2011-2012 Offseason Thread

[seabeachfred]

The only caveat to this argument is that the "Big Spenders" like the Red Sox and Yankees do not get outright first round draft picks on a yearly basis because of their Type-A FA acquisitions' date=' or get them so low in the first round that most of the elite "can't miss" talent is already gone. I'm talking about guys like Lincecum, Price, Mauer, et al.[/quote']

 

Certainly true User but Epstein seemed to fall in love with left hand hitting outfielders during his time as GM and they got drafted rather high---Ellsbury, Westmoreland, Feuntes, Kalish, Reddick and others whose names escape me at the moment. I think more should have gone into drafting pitchers and really developing them. I can't say I know much about the coaching they're getting in the lower levels but either we did not draft good pitchers or they stagnated in the minors. Weiland was a disaster and I see Pimental and others have gone by the wayside. This June we had better draft pitching and stay the f@cl away from left hand hitting outfielders.

[User Name]

Certainly true User but Epstein seemed to fall in love with left hand hitting outfielders during his time as GM and they got drafted rather high---Ellsbury' date=' Westmoreland, Feuntes, Kalish, Reddick and others whose names escape me at the moment. I think more should have gone into drafting pitchers and really developing them. I can't say I know much about the coaching they're getting in the lower levels but either we did not draft good pitchers or they stagnated in the minors. Weiland was a disaster and I see Pimental and others have gone by the wayside. This June we had better draft pitching and stay the f@cl away from left hand hitting outfielders.[/quote']

 

The Red Sox have a significant amount of pitching talent in the system. The problem is that most of this pitching was drafted out of HS. It takes a while for HS players to get to the Majors, much more so than with college players, but it's usually more productive talent.

[seabeachfred]

Re: Health.

 

Wasn't complacency by the manager and a s***** conditioning team supposedly some of the main reasons for the Sox' recent health problems?

 

Now that both of those have been replaced, why is it unrealistic to expect an improvement in player durability?

 

IMO Francona used to cost the Red Sox 10-12 games a year with his miserable field managing. That may seem high to some of you but a couple of my colleagues here traced games the past five or six years and it was so. Those 10-12 games will not be lost this year because of manager malfeasance and we might win seven or eight of those games with a manager whose strength is game strategy. True also that our medical staff was an unmitigated disaster and ditto for our conditioning team and that ought to improve as well. That could mean better times for the Red So---IF WE CAN GET THAT GOOD NO. 4 STARTER and another good reliever. I know where were a lot of Franconians on this board as on others, but in the dugout we are a helluva lot better this coming year than we were in the past.

[FredLynn]

Varitek has been invited to come to spring training.

Morons.

[NativeBostonian]

Varitek has been invited to come to spring training.

Morons.

 

He has better numbers then Shoppach. What can it hurt to invite him to spring training?

[a700hitter]

On the bright side, my Sox tickets arrived in the mail today. Because I had to purchase Sox Pax of 4 games, I have a number of tickets for games that I will not be using. All seats are infield grandstand. I'm not looking for a profit -- just face value plus the $2.50/ticket convenience charge. If anyone is interested, PM me and I'll tell you what games are available.

[a700hitter]

He has better numbers then Shoppach. What can it hurt to invite him to spring training?

The danger is that his buddy Beckett talks Bobby V into keeping Tek as his personal catcher.

[FredLynn]

He has better numbers then Shoppach. What can it hurt to invite him to spring training?

 

Neither can hit the baseball any more. At least Shoppach can play defense.

The presence of Varitek in ST will provide too much temptation for the "good old boy network" to activate, allowing him a roster spot on the team.

Watch. Wakefield is next.

[seabeachfred]

What do we think the Sox are actually doing with Padilla.....using discussions with him to earn some insurance against missing out on either Kuroda or Oswalt? I can't see the Sox taking Padilla unless they miss one of those two guys. Maybe stash Padilla in the minors?

 

If you hide the booze under lock and key and have the white coats standing by ready for what might take place, IMO Padilla is a better gamble than those bums Cherry Pie signed recently. As 700 said Short Order Cook can't break a pane of glass, Haeger slacks is a NL reject and a knuckleballer to boot, Duetschland Germano is a proven failure on two continents, Carlos Hi Ho Silva has spent more time eating than pitching effectively, and I don't know why the hell some posters keep saying that Millstone Millbum will be effective out of the bullpen or as a fifth starter. That guy has no control and stinks to high heaven. Padilla at least can bring it and it tough out there that he will not let the hitters take advantage of him. Those other guys are Dumpster Dipshits and the sooner we all accept that the sooner we can move on to suggest things that might actually help us this year.

