Let's Grade the GM on the Off-Season

[a700hitter]

With pitchers and catchers in camp and most of the rest of the team, it's time to assess the off-season performance by Big Ben. I doubt there will be any additional notable acquisitioins, especially since Oswalt is staying home. What grade do you give Benny?

[Dojji]

C+. He made some moves, and we are a little better, but the Yankees are pulling ahead.

[Elktonnick]

C+. He made some moves' date=' and we are a little better, but the Yankees are pulling ahead.[/quote']

 

A solid D

[jopete19]

We all have to admit, Theo left us in a pretty bad situation. Last off-season was a big one for us signing Crawfull, and Gonzo. Seemed to me Benny boy was trying to save some money. I am glad he didn't sign Papelbon for what the Phillies gave him. I am going to give him a C.

[Divinity]

I'd like to see the people that picked A defend their choice.

[Bellhorn04]

I gave him a B. That's kind of a namby-pamby vote, but it's a little early to judge the results of the offseason. As has been said frequently, Cherington wasn't given much financial room to play with. I kind of like all the dumpster pitching acquisitions-something has to come of it, right?

 

Ah hell, I'm a pollyanna, what can I say.

[seabeachfred]

I gave him a B. That's kind of a namby-pamby vote, but it's a little early to judge the results of the offseason. As has been said frequently, Cherington wasn't given much financial room to play with. I kind of like all the dumpster pitching acquisitions-something has to come of it, right?

 

Ah hell, I'm a pollyanna, what can I say.

 

Say no more---you ARE a pollyanna and it was kind of namby-pamby vote, but you were right that he wasn't given much financial room to play with. OTOH, maybe if he had been given that he might have pulled even a bigger boner than he did when he offered Papi arbitration. Assuming Ortiz wanted to stay in Boston and that his market was very low we could have probably gotten him for much cheeper that the $14 million Plus that we shelled out for him.

 

I gave him a generous D+. To me the guy is risk averse, and a procrastinator who has trouble making decisions. He is shaping up in my opinion of becoming a penguin in the garden.

[jacksonianmarch]

How can anyone say A? Coming into 2012 with 2 relievers in the rotation and no prospects ready in the wings is a big problem. He lets Papelbon go and gives Ortiz a raise and he gets an A? The only thing I give him credit for is using his position to get a bunch of former big league starters into camp to see how they do. That's a good thing, and if one of them sticks, then it's well worth the minimal risk. Also, dealing away Scutaro for nothing without a suitable full time replacement is a negative as well. I gave him a C because he didnt panic, but he did make some stupid moves.

[seabeachfred]

How can anyone say A? Coming into 2012 with 2 relievers in the rotation and no prospects ready in the wings is a big problem. He lets Papelbon go and gives Ortiz a raise and he gets an A? The only thing I give him credit for is using his position to get a bunch of former big league starters into camp to see how they do. That's a good thing' date=' and if one of them sticks, then it's well worth the minimal risk. Also, dealing away Scutaro for nothing without a suitable full time replacement is a negative as well. I gave him a C because he didnt panic, but he did make some stupid moves.[/quote']

 

Think Jacko, think carefully and you will be alble to pick out which two gave the A's out. I'll give you a hint----one was a man and one was a woman. I would bet my garage on that.

[redsoxfan3]

I am borderline C+ and B-. If I were to use a number system I would say he gets an 8/10 or an 80%. He made the mistake of offering Big Papi arbitration. I still think it was a solid move to resign Papi, but I feel like it should have been done at a cheaper price. I also give him credit for not resigning Papelbon. I know I might get some negative feedback for saying this, but Papelbon is asking way too much for a closer. He went out and traded for Melancon and Bailey. That replaces Papelbon and Bard in the pen at a much cheaper price then resigning Papelbon. He did not get a proven SP, but he did move Bard to the rotation and has several former decent SP that have a shot to crack the rotation and have a rebound year. I am not panicking with our rotation because we have four pitcher that should be fine, along with Dice-K coming back sometime this summer. We also have options to trade for someone before the deadline. I think our offense is one of the best in baseball. Our pen and rotation are question marks at this point, but I feel like he did a solid job with what he was given to work with. We all knew we did not have a bunch of money to spend this offseason, but he still made good moves in trading for Melancon and Bailey. I still do not understand the Scutaro trade, but I think we will be fine with the options that we have. I gave him a C+/B- because he made a couple of mistakes, but at the same time he did what he needed to do to give this team a chance to compete. If things go our way, then we will be fine.

