Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - July 24, 2013

Is Francisco Rodriguez a good pick up for the Orioles? And should Robinson Cano follow Dustin Pedroia in signing a long term deal?


Those questions and more on today's episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

Ryan Braun was lying the whole time, to the shock of exactly nobody. And I can't honestly look you in the eye and say I wouldn't juice to help my show.

duardo Nunez, Gerrit Cole, Adrian Gonzalez and Jarred Cosart all owned baseball on July 23, 2013.


To see the up to date tally of "Who Owns Baseball?," click HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast - July 24, 2013
 

The Red Sox are now in the diner scene from Reservoir Dogs

There is something really ugly brewing beneath the surface of this Red Sox team. Yes, even uglier than the extra inning loss in Detroit and the massacre last Saturday in Fenway. No matter if they win again in Minnesota or pile up a few wins, there is something that isn't working that's at the core.

And it won't be pretty when it boils over.

There is pettiness on the team. Bobby Valentine is picking fights with the players and backing down but in a way that can only be adding to the tension.

Beckett seems more obsessed with figuring out who told the media about the chicken and beer nights than trying to fix the problem of being out of shape and ineffective.

The front office always seems a little shady with a taste for back stabbing  Even the 100th Anniversary celebration was underscored by no shows and a bitter Francona.

And the bullpen (along with the inevitable shuttling of Bard from the rotation to the relief corps) can't be making life any easier.

The Red Sox are currently reminding me of Reservoir Dogs.



Unsavory characters thrown into a room together. The links between the two are tenuous. Nobody likes their new identity. The tension can be cut with a knife. Supposedly they have a common goal but you know it is going to explode into something ugly.



They aren't at the "ear cutting and pointing guns at each other" stage yet.

Right now they are at the diner, with Pedroia talking about the lyrics to "Like a Virgin", Josh Beckett explaining why he doesn't tip and Bobby Valentine annoying Youkilis by trying to remember the name of that Chinese woman.

All the while the tensions that spill out into violence are foreshadowed over eggs and coffee. Just like the dysfunctions of the Red Sox are being illustrated as clearly as Lawrence Tierney's voice.

But can't you see it?

The season spiraling out of control. The Red Sox rotation will become unglued with the bullpen wearing down. And mistrust seeps into the team.

Eventually blame will be pointed at everyone and there will be blood splattered everywhere.

And as the Red Sox are eliminated, Beckett will be covered in blood cradling Youkilis in his lap just before Youk says "I'm a cop! I'm a cop!"

OK, maybe I took the analogy too far.

Fact of the matter is, this season is going to get ugly before it gets pretty. And there is no guarantee that it will be pretty at all.

Let's go to work.

The All Time Tim Wakefield Red Sox Teammate Roster... Home Grown and Acquired

Tim Wakefield’s career is over, falling just 6 wins short of Roger Clemens and Cy Young’s all time Red Sox mark. His time with the Red Sox deserves a salute.

In many ways, Tim Wakefield has had one of the most unique careers in Red Sox history. No person other than Johnny Pesky has interacted with more legends of the franchise. And Wakefield has done it as an active player.

He was teammates with two members of the 1986 squad and has been a teammate of every post strike Red Sox player.

He has connections to Red Sox players that is Kevin Bacon esque. He even was a teammate of a 1978 Red Sox player! (Albeit when Eck returned to finish his career in Boston.)

I was going to make a 25 man roster of great Red Sox players who were Wakefield’s teammates over his 17 years in Boston.

But I realized that he played with so many quintessential Red Sox players that I could actually make up TWO all time Rosters. One consisting only of players who originated in the Red Sox organization and those that were acquired from other teams.

Yup, it’s another Home Grown vs. Acquired Roster.

I am calling a player who started in the Red Sox organization as “Home Grown.” So that means Curt Schilling is on the Home Grown Team even though they picked him up from Arizona later in his career. They are my rules.

As always the Rosters will consist of a starter at each position, 5 starters, 5 relievers, 2 reserve infielders, 2 reserve outfielders, a back up catcher and a 25th man who could be any position.

