Tagged: Michael Bowden

What To Do With The Organized Mess That The Red Sox Are

Wednesday Clay Buchholz and Jed
Lowrie returned from the disabled list. And while, Buchholz didn’t do that good
(Lowrie to me looked great) they are playing.

In order to activate Buchholz and
Lowrie Boston designate Ryan Shealy for assignment and sent Dustin Richardson
and Fernando Cabrera to Pawtuckett (AAA). The Red Sox active roster now has 25
players.

With the emergence of Daniel Nava,
Darnell McDonald, and some nice play lately by Kevin Cash, Michael Bowden, and
Atchison, whom do you send down in place for Jeremy Hermida, Jacoby Ellsbury,
Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek and Josh Beckett.

Jeremy Hermida

            As
soon as I finished writing Hermida’s name NESN said that Daniel Nava has been
optioned to Pawtuckett. It is a shame that Nava has to go back down after doing
a great job filling in for Hermida but at the end of the day either Darnell
McDonald or Nava had to go down and Boston chose Nava. He will probably be back
up in September unless another outfielder gets hurt.

Jacoby Ellsbury

            Ellsbury
might not be back as soon as Hermida but unless there is another injury among
the outfielders it looks like Darnell McDonald will be sent down. Obviously, a
shame that he has to be sent down but he will be back in September with Nava unless an injury happens.

Mike Lowell

Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell (File)

            Mike
Lowell is an interesting case. He will start his rehab Thursday. He has
publicly said that he is frustrated and honestly who could blame him. He has not
gotten many starts at third and with Big Papi stepping up not many at
designated hitter. He has done a decent job in a few starts at first base. I
think he will probably get traded before the deadline so it doesn’t really
matter who gets sent down.

            I
think that Lowell might get Boston maybe a left-handed relief pitcher or a
decent prospect. Eric Patterson will probably get sent down but might get
called up after Lowell’s trade. If Lowell does not get traded then Patterson
will get sent down, designated for assignment, or maybe even get traded.

            If
Lowell just gets traded for a prospect who is not ready yet then look at either
Nava, McDonald, or Aaron Bates to get called up. There are many possibilities
with Lowell so we will just have to wait and see.

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Glavine to Boston?!?

Tom Glavine a low risk high reward player said he felt good after throwing of the mound for the first time since elbow and shoulder surgery in August. Glavine is a local guy according to Julia (Julia your “dream” came true) over at Julia’s Rants. Glavine’s longtime teammate John Smoltz recently signed with the Red Sox. Glavine, a free agent, made thirteen starts last season. He went two and four, with 37 strikeouts, and a ERA 5.54. Tom Glavine is 42 years old. Glavine is a sure first ballot hall of famer he has 305 carer wins, an ERA of 3.54, and has 2,607 strikeouts. Glavine has played twenty-two seasons with the Braves on two different occasions and the New York Mets. He has won twenty games five times. While Glavine is a great player and I am sure he would love to go to the Red Sox, but Boston already has eight starters in Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Dice-K, Tim Wakefield, Brad Penny, Smoltz, Clay Buchholz, and Michael Bowden. Smoltz though could come out of the bullpen and I think Clay could too. As for Bowden he’ll come up from AAA in mid-season. He would probably cost a around the amount of Smoltz and is better. Am I saying that I would rather have Glavine then Smoltz? No, Smoltz will not pitch till June but he can be a starter or come out of the bullpen which I wish every pitcher could. Glavine will should sign with a team with young pitchers, the Rays, Twins, A’s, D-Backs, Reds, Pirates, Brewers, Nationals, Marlins, or maybe even the Padres. he also could resign with the Braves who have signed Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami. The Braves also traded for former Chicago White Sox, Javier Vazquez. Vazquez is listed as the Braves ace on Braves.com don’t get that one. I would put my money on the Brewers or the Braves. The Brewers lost C.C. Sabathia to the Yankees. Ben Sheets, the other Brewers ace is still on the market. One game I would love to see, Red Sox vs. Brewers, Jon Smoltz vs. Tom Glavine, at Fenway Park. 

