Red Sox Bloopers...

Every year during spring training all baseball players tape their promotional video ads and voice overs. I recently came across this video of this year's performance from the Sox.....It's really hard not to like these guys, they may not be the "idiots" of 03/04', but you've still got to love them....especially Dusty, who never lets us down in the "you're hilariously insane" department. Definitely worth a look below....

Pray that it doesn't rain on Monday as opening day can't get here soon enough....plus I helped plan an entire office party surrounding the afternoon game and would be screwed if they don't get it in.....I should probably start working on a contingency plan now...Go Sox.

Yankees Rotation Set, Joba Questions Remain

Just as the Sox shored up their starting rotation sending Clay Buchholz down to Pawtucket this week, the Yankees made a similarly expected move with Phil Hughes. It wasn't much of a spring competition, but any doubts about where Joba will start the season now appear to be answered. The Yankees opening 5 will be, in order of appearance, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettite, and Joba Chamberlain.

Not bad, but that doesn't mean the questions aren't still swirling around Joba, who had his first encouraging start of the spring only yesterday. Joba went 5 and 1/3, throwing 87 pitches, 53 for strikes.

More important, though, was the increased velocity. Yesterday, he was generally in the 90-96 range, working his way up as the innings went on, but losing his accuracy before getting bounced in the fifth. This is a significant improvement over the majority of the spring, when he has generously been clocked in the high 80's, only occasionally breaking 90. But, scouts watching the game still had their questions about arm strength. Granted it's March, but word was he got noticeably tired after 65-70 pitches. The Yankees are reportedly going to limit him to 140 innings over the season.

The rest of the staff has looked strong throughout the spring. Wang hasn't been his usual efficient self in each start, but there doesn't seem to be too much concern. Pettitte has had his usual outings and will likely be a very strong 4th starter. All in all, the Yankees are optimistic about their rotation, even if some within the organization are still questioning whether Joba belongs in the rotation, rather than the pen. That move might still not be foreclosed, as Hughes had some encouraging spots this spring and looks like he could fill in as a good option in the 5th position.

The question remains, though: with Joba's velocity and arm stregth in question, Wang battling back to form, and injuries still a concern for AJ Burnett (nevermind the aging Pettitte, how does this rotation stack up against the Rays and Sox? Every sports writer in NY seems to have accepted the company line that the Yankees have the premier rotation in the league, but so far I'm just not seeing it. Time will tell.

Further note---Melky has lost his spot in center. That guy just can't buy a break.

Make room for Rocco

Rocco Balldelli hit another tater today....that's back to back days with a homerun against lefty pitching...but perhaps more importantly, it's back to back days just having Rocco in the lineup.

Many people hear his name and quickly follow it jokingly with a yawn or fake limp, but not me, I'm somehow optimistic that my Rhody buddy can provide the Sox with a solid option off the bench in PH situations....and also fill in nicely when JD Drew inevitibly suffers from back problems or a hang nail. This could be blind optimism seeing how he's only hitting .194 this spring, but he openly admits to always having bad preseasons...

.....“No. I usually don’t hit tremendously well in spring training. Feels like I forget how to hit in the offseason, and then it takes me a little while when I get back. But it’s not something I’ve ever really worried about or pressed too much when trying to get ready for the season. I don’t know how many AB’s I’ve got, but I think I’ll be ready to go … I don’t hit that many home runs. I just try to hit the ball, that’s all I really try to do. I don’t really get caught up in that other stuff.”

Additional thoughts from Rocco....

In regards to his overall health/strength: "Better than they did last spring – but I didn’t make it through last spring training , so that’s not really saying much.” Awesome, thanks for the insight Rocco.

Overall: “I mean, I feel alright. I could always be seeing the ball better, making more hard contact consistently. But I feel pretty good, and I’m happy with how spring training is going so far.”

Sure he's an Italian from Rhode Island so that automatically increases his stock in my book, but something about the guy makes me want to see him succeed. I feel like he's been in the league forever, yet he's only 27 years old....if healthy, his best years could still be ahead of him (could being the key word there). I want to be the guy who says "I called it" when Rocco has a productive year, I really do....not only so I can tell everyone about it, but so the Sox get some reward out of their investment in the former Ray.

