The Plate: The Dice Man Arrives
The Red Sox need to get on planes to the west more often.
Three years ago, Boston general manager Theo Epstein boarded a plane for Arizona on Thanksgiving, dropped into Curt Schilling’s kitchen, and wouldn’t leave until he had Schilling’s name on a huge contract. free agent. One bloody sock later, and the Red Sox were the 2004 world champions.
This winter, Epstein and his owner, John Henry, raced across the country to intercept Japanese wunderkind Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent, Scott Boras. Up until that point, Boras and the Red Sox had traded leaks indicating how frustrated they were with each other, that they weren’t in the same ballpark, money-wise, that there was a possibility that Matsuzaka might return to Japan instead of emigrate to Japan. United States to play in Boston. The Red Sox, who posted an impossible sum of $51.1 million for the trading rights to Dice Man (his first name of him is pronounced “Dice-Kay”), would get that money back and explore investing it elsewhere. , as in some old sailor named Roger Clemens. The Boston media was ready to pounce on a public relations disaster.
But it seems that once Theo Epstein gets on a plane, things work out. Within hours of the Red Sox’s arrival at Boras’s offices, a different kind of leak began to emerge: The parties were closing in, Boras was falling for their exorbitant demands, and Boston was about to get its man. Matsuzaka, 26, is Japan’s best pitcher, leading his nation to the World Baseball Classic title this spring, winning 17 games for the Seibu Lions this year and throwing 96. He also reportedly puts up a dazzling array of softest pitches you can. throw for strikes at any time, a description that makes you think of another former Boston pitcher, a guy named Pedro. Now, the Red Sox will have a rotation consisting of Schilling, Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon, who could be the best in the majors, if Dice Man works.
Boston still needs a closer, but at this point, out of the back of the bullpen, I daresay the Red Sox actually look better than the Yankees on paper. It’s December so Red Sox Nation needs to wind down, but if Dice Man brings it the way everyone who’s seen him pitch in Japan says he will, this westward flight will prove just as profitable as the previous one. from three years ago.
And if he dont do it?
It won’t be fun being the Dice Man.
There are three weeks left in the NFL regular season. Give me a team that is not going to qualify for a first round bye that will be in the Super Bowl.
BoDog Bookmakers, BoDog.ws: I can’t, because Chicago and San Diego will have the bye and meet in the Super Bowl.
An eight-team college football tournament is a must. Some day. For now, we can only reproduce it in our minds. Who wins these first-round games and gives us a brief capsule on each: (#8) Wake Forest at (#1) Ohio St.; (#7) Oklahoma in (#2) Florida; (#6) Louisville in (#3) Michigan; (#5) USC at (#4) LSU.
BDB, BoDog.ws: State of Ohio for 21 or more. Wake Forest has been hot lately, which is a surprise, but they are still no match for the Buckeyes. Smith will take full advantage of Wake Forest’s poor air defense. As for Oklahoma, they’ll keep it close, possibly within a field goal against the recently “overrated” Gators. We could definitely look for coverage in the Sooners spread, even if Florida wins the game. Considering Louisville ranks in the top three offenses in the nation, their game against Michigan will be a great one to watch against the tough Wolverine D. Look for this one to play out similarly to the game against Ohio State, except this time with Michigan to beat by one score. Lastly, LSU’s highly rated pass defense keeps John David Booty in check for most of their lean against Southern Cal, and on the run they won’t be able to produce. LSU covers the spread and wins outright to upset the favored Trojans.
Who is your favorite A-1 signing this MLB offseason and why?
BDB, BoDog.ws: Alfonso Soriano, because he can bring the lowly Cubs back into contention in the NL Central, or at least near the .500 mark next year. The combination of Soriano and Derek Lee will be tough for opposing pitchers to beat.
What is your favorite story from the NBA season so far?
BDB, BoDog.ws: Iverson could leave Philly. As an Iverson fan, I’d love to see him join a team with some hope of making the playoffs. He needs to get out; it’s just never going to happen for him in Philly.