The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Death Watch thread

[Doc Holliday]

Red Sox' Jenks arrested for DUI & hit-and-run

The end of spring training can't come fast enough for some. Add Bobby Jenks to the police blotter.

The Boston Red Sox reliever was arrested for DUI, destruction of personal property and leaving the scene of an accident early Friday morning in Fort Myers, Fla.

"We're aware of it and are still gathering information," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said via text message.

Jenks, who is recovering from two back surgeries this offseason, has dealt with a lot of off-the-field issues since his days in the minor leagues.

In 2002, Jenks was demoted from Class AA by the Anaheim Angels for repeatedly bringing beer onto the team bus.

In January 2010, he told ESPN Chicago that he did not drink anymore, a reaction, he said, to now having four children more than anything.

"I no longer drink," he said. "No alcohol at all. Not even a beer here or there. Just things like that, really focusing on the future. It was a personal choice. It hadn't gotten too much. I just found myself not wanting to [drink] anymore. I just wanted to be more of a family man. Then this last year, I came to Christ and that was a big influence on my life."

Jenks appeared in just 19 games for the Red Sox in 2011. He is currently on the 60-day disabled list after back surgery and a pulmonary embolism in December. Then on Dec. 30, Jenks had emergency surgery because of complications from the first procedure.

"I don't know whose fault it was. But there was an error done inside," Jenks told the Boston Globe. "I had four bone spurs on my spine. We talked about taking the top two out. The third one was started and not finished. So basically there was a serrated edge that sliced me open in two different spots and I was leaking spinal fluid."

Jenks said he was in "excruciating" pain.

"If I didn't have it done immediately, the infection could've gotten into my spinal fluid and up to my brain. Who knows what happens then? I could obviously not be here right now."

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...12/03/bobby-jenks-arrested-dui/1#.T2yi1MUge1w

 

[Doc Holliday]

Francona: Still hurting from Boston departure

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Wearing an ESPN polo jersey instead of the Boston Red Sox warmup shirt that he had sported for the last eight springs, former manager Terry Francona paid his first visit to the Red Sox since parting ways under duress last October.

Visiting the Red Sox in a different role from the last eight years, Terry Francona said "the best thing to do is try to move on."
Francona left little doubt that the circumstances of his departure, especially the public humiliation he endured because of a front-page Boston Globe story that discussed his marital issues and raised questions about his use of pain medication, have left lasting wounds.

Francona, who was here as part of the ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball" team televising Thursday night's game between the Yankees and Red Sox (blacked out in Boston), was asked whether he planned on attending the 100th anniversary celebration of Fenway Park next month.

"I didn't know about that," he said. "I don't know, I wouldn't anticipate it at this point. I'm not quite ready for the hugs yet. I'm trying to stop the bleeding."

Francona later said that he was "teasing" about the bleeding, but his further remarks on the subject appeared to belie that position.

"You know what, when you go 7 and 17, especially as manager you open yourself up for criticism," said Francona, whose team actually went 7-20 in September. "I think you probably deserved to be criticized.

"I tried to take responsibility in that last press conference. I thought there were things that needed to be done where my voice necessarily wasn't the one that was doing the best job at that point. I thought I was pretty open and honest about that.

"After that when I left I thought I would just leave. What happened after that really hurt me a lot, and it probably always will. But the best thing to do is try to move on. I mean, carrying grudges and stuff like that is not real healthy. I spent eight years there, we did a lot of good stuff, and so that hurt me a little bit."

Francona was asked about the phone conversation he had with Red Sox owner John W. Henry this spring after he'd mentioned that he and Henry had not spoken since he left. Francona was asked if the conversation was therapeutic.

"I don't know, it was probably five months too late," Francona said. "We talked. It doesn't matter anymore. That's what I told him, we should have had this conversation a long time ago because anything you say now doesn't matter. But he was good."

Francona said he had been "real excited" about the St. Louis Cardinals managing job, a position for which he interviewed but was passed over in favor of newcomer Mike Matheny. The only other managing vacancy was with the Chicago Cubs, where his former boss, Theo Epstein, had just been named president of baseball operations.

"The Cubs' job, Theo and I both knew it wasn't the right thing for either one of us at the time. Nothing against Theo, or I don't think me, either, but the timing wasn't right," Francona said.