Rocco appeaers to be a normal, everyday guy who plays the game right, but injuries have put him on the back burner of everyone's mind. However, between being in a big market, and finally getting healthy, this is the year Rocco makes a "partial comeback"...I'm calling it. Don't let me down Rocco, don't you dare let me down....and make sure to stretch before and after all activity.

What to do about Buchholz....

Clay Buchholz has done everything right this spring. He's been lights out on the mound to the tune of a 0.45 era, he's worked hard both mentally and physically to get past the nightmare that was last season, and he's played well with the media, answering each question with Patriot-like responses focused on the greater good. So the queation becomes, what do you do with the 24 year old?

Buchholz (outside of my boy Daniel Bard), has been the most impressive arm for the Sox this spring. He's put in the time at the gym and on a shrink's couch to prepare himself for a successul run at the big leagues. But simply put, the red sox, right now, don't need him in Boston. With Brad Penny most likely in the 5 hole and Smoltz showing signs he'llbe back sooner than later, Buchholz, through no fault of his own, appears to be the odd man out. Which immediatley brings up the topic of value. Save for just after he tossed a no hitter, Clay's value has never been higher, and some in Red Sox Nation think it's time to maximize that value via a trade for a young catcher or perhaps even more.

If I'm Theo, (which would be awesome) I surely explore theopportunity, but the old saying still holds true...you can never have enough pitching. So unless they can somehow land Hanley (with additional specs obviously), Buchholz should spend a significant amount of time in Pawtucket (which is beautiful this time of year), continue to build his physical and mental confidence, and look forward to a bright future pitching at Fenway...which could be sooner than later based on injuries and needs. Buchholz needs to build consistency and efficiency on the mound, something that shouldn't be tested underthe Fenway lights until we're absolutley sure he's ready.

All that said, I want to hear other opinions on this topic, anyone believe we should deal him at a high value for someone like Salty orTeagarden? Do we have enough studly arms on the way up through the farm system that we can afford the risk of moving him? Let's all playTheo for a few minutes....

PS: I just typed this up on my blackberry as I'm currently stuck on a plane facing delays while trying to get to Buenos Aires...that's dedication right there!

And Then There Were Two

Kevin Youkilis was knocked out of the WBC yesterday, which leaves Dice-K and Venezuela pitcher Enrique Gonzalez as the last two Sox standing in the WBC. Who will go down next?

Youk reported to Fort Meyers yesterday, where team doctors diagnosed a mild ankle sprain and mild Achilles' tendinitis. MRIs were negative, but "to limit movement and allow his ankle to heal," a Sox press release announced, "Youkilis will wear a walking boot for the next several days but is not expected to miss significant time.

For the time being, then, it doesn't sound too serious. More of an 'oh God, if they touch a single hair on his body we're pulling him out of the WBC' move. A common play this year, and understandable, if not entirely desirable.

Certainly there is cause for concern, though. As things stand, three of the four projected starting infielders for the Sox are injured. Which means Mike Lowell is the healthiest member of the crew. So, I repeat, there is some cause for concern. Let's hope that the right side, at least, bounces back from what seem to be minor conditions, and prove to be as reliable as they were last year. For the left side, I know you can do it, Mike. I believe in you.

Don't jump off the Tobin, Dusty is alright...

It could have been much, much worse. Julio Lugo's injury news didn't have me worked up much, but when boston.com produced a headline a few hours later it nearly put me on route 1 towards that big ugly bridge that spans over the Mystic river. "Pedroia Injured, done at WBC" it read... "#$*%" was my reaction, not only had I just taken him in the third round of my fantasy baseball draft, but he's one of the most significant parts of this Red Sox team, both on and off the field.

But by this morning, the feared "oblique strain" that could have kept him out 6 weeks or so was tossed aside as Pedey joked around with reporters. He had a smile on his face, informed everyone he was feeling pretty good, and expects to be back in just a few days.... "When you have a physique like this," Pedroia said, "when you're shredded and everything, something might happen." Does this guy ever come out of character?? God I hope not.

So while the US team got douched on by Puerto Rico last night 11-1, Dusty was home healing up for April 6th. He'll be fine, breathe a sigh of relief Red Sox nation (and fantasy owners), we dodged a small-sized bullet on that one.

Lugo on the other hand, will require surgery on what is likely a torn meniscus. That injury usually requires about a month or so to heal, which would put Lugo back on the field right around, or just after opening day. I'd expect to see Lowrie at shortstop on the 6th, but Lugo and his studly pre season average will force his way back out there soon after.....can't believe I just wrote "Lugo" and "studly" in the same sentence.

