SawxBlog

You Be the Judge, Coco Crisp or Troll?

Greatest...picture...ever... (SawxBlog Montage)

The 2004 hair squad is getting mighty worried right about now....2008 is brining it, and brining it hard.

JOY!!! Manny Speaks to Media, Life is Good, Wants to Play with Red Sox for Life

You heard is here first, Manny Ramirez, 2008 MVP. (AP Photo)

Being a Red Sox fan, one of my all-time favorite events over the past few seasons is when Manny Ramirez decides to speak with the media. Let it be know that I absolutely love this guy, and think that he's fun to watch not only because of his extraordinary ability as a baseball player, but also because, like him or not, homeboy makes things interesting out there.

The fact that Manny showing up to camp on time is a story is funny beyond belief, but man, how focused is Ramirez heading into this year? Manny's been busing his ass in the off season over at API, and he just seems to be a man on a mission. Remember Manny was hotter then a pistol in the playoffs last year (remember those infamous jazz hands?), and he was talking then too. Unfortunately he wasn't saying how bad of a man he is this time around, but any Manny's good Manny in my book.

Highlights and quotes are located below:

"I want to finish my career here, but it's up to them. So if that doesn't happen, hey, I'll go and play somewhere else. I know I still can play. What else can I say? It's up to them. I'm not the one who writes the checks."

"I'm not making any statement, I feel great, man. I'm looking forward for '08 and '09 and I did my work like I always do every year and I'm excited to be here."

There's bound to be more Manny to come in the near and I for one can't wait.

There's Something in "Hair" for Red Sox down in Fort Myers, FL

Things are starting to get a little "hairy" for the Sox in '08. (SawxBlog Montage)

The Boston Red Sox have their spring training now rolling in full gear with all players on time and accounted for, however what isn't currently accounted for is all the players choice of, or lack there of, a barber. It looks early on that the Sox of 2008 may be able to rival the Sox of 2004 in the hair category. I'd give them 5-1 odds.

Manny's taking his predator hair style to a complete new level and pretty soon you won't be able read the #24 on the back of his jersey. Dice-K has one of those weird frosted Asian mullet hair cuts that is completely weird and cool all in one breath. Such are the Japanese though, both weird and cool. And it looks like Ortiz is trying a hybrid hairdo that is part Manny, part Pedro, and part Coco. Speaking of Coco, I GUARANTEE he's traded before the start of the season now, especially on the heals of his "Mega-Media Central" comments about Boston. That pretty much shows me, and I hope our management, that he's never been completely comfortable here, and he may not entirely have the stones to be a Boston Red Sox.

Then there's the white boys on the team who seem to subscribe to the same haircut regimen I unfortunately subscribe to, which is SuperCuts. Absolutely no creativity on their end, except that is, for their repeated and awful choice of facial hair (YYYYYOOOOOUUUUKKK excluded there of course). V-Tek still has his military flat-top, Beckett looks like he just rolled out of bed, and Lowell has the thinnest sideburns in the history of sideburns. And fellahs, stop it with the goatees (not you Youk, you're cool), those were deaded back in the late 90's.

Alright, well I did it, an entire post on hair....feeling quite embarrassed right now. I'm going to have to go watch a demolition derby while changing my oil and eating chicken wings or something. Sorry about that guys, won't happen again.

Forget Obama or Hillary, Jacoby or Coco?

Jacoby saving souls one taco at a time. (AP Photo)

Aside from Curt Schilling speaking out against management there's probably really only two or three stories that are really worth noting, and atop that list is who is going to be the every day starter for the Red Sox in center field. It's clear now that Jacoby Ellsbury has endeared himself to Red Sox fans, and he seems to be the favorite to leave Fort Myers with the starting job.

Although Coco's never truly come around with his bat in Boston, he's most certainly played some brilliant defense in center and his efforts there would surely be missed. Yes, Jacoby has all the tools to be just as good as Coco has been in the field, but I wouldn't say he's there yet. Also, Jacoby played some amazing ball for the Sox in a couple month span, but could he produce at a level like that consistently? I don't think so. We're looking at such a small sample set that we may be expecting too much, and Ellsbury may become a victim of his own success. Good problems for the kid to have tright now though.