Francona said his "passion" is to be on the field, but that he decided it would be "really healthy" to step away for a time, "and look at baseball without so much emotion."

"I think that will be good for me," he said. "I was pretty worn down by the end of last season."

It didn't help that a reputation unsullied during his time in Boston was shredded in the days after he left.

"I got out of town quick," he said. "That was helpful. I didn't want to sit and read everything, hear everything. It was pretty raw. When you part ways, it's hard. I spent eight years of my life there, and I didn't really have a chance to go through those emotions, because three days later all hell broke loose.

"It was weird, difficult. It wasn't like the normal, 'OK, you're going to pick up and move on,' because all of a sudden all kinds of things were flying around, so it wasn't the normal circumstances."

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7724015/terry-francona-hurting-boston-red-sox-departure

 

[Joe.t]

Looks like the Daniel Bard experiment is winding down, I say that he is either in triple A or on another team after the trade deadline.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Bobby Jenks apologizes to teammates for drunk-related charges

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Boston Red Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks apologized to the team on Sunday after his arrest last week on DUI charges.

"I am embarrassed by the situation and apologize to my teammates and to the Red Sox organization for any distractions I may have caused," Jenks said in a statement released by the team. "I still need to let the legal process run its course and until it does, I will not be able to make any further comment."

Jenks was arrested early Friday morning and charged with five misdemeanors, including driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crash involving damage to property, according to the Lee County, Fla., sheriff's office.

The police report indicated Jenks was booked at 3:43 a.m. ET and released on $4,250 bail at 8:45 a.m. Jenks also was charged with three counts of DUI and damage to property. He is tentatively scheduled to appear in court on April 9.

The 31-year-old Jenks agreed to a field sobriety test but said, according to the report, "I'm going to fail it." During the test, Jenks indicated he couldn't complete it because he was "messed up." Jenks was then arrested, according to the report.

Before the sobriety test, Jenks was asked whether he had taken anything other than muscle relaxers and replied, according to the report, "I'm going to be honest with you, I was just leaving Babes because I hit a car. I just had to get out of there."

Babes is an adult entertainment club near where Jenks was pulled over.

A bouncer at Babes told police that a white Mercedes SUV pulled into the club's parking lot at around 11:45 p.m. and struck a parked truck. The man confronted the driver, who according to the police report matched Jenks' description, and asked him to either park the car or leave. The bouncer, who also said he'd call the driver a cab, told police the driver then hit another vehicle before eventually pulling away.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/26/w...tario-legalizes-brothels/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

p.s. May they throw that fat drunk's ass in jail & throw away the key!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Jays rough-up Bard & Red Sox

Daniel Bard is still getting used to starting instead of the relieving.

“Today was the first day I could actually say I felt like a starting pitcher out there, not like a reliever starting,” the Boston Red Sox pitcher said Sunday.

There's still work to be done.

Competing for a spot in Boston's starting rotation, Bard gave up five runs and six hits in six innings of a 6-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

“He worked runners when they were on base. He got ground balls when he needed to, got some swings and misses when he needed to, too,” Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. “Overall I liked everything. He had some tough breaks but worked his way out of jams, had some pitches that could've been called strikes. He didn't let them affect him. ... What was there not to like besides the five runs on the board? I think some of them could've been prevented.”

Adam Lind hit a solo homer in the second, Yunel Escobar had an RBI single in the third and Brett Lawrie hit a run-scoring double-play grounder in the fourth. Toronto added a pair of runs in the sixth, when Edwin Encarnacion hit a tying RBI double.

The hard-throwing right-hander struck out five and walked three.

“I was able to work on a lot of things,” Bard said. “Take the five runs out of it and I feel pretty good about it. ... They kept slapping one on there every inning. I kind off felt I threw the ball well each of those innings but every hit kind of fell through and ground balls got through.”

Toronto starter Aaron Laffey allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/jays-rough-up-bard-and-bosox/article2380806/

 

[Doc Holliday]

Bobby Jenks deserves more scorn from Red Sox fans

by Tony Massarotti, Boston Globe

Theo Epstein left behind a great deal of good when he cut ties with the Red Sox, but Bobby Jenks now remains as one of his biggest blunders. For $12 million over two years, the Red Sox have gotten nothing from Jenks. And the ramifications of the signing are still being felt.