Sox top Yanks, 8-4

The Sox and Yankees clashed for the first time in 2009 in a subdued Florida affair. Many of the big names were still missing (don't miss USA-Puerto Rico tonight at the WBC), but quite a few were returned.

Most notably, Ortiz was back after another DR embarrassment (gotta love those Dutch, though) and Mike Lowell had his second game of the spring (and his first in the field). Both players, sensing perhaps that Sox fans were being a little too realistic about what the offense can and can't do this season, decided it was time for some inflated expectations. Lowell knocked the third pitch he saw from Chien Ming Wang over the left field fence, then later in the game Ortiz flashed some of the old power in putting one out of right. Both players seemed to be swinging the bat well, and yes, I'll admit that four or five times before going to bed last night I mentally went through each spot in the Sox lineup and when I gauged the strength, I was thinking of Lowell and Ortiz in 2007 form. So what? It could be great.

Tim Wakefield got knocked around a bit, as did Wang. Both are looking to bounce back off some injury concerns and find their places in newly-deep rotations. Wang could be key for the Yankees this season. When healthy, he's been one of the more consistent and unheralded pitchers in baseball. Not a particularly exciting ace, but when you throw his 18 wins, low ERA, quick pitching double play ball into the 3rd or 4th spot in the rotation, you've got a lot of depth, and a good variety of pitching. So far this spring, he's looked a little tentative, but the Yankees are expecting big things.

One final note on the injury bounce back. Mike Lowell sounded thoughtful and positive on his first game in the field since departing in the 2008 postseason. "I didn't really think about my hip much playing on the field, so that's what I want to do. I don't want to be thinking, 'If it's hit this way, I've got to do this.' I don't want to compensate or do anything different." So far, so good for Lowell. The Nation is waiting with bated breath.

Spring Training MVP, Lugo Has MRI

I knew it. ITM was clearly too optimistic on Julio Lugo for 2009. "Grapefruit League MVP" we said, "he finally got the wake up call" we thought....we'll take the blame for this one. Julio Lugo, who is batting .450 thus far in spring training, played in the top half of the first inning in tonight's 8-4 win against the Yanks, but was quickly taken out and replaced by Ivan Ochoa. (Random thought, remember Alex Ochoa the right fielder?...guy had a cannon, is he still alive these days?)

Anyways, Lugo complained of recent knee pain that really sparked up early in tonight's game. It's unclear how serious the injury is, in all likelihood this is mainly a procausionary measure, but we'll know more when the results come in. Most likely tomorrow.

Somewhere in Ft Myers, Jed Lowrie is dreaming of the starting role.... More as it develops.

Wrapping Up Things from Fort Myers

After finally landing in Boston this morning at 3am I finally have regained all 5 of my senses, allowing me to attempt to wrap up things down in Fort Myers, Florida. Of course you can't tell a whole hell of a lot from Spring Training, the games don't matter and of the starters who aren't at the World Baseball Classic, they only play a few innings. Regardless, here are some thoughts, predictions, and players to keep an eye out for.

• Daniel Bard looked very good in the two relief appearances we saw him. A lot of people are high on this kid, but seeing him pitch in person was impressive. The Sox bullpen is pretty deep, but an injury could result in him coming up. The kid brings the heat!


• Julio Lugo is playing better. Again, it's Spring Training who cares, but he's making the plays at short stop and he's batting over .500. I think he knew he had to work hard in the off season and come into camp ready to play. Looks like he'll at least start the year as the starting short stop with Lowrie playing the role as the utility man.


• Mike Lowell seems like he'll be ready to start the season at third base. I'm sure they take it easy with him with days off when he needs, but we saw him sprinting before Tuesday's game and he's getting at bats as the DH.


• They don't have a radar gun at the City of Palms Park, which we found thoroughly annoying. Maybe the brass can spend a few dollars and install one for next year.


• Memo to the Tampa Bay Rays: you have proved that you can play in the AL East, drop all the cheesy minor league gimmicks, it's annoying.


• I hate paying for parking, if I did one of the "25 things about me" on facebook it would be on there followed by a rant where I quoted Thomas Jefferson. $7 to park on the grass, go screw.


