Mauer's locked up...where does that leave us?

Well there goes that potential drama. Joe Mauer's locked up for the rest of his relevant career, and the teams who were banking on the possibility of landing him (New York and Boston) are suddenly left with one less potential hall of fame option. This leaves the Red Sox organization. On one hand, Victor Martinez is a .299/.381/.480 lifetime hitter who belted 33 homers in 2009. On the other, he is already 31 years old, has a detailed injury history, is a liability on defense behind the plate and notoriously is less effective with a bat in his hands when he's playing catcher as opposed to first base or DH. So what is the right call?

My presumption is that the Red Sox will make a serious run at signing V-mart to a three or four year deal. I base this on a number of factors. Firstly, the free agent class for catchers projects to be incredibly week after 2010. Secondly, even though Mark Wagner has looked spectacular this spring and Luis Exposito and Tim Federowicz both project as solid players down the road, there are no minor leaguers that will figure into the major league equation in 2011. As such, the Red Sox have little choice but to re-sign Martinez. And at first I saw that as a bad thing, but as I am prone to do, I've been thinking since then.

It is true that V-Mart is a little less valuable behind the plate, but that isn't necessarily where he will end up. We all know that he also plays first base and can handle the DH spot. ON the first base note, Kevin Youkilis has a firm hold on the position at the moment, but when Beltre's contract expires there is nothing holding Boston back from swinging Youk to third and moving V-mart to first. As for the DH, according to John Tomase of the Boston Herald, David Ortiz has no plan to press the team about his $12.5m club option for 2011, which provides the front office and coaching staff a little time to evaluate his 2010 productivity before making that decision. If Papi repeats his 2009 collapse, it is also conceivable that V-mart would man the helm at DH next season. However, as always, only time will tell.

Things looking up in Papiland?

David Ortiz has not been doing good things for me. All he's really given me this Spring is indigestion and thoughts of who the Red Sox will be trading for Adrian Gonzalez at the break. However, maybe in response to media scrutiny, Big Papi seems to have found his stroke. In the last five spring outings, he has gone 7-12 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Who knows how this will translate come opening day, but it's certainly encouraging to see Mr. Clutch actually driving in some runs and getting hold of a pitch or two.

Reddick Making a Case

With the off-season loss of Rocco Baldelli the Red Sox were forced to find a new fourth outfielder and as such, gave Jeremy Hermida $2.5 million for one year of service. Based on the money, I'm assuming Hermida will be on the 25-man come April, but a Josh Reddick has emerged as a big-league talent this spring. This isn't' to say that Hermida has disappointed (he's hitting .364/.391/.455), but Reddick has been absolutely stellar. In a team-leading 26 AB's so far, he has posted a line of .423/.444/.769 with 4 doubles, a triple and a home run. Now obviously this is spring training and doesn't necessarily mean anything (or so we hope with Papi's performance thus far), but Reddick's progress has to have him in the back of Tito's mind. He'll undoubtedly start the season in Pawtucket because the organization wants him playing every day, but at 23, his progress makes me a lot more excited about a future outfield of Josh Reddick, Ryan Kalish and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Things are looking up, Lowrie, Dice-K

So I was just thinking last night, and I believe I uncovered the key difference from 2009 that will spell success in 2010: The starting rotation-bullpen ratio and its effect on Tim Wakefield. Early on in 2009, the Red Sox were in a nasty rut. Josh Beckett would start and throw 4-5 innings, then the next day Jon Lester would repeat those innings, and then the day after that Dice-K would come in and throw 2-3 innings. By the time the team got to Tim Wakefield's start in the rotation, the bullpen had already tossed somewhere around 16-18 innings the previous four days, necessitating a lengthy start from Tim Wakefield. By the second half of the 2009 season, the wear took its toll on Wakefield and the bullpen. Wake was injured and unable to be the rock of the rotation like he was throughout the first half. At the same time, our bullpen began giving up exponentially more home runs and struggled to close out games. I believe that with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and a healthy John Lackey fronting the rotation, the innings disparity should be lessened dramatically from the abysmal start in 2009. As such, the bullpen will be used A LOT less in those games. Ultimately this means that Tim Wakefield's eating innings goes from a necessity to a luxury. Less pressure on Wakefield and less strain on the bullpen should result in more wins. Just a thought!

