11th February 2003, 11:58 PM
Um, LL, they announced that weeks ago (before your post)... like last year, I think... where were you? I guess you don't follow baseball closely...
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...&fext=.jsp
The Red Sox. They have 11 new players this year... and Spring Training is just starting. By opening day there might be even more... wow. That sure is a dramatically different field... I wonder how Jeremy Giambi, David Ortiz, and maybe Shea Hillenbrand will do (defensively) at first base compared to last year's Brian Daubach and Tony Clark... offensively that is clearly and upgrade, but defense? I don't know... and have doubts.
Same at second base. Todd Walker is clearly a MUCH better bat than Rey Sanchez, but his defense isn't as good...
Then there's the new bullpen (NO ONE who was in the bullpen in spring training last year is still there... two late season pickups are back from last year...). How will Chad Fox, Ramiro Mendoza, Ryan Rupe, and Mike Timlin mix with the returning Howry, Castillo, and Embree? Will the Sox accept Ryan Rupe after last year when he was a participant in the feuds between the Sox and D-Rays (he hit several Sox...)?
The last issue is the one most talked about: How will those relievers do in the expected closer-by-commitee situation? I really have no idea.
We'll see. It sure is a lot of changes... two of the coaches are new, too. I guess this is the first real full redoing of the club after the new ownership came in... and I don't see a world series-caliber team. Playoff caliber? Yes... I think they have a good shot at the wildcard. But victory? I doubt it strongly... unless they pick up better guys during the season, I just don't see it happening with this team. I can hope for more, but don't see it as happening... :(
The Red Sox do have money issues... the salary is just $103 million this year, down $15 million from last year. Meanwhile the Yankees are up to $161 million... arge...
Did you know that last year the Sox had 98% attendance capacity at Fenway? And the highest ticket prices in the majors? Its good for revinues... but not good for any more growth in profits without even higher prices. Not good... they do need a new stadium, unfortunatley (I love Fenway!), but that won't happen anytime soon. Boston won't give any money for sports stadiums in this financial situation... and the owners don't have the $500 million after spending $700 million for the team...
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...&fext=.jsp
The Red Sox. They have 11 new players this year... and Spring Training is just starting. By opening day there might be even more... wow. That sure is a dramatically different field... I wonder how Jeremy Giambi, David Ortiz, and maybe Shea Hillenbrand will do (defensively) at first base compared to last year's Brian Daubach and Tony Clark... offensively that is clearly and upgrade, but defense? I don't know... and have doubts.
Same at second base. Todd Walker is clearly a MUCH better bat than Rey Sanchez, but his defense isn't as good...
Then there's the new bullpen (NO ONE who was in the bullpen in spring training last year is still there... two late season pickups are back from last year...). How will Chad Fox, Ramiro Mendoza, Ryan Rupe, and Mike Timlin mix with the returning Howry, Castillo, and Embree? Will the Sox accept Ryan Rupe after last year when he was a participant in the feuds between the Sox and D-Rays (he hit several Sox...)?
The last issue is the one most talked about: How will those relievers do in the expected closer-by-commitee situation? I really have no idea.
We'll see. It sure is a lot of changes... two of the coaches are new, too. I guess this is the first real full redoing of the club after the new ownership came in... and I don't see a world series-caliber team. Playoff caliber? Yes... I think they have a good shot at the wildcard. But victory? I doubt it strongly... unless they pick up better guys during the season, I just don't see it happening with this team. I can hope for more, but don't see it as happening... :(
The Red Sox do have money issues... the salary is just $103 million this year, down $15 million from last year. Meanwhile the Yankees are up to $161 million... arge...
Did you know that last year the Sox had 98% attendance capacity at Fenway? And the highest ticket prices in the majors? Its good for revinues... but not good for any more growth in profits without even higher prices. Not good... they do need a new stadium, unfortunatley (I love Fenway!), but that won't happen anytime soon. Boston won't give any money for sports stadiums in this financial situation... and the owners don't have the $500 million after spending $700 million for the team...
![[Image: logo_bos_79x76.jpg]](https://www.tendocity.net/logo_bos_79x76.jpg){kind=logo}