Tom Glavine (left) John Smoltz (center) Greg Maddux (right)

Former Met Tom Glavine retired the final 17 batters he faced during the Braves' 6-1 win in the first game of a day-night doubleheader today.





Red Sox, Yankees, Rays- Rotation

First- WOW! Today is the slowest day in sports ever. So slow I was going to put this story up around spring training.

Second- Some of my NFL predictions were off, but who would have thought that the Chargers would have beat the Colts.
Third- My Celtics better start another streak. If they win tonight against the Knicks it will be a two game win streak.
Now to the Entry.
Who will win the A.L. will it be the Rays, Sox, or that team in New York (I’m to mad at them for some reason to say their name). I will lock at every thing from the players to their ballparks to their fans.
Rotation
C.C. Sabathia, NYY, A.J. Burnett, Chein-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes/ Alfredo Aceves
Josh Beckett BOS, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Brad Penny, Tim Wakefield/ Clay Buchholz
James Shields TB, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza, Andy Sonnanstine, David Price/ Mitch Talbot
The Yankees have two real aces along with one ace. To be a real ace you have to be an ace no questions asked. To be an ace you only need some people to think your an ace. C.C. and A.J. are real aces while Wang is just an ace. The Red Sox have three real aces being Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K. They also have an ace being Brad Penny. they Rays have two real aces being Shields and Kazmir. Garza is an ace while Price is a future ace. Joba needs to stay in the bullpen so if I were the Yankees I would get Smoltz or someone and move Joba to the ‘pen. The Red Sox need to have a sixth man ready like Clay or Masterson in case Penny or Beckett gets hurt. I would start Clay in the bullpen at first. Masterson should stay in the bullpen. Bowden needs half a year then the Sox should call him up in the summer. The Rays just need to get better every year. Their rotation is great, just not ready to compete with the rotations of Boston and New York.
Note- If a “/” is in front of their name then they are the “sixth” or backup starter. If they are bold that means they are one of the top five starters, which gives their team a point. If underlined then they are an honorable mention and gives their team 1/2 a point.
Sorry not showing much love to the Rays.
Todays points
Red Sox- 3.5
player
Yankees- 2.5
player

Rays- 1.5
player
Look out for the infield tomorrow

Brad Penny & Josh Bard

First- Here is the link to the salaries that I used for the roster game. try it if you want, it is kinda fun.
It only has the salaries from the start of the season, so now Masterson or Price.
Second- My Celtics got back on track by kicking the Sacramento King‘s but.
The Boston Herald is reporting that the Red Sox have reportedly reach a deal with starter Brad Penny and catcher Josh Bard. Penny’s deal is worth a base salary of five million dollars plus bonuses. Penny is a nine year major league veteran. Penny has played all nine years in the N.L. with the Florida Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was injured most of the season last year making only 17 starts with six wins and nine losses. With the exception of 2008 Penny’s stats are better then A.J. Burnett’s who recently signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox rivals. In 2007 Penny had 16 wins while Burnett had ten wins and eight loses. Penny will be the fifth or forth man in the rotation. Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, and Michael Bowden where also in the running for the fifth man in the rotation. I think Clay, Masterson, and Bowden will still compete for the rotation in case Penny gets injured. Masterson will probably stay in the bullpen now, while Clay could start the season in the bullpen to see how he does back at the major league level. Bowden will probably stay in AAA for half the season then move to the majors in the summer.
Josh Bard played seven games for the Red Sox in 2006 trying to catch knuckle baller, Tim Wakefield, allowing ten pass balls. Bard must have learned to catch a knuckle ball because I don’t think he would be back here unless he knows how to catch Wakefield. Bard’s contract is worth 1.6 million with a non-guaranteed major league deal. Bard has played seven major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. He is 30 years old, with 28 carer home runs and a .265 carer batting average. He had one home run and 36 hits, in 57 games with the Padres this year. Bard has been to the post season only once where he went one for seven.
Overall I like both moves by the Red Sox, mostly the Penny deal.