• Jeff Bailey, Chris Carter, Jon Van Every and Nick Green all seem like they could major league ready. Not saying they would be all stars, but if we need to call someone up to because of injuries I think these guys could hang.


• Lars Anderson didn't do anything that made my jaw drop, but he's young, so I'm not going to hold that against him.


• One of the many running jokes we had was calling Lugo, Drew, and Tek (batting 2-3-4 in the lineup) Murders Row!


• Justin Masterson looked great. If Brad Penny isn't ready to start the season I wouldn't be opposed to him starting the year as the number 5. Arguments can be made that we should keep him in the bullpen and that the Sox can survive April with 4 starts because of built in days off.


• There are a lot of cool people at Spring Training and a lot of people who piss me off. The cool people comprise of the old guys who get drunk and casually enjoy the atmosphere. The people who piss me off are the people desperate to get an autograph. When I say desperate I'm being kind, I like baseball as much as anyone but I don't feel the need to burst into tears when Chris Carter walks by, sorry Chris.


• Heidi Watney is all that and a bag of chips! Saying that may contradict my previous bullet but she makes my heart flutter when she's near.


• Paying $7 in total fees at the ATM made me so upset I almost walked out of the park. Really? I paid for a flight, hotel, rental car, tickets, and now you want to rake me over the coals for another $7. How high would the fees be if we did sign Mark Teixeira, christ!


• Unless the Yankees will be competing in the Steeple Chase I'm not worried about their new third baseman.


• Wally the Green Monster job sucks, I was burning up and it was only 80 degrees, it must have been at least 128 degrees in that suit.


• 15 or so of the Sox are at the WBC, including Pedroia, Youk and Ortiz. It would have been nice to see them, however I can only imagine the crowd standing in front of my seat begging for their auto graphs.

Now that I've had my fill of Spring Training I'm ready for the season to start, sadly that is another 4 weeks or so away. Look for our season predictions in the near future.

ITM Ft Myers Update

Unfortunately it's ITM's last day down here in Ft. Myers. We're cleaning up the disaster that is our hotel room and checking out....we'll be going to today's game and then stomping our feet as we head off to the airport for a night flight back to Boston.

We'll have our first look at Mikey Lowell this afternoon, here is today's lineup:

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF

2. Julio Lugo, SS

3. J.D. Drew, RF

4. Rocco Baldelli, LF

5. Mikey Lowell, DH

6. Jason Varitek, C

7. Brad Wilkerson, 1B

8. Jed Lowrie, 3B

9. Ivan Ochoa, 2B

Clay Buchholz, SP

With yesterday's game being a few hours north of Ft Myers in Bradenton, we decided to take a day off from baseball and hit the beaches. After screaming at the navigator system for about an hour, we made our way to Ft Myers beach...not much baseball talk there, but we can verify that it's a great place to visit. The night brought with it our attempt at finding the best Red Sox bars in town, we had a small pub crawl of sorts downtown...but being a Monday night we can't say there was anything crazy to report. The Hideaway Sports Cafe showed the most potential. We had a few awkward experiences with drunk locals but were told a free trolley runs to and from City of Palms Park before and after the game, and that it's the best Red Sox bar in town....something to remember when return.

Yesterday's Sox game against the Pirates started with Jon Lester struggling a little through2 1/3 innings, and ended with a football score of 15-14 in Boston's favor. Jeff Bailey and Nick Green continue to make ultimate roster decisions difficult, Green has played extremely well, but the 30 year old faces an unlikely chance of making the big league team with Jed Lowrie likely to assume the utility role (even though he made two errors in one inning yesterday...no big deal). Bailey on the other hand, is proving to be a legitimate choice for the coveted 5th outfielder role.

Even though we're be headed back up north to the cold tonight, keep checking in with ITM for our additional thoughts on our trip down Ft Myers. Tim has a few soap box items he'll be posting on for sure.

Ft. Myers Day Three: Sox Feast on Rays Pitching

With great seats, weather, and beer, ITM was treated to a hitting clinic by the Red Sox this afternoon. The Red Sox ended a home and away weekend series against the Rays with an 8 to 2 bashing. Masterson started the game and went 3 strong innings, the Red Sox offense took it from there as the outcome was never truly in doubt after the third inning.

Some of the news and notes from ITM's day in Ft Myers....

