example1

I hope to hell that you guys are right and that I am wrong. If Theo goes I would expect that this team is turned around quickly because it seems that just about anyone could do a better job. Obviously, I would rather this be a winning team than them having a particular GM. I've just been impressed with the approach this GM has and don't expect that they will necessarily find a better option easily.

I hope the Red Sox players are sitting at home forcing themselves to watch these playoffs. Watching the passion that these players and fans have (I'm watching Ryan Howard blast a 3 run, go-ahead bomb) and recognizing that they are missing out on something special. The 2010 team had the ability to compete with these teams. I have no doubt about that at all. They just squandered it. f*** that. We should be rooting for our team today, instead other teams are playing late-September baseball. These guys couldn't be a f***ing TEAM? That's supposed to be the easy part. Common goal. Keeping the end in sight. Yada yada. Jesus. GET YOUR ASSES IN SHAPE. COMPETE AND GET PISSED OFF. f***!

Can anyone believe that Molina has thrown out 44% of baserunners in his career. That's remarkable. I can't imagine how much better the Sox would be if they could prevent half of the SBs against them... jesus.

I can't imagine what being in Oakland is doing for his drive/ego. I mean, he might really like living in CA (it's nice) but if he wants to be on a really good club he would undoubtedly have to think long and hard about an opening in Boston.

The 2013 FA class (after next year) has some interesting names in it, especially for starting pitchers: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/04/2013-mlb-free-agents.html Matt Cain Zack Greinke Cole Hamels John Danks Francisco Liriano Shaun Marcum Brandon McCarthy Anibel Sanchez Jonathan Sanchez Other good players: Matt Kemp Andre Ethier Miguel Montero BJ Upton (no thanks, but...) Carlos Quentin Anyone there good enough to start targeting this year (i.e., not make moves that would block their acquisition?) All in all, this team needs to get as many internally-developed players as possible. They have so much money tied into just a few players moving forward, with little end in sight, they would benefit from as many MLB minimum players filling roles as possible. That means (to me at least) filling spots with guys like Iglesias, Kalish, Lavarnway, Doubront, Wilson and a number of other internal options to save money in positions that might be questionable on the free-agent market anyway.

Billy Beane would be an interesting choice too.

Here's a really good podcast with Ben Charington talking about the culture of the current FO and how they are run as an organization. Definitely worth listening to. (note: it is from a few months ago) http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2011/05/25/minor-details-ep-11-development-in-the-red-sox-front-office/

Perhaps the best thing this team can do is let all the expensive payroll players go and reinvest that money in the guys they want to keep around for a few years. Would anyone be too upset if they signed Ellsbury to another 6 years right now? Seems like the kind of guy worth building around.

It's the consensus of people not in the know that Theo might be allowed to talk to the Cubs. I have no idea whether he is actually itnerested in it, etc., It would be a lower pressure job, because he can start the Cubs job with a lot of "build up the farm system for a run in 3-4 years" kind of thing. Plus, the fans are used to losing and don't have the same high expectations that sox fans have acquired since 2003.

I'm hopeful that the whole Youkilis turning sour thing was more a symptom of the problem than the problem itself. He seems like a good clubhouse guy, at least in terms of effort, passion and production. Perhpas he was frustrated with the culture too and expresses it poorly.

The Cubs are likely to make a strong run at Theo. I won't be shocked if he is open to that as an opportunity, but I think it would be a set-back for the Sox. Others may disagree. This thread was prompted by this tween from Sherman: Joel Sherman: "I am shocked, but in last 36 hrs every exec talk to says believe #Redsox will give permssion and Theo will go to #Cubs to be GM"

In the mean time, Joel Sherman tweeted that most MLB execs believe the Sox will give the Cubs permission to talk to Theo. Perhaps iortiz and a700 will have their wishes answered and Theo will go to a different club and the Sox will find a better GM and manager than they have had.

The minors are certainly not without fault, especially with regards to pitching. I completely agree. However, I think that there are some players who could have significant impact at the major league level, which is what a700 was talking about. The player development system will produce some very good players again (another 'core' for the team) but it will be a few years before that happens.