In truth, this has nothing to do with Jenks being arrested last week for allegedly driving under the influence, regardless of whether he passed the breathalyzer. (Let the record show that at least once during his career, Jenks actually put up zeroes.) In 19 games for the Red Sox last season, Jenks posted a 6.32 ERA. In 15.2 innings, he allowed 22 hits and 15 walks. Opponents batted .328 against him with an .870 OPS, all while Jenks shuttled to and from the disabled list with a body far more suited for, say, logging.

And know what the really sad part is? Because Jenks hasn’t been here very long - and because he never made any real contribution whatsoever - he sneaks by relatively free of scorn and criticism. Josh Beckett, for example, has taken far more abuse than Jenks has, and Beckett is merely at the top of a very long list. But what is there really good to say about Jenks, whose stint with the Red Sox has been nothing short of an unmitigated disaster and who clearly doesn’t take his career seriously?

Consider...

* The alternative. Like many in baseball, the Red Sox under Epstein argued that the performance of relievers is difficult to forecast, which is why the Sox have refrained from multiyear deals for relievers. As such, the Sox stopped short on someone like left-hander Scott Downs, who was a free agent at the same time Jenks was and who would have filled an enormous hole in the Boston bullpen.

Downs ended up getting three years and $15 million from the Los Angeles Angels, for whom he posted a 1.34 ERA in 60 appearances last year; lefties hit .179 against him while righties batted .214. Yes, Downs turned 36 earlier this month, but the Angels already have gotten far more out of Downs than the Red Sox will get out of Jenks.

Here’s the point: the Red Sox were willing to give $6 million a year to someone like Jenks, whose performance and body deteriorated in Chicago, while balking at $5 million per year for a lefty who takes far better care of himself, as if using some mathematical formula for risk analysis instead of considering the actual pitchers involved.

Maybe Downs will blow out his elbow or shoulder tomorrow. He still would have been a better signing than Jenks. And if Downs were in the bullpen now, the Red Sox may not be scrambling to find at least one healthy and effective left-handed reliever whom they could employ in the bullpen.

* The theory. In signing Jenks, the Red Sox were clearly considering the long term as much as the short. The obvious idea was for Jenks to serve as a set-up man for Jonathan Papelbon for one season - assuming the Sox didn’t trade Papelbon, which they tried to - and then have him take over as a closer. Instead, Jenks failed miserably and couldn’t stay healthy - what a shock - while the Red Sox pitching staff crumbled at the end of the 2011 season.

With regard to September, Jenks had a big hand in the collapse. Had he been able to stay healthy during the year, Daniel Bard might not have pitched in 70 games and amassed a whopping nine losses, including four in September. Instead of being stuck in the bullpen while Kyle Weiland was making starts in a pennant race - much to the chagrin of people like David Ortiz - Alfredo Aceves might have been starting games and fortifying a rotation that was in complete disrepair.

If that weren’t enough, the ripples carried into the offseason. Papelbon obviously was gone regardless of Jenks’ presence, but Jenks’ problems meant that the Sox had to go out and rebuild their bullpen. Trades were made for both Mark Melancon and Andrew Bailey, neither of whom might be here if Jenks had been able to come to Boston and “resurrect” his career at the age of 30.

* The money. On a team with a payroll approaching $185-$190 million, an annual salary of $6 million might not seem like much, particularly in comparison to, say, John Lackey ($16.5 million) and Carl Crawford ($20.3 million). But at least those guys made some contribution. Even J.D. Drew gave the Red Sox something during his time here. But Jenks’ $6 million might as well have been kindling, and the amount should not be trivialized.

Here’s why: Just prior to the start of spring training, the Red Sox traded away Marco Scutaro to save anywhere from $4-$6 million, depending on how you do the math. (If Scutaro were here, Mike Aviles or Nick Punto would not be, etc.) And if the Sox still elected to trade Scutaro, they could have used his money (or Jenks’) now on a starting pitcher instead of having to pinch pennies with their eye on the trading deadline.

So you know what the Sox opted to do instead this winter? They chose to make Bard a starter, which may or may not take, in part because it was a cost-efficient option. That has subsequently created so many spring questions in the bullpen that there is already speculation of Bard going back - before the Sox even play a real game.

