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Pretty much. How can you not put the weight squarely on the players? f***ing Martin Luther King Jr with Julius Caeser as a bench coach couldn't motivate this group of clowns. Who can blame Theo and Tito for wanting to leave... Christ. We're all lucky Henry and Luchino aren't trying to follow Theo to Chicago.

Here's the "blockbuster" article, no doubt... deserves its own thread: http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...llapse/?page=2 Holy s***... going to quote a bunch of it for discussions sake... And, are you f***ing kidding me: What a bunch of pussy babies. Jesus. $300 headphones" And: --This was a report by Hohler, Abraham and Cafardo. The Globe's recokoning piece and probably the blockbuster that was promised. I'm surprised that Theo pushed so hard for Crawford. He was unlikely to produce what he was being paid and he doesn't fit into the way the Sox tend to construct their teams.

"Ownership was divided over Epstein’s push to acquire Crawford as a free agent, sources said. At least one top executive believed Crawford’s skills as a speedy lefthanded-hitting outfielder seemed to duplicate Ellsbury’s. But the owners ultimately agreed to gamble $142 million over seven years on Crawford - a lost wager to date. The owners also indicated in postseason remarks they were generally unaware of how deeply damaged the Sox had become until after the season. They denied being distracted by their expanding sports conglomerate - from the Sox and NESN to Roush Fenway Racing and the Liverpool Football Club - but they professed to have no knowledge about players drinking during games, among other issues." --This was a report by Hohler, Abraham and Cafardo. The Globe's recokoning piece and probably the blockbuster that was promised. I'm surprised that Theo pushed so hard for Crawford. He was unlikely to produce what he was being paid and he doesn't fit into the way the Sox tend to construct their teams.

"As Hurricane Irene barreled toward Boston in late August, management proposed moving up the Sunday finale of a weekend series against Oakland so the teams could play a day-night doubleheader either Friday, Aug. 26, or Saturday, Aug. 27. The reasoning seemed sound: the teams would avoid a Sunday rainout and the dilemma of finding a mutual makeup date for teams separated by 2,700 miles. But numerous Sox players angrily protested. They returned early that Friday from Texas after a demanding stretch in which they had played 14 of 17 games on the road, with additional stops in Minneapolis, Seattle, and Kansas City. The players accused management of caring more about making money than winning, which marked the first time the team’s top executives sensed serious trouble brewing in the clubhouse." And, are you f***ing kidding me: "As it turned out, the Sox swept the Saturday doubleheader, but that stormy day marked the beginning of the end for the 2011 team. It was the last time the team would win two games in a row. After getting two days off, the Sox spent the rest of the season playing uninspired, subpar baseball, losing 21 of their final 29 games. Sox owners soon suspected the team’s poor play was related to lingering resentment over the scheduling dispute, sources said. The owners responded by giving all the players $300 headphones and inviting them to enjoy a players-only night on principal owner John W. Henry’s yacht after they returned from a road trip Sept. 11. What a bunch of pussy babies. Jesus. $300 headphones

Here's the article... it's coming out now. Haven't read it yet. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2011/10/12/red_sox_unity_dedication_dissolved_during_epic_late_season_collapse/?page=2

I think Theo wanted to be dismissive of fan opinion and, for the most part, was. The owners were not as dismissive and did many things (and told him to do many things) that were meant first and foremost to placate the fans, while not hurting their legitimacy in terms of putting a winning team on the field. Last year, when they didn't make the playoffs (Theo's "bridge year") Werner went on WEEI and said that the Sox were going to make big splashes and sign a big FA and make a significant trade. Literally those words. Next, they got Gonzalez and Crawford. Even blowhards like Callahan (D&C) think that Crawford was completely an ownership decision to put butts in the seats. It worked. Theo wouldn't be able to spend 51m of Henry's money for NOTHING for Dice-K, without Henry's strong approval. When big deals went down, who was it that was flying across the country in his private plane and tweeting when it didn't work out? Henry. I like Henry, I think he's a good owner. I just think its foolish to put all of the FA blame on Theo when he stated clearly for his first few years his preference to NOT go after big FAs. Whatever though. What will be, will be.

Maybe you're right. You don't know any of the backstory, so you're speculating, but your reasoning is sound. We will see how it all plays out. If they move on to someone who is pretty different (i.w., not Cherrington) then I will be convinced. That said, I still wont think it's the right decision.

