| Ivy_Wingo__Guest_ | Hello -- I'm just a bit perplexed at the ease with which the leadoff spot was handed to Lugo this spring. How do his career numbers evidence a guy willing to work the count and get on base, like this braintrust claims to value? I'd like to see Coco get another shot at it, and it might not be too far away. Your thoughts? |
| Gordon_Edes | hey, everyone....welcome to Chat 1
B.D. (one day before Dice-K). Ivy, Lugo has a career .349 OBA in the No. 1 hole. Admittedly, that's not great for a leadoff man, but in this lineup the Sox believe he'll do better. If he doesn't, they obviously have two options--Youks, who was .385 out of the leadoff spot, and Coco |
| Bostondotcom | Welcome Gordon! I wanted to let you all know about a
charity event he'll be hosting in New York City later this month: Join Edes, his special guests, as well as fellow members of Red Sox Nation at the 3rd Gordon Edes and Friends NYC event on Saturday, April 28, from 9 p.m. to midnight at Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant at 18 West 33rd Street in New York City. For more info, go to this web URL:
http://www.jimmyfund.org/eve/event/gordon-edes/default.html |
| Mikey__Guest_ | sox going to get Clemens? |
| Gordon_Edes | John
Henry obviously didn't do anything to discourage that speculation when he told my colleague, Amalie Benjamin, that the Sox would make a strong effort to acquire Rocket, just as they did last year. Could be that they're just trying to drive up the price for the Yanks; could be that Rocket doesn't stray from home, which was his decision last summer, but you know we'll be hearing it till he makes his call sometime in May/early June. |
| Big_D__Guest_ | Gordon. The Red Sox must be on a record pace for having runners thrown out on the basepaths. To possibly avoid some early misplaced anger at the coaching staff, did both players go on their own Monday? |
| Gordon_Edes | Big D, yeah you can't rag on Luis Alicea, the 1B coach, for either Pedroia or Youks trying to take an extra bag. Pedroia's looked bad because he was thrown out by so much, Youks because the Sox were down by so much at that point. Trying too hard to get something going |
| Mom__Guest_ | Please tell the guys that "Mom" will be seeing them tonight on NESN and that I'm waiting to greet them to work on the 10th..Love, "Mom" -- 12th year -- 2007 |
| Gordon_Edes | Mom, you're shrouded in mystery, but I'll pass the word along. I'm sure they'll be happy to hear that |
| RedSoxNational__Guest_ | Do you really think it is a good idea for Dice-K to change his routine at all here in the US? I know the argument that he is pitching in a five many rotation now, but he used to have 200 pitch bullpen sessions the day before and after he pitched in a game. Bobby Valentine (now coaching in Japan) seems to think that the intensive pitching
regimens that are used in Japan are better for the pitcher's arms. Is it wise to adjust his program at all? |
| Gordon_Edes | The Sox have moved pretty cautiously, RSN, in modifying Dice-K's throwing routine. Believe me, they would have gladly eschewed him throwing a 103-pitch bullpen his second time out this spring, and probably weren't doing cartwheels when he was throwing 33 feet in long toss sessions. But they also were mindful of making too many changes too fast. Dice-K himself admits that he's felt a little fatigue in the last couple of weeks of s-t, as he gets adjusted to the new five-man rotation, but that's normal for pitchers to go thru that stage at some point in camp. It'll be interesting to see how much throwing he does during the season. He plans to have his side session three days after he starts, when it's customary for
most pitchers to do it two days in |
| bsoxty09__Guest_ | Gordon do you think the loss on opening day has been blown out of proportion, the way people are writing and acting, you would think the team had been swept, it was one game, 161 to go. |
| Gordon_Edes | Ah, it wouldn't be Boston if people reacted otherwise. The players are used to it. They've lost six out of their last seven openers, and each time there's a sky-is-falling aspect to the coverage. Schill, I understand, is already old and virtually washed up, judging from some reports |
| barb__Guest_ | Gordon: While I certainly don't think that one outing is that
important, don't you think that Curt is, well, a tad overweight and not in the best of shape?. That worries me more. |
| Gordon_Edes | Barb, he's looking a lot better than he did at the start of camp. I was talking this spring to the guy who did Schill's shoulder surgeries when he was with the Phils, and he
says that the extra weight has never been an issue with how he's thrown. He's got one of those arms like David Wells, another body beautiful. Will it catch up w/him because he's older? It could, but I don't think it had anything to do with how he threw Monday |
| Jamie_C__Guest_ | Thanks for the Chat. Gordo. How was Julian Tavarez's simulated start? Are they comfortable letting him be the 5th starting pitcher as if they had a choice? Also Kyle Snyder after that spring when is he gonna see a start float his way? |