Obviously, the Red Sox weren’t going to gain on Jenks on both ends. If they had signed Downs, for example, they still would have had payroll issues. (Or so they say.) If Jenks had pitched well, they could have more easily transferred Bard to the rotation and kept the trading chips from either the Melancon or Bailey deals. But as it has turned out, the Sox have gotten absolutely nothing from Jenks, the rotund pitcher becoming exactly what he looks like on the mound.

A big zero.

http://bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/...ed-sox-fans/gL7cIBKxM1aPT9OmUnLbjI/story.html

 

[Doc Holliday]

Rift between Valentine & Cherington?

by Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Bobby Valentine was asked Monday about the perception of a rift or power struggle with general manager Ben Cherington.

“I think it’s lazy journalism,” Valentine said. “That’s what I think. I think it’s an easy story to write. It has no validity. Absolutely none. I could have written it in on December 3d. Are you kidding me?”

Valentine said he communicates with Cherington “a few times a day.”

In fact, there was a meeting between the two later on Monday.

“There are some guys who are lazy and some guys who are clever. It was a clever journalist that set that all up, too. It comes with the territory,” he said.

He said his relationship with Cherington is similar to his relationship with Tom Grieve in Texas.

“It’s dissimilar to my relationship with Joe McIlvaine [with the Mets]. Similar to Grieve and early in my relationship with Steve [Phillips] in New York. When Steve became GM we had both been in the organization for three years. With Tom, he was there and I wasn’t. So there was a lot of sharing in what he had to do to get me caught up. And that’s been a similar thing. We were both young guys and now I’m an older guy.”

In other Red Sox news:

* Valentine said he has had a shared job situation with the fifth starter before. He said he did it in Japan and may have done it in Texas. Valentine didn’t indicate whether he would contemplate that here.

* Valentine is all for have expanded rosters in April and not in September. “If you were able to bring 30 guys on the 5th of April until the 30th of April, there’d be no question on who should be playing and what they should be doing and the competitive balance would be better at the end of the year too.”

* Kevin Youkilis took some minor league swings and reported his back felt better.

http://bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/...-basis-rift/U1fWwsif2SZATZ2cPImLXM/story.html

 

[lgna69xxx]

The red sox and especially their fans have become everything they always wanted to be, like the Yankees. But they have become the Yankees of the past and could never compare to the Yanks business model of today, but the past with the Gm/owner/manager not seeing eye to eye, trying to take a relief pitcher and convert him to being a starter out of desperation, spending millions and millions on free agents who have not delivered, (crawford, jenks, etc...) players getting arrested, throwing the manager under the bus for failure, clubhouse antics and the list goes on and on....Even tho the Yanks were some of these examples years ago, they were still winning and respected around the league, not so much for the red sox these days. No wonder they have been quiet this spring, (sox fans) and isn't the silence a wonderful thing to the ears? :thumb:

This modern day version of the red sox can be summed up in 3 words......The Boston Zoo

 

[Joe.t]

Are my eyes deceiving me or does it look like Johnny Lester has stayed away from fried chicken and beer this off season, he looks slimmed down, can't wait to see what Jenks looks like.

 

[lgna69xxx]

have not seen lester yet, but no for a fact CC has lost 20lbs. Hughes came to camp in the best shape of his life as well.

Are my eyes deceiving me or does it look like Johnny Lester has stayed away from fried chicken and beer this off season, he looks slimmed down, can't wait to see what Jenks looks like.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Most recent picture of Sox ace Bobby Jenks

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

from David Schoenfeld at ESPN:
Let's do some position-by-position analysis for the Boston Red Sox. They won 90 games a year ago. I went through all the numbers and can't come up with a solid reason why they won't win more games in 2012.

Catcher: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Saltalamacchia and the now retired Jason Varitek provided a mixed bag of offense in 2011. Red Sox catchers tied with the Braves for the major league lead with 29 home runs and with the Diamondbacks with 96 RBIs. On the other hand, they ranked 24th in OBP. You'd like to see improvement in the on-base category from Salty and new backup Kelly Shoppach, and that's actually a decent possibility as the two can be used as a strict platoon from their best sides (Salty versus right-handers, Shoppach versus left-handers). I can see the duo producing close to 30 home runs again but with a slightly better OBP. Plus five runs.