I'll bite. Lavarnway. Kalish. Doubront. Maybe Iglesias. Maybe Weiland. Maybe Alex Wilson. Maybe Will Middlebrooks. This team isn't without prospects. My bet is that Lavarnway and Kalish both turn into MLB regulars and that a few years from now Kalish will be a fan (and a700) favorite.

Really? "Call it a cliche of heart or character, whatever, but this team didn't have it. I'm not talking about the need for a constant rah-rah guy, but the absence of someone aside from Dustin Pedroia with an edge was staggering. Adrian Gonzalez had an MVP-type year, but after last night's disaster in Baltimore, he clearly proved that he doesn't get it." You were saying "they just weren't good enough" in the other thread. Which is it?

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/brandon-jacobs-and-xander-bogaerts/ Interesting little scouting report on Bogaerts and Brandon Jacobs at fangraphs. Bogaerts projects to be with the Sox by his age 20-21 season. I would put that as more likely at 22-23, but still that's pretty damn young. He's a good looking prospect for sure.

And if he demands 2 for "all that he's done" for the organization? Would you be okay with them cutting bait and searching for a better alternative?

A700, I realize you don't think that chemistry or mental preparation has much to do with how a team does, but I think that most high level atheletes and experts in the field would say that is often the difference between teams that succeed and those that don't. It is probably too touchy-feely for you to embrace (no pun intended ) but mental preparation and feeling supported by teammates through good and bad is something that coaches/managers and leaders spend a lot of time on. This team lacked leadership, from the FO down to the on-the-field level. Francona help himself accountabile enough to not come back. A number of those players should not be welcomed back. Theo's job is not to come into the clubhouse and do the ra-ra thing, but it is to make sure that the leaders are there when they are needed to be. Clearly that didn't work out this year, so it will need to be addressed moving forwad. It isn't all about effort that you give when you are out there. A leaders mentality about the game rubs off on other players and, over many weeks or months, it can be infectious in a good or bad way. As Edes put it: "Starting pitchers drinking in the clubhouse during games on days when they weren't pitching, which can leave one boozily indifferent to the plight of teammates after they've just lost in extra innings? Originally reported in the Boston Herald, it was not only confirmed here, but with the added twist that it has been going on the past two seasons." This is the kind of nuanced s*** that takes an otherwise good team and makes them average. It's the small stuff that matters. You have to know that trading away big prospects for players immediately hurts the ability of your farm to help the team. That's just a given. It's not an excuse. Same with injuries. We know the personnel changes. Theo has lost a number of his highest assistants to other jobs and many of them have taken others from within the organization with them to the new position. There have been plenty of personnel changes.

I'm wary of going down the steroids line too, but I'm not so naive as to think A) it couldn't happen or B ) it wouldn't stop when he gets a nice new contract. With all of the s***** contract year signings lately, I'm hesitant about a spike in production the year before a contract.

I don't think I'm barking up the wrong tree at all. The chemistry issue is at the heart of why this team sucked, appeared lifeless and uncaring, etc., I think it's a problem when Ortiz throws a hissy-fit over not getting an RBI. I think it's a problem when he's calling out decisions that the team makes. I certainly don't put all of the blame on him, but he gets some of it and as a guy whose contract is up, I think they need to look really hard at what he brings to the table. He's one of the few players who can be addressed right away. I personally would be unwilling to spend much money or many years on Ortiz at this point. I'm completely skeptical of his production. Yes, he had a horrible beginning of 2009 and 2010. Those would be inexcusable next year for team that needs to get off to a good start. I can't explain his amazing turnaround in terms of hitting against LHP. Did he develop a new strategy to approach them? After all these years? It doesn't add up and I'm not taking it to the bank. I also agree with Jacko that his lack of versatility hurts the team. He's worth about 4.5 wins in a great season like the one he had. In that sense, I don't think they necessarily need to replace him with a huge bat. They can improve by 4.5 simply by having players come back to seasonal norms, guys like Crawford, Buchholz, Youkilis and Lackey would easily replace that production. We will see. It will be a very interesting offseason.

Yep. Don't disagree with you. EDIT: What about the Ortiz question I asked you...?