Enough Is Enough - Come On Hazel!!!

Hey Peeps and anyone else checking in. A special "Hey" goes out to Hazel Mae.

Ok, I've heard enough from the SenaTard faithful and those arrogant Canadiens' fans - enough is enough. The playoffs aren't starting tomorrow, so I don't want to hear about how "If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Leafs would be out again."

They start in April you idiots, right around Hazel's (and yours truly's) birthdays. There is 50+ games left to be played - Maurice and the Maple Leafs will right the damn ship; and we will once again take the SenaTards in April like it was a commandment from God himself.

Hazel, if you are peeking in...ok, no more fooling around. It is time to get the Leafs back on track with a win against the damn Red Wings - tonight!!!!! (please). You may choose to be neutral when the Leafs play the damn Bruins - but the Red Wings are another matter all together, you have to send the Maple Leafs some good karma. Hazel, the winless streak is at six games...on behalf of Leaf Nation I say, enough is enough. Its time to end it - work your magic. Thank you!

This one is just too good, memo to readers: Don't mess with Portuguese-speaking women. ESPN reports that a semi-final game of Brazil's Women's Hanball National Championship had to be called because of a catfight on the court. Its everything you would expect when women with latin blood get riled and go at it - read the story, its good for a laugh or two.

Ok, I have to ask - Is it just me? Or does anyone else think that Theo Epstein has lost his mind, and that the Chickenhawk (J.P. Ricciardi) just doesn't have a clue? Looking at the off-seasons these two supposed great baseball minds have had, I wonder how these two have managed to keep their jobs.

Theo Epstein

The Good
> not exercising the option on Keith Foulke - Theo should be counting his blessing that Foulke didn't exercise his option.

> not re-signing Trot Nixon

The Bad
> allowing SS Alex Gonzalez to leave - his pitching staff is suspect at best, and he allows one of the premiere defensive shortstops in the game to leave.

> signing J.D. Drew to a 5 year/$70M contract - Drew hasn't been able to stay healthy for two consecutive seasons and Theo signs him for FIVE. The guy has a history of missing a lot of games due to injury - isn't that why he let Trot Nixon go? Don't get me wrong - J.D. Drew isn't a bad player, but he certainly isn't a $14M/year number 5 hitter. Let's not talk about OBP and other stuff the Sox are trying to sell - the middle of the lineup is about producing runs, and trust me, Drew won't do it in the clutch. Theo is going to learn the hard way.

> signing Julio Lugo to a big contract to play shortstop - Lugo is a below average fielder and decent leadoff hitter at best - this signing leaves me wondering what he was thinking about when he committed $9M per year. Red Sox Nation was all over Edgar Renteria when he muffed a play or struggled at the plate - what are they going to do to Lugo?

> courting Eric Gagne when it is obvious he isn't the guy he was before he got hurt. I know the Sox need a closer, but Gagne has, for all intents and purposes, been out of baseball for two years. His elbow is shot, his velocity was way down when he tried to pitch, and there are questions about how Gagne went from a 5th starter to the game's best closer. I'm not insinuating anything, I'm just going by what I read and what I saw of this guy when he came up as a middle reliever and spot starter. Boston won't sign him - but the amount of attention Epstein gave him should concern Red Sox Nation.


The Strange
> buying negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka - I know my pal Renee won't agree with this, but we don't agree on a lot of things. I keep reading about what "scouts and GMs" say about this guy. Don't you find it strange that none of these so called experts are willing to put their names beside their opinions and assessments? The only guys willing to talk publicly about how great "Dice-K" is are media types who follow baseball in Japan. Epstein is going to commit $100M to a guy who has never pitched in the Major Leagues.

I know the argument about it the business side of signing Matsuzaka, and that's fine; except they aren't talking about this as a business deal - Epstein has said this is a baseball move, and they expect him to come in and be a top of the rotation kind of guy. I'm having trouble seeing this one - the kid may be good...but to sell him to your fans as a top of the rotation guy is a little silly if you ask me.