- The current Grapefruit league MVP, Julio Lugo, continues to impress. Despite having his pants pulled up over his belly button, Lugo went 3 for 3,with two rbi and played great defense at short, especially on plays up the middle. Thus far this spring he has seemingly mastered the seeing eye single through the left side of the infield. He had two more of them this afternoon, as well as a line-drive double to the left-center gap. ITM note, he continues to run like Cologero from "A Bronx Tale"....an incredibly nonathletic looking motion.

- Zach Degeas, a double A Portland outfielder made a catch in left field and followed it up with a monster tater in the bottom of the inning. How often do we see that? ITM note, this kid can play, he hit .307 in Portland last year.

-We were quite impressed with Daniel Bard. The kid was lights out. He had a 15 pitch inning, striking out the side with a filthy mix of gas and off-speed pitches. His stock just went up in ITM's book.

-Junichi Tazawa settled down after a rough first inning, throwing two innings, giving up one run on two hits while striking out two. As expected, he showed signs of brilliance, but needs additional work and experience.

Players who have impressed ITM thus far:

-Jonathon VanEvery has shown power from both sides of the plate thus far. Another tater in today's game.

-Nick Green. Plays both second and third, good contact hitter with a solid glove in the field. Potential role as a big league utility guy down the road.

-Heidi Watney. She continues to wow the crowd with her sun dresses. Safe to say those who have been to games before make sure to stay a few minutes after the game to watch her on the field giving her post-game wrap up. Solid contributor.

Breaking News: Lester signed to a five year extension

There are reports flying around Red Sox camp that Jon Lester has been signed to a five year contract extension worth $30 million with a team option for 2014 that would pay the lefty another 13 million.

Reports have yet to be confirmed, and we've asked around down here in Ft Myers without getting an honest answer, but if this is indeed true, the Sox have locked up another key young talent long term for relatively cheap money.

It's unclear if the the deal is full of incentives to increase the ultimate value, but paying a top left-handed pitcher 6 million per year throughout the prime of his career is a great business move by the Sox. It falls in line with their recent moves to sign Pedey and Youk to long term deals. While the tanking economy certainly has had its effects on contract values, the Sox are clearly selling the "let's stick together long term as a team" approach to sign their young talent.

Keep checking back with ITM as we'll have some more pictures and a wrap up of today's game against the Rays at City of Palms Park....we just need to sink a few more beers and do some cannon balls first...

ITM Updates from Fort Myers

We woke up to cloud cover this morning, however it looks like the sun is coming out for today's game vs the Rays. Game starts at 1:05, here is the Sox line up:

1. Julio Lugo, SS

2. Rocco Baldelli, DH

3. Jason Varitek, C

4. J.D. Drew, RF

5. Lars Anderson, 1B

6. Chip Ambres, LF

7. Jonathan Van Every,

8. Nick Green, 3B

9. Ivan Ochoa, 2B


Yesterday ITM drove up to Port Charlotte to watch the Sox play at the Ray's spring training home. The Ray's ended up winning the game 15-7 despite being out hit by the Sox. The Sox made 6 errors, including two by Argenis Diaz, who is regarded as the best defensive player in the Sox system, oh well.




Tim Wakefield started and got roughed up a little, 3 earned runs in 4 innings. Wes Littleton came on after Wake and struggled to throw strikes.


Jonathan Van Every and George Kottaras both went deep, and Jeff Baily and Chris Carter continued their hot hitting this Spring. Bailey was the MVP of the International League last year with Pawtucket, looking like the Paw Sox could have some pop in their line up this year. In addition, Ellsbury wowed the crowd with his speed when he tripled over the center fielders head. He's certainly put on a few pounds of muscle, but he has by no means lost any of his speed.


The Rays stadium was renovated for this season, probably because fans are finally showing interest in the Rays. The stadium is very impressive, fans are into the game, and the outfield features standing room all the way around and an out door bar.

The one drawback is the organist never misses an opportunity to play some stupid sound affect between at bats, pitches, or innings. After every foul ball we were treated to the sound of glass shattering, yes that is clever, watch out in the parking lot!


The sun is coming out now and we're off to the game. We'll be in the left field boxes next to the Sox bullpen, I think the game is on TV, so watch for us rumbling with 9 year olds for foul balls and staring at Heidi Watney.