[jacksonianmarch]

You are losing it if you think Melancon and Bailey will "replace" Papelbon and Bard.

[User Name]

I gave him a B. That's kind of a namby-pamby vote, but it's a little early to judge the results of the offseason. As has been said frequently, Cherington wasn't given much financial room to play with. I kind of like all the dumpster pitching acquisitions-something has to come of it, right?

 

Ah hell, I'm a pollyanna, what can I say.

 

Yup, i'm on the same boat. I gave him a B. While Jacko's trying to bust bal ls about letting Papelbon go, i think it was a good move. That would have been a stupid, stupid contract and we got a suitable replacement. Not bringing back Wakefield or Varitek, and doing it without it becoming a sideshow is a plus, as was the Ross signing, and i really like Padilla, and think he will contribute (crazy aside). He built "depth" (what we got is the definition of depth), and the club is in a position where if things break right, they will be successful, and if they don't, one or two in-season moves could fix whatever is ailing them.

 

The Scutaro move was the breaking point for me, and that's why no higher grade was given. It makes no sense.

 

The Ortiz thing has a lot of conjecture and reaching to it. They needed to keep him, or that was a big hole to fill, but they should have gone to battle in arbitration and give him essentially the same salary.

 

If they are really over the salary cap though without the possibility of getting below it mid-season and don't reinforce as needed, my grade changes to a C.

[User Name]

Think Jacko' date=' think carefully and you will be alble to pick out which two gave the A's out. I'll give you a hint----one was a man and one was a woman. I would bet my garage on that.[/quote']

 

You also bet your garage on Wakefield and Varitek coming back. You have no garage to bet.

 

BTW, VA's last activity today was before this thread was created, meaning you now lack a AND owe a garage.

[a700hitter]

Starting with the replacement of Papelbon with Bailey and Melancon, I'll give him a B+. Offering Ortiz arbitration and hamstringing the team financially drops his grade to a C+. Salary dumping Scutaro brings him down to a C and not getting the teams #1 priority -- a reliable starting pitcher brings his final grade to a D. I would have given him a C if we had gone into the playoffs and made a respectable run in 2011. The cataclysmic ending of last season called for more urgency and bolder moves. Hence the D.

[a700hitter]

Anyone who voted an A without an explanation is just a flat out coward.

[FredLynn]

I gave him a B. That's kind of a namby-pamby vote, but it's a little early to judge the results of the offseason. As has been said frequently, Cherington wasn't given much financial room to play with. I kind of like all the dumpster pitching acquisitions-something has to come of it, right?

 

Ah hell, I'm a pollyanna, what can I say.

 

There really should be a choice called "incomplete". He has not been on the job long, and ownership has given him NO MONEY to play with. Hard to make improvements that way.

[FredLynn]

How can anyone say A? Coming into 2012 with 2 relievers in the rotation and no prospects ready in the wings is a big problem. He lets Papelbon go and gives Ortiz a raise and he gets an A? The only thing I give him credit for is using his position to get a bunch of former big league starters into camp to see how they do. That's a good thing' date=' and if one of them sticks, then it's well worth the minimal risk. Also, dealing away Scutaro for nothing without a suitable full time replacement is a negative as well. I gave him a C because he didnt panic, but he did make some stupid moves.[/quote']

 

There is no way I would have tried to sign Papelbon for the money the Phillies paid him. No way.

