Amidst all the news about the Yankees signing CC Sabbathia, AJ Burnett, Mark Tiexiera, Nick Swisher, the ghost of Micky Mantle, the guy that takes the subway tokens at stop 5, and that guy that played Gomer Pyle's best buddy in "Gomer Pyle:USMC", the Red Sox HAVE in fact been a little bit busy.They re-signed Mark Kotsay, got local boy Rocco Baldelli to fill the 4th outfield spot, and somehow convinced John Smoltz to leave the only team he's ever known in the Atlanta Braves to come to Boston and take over the grizzled vet in the rotation role from Curt Schilling. Without all the, well, Schillingness Curt always brought with him. While I'm sure the beat writers are all crying in their beers over this development, I'm guessing Smoltzie won't have his own blog, call all the local sports shows, and will avoid getting into a public feud with a certain curly haired writer for the Boston Globe.
And while this may make the season a bit more boring, it'll at least mean the drama quotient will be ratcheted down tenfold.
But what I'm most excited about? A guy who went 16-4 in 2007, who can throw 95+ mph, and judging by the picture I posted has a bit of the Josh Beckett red a** in him. Better yet? He was teammates with The Commander and Scenic Lowell in 2003 when the Marlins shocked the world and beat the Yankees in the World Series.
Good pitcher? Check.
Willing to toss a "Welcome to Fenway" pitch at the numbers on Carl Crawford's back? Check.
Fellow member of two guys on the Sox who sent the MFY's into winter wondering what in the world just happened? Check.
Let the Yankees spend the equivalent of the budget of Costa Rica on a pitching staff; I'll take the old, bald headed dude and the guy with something to prove any day of the week.
I can't WAIT for the season to start.
4 comments:
::marks one more day off calendar::
Tex, it's getting closer.
The one things that scares me about the Smoltz signing (which has equal chances of being in a starting role or out of the pen, depending on our needs when he's ready to go) is that he is a veteran player & something of a team icon that won't finish his career there--and what that means in this crazy we-haven't-signed-the-Cap'n-yet situation...
Dawn, I know what you mean. But I think the market for Smoltz was much bigger than the one for Tek; I STILL think he comes back for at least one more year.
Post a Comment