You know what, I like it! I like the Red Sox free agent signing of Adrian Beltre. Why? Because every time you read about his last four or five years on the Major League diamond, whoever is writing about him uses words like 'Gold Glove caliber defence', 'a magician with the leather' and my personal favourite, 'an absolute rock at third base'.
Clearly the Red Sox are going in an interesting and imaginative direction for the 2010 season.
Some teams throw the gross national debt of Ghana at free agents with no plan other than 'let's just grab the most expensive guys we can get'. Others try to stack their lineup with as many big boppers as possible. For years the Angels went for guys with high average and speed.
In 2010 the Boston Red Sox are going to be built on leather.
This could be one of the better defensive teams of the last decade. The outfield of Cameron, Ellsbury and Drew is nothing short of superb. Cameron and Ellsbury are going to be a highlight reel waiting to happen on a nightly basis. Drew has a fantastic arm and plays the tricky right field at Fenway as well as anyone. The infield? Only Beltre, Scuttaro, Pedroia and Youkilis. That's Gold Glove, highly rated in '09, Gold Glove and Gold Glove.
When you add that to the fact that Boston will be sending the Beckett, Lackey, Lester, Matsuzaka and Bucholz to the mound in rotation, and Boston could be looking at a very low number in the 'runs conceded' column in '10.
Personally, I love it, but that's because I like nothing more than a well played 1-0 pitching duel. Not everyones cup of tea, for sure, however I think that's baseball at its purest, its finest. Nine guys trying to stop the other team scoring. Give me that any day over a 4 hour, 14-9 slugfest.
The 2010 Boston Red Sox are going to be a baseball purists dream, or a thrill seekers nightmare. Just depends what way you look at it.
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Clearly the Red Sox are going in an interesting and imaginative direction for the 2010 season.
Some teams throw the gross national debt of Ghana at free agents with no plan other than 'let's just grab the most expensive guys we can get'. Others try to stack their lineup with as many big boppers as possible. For years the Angels went for guys with high average and speed.
In 2010 the Boston Red Sox are going to be built on leather.
This could be one of the better defensive teams of the last decade. The outfield of Cameron, Ellsbury and Drew is nothing short of superb. Cameron and Ellsbury are going to be a highlight reel waiting to happen on a nightly basis. Drew has a fantastic arm and plays the tricky right field at Fenway as well as anyone. The infield? Only Beltre, Scuttaro, Pedroia and Youkilis. That's Gold Glove, highly rated in '09, Gold Glove and Gold Glove.
When you add that to the fact that Boston will be sending the Beckett, Lackey, Lester, Matsuzaka and Bucholz to the mound in rotation, and Boston could be looking at a very low number in the 'runs conceded' column in '10.
Personally, I love it, but that's because I like nothing more than a well played 1-0 pitching duel. Not everyones cup of tea, for sure, however I think that's baseball at its purest, its finest. Nine guys trying to stop the other team scoring. Give me that any day over a 4 hour, 14-9 slugfest.
The 2010 Boston Red Sox are going to be a baseball purists dream, or a thrill seekers nightmare. Just depends what way you look at it.
.
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