Red Sox Manager Hunt Turns to Bobby V

We all know that Bobby Valentine would give his right arm to manage in the majors again. Especially if the price is right. So what better organization to manage for then the Boston Red Sox?

After the Red Sox made the decision yesterday to part ways with the man who brought them two championships with one breaking the Curse of the Bambino, might add Bobby V to the list of managerial candidates. At least the Boston Globe thinks they should. Who could blame them?

It has been said that Terry Francona had no control in the clubhouse. No bueno if you are a manager. You need to have control. I can assure you, that would not be a problem for good ol’ Bobby V. Red Sox Nation would certainly love his brash ways. It would be a match made in heaven. At least I would think so.

Players like John Lackey would certainly know their place. Carl Crawford would definitely put up or shut up. All players would fear, or at the very least respect even if they hate him, the V.

Mets fans would love to have Bobby V back. It will never happen though. Terry Collins did a good enough job with this team to the point where his option for 2013 was picked up. He is not going anywhere.

I wonder if the Red Sox would be interested in Wally Backman. There’s a clash if I ever saw one. The front office would hate him, but the fans would love him.

My opinion is Francona got a raw deal. He helped to end the curse. He did what he could. It isn’t his fault he got handed a bunch of whiny prima donnas who cannot handle being told to do their job. While it appears as though it was Francona’s decision to leave, the front office should have done whatever it took to keep him. He was great in Boston. I wish him all the best.

Beltran Being Given His Options

The Mets have already handed Carlos Beltran a list of teams he could possibly go to before the trade deadline, this according to Jeff Passan over at Yahoo! Sports.

Among the teams are the Philadelphia Phillies who do have prospects GM Sandy Alderson could find interesting. Others are the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.

I would hate to see him in a Phillies or Yankees uniform. Personally, I would rather see him go to the Red Sox. If he were smart, he would take the trade there because he would be extending his career and they are in first place. They also have Carl Crawford. Can you imagine those two together in a line-up?

The article made mention of the Milwaukee Brewers, but we have yet to know what players we are getting from them for Francisco Rodriguez. So I say, to hell with them. I want players now.

So the days of Beltran remaining a Met uniform are numbered. I need to get to some games before he does leave.

Underdogs? The Yankees? Why?

Photo Credit Boston.com

Yes this is a blog about the Yankees on CFoD. Do not despair. This might make some of you cheery. There seems to be a rumor going around that the New York Yankees are being considered the underdogs of the AL East. Yes, I am being very serious.

With a payroll of $206,738,389, I would hardly call them “underdogs”. At least, they really should not be called that. If I were the boss, I would have a fit after investing so much money.

When you think of the term “underdogs”, you most likely think about the New York Mets. Even you have to agree with that. I mean, who else would be the “underdogs” of the NL East?

The New York Yankees are supposed to be big bad wolf of the AL East, right? This year it seems that is far from the truth considering Theo Epstein over in Boston did such a killer job raking in players for his Red Sox. Adding Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez is nothing to sneeze at.

Apparently this seems to stem from the inability to have landed Cliff Lee during the offseason. Now while we are happy the Yankees did not acquire him, I would hardly call them pitiful or without the ability to bring home a championship. They have the heavyweight, literally, CC Sabathia. They spent money on AJ Burnett. Oh wait! He has a little cold.

Well, they have Joba Chamberlain. right? On second thought, he is not the same guy he once was. He might have an identity crisis trying to figure out where he belongs. So how about Pedro Feliciano? Oh crap! He is on the DL for the first time in his career thanks to his rotator cuff. Maybe thanks to Jerry Manuel.

Jorge Posada is still around, but is one misstep away from having a room in the hospital thanks to age. He may not want to slide. It might result in a broken hip and require surgery. That is what happens when you get old. Jeter may want to be careful himself.

However, with all of these question marks, I would hardly call them underdogs.

One More Reason To Hate Roger Clemens

Yesterday there was a charity event over in Connecticut held by the Connecticut Sports Foundation. Some former Mets were there including Benny Agbayani, Todd Zeile, Jay Payton, John Franco, Bobby Valentine, and David Cone.

However, probably the biggest news coming from the event was a disgusting quote by former Red Sox and Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens. The topic of the 2000 World Series and the bat incident with Mike Piazza arose. Here is what Clemens had the audacity to say:

I just remember my form being really good when I threw the bat. My form was impeccable. I fielded it perfectly. My arm angle when I whistled it on-deck was a little low.

This is not a joke. That whole incident was not a joke. I remember watching it on television and wanting Clemens’ blood spilled on that pitchers mound. Nothing would have made me happier, other than a Mets victory. Unfortunately that is not how it happened. Yet, how can someone joke about an incident that could have seriously hurt another player? I rather not think about what would have happened had that shard actually hit Piazza.

Here’s what writer D.J. Short had to say on Hardball about the comment:

Oh, wait.  You mean if your arm angle wasn’t so low you would have punctured Piazza with a broken bat shard? Nothing but class, this guy.

Seriously. Clemens is among the biggest jerks to have ever disgraced the game of baseball. I hope he is found guilty in his perjury trial and goes to jail.

