 5th starter. He’s not good enough to net you a front line guy, but the scouting department is good enough to snag us a decent guy for Coco.

If anything, the next few weeks should be interesting. The last thing our psyche needed was a blow, especially after Sunday, but post bloody sock Schill’s been hurt for long periods of time. Great if we can get him back from the stretch run, better if we get 2004 Curt Schilling for that run and even better than that if the Sox can recoup some of that $8Million.

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November 29, 2007 · 9:52 AM

Santana Bidding Begins

santana

You are bidding on a 28 year old stud, left handed pitcher that will anchor your rotation for the next 5-6 years. Johan has pitched at least 200 innings every year since 2004, started at least 33 games per season over that same stretch and had at least 235 K’s in each of those seasons. He’s won two Cy Young awards and picked up a Golden Glove this year.

Now here’s the catch. Johan has one year left on his current deal with the Twinkies and the asking price is going to be very high. Besides high level prospects, the team that trades for him will be looking at an extension in the range of at least five years $100 Million, but he could command even more than that on the open market. Now, at Fenway in his career he’s had 3 starts (4 appearances) and an ERA north of six. He’s also 1-4 in the postseason in his career.

Now I’m not trying to diminish his accomplishments as a pitcher, he’s an ace and with him and Beckett at the front of the rotation this team would be unstoppable for the next five years. But is the asking price too much? I think that if it were as simple as Coco, Lester or Buchholz, and a “B” level prospect, then I would pull the trigger. If it becomes a situation that they want Jacoby instead of Coco then I’m more hesitant to pull the trigger.

jacoby

I know that we’ve only had a half a season and a wonderful post season with Jacoby but I think this kid is the real deal and would like to see him stick around, opposed to Coco who is owed $11 Million over the next two years and hits like a bag of crap. Jacoby, in his limited time with the Sox (116 AB’s in 33 games) batted .353 with an OBP of .394. He had 3 HR’s, 7 doubles and a triple to go along with his 18 RBI’s and 9 stolen bases (never caught stealing). This kid is electric; he makes things happen on the bases and we’d be crazy to let him go regardless of the elite-ness of the player in return.

 So you know where I stand. What would you give up for Santana? Let’s hear it in the comments section

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