In other news, Jed Lowrie is suffering from an irregular heartbeat and fatigue and took a stress test today to try and figure out the cause. Dice-K Matsuzaka attempted another BP today but only threw 19 pitches and was done. Doesn't look like he has much of a shot of being ready for opening day.

12 Sent Down, Westmoreland

Today the cuts began as the Red Sox moved 12 players to minor league camp. Ryan Kalish, Lars Anderson, Jose Iglesias and Yamaico Navarro headlined the hitters who were reassigned or optioned. They were joined by Luis Exposito and Che-Suan Lin. Of the pitchers, Casey Kelly stands out as the most notable name. He is joined by Adam Mills, Kris Johnson, Randor Bierd, Robert Manuel and Kyle Weiland. Kelly and Iglesias were both optioned to AA Portland.

In other, more somber news, Ryan Westmoreland, popularly considered one of the two best prospects in the Red Sox system (along with Kelly) must take a medical leave as doctors have discovered a cavernous malformation in his brain. His family has asked for privacy throughout the ordeal. In a press release late yesterday, Theo Epstein said, "The entire Red Sox organization stands in support of Ryan as he courageously deals with this issue. Ryan is a remarkable kid and a talented player, and we understand that many will be concerned about his health. He is getting the best medical attention the world has to offer, and we will have more information soon." Here's hoping it's good news for Ryan and his family.

Here's your chance Clay

Things are looking up in the Clay Buchholz camp today. He started the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates going 3 innings and allowing 2 hits, a walk and striking out 2. This is a marked improvement from his first appearance this spring.

In the meantime, ESPN Boston reports that Daisuke Matsuzaka was taking what was supposed to be his first step towards being ready to go on opening day by tossing live BP, but only five pitches into warm-ups he experienced neck stiffness and had to stop. On top of that he apparently needs to return to Boston to deal with a personal matter.

It seems that after all of the hullabaloo as to who would be the five men in the starting rotation come April 4th, things have worked themselves out. I think this is Clay Buchholz's chance to go out there and make himself necessary to success. If Buchholz is good then the organization has no choice but to keep him in Boston if and when Dice-K returns. We shall see.

My National League playoff Predictions 2010:

I'm basing the seeding and match-ups on my previously posted National League projections for the 2010 season. Let me know what you think.

Division Series:

(1)Philadelphia Phillies vs. (3)St. Louis Cardinals:
Phillies win it in four games on the arm of Roy Halladay and the bats of the
best offense in the National League. Sorry Albert.

(2)Colorado Rockies vs. (4)Florida Marlins:
Colorado wins it in three. The perfect storm of playoff experience from Colorado
and a lack of it from the Marlins. A good step in the right direction for
Florida making the post-season, but Colorado is just too good.

Championship Series:

(1)Philadelphia Phillies vs. (2)Colorado Rockies
Phillies take it in five. Maybe you are beginning to see the theme. No team
in the NL can take the Phils. Halladay rolls and so does this offense again.
Another "close but no cigar" season for the Rockies.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Today the Red Sox meet the Mets in Spring Training competition. John Lackey made the start and Jason Bay was in the lineup for New York. Lackey was solid again, tossing three frames and allowing three hits, no runs. Bay went 0-2 before being pulled. I'm going to temper my enthusiasm about Lackey given his injury history going into seasons, but so far so good from the new import.

Rundown: First week of Spring Training

The first week of spring games is officially over so I thought I'd take a look at the week's top performers, along with some disappointments.

In the hitting department:
-Josh Reddick has been stellar thus far, posting a .471/.471/.824 line in 17 AB. It is still early, but with a relatively fragile outfield with J.D. Drew, Reddick could certainly see more time in the bigs this year.

-Jacoby Ellsbury had a nice day today. He's only hitting .250 but he blasted two home runs today against the Rays (making him the club leader for the spring).

-Highly touted prospect Jose Iglesias has been solid to this point. He's only notched 10 plate appearances so far, but has a home run and three rbi's to his credit.

-On the other end of the spectrum, David Ortiz, looking to rebound from a down year in 2009, has posted a line of .091/.167/.091. In 11 AB's he has a hit, a walk and two strikeouts. It's early so I'm not trying to make any definitive statement about how his year will go, but he has not been good to this point.

