'Tek provided 'Sox pitching that confidence. Theo really needs to consider this before cutting him loose. "Salty" is not the long-term answer in my opinion. V-Mart is probably better suited to play 1B. Should be an interesting hot stove season.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Boston Red Sox - Short circuit for battery? - The Boston Globe
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I have to think that the lack of Tek's presence behind the dish certainly had an effect this season. I wouldn't discount Vic's ability or the comfort zone that the pitching staff has with him now, however. He's not the newbie he was last season. He knows the staff quite well by now. Look how well Buch has worked with Vic. I think Beckett's situation is a bit unique. I would have done an experiment with Beckett's last 2 starts. Tek is fully healed so I would've let him catch Beckett. I bet the Sox would've gotten killer starts from him. It would have been an interesting psycho-sports experiment. But who listens to me? Certainly not the nut jobs in Sox upper management!! Tito also touts that he doesn't play favorites among the boys, and that Beckett is not entitled to have a personal catcher. Yet at this point in the season, the Sox have nothing to lose. They can only gain by quality starts from their staff.
ReplyDeleteI think if Tek's physically capable of playing, he ought to be retained. Why not make him Beckett's personal catcher? The Sox just inked a lengthy contract with the fallen ace. If they don't want to rely on Tek as their everyday catcher, then keep him around only to nurse Beckett through his starts. That's every 5th day. If the Sox opt to relegate Youk to 3rd if they don't bring Beltre back, Vic is a viable option for 1st. If a new catcher is brought in to be the primary, who better to be his teacher than Jason Varitek?? Sure Gary Tuck's a great bullpen coach, but as far as the intracacies of catching the staff, Tek's your man.
Theo, you better not screw around this offseason!! Salty is not, I repeat, NOT the answer to the catching situation. His throwing issue and the fact that he hasn't hit a thing since joining the team make one question his abilities. Keep Tek, Vic and Beltre, Theo!! We're tired of your freakin' bridge year blah, blah, blah!! You're only allowed one mistake. Hard to count on one hand how many you've made this season.
On a personal note, I will be coming to you live for the last Red Sox home game of 2010. I will be in the stands at Fenway on Sunday, October 3. As an obsessed and loyal Sox fan, I will be there for the bitter end. I will also be there for Mikey Lowell's last game. I hope Tito allows the fans to give Mikey the good-bye he truly deserves by putting him in the lineup for that game. Yes, there will be tears, but at least there'll be closure.