Hanley hope

[a700hitter]

Theo is a much better GM than Ben. Theo is The Man.

 

The point still stands though. Both GMs were "persuaded" to make free agents signings that they didn't want to because of directives from higher ups.

But Theo was much better at it. Everyone has constraints in their jobs from management. I don't think those constraints are any worse in Boston.

[a700hitter]

Sandoval definitely was from higher ups. Hanley I'm on the fence about. Porcello I think was Ben.

 

That said, this FO does seem to overreact quite often.

You have no way of knowing that about the Sandoval acquisition. Stop making things up. (A homage to U.N.)

[jung]

Theo is a club president.....BC is professor Bunkybunk....the end.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Hanley for MVP...you heard it hear first.

[mvp 78]

Theo is a club president.....BC is professor Bunkybunk....the end.

 

Duquette left the Sox to go to Broadway. Nobody has heard from him still.

[jung]

Duquette left the Sox to go to Broadway. Nobody has heard from him still.

 

 

What a nine year hiatus from baseball is not long enough for you? That is about as long a banishment to the hinterlands as one might expect from which to return. When it takes nine years for people to forget who you are, were or might be, you must have really left a lasting and negative impression.

 

I think Ben will find his way back to baseball but not in anything like a position that is an advance from where he left it unless for a really small market team. In any event IMO it will be a position with powerful governors in place be they by the nature of the size of the team or the structure of the organization. Frankly, I am surprised he has not found at least something based on the contacts he would have built up during his stay. Usually people will value somebody with contacts if only because guys are going to pick up the phone when they call.

[Bellhorn04]

Cherington has had job offers & opportunities already, but that's just another dead horse to be whipped.

[mvp 78]

Cherington has had job offers & opportunities already, but that's just another dead horse to be whipped.

 

Proof that Duquette was a failure: http://articles.latimes.com/2003/aug/03/sports/sp-dogduquette3

 

What a joke. Almost as unfunny as Professor Benny the Boob. Whatever happened to that Duquette fella anyway?

[a700hitter]

Cherington has had job offers & opportunities already, but that's just another dead horse to be whipped.

He has had nothing beyond a couple of rumored feelers. There have been no job offers -- not as GM. I hope he lands a GM job elsewhere, because his organization will not concern me when it comes to competing for pitching talent.

[sk7326]

Proof that Duquette was a failure: http://articles.latimes.com/2003/aug/03/sports/sp-dogduquette3

 

What a joke. Almost as unfunny as Professor Benny the Boob. Whatever happened to that Duquette fella anyway?

 

funny how it went down the toilet since Duquette was batting eyes at Toronto for that president's job.

[SinceYaz]

Hanley given the credit for calming down Pat Light last night. That's a nice extra level of being a team mate and even a ... stop me before I say the impossible ... LEADER?

 

Nice!

[Palodios]

Since he signed, have we had any real problems with Hanley's personality or clubhouse presence ? There has been some speculation that he didn't work very hard in left field, but he just seemed like a fish out of water there. He certainly has had a much better transition to first.

 

It would be great to see him turn around the public opinion of him.

[sk7326]

To me there was something to the idea that he wanted to play here (and with Ortiz and whanot) that he was willing to try something new. And then between his shoulder and the disaster in LF, things got to his head. Right now, he is doing something defensively that fits him. Hopefully the offense comes around - walk rate is a bit frightening so far.

[Kingface]

Since he signed, have we had any real problems with Hanley's personality or clubhouse presence ? There has been some speculation that he didn't work very hard in left field, but he just seemed like a fish out of water there. He certainly has had a much better transition to first.

 

It would be great to see him turn around the public opinion of him.

 

^^^^^ THIS!!!!!! I was so sick of hear how Hanley was a cancer and his teamates hated him......yet not ONCE did you see or hear anything from the team that actually showed that. While he was not good last year....from everything I saw, he played pretty hard in the field, he just was horrible there. I was VERY AGAINST him moving to 1B.....but so far he has made me eat crow. If he continues this then in all honesty....I think we have our 1Bman for the next few years. Why move him to DH if he plays a good 1B? I'd use the DH spot to give Shaw, Hanley and Panda a rest with Panda using much of the time there......if he's not traded......which I hope to (*&^ he is!

[sk7326]

^^^^^ THIS!!!!!! I was so sick of hear how Hanley was a cancer and his teamates hated him......yet not ONCE did you see or hear anything from the team that actually showed that. While he was not good last year....from everything I saw, he played pretty hard in the field, he just was horrible there. I was VERY AGAINST him moving to 1B.....but so far he has made me eat crow. If he continues this then in all honesty....I think we have our 1Bman for the next few years. Why move him to DH if he plays a good 1B? I'd use the DH spot to give Shaw, Hanley and Panda a rest with Panda using much of the time there......if he's not traded......which I hope to (*&^ he is!

 

I hope - but he has to hit. The hypothesis was that his awful defense bled into his hitting last year. (along with the shoulder issue) This year that has not changed yet. There is time of course.

[Kingface]

I hope - but he has to hit. The hypothesis was that his awful defense bled into his hitting last year. (along with the shoulder issue) This year that has not changed yet. There is time of course.