If I had to bet, I'd say that we trade Coco for some bullpen help, and have Jacoby starting in center by Opening Day. I honeslty can't see the Sox leaving this one loose end hanging around while all other ships appear to be in order. Should be a fun plot line to watch develop though,  and I gurantee you that the Sox are hoping Crisp tears it up this spring so that his stock and trading value will rise.

• Boston Herald: No doubt, Ellsbury’s in CF
• Boston Globe: Central Casting

Jacoby Ellsbury at Camp, in Vogue, But Is He Starting in CF?

Lades and Gentleman, the future is now. (Photo: Richard Phibbs)

Not Only is Jacoby Ellsbury officially down in Fort Meyers now, but he also officially has his own write-up in Men’s Vogue. The almost World Series MVP young stud of a CF has a very bright future ahead of him in Boston, and may reach a level of popularity last touched on by Namah. Glad he still is sportin' that 'B'.

Click Here to Read Men’s Vogue Article on Jacoby Ellsbury

The question of if he's starting or not still remains, however Jacoby's saying all the right things. One thing I know for sure is not to expect too many Red Sox Nation Coco Crisp commercials on NESN, still the below picture never gets old for the extreme level of its absurdity and weirdness.

Andy Pettitte apologizes for his HGH use but......

Andy Pettitte apologizes to the media yesterday - (SawxBlog Illustration / Junkees Logo - Ji Lee)

Andy Pettitte Apologizes for his HGH use but...I don't know, I'm haven't 100% bought into this whole "Andy's such a great guy" story that everybody seems to be spinning. Andy Pettitte's a million times more of a better guy then Roger Clemens, but seriously, how much is that actually saying? That's like saying someone's more credible then Brian McNamee, may be true, but doesn't say much for the person.

First off, Pettitte saying he didn't use HGH to gain a competitive advantage is such a large load of horse crap that it make me gag, especially because of his being on the the Yankees, and seeing the backlash of such high profile steroid users such as Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield. He knew better then anyone the public outrage that results from the use of HGH, and well, that using HGH was wrong, there's really no way around that. By trying to recover faster from an injury aren't you trying to get your competitive advantage back? That's like me being really hungover and playing scrabble awhile using a dictionary to get my words, I'm not trying to get an advantage, it's just my brain hurts so I'm only going to use it to get to the exact level that I'd be at if I wasn't hungover. OK, I'm sure I lost some of you there, but you get my point.

Also, Pettitte isn't the Honest Abe he's being made to look like either. It took something like three times for the government to get the complete and true story out of him, so "nice guy" Andy wasn't really being all that honest or upfront. The fact that he came clean doesn't justify him getting a medal or any accolades either, it's just what he should have done from the very start.

I think Pettitte's use of HGH (and honesty) is being overlooked because of the absurdity Clemens is bringing down upon himself. I mean anything will look more appealing when it's sitting next to a steaming pile of shit. And this is not any Red Sox bias coming from me, if this were a Sox player (say that clown Gagme) I still wouldn't be happy, and I'd expect them to come clean, be honest, and move on. That's why although I think Giambi's a tool bag, I respect that when the crap hit the fan he played ball and was honest, and it's the route Pettitte's now taking, it just kills me how people feel the need to pre-face a sentance about Andy Pettitte by saying he's a nice guy. Your past makes up who you are today, and nice or not, HGH is forever a part of Andy Pettitte.

Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Tejada, and Andy Pettitte = Steroid Users.

If you dig the "Junkees" logo above please visit Ji Lee's site and get yourself a T-Shirt.

Curt Schilling Breaks Silence, Talks Shoulder, & More

Saint Schilling may be wearing the horns this spring. (NESN Screenshot)

Red Sox Nation can all breathe a large and collective sigh of relief, just when you thought all was going too good and tranquil with the Red Sox down in Fort Myers, along comes Curt Schilling to stir the pot up a bit. Schilling, never one to be shy to talk with the media, has been quiet as a mouse since it was learned that he had a shoulder that was more trashed then Paris Hilton in Vegas on a Saturday night at three in the morning. But alas, Schilling speaks, and it sounds as if he's butting heads with management in the political way Schilling does best.

