8-7-08 Red Sox win a road series without Manny

Yet another eight to two victory for the Boston Red Sox in Kansas City. Now I haven't talked you since that trade. Trying to state -- going to try to go to day. Without saying his name but. Our guys one of the best hitters I've ever seen it I was one of that guys apologist -- Scully elite level player like in the winter meetings Cavaliers guard wouldn't name them by name or there -- Bill Parcells used to that through. The players did this level fielder so it at so. I haven't talked to uses the left fielder was traded yeah. I'm pretty sure. I know your opinion on this you felt like it needed to happen. Although when you Robert Michael Felger. Michael felt really couldn't couldn't grasp the ticket trade the best player and be a better team afterward. They have they've lost one game since they traded the left fielder. Their -- one game and I I had a city Oakland shore.

In fairness to Mike -- he is an inside that clubhouse so he doesn't see what it was like. The atmosphere was like before that trade in the atmosphere was like afterwards I had -- the benefit of being in there before and after and seeing the difference I mean. It comes down to this it's easy to look at that trade paper you know statistic lies. In just in your minds what you view Manny or what you view the player as excuse me I -- it or when you get your kids when you're the player as. But I think if if you take yourself out of the vacuum as as the assessment -- the -- waited to describe it. And you look at all of the effects that the player on each side is happening and what he was doing to the other player not as underdogs and Jason -- and if that's what is that it okay if that makes it easier for you dramatically it it may Jason Bay though I think. When you're looking at both sides of it. It made sense on so many levels because of what was happening with that team you side team. At that. So many times in the past that covered for a certain player went certain things happen right and circle the wagons and said all the right things even though that we're in my handle things -- exists things happen all the time when when people start calling the situation we hear of the clubhouse vibe is weird or things were strange for awhile. That tells you something about how they feel about you know the situation and that player going forward. I absolutely think that need to be done I think the proof is -- what's happened since I mean as Jason Bay performed better than I thought it was going to when he came here absolutely. Much better I didn't I wasn't sure are. A lot of times you see players come to -- come to the Red Sox -- that adjustment period where they're getting used to you know he had never seen that many people press conference from when he first got here and everybody asking for his time -- worrying about other things besides he also Harvard and on the -- game right you're absolutely right -- I think that was the one huge factor that was also involved is. Batting sixth not being the -- pitched so carefully to like he wasn't Pittsburgh not being the man anymore he seeing a lot more fastballs -- seeing. He's able to work a lot more counts in his favor -- gets in good is counts -- alone pitches. And and that's incredible side benefit now. I think I hope eventually date they may slide into the cleanup spot and I think it's getting the point now. Where with Youkilis getting hurt and lol hobbled and makes a lot of sense to which amendment or yeah I would I think the adjustment period is over and it's time -- Lotta men now.

This is maybe a good thing or bad thing depending on your perspective depending on how you view. A lot of change. In August for a contending team. But that's one thing that could happen Jason Bay. Batting fourth or maybe batting third -- who know who knows what would Terry Francona down there true that's one of the changes another change. And Tony -- Roddy wrote about it today second degree but the more. Jeff robbery is going to take this job jump Lowry has taken Julio Lugo is job. I think an exotic is that a good thing in August I mean you can say yeah it's a good thing because he's a better player than Julio Lugo you know what.

Mike if it was a good thing last year in October when Jacoby Ellsbury took Coco Crisp job during the play jobs I think that's the worst possible time for a player position battle to be going on. Yet it still worked out for the Red Sox and worked out for the best in the everybody else on the team including Coco was able to adjust to it and accept it going forward I think that's what's going to happen yours while. And it's already happened today at the one thing I read Tony's -- this point two. Totally agree that these sentiments saying that for awhile now on the one thing. In open masters and really thought about it. Just Larry's -- many RBIs as Julio Lugo did offseason and answer period at time and we've seen it. Then there's been a direct impact over the last week to ten days in being an -- up and then getting production out of the bottom third of that lineup when when they get him. You know you see Jason -- score a ton of runs the reason -- scoring all those runs to Larry's getting clutch hits the bottom of the lineup hitting doubles and triples and spraying balls all over the field. To drive guys in not only giving you the steady defensive shortstop you weren't getting before but he's giving you'll -- run production in and just really -- bat in the top.

Really that's what what is amazing to say that he's he's bat and the options that you have to account for a museum up you don't think. He's an automatic out now here's something -- watching want to talk about a clubhouse vibe and a clubhouse that clubhouse atmosphere. When Jack -- officially takes his job in the job because in and that take over becomes official as soon as Julio Lugo was able to come back -- And he comes back defined that -- I'm not a lot of today. And I'm not going to be in the lineup tomorrow. And I not not going to be a lot of the next day. Let's see what type of guy he is. Is he going to be a distraction I mean just from from your sense of Julio Lugo it's it's. A strange guy at times yeah do you think. He can handle being benched.

In the stretch drop I think there might be a couple of flare ups with him where he he gets his frustration he seems to be one of those guys map for long periods of time he can handle certain things and whatever and then they'll be like a blow up situation. Then it'll it'll be okay again in that respect he's different and Coca we're Coke it was one of those guys. Who always says. I'm not going to go into the manager's office and demand a play I'm not going to make a big stink if I play I play. You know at that the biggest thing he said was in spring training saying. I might not be getting enough playing time here so maybe I should we go somewhere else but he he never would go into the storm into the GM's office and said demand a trade. -- I think is one of those guys at a certain point and giving loses his job and he sees Lowrie playing. And the Red Sox are going well and they're getting into the playoffs and things are going okay. Maybe he doesn't -- but I think if they get a rough patch of jet -- it's a rough patch over the season. And he doesn't get more playing time I think that could turn into a little bit of an issue certainly but I think he also must now and I'm sure they're going to sit him down and tell them. If jet continues to perform the way he is the guessing who they'll look be the good soldier for the rest of the year. And wheel -- such an operation in the offseason and I -- somewhere and that probably going to have to -- broken promise that probably going to have to eat like you know if fifteen said. But the whole entirety of that rest of the contract -- ten million yeah they're going to have to eat a lot of money like that to get rid of him because. A lot of teams are going to be looking at him as a starting -- that material after that last two seasons that he.

But I was surprised by the stat that he has the highest on base percentage of any shortstop in the American League into the stuff from Tony. I might be the -- that day that was the one thing he did earlier Mike was that they'll get on base but what's amazing -- like a box 79 with runners in scoring position yet run production whatsoever you don't trust them at the plate when we need something happen.