Clem Fandango

If Theo stays, would Cherington not become a target? Billy Beane? Andrew Friedman? Hahn? While Epstein is arguably the best at what he does, what he does is not a mystery strategy that no one else has implemented. Don't get me wrong, I want Epstein running this team more than just about anything... but do you think if Epstein were in charge of this team right now he'd be shopping around Brett Jackson?

You wouldn't do it? No. Brett Jackson has the skillset that embodies everything Theo Epstein would (ideally) try and build our farm system around, and he's pretty much MLB ready. Why trade him in this situation? i'm saying if you HAD to trade him in order to get epstein. if it was the difference between getting theo, you wouldn't do it? No, because there are secondary options who are comparable in philosophy, and we wouldn't have to trade someone who might end up being one of our most valuable assets of the last decade. As far as I'm concerned Castro, Jackson, and Cashner should be 100% off limits. Others should be used with caution, but if anyone besides them went in the deal I'd ultimately be fine with it. Castro can't go for obvious reasons Cashner's upside (and cheap talent) is too great to give up on so early Jackson for reasons stated above Personally, I'm more excited about what Jackson can do than Castro. Seriously... if Starlin Castro had the line in MLB that Jackson put up in AAA last season, we'd nut ourselves. If Castro at his peak = Jackon's AAA numbers we'd be thrilled... and Jackson (nor Castro) are even fully developed. Sure, Jackson might end up as a .265 hitter with 15 homers, 20 stolen bases, and 130K's each year, but he's got the plate discipline to keep his OBP above .350 and he plays above average defense. And when you're getting him for pennies on the dollar playing a generally weak offensive position that's pretty damn valuable

You wouldn't do it? No. Brett Jackson has the skillset that embodies everything Theo Epstein would (ideally) try and build our farm system around, and he's pretty much MLB ready. Why trade him in this situation?

Like Elwood said, it's different with every pitcher, but it's not uncommon. Case in point: Aaron Harang's extra inning nightmare courtesy of Dusty Baker.

Trade Brett Jackson? And be "okay" with it? [expletive].

That would be make sense, considering what the Sox got for Guillen. I'm kind of expecting that we've seen the last of Josh Vitters once this deal goes through

Jon Heyman reports the deal is likely somewhere from 1-5 years for more than $1 million annually.

You get Zambrano. I can't even laugh because that was discussed on a local Boston show about 15 min ago but it was Theo & Lackey for Zambrano they talked about. I guess I'd take one year of $18M crazy guy Zambrano if it means no more Lackey. Deal

I'm not arguing against you, I'm just pointing out the probable reason why you were confused by JCF's concerns. I personally think his arm will hold up fine.

Supposedly Kenny Williams kicked around the thought of making Konerko a player/manager. WTF, Kenny Williams? But really, WTF Jerry Reinsdoorf for not replacing him when he's had multiple chances, at Williams' suggestion?

Not surprisingly this chat was useless. Has anyone outside of Levine ever mentioned/confirmed that Friedman has an ownership interest in the Rays? Yeah that's the second time I've heard him say that. I thought the first time he was mis-speaking and just trying to say that he had strong ownership support, but this time he was pretty clear that he thinks that Friedman has some ownership in the Rays. Have you ever been so bored you daydreamed so hard that you almost believed that what you were daydreaming about actually happened? I think Bruce Levine does that a lot.

And he's coming off 230 IP and 232 and counting so far this season. And he racked up those extreme innings with an arm that was absolutely not prepared to do it. Yet it did it? Absolutely not prepared? What? He's saying he was a reliever who got tossed into the rotation spontaneously with only a spring training to prepare for the workload. He tossed 280.2 innings over the course of 5 seasons, then jumped to 427 in the last 2. He's nearly doubled his workload from 5 seasons worth of pitching in 2 years. He threw 17 games this season with 110+ pitches. 13 in 2010. The highest pitch count he had in a game in 2009 was 38. His highest total as a reliever was 50. You can argue his arm doesn't have a lot of mileage on it, and you can argue that making such an extreme jump in workload is dangerous to his arms health. I don't think either argument is wrong, per se, which makes taking a high priced gamble on C.J. Wilson exactly that: a gamble. But it's not "Will he be good or won't he?" it's "Will he be Rich Harden or C.C. Sabathia?"

Not a single solitary God damn thing

So much for that...

Man, Jon Heyman is really going out on a limb with these hard hitting tweets.

His problems were most definitely with the organization regarding off field issues like inappropriate tweeting and charity event mishaps. He was clashing with the FO, not the coaching staff

Brett Jackson is the next Willie Mays, all you haters can GITOUT

Really, Jon Heyman? Things will stay the same unless they change? Ya don't say!?!? Who let their lips loose on that spicy nugget?

According to Wikipedia, where I went to see if he had ever managed before (apparently not), Frank Thomas will be the hitting coach?

Believe me, I 100% knew this was coming. I think everyone did

because for the dinosaurs think this book kind of proves that everything they've always believed isn't really true Not to mention all the dinosaurs are afraid they're gonna lose their jobs to one or two guys with a computer so instead of adopting the philosophies and adapting their scouting to these theories they fight tooth and nail to disprove it.

That was unbelievably awesome... although now Adam Dunn's performance this year makes him look like a complete jackass, but that's Adam Dunn's fault. I bet that caller though sits at home each night with a smug grin on his face and tells his friends about how he was right in this situation.

Tuffy Rhodes