Victor Martinez...

[Dojji]

The year Tek stopped catching Wakefield, his passed-ball rate dropped from around 18 a year to arond 5 a year.

 

Having Tek catch Wakefield was never an option. He just can't do it. Some can, some can't. He can't.

[ORS]

Rather than hash out the examples of good and bad transactions for Epstein, I'd be curious to know who das considers to be a very good GM.

 

My point is, all GMs, even good ones, have skeletons in the closet, so focussing on Epstein's bad moves as the example of his deficiencies lacks sound reasoning. If his performance has been bad, then it's bad relative to something good, not relative to himself (his successes vs. his failures).

 

Furthermore, this smells a lot like hindsight analysis. I'd like to see das show up and put something on the record either for or against future transactions when they happen. All I ever see him do is try and discredit this FO after the fact, which is easy once the results are in.

[Cocos Disciples]

Rather than hash out the examples of good and bad transactions for Epstein, I'd be curious to know who das considers to be a very good GM.

 

My point is, all GMs, even good ones, have skeletons in the closet, so focussing on Epstein's bad moves as the example of his deficiencies lacks sound reasoning. If his performance has been bad, then it's bad relative to something good, not relative to himself (his successes vs. his failures).

 

Furthermore, this smells a lot like hindsight analysis. I'd like to see das show up and put something on the record either for or against future transactions when they happen. All I ever see him do is try and discredit this FO after the fact, which is easy once the results are in.

 

Good post. Joe Posnanski wrote a good piece about Theo as a response to his radio appearance about Drew. He said:

 

I have talked many times here about a fan’s desperate wish — desperate wish — to have the team see the game the way the fan sees it. I don’t mean specifics — fire the coach, bench the QB, go for it on fourth down and so on. I mean see it in the macro, in a larger way. If I’m a basketball fan, I would love a team that believes in pushing the ball up the floor. If I’m a football fan, I would love a team that believes in pressuring the quarterback and working the middle of the field. If I’m a baseball fan, I would just love to know that my GM really and truly believes that one thing — that it’s really, really, really important for a baseball player to not make outs.

 

That seems so simple to me, so utterly basic, so law of gravity. But I know that there are GMs in the league — more than you would ever believe — and lots of other people in and around baseball who do not believe this. It isn’t exactly that they are opposed to players who get on base. They certainly want guys to get on base. No, it is that they believe that OBP — the ability to not make outs — falls behind other more mystical talents such as the ability drive in runners in clutch situations or be a leader in the clubhouse or play the game the right way or whatever. I’m not saying these more mystical skills do not exist. Maybe they do. But I know that if you give me a baseball team of people who do not make outs, that team will score a lot of runs. A team of guys who play the game the right way will score a lot of runs too — assuming that “playing the game the right way” includes not making outs.

 

Anyway, I thought Theo put it perfectly. There’s no question that the Red Sox have some huge advantages over most teams in baseball. They have and spend a lot more money than most, which allows them to be better in so many ways. But they’re awfully smart too. One argument I have never understood is the one where people say that money doesn’t matter because some big money teams lose: “Oh, if money is so important, how come the Mets haven’t won more? The Cubs spend a ton of money, and they didn’t win. The Astros.” And so on. To me that’s a false argument — people have been wasting money since, well, since the invention of money.

 

But matching money with solid reasoning and serious brainpower, that’s an awfully tough combination to beat … even in a game as volatile and unpredictable as baseball. The Red Sox win every year. And I suspect they will keep winning every year. And I suspect that it would be a whole lot of fun to be a Boston Red Sox fan.

 

Theo has made his bad moves, like every other GM has. But his philosophy and his business model is a very sound one, and he has executed it every season, with the exception of the one year in which he wasn't a GM for the offseason prior.

[das11209]

Rather than hash out the examples of good and bad transactions for Epstein, I'd be curious to know who das considers to be a very good GM.

 

My point is, all GMs, even good ones, have skeletons in the closet, so focussing on Epstein's bad moves as the example of his deficiencies lacks sound reasoning. If his performance has been bad, then it's bad relative to something good, not relative to himself (his successes vs. his failures).

 

Furthermore, this smells a lot like hindsight analysis. I'd like to see das show up and put something on the record either for or against future transactions when they happen. All I ever see him do is try and discredit this FO after the fact, which is easy once the results are in.

 

I applogize that I do not get in the message board much because of my work load - that's the reason I am posting so late.

 

ORS brings up a good point that Theo in spite of his mistakes is a good GM if you look at 29 other teams in the league. The question is in MLB there is no cap - so is it fair to accesss the performance of Yankeee/Sox GM's with others? Cleveland Browns have sucked for such a long time in a cap league - and the GM is responsible - but if the Indian's suck - is it the fault of Shapiro - or is it the cheap owners? In other words - with Theo'r resources - will I trust Billy Beane more? The answer for me to that question is absolutely yes.

