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Leamington Letters #43: Season's greetings

28/3/2013

12 Comments

 
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This is my second grandson, Asher James Rodham. He was born in February this year, and his ambition (although he does not yet fully appreciate it) is to join his older brother on the Sox opening day roster in about 2035.

His birth has been the highlight of a long, cold winter: meteorologically, personally, and professionally. I don’t see Asher or his brother Max often enough, but when I do they make my day. However cold it is, however much work there is to do, however depressed I feel.

For many of us, the long cold winter comes to an end with the opening of the cricket and baseball seasons, the former in a fortnight, the latter on Monday at the home of the Evil Empire, a term coined by Larry Lucchino and now patented by the Yankees. Spring training has been interesting in both sports, with Warwickshire thrashing the MCC in Dubai of all places, and JBJ emerging as a serious contender for the opening game across in Florida.

I think there is little doubt that Warwickshire will be there or thereabouts this year. But there is a great deal of doubt over the ability of the Sox to make it to the play-offs. The Nation seems underwhelmed by Ben’s moves over the winter, and I’m confused by Farrell’s recent introduction of pitchers who will struggle to make the Pawtucket nine when we should be stretching out those with a realistic chance of making the show.

But what do I know?

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I know that Lester, our opening day starter to no-one’s surprise, is heading for a season which will make us forget last year.

I know that Buckholz is going to be as good as we used to think he was.

I know that the crazy experiment of making Bard a starter has ruined him for at least another year.

I know that Papi still has a real contribution to make to the Sox and that Pedey will never give up.

What I don’t know for sure, but think, is that Ryan Dempster will make an impact, that Hanrahan will be an effective closer, that Ross will be pretty good catcher, and that Drew is no Nomar but will be competent enough. I’m pretty sure, too, that Napoli, Gomes and Victorino will turn out to be judicious signings.

I also think that Jackie Bradley Jnr should play. I understand that if we delay his activation for 11 days it gives us an extra year of his services, but right now I’m thinking about 2013 rather than 2018. From what I’ve seen, I think JBJ is good enough, and if he’s good enough, he’s old enough, and he’s ready for opening day. For me, it’s not just the obvious talent; it’s the way he has handled himself and the media attention this spring. Even hardened pros struggle with it. He hasn’t. And that alone augurs well.

Will we make the play-offs?

I think we will. I think the Town Nine this year will be good enough, and I’m conscious that the Yankees are ageing, the Os have over-achieved enough already, the Rays are in transformation again, and the Jays have invested too much in NL players: the AL East is a whole different ball-game.

I don’t believe we’re good enough to take the Series without a lot of luck and maybe another trade or two. But I believe these guys will give us a good run for our money.

Not a great team perhaps, but a good team. We will get a better idea on Monday, when I'll be watching with Sox, Os and Yankees fans round at Michelle's. (Thanks Michie!) 

And if it doesn’t work out, there’s always Max and Asher waiting in the wings for 2035.

Today’s listening: My trawl of early ‘70s Dead has arrived at The Academy of Music this month in 1972, when they played a set with the great Bo Diddley. Some of it is on Dick's Picks #30 but I’m listening to a slightly iffy AUD tape of the whole show. For completeness you understand.

12 Comments
Sean
28/3/2013 04:31:53

I hope you're right Max. I'm underwhelmed myself. We need quite a lot to go right (form, injuries etc) and the others to be as poor/old/transitional as you suggest to make a good run at the play offs. But there are some excitements too. Bradley, as you say, looks interesting, Ciriaco too. I would have liked to have kept Cody Ross and I still have concerns over the starting rotation, short stop (nothing new there) and batting power. BUT... I'm excited to get to know a new team. No Youk, no Beckett, Crawford, Gonzalez, and thankfully no Valentine. This will be a season of discovery for both the team and the Nation. Lets hope we go on a journey together that's over .500 in joy and pleasant surprises. We could do with it. Just printed out my schedule and stuck it above my desk. Feel like a child before Christmas.
Sadly I'll be watching in splendid isolation. But look forward to actually watching some baseball with you one day. Here we go again, and GO SOX!

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Max
28/3/2013 05:44:07

A child before Christmas! Love it. The one guy I meant to mention but inexplicably failed to do so is of course your/our boy Nava. He's earned the right to a starting spot I think, especially now DEllsbury may or may not have had an MRI and may or may not be ready. But whatever the line-up taking the field at 7.30 on Monday, they are our team. They are the Sox. GO.

