SoxSport

If I was a reliever, I'd never want to pitch for the Red Sox. You heat up in the bullpen, you come in, throw 10-15 pitches, sharp as hell, get 3 outs, and then you're gone. Next reliever, please. Tommorrow, you have to do the same. Guess what? Not quite as sharp. Get it?

Hey, does Lackey define the word suck, or what? If I was Henry, I'd tell Tito to go out there and start. It couldn't be worse.

Cripes, he has two 60 base stealers in the lineup, and hasn't figured out how to use them effectively. His style is to sleep in the dugout, and let the players play the game out as individuals. Crawford has had a tough time getting going, but Tito NEVER put him back to 2nd even after he started hitting. You think Crawford is happy buried no.6 in the lineup all year? You believe that, and you'll believe he's out of the lineup today because of a stiff neck. He's pissed off for not playing yesterday. I'll say this: If the players are pissed at Tito, he is gone.

I think the Red Sox hitters are frustrated by the pitching.

Papi said Aceves should be starting? Papi reads the chatgroups.:thumbsup: That should wake Tito up. Tito has a thick head. He keeps banging it against the wall. Remember Gagne and Timlin? Now its Wake-Lackey-Miller/Weiland ad nauseam.:harhar:

Never. I was born (not quite)when that NY carpetbagger, Harry Frazee, sold the Babe and half the Champion Sox team to the lowly Yankees in 1920. For some money to pay for his Broadway shows. I still think it was an AL conspiracy by Ban Johnson to create a centerpiece AL team in NY to offset the NL Giants. They built that lopsided "House that Ruth Built" for the Babe (he was already a great HR hitter for Boston--not just a great pitcher) and stocked the losing Yankee team with Red Sox players.That was the beginning of their "dynasty". It was the root of all the animosity in Boston. Ruth refused to join the Yankees. The Royal Rooters staged a protest outside Fenway. Babe joined them. The Boston newspapers went on strike for two weeks in protest. It was a big deal, folks. Read about it sometime. Ruth finally agreed to join the Yankees after they increased his salary and promised him every hooker on Broadway. The Yankees were the first mercenary team. They were truly great in the Dimaggio-Mantle-Berra era. But I recall they had some help from their "farm team", the KC Athletics, thanks to their backing of the owners who moved the team from Philly after winning against bidders who wanted to keep the As in Philly. Ancient history for a lot of you guys. And then there was the infamous Steinbrenner, who sucked up every free agent in sight in the late 70s when free agency started--and has continued to do so since. Pushing up the prices for everybody--to the agents and Players Union delight. Despite what the media says (and they love NY for the TV market), the Yankees are not a well-liked team by fans outside of NY. And neither are those swaggering Jets and their bombastic coach. I hope they get knocked on their ass this year, too. The Giants are the only really classy team left in NY, thanks to the Mara family.

I think Tito has lost them.

Theo would have been better off he hadn't sign Crawford and Lackey, and instead signed Beltre, and kept Youks at 1B. And not trading for Gonzo (though it was a helluva good deal for Boston). He should have re-signed VMart and used him at 1b and DH--much like the Tigers are using him. He would have been better off signing Werth, who was bound to have a better year in Boston than he is in D.C. But then he didn't know that Ortiz would comeback to close to his hitting form of a few years ago--so he was looking for a left handed power bat in AdGon. He also didn't know Lackey would be a different pitcher from LA, but Lackey's poor record at Fenway against the Sox should have been a warning flag. Signing Crawford didn't make much sense to most people at the outset. Though nobody knew Ellsbury would come back and break out, and basically marginalize Crawford's worth to the team. Lots of things happened, and none of it good for Theo. The bright spots were Salty and Buchholz. Plus comebacks by Papi and Ellsbury. You don't know if Ortiz will sustain it. I doubt it. Both these guys are playing for bigger contracts. Buchholz kills them by being out most of the season. Youks gets worn down with injuries trying to play 3B. Finally, Salty is given a catcher's nightmare--catching Wakefield--a pitcher who has harmed their catcher development in recent years--hardly worth the climb. What will happen next year? Crawford and Lackey will be on the trading block. Papi probably won't be re-signed. Hopefully, Gonzo's should is OK. Other players gone will be Wake and Tek. Tek should be the bullpen coach--maybe the manager if they kick Francona upstairs. Pedroia will be the Captain, and will be given the authority to kick ass if anybody isn't in shape in spring training. The pitchers will now be told to hold runners, and team fundamentals will be stressed.

