SawxBlog

Red Sox Score High in SI Off-Season Report Card

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Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman has handed out his off-season report cards and the Red Sox were the only team in the American League to receive an 'A' grade for the work they've done thus far. I'm obviously as biased as they come but I'd have to agree with the grading.

The Sox have made their pitching staff the deepest (and youngest) in all of baseball and have filled all holes needed on the team (except for closer). The Daisuke Matsuzaka signing was the best of the off-season especially compared to how much the Giants overpaid for the services of Barry Zito.

Like always, the team will have to gel and prove themselves on the field, but on paper we're looking really deep and talented on both sides of the diamond.

End of an Era: Trot Nixon Signs with Indians

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Today's a sad day for Red Sox Nation as we lose the original dirt dog, Mr. Trot Nixon. Trot has reportedly signed a 1 year deal for $3 million with the Cleveland Indians. This is a day we all knew was coming. If you didn't know 2006 was Trot's swan song with the Red Sox then you haven't been paying attention to how they  do business recently.

Trot was one of a handful of players in the Boston organization that has (had) spent his entire career with the Red Sox. Trot won over fans and myself with his selfless pedal to the floor like reckless abandon on the field. You can never say Trot wasn't trying out there, however, his recent injury record of late coupled together with declining numbers made the end seem very near for Nixon.

I'll miss Trot a ton, and hope he has continued success, just not against the Sox. No one ever wore their hat dirtier or put on their eye black like Trot. He's a throwback that will surely be missed. J.D. has some awful big shoes to fill now...

Red Sox Negotiating Contracts with Wily Mo & Brendan Donnelly

(AP Photos / SawxBlog Montage)

According to Jeff Horrgan of the Boston Herald the Red Sox are in current negotiations with Wily Mo Pena and Brendan Donnelly to settle their contracts for next year instead of going to arbitration. Under Theo Epstein's reign as GM of the Red Sox he's never had a single case go to arbitration and it looks like they're trying to keep it that way. Jed Hoyer is in charge of these negotiations.

Wily Mo is one of the more interesting side stories for the Red Sox this off-season, and from an outsiders view I'm very curious how they're going to be able to get him the 400 at bats the Sox management wants to get him. From what I'm looking at I just don't see any real room for him on the squad, or to at least get that much playing time.

DH is out with David Ortiz, CF is out with Coco Crisp, RF is out with (hopefully) J.D. Drew, and we have Youk over at 1B. I guess Wily can split time with these guys, and they're always the possibility of injury (we're looking at you Drew...), but with Wily Mo not playing regularly and bouncing from position to position I can't see him getting in the true groove he needs to take his game to the next level in Boston.

It's good to have depth, however I wouldn't be shocked to see Pena moved either before, during or just after Spring Training. Plus there's the chance that he'll go all Jay Payton on us during the year and request a trade due to his lack of playing time.

Wily Mo's potential and power is very high, I just don't know if he'll be able to reach it with the Red Sox.

J.D. Drew Contract Negotiations Making Progress

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I'll admit that even for me it's a little hard to write about the Red Sox with the  run the Patriots are making, but there is some good news on what's been (finally) a rather quiet stretch for the Sawx. There's nothing really new to report on Drew, however from Nick Carfardo's piece in the Globe today it looks like sides are progressing just fine with talks.

What seems to be the biggest hold-up with J.D. is the language in the contract relating to medical and legal issues. I'll admit that that's not the most reassuring thing to hear considering the amount of money Drew's contract is going to be worth, but I'm not going to freak out until he starts playing. Call it the Mike Lowell factor. All you heard last year was how much money we were wasting on his 2 year $18 million dollar contract and all homeboy did was produce and play a solid hot corner.

I think Drew's going to flourish in Boston, as a fan I'd just like to see this contract thing in the rear view.

SCREW THE EXPERTS

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We're gonna win the superbowl......period. Look at who we have and how we should have constantly been beaten. It's obvious. Piss off Cali, this was OBVIOUS. Have fun with those excuses.

Fenway Park - Still the Best Ballpark in America

(SawxBlog Photo - Derek Hixon)

Tim Kurkjian has written a great story on Fenway Park over at ESPN, and I highly suggest giving it a read. I hope they never get rid of this gem, it's simply the best.

Read Story Here.

2006 - A SawxBlog Year in Review - Part 5

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November saw Manny trade rumors (surprise) and some guy named Daisuke had his name come up a lot...