| Gordon_Edes | Jamie C, the ballpark wasn't open for us not media types yesterday when Julian threw--not that a simulated game would tell you that much anyway. Julian threw very well in Philly last weekend, inducing three DPs, and deserves first crack at the No. 5 slot off what he did last September. But I think the Sox have a great deal of confidence in Kyle Snyder, who is finally healthy after seven years of arm problems and multiple surgeries. If one of the Big Four goes down, I could easily see Snyder making a spot start. And if Tavarez gets lit up this month, Snyder could get the call |
| mudbugger63__Guest_ | gord, nice to chat with you...inquiring minds wanna know what you are going to do with Manny's grill...? Seriously though, what do you think the chance are of having Jacob Ellsbury called up if Coco Crisp gets off to a poor start?? |
| Gordon_Edes | mb63, you know, i could really use a grill, and the autographed picture of Manny that would come with it, but alas, the BBQ King took off the market. I think the Sox are not going to make the mistake of rushing Ellsbury, who is starting the season in Portland, though I expect him to be in Pawtucket by midseason and in Fenway w/ a September callup. |
| Squiggy__Guest_ | Bud Selig at
$14.5 million...money well spent? |
| Gordon_Edes | It's the old thing, how do you place a value on somebody? Are ballplayers worth $20 million? The people writing the checks are the only ones who can make that decision, and obviously they look at the record revenues that MLB has generated--over $5 billion last season--the new TV deal, labor peace, record attendance--and decided that Bud is doing a helluva job. Can you really argue with them? |
| BillBatts__Guest_ | Any predictions for Dice-K and Beckett for this year? |
| Gordon_Edes | BB, Beckett is my
dark horse to win the Cy Young this season--I think he's on the verge of putting it all together, and he put out a great positive vibe all spring. Dice-K? Every sign points to him being an elite pitcher right out of the chute. He's met every challenge in his career to this point, embraces the big stage, and has a repertoire that most pitchers would die for. It's going to be a great show. |
| homerunharry__Guest_ | What up Gordo. Let's talk defense. Obviously there is going to be a drop off in defense this year, but what's the buzz around the team regarding the lugo/pedroia chemistry? What's the perception on spring returns? |
| Gordon_Edes | the early returns, HR Harry, were positive. They turned a pretty DP on Monday, and while no one can expect this team to put up the kind of record-setting defensive numbers last year's bunch did, they should be OK. |
| druzzi__Guest_ | Hey gordo, you're the man....if Tek brings his bat woes from last year into this season, and the sox cant get any production out of dougie, what are the chances of
acquiring a catcher that can hit (do we have anyone in the works down at Pawtucket)??? |
| Gordon_Edes | Druzzi, the scouts I talked to this spring said there's little in the way of available catching out there, which underscores the astute move Theo made last August when he got George Kottaras from the Padres in the David Wells deal. Kottaras has impressed Sox player development people both at the plate and behind it. He'll be playing every day in Pawtucket. |
| Nomar__Guest_ | Gordon,
here's a 75 mph fastball. What do you think about the bullpen? Clearly the 6th, 7th, and 8th inn. will be an issue. |
| Gordon_Edes | Nomar, thanks for the BP fastball--it definitely is a potential trouble spot. Theo has acknowledged that he's had his troubles putting together an effective middle relief corps, but what makes him feel good about the current crop is that if Donnelly and Romero don't have bounce-back years, Okajima proves overmatched, Pineiro is ill-suited for the role, and Timlin gets old, the Sox have some depth in Pawtucket with Hansen and Delcarmen and Corey, among others. Now, if ALL those things that can go wrong do, the Sox will be in big trouble. Middle relief is a tough thing to predict, but Romero, for example, might come out and show that last season with the Angels was a fluke and he's back to being the tough lefty he was with Minnesota. |
| modifiedbear__Guest_ | Hey Gordon, it's obviously very early but I'm just wondering what the tone in the clubhouse is with this team. It seemed like the team was pretty disillusioned by the end of '06, and didn't really have any Millar type personality to lighten things up. Is this year's bunch just as solemn, or do the new guys like Lugo and Drew really change the club atmosphere? |
| Gordon_Edes | Bear, Drew's got a little Nomar in him--a quiet guy who just likes to go about his business. Lugo is a live wire, and fits right into the bodega with Papi, Manny and Wily Mo. This is a good clubhouse, where Ortiz is the guy who crosses all borders, Lowell is a strong presence, Varitek takes his captaincy seriously, the bench guys accept their roles, and the pitchers are veterans with strong work habits. Chemistry comes with winning; these guys win, we'll be talking about their great chemistry |
| PK38__Guest_ | Are the Sox anxious to get Lester in the rotation? And who loses- Snyder or Tavarez or Romero? |
| Gordon_Edes | pk38, the Sox will proceed carefully with Lester. He's opening the season with the Class A Greenville Drive, and I think they'll wait until he's satisfied any questions they have about his strength and stamina before bringing him up to the bigs. If I had to guess, I'd project early June, but the Sox have been adamant about not going too far down the road with their plans |