I've been watching Tito since his days with the Phillies. He was not a great manager then. The difference now is he is a lot chummier with the media. He feeds them a lot of mushroom fertilizer.

There's already talk about a lack of conditioning in the media. That is a direct criticism of the management. They could have at least gone through with that trade for Harden. They were just satisfied with Wake, Lackey and Miller. And it didn't work out.

I don't know about CC, but I do know Verlander is the MVP.

Hey, it's not Wake's fault. And it's not Tito's fault. And it's not Theo's fault. And it's not Lackey's fault, and it's not Bogar's fault, and it's not Young's fault, and it's not.... Well, who the f..k fault is it?

Can you imagine platooning a guy making $20 million a year? You could say this has become a dysfunctional team. Hands off Henry is in a real pickle with this management.

Stolen bases: TB 4, Red Sox 0 Imagine, having Ellsbury and Crawford on your team, and no stolen bases. TB has been stealing them blind all year.

Think with your head, not with your heart. Nice guys finish last.

Abraham says "Professional athletes aren't horses and dogs who can be worked into shape whether they like it or not...." Disagree with that. First of all, race horses ARE athletes: they need conditioning, they have their ups and downs (that tells the trainer they need a rest),and they have their soundness and injury problems. Whether an athlete stays in conditioning is up to the management--and the tone that is set for the team. If conditioning is left up to the players, especially those with little contract incentive, then some of those players will cheat. My impression is that is the case with the Red Sox. Francona is an easy going guy, hardly a Belichick. The team needs a tougher manager who will make sure these guys get in shape in spring training and are ready to play a season--which they were not this year. It's not a question of "liking it or not". This is the real world--not fantasy.

I first broached the idea of poor conditoning last year as a possible reason for so many injuries. And I have continued that theme this year. You think those media types don't read our posts? Damn right they do. And more power to them. It's good to see that our ideas have some impact with them. After all, we are the fan's voice--at least to them. And they do listen. Now, what they have to do is go after the Red Sox management. Something they are reluctant to do.

The Phillies don't need CC. They are pretty much salaried out, anyways. If they don't win it all this year, their ten or so owners might not be willing to spend as much next year. The Red Sox don't usually give big contracts to players over 30. I think, the Yankees, too, might be wary of loading up long term on CC again, but they may have no choice.

You would think that would be a priority.

Braves-Mets? What do you expect? The NY teams get the most network TV, though the NY area often gets blacked out. The rest of the Notheast sees the Mets or the Yankees. Same thing in the NFL. The TV schedule looks like it was made up for NY sometimes. ESPN, Fox, etc.

Yeah--the Sox now are a team much like the powerhouse teams in the late 40s , early 50s. They win with their bats, not with their heads. Nor their pitching. The team plays poor fundamental baseball. They rely on a bunch of expensive hitters for the big inning. True, they stress getting on base--but as individuals, not as a team. One ex-player announcer recently said in a TV game that the Red Sox have plenty of talent, but don't play well as a team. You can see what he meant by that. Every batter seems to be hitting for himself, without much regard to what is needed in that situation. Is forcing a walk needed? Is moving a runner needed? Granted these things aren't as serious as their pitching problems. They not only have starting depth problems--too many starters who easily get hit--but they also have a bullpen which looks overworked and underachieving--increasingly so as the season winds down. Not a good sign for the playoffs.

The Globe has declared the Red Sox in the playoffs --with the win last night. Not so fast. If TB wins tonite, they are 3 games back with 12? left to play. Plenty of time left for changes. There is also time for the Red Sox to win the division, by the way. They are closer to 1st place right now than to 3rd. If they want the right attitude going into the playoffs, they should be pushing for 1st place--not the wildcard.

Pap is pitching like he's the only fresh BP guy. Hasn't been getting many saves lately.

yes. that's the '07 Pap out there. fountain of youth.