2014 Offseason Thread

[Spudboy]

At the end of the day, UN has more s*** talked about him than anyone else on here and no one on here would ever say it to his face because he's a f***ing juggernaut.

 

Can we move on and talk about baseball or are we all just going to be swinging our dicks around until April?

 

It's 18 F outside. I'm in scared turtle mode. I won't be swinging mine today.

[Palodios]

I just don't see how you could be questioning them on a transaction that is so insignificant in the sheme of things when you are on record as such a staunch supporter of the FO. Baffling.

 

Here's the difference between me and you. I am okay with moves for the longterm. Tanking the season, trading away top players for prospects, spending money prudently. It sucks, but they usually work out. You see a 60 win season and are not happy, whereas I see it as a move meant to strengthen the future.

 

I am not okay with sending away decent players with years of control for mediocre talent. I am not okay with trading Lackey for a salary dump. I am not okay with spending 200 million on hitters when what the team really needed was starters.

[User Name]

I personally like the return for Lackey. Joe Kelly has a ton of potential, so that definitely qualifies as a move for the future. As for Robbie Ross, i think they gave up on Ranaudo and sold low on him. I think they see Ross as a potential back-end starter if he refines his changeup. I don't see it.

[a700hitter]

Here's the difference between me and you. I am okay with moves for the longterm. Tanking the season, trading away top players for prospects, spending money prudently. It sucks, but they usually work out. You see a 60 win season and are not happy, whereas I see it as a move meant to strengthen the future.

 

I am not okay with sending away decent players with years of control for mediocre talent. I am not okay with trading Lackey for a salary dump. I am not okay with spending 200 million on hitters when what the team really needed was starters.

First of all Pal, you don't know me so you you couldn't know the difference between you and me. Second, is the rule going forward that you can criticize the FO but I can't? Are those the rules of engagement?

[mvp 78]

You won't even meet me for a drink. LOL!

 

That sounds like a miserable experience tbh.

[Palodios]

First of all Pal, you don't know me so you you couldn't know the difference between you and me. Second, is the rule going forward that you can criticize the FO but I can't? Are those the rules of engagement?

 

We spend hours every week talking about baseball. I certainly hope I know you well enough by now. 60 win seasons frustrate you. That's not a slight against you in any way shape or form.

[a700hitter]

That sounds like a miserable experience tbh.

Fair enough. You don't seem like a barrel of laughs to me either.

[cp176]

I think the best way to do this is to put whoever rubs you the wrong way on ignore. It saves stress and angst and allows a poster to deal with colleagues that treat each other with dignity instead of acting like know-it-alls. When I'm attacked I get my Italian up and almost by instinct want to strike back, but I'm trying like hell to try and turn that page but it's not easy. In time I hope the clamor dies down and we all can get on with Red Sox baseball and find common ground. We are, after all, all in this together.

 

Thanks for the advice Fred.

[a700hitter]

We spend hours every week talking about baseball. I certainly hope I know you well enough by now. 60 win seasons frustrate you. That's not a slight against you in any way shape or form.

I'm just a little cranky today. The weather is getting to me. BTW, I think 60 win seasons frustrate most of us, maybe even including you , although you call them 60 win seasons I call them 90 plus loss seasons.

[Bellhorn04]

The Red Sox have a history of trading away controllable back-end starters for quality talent with less control. Wade Miley and VMart come to mind. The problem is that they really didn't get a whole lot of anything back here.

 

They like Ross, obviously. You have to trust their scouting on this one.

[iortiz]

I'm just a little cranky today. The weather is getting to me. BTW, I think 60 win seasons frustrate most of us, maybe even including you , although you call them 60 win seasons I call them 90 plus loss seasons.

Somehow I saw on Ranaudo some kind of potential. I even had more hopes on him and Kelly than I had in the combo they signed. At least he is from the farm, he is undercontrol and cheap. I do not know anything about this guy Ross. Hopefully I'm assessing this wrongly.

Edited January 28, 2015 by iortiz

[Spudboy]

With Breslow back the Sox now have 3 lefties out of the pen if my old brain can still count during the musical chair off season.

 

Maybe they don't see Layne as a viable piece????

 

I will miss Renaudo. I thought that he was closest to being MLB ready of all the farm arms. But he just had not developed something during 4 years of MiLB. I have not looked at his exact age but it seems to me that by this time he should have a role in MLB.

 

I don't know much about Ross but at best I see this as a lateral exchange of pieces.

[a700hitter]

They like Ross, obviously. You have to trust their scouting on this one.

This is one of those trades where one team will get the better of the other team. This is not the trade of a pitcher for a position player or of one postion for another position, where you could argue that the trade benefitted both teams. It's not a trade of a big money veteran for a cost controlled young guy where you could say that both teams benefitted. These guys are the same age with limited MLB service, and both are pitchers. Someone will win this trade.

[cp176]

With Breslow back the Sox now have 3 lefties out of the pen if my old brain can still count during the musical chair off season.

 

Maybe they don't see Layne as a viable piece????

 

I will miss Renaudo. I thought that he was closest to being MLB ready of all the farm arms. But he just had not developed something during 4 years of MiLB. I have not looked at his exact age but it seems to me that by this time he should have a role in MLB.

 

I don't know much about Ross but at best I see this as a lateral exchange of pieces.

 

Was thinking that myself . I like Layne. Maybe more than Breslow.

