What do I hear and What do I say?

I've been slaving away at the salt mines (I'm going to mask my job from now on and just claim that I work in the salt mines or simply the mines. Hey, you don't hear me asking you about your personal life do you?) so my columns have been coming rather sporadically and I apologize for that. It will get worse before it gets better, but I will continue to leave you with thoughts and random ramblings from the Red Sox as we head down the stretch towards the playoffs. Without further ado here's what's on my mind this week (just a disclaimer, I have been listening to a lot of WEEI and some ESPN radio this week. Just throwing that out there, I felt you should know.)

~I like the Paul Byrd move, I was a little concerned about the rotation as evident by my previous post, but at first I have to say, I didn't see this as that big of a deal. Thinking about it now and looking at his numbers his last four starts this season (4-0, 1.27 ERA) this move looks better and better all the time. One thing that has me concerned is his one time "addiction" to porn? I apparently it's well documented in his autobiography, he has an autobiography? Why am I ending all of my sentences with question marks? Maybe it's because I still have questions about this, but it's a risk free move really. Unless Byrd kidnaps the American Dream or something, I don't really see a down side to this move.

~How good is Michael Phelps? I have to admit that I've been addicted to watching this guy and sit through a lot of other events that I couldn't care less about (gymnastics, THE CHINESE TEAM IS A COMBINED 13 YEARS OLD!!!) just to make sure I don't miss this guy stalking his prey like Jaws on the 4th of July. ("WE WILL BE OPEN!!!") I hope he does it, I can understand though where Mark Spitz is coming from though, he is known for being the 7-time gold medal winner and apparently for being a dentist. Only he's not a dentist, for some reason everybody thinks he is, he is actually a motivational speaker and opens many of his speeches saying "I'm the most famous person people think is a dentist." Take away the record for gold medal's in a single Olympics and combine that with the fact that he's not there to get his mustache-less face in the media again (he shaved it because he said "It was starting to look kind of gay") and the fact that he isn't a doctor and he has to watch his record get broken on TV.

~How isn't Justin Masterson the best right handed set up man for the Red Sox right now? Last night's wild Red Sox game (which really got a lot of people talking didn't it?) you have the last "Acolyte of Hope", David Aardsma who got tagged even giving up a three run shot to Ian Kinsler and then Manny Delcarmen looked like he was on the next bus back to Pawtuckett. Masterson didn't work last night's game, but did work tonight and got out of a mini jam by keeping his head and using that power sinker to get a well developed double play to end the threat in the 9th. Masterson is looking great, it's a lot to put on a young kid but he seems like he can handle it. I'm not saying he has to be the set up man, Okajima was a silver lining last night and has been pitching pretty well for a while but I think Masterson has by default or not, should be the right hander used in tight games.

~One last thought to leave you with that I want to throw out there. I was thinking a few minutes ago while I was driving back from my buddy Zach's house about the Red Sox and the Rangers. Like if the Rangers had even middle of the league pitching how much noise they'd be making in the AL West right now. Even with Anaheim playing as well as they are, a team this scary offensively with a decent pitching staff would make the Angels very uncomfortable down the stretch.

This thinking led me to, how good would the Rangers be if they had say, the Red Sox pitching staff with their offense. Then I thought though, Boston's line up might not be as good, but it is certainly (as we've seen these first two games) much deeper. What would be ideal would be this:

Combine the two teams.

Varitek Catcher

With Saltilamacchia as the young back up ready to take the reigns when the captain calls it quits.

Youkilis at firstbase.

Though I do like this Chris Davis kid, he's real big. He looks like what scouts described when they explained how good Billy Beane was in the first few chapters of Moneyball.

Pedroia at secondbase

What about Ian Kinsler? Oh you just wait.

Young at shortstop

Lowrie becomes a utility infielder, I LOVE THIS IDEA! I like Lowrie, but if you have Young, Lowrie becomes a terrific all around back up player.

Kinsler at thirdbase.

Now I know what you're thinking and I do really like Mike Lowell but with his injuries it gets tough and Kinsler would make this infield incredible defensively and offensively, all have been all star's in their careers.

Hamilton, Drew and Ellsbury in the outfield.
It was a tough call between Bay and Drew, I think I have to go with JD Drew, but it's a tough call. Imagine this outfield? Scary, especially when you add in David Ortiz as the designated hitter and this team would win 105 games ATLEAST.

Well, if they have the Red Sox pitching staff and bullpen, because Texas brings nothing to the table in those areas.

I guess that's how I got to this point in the first place.

Sterling Pingree