[a700hitter]

There really should be a choice called "incomplete". He has not been on the job long' date=' and ownership has given him NO MONEY to play with. Hard to make improvements that way.[/quote']It's just an off season grade. The off season is over. It's fair to grade his performance on that basis.

[Elktonnick]

There really should be a choice called "incomplete". He has not been on the job long' date=' and ownership has given him NO MONEY to play with. Hard to make improvements that way.[/quote']

 

I gave him a D because the club is going into the season worse off then when they ended it. If they were at the same level, I would have given him a C. He had sufficient resources at his disposal to improve but they chose not to employ them. The entire left side is questionable at best. The back end of the rotation is a guess and we have no depth in pitching unless you count the collection of gobblers he has stockpiled on the "turkey" farm. The competition has all improved more than the Red Sox who have regressed except with the addition of BV as manager.

[User Name]

There is no way I would have tried to sign Papelbon for the money the Phillies paid him. No way.

 

I have never agreed on anything with you as strongly as i agree with this. That's a stupid stupid contract.

[VA Sox Fan]

Think Jacko' date=' think carefully and you will be alble to pick out which two gave the A's out. I'll give you a hint----one was a man and one was a woman. I would bet my garage on that.[/quote']

 

I haven't voted at all. I doubt Emmz has voted. Which woman are you referring to freddy?

 

It's nice of a700 to generate a discussion. But these types of polls at this time of the year are pointless to me personally.

 

We'll all have more to discuss in September.

[example1]

C. Nothing great. Nothing horrible. He's banking on the quality of the 2011 team to actually shine through this season. I don't disagree with that assessment.

[FredLynn]

C. Nothing great. Nothing horrible. He's banking on the quality of the 2011 team to actually shine through this season. I don't disagree with that assessment.

 

I gave him a C too. Without the resources to spend, his hands were tied. We are certainly no better than we were at the end of last year, probably a bit worse. Besides, he hasn't been GM for long.

[mvp 78]

I gave him a C too. Without the resources to spend' date=' his hands were tied. We are certainly no better than we were at the end of last year, probably a bit worse. Besides, he hasn't been GM for long.[/quote']

 

This is a fair assessment. I'd say C+/B-. Just too early to tell.

[a700hitter]

It's a grade for his off season performance. It's not meant to be an overall final 2012 grade. It's a progress report.

[mvp 78]

It's a grade for his off season performance. It's not meant to be an overall final 2012 grade. It's a progress report.

 

I'd rather wait til the end of March to see what the 25 looks like...

[SoxSport]

I'll give him a B+, because I think he's done well on a short leash. I don't think he has anywhere near the power Epstein had before he left--which is to be expected. Epstein overspent badly, and Ben has been pretty much cut off financially. He has made some good deals under trying conditions, and I think he has improved the bullpen--in terms of depth. I also think Bailey is as good as Pap--if he stays healthy. Heck, he has the same fantasy value. You can look it up.

[a700hitter]

I'd rather wait til the end of March to see what the 25 looks like...

If he doesn't make any more moves, isn't it up to Bobby V and the coaching staff who goes north?

[jacksonianmarch]

He has been cut off financially. By himself. He got a leash to work with, and it appears he was given the same budget Theo worked with last season. He got under that budget by overpaying Ortiz by badly underestimating his acceptance of arbitration and dealing away his starting shortstop. How can he get a B+?

 

I have a theoretical trade for you.

 

Red Sox get:

Clayton Mortensen, Mark Melancon, Andrew Bailey, Ryan Sweeney, Cody Ross

 

Team X receives:

Papelbon, Lowrie, Weiland, Reddick, Scutaro, and Wheeler

 

That's what it comes down to.

[User Name]

That "theoretical trade" does not apply to the situation at all. Also, how did they "Badly overpay" Ortiz? He got a two million raise, not almost five.

 

You're obviously just busting balls here.