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Exactly. Outside perspective. From fans. Who know nothing about running a baseball team. You don't know what they're doing and neither do i, but assuming that they're sitting on their thumbs is not logical. Reports come out of them pursuing, scouting or going after players, but the whiners choose to ignore this reports. It's dishonest. Sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion. But it's just that, an opinion. Don't paint it as fact, because it isn't.

Then tell me something concrete from the FO's line of thinking that isn't strictly assumption and is not fueled by media ********. I'll wait/ I've said before what i think, i think they should take their time regardless of what the fans, who are fans, not FO members, or the media, who is just media, think. Fans were killing Tito all the time, so now that they're looking for a good in-game tactician and taking their time, fans are killing the FO. You know why? Because fans are fickle. That's why the FO needs to make the right decision, no matter how long it takes. In fact, i argue this: Because of the magnitude of the collapse, they need to find the right guy. If they f*** this up, they will feel the fan and media rage, and they will deserve it. I don't see how that position is unreasonable.

So did you get this by being part of some of the meetings of the FO? Or is this just assumption, as everything else said on the site? You don't know the inside workings of the Red Sox Fo. Pretending otherwise is laughable, meaning that you have trouble discerning what is laughable, not me. No amount of media crap is going to replace the fact that only the Red Sox FO know the inside workings of the Red Sox FO. This is common sense.

You're like the voice of reason on this site.

That sounds a lot like AJ Burnett. Think about that for a second.

BB/9 over 4 in both seasons, BABIP under league average, one full ERA point higher away from home (and he plays in a division of pitcher's parks except Texas). Smells like possible fluke and candidate for regression at Fenway to me.

What exactly is an "elite" depth arm? Depth is depth. Garcia is better than "depth".

I personally don't understand the fascination with Gio Gonzales.

Whatever bro. Make as many assumptions and create as many fictional positions as you need to sleep at night. Or actually counter my points, which would be interesting to see. Happy Thanksgiving.

Well the last time they announced a big move during Thanksgiving was before 2004. Let's hope for the same conclusion to 2012.

Says the guy who was smugly trying to "make things easy for me" the other day. Let me help you not strain your brain by putting my points in an easy-to-understand format. 1) Statistical analysis is not flawless, but neither is scouting . My point to Fred wasn't that his idea of Saberanalysis + regular old baseball acumen wasn't right, but that the idea that sabermetrics doesn't value the stolen base, sacrifice or defense is false. It's surprising to me coming from a guy (you) who claims to know Tango's work, since his playing the percentages book is a perfect example of the evolution of sabermetrics in regards to these issues, namely the sacrifice's pros and cons, and the importance of the stolen base with efficient base-stealer. In fact, Fangraph's version of WAR includes the stolen base in its offensive formula. 2) Billy Beane's "Moneyball" shows an antiquated approach to sabermetrics. It has shifted greatly, as presented above, and the "only values fat power players" is also false. Defense is highly appreciated nowadays in statistical analysis, to the point where it is a large component of most value-appreciation formulas. 3) Disregarding sabermetrics is foolish, just as disregarding regular old scouting and coaching is. I agree with Fred here. Neither method is flawless, but both are important. A combination of both is key. I'm not saying people can't criticize statistical analysis, but doing so by using false information is disingenuous.

You seem to not take the time to read what others write. What i said was that Beane's interpretation of Sabermetrics is not the Holy Grail of Sabermetric analysis. Several sabermetrician believe in the value of the stolen base when the success rate is high enough, and mention the value of trading a run for an out in specific situations. Since you've done so much research on the subject, i'm sure you knew this though.

For the umpteenth time, Beane's interpretation of Sabermetrics are not the be-all, end-all on the subject. Again, if you don't know what they actually are, don't make assumptions based on the methods of one guy. Oh, and Happy Turkey Day.

^ Unsurprising. Ignorance is bliss.

It's also incredibly misguided to think that the book represents everything about sabermetrics. If you don't actually understand the sabermetrics movement, don't comment about it.

I rue the day SoxSport got his hands on "Moneyball".

Confirmed by who, or what? This is all conjecture.

No thanks.

Then why was his average velocity nearly two miles below what it was before surgery? This is an asinine argument. None of us has a way of knowing how the guy will do next year. The Rangers were willing to go two years, but the Red Sox and other teams weren't. The results will speak for themselves.

And what if he doesn't have a good year? It's not a certainty, as with most relievers.