BSN07

I don't see a problem bumping threads like these just as long as it stays civil. Everyone here should be able to take their lumps cause no one is perfect. Not saying we should nit pick everything anyone says but when it's a polarizing debate with camps entrenched on both sides of the argument, the so called "winning" side deserves a few jabs at the other camp.

Wooooooot congrats everyone!!!!!!!!

Always been a huge Ellsbury but I'm not sold on his price tag. I've said before if it were Michael Bourn money I'd consider it. But If it's BJ Upton money + no thanks. I read something recently about some GM's saying they think he will get 100-150M. F that mess.

World Series baby! Woooooot have fun celebrating everyone! It's 6:15 am here and I need to go to bed hahaha

LOL this is brilliant Props to Jacko for taking the shots and honoring the bet. I gotta go look at some stats but I think I may have gotten a few right. Totally whiffed on the BP predictions haha

It be a bad idea to ramp him up and then rest him again. He needs work before the playoffs. If he is healthy he needs to be going every 5th day right into the playoffs imo.

I don't care about PEDS. I rather see guys in top form all season long and recover quicker from injury instead of sputtering through the dog days of summer. The legality issues and trickle down effect to College and High School levels would be an issue tho. As far as the numbers go I don't care. I don't typically compare players to previous generations as it's an act of futility imo. I like to see records broken for the entertainment aspect of it but that's about it when drawing comparisons to players from generations past. There's too many variables to account for. As far as the HOF goes, everyone should be included. It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Numbers. What they should do is distinguish certain generations of the game when telling Baseballs story. pre-segregation, post segregation, Free Agency/expansion period(I think as soon as the money started becoming a real factor is when PED's started moving into the game, it's just my personal opinion) PED Testing period(not the best name lol). If the HOF is really trying to pass baseball's story along to future generations(which is the point right?) separating these periods and explaining them and their players I think would do some HOF's more justice. Everyone only talks about the real big names, there's tons of guys in the HOF who get over looked because people only want to compare the big numbers guys a lot of the time and were absolute monsters in their careers. Ok that's my PED rant for the year

That and Carp was hitting like a LH ginger Zeus.

Normally I'd say CF, but with Fenway's quirks it's imo the most demanding OF position for a Red Sox OF. That and moving him to CF would require moving one of the other OF's to RF, ya you'd get elite CF defense but the overall OF defense would go down. Nava/Gomes/Carp are better suited for LF over the long term and I'm not sure how Bradley would transition to RF.Maybe you would consider it if they didn't have a good CF ready to take over, but they do. Bradley plays a good CF.

Some days I swear there is a parachute tied to it

So for last season you give Cherries an F for a grade as a GM? And say for argument sake the season ended today with the Sox where they are, would you give him an A even though one of the biggest reasons the team is where it is today is because of moves he made during his F rated season? Judge the team with standings, judge a GM by standings/trades/non trades/FA/Farm system/Draft

Ya it was a failure when looking at the standings, can't argue that. Cherries doesn't strike me as the type of person who points fingers when placing blame. He was the GM and they stunk so he did the right thing an took it. Someone of lesser character could have easily washed there hands of it and said hey I was using the cards I was dealt(roster he inherited from Theo and Larry, although I understand there's an argument to be made that he was an asst. GM and could have very well had a significant role in the building of that roster, but we will never know those kind of details most likely so it's a rhetorical discussion), I like what he did better, although it would have been funny to see him throw Larry under a bus haha

You just don't understand professional baseball. Choices for 3B 3 weeks before rosters expand, Player A: MLB experience, good defensively, hitting well in the minors, player you hope is 3B of the future Player B: No MLB experience, 20 years old(best prospect in the system), changing positions, entire AAA staff telling you he's not ready defensively to play 3B at ML level and has issues running the bases. Take away the names and look at the scenarios and it's pretty obvious what the choice is. The only reason to pick Bogaerts is because it Bogaerts and he's the next big thing coming up. It's just not the smart baseball move. I'm as excited as anyone to see Bogaerts, but I can wait 3 weeks and see if WMB can turn it around.

Mike Napoli is playing like a RH Adam Dunn less the power... I really hope he gets into some kind of groove soon.

This is one of those topics that can't be white or black. You have to take more into account then just the standings when judging a GM/FO. One of the biggest reasons the team is where it is now is because of moves he made during last season. The result was a last place finish for 2012 but a chance to reshape a faulty roster quickly, which lead to the teams current run. By your logic Cherries should get an F for last season, I don't see how you could think that. I'd give Cherries a solid C+ at the very least if I was to apply an arbitrary grade to him for last season. Now if you want to judge the team, then the standings are pretty good measuring stick. There are some other variables but none that I could see jumping them up a couple grades. In the end I agree, this kind of discussion makes more sense for in between seasons. Giving him a grade for this season is like sticking your head in a bulls ass to see if the meat is good, why not just wait for it to get to your plate before grading it?

I'm in agreement with you here. I love talking off season story lines but this type of talk can really wait and everyone should be enjoying the "now".

It came down to WMB hitting well over his last 8-10 games and already having experience and Bogaerts not being ready defensively according to the entire coaching staff at AAA. They also mentioned he's had some base running issues. As much as I'm looking forward to seeing Bogaerts, I'm completely fine with bringing up WMB before him. Now he gets another couple weeks at 3B and most likely will be up in September anyways.

lol That's one of the better ideas I've read

Hoping for the first rounder is a double edged sword. If a bottom 10 team, a team like Seattle(who I predicted would make a big push for him if he had a good+ season). Then they get some crap compensation sandwich pick.

And Bogaerts current manager has said very recently he is not ready defensively. That's fairly prohibitive in my book. And while they are winning there is no need to bring a player that is not ready. They can withstand Holt and Snyder at 3B a couple more weeks if that means Bogaerts is showing up confident playing 3B. It's not silly logic. This is silly logic

Like I said before, if he takes a Bourn type deal then fine bring him back, if he wants BJ Upton money + let him walk. And there is probably next to no chance he takes an extension offer so close to being a FA.

They are winning, and until that changes I don't see Bogaerts up before September. We have anticipated his arrival for awhile. A couple more weeks is no big deal especially if it means he's more comfortable at 3B when he comes up.

I wanted the trade at the time and now I certainly would have likes them to pull the trigger. But I can also see why they held onto him in hopes he regained his form and helped them win now.

Doobey is finally pitching the way I thought he would this off season. He's been very encouraging lately

True and true, if he did tho it be worth at least talking to SD about what they want.