 

Also let me reassure you I am nottrying to discredit Theo or FO. I say things that I feel are correct and I try not to look at them in a fan's biased eyes. I don't think it is at all wrong to critisize my team if it can be made better by improving. I know most people here do not feel that way - but it is not a bad thing for a message board to have a different opinion like mine.

[Dipre]

I applogize that I do not get in the message board much because of my work load - that's the reason I am posting so late.

 

ORS brings up a good point that Theo in spite of his mistakes is a good GM if you look at 29 other teams in the league. The question is in MLB there is no cap - so is it fair to accesss the performance of Yankeee/Sox GM's with others? Cleveland Browns have sucked for such a long time in a cap league - and the GM is responsible - but if the Indian's suck - is it the fault of Shapiro - or is it the cheap owners? In other words - with Theo'r resources - will I trust Billy Beane more? The answer for me to that question is absolutely yes.

 

Also let me reassure you I am nottrying to discredit Theo or FO. I say things that I feel are correct and I try not to look at them in a fan's biased eyes. I don't think it is at all wrong to critisize my team if it can be made better by improving. I know most people here do not feel that way - but it is not a bad thing for a message board to have a different opinion like mine.

 

Yeah specially with Oakland's awesome record this year.

[das11209]

Yeah specially with Oakland's awesome record this year.

 

You missed my point. That's OK.

[Dipre]

You missed my point. That's OK.

 

No. Because you're trying to use "Salary cap" as an excuse while conveniently ignoring the fact that nearly half this team, and most of the upper-level talent on it, came from the farm.

 

Nice try.

[das11209]

No. Because you're trying to use "Salary cap" as an excuse while conveniently ignoring the fact that nearly half this team, and most of the upper-level talent on it, came from the farm.

 

Nice try.

 

We both agreed Theo has done a good job with home -grown player development. I am saying his performance is sub-par in terms of trades and free agent acquisitions with the resources he has. You completely disagree.

 

Let us move on - we made our points. I am sure instead of going back and forth in message boards - we can use our time in better way. Like spending time with family, earn more money to name a few.

[ORS]

Sub-par? This again? I asked you to compare him to his peers, ie to establish "par". Please do so, because your resources argument is a cop out.

 

You mention Beane as being somebody you'd trust more with the Red Sox resources? Really? The same Beane that made Chavez and Crosby, two complete busts, the cornerstones of his franchise? If you think the Drew and Lugo signings were bad, take a look that those two guys. The same Beane who traded Tim Hudson for 3 busts? The same Beane who traded away Ted Lily for Bobby Keilty? This is his Arroyo for WMP moment. This guy?

 

I'll admit, Beane is limited by the salary constraints, but he hasn't won anything either.

[Dojji]

I think if Theo died in a car crash and we got any one other team's GM in compensation I have to say the guy I'd go for is Friedman of the Rays, not Beame. Now there's a guy who does a lot with a little.

[a700hitter]

I think if Theo died in a car crash and we got any one other team's GM in compensation I have to say the guy I'd go for is Friedman of the Rays' date=' not Beame. Now there's a guy who does a lot with a little.[/quote']But maybe he can't do a lot with a lot.

[ORS]

Let us move on - we made our points. I am sure instead of going back and forth in message boards - we can use our time in better way. Like spending time with family' date=' earn more money to name a few.[/quote']

Translation: I don't put a whole lot of thought into my posts, so you shouldn't either. That way, we can all just throw as many thoughtless things out there as our hearts desire without being accountable for what we say.

[ORS]

But maybe he can't do a lot with a lot.

This is a good point. With added resources comes the expectation of using those resources, which exposes GMs from big market teams to more risk of signing a bust that smaller club GMs don't have to worry about.

[BSN07]

Translation: I don't put a whole lot of thought into my posts' date=' so you shouldn't either. That way, we can all just throw as many thoughtless things out there as our hearts desire without being accountable for what we say.[/quote']

 

Isn't that the whole point of the internet?

[Rdsxmbnt]

I think if Theo died in a car crash and we got any one other team's GM in compensation I have to say the guy I'd go for is Friedman of the Rays' date=' not Beame. Now there's a guy who does a lot with a little.[/quote']

 

Doesn't hurt to get a shot at a franchise player every year for the past decade

[das11209]

Isn't that the whole point of the internet?

 

He is right in the sense I am not as serious as some other posters. I come here to see different opinions - and share my own. It might occur to someone that I am not putting lot of thought into my posts - and I don't care. It is not my day job.