Red Sox out of it (Oakland, Woodland: live, garden, stadium)

[Kiwiluver]

Too bad, they fought hard with all the injuries they had this year. Good thing Rugby is starting up now.

[Maineah]

What's rugby??

Yes the Sox suffered from WAY too many injuries this year and a dismal performance from MOST of their starting pitchers and the bullpen. Lackey and Beckett are not worth their contracts. Dice-K and Okajima should be on a small boat headed back to Japan. Ortiz should be put out to pasture. Papelbon should be traded. Scutaro made more errors than 99% of the American league, Beltre , though a pretty good bat, was right there with Scutaro for most errors committed! Without Youkilis, Pedroia, Ellsbury and Veritek, they were all done in July. It was just a matter of time. You can't win a championship with AAA players!
Heidi Watney is by far the most beautiful sports announcer in the game today. I hope she is re-signed to a multi-year contract. Other than that I have no real opinon on the matter.

[jefffla01]

Despite the onslaught of injuries, I thought Francona did a great job and had them hang in there. In a normal year they probably make the wildcard, but with Tampa Bay 30 games over this year the Red Sox came up short.

There are a lot of tough decisions to make in the offseason-----Epstein has many tough calls to make.

This is the offseason during which Epstein may ditch sentimentality and loyalty and make some dramatic moves. His ballclub is getting older and injury prone and he may have to jettison Ortiz, Varitek, Matsuzaka, and Papelbon. I know we are talking about some big names who have legions of admirers, but this may be the time to pull the chain.

It wouldnt shock me if the Red Sox trade for Prince Fielder----add another outfielder with speed and defense----maybe they will give up on Ellsbury too.

If they choose not to unload a boat full of money on Martinez they will need to another catcher with some pop.

Their pitching is not horrendous but it is true Beckett and Lackey were disappointments. Yikes Theo is going to have a long laborious winter in trying to steer the path of this team.

[lrfox]

Priority Numero Uno by a long shot needs to be the bullpen (and Watney). This team (tonight included) couldn't hold leads that it was given because outside of Bard and occasionally Papelbon, there was no one reliable. They need to acquire at least two more reliable bullpen arms if they have any hope of going anywhere next year.

The offense did quite well especially when you consider injuries. No need to rock the boat with big trades in order to fill spots there. Signing and dealing Beltre could be smart because this is really the second good year of his career and I don't know if you could count on more of the same for next year. Scutaro was an OK fill in (and will be next year) until some of the top prospects are ready for the big leagues (or until we know they won't be big leaguers). He will be fine next year. Youk, Pedroia and Ellsbury will be back and Ortiz should be back for another year. The offense will be OK at least. I'd like to see a bigger bat in there (Prince Fielder is a good one), but they don't NEED it at the moment. This team was very productive even without some of the stars for most of the season.

I'd expect Lackey and Beckett to do better than this year. I think Beckett is past his prime (as is Lackey) but I can't see anything worse than this year. Keep in mind, Beckett and Lackey could be number ones (at least number 2s) for most other teams but they are the 3 and 4 guys in Boston. Dice-K is Dice-K. An OK middle-end of the rotation guy and he's the number 5 guy here. They'll have one of the best rotations next year. No concerns (so long as the bullpen can hold leads and finish games) with the rotation. Dice-K could be trade bait (relievers?), but other than that, it's fine. The Sox have two Cy Young candidates this year... hard to ask for more than that.

[RMoore007]

I was out here at the Giants game at AT&T Park when Pedroia went down. A giants fan near me said, "Great, he's a firecracker and with him down, maybe we'll win." The sox lost that game but won the next three.

I knew right then that the team was in jeopardy. I watch them from afar and catched them at a sports bar when I had the appetite to drink. Mostly, I just watched the scores and standings. They still will end up with a decent winning percentage. Thanks to the skipper and Heidi for that.

[pc-not]

It's amazing that they did as well as they did with all the injuries. Triple A guys were great, but with Ells, Youk, and Peedy out for most of the season, the production suffered. Although I used to like Papelbon, he's got to go. Eight blown saves. Too predictable. Bullpen is #1 priority for next season.

[Maineah]

RMoore007 compare and contrast that Beautiful AT&T park with dumpy old run down Fenway Park.
We visited SF in May and that stadium is impressive! We also went to Fenway in August and my wife who had never seen Fenway was shocked at how out of date the place is.
The Red Sox DESERVE a nice New Fenway Park. Tradition aside, the old Fens will be 100 years old next season. It needs to be retired.
Everyone moaned and groaned when they tore down the Boston Garden but now after several years of the TD Bank Garden people just don't miss it anymore.

[lrfox]

Love AT&T Park. I've been to a few games there this year (nothing against the Sox). It's my second favorite stadium (PNC in Pittsburgh is the nicest by far). I also did a Sox game in Oakland which was fun. That stadium is like a concrete prison.

[RMoore007]

I haven't been to Fenway in decades. One hundred years is a long time. It was either Woodrow Wilson or William Taft that was the president at the time. Maybe it is time to retire the old stadium.

AT&T Park is very nice. Probably one of the best. Completely at odds with where the Oakland A's play at The Coliseum just down the road.

As far the Sox go, when I came back here to work in my small business again in early June, I had gone to a sports bar to watch a Red Sox game. One of the people I was sitting with told me about some controversy about Pedroia and the town he lives in with his parents, Woodland, just up the road. Seems he was interviewed back in the Boston area and mentioned how bad his hometown was and said some negative things about it. I guess he got all kinds of backlash from his statements. He must have thought that being so far away, he could get away with it. Maybe Peedy doesn't own a computer, tv or phone?

[Cornerguy1]

Baseball forum fodder, perhaps?