Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

The legend of Dustin Pedroia continues to grow. Now it comes out that he played the last 2 months of the season with a broken hamate bone. What's not to like about this guy? He plays hurt and never says a word? Pedroia could be to the Red Sox what Jeter was to the Yankees. A rookie mid-fielder who wins a World Series in his first year and becomes a symbol of team success... I've seen Mike Lowell's free agent situation compared to that of Jason Varitek a few years ago. There is one major difference that most people don't note. When Varitek was a free agent he was far and away the best catcher on the market and the rest of the alternatives would have been a clear step down from what Jason was to offer the Red Sox. This year Lowell isn't even the best free agent on the market and the Red Sox have a guy playing 1st who could take his place (the Sox would then have to get a 1st baseman). Apples and oranges. Again - for the record I want Lowell back but I will understand if the Red Sox think his price gets too out of whack... Interesting - the top 40 pitchers of the 20th century. I think the fact that Sandy Koufax is not in the top 40 points out that this is a compilation based largely on longevity and not a true rendering of "the best". In fact not having Koufax in the top 40 should have been a tip off to the authors that their methodology was not ready for prime time. I also have a big problem listing Roger Clemens over Warren Spahn...