The All Home Grown Red Sox Tim Wakefield Teammate Team

Starting Catcher – Scott Hatteberg

Teammates from 1995-2001









Starting First Baseman – Mo Vaughn

Teammates from 1995-1998







Starting Second Baseman – Dustin Pedroia

Teammates from 2006-2011









Starting Shortstop – Nomar Garciaparra

Teammates from 1996-2004









Starting Third Baseman – John Valentin

Teammates from 1995-2001









Starting Left Fielder – Mike Greenwell

Teammates from 1995-1996










Starting Center Fielder – Jacoby Ellsbury

Teammates from 2007-2011









Starting Right Fielder – Trot Nixon

Teammates from 1996-2006









Starting Designated Hitter – Kevin Youkilis

Teammates from 2004-2011

Starting Rotation

Roger Clemens

Teammates from 1995-1996









Jon Lester

Teammates from 2006-2011









Curt Schilling

Teammates from 2004-2007







Clay Buchholz

Teammates from 2007-2011









Aaron Sele

Teammates from 1995-1997

Bullpen

Jonathan Papelbon

Teammates from 2005-2011









Manny Delcarmen

Teammates from 2005-2010









Daniel Bard

Teammates from 2009-2011








Casey Fossum

Teammates from 2001-2003










Justin Masterson

Teammates from 2008-2009

The Bench

Reserve Infielder – Tim Naehring

Teammates 1995-1997






Reserve Infielder – Shea Hillenbrand

Teammates 2001-2003









Reserve Outfielder – Josh Reddick

Teammates 2009-2011










Reserve Outfielder – Donnie Sadler

Teammates 1998-2000










Reserve Catcher – Kelly Shoppach

Teammates in 2005








25th Man - Jed Lowrie

Teammates 2008-2011

The All Acquired Red Sox Tim Wakefield Teammate Team

Starting Catcher – Doug Mirabelli

Teammates from 2001-2007









Starting First Baseman – Kevin Millar

Teammates from 2003-2005








Starting Second Baseman – Todd Walker

Teammates in 2003










Starting Shortstop – Orlando Cabrera

Teammates in 2004






Starting Third Baseman – Mike Lowell

Teammates from 2006-2010










Starting Left Fielder – Manny Ramirez

Teammates from 2001-2008









Starting Center Fielder – Johnny Damon

Teammates from 2002-2005









Starting Right Fielder – Troy O’Leary

Teammates from 1995-2001










Starting Designated Hitter – David Ortiz

Teammates from 2003-2011

Starting Rotation

Pedro Martinez

Teammates from 1998-2004







Josh Beckett

Teammates from 2006-2011









Bret Saberhagen

Teammates from 1997-2001










Derek Lowe

Teammates from 1997-2004










Erik Hanson

Teammates in 1995

Bullpen

Keith Foulke

Teammates from 2004-2006







Tom Gordon

Teammates from 1996-1999









Hideki Okajima

Teammates from 2007-2011









Mike Timlin

Teammates from 2003-2008









Dennis Eckersley

Teammates in 1998

The Bench

Reserve Infielder – Bill Mueller

Teammates from 2003-2005










Reserve Infielder – Mark Bellhorn

Teammates from 2004-2005








Reserve Outfielder – Dave Roberts

Teammates in 2004








Reserve Outfielder – J. D. Drew

Teammates from 2007-2011









Reserve Catcher – Jason Varitek

Teammates from 1997-2011









25th Man – Adrian Gonzalez

Teammates in 2011



That’s quite a collection.
And of course I skewed it towards players who played on winning Red Sox teams. I know Dave Roberts was only there for a few months, but would you rather see him or Carl Everett?

And I was hesitant to put Varitek on the roster at all! But notice he isn’t starting. That’s Mirabelli’s spot.

And yes I know Gonzalez is a better player than Kevin Millar, but these rosters are emotional and I’m putting the World Champion in the starting line up.

So Wakefield, who stretched through the Duquette and Theo years, over Kennedy, Williams, Kerrigan, Little and Francona and played for 9 different Red Sox playoff teams, will not continue onto the Bobby Valentine era.

But if the likes of Jose Iglesias or Ryan Lavarnway ever play for a World Series winner with the Red Sox, they can be connected to the 1986 team by 2 degrees.

It’s been fun Tim Wakefield.
You are a champion and you will be missed.