Seems somewhat unlikely, but maybe. Zambrano is a head case and not a very good pitcher.

Why wouldn't ownership just fire him if they don't want him around? I don't contest that they are broken up about this, but I'm not convinced that they would get rid of Theo all things being equal just to replace him with his longtime protege, in the midst of a managerial search.

Might be a significant telling of how things came to be this way or something... Theo spilling the beans on his distaste for LL, blaming the ownership for Crawford or something like that... I guess that could be blockbuster-ish.

I would call that type of advertizing a bit overblown (not that its shocking). A blockbuster, to me, means something that people don't know about. Again, Theo leaving to not be part of a baseball team would fit that category. At this point it is expected and already known that he's likely to go to Chicago. Not a blockbuster.

No. That's why I don't think that they are canning Theo. If he leaves its because there's a better job. That's my guess.

Not to read too much into your posts, but I think all night that I've sensed that you aren't quite as gleeful or certain as you were a few days ago. Is that totally inaccurate? Is there a part of you that wonders if Theo leaving really is a good thing--aside from it representing some level of "accountability" or whatever? Your level of glee seems pretty low, given how sure you were that this was the move that needed to be made. I know you're not happy because it represents things not going well, but is there more to it or do ou just seem a bit glum?

Blockbuster on #RedSox coming tomorrow in Globe and on Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com. Don't miss it. http://twitter.com/#!/mattpep15/status/123951436311691265 Christ. Does Theo leaving really equal a "blockbuster"? How about a blockbuster trade of Theo for Castro or something? That would make me happy. To me, a blockbuster would be something like "Henry putting the team up for sale". Weird.

Yes they could. What difference does the blow-hard media and the "what have you done for me lately" crowd have on this situation? There's a bunch of reactionary idiots out there screaming for something, anything, to take their personal pain away. Meanwhile, the owners continue to roll in the dough, the Yankees and Phillies are out of the playoffs, and the team is still loaded moving forward. If Theo were promoted there might be some confusion and uproar, but is anyone going to quit paying attention to the team? Ha! EDIT: the same reactionary people are the ones who truly think that someone like John Henry is just going to cut his losses on the remaining, what, 45m on his 3 years? Just cut 45m? Laughable.

The Sox should demand it. Yes. I'm sure that Theo made this whole thing up to squeeze out LL and never thought through the consequences. That woudl be a really, really career limiting move a700. I never know where you come up with this conspiracy stuff. Theo's not going to turn down the Cubs if there's a chance he gets fired by the Sox and Henry isn't going to pretend to Theo that he wants him to come back only to fire him after turning down a more important position. It seems like you think these are a bunch of people who don't have any personal like for each other and that it is and always will be nothing but business... like they are the mob or something. Reports widely suggest that Henry really likes Theo and there's been nothing that I've ever read that people don't think very, very highly of him personally. Given that, it's absurd to introduce all this intregue into the situation. Theo will either go to Chicago with the approval of the Sox because he's getting a lot more money and a more important position, or he will come back to Boston for the last year of his contract and after that we will see. If he's offered something by Chicago he will be working one way or another the next few years.

Lavarnway is 24 and Salty is actually catching, which is more than can be said for V-Mart. Next year would you sit Ortiz for V-Mart, or Gonzalez?

Also, come to think of it, the Cubs is the perfect situation for Theo: Money coming off the book (FAs leaving) with fans who are disgusted with the quality/return they have had for their $$ in recent years. Having a guy with a strong player development focus and a town generally turned-off by the notion of more 7 year contracts is a great combination for Theo. The Cubs will be yearly contenders in the NL Central in 2 years, is my prediction.

He has responsibility for the team not doing as well as it could, but I think it is foolish to think that he has more responsibilty for this than the players. If a player messes up it is first and foremost the responsibilty of the player to take accountbilty and of the FO to hold that player accountable. Having the FO turned on its head, lopping off heads (which isn't what's happening here, but which many here would have liked to see) is absolving the players of responsibility. I should start the clock on the ownership releasing Josh Beckett, Lester, etc., for their failure to be in shape or perform when needed. I bet the clock just goes and goes and goes.

It sounds like Theo is about to leave for significantly more money, more influence and a less harsh city. I think it is foolish to assume that he would be out if the Cubs weren't courting him so hard.. we will see of course.