> trying to trade Manny Ramirez (again!) - I think its time that everyone realize that Theo Epstein doesn't have the balls to trade Manny Ramirez. He was never going to do it - he is afraid of making a mistake in trading Ramirez, so he inflated the asking price to astronomical figures, knowing that no team would bite. Come on now, think about it - you try to trade one of the premiere hitters in all of baseball (for reasons never disclosed by Epstein - age? problems in clubhouse? salary?) and your asking price is two or three blue chip prospects?

He was never dealing from a position of strength and he knew it - so rather than make a mistake and "not get enough in return", he set the asking price too high so that he didn't have to trade Ramirez. How can you ask for that many prospects when you have made it known you want to get rid of a player that the organization feels is heading toward a downturn in his career? This strikes me a something a man without a real plan would do.

The Red Sox strike me as a team in betwixt and between - it looks like a collection of available players, as opposed to a team put together with a plan to win. A team that had some big holes to begin with - may have bought itself more holes than they had the day after their season ended.

This brings us to our friend the Chickenhawk.

J.P. Ricciardi

The Good
> ummm...Greg Zaun signing? Why not, Zaun is one of Hazel's pals from her days of doing JZone.

The Bad
> ummm...Greg Zaun signing? AFTER you publicly announced you had signed Rod Barajas and then had to announce the deal was off? To make matters more embrassing, Ricciardi say that and told the media with a straight face that Zaun was his first choice all along?

> not being able to land one player after telling the world he has more money to throw around - hmmm, think players talk to each other?

The Strange
> Toronto is said to be thinking about trading CF Vernon Wells - the cornerstone of the franchise. I've said for two years that Ricciardi hates Wells and has wanted to get rid of him (I won't discuss what I believe the reasons are behind Chickenhawk's hatred - this page has Hazel's name on it and we don't want any opinions being associated with her...except the Three Play after a good night - but I have maintained for two years that Ricciardi has been waiting for a chance to get rid of Wells. Look at the roster and it isn't too tough to figure out why J.P. can't stand Wells. Alexis Rios, beware buddy - your time is coming too.

Vernon Wells will be a Los Angeles Dodgers' player before spring training. Brad Penny and Joe Beimel (throw in a squeaky clean prospect) ship out to Toronto.

J.P. its time to come clean (no pun intended) about what YOUR REAL VISION of the Blue Jays is. You owe it to your management and your fans - its time to fess up about why you will never ever build a contending team...stop talking about the payroll you jackass. Way to go J.P. you are well on your way to making Hazel part of Red Sox Nation.

Well, that's about it for this morning's thoughts.

HAZEL'S THREE STARS
Anaheim Ducks' C Todd Marchant had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 victory over the Washington Capitals; good night for a guy who is considered a checker. Oh yeah, it helped our Three Play yesterday.

New Jersey Devils' G Martin Brodeur stopped 28 shots in a 2-0 shutout of the Flyers - you know how much I hate the Flyers. And yes, it was good for the Three Play.

Edmonton Oiles' Dwayne Roloson made 22 saves in blanking the Dallas Stars 2-0 last night.

SATURDAY THREE PLAY
Another good night last night going 2-0 and winning (hypothetical of course) $100 - thus bringing the total for the week down to - $10.

We'll check back in this afternoon for today's picks.

That's about it for this morning gang - lots to do around here today. Have a great one peeps!

HAZEL'S SATURDAY HOROSCOPE
You can do just about anything you want and be successful today. A chance to make a deal, engage in romance, do something creative or even travel, study or take on a new challenge will all be stimulating and help you along your way. 5 stars

Hazel, I hope things are groovy in your world - remember, send some Hazel Karma to the Maple Leafs in Detroit tonight.

Song of the Day on Hazelspeeps - with apologies to Hazel. My pal Renee hooked me on Denis Leary's show "Rescue Me" - I just got through Season 1...AWESOME series. So with much appreciation to my pal for turning me on to the show - and with thoughts of J.P. Ricciardi, I give you as the Saturday song of the Day on Hazelspeeps

Asshole - Denis Leary

Peesth Out...Buh Bye!