iortiz

Well, seems like some already received theirs like E1

I have the same feeling. We can't make another disastrous season like in the recent past, no way, so... JH has to open the check book and/or Cherington must show why he was selected as the GM.

Sure 2003-2009 you can grade them with a 9.5/10. But, 2009-2011, Boston Red Sox Baseball should be graded with no more than a 6.0/10. 2011, 4.0/10 Overall, you can grade 'em with a 7.5-8.0/10 if you want and sure, it is above the average but still below in order to call them successful, according with our payroll vs expectations. All teams should always grade at least 8.5-9.0/10 in order to call them successful teams/season, but DO NOT FORGET, ACCORDING with their PAYROLL VS. EXPECTATIONS This is what I'm talking about. . We'll see. I hope so.

I admire how E1 defends this team and specially Theo even after this disastrous season; I mean, everybody around here loves this team, no doubt about it, and somehow we want to show all the positive aspects, but sometimes you just can't continue sugar coating what is obviously wrong. If we were a +-40 MiUSD payroll team like KC, TB or PIT I'd accept and deal year after year with "failed seasons" but we are a 180 MiUSD for God's sake, our expectations are abysmal different than KC, TB or PIT. (I think that they don't even plan their seasons in order to make the POs, their plans and goals are quite different than ours; ex. develop the farm, make an acceptable +-.500 season, etc.). Said that, when I see a team like TB competing shoulder with shoulder, IMO in the toughest division of baseball is very admirable. Their plan and execution is not a fluke anymore but the result of 6-8-year of outstanding planing and execution in all levels, specially in their farm.

+1 2011 season was a failure. There is no other way to see it. It was the result of 3-4 years of bad planing and horrendous execution in both sporting and managerial aspects. IMO TB made an awsome season (recurrent) and KC (solid offense) and the Pirates (at 2011 mid-season they were fighting in their division) showed interesting things according with their payroll vs expectations. BTW We struggled against TB, KC, and PIT, didn't we?...

First off gentlemen, We have to make to ourselves the next questions before go and sign/trade someone. 1.- Who is under our control? How long are they committed? 2.- Who do we want to keep? What are their career/last 3 year/last year numbers? 3.- What should we do with those who we do not want to keep? Trade? Eat their contracts? Mix? What? 4.- What do we need?, again, not what do we want? but What do we REALLY damn need?, in other words, what has been killing this team the last three years and we haven't fulfilled? 5.- How much is our budget? Do we want to go over the luxury tax cap? If yes? How much? 6.- What are we dispose to give up or how much do we want to invest in order to fill our real needs (you just can't win 'em all, this is business, you have to give up something in order to get what you really need (cash or players)) 7.- Once answered the above, who is ready in our farm? No one? what is available in the market? What are their numbers/cost? What the player/agent/team want in order to sign/trade? 8.- What else is the nice to have? Do we still have the resources (after get what we really need) I don't have the accurate data for the 1st, 5th, 7th questions, somebody?

Well, since 7.5 and 8.3 are generally rounded to 8.0, 8.0 is ok for me EDIT: Maybe the equivalence would be A (10-9) B (8-7) C (6-5) D (3-4) F (0-2).. said that we don't defer that much in our opinions ORS , right?

Welcome. Cubain fan?

Too late, I already said that!

I only would trade Ells for a guy named Kershaw/Felix/Shields/Cain and in a heartbeat.

Well, maybe I'm strict about this We don't grade with letters around here but with numbers (scale from 0-10) and depends on the degree and school you are attending to in order to pass a course. I'd say that the average grade in order to pass in Mexico is 7/10 at Collage level (Think abut 10 questions/problems and 7 answered well). Said that, my grades for Epstein would be: 2003-2008, 9.5 (Very Good) Thanks Theo. 2009-2011, 6 (Failure) Cya Theo. Overall, 7.5 (Just above average) Move on since tendency. That's what I meant, considering the achievements vs resources available and expectations through those periods. As I said, the last three years mark a clear tendency to me in order to look other horizons for this team. BTW One of the richest Latin American soccer teams (Club America from Mexico, which has plenty resources to sign the best players) passed similar issues like the Red Sox. Guess who was announced out just few minutes ago after similar records ( do not make the POs), Michel Bauer who is the GM of that club.

Sign Buehrle or/and Wilson, SP (5th, +- 4 ERA), Papelbon and Ortiz. Bring a couple depth pitching arms. (+- 4.5 ERA) Bring 3 BP arms. Sign a RHH OF (>.800 OPS) and keep developing Reddick and Kalish. Get Rid for once and for all of D-K, Lackey, Jenks. Keep Ace, Bard, Morales, Albers, Aviles (as utility) Put an ultimatum to Crwaford, if he doesn't put at least .290/.330/.800; try to trade him before the trade deadline.

2003-2008 B+ 2009-2011 F Overall C

As always, A700 is accurate about Theo's matter. I wonder why they didn't even try to go after Andrew Friedman... I don't have anything against Cherington, but I would have blown the entire FO and coaching staff and rebuild it from ashes. Anyway... hope that Cherington bring the pieces we need and don't s*** the bed at the FA like Epstein.

You just earned a bottle of tequila compadre! Edit. BTW I just ordered a bottle in this cantina on your behalf :thumbsup:

Exactly. Maybe the wound (2011 pitching) still so fresh to me, but we need this badly. Besides, we already have Kalish and Redick. Again, as I've been saying, reinforce our goddamn pitching staff for once and for all.

Bingo. Pitching, pitching, pitching! That's the name of this 2011-2012 offseason. 1. Bring at least a healthy and solid SP, 2. Sign Papelbon, 3. bring at least 3 proved BP arms and 4. pitching depth for God's sake. That!, should be our priority; then... spend all the money you want in whoever you want. If we do this and If Beckett or someone from our 1-3 SPs gets an injury or underperforms (likely IMO), we'd be kind of "covered", otherwise, be prepare for the same 2011 movie.

IMO We need at least to fill the 4th spot with a healthy, proved and solid SP (+- 4.0 ERA). Then, if we don't bring a SP who fills the 5th spot as well, give the 5th spot to Aceves and occasionally give some starts to Bard and see how could it work. I wouldn't risk two starting spots with Bard (5th) and Aceves (4th).

This is game gentlemen!