Hot Stove and Celtics Talk

" There is an annual rite of hot stove season. All the baseball writers' awards dinner which takes place tonight in Boston. There will give out of a number of awards including. Dustin Pedroia -- league MVP Award. On the Tony completely Daryle Ward will be presented it as an Award sponsored by the Boston chapter of the baseball writers' association of America. Gone. And and Rocco Baldelli is the guy who's going to receive the Award tonight. According to Peter Gammons on espn.com. And other sources. Alex spear riding on WEEI dot com has a great piece about this as well. It appears as though the Red Sox are on the verge of signing Rocco Baldelli to area contract to be the team's fourth outfielder. In fact in what would be an appropriate. You know use of good publicity. Capital announcing it tonight at the baseball writers' dinner. Would probably be the perfect situation for the Red Sox -- surprised that it doesn't actually happen that way."

" To -- DL he's the perfect fourth outfielder. He's the perfect fourth outfielder because. He's a young guy. With tremendous ability. Who was not going to ask to play. Full time he's not going to do any kind of Jay Payton stuff going he's not going to do any Willie Mo Pena. Pay me or going to go elsewhere breathe for that matter he's not going to be dissatisfied. Like Coco Crisp was at times when he felt like Jacoby Ellsbury is going to take that job. He's probably going to get you -- 150. 200 at bat. He's a guy who walks perfect if everybody is healthy at the big yep I know when you got J. D. Drew in Illinois -- Well well -- about but I'm saying if if you got your regular guy I got here. Rocco Baldelli is perfect to plug and what you want to give a guy day off or you liking guys struggling. He's been struggling for a weaker. -- couple weeks and you want to give the line up the different complexion but it Rocco Baldelli the big question is. -- hold up physically. Even 475. At -- 200 events."

" He has he has missed a lot of time over the last couple of years now it started with plain old ordinary athletic injuries them that we that we used to talking about. -- he was playing baseball in the offseason with his brother he -- his ACL. He injured his elbow -- Tommy John surgery. You know baseball injuries that we used to talking about. The stop that started. Mid 2006. And continued through this past season. We don't understand. I don't understand I don't linking understood it it was a it was an issue of fatigue and muscle weakness. It was diagnosed as a mitochondria. Disorder whatever the hell that means. What it meant was that he his body couldn't recover. If he went out and practiced let's say. And and had a hard day -- taken BP and shag flies his body wouldn't wouldn't come back he'd be fatigued he he eat he couldn't block -- He as soon as the season was over and I don't blame and went out and sought some other medical opinions. Found one we talked about this at the time founded Doctor Who signal you know what that diagnosis that mitochondria disorder diagnosis was wrong. What you have is this new thing. I don't even know what they call it. But this isn't as serious we can -- fix this with diet with the you know plain old ordinary. Home grown remedies. I have to admit cynically I even said on the air at the time the timing of this is just a little too convenient for me. He's a free agent he wants a new contract from somebody Tampa Bay somebody. So we found a Doctor Who said now you know what it's not as bad as -- thing."

" That is does that I disagree with that because even if he didn't have this diagnosis. It was going to get a contract from somebody. The contract he got -- with the Red Sox in the country that he's going to get is is by no means. A a multimillion dollar multiyear deal. It was pretty much a low risk. Chance on a guy basically -- within an old age trailed by with a bunch of incentives anybody could have signed that deal my question is why it in the Tampa Bay race."

" Well it's a huge question for me. As Alex spear points out on WEEI dot com baseball reference dot com does these comparable yeah when he was 21 years old. The most comparable player Rocco Baldelli was -- speaker. When he was 22 years old the most comparable player to Baldelli was Carl Yastrzemski. I mean that's the sort of track that you know get your feet headed -- Cooperstown someday. If -- the Tampa Bay Rays and you believe the new diagnosis it's not as bad as we thought it was it's better now. How do you let this guy would that talents that goal. For not."

" I can't say is if your Tampa Tampa can afford. 65750. Maximilian. If he reaches all of these incentives. It's a good move for the Red Sox if he can hold up and I understand it's a big yet now -- John Smoltz. Who knows what kind of roll the Red Sox have for him maybe they don't plan to use him until June. Maybe they see him as a guy who can and we know we can do a lot of things. He can come in and close it is Jonathan Papelbon. Has been overuse. They bring in smoltz tackles. He's he made his money initially as a starter. He can be a guy. Who can start. Fourteen games were fourteen of fifteen games you want to rely on the kids sometimes. And you want to rely on veterans and other times John Smoltz can be one of those that are -- the exact same question you asked about Baldelli I ask about small slide it wide to the Atlanta Braves let him go for five million dollars yeah. When they're having problems finding starters in the first."

