Reilly, where you been? We need your sarcasm and general sense of despair towards the upcoming season, a season which I will remind you hasn’t even begun yet you seem to know exactly how it’s going to go down even though, while the Sox might be a joke, so is everyone else. Everything okay?
– Rich
Just been busy, but luckily it’s been a slow couple months around 35th Street. Rest assured I appreciate your concern as to the whereabouts of my uninformed, misguided hostility.
Joe Nathan’s injury: great news, or THE GREATEST news?
– Lara
You know, at first I thought this going to be the great equalizer between the Sox and Twins, but the more I think about it the less sure I am that the loss of Nathan alone will close the gap. For starters, while the Twins don’t have a sure-fire way to nail the coffin shut once the ninth inning rolls around, I look at the Sox’ lineup and don’t see a team capable of a lot of run-manufacturing, let alone one that can score when faced with emergency, game-critical situations.
Secondly, this is the Twins we’re talking about. They’re going to trade backup catcher Drew Butera or some similarly anonymous player for a pitcher no one’s ever heard of, give him two months in the Twins’ top-secret Fundamentals Compound up in Deer Creek, and somehow turn him into the second coming of Joe Nathan. And then they’ll turn around and trade the injured Nathan for a prospect who, by 2011, becomes the next great Twins outfielder. Man, I hate those guys.
I don’t understand why you’re so down on Teahen, Kotsay, Jones, and Vizquel. Three of those aren’t nearly as bad as you paint them as, Vizquel knows his role is more as a coach than a player, and Jones, at worst, is only setting the team back $500,000.
– A. Miller
No, they’re not bad (well, Jones has been for a few years now), but they’re nothing special, either. Imagine telling someone you need a sledghammer, and they bring you four fly swatters. How confident would you be in getting the job done? As for Jones’ paycheck, well, it’s not my money and it’s not like the team’s ever going to lower ticket prices, so what do I care what these guys make?
I’ll give you 2:1 odds that Ken “Hawk” Harrelson retires before Omar Vizquel does.
– Sam
Sold!
How do you, Sox blogger, think the Cubs will do?
– cubbo84
Bad, but so what? The Cubs by now have gone from being a running cosmic joke to just another loser team, no better than the Clippers and Lions of the world. That said, I am curious to see what kind of evil Tom Ricketts and Co. have up their sleeve. So far, they’re off to a good start, and I look forward to new ownership’s acts of reverence towards the institutions of North Side baseball. Word has it Ricketts himself is going to dump a half-empty beer on Alfonso Soriano. Tradition, bro.
You tweeted that you think the Sox will trade Gordon Beckham, but not for Adrian Gonzalez. So who are they going to trade him for?
– CT
Either as part of a package for another ace pitcher between now and winter 2012, or for four Yankee prospects plus cash, summer 2014. Believe.
Beckham to the Yankees. Excuse me, I’m going to be sick.
How do I think the Cubs will do? Just like they do every year – be a complete waste of time, have W banners waving in my neck of the woods and more drunk fans who still think that Sammy plays for them.
I’m also sick of seeing in the paper and TV ads Year One. Yes, I know its Year one of new ownership but for God’s sake give it a rest. You blundering Cubbies.
you don’t think nyy can lure pedroia away from boston before then?
Beckham to the Yankees? Are they getting tired of Cano all of a sudden? His .320 BA, 25 hr and 85 rbi in 2009 looked OK to me.
So right about the Twins finding talent when they need it. If they turn Jon Rauch into even a decent closer I have no choice but to burn down their stadium.
No, no, no Andrew, I think Gordon will be with us for a long, long, looooooonggggg time. After PK and MB retire or go to the Cardinals, we’re going to need a Sox-developed face of the franchise to fill the void they both leave. Of recent Sox greats, he reminds me a lot of Robin Ventura, and I have high hopes he will bring us just as many good times over the course of just as many seasons on the Southside as Robin.