Elktonnick

I agree with much of what you saidf except I think BV looks like a buffoon only to those who thought him one before his arrival. He can't say a thing without folks looking to blow it out of proportion. To clean up the poison that exists in the Red sox clubhouse can't happen without someone getting offended. Just like you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. In my view Pedroia was more out of line then BV. I am also sure that despite his popularity with the fans. Pedroia can be one royal pain in the butt. His personality is great when the team is winning and things are going well. I am sure there are guys on the team who can only tolerate him in short doses. My point is that a baseball team is twenty-five to forty highly competitive males who can get on each other nerves real easily. They all know why BV was brought in namely to change the status guo. There are a lot guys on that team who don't want to change so naturally they are PO'd. It is going to take one ruthless SOB IMO to turn this team around. Ruthless in my mind is using every trick in the book. One strategy won't work. Someone once said that Attila the Hun leadership skills is fine if you are leading Huns. Well the Red Sox aren't Huns but they aren't the Vienna Boy's Choir either. If these guys are so sensitive that they wretch from even a mild rebuke from their boss such as those that BV has uttered to date then they are really in sad shape. The problem is that everyone is judging BV by comparing him to Francona. Well judging by the past few years Francona's leadership skills weren't very effective now were they. Red Sox fans and players must stop mourning Francona's departure. The reason he is no longer here lays fully with the players. They have no one to blame but themselves. Sabotaging BV won't bring Francona back but rather will only make the situation worse. IMHO. The sooner they realize it the better everything will be. .

The issues that they never addressed existed prior to BV's arrival. The Red Sox refused to dump some contracts of some talented bad apples, Beckett to name one. They had take some harsh action to send a messaage that was never sent. This would fester no matter whom they brought in as Manager

I know BV isn't popular with most folks especially on this board but IMO his comments were distorted and overblown. On this I agree with Tony Massarotti. Pedey on the hand demonstrates that the players still don't get it. If they maintain this sense of entitlement then they'll repeat last year's lackluster finish.

Bowden has peaked and despite his work ethic his delivery means he is destined to be a 4A pitcher at best. Thomas for all his flaws is a lefty. That makes him more valualable all else being equal.

This is very interesting. Remember Jackie Mac rapped Youk as clubhouse poison last year. This was a purpose pitch by BV. Was Youk Schilling's source? Was Youk Holdcer's source? I don't know but I suspect this is payback!

I don't disagree but one can't say that Bard's performance was "good" in strictly objective terms. I gave him a C.

Cafardo says it all "He has not pulled the plug on Daniel Bard as a starter even though every baseball scout you speak to who watches this team knows that Bard should be the closer." This is all on Cherries.

Actually I suspect that Lucchino tried someting along that line but Francona saw through it when Lucchino admitted that he and Henry never talked after Henry's conversation with Francona. Francona probably has a very good idea who threw him under the bus to the Globe. One reason is Francona was there when they did the same to Nomar. I know it is just speculation on my part but given Francona's eight years with the Red Sox on the inside he knows how this game is played by the FO.

Bard did throw his slider in the first three innings. I never said he threw fifty straight fastballs but that he threw too many fastballs. He did throw a slider, He was a two pitch pitcher until pitch 50 He didn;t throw a changeup until pitch 50. Any one we actually saw the game could see the Jays were sitting dead red.

People you missed the point of why I am pissed. I saw something rightly or wrongly. One can disagree with what I saw if one was watching But he never watched the game. So he was in no position to call me a liar. If he had watched the game he would have some authority to make that observation. But he didn't watch the game. So he had no basis on which to object other than to be a contrarian. He literally didn't know what he was talking about .That is intellectual dishonesty. Why anyone would pay any attention to anything he posts from here on in beats me.

Thanks you I deeply appreciate that!

You never answered the question did you actually see the game?

What I find especially troubling and incredible is Lucchino's statement that he and Henry never talked about Henry's call to Francona. Henry must be the most socially inept guy in that whole dysfunctional FO. What happened? They used to have their act together. I guess it is true what they say about soccer, it addles the brain.