From the mound:

-Tim Wakefield has tossed 5 scoreless innings so far, and looks very solid. Clay Buchholz on the other hand has looked abysmal in his only appearance, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing 5 hits, 2 walks and 3 earned runs. So far the fifth spot looks like Timmy's.

-It's too early to say anything about a specific pitcher but in prospect Casey Kelly's only appearance he threw two frames, walking a batter and striking out another. He looks to start the year in AA Portland.

-Again, too early, but things do not look great for Adam Mills thus far. He's averaging about four hits and three runs an inning, and today earned the loss against the Rays.

In other news, Buster Olney reported today that talks are at least taking place between the Red Sox and Josh Beckett on a new contract, but there is no word how close the two sides are. Good to know they are working towards keeping him though.

Class Act

Today Nomar Garciaparra signed a one-day deal with the Boston Red Sox in order to retire. Good to see a player who left on what may have not been the best of terms show respect to the organization that gave him his best years. The 6-time all-star (5 with the Red Sox) is going out the way he should. Good Luck in broadcasting Nomar.

My MLB Predictions 2010: AL EAST

Wow...maybe it's the fact that I'm so involved in what's going on in the East more than any other division but this one is unbelievably tough to call. I'll give it a shot though.

New York Yankees (98-64): For any Yankees fans offended by the predicted 5-win drop, go look at Baseball Prospectus, which had the Yankees winning only 90 games and finishing third in the East. No, like it or not the Yankees still have the best team in baseball (on paper at least). It was certainly a busy off-season in the Big Apple, but I do not personally believe the Yanks actually made themselves better. Johnny Damon was always under-appreciated during his tenure in pinstripes, mostly because of the big names he played alongside. However, when stats and intangibles are compared, the Yankees really gain or lose nothing in essentially swapping Damon for Granderson. They do, however, lose some power in the lineup with the losses of Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera. Sure it is not substantial, but it's something. Finally, the team has what appears to be a very weak bullpen. Going forward, I believe all of these things, combined with aging, will bring them back to Earth. They still win the division though.

Boston Red Sox (98-64): Wait, you mean the Jason Bay-less Sox will get...better!? Absolutely. Firstly, Beantown fans might remember the first two months of 2009 when Tim Wakefield was the only thing keeping the starting rotation above water. Well this year look for Josh Beckett in his contract year to have a great season. Beyond that look for the ever more-experienced Jon Lester and new member John Lackey to buckle down for a great first half. Add to that the potential resurgence of an apparently healthy Dice-K and the probability of the ageless wonder Tim Wakefield being solid again, and the prospects look much brighter. Plus, the defense is greatly improved, the menial bullpen-depth moves should pay dividends, and a motivated David Ortiz along with new hires Adrian Beltre, Marco Scutaro and Mike Cameron will improve the offense. This team is better than you think. So much for a bridge year.

Tampa Bay Rays (95-67): 2009 was a fluke. And those things that were seriously wrong last year were addressed in the very few moves made by the Rays this off-season. Their highly-touted closer-by-committee plan failed miserably in 2009, so they addressed that in acquiring Rafael Soriano to handle the responsibility. Dioner Navarro fell apart in 2009, so they brought in Kelly Shoppach to shore up the position. And with an aging Gabe Kapler in right field, Matt Joyce should start moving into the starting role. Look for the Rays to rebound and for their incredibly potent offense, which features phenom Evan Longoria, 2009 breakout stars Ben Zobrist and Jason Bartlett, along with Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena (both in contract years) to explode in 2010.

Baltimore Orioles (82-80): If you believe that an 18-win increase for the O's is too much, then I believe you haven't been paying attention. Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, Luke Scott, Matt Wieters, Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts. These are all potent offensive players. Furthermore, this is a team that will field the ball exceptionally well. Their bullpen also looks to be drastically improved in 2010 with the addition of Mike Gonzalez to hold down the closer's role. So that brings us to the ever-present issue of Baltimore's rotation. It's better than you think. Kevin Millwood has been brought in to bolster a young staff. Behind him is Jeremy Guthrie, who the team hopes can take the next step this year. And after that the next three starters are all young studs that can be wildly successful in the majors (Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz, and Chris Tillman). It won't be their year yet, but this team is drastically improved from the dismal squads of the past few years. They are no joke.

