El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox

THE NINE FINEST TWEETS FROM LAST WEEK

1) Is it wrong that I root for Yankees and Rays to get hurt and play 20 inning games when they face off?

2) RT @joe_sheehan: Just bought MacBook Pro. Already feel 21% cooler, 16% better-looking, 9% more liberal, 5% more creative.

3) I find it interesting that MLB says will test minor leaguers for HGH when A-Rod is approaching 600 hr. Coincidence? Not

4) RT @SevenDaysJobs: VT Unemployment rate dips to 6.0%, http://bit.ly/azRnAe // The drop is due to a larger drop in labor force than employed; NOT creating jobs

5) Cool story of 13-yr-old girl who uses knuckleball learned from Niekro to dominate

6) Dice-K needs to have a game with K/BB > 2 vs a real lineup or NOT A's, Cle, Tor for me to believe in him.

7) If u want single payer health care in VT, then u need a plan to retain and recruit health care professionals.

8) RT @jorgearangure MLB should jump on this CFB/agent controversy and go into inner cities and say "Hey you can get paid at age 17 in our sport!"

9) If @mcuban team wins the Rangers, then a new RSN has to b on the table that features the A.L. West leaders and the Mavs giving him a cash cow like NESN and YesNetwork.

THE SUNNY SIDE FOR THE SOX ON THE LEFT COAST
A reason to be optimist regarding the road trip is that Oakland, Seattle and Anaheim are not good. It is not all doom and gloom as many are penning.

Oakland is a 500 baseball team. Other than Kurt Suzuki and Mark Ellis, no other position player would be starting ahead of any Red Sox player who will see the field in this series.

Seattle is a bad team. Now that Cliff Lee is in Texas, they are even worse. And the Olde Towne Team will apparently miss Felix Hernandez on this trip to the Pacific Northwest. They should win the series at Safeco.

The LAA of A is really a below 500 ball club and should not be feared at all, except for Jared Weaver’s start. He appears to be making the leap to a legit ace. Weaver is averaging more than strikeout per inning with a K/BB ratio greater than five. The biggest changes from Weaver’s 2007-09 baseline seasons is that he has found a way to get out lefties. They are hitting only 543 OPS against the younger Weaver versus 772 in 2007-2009. He is also throwing his curve ball more. It will be interesting to see if he is throwing it more to southpaws as a back door breaking ball like Jon Lester does to RHB.

Other than the Weaver start in the O.C., the Red Sox should not be underdogs in any game during this road trip. Oakland, Seattle and LAA of A are not good baseball teams.

THE NINE FINEST TWEETS FROM LAST WEEK

1) Why is John Lackey getting a free ride in a fancy car? He signs a huge contract and has been a tad above terrible for the Red Sox.

2) Lackey show me swings-and-misses. The data suggests your stuff is not as sharp as last yr. I want to stop hating you.

3) RT @SamMillerOCR He just barely missed it. Must've been to his left. RT @jessespector Derek Jeter missing Bob Sheppard's funeral is inexcusable.

4) I’m surprised that the marketing gurus on Yawkey Way didn't have the rehabbing Red Sox play at Fenway vs. the Pawsox. “…tickets start at only $10 or the same price as movie."

5) @AmyKNelson Ask Will Ferrell if he plans and tries to make crappy movies or does it just happen?

6) A must read RT @GlobeEricWilbur: Warning signs ahead?

7) RT @HackswithHaggs Does it make me feel old that Rogers Centre is advertising an 80's Night at the ballpark and showing footage from RBI Baseball? Yes it does

8) Nissan’s Electric Car video - It gets up to 100miles on a full charge. Since most drive only 40 miles per day, it could work for most two car families.

9) R.I.P. George Steinbrenner and thank you for increasing my dislike for the Yankees. It made 2004 so much sweeter.

My latest for Fire Brand of the AL: The Redsox and Royals could be trading partners

THE FINEST NINE TWEETS FROM LAST WEEK OR SO

1) It is about demand not deficits and stimulus has to be without a timetable or no surge in private investment http://bit.ly/9vKoht

2) RT @alexspeier Youkilis on Ellsbury: 'It doesn’t matter if you’re hurt or not. You should be out there cheering on your team.' http://bit.ly/dBTfwv

3) Japan treasure boxes of chocolates? Because with the "national treasure" "you never know what your going to get." #forrestgump #Dice-K

4) RT @danwelch73: *BREAKING NEWS* Seibu Lions have announced a recall on their Daisuke Matsuzaka model. Details to come...

5) I loathe Kobe Bryant but if he wins 2 more times could he turn his attention to kickball for next #worldcup...thinking crazy headers!

6) The part about @chrisbosh and @dwadeofficial playing for the Heat is that I get to hate Pat Riley again.

7) I'm disappointed that the LBJ announcement is not on PayPerView. He is leaving money on the table.

8) RT @btvarthop: #BTV Art Hop registration is open. Download forms, register online, get info: http://bit.ly/arthopregistration

9) You can't stop EP a.k.a. Eric Patterson! You can only hope to contain the career minor leaguer, Rays!

Check out my latest for Fire Brand of AL: The Offense Has Carried The Club And Now It Is the Rotation’s Turn