[jung]

Just cut Tek loose. What harm does it do to ask him? What good does it do to ask him? He is not really capable of competing for a spot even with Shoppach. So, all he can do is cause trouble and be a distraction. Stop just stop Red Sox. Plus this is so much like the Sox, unable to say goodbye to anybody unless the guy literally has a heart attack and dies.

[NativeBostonian]

The danger is that his buddy Beckett talks Bobby V into keeping Tek as his personal catcher.

 

If it makes Beckett better, then I am down for him having his own personal catcher. It's not like it is going to cost the Sox an arm and a leg.

[NativeBostonian]

Neither can hit the baseball any more. At least Shoppach can play defense.

The presence of Varitek in ST will provide too much temptation for the "good old boy network" to activate, allowing him a roster spot on the team.

Watch. Wakefield is next.

If they resign Wakefield, I might have to stop watching for a season. He doesn't deserve another season after what he did last year.

[FredLynn]

If it makes Beckett better' date=' then I am down for him having his own personal catcher. It's not like it is going to cost the Sox an arm and a leg.[/quote']

 

If he is allowed to caddy Beckett again, he will be taking up a roster spot for someone who actually has some value added for the team.

He needs to go NOW NOW NOW.

[seabeachfred]

Just what we need Tek and Wakefield in the Fort Myers clubhouse throwing banana peels in the path of the pitchers and catchers.

 

Some poster(s) excoriated another poster (I think Fred) for his fear that the Sox would look to bring back these over the hill bums. I think his fear has just been justified.

 

I never doubted this for a minute 700 and told any one here and elsewhere to those willing to listen to me---and that is why the Yankees win and we suck wind. They let go of Bernie Williams, a stalwart for them for many years, when he no longer could do the job. They recently said adios to Posada who chose retirement. Not Lizardturd Lucchino or Prune Face Henry though. No, they have to keep their sacred cows around even though they aren't worth a piece of dog s*** anymore.

 

Now you know both will be on the roster, taking two important spots that could be used for players who could help us. Does anyone if their friggin' right mind think those two bums can help us this year. Varitek (Putritek on another board and maybe here now) and Wasteflood were not offered a contract by any other team, yet they are good enough to get one from the Red Sox? How fu@@in' dumb is that? And you know damn well that both will demand playing time, Weakflood to go after that God Damn record and Putritek to make some money that he has gotten used to getting.

 

This team will never t urn the corner until these two are jettisoned and it looks like once again we will have to watch these two pukes gum up the works for our team. You can bet you last dime I will be all over these two like smell on sh!t the rest of the year because that is exactly what they are.

[Elktonnick]

If you hide the booze under lock and key and have the white coats standing by ready for what might take place' date=' IMO Padilla is a better gamble than those bums Cherry Pie signed recently. As 700 said Short Order Cook can't break a pane of glass, Haeger slacks is a NL reject and a knuckleballer to boot, Duetschland Germano is a proven failure on two continents, Carlos Hi Ho Silva has spent more time eating than pitching effectively, and I don't know why the hell some posters keep saying that Millstone Millbum will be effective out of the bullpen or as a fifth starter. That guy has no control and stinks to high heaven. Padilla at least can bring it and it tough out there that he will not let the hitters take advantage of him. Those other guys are Dumpster Dipshits and the sooner we all accept that the sooner we can move on to suggest things that might actually help us this year.[/quote']

 

I don't know Fred. Crazy is crazy. We don't need the Red Sox to go from country club to psych ward. Too many weird personalities already on this club. BV is a great manager but we shouldn't make his job more difficult than it already is.

[NativeBostonian]

If he is allowed to caddy Beckett again, he will be taking up a roster spot for someone who actually has some value added for the team.

He needs to go NOW NOW NOW.

For who, Shoppach? Dude is a lot worse then V-Tek. Also, we haven't been signing anyone who deserves a spot over Tek anyway.

[User Name]

When the Yankees got rid of Bernie Williams, they did EXACTLY WHAT THE RED SOX ARE DOING WITH VARITEK NOW, which was offer him a MILB deal that they knew he wasn't going to take.

 

As for Wakefield, they haven't even been in contact with the guy.

