Elktonnick

Number of chances per game. How many plays per a nine inning ballgame is a 1st baseman involved as compared to a left fielder. A first baseman is involved in virtually every play in the infield plus holding runners on. In Fenway Park Hanley may miss play a ball in left but how many a game, one or two. He could easily misplay twice that many at first. Because of the short wall if he misplays a ball it more than likely it will only be a single, most balls off the wall are doubles anyway, he is unlikely to misplay a wallball into a triple. At first if he makes an error down the first base line it could easily be a double. Can you really see Hanley charging a bunt at first, I can't. I don't know how many of you saw Dick Stuart play first base for the Red Sox, I did. Hanley Ramirez reminds me of Dick Stuart who was affectionately called Dr Strangeglove, Besides right now we are going to see a lot of Travis Shaw at first to see how he can handle Major League pitching. This kid had a combined 24hrs last year in the minors. I want to see how well he plays 1st and 3rd and hits in the bigs before I go moving HR anywhere.

Hanley can do a heck of a lot more damage at 1st base at Fenway park than he can do in left field. Does any one really want Ramirez involved in the number of plays per game that a 1st baseman has. I don't.

Of course Farrell is a significant part of the problem. Look at his Toronto record as well as the one here. If it weren't for 2013 he would be fired.

Actually Cherrington fits Albert Einstein's definition of Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

If it were just Sandoval, I'd give Ben a bit of a pass but it has been a whole host of dumb baseball moves both of omission and commission going back several years.

If Ben knows better why has he put together such rotten teams. Even Ben said he was the one who recommended these signings to ownership.

Obviously that isn't the case here. If he was so likable why did he diss his Giants teammates when he left?

Not to repeat our previous discussion, I know you are so committed to Ben that you are actually saying he is stronger emotionally than a Larry Lucchino. I find that most amusing.

Sandoval is more a Werner move then Lucchino. Werner goes for the PR moves. Like I said the Red Sox were seduced by Sandoval's playoff performance that smacks of PR and that is Werner.

While that is his best on the field accomplishment, his bigger accomplishments were saving the franchise and Fenway Park. Those of us who remember the nineties know the terrible shape both the franchise and the park were in. The Hayward Sullivan Buddy LaRue and Jean Yawkey years were the lowest point. The owners wanted a new ball park because Fenway Park was a dump and the city and state weren't interested in building it. I know it is hard to believe now but there was a real possibility that the team would leave down town Boston. The new owners and Larry Lucchino saw a way to keep the team in the downtown and save Fenway Park. Because of Lucchino's expertise and political skills he was the ideal person to make that happen. Remembering Massachusetts politics from my time in state government years ago, it takes a unique individual to work the corridors of city hall and Beacon Hill to get things done and Lucchino did it.

Actually both could true, too many cooks and no clear methodology.

I recommend Dan Shaughnessy's column. Lucchino was a master at working the political landscape. Neither Henry nor Werner have those skills. I think the club will suffer in the short run but as Charles DeGaulle said "The cemetery is full of indispensable men"

Having been to Camden Yards many times it is wonderful place to watch a baseball game.

No excuses for Ben now.

In a strange way I believe this buys both Cherrington and Farrell more time to straighten out the ball club. Having read the Herald article it isn't clear to me whether Lucchino was relieved or resigned. It may be a distinction without difference, however. There will be claims that Lucchino's departure was planned due health but regardless he seems the one who is to take the fall for the disaster which is the current team. Because of this I believe it will placate some( not me) who are calling for Cherrington to go as well.

Fair point.

That is purely speculative. There are a lot of players who were an upgrade over WMB. The Sox IMO were seduced by Sandoval's playoff numbers which is why they grossly overpaid for his services. You can think they would have signed him anyway. You can also say that that they would have overpaid him any way But it is highly improbable that his market value would have reached the ridiculous sum without his playoff numbers. In any case you tend to be Cherrington's biggest defender. I don't think his mother thinks as highly of him as do you.

Never said it was the only reason but to put another way it was what sealed the deal for Boston for all the reasons I indicated. You are of course correct Sandoval is an upgrade over WMB.

You are right about one thing I do think Ben is an idiot. And of course Cherrington signed him on his post season. The Sox were coming off a disastrous season. They let their number one pitcher walk after offering him an insulting contract. They refused to go after a front line starter. ( and don't say that Porcello was one) Their 2014 team had putrid offensive production. The Sox wanted to make a splash to calm the faithful so they signed the World Series MVP. Do you seriously believe that even the idiot Ben would have offered Sandoval a 95 million contract if hadn't had such an outstanding playoff performance. If you do then you think Ben is more incompetent than I do. And it isn't as if Ben and the Red Sox don't have a history of bad personnel decisions. That's how they got into the mess they are in.

On that we can agree. It is a conundrum.

On that we can agree. It is a conundrum.

Why would anyone trust Cherrington to hire anyone better?

Yes analysts can be wrong just as Cherrington can be (and usually is ) wrong. Actually it makes more sense to have signed Sandoval for his playoff performance than his regular season numbers because Cherrington believed he was building a playoff contender given perceived weakness in the ALE. BTW Even as poorly as Sandoval has played he is still better than WMB who is no longer in the major leagues. Whether Sandoval is worth 95 million, Cherrington has overpaid for a lot of players. Ever heard of pitcher named Porcello?

That's why they are called analysts. Whether it be sports, politics or whatever professional analysts are paid for conclusions based on many factors both quantitative ( statistics) and qualitative ( assumptions and speculations) that's what they do. It is called judgement.

It was fairly obvious to a number of baseball analysts that the Sox were seduced by Sandoval's playoff numbers. That was the point that many made on MLB network, MLB radio, ESPN and elsewhere. I know you want to absolve Cherrington for his incompetence and blame everything on that evil Larry Lucchino. But Ben is either the General Manager or a highly paid eunuch, which is he?