Curt hand picked the reporters he talked with, which is a little suspect, and from there gave a "woe is me", "what's a guy to do" type approach. Now let me be forthcoming, I thought that resigning Schilling in the first place was a bad move given his age (and thought there were wiser ways to invest $8 million), and secondly I find it inexcusable the the Red Sox medical staff didn't see anything wrong with the shoulder when examining the former ace. But come on Curt, why do you have to speak out in this manner?

You're agreeing to disagree with the Red Sox as you want surgery (which would certainly end your season) and they want you to rehab. The only difference is that you look like you're dragging and whining like a spoiled brat right now. Curt, this is now definitely your last season with the Red Sox, and maybe in your career, so no, for $8 million freaking dollars having surgery to end your season is not an option. Yeah, maybe you only have a 10% chance of rehabbing your shoulder and coming back to pitch for the Sox in 2008, but 10% is 100% more then 0%. So suck it up big guy.

You've had a great career Curt, and a phenomenal stay in Boston, better then any Red Sox fan could ever dreamed, so if this is how it ends, then try and show a little class and be gracious about it, because in the end, I root for the Red Sox, and if you're going to be a distraction to the team, then this is all detrimental. Rehab to the best of your ability, teach the young kids the right way to prepare and approach the game, and be a Boston Red Sox, not a Curt Schilling, that's what I'm looking for.

Either way, these Spring issues always seem bigger then they are in hindsight, and this will pass over, I just wish Schilling would take a little higher road on this.

Click below to view the interview:

Player to Watch in Spring Training: Justin Masterson

Masterson gets ready for the 2008 season down in Florida. (AP Photo)

One thing that the Red Sox don't have a shortage of, thankfully, is good live young arms. Even the most casual of fans have become familiar with the names of Papelbon, Lester, Buchholz, Delcarmen, and even to a lesser extent Craig Hansen. Due in part to the overwhelmingly large and swift success of three of the previously mentioned names Justin Masterson has quietly been given the ability to develop and grow in our minor league system, and he's steadily climbed in numerous prospect lists over the past few seasons.

You may have heard Masterson's name mentioned numerous times over the winter as he was consistently mentioned in packages for Johan Santana. As we all know the Mets ended up obtaining Santana, and in retrospect, this may end up being a blessing in disguise for the Red Sox, as we were able to keep all of our young talent.

Masterson split his time in 2007 between single A and double AA where he pitched a total of 153.2 innings and had a pretty decent K to BB ratio. He struckout 115 and walked only 40 with a combined ERA of 4.335 and a record of 12-8. I really think that entering his third year playing professional baseball we'll really start to see Masterson take a large step into becoming a major league ballplayer, and think his spring performance will be very intriguing to watch. I'm sure he'd love to start in AAA Pawtucket, and think he could pitch his way onto that team.

Over at MinorLeaugeBall.com Masterson is ranked #6 in the Sox system, and is ranked #4 over at SoxProspects.com. From reading up on Justin, he seems to have a strong work ethic to go along with a solid character. His fastball can reach the mid-90's and has decent slider to boot. He's currently starting but most likely would convert to a reliever at the big league level. His development of a change-up could help his cause on all levels.

Don't expect Masterson to be pitching for the Red Sox in October, however I wouldn't be surprised if he finally gets his major league debut this year. It's a crowded land for pitchers on the Red Sox, but in the end performance outweighs everything, and I expect Masterson to continue to do that.

Look for him to have a strong spring, call it a hunch on my part.

SawxBlog Sunday Red Sox Links

Josh Beckett Digs the Sunday Links - (SawxBlog Illustration)

Now that Spring Training is fully upon us I thought what better time to bring back the SawxBlog Sunday Red Sox Links. So grab a cup of coffee and warm up next to your laptop, as we'll be taking you through the best of the web on your lazy Sunday. Enjoy!