 

I know you were looking for validation for your earlier opinions, but baseless conjecture is not the place to get it.

 

@ Fred

[jung]

No....getting Tek as his personal catcher is not even good for Beckett although he might think it is. It is time for Josh to grow up a bit. He cannot carry Tek around in a golf coffin the rest of his career. If he keeps this up pretty soon he will be carrying him around in a real coffin before long.

[Elktonnick]

For who' date=' Shoppach? Dude is a lot worse then V-Tek. Also, we haven't been signing anyone who deserves a spot over Tek anyway.[/quote']

 

Tek couldn't throw me out stealing second.

[seabeachfred]

I'm just glad Wakefield isn't being mentioned anywhere.

 

He will be included too....make book on that. BTW, you can ask my collegues from the other board that also post here now. I predicted the collapse of the Red Sox last year. It doesn't make me smarter than anyone else but I have an ability to see these things. On July 26th last, I said the Red Sox had it in them to go into the tank again (another losing streak) and this time it would be a total collapse. If I could predict that I can predict with some assuredness that Wastefield will be back. Both of them bums will and we will be a lot worse for it. It makes no sense and it is pejorative to the well being of the Red Sox that these two duds don our uniform this season.

[a700hitter]

Dumpster Dipshits!!

[User Name]

5:31pm: Ben Cherington tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter) that the Red Sox have not made Varitek any kind of formal contract offer.

 

Aaaaaaaand there goes the back-patting.

[seabeachfred]

This is exactly what the Yanks did with Bernie. Brought him back after his contract ended for a 1 yr deal at short money then effectively offered him an MiLB deal with no chance of making the squad. Its a hint from management that you're done' date=' but it also isnt conveyed as giving up completely on a former focal point of the team[/quote']

 

With all due respect to you Jacko, ********!!!!!!!! Putritek and Wastefield will be on the team because the Red So are NOT the Yankees. Your team is cold blooded; we're led by a bunch of namby-pamby second raters that dance to the tune of Old Lang Syne. It will be up to BV to cut these two pukes in ST and tell the front office that there will be no interference from them in the makeup of the roster. If he doesn't do that we will have a repeat of 2011 because from the vantage point of the front office they haven't learned a Goddamn thing from last year.

[User Name]

With all due respect to you Jacko' date=' ********!!!!!!!! Putritek and Wastefield will be on the team because the Red So are NOT the Yankees. Your team is cold blooded; we're led by a bunch of namby-pamby second raters that dance to the tune of Old Lang Syne. It will be up to BV to cut these two pukes in ST and tell the front office that there will be no interference from them in the makeup of the roster. If he doesn't do that we will have a repeat of 2011 because from the vantage point of the front office they haven't learned a Goddamn thing from last year.[/quote']

 

Hahaha so "cold blooded" with Jeter making 17 mill to play SS for the Yanks.

[NativeBostonian]

Tek couldn't throw me out stealing second.

I would like to see the numbers of how many guys these two caught stealing last season.

[a700hitter]

Tek couldn't throw me out stealing second.

He couldn't throw you out if you were carrying me on your back and they pitched out.

[Elktonnick]

Aaaaaaaand there goes the back-patting.

 

The operative word here is "formal" According to an earlier report which is consistent with this tweet, the Red Sox have made it clear that Jason would only make the club if either Shop or Salty got injured. Nvertheless tis isn't good. Why can't the Red Sox simply move on. They don't need this distraction.

 

Meanwhile while Ben is futzing around the Yankees just pick up a frontline starter from the Mariners

[User Name]

I would like to see the numbers of how many guys these two caught stealing last season.

 

Shoppach is right around 28% and Varitek is right around 17%. It's not even close.

[jung]

I know it looks the same as the way the Yanks handled Williams but Williams had been on a different plateau than Tek. At the point when he was done, there was nothing left in baseball for him to do and yes I agree that it was a graceful way to part as the Yanks probably did know that Bernie would decline the invitation. Tek will show up to ST because he will have nowhere else to go and he will insist on trying to find a way to snake his way onto this team. That is the difference.

 

A good deal of crap happened last year and I got tired of seeing him prance around with that stupid C doing nothing. Frankly I just do not want to see Tek around this team. Get him outta' here.

[Elktonnick]

I would like to see the numbers of how many guys these two caught stealing last season.

 

I haven't looked up the numbers but I think Shop was around 45%