Going to Spring Training Means Different Things To Different People....

Quick post as I'm sinking adult beverages on my flight home from Brazil....

It's been hard not to get robbed and keep up with Sox news while down here on business, but I'm doing my best. Random thought, doesn't it seem like evey year you hear that everyone is reporting to Spring Training in the "best shape of their career"?

Anyways, I was talkin to a colleuge today, she works in one of our European Offices but has been interacting with me on a daily basis for years. She knows that every year I go to Florida for Spring Training, but simply thinks I go down there to actually play baseball and train for the upcoming summer season.

Little does she know it's the complete opposite occurrence. Sinking beers, obsessing about a game we dont play, and making bets on March Madness games for the next bucket of beers is what realty occurs.

I didn't have th heart to tell her, so I simply let her go on thinking we're actually down there "training".

Whatever allows you to sleep at night right? Can't wait for next month...go Sox.

Progress on Fenway's Improvements....

As if the signings of AGon, Carl Crawford, and bolsting the bullpen didn't have us excited enough about the Red Sox 2011 season. .... Given all the singings and offseason movements, I had forgotten about the improvements being made to ballpark in the Fens.

I'm excited to make my way home from London in late July and get to as many games as possible.  Revamping gate D is needed, (it's a sea of bottlenecks) and I'm interested to see the difference in the center field jumbotron.

That said, doesn't this dude in the video seem like he should stay in the server room playing with computer geek stuff, and not down in the construction zone that is concourse D?  Stick to what you know buddy.

Truck day, it's coming.  Baseball.  It's coming. 



Crossing the Atlantic for Spring Training

A few weeks ago, ITMGal and I jumped at the opportunity to spend the next 6 months with our respective companies across the pond in London. 

Sadly, before officially signing the dotted line, I started to sweat.  "What about the Sox?, my trip to Spring Training?  The day when JD Drew goes down with a hangnail and I can't immediately blog about it?"

All legit concerns in my book, not so much for others. 

Either way, I just used a ridiculous amount of air miles and two extra vacation days to book my flight from London back to Boston....only to recheck my bags after immigration to fly straight down to Ft Myers.  Spring Training, this year, is simply that important.

Surely my coworkers in London won't understand my actions, but that's likely going to be the case for every day of the 6 months I'm there.

Seriously though, one of the most exciting off season in recent memory and I'll be watching Sox games at 3 AM local time and discussing lineup options over tea and crumpets with someone who doesn't know how many outs there are in an inning.

A quick google search of Red Sox pubs in London came up empty....but I'm confident I can find a few.  Knock on wood for me.

That said, be ready for all sorts of random rants and photos as I go one on one with the Brits.  Go Sox, Go USA.

Meet the Man Who is Going to Save the Yankees...

In a move that has shaken the rest of the AL East to its core, the Yankees have solidified all of their starting pitching need by shelling out 900k to a 37 year old 5 foot 2 inch, 379 pound pitcher who didn't pitch in the majors last year.

Agon and Carl Crawford?  The Yanks have officially evened the playing field in the toughest division in baseball.  See how much they poured?

After getting douched on by the media, Cashman has gotta feel good about himself on this low risk high reward transaction.  He really pulled the shade over on Theo with this one.

...In all seriousness, I think regardless of who signed Bartolo I'd be writing this post.  Seriously though, how does this mass of a man continue to find work?  900k?  Not bad for a guy who has no business playing baseball anymore, nonetheless on the Yankees.

And now that I've typed this, he'll throw on the pinstripes, lose 200 pounds, and go 17-4 for the Yankees.

PS:  My condolences go out to Patrick Murray and all of Rhode Island.  Rocco Baldelli has officially retired at the age of 63...or 47...or 29, whatever he is.  Regardless, safe to say flags will be at half staff in Cumberland, RI tomorrow.

Cashman Sees the Writing on the Wall, Says the Sox are Better Than the Yanks

WEEI.com:  "During a question and answer session with fans in New York on Tuesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman indicated that at the moment, he feels the Red Sox have a better roster than the Yankees.

 With the Yankees still looking to solidify their starting rotation, Cashman was asked by a local radio host who had the better squad without the Yanks adding another starter. The general manager replied, "Red Sox," and later in the conversation added, "they’ve got guys they can run one through six and I’m looking for a fourth.”


“The biggest problem we have right now is I need a starting pitcher,” Cashman added. "Everybody knows that. I’m going to work on trying to get that. It might come from someone who has decided right now they don’t want to play, it might come from a trade, it might come from within. Time will tell.”


It's about time Cashman came around and saw the writing on the wall.  The crap show that is the New York sports world continues and I couldn't be happier. 

Cashman confirmed that he wasn't involved in the Soriano deal, and now comes out and admits during a candid interview that their arch nemisis is a better team?  What's going on in NYC?  Right now, it seems incredibily unlikely that he'll resign with the Yanks.....disarray in NYC, I love it.

I tell you what, if I'm a Yankee fan, I'm pissed right now.  Do you think Theo would ever come out and say the Yankees were a better team than the Red Sox?  Shit no, he'd make up some random stat that indicated the Sox play better than the Yanks on the road against a right handed pitcher under the age of thirty on cloudy days south of the Mason-Dixon line......and just like that, we'd irrationally buy in.

Bradford Working Out With Pedroia, Hilarity Ensues...

Pedroia dominates!  Man I can't wait until the annual ITM trip to Ft Myers....I'll be flying back from London this time around...it's that important.

Either way, Rob Bradford actually managed better than I had expected.  Sure, he looks like the rest of the radio hosts... fat, ugly, middle-aged white guys, but you bet your ass Glen Ordway or John Dennis would never throw themselves into a tiger's ring like that.

Either way, I'm happy to see Pedey looks ready for the season after his foot surgery....he just needs to shave his head or wear a hat....

Bring on baseball season....only 33 days, 18 hours and 59 mins until Red Sox Spring Training (yes, I have an app for that).  Game on, go Sox.


PS:  The other guy in this workout is Andre Ethier

Bobby Jenks Looks Ready....Kinda....

Bobby Jenks everyone.  He literally looks like he just rolled out of bed and started throwing the baseball.  If I walked by that guy on Boylston street I would assume he was either a cab driver or carpenter from Southie. 

But let's be honest, the "I usually do everything on my own" line has to stop....not with Pedroia in that locker room.  In fact, according to the WEEI article, it's already started....

 "Right now I'm further ahead than I ever have been. Hopefully that will speak for itself once the season starts."
"It is all part of the metamorphosis for Jenks. About 30 minutes into his workout, he is presented with another alteration.
"Is he like this all the time," the pitcher asks Frandsen, referring to the never-ending stream of Pedroia-isms.
"You haven't seen anything yet," Frandsen responded.

(A few moments earlier, Pedroia could be found flexing while yelling over to Jenks, "This is what you'll have playing behind you this season!")"

Oh  Bobby Jenks, so much to learn, so little time. 

In all seriousness though, I'm eager to see he can bring to the table for the Sox.  An effective Jenks, coupled with Bard's sauce and any kind of return to normalcy for Pap will mean a significantly improved bullpen for the Sox.    While the Yank's recent move of picking of Soriano has New Yorkers claiming to have the best bullpen in the league, the Sox aren't exactly petting kittens over here either.

....I don't even know what that last line really means.  Game on.