(we had good seats...Lars looks like he's about 12)

Day One: ITM's Arrival

ITM landed in Fort Myers right at noon, then proceeded to wait in line for a rental car for an hour. That rental car company shall remain anonymous, however let's just say it was in our "Budget".

We arrived at the City of Palms Park in the 4th inning, Beckett had already thrown another strong outing, 3 hits over 3 innings with 2 K's. Julio Lugo started at short and had 2 hits, improving his spring training average to .417. I would never throw a lot of weight behind spring training numbers but it's encouraging to see Lugo hit the ball, it's looking like he'll be the starting short stop and Lowrie will be the utility guy, especially with Lowell's initial health question marks.

Jeff Bailey cranked a two-run tater that almost killed a few laid back fans in the right field deck. Depending on the injury situation this season there's a chance Baily sees some playing time with the big club.

JD Drew started and played, throwing it our face. I love to rip him, however I'm happy if he's healthy.

This is my first time down in Fort Myers, so far I am impressed. The stadium has the feeling of the Fenway area. Lot's of fans dressed in Sox gear, the beers are flowing, and Sweet Caroline plays in the middle of the 8th inning. I'm less excited about that.

Not that it matters, but the Sox won 5-3. We're off to Port Charlotte tomorrow where the Tampa Bay Rays call home. We have seats in row 2 behind the Rays' dugout, hopefully we'll get some good pictures and a word with a player or coach.

Of course we were talking baseball with anyone who would listen, and we were lucky enough to strike up a conversation with a penitential engineer for the new Red Sox spring training stadium. While nothing is set in stone, Red Sox management is reportedly trying to replicate many of Fenway's features in the new stadium, including the same exact field dimensions. The new stadium is expected to hold about 10,000 fans, or about 2,500 more than the current complex. We were also told to expect a street comparable to lansdowne street with many restaurants and bars. Should be interesting to watch unfold.

Off to dinner to meet with the ITM Gal and her friend, yes they are crashing ITM weekend....but just for one night. Cheers.

Going Around the Horn....

ITM is counting down the hours until take off for Ft. Myers...it can't come soon enough at this point. With that in mind, let's quickly go around the horn to check in on some of today's news and notes....

-The biggest news is obviously Aroid's alleged hip surgery. As reported by his brother (seriously, hasn't this guy got in enough trouble when dealing with family?), Aroid will require surgery to remove a cyst on his hip. It's not a structural injury, but it's surgery nonetheless, and he is likely to be out for at least 10 weeks (until early May). Fantasy league managers are now scrambling to figure out their first round draft order (I won't be drafting him, you can count on that).

-A health update out of Ft Myers this morning was increasingly positive. In a nutshell:

• Mikey Lowell is just about ready to play in a spring training game, he appears to be on schedule to start on April 6th.


• JD "Nancy" Drew took bp today, which included blasting a shot out of the stadium completely. he was quoted as saying "See how much I poured ITM?...Now quit calling me Nancy, it hurts."


• John Smoltz has had a great string of days this week. He reportedly looks as strong as ever.....there are rumors going around that he is healthy enough to be on the active roster at the start of the season, but the Sox will be holding him back and keeping him healthy for the stretch run. Expect a late May or early June Smoltz sighting on the field at Fenway.

-Lastly, and perhaps most importantly. Tomorrow at 8:30am ITM will be taking off from Logan International Airport, bound for the sunny skies of Ft. Myers, Florida. Once landing, it's likely that we'll go right to City of Palms Park for tomorrow's home game against the Marlins. We'll be covering everything from games to practices and everything in between while down there (including attempts at interviews with players and management). Be sure to check back to view photos and get some of our live updates.

Many of you have expressed both interest and hatred in the fact that we're traveling south to check in on the Red Sox (and Heidi Watney). Since we're all about Red Sox Nation, if you have any questions for us while we're down there (i.e., how well is this prospect playing?, can you ask Heidi out for me? how are the beers? etc), please email us at insidethemonster@gmail.com We'll do our best to share our answers on the blog.

Go Sox.

Nancy Drew...

I'm a what have you done for me lately kind of guy, so naturally JD Drew drives me insane.

Yesterday Drew went back to Boston to get an injection in his back. Apparently the injection was "precautionary" according to Francona. Drew came into camp complaining about his back saying it was still stiff, same old song and dance. No word on what the injection was. If this is the start of something bigger I'm a little worried.

