I have screamed all year for a LH reliever, but the performances of the young guys in the pen has convinced me to STFU…. RH hitting remains a need, LH reliver a luxury.

Is it time to go ahead and tell Jorge and Hideki to have their srugeries and get 100 % for 2009? If not, it’s pretty damn close.

I could care less about what Pedroia said and/or does. I am the first one to agree that the kid can flat out hit. Whether he plays the game right???....I think the verdict is still out on that one. He does seem a bit on the whiny side, and maybe a tad bit cocky…but thats just my opinion. I’m not looking for any validation from others.

And yes, the ESPN love-fest or “bro-mance” as i prefer to categorize it as, is downright sickening.

my two cents.

The issue is not Pedroia, but the ESPN/Gammons wet kiss they gave him at the open of tonight’s broadcast.

If Pedroia treat Jeter like Jeter treated Cal Ripken, then he is smarter than I thought – but that wasn’t what I was talking about.

It was reported that Manny was given a six figure fine.

‘It was interesting Tuesday to watch the American League dugout throughout a long night at the All-Star Game, and see how Pedroia constantly gravitated to Jeter, who like most of the AL players (the exceptions including Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki and Jonathan Papelbon), remained in the dugout after being removed from the game and spent the rest of the night rooting from the top step.

“He’s been a star for a long time and someone who has always played the game right,” Pedroia said of the Yankees’ captain. “I don’t have his ability, but I learn an awful lot by just watching him. And having this chance in my first All-Star Game to have a chance to be a teammate, I tried to soak up as much as I could.”’

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3497352&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines

It was reported they fined Manny. Any rumor about how much?

A tremendously talented player with a bad attitude makes any organization look awful whether they discipline him sternly or not. It is too bad that some athletes test the limits of their fan support to the extent that Manny has (although others have been much worse than he has)

Yesterday Randy asked me the same question about Manny at the end of the in game thread. I did a posting at 7:08 so I won’t repeat everything.

Briefly, I don’t think the Sox have decided what to do with Manny but are giving him the message that they will not tolerate certain things like pushing and shoving the club traveling secretary. Manny wants to know right now if he will be given the 20 million option, but I think the Sox will wait and see how he does in the next 2 and a half months.

I don’t know what they will do with Varitek. As everyone knows his offense has been woeful and almost non-existent. This is not a criticism…just an observation that I think Yankee management may be rethinking whether it was wise to give Posada the big four year contract.

Even if Tek was hitting better I am almost certain that the Sox will not offer him a “Posada” contract. I believe that Scott Boras is his agent so it will be interesting. If he is willing to take a one or two year contract then maybe they sign him. He is good with the pitchers but has become a huge liability at the plate and not when he is behind the plate.

Just doesn’t seem to be a lot of good catchers out there right now.

All signs point to not picking it up, but they’re still the best 1-2 punch in baseball. That’s something the Red Sox have to consider.