 

I hear ya....but when it comes to offense I give Hanley a long leash. Other than last year his offense is usually near the top of the league in multiple categories......at this point it's a proven track record. He'll turn it around at the plate ........if he stays healthy

[Kimmi]

^^^^^ THIS!!!!!! I was so sick of hear how Hanley was a cancer and his teamates hated him......yet not ONCE did you see or hear anything from the team that actually showed that. While he was not good last year....from everything I saw, he played pretty hard in the field, he just was horrible there. I was VERY AGAINST him moving to 1B.....but so far he has made me eat crow. If he continues this then in all honesty....I think we have our 1Bman for the next few years. Why move him to DH if he plays a good 1B? I'd use the DH spot to give Shaw, Hanley and Panda a rest with Panda using much of the time there......if he's not traded......which I hope to (*&^ he is!

 

I second this as well. When a team is going bad like were last year, that's when you typically hear stories about how someone is dogging it or is a bad clubhouse presence. Yet, we never heard that about Hanley. He got a bum rap last season from a lot of fans. I'm glad that he seems to have found his home at 1B.

 

FTR, I did not want him moving to 1B either. I'm glad he has proven me wrong.

[SinceYaz]

There are only 140 games left ... I think it is way too late to see Hanley start hitting well.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I second this as well. When a team is going bad like were last year, that's when you typically hear stories about how someone is dogging it or is a bad clubhouse presence. Yet, we never heard that about Hanley. He got a bum rap last season from a lot of fans. I'm glad that he seems to have found his home at 1B.

 

FTR, I did not want him moving to 1B either. I'm glad he has proven me wrong.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that a losing record does a lot for the publicity of "clubhouse cancers". Look at Harper. Papelbon and Harper got into that little scuffle, as we all know, and it's something of an open secret that most baseball fans consider Harper a douche. But Nats fans love him, because he's a fantastic baseball player, and despite a lack of success, the Nats have been competitive and capable of winning for a few seasons now. But if they were to tank badly for a season or two in a row, I'm willing to bet Nats fans would start grumbling about it partially being due to Harper not being a "leader" or "team player". Everything is rosy when a team is winning, no matter what the player's personalities are like in the clubhouse or on their own time. When a team is floundering, the same flaws (ego, lack of respect for the abilities of others, a disinterest in projecting qualities of leadership) that we are prepared to laugh off as the eccentricities of the rich and/or famous suddenly become justification for vilification. It happens in business and even in families. It's human nature, and it's why I always take reports like the "fried chicken and beer" thing with a grain of salt. (Well, not literally. Salt in beer sounds terrible.)

[User Name]

Man, if only there was someone on this board who wholeheartedly believed in Hanley all along......I would totally pat that guy on the back.

[Kimmi]

I wholeheartedly agree that a losing record does a lot for the publicity of "clubhouse cancers". Look at Harper. Papelbon and Harper got into that little scuffle, as we all know, and it's something of an open secret that most baseball fans consider Harper a douche. But Nats fans love him, because he's a fantastic baseball player, and despite a lack of success, the Nats have been competitive and capable of winning for a few seasons now. But if they were to tank badly for a season or two in a row, I'm willing to bet Nats fans would start grumbling about it partially being due to Harper not being a "leader" or "team player". Everything is rosy when a team is winning, no matter what the player's personalities are like in the clubhouse or on their own time. When a team is floundering, the same flaws (ego, lack of respect for the abilities of others, a disinterest in projecting qualities of leadership) that we are prepared to laugh off as the eccentricities of the rich and/or famous suddenly become justification for vilification. It happens in business and even in families. It's human nature, and it's why I always take reports like the "fried chicken and beer" thing with a grain of salt. (Well, not literally. Salt in beer sounds terrible.)

 

I was going to mention the chicken and beer thing. Had the team been winning, it would have been a non-issue. Same thing with the Panda cell phone thing. When things are going bad, those stories get blown way out of proportion.

[Kimmi]

Man, if only there was someone on this board who wholeheartedly believed in Hanley all along......I would totally pat that guy on the back.

 

I don't know if you're talking about yourself or MVP or both, but I'll pat you both on the back.

[User Name]

I don't know if you're talking about yourself or MVP or both, but I'll pat you both on the back.

 

Dad-pants jumped into the Hanley bandwagon way later. He can't take no credit.

[Youk Of The Nation]

I was also supportive of Hanley, but in my own understated manner. I tend not to loudly support someone, I just stay quiet on the subject. But I never doubted that the signing would work out well, and so far I have no reason to change my opinion.

[Maxbialystock]

No one need apologize for being down on Hanley last year when he had a negative WAR. I thought he would be fine at 1b this year plus I didn't want the Sox paying another team so Ramirez could play for them. It sure would be nice if he would hit this year.

[Kimmi]

No one need apologize for being down on Hanley last year when he had a negative WAR. I thought he would be fine at 1b this year plus I didn't want the Sox paying another team so Ramirez could play for them. It sure would be nice if he would hit this year.

 

I have no problem with people being down on his play last season. He was awful. Being down on him about being lazy, not caring, and/or being a clubhouse cancer is another story.

[mvp 78]

Dad-pants jumped into the Hanley bandwagon way later. He can't take no credit.

 

You f***ing liar. Thumbs down.

[User Name]

You f***ing liar. Thumbs down.

 

I am not lying. You did join the Hanley bandwagon later, as in this year. I've been defending the guy since the end of last season.

 

Admit it, you had your sliver of Hanley doubt.

[GoSox2016]

Why are the Hanley people patting themselves on the back? He's still not hitting well.

[sk7326]

Why are the Hanley people patting themselves on the back? He's still not hitting well.

 

I am skeptical of the offense.

 

That said if there is a part of his game which could warrant some patience - it's the bat.