I know a lot of people come to his defense because of his playoff performances in 2007 and 2008 and last June when Ortiz was on the DL. That I'll grant you, however overall I've never felt good when Drew steps up the plate. If I bet you $1 every game that he'd ground out to second base at least twice I'd be sitting on a mountain of $1 bills.

If Drew misses significant time this year I don't feel nearly as good about our back up options as I did last year. Theo signed Rocco Baldelli to be the 4th outfielder, and Mark Kotsay is a 5th option, maybe the 4th depending on Rocco. Last year when Drew was out Crisp was in center and Ellsbury played right.

Let's say Drew does go on the DL in '09 (which I guarantee will happen) and misses a month, similar to last year. Kotsay is coming off back surgery and with Rocco we still don't know how he'll respond to his mitrochrondrial disorder. I don't have a lot of faith in Baldelli's ability to play back to back games, especially once the season gets in full swing.

We'll see how everything plays out; hopefully Drew and the Sox are just being overly cautious because they realize their back up options aren't as solid as they were last year.

ITM News and Notes:

-Brad Penny's start on Thursday will be pushed back so he can build up more strength in his shoulder. The problem has nothing to do with the injury from last year according to the Sox. Penny is still projected to be the 5th starter and be ready for the season.

-Julio Lugo was scratched from the lineup today with apparent food poisoning. I would just like to say I was at home last night and no where near the Fort Myers area.

-That said ITM will travel to Fort Myers on Friday to cover the Red Sox down in spring training. We'll have updates from Spring Training and hopefully get to talk to some players or members of the organization. We'll see how it all plays out.

Don't Forget About This Guy....

Maybe it's because no one can properly spell or pronounce his name, but Junichi Tazawa has flown under the radar all winter and continues to do so into the spring. Not much is known about Boston's 4th new Japanese pitcher in the last three years....but from what we've seen this spring, he could be a value-added contribution to an already stacked bullpen, as soon as this year.

Like Dice-K, Saito and Oki, Tazawa comes from Japan and requires a translator, but that's where the similarities end. His acquisition had 1/1000th of the fanfare Dice-k's did and he doesn't have a cool nickname like Oki, but Tazawa does have significant upside potential. He is the first pitcher to come to the US prior to playing any pro ball in the Japanese league. At just 22 years old, Tazawa played the past four years in the Japan Industrial League where he was 14-3 with 11 saves and a 1.99 ERA in 53 games....impressive numbers at any age.

So far this spring he's had two outings, both against collegiate kids (BC and Northeastern, neither of which are as good as BU), he dominated both appearances and has made a great first impression with his teammates...including Tito; “I guess I didn’t quite expect him to be this polished, at first blush there’s a lot to like.” The next step is to see how he fares against big league hitters this week, which could be an all-together different story.

At such a young age, in a new culture and environment, and without any pro baseball experience, look for Tazawa to start the season in Double-A Portland.....but remember his name because you might be looking up its spelling again sooner than later.

State of Bay

In an offseason where the Sox have made great efforts to lock up their young talent, one young-ish talent is still wondering where he stands. Jason Bay isn't part of the home-grown youth movement Theo's spent the offseason negotiating with, but he does have a contract up at the end of the year, and he's talking like he wants to make Boston his home.

The first few days in camp, Bay let everyone and their mother know that he's willing to be reasonable when it comes to contract negotiations. Over the last few days, however, he's hardened a bit and is starting to sound more like a man getting some advice from his agent. Nothing wrong with that, but Sox fans have had precious little information on where the Sox stand on Bay. And arguably, this will be one of the franchise's more important development decisions this season.

Early in camp the Sox announced they were going to work top prospect Lars Anderson into various outfield schemes to see how he did. Possibly this is a short-term maneuver---a way of getting Anderson up into the big league this year as a...sixth...seventh outfielder backing up the MGH platoon. On the other hand, the Anderson move could be long-term. Nobody in the Sox organization seems to think too highly of his defensive skills, and no one seems excited about the prospect of him anchoring down an infield position. Young guys almost never come up at DH, so the eyes seemed to have turned to left field. Which is where Bay stands, looking back.