Toronto Blue Jays (64-98): Two words: Roy Halladay. It cannot be understated what this man meant to Toronto. Not only was he as sure a thing as you can find in baseball every fifth day, but he was also a great man to have atop a rotation filled by young pitchers. Without his leadership and without him anchoring the rotation this team has no clear ace and no clear direction. They will certainly score some runs with players like Aaron Hill and Adam Lind, but this team is quite simply, not in a good place. It's rebuilding time in Canada. I just hope for their sake's that the Olympic nostalgia can get them through the season.

My MLB Predictions 2010: AL CENTRAL

Detroit Tigers (90-72): I believe the losses of Curtis Granderson, Edwin Jackson and Fernando Rodney are being completely over-stated. Granderson was undoubtedly a great player for the Tigers but the fact is, with Granderson in the lineup they were never able to play a true lead-off hitter. As such, I think the additions of Austin Jackson and Johnny Damon out-wiegh the loss of Granderson. Likewise, the additions of Daniel Schlereth and Jose Valverde to the bullpen outweights Rodney, and in my opinion, the addition of young stud Max Scherzer easily outweighs the loss of Jackson. Miguel Cabrera's a beast, and so is this team.

Chicago White Sox (88-74): The White Sox are not necessarily being looked at as a contender this season, but with their starting rotation they can stick with anyone. Peavy, Buehrle, Danks,and Gavin Floyd is a potent foursome. Plus, apparently Bobby Jenks has lost a lot of weight and looks great.

Minnesota Twins (88-74): The Twins kind of fall into the Rockies' category of being warriors and just knowing how to win. You cannot argue with a 1-2 punch of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. It all comes down to starting pitching. This group was once highly touted, but after a disappointing 2009, their production will be vital to a winning season.

Kansas City Royals (68-94): What is left to be said that hasn't already been said about the Kansas City Royals? They have young studs like Zack Greinke and Billy Butler. We know that. They have underachieving young players like Alex Gordon and Luke Hochevar. We know that. The rest of their roster is composed of mediocre players that would play a utility role or bat 7th for any other major league roster. We know that. But most of all, the Royals have the same team they've had for 5 years running and will produce just like they always do. We know.

Cleveland Indians (62-100): "Yikes." That is all that can be said here. It's a necessary re-tooling year after trading away two of their only three legitimate studs in Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee. They have plenty of potentially really good young players such as Lou Marson, Matt LaPorta and Asdrubal Cabrera. However, when Justin Masterson (as much as I love him) is your third starter, it's a throw-away year. My advice? Take in LeBron as much as you can Cleveland.

My MLB Predictions 2010: AL WEST

Seattle Mariners (96-66): Some may call this "buying into the hype," but when an 85-win team gets as much better on paper as the Mariners did this off-season, you have to recognize it in the overall record. Add to that the fact that the only other team in the division that legitimately got better was Oakland, and it just HAS to be Seattle's year....right?

Los Angeles Angels (93-69): Anyone who is counting out the Angels for 2010 needs to take a closer look. True, they lost Lackey, Figgins and Guerrero. But consider that they still have a number of breakout stars from last season, including Kendry Morales who hit .306 with 34 HR and 108 RBI. With an added year of experience his plate discipline should improve and he will only get better. Also consider that their pitching staff is not lost without Lackey. They have three pitchers in the rotation with 15 or more wins in 2009, and Scott Kazmir who posted a 1.73 ERA in 6 starts with the Halos. This team can take the division. No doubt.

Texas Rangers (88-74): I know this is probably an unpopular number among most baseball fans but I just can't see the Rangers making a DRASTIC improvement from their 2009 season. If they had gone out and addressed starting pitching in this year's free agent market or through trades then I would be raving about the squad. The fact of the matter is, however, that they did no such thing. Their offense will be potent and their defense will be above average. Even their bullpen is going to be fairly solid. However, even after years of dealing with this the hard way, the Rangers still don't seem to realize that you cannot get anywhere without a rotation.

Oakland Athletics (80-82): This team is one of the most intriguing in all of baseball. No one will look at their team and think anything of the roster on paper, but as usual Billy Bean has put a squad in place that is fronted by great young starting pitchers and a viable (but not great) offense. They fall into the San Francisco category in terms of a power threat, but it's not for lack of effort (see: Matt Holliday, first half of 2009). With this team's pitching, they can compete and win games. Look for the A's to hang around throughout the first half and maybe make a move at the deadline to become a legitimate contender. These A's could be next year's cinderella. Time will tell.