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CJ
28/3/2013 06:11:22

The Bo Diddley set is one of my favourites of all time. Why Dick Latvala didn't put the whole set on DP30 I will never know. And remember, this was just a month before they came to Europe for the ultimate tour. All the AUDs I,ve heard from the Academy have been unlistenable.

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Max
29/3/2013 02:32:01

Who can forget the '72 tour in all its glory, and getting better and better with each gig. The AUD is not unlistenable at all. Like so many, it captures the spirit of the gig more than the music, but it will remain in my collection.

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Sean
28/3/2013 06:44:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA5xV2dNcwc
First ever pitch he faced in the Bigs. What a guy!

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max
29/3/2013 02:33:29

Agree. Can't see this too many times. And it's great to see him coming through this spring.

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Ed
28/3/2013 06:45:34

So ... you think the AL and the AL East in particular is superior. How quickly you have become a New Englander. From what I have seen, there will be only a single representative of the ALE in the play-offs. My guess? Against all your argument, I agree with the projections that this might just be the Blue Jay's year.

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Max
29/3/2013 02:36:55

No, this is not about any New England bias. Without the stats to hand, my impression is that NL guys moving into the AL and the ALE especially need at least a year to settle in. But maybe with all the inter-league games now, it's actually a bonus. We'll see ...

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Rick Hough
28/3/2013 20:34:22

That’s one beautiful baby!
I’m wearing my rosy spectacles and I havethe blush-tint gels on the stage spots for good measure.
In spite of my concern the suits will increasingly factor PR ahead of baseball realities, I think they brought in a pretty good blend to address their biggest 2012 issues. There are too many ifs, sure, but there are if’s associated with Toronto/LA Angels-type decisions as well and theirs cost a lot more money.
Meanwhile, if Napoli returns to form, the front five of the order may be enough to make us forget all the sub-.260 hitters inhabiting the next four spots. I know we have to think of Papi as an if but I think it’s really more of a when. Middlebrooks ought to thrive in this environment.
I’m sanguine as regards Lester, Bucholtz and Lackey and while Dubront tantalizes, he’s an if and so is Dempster, given the latter is no more than a back-of-the-rotation NL-type arm. Even if Bard’s cooked, that’s a nasty bullpen. Pittsburg folks are telling me Hanrahan’s carnival show spooky ride but a successful one.
The Drew/Iglesia saga will be fun now that Jose thinks he’s the second coming of Miggy Tejada. I’m okay letting the younger Drew brother convalesce in the family tradition so as to give Iggy a chance to reintroduce himself.
The rest of ‘em? Good lads by all accounts. This team was built to be a good clubhouse group, foremost, and that may be a highly functional strategy.
(Sidebar news: Youngblood made the varsity squad as a pitcher and backup to the senior third-bagger, said senior owing his primacy to the system rather than his salient merit (my bias here makes any observation suspect).
I apologize for using all this space and verbiage but I am helpless in the face of the opportunity.
We miss you!
Rick

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Max
29/3/2013 02:42:48

Isn't he just! And that's great news re Duncan. Please pass on congratulations and best wishes. Like the thought that this is a clubhouse squad, not '04 idiots perhaps but guys without mega-egos who want to play ball with and for each other. You are missed and your use of all this space is very welcome: a vicarious conversation over the bar. Take care, Mx.

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myers
29/3/2013 03:08:41

I can't wait for Monday - its been too long, too cold and too sad a winter ( Two friends died yesterday, one in Chesterfield the other in Guildford - bye the way, William Bray, an English lawyer, recorded a game of baseball on Easter Monday 1755 in Guildford, Surrey) putting any anticipation into context.
I agree bro - JBJ should be given his head! So roll the dice and roll out the barrels! Go Sox! (please)

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Max
29/3/2013 04:26:28

And April is the cruellest month. Sharron's dad, your friend, Richard Griffiths, Paul Williams all in the space of 24 hours. We need an ace to breed 'lilacs out of the dead land' and 'stir dull roots with spring rain'. Over to you, Jon Lester.

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    Max Smith

    European writer, radical, restaurateur and Red Sox fan. 70-something husband, father, step-father, grandfather and son. Resident in Warwick, England.

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