Believe! It Is Our History

Four out of five wins. Four out of five wins. Going into tonight in third place. Pitching is outstanding. Hitting commencing. Is this reality or fiction? Should Mets fans adhere to the words of their dearly departed, Tug McGraw, and believe?

Of course they should! Believing is what makes Mets fans so great. Believing is a part of our history.

Mets fans are always talking about their history, meanwhile they are ignoring the most crucial part: Believing. Does it makes them hypocritical for getting on the Wilpons? Possibly.

From Tug to the original Sign Man, believing is synonymous with Mets fandom. Do you think it was easy for the Mets fans in the 1960s to believe? What? Because the Mets had no expectations it did not matter? Of course it matters. It always matters. What about the Mets fans of the 1970s, which I consider to be the worst decade in Mets history if for no other reason than for trading away their franchise? Tom Seaver was gone. It could not have been easy to believe in an organization that made such a stupid move. But they did!

Have Mets fans been burned over the years? Yes. Without a doubt. But what fan base hasn’t? Do you think it is easy being a Chicago Cubs fan? It has been over 100 years since they won a championship. They are the biggest joke in the major leagues, yet they have the most loyal fan base.

Look at the Boston Red Sox fans. They were having their stadium exorcised to bring a championship back to Boston.

The Phillies waited over 90 years for their first championship and nearly 30 years for their second. At least Mets fans can say they won two withing a 30 year period.

There is a difference between Cubbies and Sox fans versus those of the Phillies. It is a little something called “fan loyalty”. The fans always come back to support their team. Phillies fans never really cared about their team. Not even after the first. When an arena football team brings in more fans, you have something to worry about. They only cared after the second because their precious Eagles have not given them anything to be proud of.

Sox and Cubbies fans never stop believing in their teams. Why should Mets fans? Why should a fan base, who pride themselves on a phrase coined by one of the most beloved Mets of all time in “Ya Gotta Believe“, stop believing?

To stop believing is to no longer be a Mets fan. Ya gotta believe. Never say die.

The “Ya Gotta Believe” cry helped to catapult those 1973 Mets into the playoffs when it looked like they should have just rolled over and played dead. They won the division after being 13 games out in August.

Remember this: The Mets are known for “Ya Gotta Believe“. It is part of their history. I think it is about time Mets fandom embraced that part of their history and started believing in this team.

Lowell For Castillo

No chance in hell!

There are conflicting reports on what it would take to make this trade happen.

One report has said the Mets would have to take most of Lowell’s contract, if not all of it. Other reports have noted the Red Sox are more than willing to take on most of the $12 million owed to Lowell just to get him moved to another team.

Should the deal happen, it would give the Mets the chance to bring on my favorite, Orlando Hudson to play second. (Yes Jeff, I am bringing his name up again.)

Lowell would obviously play first base. So where would that leave Carlos Delgado who is back in playing mode to prove he can play? Well, the Mets are supposedly “very interested” in bringing him back. But should this trade go through, I do not see it happening.

Also take into consideration that Lowell was supposed to go to the Texas Rangers last month, but failed his physical when it was said he needed surgery to repair his thumb.

Personally, I would take a repaired thumb over a repaired hip.

Perdón Delgado! You may be a fellow Boricua, but you are a high health risk. Adíos amigo! Vaya con Díos!

Alas, the deal is nowhere close to happening. So do not get your hopes up about Castillo leaving.

Lackey Off the Market

So the cream of the crop of pitchers is officially off the market.

John Lackey has agreed to a five-year deal with the Boston Red Sox for $85 million.

Well good the Sox and all the Boston fans that are skipping down Yawkey Way.

Newsflash! You still have to beat the Yankees with C.C. Sabathia and AJ Burnett.

You have John Lackey and Mr. Cranky-back Josh Beckett. Seriously? Don’t count your eggs before they are hatched.

Did I mention Lackey has been having some health issues since 2007? Yeah! Good luck with that. Not worth the $85 million.

Source: Jon Heyman Tweet

Sox Making Moves of Another Kind

Those poor Red Sox. They came in second to the Yankees again. That should make their complexes, well, a little bit more complex.

While teams across the league are trying to make trade moves to bolster up their rosters for next season, the Boston Red Sox are making moves of another kind. Instead of moving their players to other cities, they’re moving their players to other positions.

Case in point, Dustin Pedroia.

According to my favorite ESPN columnist Peter Gammons, the Sox have asked him if he thinks he can play shortstop for them next season. Pedroia thinks:

…I’ve told them I’m all for it. I can do it. I can’t wait for Tito [Terry Francona] to call me and ask, ‘Can you do it?’ I can do it. I really want to do it.

We get it, Dusty. You can do it. Good for you.

So what does this mean for second base? Could the Sox be targeting Orlando Hudson? Are they contemplating a trade for a secondbaseman?

Gammons seems to think they could be targeting another shortstop, maybe Brandon Phillips, but want to make sure if they cannot land one, they have Pedroia ready to play the position next season.

Pedroia is a veteran at the position. He’s played it in college and when he was signed in 2004.

Of course this article cannot be over without some Yankee-Sox rivalry comment from a Sox player. Pedroia sent out a message to beloved Yankee shortstop, Derek Jeter:

Tell Derek [Jeter] to enjoy the gold glove and silver slugger awards while he can.

Ha! Slow down. You have to play first. Put your glove where your mouth is.