Boston Globe:
A journey from cancer to champion for Sox' Lester
"I don't want the attention for that," he said. "I want the attention for what I do on the field, good or bad. For me, I guess, because I'm new at this situation, it's almost embarrassing to be out in public and someone comes up to you and says, 'My mother had the same thing you did.' What do you say? I don't know what to say to make them feel better about their situation.

A mound of questions for Schilling
Three months later, after Schill has been seen shaking hands with politicians, wearing his Tedy Bruschi jersey to Patriots games, and cutting ribbons at just about every supermarket opening in New England, the big lug can't throw a baseball across the infield.

Boston Herald
Youk’s good as Gold
Youkilis has committed to taking one day at a time. For 135 games at first base during the regular season last year the approach didn’t yield one error. As of yesterday, which was still four days before he had to be in camp, there was no plan to change.

Plot lines spring up: As preparations for the 2008 season get under way, five stories to watch
And so, as pitchers and catchers trickled into camps throughout Florida and Arizona last week, the questions began: Can the Red Sox repeat? Were the Colorado Rockies for real? Can the New York Mets bounce back? Most every major league camp has a prevailing theme as preparations for the 2008 season earnestly get under way, though the focus will inevitably change as the spring progresses.

Red Sox dot com
For captain Varitek, it's full speed ahead
Varitek is a rock behind the plate, and has been since 1999. He's confident that there are more years of production in his future, and his hope remains that they all come with Boston, the franchise for which he's played all 1,199 of his Major League games.

Mirabelli relishing role with Red Sox
Mirabelli, 37, is most associated with being Tim Wakefield's personal catcher. But ask Varitek and manager Terry Francona and they say his value goes far beyond his ability to catch a knuckleball.

When the going gets slow write about Tim Wakefield

It's been all smiles for Wakefield and the Sox thus far. (AP Photo)

I still feel like the collective whole of Red Sox Nation, the fans, players, and media alike are a little taken aback by how...well, chill everything seems to be so far down in Fort Myers. It seems like ever since 2003 drama has been around almost every turn for the local nine. Knowing the Red Sox, and the now high profile status they hold as a franchise, this is likely just the calm before the storm, and I'm sure there'll be a fair share of controversies and things ending in the word "gate" before all is said and done. But for now I'm enjoying this calm, and I'm also enjoying a player and man who always seems to be flying just underneath the radar, and that player is Tim Wakefield.

There's two nice write-ups on Wakefield on this Saturday over at Red Sox dot com, and Boston dot com, they're noted below.

• Wakefield's passion never stronger
• Pain in his past

Tim Wakefield has steadily been one of the most steadfast and consistent members EVER to play for the Boston Red Sox. He's entering his 14th season with the Red Sox, and there isn't a player on the team who respects the uniform or name of the Boston Red Sox as much as Tim Wakefield. It seems rather fitting that the longest tenured Red Sox is somewhat of a baseball anomaly in the fact that he's a knuckleball pitcher. Longtime Red Sox fans, and I think Boston fans in general, have always seemed eager to embrace and love the quirky. From Nomar's once holy and revered batting glove ritual to the large love disposed upon the ever ugly '86 Celtics, we seem to embrace the slightly askew.

Wakefield has held every position a pitcher could have for the Red Sox, from closer, to set-up man, to long reliever, to starter he's done it all. And he's done it with a selflessness that is truly admirable. From eating major innings in the 2004 ALCS during the 19-8 Game 3 loss, to sitting out the World Series last year, Wakefield has always put the team before his ego, and that's a rare thing to find in this modern age of sports.

So it's rather fitting then that once again with Schilling heading to the shelf, and the certain uncertainty of our younger pitchers, that we have Mr. Ol' Reliable, Timmy Knuckleball, ready to give you a consistent effort, and a different look. I'd say his only downfall is that Mirabelli has to catch for him, who in the end, owes a lot of his MLB career to Mr. Wakefield. And us as Boston fans owe it to Tim to give him the loudest of cheers when he receives his second ring on opening day, the ol' workhorse deserves it.