The O's look scary

I'm sitting here watching the game between the Sox and O's and I'm realizing that Baltimore can really field a tough squad this year. As usual their starting pitching will keep them from crossing the threshold and becoming a contender, but their defense and offense can both be great. I mean, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, Brian Roberts, Miguel Tejada, Nolan Reimold and Luke Scott? Holy Crap.

Oh and by the way, their bullpen is solid and they have good young starters beginning to crack the major league roster. Don't look now but this team is moving in the right direction AND they have money. Gulp.

My MLB Predictions 2010: NL WEST

Colorado Rockies (90-72): It's about time I stop underestimating the Rox prior to EVERY season. Each year their off-season performance seems dismal and their prospects do not look spectacular and yet they inevitably make a run and make the playoffs. Look for more stellar improvement from Troy Tulowitzki. Rockies fans should temper their enthusiasm early on to allow their young outfielders to acclimate. The loss of Jason Marquis could hurt them. At the end of the day, however, the Rockies are the warriors of baseball. They just know how to win.

Arizona Diamondbacks (88-74): This ranking is almost exclusively dependent on Brandon Webb. With recent reports from Arizona management that he may begin the year on the DL I am really on the fence about putting them here. They have an exciting young offense, including one of the most exciting players in the game in 2009 breakout star Justin Upton. If Webb is healthy then the 1-2-3 punch of Webb, Haren, and the newly acquired Edwin Jackson would seem to be tops in the division. If Webb cannot go though, and Chris B. Young cannot turn it around in centerfield, it could be another down year.

San Francisco Giants (88-74): Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain will most certainly keep this team a winner for years to come as one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. Their offense may very well be improved from 2009, but not necessarily in the right departments. They still do not possess a legitimate power-threat and until they can establish one, they are a sub-90 win team.

Los Angeles Dodgers (83-79): I know it is a huge projected drop-off from the 95-win 2009 club, but I really don't love the look of their roster. Obviously they have one of the most offensively-potent outfields in the game with Manny, Kemp and Ethier, but the rest of the roster doesn't blow me away. They took some legitimate hits to their rotation and the bullpen needed an upgrade that will not come in the form of Eric Gagne. I'm probably undershooting their final record, but I think sub-par pitching combined with a decided lack of depth on the roster (no more Juan Pierre who was superb during Manny's suspension last season) will equate to a dramatic drop-off in wins and an inevitable retooling in the next off-season.

San Diego Padres (73-89): While most probably reminisce about the 2009 season and think of the Padres as the worst team in baseball, they bested 8 other teams in the majors and bring back a roster that is essentially the same as last season's. They lose the hot start of Jake Peavy, however, and that will take away a few wins. Adrian Gonzalez will keep you in some games, however, and Heath Bell will close out most of the close ones. Another mediocre year in San Diego.

Come back later tonight for the AL WEST.

My MLB Predictions 2010: NL CENTRAL

St. Louis Cardinals (89-73): The Cards are still the class of the central but the loss of Joel Piniero and no significant additions besides Felipe Lopez, they look to take a slight step back from their 2009 success. Beware: The probability of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright repeating their 2009 seasons is low. If they falter then the whole pitching staff could unravel.

Milwaukee Brewers (88-74): This may seem like too large a leap for a team that was only marginally successful in 2009 but I like the looks of their roster more than most. With the combo of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, the return of Rickie Weeks, the rookie year of Alcides Escobar and a veteran pitching rotation, this team can compete with most anyone. Don't be surprised if they overtake Pujols and the boys in red.

Chicago Cubs (83-78): Chicago may think they dismissed all that was wrong with the club in trading Milton Bradley, but there are still a ton of emotionally-driven, streaky players on that roster and I don't believe it bodes well for 2010. Their rotation could be very good or could be very bad. Same for the offense. To me the only name on that roster I look at and think "consistency" is Aramis Ramirez (when he's healthy). Edinson Volquez's injury is the only thing keeping me from putting the Reds here.