First base: Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzalez created about 129 runs a year ago -- seventh-most in the league -- and did so despite a sore shoulder that didn't allow him to fully power through the ball (he had surgery after the 2010 season). It's hard to imagine him improving on a .338/.410/.548 line, but he did hit 27 home runs after averaging 36 for the Padres from 2008 through 2010. I can see any power increase offset by a drop in batting average. No change.

Second base: Dustin Pedroia
Pedroia is about as consistent as they come: His wOBA the past four seasons: .382, .360, .377, .377. More of the same.

Third base: Kevin Youkilis
Now 33, Youkilis has battled injuries the past two seasons, including a lower back strain and hip issues that led to two DL stints, 42 games missed and a .258 average in 2011. While he's in that permanent "red flag" category, he does appear to be in better shape (for now) and I'll predict a small spike. Let's go plus eight runs.

Shortstop: Mike Aviles
Red Sox shortstops -- mostly Marco Scutaro and Jed Lowrie -- combined for a .279/.330/.401 line, decent production for the position (10th in the majors in OPS). Aviles should get the bulk of the playing time there with Nick Punto filling in. Aviles has been up and down in his career, playing well in 2008 and 2010, but hitting .255/.289/.409 in 2011 between the Royals and Red Sox. ZiPS forecasts a .301 OBP from Aviles, which means a drop in production. Minus 10 runs.

Left field: Carl Crawford
Crawford will miss the start of the season after wrist surgery. There are two ways to look at this: Crawford has to hit better than the .255/.289/.405 slash marks from a year ago; on the other hand, wrist surgery sometimes take a full year to fully recover from. Red Sox left fielders created about 81 runs a year ago. Crawford was over 100 in his best years with Tampa Bay. Let's split the difference and go plus-10 runs.

Center field: Jacoby Ellsbury
The most impressive aspect of Ellsbury's power surge? He actually had a 34-game homeless streak from April through late May. Certainly, some regression would be expected. Projections range from a drop of 20 to 30 runs, prorated over the 732 plate appearances he got a year ago. So there are two issues here: How much decline and how much will he play? (He led the AL in PAs.) Let's go assume good health but still go minus-25 runs.

Right field: Cody Ross/Ryan Sweeney
Boston right fielders were terrible in 2011: .233/.299/.353, about 62 runs created. Ross and Sweeney won't bring back memories of Dwight Evans, but they should do better than 62 runs created. Let's add 13 runs.

Designated hitter: David Ortiz
Now 36, projections systems foresee decline from Ortiz after his big 2011 that included a .309 average (his best since 2007) and 29 home runs. Let's say nine runs worse.

Overall, it's a similar projection of runs scored, just coming in different areas -- 14 fewer runs.

Now to the pitching. We'll begin by breaking down the 2011 rotation into five groups of starters and their average runs allowed per nine innings.

2011
Pitchers GS IP Runs R/9
Jon Lester 31 191.2 77 3.6
Josh Beckett/Alfredo Aceves 34 214 79 3.3
Clay Buchholz/Andrew Miller/Daisuke Matsuzaka 33 177.1 95 4.8
John Lackey/Kyle Weiland 33 181.2 141 7.0
Tim Wakefield/Erik Bedard 31 175.1 124 6.4

And now to 2012, using projected numbers ...

2012
Pitchers GS IP Runs R/9
Jon Lester 33 205 79 3.5
Josh Beckett 30 184 83 4.1
Clay Buchholz 28 170 74 3.9
Daniel Bard 27 160 71 4.0
Felix Doubront 20 105 60 5.1

Last year's rotation pitched 940 innings and allowed 469 runs. Not only was the back of the rotation terrible, but it meant Red Sox starters threw the second-fewest innings in the AL. The five guys listed above give us 138 starts, 824 innings and 367 runs allowed. As you can see, projection systems predict some decline for Beckett off last year's 2.89 -- but remember, that was not only a career-low but it came a season after a a 5.78 ERA. Bard is a wild-card but based on his numbers as a reliever projects as a decent starter. We'll fill out the rotation with the 24 missing starts and project an average of 5.5 innings per start and 5.4 runs allowed per nine innings.

