Saturday, October 18, 2008

 

Game 5

Coco Crisp - the best AB of his career? Does it for me.

Friday, October 17, 2008

 

$133 Million

The Red Sox have a very high payroll (4th in the MBL at the start of the season) and are constantly accussed of buying their championship teams ('04, '07). But if you look at the 25 man ALCS roster for this year's AL wild card and ALDS winner you'll see that it's a homegrown team and not one made up of bought superstars.

Players brought up from the Red Sox farm system (8 players, all position players are starters and all pitchers get significant playing time):
Manny Delcarmen, P, Drafted by the Sox in 2000, Actually from Boston
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Drafted by the Sox in 2005
Jon Lester, P, Drafted by the Sox in 2002
Jed Lowrie, SS, Drafted by the Sox in 2005
Justin Masterson, P, Drafted by the Sox in 2006
Jonathan Papelbon, P, Drafted by the sox in 2005
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Drafted by the Sox in 2004
Kevin Youkilis, 3B, Drafted by the Sox in 2001

Players that have never played for another MLB team (1 player, Captain and starting catcher):
Jason Varitek, C, Drafted by Seattle but traded to the Sox and has been playing full time since 1998 (11 seasons)

Players that have played for the Sox for 5 or more seasons (3 players, 2 starters):
David Ortiz, DH, Has played for the Sox since 2003 (6 seasons)
Mike Timlin, P, Has played for the Sox since 2003 (6 seasons)
Tim Wakefield, P, Has played for the Sox since 1995 (14 seasons)

Everyone else (13 players, 5 starters):
Jason Bay, OF, Picked up by the Sox in July of 2008
Josh Beckett, P, Has played for Sox since 2006
Paul Byrd, P, Picked up by the Sox in August of 2008
Sean Casey, 1B, Has played for Sox since 2008
Kevin Cash, C, Has played for Sox since 2007
Alex Cora, SS, Has played for Sox since 2005
Coco Crisp, OF, Has played for Sox since 2006
J.D. Drew, OF, Has played for Sox since 2007
Mark Kotsay, OF, 1B, Picked up by the Sox in August of 2008
Javier Lopez, P, Has played for Sox since 2006
Daisuke Matsuzaka, P, Has played for Sox since 2007
Hideki Okajima, P, Has played for Sox since 2007
David Ross, C, Picked up by the Sox in August of 2008

Off the ALCS roster but significant:
Mike Lowell, 3B, Has played for Sox since 2006

Conclusion: the Red Sox are expensive but ARE NOT a bought team.

Thursday, October 02, 2008

 

Game 1

Lester.

Wow.

Just... wow.

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