Cincinatti Reds (80-82): They have the pieces in place to make a run at a winning record but something is just out of whack with this roster. On the one hand you have Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Scott Rolen and Ramon Hernandez. You also have Cueto, Harang, and the newly acquired Aroldis Chapman. On the other hand you have an extremely young outfield, and extremely old left side of the infield, a very weak bullpen and Bronson Arroyo.

Houston Astros (73-89): Point blank: I do not believe that Wandy Rodriguez will repeat his 2009. Jose Valverde is gone. Their offense stinks outside of 2 or 3 players. Not good. And it blows my mind that year after year they avoid trading Oswalt to restock the system. May look back and see that as one of the biggest mistakes of the past decade. Yeesh.

Pittsburgh Pirates (70-91): Nope, they won't see that winning season yet. However, it seems they may finally be on the way. They finally had one of those top prospects pan out in the form of Andrew McCutchen and with other potential studs on their roster, including 2009 breakout star Garret Jones, who after being a lifer in AAA suddenly exploded for 21 home runs in the second half last year, and the under-achieving but highly touted Lastings Milledge, the club looks to continue improving. You kind of got the feeling watching the Bucs last year that they are finally having some fun with baseball. I think that fun turns into wins. So sue me.

Later today I'll pump out the NL WEST and maybe embark on the American League.

My MLB Predictions 2010: NL EAST

I'm not going to try and be popular or a rebel. This is just what I believe:

NL EAST:
Philadelphia Phillies (95-67): It's hard not to be wary of Placido Polanco's recent decline and a decided lack of pitching depth compared to 2009, but the Roy Halladay factor has to be considered and that is why they gain two wins and take the division.

Florida Marlins (89-73): I know this is a questionable pick but the fish bring back most of the same squad that won a quiet 87 games in 2009 and I figure with the more-experienced young players and an ace like Josh Johnson (not to mention an improved bullpen), this team will be tough to beat.

New York Mets (86-76): The Mets can't help but have a monster turnaround in 2010 following one of the unluckiest and most injury-filled seasons I have ever seen a team endure. In spite of what is, on paper, one of the best offenses in baseball, I do not believe that Jason Bay and Gary Matthews Jr. are enough to overtake the Phillies. Bottom line: Their pitching, Johan Santana or not, just isn't good enough.

Atlanta Braves (86-76): This is one of the most difficult teams to predict. It could go either way. If Martin Prado, Troy Glaus, Nate McLouth and Melky Cabrera can all produce effectively, and if Tommy Hanson lives up to hype, and if Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito can effectively replace Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez, they can be great. Too many ifs for this guy.

Washington Nationals (68-94): The Nationals are still a year or two away from factoring in but they finally look like they are in a position to do so. With a rotation that now features Jason Marquis, 2009 standout John Lannan, and Scott Olsen, and will eventually feature the likes of Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmerman, this team will be scary in the future, especially with Ryan Zimmerman who had the quietest 33HR 106RBI season you will ever see with one of the worst teams in baseball. He's the real deal and more. Pay attention.

It is time for a realistic Red Sox outlook.

So I was just doing my nightly surf of the Boston Red Sox Blogosphere and realized that I can no longer take the irrational homerism (being WAY TOO optimistic about the Red Sox or WAY TOO down on the Yankees) and the rampant "I'm smarter than you" attitude. I just wanted a blogger who is straightforward about his thoughts and avoids coming across as an ass. Also, a blogger who accurately reports the Red Sox news along with his Red Sox opinions. When I couldn't find anything of the sort, I decided it was my time to jump into the blogosphere myself. So...

HELLO INTERNET!
My name is Christian and I'm 22. I have never played baseball and I have not had a class in journalistic writing since I was a sophomore in high school. I do not presume to have inside knowledge that everyone else on the internet is not privy to, I'm simply here to tell you that I will diligently track down this information and use this blog as a place to compile it all for you to see. If you disagree with me I welcome the argument and, of course, if you agree I welcome the praise. The Red Sox are not something you "like" or "follow." The Boston Red Sox are a passion and a way of life. So if there is one thing you get out of this post it should be this: I LOVE THE BOSTON RED SOX. However, I love them like a child. I will praise them for doing well and freak out on them when they disappoint me (but inevitably and awkwardly apologize later). I love this team and I want everyone else to love them too.

Keep on reading, because the Red Sox never sleep! (and unfortunately neither do I =)