So the Sox are at a cross-road. Sign Bay to an extension, keep him in left, roll the dice long-term with Anderson developing as a first baseman, and if Anderson's ready to step in, move Youk to his preferred third base. But Mike Lowell has two years left, and the Sox are showing signs that they want Anderson up sooner rather than later. Another option: let Bay leave at the end of the season, keep Youk and Lowell in the infield for another year, and insert Anderson into an outfield platoon and hope he thrives.

Both scenarios make some blind assumptions, namely---that the Sox aren't going to look to move or phase out Lowell somehow (that'll depend on this season's bounce back from injury no doubt) and that the Sox plan on keeping Anderson long-term. It also depends on who appears to be on the market later this year. It could very well come down to the talent pool for outfielders v. first baseman.

That said, the Bay situation is more than just your typical contract negotiation. This has a lot of moving parts. But for the time being, Bay is the one talking about contracts. Politely, but still talking. The Sox, as usual, are playing it close to their vest.

Buchholz Looking Confident

Many in Red Sox nation are not expecting much out of Clay Buchholz this season. Most believe he'll start the year in Triple A, especially given the current level of pitching depth as a result of off season acquisitions and other young talent. That said; the still skinny pitcher, who looks like he's closer to 12 than 24, had his second straight solid performance, going two innings, not giving up a run and allowing just one hit.

After the game, Buchholz sounded confident in his abilities and ready to put last year's difficult season completely behind him: “There’s no doubt in my mind I know I have the physical ability to do anything I want to do in this game. It’s a lot harder than a lot of people think it is as far as the mental side of the game. That’s where I had to build a lot on this offseason, talking to people and listening to what their past experiences were as a big leaguer back in the day or even now guys on this team. It was a struggle for last year but at the same time I learned a lot from it and I definitely know when I get in a certain situation this year I’ll know what I need to get through.”

Throughout the off season, Buchholz saw a sports psychologist to help him move beyond a difficult year and focus on the mental challenges he faces on the mound. In what is a very small sample this spring, it seems to have worked. Buchholz appears comfortable and more confident on the mound. Let's hope they tell Pedroia to not zing Clay too hard about seeing a psychologist...because you know he's dying to jump all over him about it.

Most believe Clay will start the season in Triple A regardless, and barring any injuries, I can't say I disagree. Building on some of this momentum will only help in his long term development. The question I have in my mind however, is that if Buchholz continues to improve and throw well, do the Red Sox try to move him at a high value come the trade deadline this summer? I think it'll depend on injuries and offensive production. Anything can happen from now until late July, but early signs point to an improved Clay Buchholz, which is certainly not a bad thing.

Lester Is Changing Things Up

It was great to see (and by see, I mean read about) Jonny Lester on the mound for the Sox today. He threw two solid innings against the Pirates (I know, it's hard not to look good against the always "rebuilding" Pirate teams), but it's got me thinking about Lester's ultimate ceiling. As a big young lefty, he has a natural advantage, but just how good can he become as he continues to mature? Are we talking Derek Lowe or real ace material here?

The 25 year-old spent the off season adding a few pounds of muscle in an intense fitness routine and also increased his confidence in a very important pitch for any hurler; a change up. Lester relies manly on a mid 90's fastball and his cutter as his out pitches, but developing a change up has been at the top of his to do list since last season ended. When asked about the development of his change up, Lester responded:“It’s going. it’s still a work in progress. Like I said, I threw some today and we’re just trying to pick counts and situations where it’s hopefully not going to hurt us to get some work in and get some feel and some reaction from hitters on it. that’s what Spring Training is for. You use it as a building block for the season but you also take your weaknesses and you try to focus on them and that’s one that this spring we’re really trying to focus on.”

Having command of a change up could be what puts Lester alongside a handful of the best pitchers in the game right now. It adds another dimension to his make up, one that hitters will have to respect while at the plate. Keeping hitters off-balance and uncomfortable in the box is something Pedro did better than anyone in his prime (especially when behind in the count). Discomfort in the batters box translates into greater confidence on the mound....and while I'm not ready to put Lester up there with Pedey, if he's able to garner command of an effective change up, it would go a long way in helping to establish him as the best lefty in the game for years to come (yes, I see you CC...how could I possibly miss you).

How can you not love, cheer, and wish the best for Jon Lester?....I mean the guy tooled on cancer for christ's sake. Anyways, just thinking about how much potential this pitching staff has, I can't help but wish to fast forward to April 6th at Fenway against the Rays....but I guess all good things come in due time....