• SawxBlog started the month off talking about the infamous gyro pitch, and a Japanese pitcher named Daisuke Matsuzaka who would soon enough dominate the headlines and the imaginations of Red Sox Nation.
• Keith Foulke has it his way and declines his contract option for 2007. Foulke, an integral part of the 2004 World Series Championship team, had a quick fall from grace in Boston. Calling fans Burger King employees and saying you don't even like baseball will do this 10/10 times in the hub.
• The Red Sox shock the baseball world with a $51.1 million dollar bid for Japanese stud pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. That was the easy part, now we had to sign him via $cott Bora$.
• GM Winter Meetings begin with Manny's name all over the place again, and rumors of the Red Sox going aggressively after coveted players.
• One of my all-time favorite Red Sox players, Bill "The Professional" Mueller retires from baseball with a pair of bum knees.
• Alex Gonzalez ends his term with the Red Sox ensuring us that we'll have our 6th starting SS in 5 years.
• Justin Morneau wins the AL MVP. Thank God it wasn't Jeter, Big Papi takes 3rd, and places in the top 5 in voting for the 4th strait year.
• Manny Trade rumors really heat up with Buster Olney saying it may happen by the end of the week on the 28th...thank god it didn't happen....yet :-)
• Sox sign LHP Hideki Okajima from Japan in what looks like a smart economic move.

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December ended the year on a great note, and was Dice-K's month, with some pretty big moves in between.

• The Boston Red Sox get the best news of the off season, Jon Lester is officially cancer-free.
• Boston Makes two power moves and sign Julio Lugo (someone I've been sweating for going on three years) and J.D. Drew. This likely meant an official end to the Trot Nixon era.
• Eric Gagne rumors swirl as a possible closer option for the Sox to pick up, in the end though it's not worth it to the club.
• Theo cements himself even further as a risk taker and a strong GM as he plays a crazy game of poker with $cott Bora$.
• I still sit in waiting room hell and get no Red Sox tickets...
• The Plane ride heard round Red Sox Nation is taken as a rabid fan base watches (literally) their new ace fly to Boston for the first time.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka officially becomes a member of the Red Sox, much rejoicing is had.
• The Sox close the busy month by picking up former Angel Brendan Donnelly to beef up the bullpen.

2006 - A SawxBlog Year in Review - Part 4

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August see the wheels come all the way off.

• V-Tek's goes on the shelf, Javy Lopez comes to the "rescue".
• Red Sox beat D-Rays on "Cowbell Night" in Tampa Bay due to a David Ortiz go-ahead HR in the 8th.
• Sox lose the next night to the D-Rays on a walkoff, which gave the Red Sox 7/10 losses in Tampa. And you wonder why we finished in third.
• Optimism is a tough thing to find in the hub as the Sox drop 4/5 to the D-Rays and Royals. Yikes.
• Guest Poster Dr.J introduces us to the Walk-Off-Beer. Pure genius.
• The Royals sweep the Red Sox, and I thought THAT was going to be the low point of the season.
• Mike Lowell makes one of the best catches of the year. Too bad the voters for Gold Gloves didn't catch how good he and A-Gonz were, they were both robbed of some deserving hardware.
• Manny has a 27 hit streak on the 12th.
• Josh Beckett confuses to confuse RSN.
• Trot gets hurt (shocking!) and the Red Sox acquire Eric Hinske, bet you forgot he was on the team huh?
• I convince myself the Red Sox will take 4/5 in a 5-game Fenway set.
• The Yankees Sweep Red Sox in the worst long weekend ever. I, miraculously, am still breathing.
• Dustin Pedroia makes his first MLB start.

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September has no drama for the first time in a long time.

• The month starts out great as local boy Carlos Pena hits a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th.
• I hate to admit it, but Julian Tavarez is impressing me.
• The Sox are still allowed to play the Orioles so they do get some wins...
• I start focusing on why Big Papi should win the MVP all the while knowing he'll never win the award unless he hits 80 HR's and has 200 RBI.
• The Sox sweep the Yankees in a double header in the Bronx. It still was nice, but def. too late.
• The month officially becomes a David Ortiz watch as he breaks the Red Sox all-time homerun record and ends up with a most impressive 54 long balls.

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October sees us watching other teams play baseball.

• I continue to question why I listen to WEEI, and find solace in the Sox season in Heather Graham.
• Virtually every prediction SawxBlog makes in the playoffs is wrong.
• The Tigers beat the Yankees in the ALDS. Red Sox fans can now officially enjoy the playoffs.
• Cory Lidle dies in a tragic plane crash in NYC.
• The Departed opens in Boston, surprisingly Pedro, Johnny, and Millar are not in the cast.
• John Farrell is hired as the Red Sox new pitching coach.
• The Cards shock the baseball world and win it all. Pretty crazy.
• R.I.P. Red. Boston loses a hero.