" Here's some quotes again Alex Spears piece on WEEI dot com some quotes from his manager Bobby Cox. At the baseball winter meetings Cox in early December. Watched John Smoltz. Picked off a mound. Watched him physically stood there and watched him throw he said quote I've never seen John so fired up about something in my life. I didn't think there was any way he could throw like he did it kind of brought some bumps on my arm because he was throwing so well. And I wasn't for sure if he was supposed to be that far ahead or not but he is. He's way ahead of -- What I -- the very first time out off the mound was incredibly. Good. The manager of the of the Braves is saying that stuff he watched his guy. God he has loved by the way and should love please. You know he's done everything warrior and he watched at least I can't believe how good he has I can't believe how far along years. Why is. Coming to Boston."

" Theoretically only that not only not only the money part of it for John Smoltz but. Smoltz of the Braves as an -- Smoltz is 88 I know. They didn't draft him. Trade of former believe. Part of the oil Alexander -- in the Q. So. Dated draft him but he has been when you think of the Atlanta Braves and their pitching dominance you think of John Smoltz you think of Tom Glavine pitched great yet."

" Forever and it's smoltz -- case. I always think of Dennis -- A guy who who you know was sparkling starting pitcher at one stage of his career. Was -- Prominent closing pitcher and another stage of his career. Not too many guys can claim that kind of at a grand am but then he gets up anyone up that -- and went went back to the rotation. So I hope this is Paltrow I I really do there's some little. Cynic inside of me says that maybe he has anymore you know what it's saying is if if what Bobby Cox saw his three. You put Bobby Cox said it's true. I would the Braves and why aren't the Braves stand 15 point five guaranteed ten million if you know -- tough economy yeah."

" Tough economy. Low budget around a lot of money to spend and if you think about the team that have been active in free agency. There's just a handful. One of the New York. -- tumor in New York Yankees and Mets. The Red Sox."

" Yeah look I I like both signings on the on the face of it I think these are too good a dish for you needed a fourth outfield you didn't -- Now I know there's some people out there Golub Gabe Kaplan we love Gabe Kepler. I'd rather have Baldelli is the fourth outfielder in the game. I'd rather have him and Mark Kotsay. So I don't know -- I'm having I don't know who I don't know assuming he can do what they I'd like cart."

" like kotsay a lot last year. The problem with kotsay what makes -- what what makes -- a fourth outfielder. A guy who understands that he's a fourth outfielder -- think Mark Kotsay at this stage -- accurate only negative and it's not really negative the only negative is. Then he probably wants to play wants to start."

" You know what he was old -- very late to them they want to start can't well according to this new diagnosis. I don't know I don't know about that. -- 617779850. Toll free 888525850. Yes the Celtics lost again last night. I'll yes I happen why greeted him yesterday so I agree with -- even more today."

" Donny Marshall -- I think there are some."

" Causes for concern here I'm not significant at Celtic all my god they're going to lose you know eighteen -- fall right back out of the race. Is decent stuff that bothers and I tell you the biggest problem I have ESPN did a great job breaking this down. Your point guards killing right now. You look at the breakdown of rush on Rondo -- up until December 25. And after December 25. And it's pretty easy to see what the issue is I don't know if he's wearing down in which case Stephon Marbury looks to make more sense than admit I did the."

" No it's never I don't know what I did that. It's never as bad as the from Marbury admitted it -- boy it was planned last night -- really it really isn't that -- the solutions and places. This is the good thing. Whatever your problem is. The solution is in house. Whatever you think the issue is you can solve it. Right there on causeway street or are right up there in -- on the practice court. Number one the number one problem now is not defense they played very well last last night defensively. Aaron Brooks atop the charts -- it was make some great shots to give it to the basket very well Yao Ming. Adding Mike Gorman said it. They can't stop them they -- hope that he misses. That's two left with -- how many guys 76 -- back -- down and he turns around again reach up and blocked the shot can't reach -- So a -- coming played a great game last night but defensively but to get pretty pretty well. The effort was there the problem is very simple two things one. The shots are far Ray Allen is struggling he Scotland right now. From long distance then. A lot of guys just aren't score in the fourth quarter. And and number two if you want to talk about the point guard problems. The solution is right there -- gave I'm telling. They -- to be the starting point guard I don't think that I think Rondo is a very good point guard he'll bounce back he's still out there your players go butler. And what he's doing well he's he's throwing he's up the charts and -- struggling. People start talking about a shooting again hear hear Jeff van Gundy in my dreams actually my nightmares."

" I was still Beckham mine."

" So so everybody jumps on a shooting when he struggling and they when he's not struggling they say our man look at the quickness and look at the athletic ability -- second -- to run on and on and on and but whatever issue UC right now they can snap out snap out of it like that -- was like that radiating yes. -- find out if they do exactly what you said tomorrow. I was -- my cousin. Big as Cleveland Cavaliers fan ever that's older guy 8085 boss I'm 8885."

" Let's I don't know probably not going to help."

" We'll take quick break right to the calls have you coming up next dale and holly Sports Radio WE."