Tom stole part of my thunder. The Sox play in the tough American League and the brutal AL East, and they charge the highest ticket prices in baseball. Red Sox fans have every right to expect more.
-- Matt ________________________________ From: Tom Salemi <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, December 3, 2010 11:58:29 AM Subject: Re: Tek Back! I'm paying $50 a ticket for decent grandstand seats. Yes, I expect above average players at every position. Perhaps the Red Sox are getting spoiled. On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 11:52 AM, Steve Ouellette <[email protected]> wrote: Heathliff Slocumb was nothing, but it's not a point worth fighting over. > >Varitek played four years of high level college baseball, was drafted in the >first round, twice, and played three unimpressive minor league seasons. At 25, >when the Sox got him, he looked like a bust or possibly a career backup. >Physical tools, but no performance. A .742 AAA OPS at age 25 does not look >like >a future all-star. > >Salty got drafted out of high school in the first round and had to work his >way >up through the minors. He had a fantastic season as a 20-year-old in High-A in >2005, then struggled in AA (.733 OPS) at age 21, his fourth season. Still, he >played most of the next season (2007) with the Braves anyway -- before he was >ready. He's struggled since then (I don't think it's fair to say the Braves >gave >up on him -- he was packaged with Neftali Feliz and Elvis Andrus for Teixeira) >and been up and down. > >Salty has 800-plus major league at bats at the same age as Varitek was just >breaking in. I think it's too early to call him a bust when Varitek was >struggling in the minors at the exact same point of their career. He's had >injury problems, which might not go away, and Andy Marte could be an apt >comparison -- a guy whose physical skills never translated to success. He's >got >talent and the potential to be very good. I'm looking forward to seeing him >get >a chance. > >Am I the only person who doesn't see the need to put an established >30-something >at every starting position? Red Sox fans are so spoiled ... > >Steve O > > > > > >On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 11:04 AM, Tom Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: > >I'm wary of the Tek comparisons as well. To Steve O's comment, Tek wasn't >acquired for "nothing" at the time. Seattle was in a pennant race and needed >to >overpay to acquire a closer, even one as suspect at Heathcliff Slocumb. (He >did >save 27 games that year for BOS/SEA.) >> >>Still, it was a terrible deal, I know. But only in hindsight. >> >>But Tek had only been in the minors for two years, not six or seven like >>Salty. >>He was just a young catcher. Not a project that's now our starting catcher. >> >>From the ESPN article on the trade: >> >>Last winter Saltalamacchia had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is >>acombination of pain in the neck and shoulder. It causes numbness and a weak >>grip. >> >>"He's had a difficult recovery from that," Epstein said. >>Saltalamacchia said he thought it was time for a fresh start. >>"I loved it here in Texas and really bonded with a lot of those guys," he >>said. >>"But for whatever reason it wasn't a fit. That's OK. I'm excited to go to >>Boston >>and keep working." >>Saltalamacchia said he already has talked to Epstein. >>"He wanted me to keep doing what I've been doing," Saltalamacchia said. "They >>gave up some good players to get me, so I feel good about how they value me." >>Saltalamacchia has had throwing issues this season, including trouble >>throwing >>the ball back to the pitcher. Boston had scouts watching him right up until >>the >>deadline, and they, as well as Saltalamacchia, are convinced those woes are a >>thing of the past. >>"Once I figured out it wasn't mental, I was OK," Saltalamacchia said. "It was >>a >>physical issue where I wasn't in the proper arm slot and then I made it a >>mental >>issue. Now I'm throwing in the right slot and it's fine." >> >>"He's battled some throwing issues earlier this year, but he didn't take time >>off and he really battled through them," Epstein said. "He's throwing the >>ball >>back to the pitcher fine and throwing to the bases pretty well. We feel like >>he's a classic guy with a high ceiling who needs a change of scenery." >> >>Epstein and the Red Sox believe they can work with Saltalamacchia to "unleash >>that potential at some point" and the club is hoping he can help in the short >>and long term. >> >>-- >> >>Perhaps they've solved all those problems. But we won't - and they won't - >>know >>until April or May. >> >> >> >>On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 10:45 AM, Matt & Olga McSorley <[email protected]> >>wrote: >> >>I'm willing to be wowed with some spectacular move down the road, but I can't >>shake the idea that Theo has bungled his free agency decisions in the past 12 >>months. By not paying