[Bellhorn04]

With Breslow back the Sox now have 3 lefties out of the pen if my old brain can still count during the musical chair off season.

 

Maybe they don't see Layne as a viable piece????

 

I will miss Renaudo. I thought that he was closest to being MLB ready of all the farm arms. But he just had not developed something during 4 years of MiLB. I have not looked at his exact age but it seems to me that by this time he should have a role in MLB.

 

I don't know much about Ross but at best I see this as a lateral exchange of pieces.

 

Ross is a lefty but he has one of those funny old 'reverse splits' - he does better against RH hitters.

[iortiz]

I'm just a little cranky today. The weather is getting to me. BTW, I think 60 win seasons frustrate most of us, maybe even including you , although you call them 60 win seasons I call them 90 plus loss seasons.

 

I just watched images of NYY and BOS and seems like it is getting tough. Hopefully everything is oks with you and your family my friend. Also, think about it, you'll be very soon in Fort Myers.

[a700hitter]

I just watched images of NYY and BOS and seems like it is getting tough. Hopefully everything is oks with you and your family my friend. Also, think about it, you'll be very soon in Fort Myers.

Thank you for asking. Everything is fine, and thank you for reminding me about Fort Myers. That always lifts my spirits.

[GomesBeard]

Juno ended up a dud here in Central NJ... 6 inches of fluffy stuff. Not that I'm complaining....

 

I don't understand that Renaudo trade either, Pal. It does seem like they gave up on him quickly, after just a few games in the bigs.

[iortiz]

Thank you for asking. Everything is fine, and thank you for reminding me about Fort Myers. That always lifts my spirits.

 

I would like to live someday the spring training experience in FM. This year at least I'm going to be in Boston for the first time and for the first two games of the season at Fenway park. Probably next year I'll try to make my trip to FM.

[Elktonnick]

Juno ended up a dud here in Central NJ... 6 inches of fluffy stuff. Not that I'm complaining....

 

I don't understand that Renaudo trade either, Pal. It does seem like they gave up on him quickly, after just a few games in the bigs.

 

I've heard several analysts say prior to this trade that the Sox bullpen was actually weaker than their rotation. Ken Rosenthal gave as good an explanation as any for the move. He said that the Sox never saw Ranaudo as anything better than a nbr 5 starter. They were concerned that he has never developed a put away pitch. The Sox pen was weak in left handers having only Breslow. Given that analysis I think the move was a reasonable one.

[mvp 78]

Fair enough. You don't seem like a barrel of laughs to me either.

 

I think that if a group of us got together it'd be fine. On here you just come across as a very black or white kinda person and it wouldn't be a conversation that would be partically fun or productive as it wouldn't work with my personality.

[a700hitter]

I think that if a group of us got together it'd be fine. On here you just come across as a very black or white kinda person and it wouldn't be a conversation that would be partically fun or productive as it wouldn't work with my personality.

The problem with me in real life is that I see almost nothing as black and white. I believe little of what I read to be fact and consider news to be more of a story crafted to benefit someone or something. When I read or hear the news, I am constantly trying to figure out why an item is a story and who does it benefit. Of course those things are as hard to prove as whether or not "clutch" exists so I keep most of those opinions to myself, except for FB friends.

 

As for meeting in a group, that's a good idea. Pal is in the area as is Spud and SFF (He has been on hiatus). Maybe when some of the other out of towners are in town, we could all meet. I am sure that it would be fun, and I am pretty sure that in most cases people will not be who we expected them to be based on TalkSox interaction. If SCM would like to join, that would be fine too, even though he is now a Cubbie fan. Heck, I'd like to meet Jacko too.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I'll be in New York in July/August. Lets do it!

[cp176]

I've heard several analysts say prior to this trade that the Sox bullpen was actually weaker than their rotation. Ken Rosenthal gave as good an explanation as any for the move. He said that the Sox never saw Ranaudo as anything better than a nbr 5 starter. They were concerned that he has never developed a put away pitch. The Sox pen was weak in left handers having only Breslow. Given that analysis I think the move was a reasonable one.

 

Breslow and Layne - Layne deserves a shot based on the way he pitched last year. I don't think Boston saw Renaudo even in a starting role. Possibly in the bullpen. If that is the case, it could be a good move. Problem is that none of their young pitchers other than Rodriguez project to even being close to top of the rotation pitchers. Maybe the thought is Owens but he appears to be behind Rodriguez. I still expect a move to be made at some point in time.

[User Name]

Owens is in front of Rodriguez in absolutely any and every Red Sox publication or scout's list. The fact that "Owens appears to be behind Rodriguez" is something you literally just made up.

[cp176]

Owens is in front of Rodriguez in absolutely any and every Red Sox publication or scout's list. The fact that "Owens appears to be behind Rodriguez" is something you literally just made up.

 

Soxprospects.com

[cp176]

read the fine print

[Elktonnick]

Soxprospects.com

 

You see why I and several others have him on ignore!

[mvp 78]

I'll be in New York in July/August. Lets do it!

 

I'm not driving to NYC for a meet up.

[cp176]

You see why I and several others have him on ignore!

 

Yes I do. No one can write what he writes and not be a mean spirited person. Rarely does he create. He seems to only to rebut. The opinion policeman I guess. I am an Owens fan trust me, I just don't think that he is as far along as people would like him to be. I think that Rodriguez is ahead of him. Just my opinion I guess.