2006 - A SawxBlog Year in Review - Part 3

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July we really started to fall...

• The Red Sox last games against the NL were played, so wins were sure to not come easy anymore...
• Jonathan Papelbon, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, & Mark Lorretta get voted into the All-Star game.
• SawxBlog tells you the best way to get Red Sox tickets.
• Big Papi continues his home run tear, hits a grand slam on the 6th against the D-Rays.
• Right before the All-Star break the White Sox beat the Red Sox in a LONG 19 inning game.
• The AL beats the NL again in the All-Star Game.
• A's roll over Sox to start the second half, Boston in first still...barely.
• Will Ferrel does his best Luis Tiant impersonation.
• Jon Lester throws a 1-hit gem against the lowly Royals.
• Hazel Mae extends contract with NESN...thank god.
• Kason Gabbard is now starting for us, and he puts up a fight but...Kason Gabbard is now starting for us.
• Sox lose in Seattle due to a mis-played ball by Coco (no I didn't see that catch he just made) that leads to an inside the park job.
• Schilling picks up his 13th win of the year, only two more will come from him the rest of the year.

2006 - A SawxBlog Year in Review - Part 2

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April, finally some real baseball!

• The Red Sox get the season off on a good foot with a 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers.
• March Madness is one of top three favorite sporting events, so I decided to combine my love of the Red Sox and college hoops and assign some of the best Red Sox of all-time to a team via ranking and see how it played out. And with not too big of a surprise, David Ortiz came out on top over The Rocket.
• Sox gain first sweep of the year against the O's.
• Coco Crisp who was hot in spring and the start of the year breaks his hand in a heads first slide.
• Sox honor the 1946 club as they beat Toronto 5-3 at Fenway's home opener.
• Bronson Arroyo goes up 2-0 on the HR counter against Wily Mo Pena.
• Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett begin the year both at 3-0.
• Mark Loretta hits a walkoff HR over the Monster on Patriots Day. SawxBlog & friends celebrate and watch the marathon from Great Bay in Kenmore.
• Papelbon gets the infamous "Wild Thing" haircut. Completely classic.

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May Day...

• Johnny Damon makes his return to Fenway Park amongst very mixed reviews. This SawxBlogger stood and cheered loud though, for a bit at least ;-)
• On May 9th the Red Sox beat down on the Bronx and defeat the Yankees 14-3 as David Blane almost drowns to death across town.
• Former C.E.O of General Electric Jack Welch helps NESN lose that much more credibility as he becomes the "voice of the fan". Give - Me - A - Break.
• The Red Sox defeat the Orioles for the 13th time in a row.
• Josh Beckett cranks a homerun in Philly, Red Sox completely dominate the NL.
• David Wells comes back from injury oly to take a scorching liner off of the knee.
• Curt Schilling gets the 200th win of his illustrious career.
• SawxBlog officially loses its cool and throws Matt Clement under the bus.
• Mike Lowell is on pace to get about 6,387 doubles on the season.

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June sees a swoon.

• Month starts sour as Beckett gets lit-up and Yankees stomp, 13-5.
• Things start to look a little fishy as David Pauley enters our starting rotation.
• Red Sox take high school CF Jason Place with their first pick of the 2006 Draft.
• I and every other member of Red Sox Nation worship the ground that Jonathan Papelbon walks. This kid was just REAL fun to watch this year.
• Big Papi hits a walk-off against the Rangers.
• On June 15th the Sox 5-7. I use the word rut often.
• The post on June 16th pretty much sums it all up: "I just have nothing to say on this team right now...pathetic."
• Jon Lester gains his first MLB win of his career.
• The Sox realize the best way to get out of a slump is to play the NL.
• Antoine Walker wins an NBA championship with the Miami Heat. I concede that it'll be at least 86 years until the Celtics win  number 17.
• Jon Lester continues to give me hope. I  write this sentance for the first time, "Ladies & Gentleman, Boys & Girls, Welcome to the Jon Lester/Jon Papelbon era."
• SawxBlog meets Red Sox radio announcer Joe Castiglione and the infamous and legendary Bill "The Spaceman" Lee at the The Great Fenway Park Writers Series.
• I begin to wonder if David Ortiz is divine...
• Peter Gammons gives Red Sox Nation and baseball fans around the country a serious scare.
• Fenway Park gives Pedro Martinez the welcome back he deserves, and so do the Red Sox as they pound our former ace.

• Coco Crisp makes "the catch" in CF, one of the best plays of the year.