This gives us:

2011: 940 innings, 516 runs allowed
2012: 956 innings, 446 runs allowed

The Boston bullpen was pretty good in 2011, ranking fourth in the AL in ERA (3.67) and allowing 3.9 runs per nine over 517.1 innings. But the club has lost Jonathan Papelbon (2.94 ERA), Bard (3.33 ERA) is in the rotation and Alfredo Aceves (93 innings, 2.03 ERA in relief) will be hard-pressed to match his 2011 numbers. Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon join Aceves at the back of the pen with Franklin Morales likely serving as the top lefty. Overall, I'm going to project a slight decline, mostly due to Aceves' regression. We'll give the pen 501 innings and 4.2 runs per nine -- 234 runs allowed.

Overall, that gives the Red Sox 680 runs allowed to go with 861 runs scored.

That projects to a .606 winning percentage ... or 98 wins. Optimistic? Maybe so. OK, let's say we were way too bullish on Bard and give him 5.0 runs allowed per nine innings -- a full run higher. That's an additional 17 runs overall, which knocks down the win total to 96 wins. Maybe you think Buchholz won't stay healthy; OK, knock off a couple more wins.

Still too optimistic? Two things to keep in mind: (1) Boston's runs scored/runs allowed totals from a year ago project to 94 wins; (2) that was in spite of that ghastly back end of the rotation. The fourth and fifth spots will absolutely be an improvement over what Lackey and Wakefield and others gave Boston a year ago. Yes, there are some wild-cards here, but it seems too many people are focusing on the negatives and ignoring that this team still has a great offense and a potentially good rotation.

Assuming good health from Lester, Beckett and Buchholz, I believe the Red Sox are the team to beat in the AL East.

 

[Doc Holliday]

John Lackey: Attention for 'beer and chicken' locker room is 'retarded'

Red Sox starting pitcher John Lackey is going to miss the entire 2012 season after having Tommy John surgery to repair his throwing elbow.

But he still managed to make waves Tuesday with his comments about the whole beer and chicken fiasco.

"Guys having a beer after their start has been going on for the last 100 years,'' Lackey said (Boston.com). "This is retarded. It's not like we were sitting up there doing it every night. It's not even close to what people think.''

To me, there are three issues with this.

First of all, now is the time to just be accountable publicly. Lackey can feel free to call Josh Beckett -- who has also lacked accountability in the aftermath -- and talk about how "retarded" he thinks the hoopla is. And if he uses a different word (I'll get to that in a second), I may agree with some of his points. Far too much attention has been given to it and there were many, many reasons the Red Sox missed the playoffs by a single game in 2011. And it's 2012, there's not much reason to still be talking about it.

So why can't Lackey just say, "yeah, it's a new season and we've moved on" and be done with it? Seems the sensible thing to do.

Secondly, new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine obviously disagrees with Lackey, because he's banned beer in the Red Sox clubhouse. So maybe Lackey should consider his new boss' stance before spouting off about how unfair this is.

Finally, yes, there's the use of the archaic and infantile word, "retarded." I'm not PC policeman, so I don't get worked up about these sort of things, but I do have a daughter who happens to have autism. I won't go with the "I'm offended" route because the people who insist on using this word will only get more nasty with that stance. Instead, I'll go this route: It's quite funny when people use the word "retarded" -- which has the double-meaning of mentally-challenged and "stupid" in these cases. It's funny because the person using it seems not smart enough to think of a better word. Anyone who uses "retarded" to say they think something is stupid is actually the one who comes off as a complete fool, a.k.a. mentally challenged.

And for those people -- since I don't wanna make you think too hard -- here's a handy list of alternatives: Lame, foolish, absurd, ridiculous, nonsensical, obtuse, laughable, mindless, asinine, senseless, silly. There are plenty more, but that's a starting point. We all have to start somewhere, after all.

But hey, if people want to keep using "retarded" -- those same people probably say things are "gay," too, when they mean stupid -- go ahead. I won't stand in the way of people having the right to sound foolish.

As for Lackey, considering the putrid season he's coming off -- not to mention the rehab ahead -- maybe he should just not take any questions and concentrate on getting better.

UPDATE: Lackey has released the following statement: "I apologize for my thoughtless choice of words that appeared in print earlier today. I meant no harm, and I am sorry to all I offended."

