El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox

ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

I can’t get the play out of my mind that the Texas shortstop makes in the field at Fenway last season going into the hole taking away a sure base hit then flipping the ball directly from his glove to second. It was brilliant and yet completed so nonchalantly to end the inning. As NESN was heading to a pay for Damian Jackson, I said to my buddy, “Texas doesn’t serve to watch him play everyday.” And now Texans do not have that luxury.

A lot has occurred since that game last spring. It has taken me about 48 hours to get over this A-Hole thing. I was still hoping that each person in N.E. minus CT, of course, would come up with $2 a piece totaling $20 mil to make up the difference between Henry and Hicks. I now have some clarity but no thoughts of grandeur.

I know that I will loose a month off my life this summer watching the 30 or so times Nomar opens up his hips too early on a slider resulting in a weak pop fly to right.

I know that each time Manny doesn’t run out a grounder or looks confused in left will add to my underdeveloped ulcer.

I know that I will loose sleep over the possibility that Henry, Theo and Lovely Larry will again have not the funds or guts to pull off the big one next winter.

But, who the hell cares. This is the best Sox team I can ever recall.

Baseball Prospectus' forecasting system has the Sox in a virtual tie with the MFY. The A-Hole deal allowed the MFY to match the Sox. Pre-A-Hole and less Boone the Sox were up by 29 runs. Without any other transactions, the AL BEast is going to come down to luck/one-run games and the head-to-head match ups.

The presumed Wilson and Cairo second base tandem are out machines so it is no use taking a deeper look at them. Since Boone played in the NL most of his career he does have enough PAs (15+) vs. Sox pitchers.

A-Hole
Wake - 281/324/375
Pedro - 133/235/267
Mend - 364/348/500
Foulk - 150/227/300
Lowe - 077/368/077

Soriano
Pedro - 129/156/194
Lowe - 267/290/433
Wake - 316/333/684

If Mendoza pitches to A-Hole in nearly any situation, Tito should be canned. It appears that Pedro and Lowe have not had difficultly putting away either infielder. Historically, A-Hole can't touch Foulke. The only real difference between the hitters is against Wake. Soriano has pounded the knuckler and A-Hole has underperformed. The Sox get a more favorable match up when Wake takes the mound against the MFY - very small edge to the Sox.

The concern is who is next on the MFY shopping list. The talk is now of Maddux and I doubt Boy George allows his team to come up from Tampa with no names at second. Ray Durham and Junior Spivey are likely targets. Maddux or Durham would tip the scales a little too much for this to be a tie; thus increasing the importance of the season series. But both would not make the MFY a lock. The 2004 Boston Red Sox are that good. The 18 or so games against the MFY are going to be huge, likely deciding the AL BEast, and a ton of fun too. It's on! Well, almost.