| sons_of_jeff_conine__Guest_ | Love your reporting/Inquiring minds want to know/You have haiku skilz? |
| Gordon_Edes | Haiku? As in |
| Gordon_Edes | Blogging pitcher |
| Gordon_Edes | Cranky columnist |
| Gordon_Edes | That is not love |
| Gordon_Edes | in the air |
| Gordon_Edes | I fear |
| Gordon_Edes | Hey, that's the best I can do off the top of my head! |
| soxtalk76__Guest_ | Think the sox win tonight Gordo? |
| Gordon_Edes | ST76, you're not confusing me with Pete Rose, are ya? He sez when he managed he bet on his team to win every night, which makes him both a fibber (he didn't) and a bad gambler. Me, I try to stay away from making nightly predictions. Isn't it bad enough that I picked the Sox to beat the Dodgers in the WS? How much credibility does THAT have? |
| timmywin__Guest_ | Hey Gordon, Is Coco's head in the right place or has being under the Red Sox Nation microscope gotten to him and especially after last year? |
| Gordon_Edes | Timmywin, that's a good question. You read Coco's "I don't care if people think I suck," comment, which came across sounding pretty defensive. About the worst thing that can happen to a new player when he changes teams is to get hurt right off the bat, leaving him in the position of coming into a second year needing to prove himself. Coco's not dumb. The Sox have dropped him to the 8-hole in the order, they have a top young CF prospect in Jacoby Ellsbury coming up the ladder, and guys like Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter and Ichiro could be out there as FAs this winter. He knows there's pressure to deliver. And if he decides to play with a little chip on his shoulder, that may be a good thing |
| thegreenmonster__Guest_ | Hi Gordon. I appreciated Amalie Benjamin's email exchange with John Henry. Henry made it pretty clear that there is active engagement around bringing Roger Clemens back to Boston. Do you have any insight as to what Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino are up to? Thanks. |
| Gordon_Edes | tgm, Tom Werner famously put together a video last year that made a strong emotional appeal to Roger to come back and finish his career in the place where it all began. I suspect TW will put his Hollywood skills to use in some fashion again this summer. LL, meanwhile, almost certainly has the Hendricks brothers on speed dial. The last thing the Sox want is for Roger to go back to the Bombers. |
| redsoxfan34__Guest_ | Hey Gordo, why are so many people worrying about Schill. It was his first start I promise Schill will win 17 games and an era of 3.43. What do you think? |
| Gordon_Edes | Rsf34, I sure didn't see any reasons to worry about Schill while we were in Florida. Now, if he pitches the same way in his next couple of starts as he did Monday, then maybe we should have a conversation, but I just don't see that happening. But I'm not as bold as you to put a number on how many games he'll win, and I think your ERA projection may be on the low side. |
| Christopher__Guest_ | G-Money, what is the most bizarre thing you have observed related to the build-up of Dice-K's first start? |
| Gordon_Edes | You mean, other than Sox PR man John Blake passing out written instructions on how to commit hara-kari to all members of the media, both on the U.S. and Japanese side? I guess what has struck me is how Daisuke has made the bizarre seem almost normal--in other words, he's just taken all the intense attention he gets in stride. |
| JenSully__Guest_ | Hello!! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to entertain a bunch of Red Sox fans!! Who is going to pitch on opening day? If you look at the rotation, it should be Beckett, but I saw an article on Red Sox.com saying that Daisuke is scheduled to take the mound on the 10th. Was this a misprint or what? Thanks! |
| Gordon_Edes | JenSull, Beckett is in line to pitch the opener. It will be his turn. Dice-K tomorrow, Wake Friday, Schill Saturday, back to Beckett, who goes tonight, on Tuesday. Dice-K is scheduled to go on Wednesday. That's the 11th, right? |
| dawgpound__Guest_ | Gordon, Everyone seems to give Wake a free pass. While he's been a great team player for many years now and is a valuable innings eater, I just don't expect much when he goes out there anymore. At what point does an inning eater lose his value as the results dropoff? |
| Gordon_Edes | dp,
I'm not sure I understand why you're down on Wake. The two months he missed last season deprived the Sox of a guy they could count on to pitch six, seven innings almost every time out. He's two years removed from a 16-win, 4.15 ERA season, and knuckleballers have shown a knack for winning into their 40s. Charlie Hough won 67 games after turning 40. I think as a backend of the rotation starter, Wake still retains considerable value. |
| CeeDee__Guest_ | Will there be enough room in the press box at Fenway for all the new Japanese media people? Will you have to get to work early to get a good seat? |
| Gordon_Edes | CD, while it's always a good idea to get there early, the Sox have blown out the room behind the press box to create more room for my Japanese colleagues. And on that note, I'm going to say thanks, adios, and I'll be in touch. Please check out my charity event in NYC as well. Thanks, everybody. ge |
| Bostondotcom | Thanks Gordon! For more information on his NYC event, go to -- http://www.jimmyfund.org/eve/event/gordon-edes/default.html |