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/e...-for-beer-and-chicken-locker-room-is-retarded

 

[lgna69xxx]

Good job Theo, good job indeed!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...spur-surgery/2012/03/28/gIQA00UUhS_story.html

 

[lgna69xxx]

Neil Diamond, "We Love You" signed, Yankees Fans!

To kick off the beginning of the 2012 MLB season tonight in Japan, here is a little reminder of how 2011 ended for the biggest CHOKES of all time....... turn it up folks!


[video=youtube;wGJRyQCoJFc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGJRyQCoJFc[/video]

 

[Doc Holliday]

I just love Neil Diamond even more now! :thumb:

 

[lgna69xxx]

If you liked my previous vid, your gonna LOVE this one!

"SO BAD! SO BAD! SO BAD!" :lol::lol::lol:

[video=youtube;_8aszSXZe64]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8aszSXZe64[/video]:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I just love Neil Diamond even more now! :thumb:

 

[Doc Holliday]

Jays beat Red Sox AGAIN

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Anthony Gose ran all over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, and in doing so helped the Toronto Blue Jays steal a 3-2 victory to extend their spring training winning streak to 10 games.

Gose drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning off left-hander Justin Thomas, then stole second, third and home for what turned out to be the winning run.

"I never saw anybody steal second, third and home in the same inning in my career," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "He is obviously exciting. He can take over on the basepaths. He has a combination of pure speed, plus the ability to read some things. You just turn him loose. He's a pure basestealer.

"It's a risky play," Farrell added. "But with two outs, it was a calculated gamble."

Gose had four stolen bases in the game, and has seven during spring training. He has 194 stolen bases in four minor league seasons, including 70 last year with Double-A New Hampshire.

"Real fast runner being a young daring guy," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said, adding that catch Jarrod Saltalamacchia "checked him four times. The fifth time he didn't check him. He lobbed it and Justin got it stuck in his glove, I guess. If he gets the ball out. He's out. ... He's a fast runner that kid."

Red Sox started right-hander Alfredo Aceves pitched a solid six innings, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks. He got in trouble in the sixth.

With one out, Gose reached on an error by third baseman Kevin Youkilis, then stole second and went to third on an error by catcher Kelly Shoppach. Rajai Davis walked and stole second. Eric Thames single to right scored Gose and Davis.

"I think he's one of the better pitches that we have in camp," Valentine said. "He's pitched well. Ran out of gas a little at the end, I thought, but other than that he's a very good pitcher. And he pitched well today."

For Aceves, it's "a dream" to be a starter. He made four starts in his 55 appearances last season, his first with the Red Sox. However, he won't be disappointed if he ends up working out of the bullpen.

"You know why?" he asked. "It's hard to get a job. This job is really unique, and I think looking at the other hand, we have to be glad to have a job, to play with the Red Sox."

 

[lgna69xxx]

Ya know you got the haters upset Daydreamer41 when they do nothing but "grasp", Bwhahahahaahahahahaahah. Ruth was TRADED/SOLD for the all mighty dollar, live with it merlot and the gang, just like your pathetic orginization did for 86 years after and frankly will, forever. Here ya go mErlot, take your pick but not the pink ones, they are resvered for rumples these days.

So who was Ruth traded for??????????

Bravo.Merlot

Gee Merlot. Trading a player for money is still a trade. Talk about DUH.

 

[daydreamer41]

Here you go Rumps (so appropriately named since you advertised about Lucille. Where you keep her, Rumps?)

from the dictionary, Rumps. Distorted lens? Libs like you have distortion down pat.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trade+?s=t

trade

   [treyd] Show IPA noun, verb, trad·ed,trad·ing, adjective
noun1.the act or process of buying, selling, or exchanging commodities, at either wholesale or retail, within a countryor between countries: domestic trade; foreign trade.

2.a purchase or sale; business deal or transaction.

3.an exchange of items, usually without payment of money.

4.any occupation pursued as a business or livelihood.

5.some line of skilled manual or mechanical work; craft: thetrade of a carpenter; printer's trade.


​

Exactly, without payment of money. Thanks.

Rumps, do you think I am going to let you get away with your selective editing crap, like libs always do?

the definition #3 of 5 says "usually" without payment of money. Not exactly.

#2 says

a purchase or sale; business deal or transaction.

Do you want to continue to argue with me and look like a fool? It's your choice.​