reasonable deals for Jason Bay and VMart, he may now >>have >>to overpay for Werth, whose numbers are at best comparable to Bay for a >>player >>of the same age, or Crawford, who I don't think offers the Sox much they >>don't >>already have. >>> >>>And I dread a year of Saltalamacchia. Atlanta (which does a pretty fair job >>>of >>>sizing up prospects -- remember Andy Marte?) and Texas both gave up on him. >>>I >>>hope I'm wrong and that the Tek comparison that gets thrown about comes >>>true, >>>but I'm not optimistic. >>> >>>-- Matt >>> >>> >>> >>> ________________________________ From: William Marino <[email protected]> >>>To: [email protected] >>>Sent: Fri, December 3, 2010 10:40:26 AM >>>Subject: RE: Tek Back! >>> >>> >>> >>>That’s my point. >>> >>> ________________________________ >>>From:[email protected] >>>[mailto:[email protected]] On >>>Behalf Of Dan DiBiase >>>Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 10:07 AM >>>To: [email protected] >>>Subject: Re: Tek Back! >>> >>>What's the uncertainly at SS and CF? It's Scutaro and Ellsbury... >>> >>>As far as catching, hard to say, but certainly wear and tear comes into it, >>>even >>>at a young age. One of my HS-age nephews is an avid baseball player, >>>playing on several teams year-round, and is pretty good. He played catcher, >>>second base and pitched a little. He gave up the catching because >>>he said he was getting too beat up..... >>> >>>Dan D >>>Central NJ USA >>> >>> >>> ________________________________ >>>From:William Marino <[email protected]> >>>To: [email protected] >>>Sent: Fri, December 3, 2010 9:47:24 AM >>>Subject: RE: Tek Back! >>>Why is it so hard to develop good catchers? Is it because the really good >>>athletes don’t want to play that position? Other thoughts? >>> >>>I’d love to see Salty work out, but how can we go into the season with >>>uncertainty at catcher, short stop and center field? >>> >>> ________________________________ >>>From:[email protected] [mailto: >>>[email protected] ] >>>On Behalf Of Ray Salemi >>>Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 8:25 AM >>>To: [email protected] >>>Subject: Re: Tek Back! >>> >>>I could get behind that. I'd trade hitting for pitching at this point. >>>On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 8:10 AM, Steve Gendron <[email protected]> wrote: >>>Maybe they're saving their money for Cliff Lee? >>> ________________________________ >>>>From:[email protected] >>>>[mailto:[email protected]] On >>>>Behalf Of Ray Salemi >>>>Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2010 10:14 PM >>>>To: [email protected] >>>>Subject: Re: Tek Back! >>>>yes. When we face lefties we get to play the guy who can't throw. >>>>On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 9:32 PM, Tom Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>Oh goodie we're platooning now. >>>>On Dec 2, 2010 7:57 PM, "Steve Ouellette" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>As much as I'd prefer for Tek to retire, he still hits lefties well, and >>>>>Salty >>>>>hits righties well. I'm willing to give the guy with all the letters a >>>>>chance to >>>>>prove himself. He actually reminds me of a young Tek -- heralded draft >>>>>choice >>>>>who stagnated, got traded for practically nothing, then established >>>>>himself >>>>>after 25. >>>>> >>>>>Steve O >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 6:36 PM, Ray Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Can we have a DH for cat... >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>-- >>>>Author of Robot Haiku : Poems for humans to read until their robots decide >>>>it's >>>>kill time. >>>>-- >>>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>>"Red >>>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>[email protected]. >>>>For more options, visit this group at >>>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>> >>> >>> >>>-- >>>Author of Robot Haiku : Poems for humans to read until their robots decide >>>it's >>>kill time. >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected] . >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en.-- >>> >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>> >>>-- >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>"Red >>>Sox Citizens" group. >>>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>[email protected]. >>>For more options, visit this group at >>>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >>> >>-- >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>"Red >>Sox Citizens" group. >>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>[email protected]. >>For more options, visit this group at >>http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >-- >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red >Sox Citizens" group. >To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >[email protected]. >For more options, visit this group at >http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en.
