cp176

What did i use to stick those cards on the spokes?

I just chummed the water a little bit. Mostly just fooling around. Just so you know - i enjoy reading your posts. sometimes I actually agree with you. This is a particularly slow time of year for me thus this is what you get. For the record - I have not actually disliked any of DD's moves. Even if I did, I probably would stay quiet - It is his job. I very much enjoyed Theo when he was here but I also thought and still think that Dan Duquette did well also. In my opinion, he is much maligned. As for Ben - not so much. I do give him some credit for helping with others to build our minor league program but I have to admit that I feel much more comfortable with DD in charge. Must be something about his rumpled look I guess. what else could it be right? I guess I get the fact that around here Larry Luchinno seems to take a beating. I have to say though for me he was part of the solution. If people feel that he was part of a problem then obviously they have some inside scoop from reputable sources that I just am not interested in. It is their opinion - I don't know the man. I'm looking forward to next year although we will keep reliving what has happened. And yes - I do feel feel that since Dick Williams is long gone, I really do wish that Mr. Francona was still with us.

short term - intermediate - long term I circle intermediate if I have to choose. lol

Oh come on Bell - Don't rain on the current King of Hindsight's parade. Don't spoil the moment.

right beside my pete rose rookie - how about that? pretty sad right?

Old school! Of course you are. I think. It's good that some of us still exist. In all honesty though, what does it mean? Old schoolers that I know tend to be in the middle with respect to many of their beliefs whether they are sport oriented or whatever else. Traditionalists I guess who need to actually hear both sides before they form an opinion. Some tend to think that we are close minded - I don't agree. I still learn something new everyday and am very open to new ideas. It is doubtful though that I am going to let someone else make up my mind for me. With respect to leaders, isn't that the way it goes - too much credit when things go well and too much blame when things don't work out. A real leader to me is someone who doesn't crave the spotlight.

Yes - a waste of time in this case. This is what you do. I get it. You aren't alone. You assume that because an 18 year old kid was traded for a 27 year old kid with some upside as well, that whoever suggests that this still is good idea then those people would of course have traded Betts, Bogaerts, etc. for immediate wins. It is a sad way to characterize people who just don't agree with you but I guess it is what people do these days. I happen to believe that it is still possible to look at this franchise with an eye toward the future be it the immediate future or 5 years down the line. It is a balancing act and to date I have seen nothing from our management that even looks remotely like selling off the future for today. Keep the faith though - maybe in a few years you will be able to hindsight DD's views to death.

I do not care at all about Theo - how he felt - what his mindset was - 0. I do not know him. He does not play for us. He does not pay the bills. I would not sacrifice the next 4-5-6 years in hopes that in the 7th Pedro might reappear. It is a waste of time. There will be others. I am not being short-sighted with respect to his numbers. Whether they be his performance to date or what in the opinions of many they might be in the future. I get the fact that he does have great potential.

If it is a personal question - of course not - I don't carry grudges. If I did, it is likely that they would be against someone that I actually knew. Now - using the best available information - or at least what we think is the best available information to formulate our opinions is what we do. But, what appears to be to us the best available information still can be painted with prejudice. I have read what is readily available to read with respect to what has and is going on in the Red Sox front office. I still have no favorites. Actually I could care less about who the GM or President or whoever is in charge as long as the job gets done. I am simply just a fan. Maybe just simple though because my concern is really focused on the product performing on the field. Honestly, I like leadership to be less needy. I have been very satisfied to date with DD. I'm happy for all that Theo, Ben, Larry, etc.etc.etc. did for us but in the end they are just as replaceable as anyone else. I'm sure that I am not the only one who has actually experienced that.

Yes - Espinoza is no longer in our system. Pomeranz is. How old is Espinoza again (i do know the answer) and how has he actually performed to date? Don't get me wrong, no one likes to see potential pitching traded away but in this case being somewhat realistic is also a good thing. You are not the only one here who has been grievously upset over this (or any) of DD's deals but what do you or Espi's most ardent supporters see as his potential timeline to break in to any ml rotation? 4-5-6 years or ever? Who can tell. Like it or not, the Pomeranz deal was necessary and has a much greater chance of helping us for the next 5 years than hanging on to the teenager would have. As a fan of this team, I am as concerned about our future teams as anyone. I just think that the future plan encompasses a shorter period of time - say 5 years - as opposed to others.

There is merit to much of what you say. The but is that I choose to question much of what the media tries to shove down my throat. I will not speculate who was responsible for what particular moves were. I really don't care who was responsible for making them. My concern is the outcome of the moves that are made. If I do not know someone personally - if I have not been told directly why they left a position - it is speculation based on what someone else has either written or said as to why they left. If you think that there is compelling evidence influencing your beliefs and opinions, I think that is good for you. I really don't operate that way. I need to be a little closer to the issue before I offer my take.

Theo has done a wonderful job. In terms of championships who can argue his resume. I'm glad that you think so highly of him. I don't know him. I really have no idea why he chose to go to Chicago. I'll reiterate - unless you were (are) on the inside you don't really know either. What we know is that he left. I'm glad for you that you think he is >>> than DD. Personally this isn't really about comparing two individuals. I think that DD is a competent GM and that works very well for me.

What I find amazing is how many people here truly seem to know why Theo left Boston. All good guesswork I think unless you are on the inside. Maybe you are! I'm not. What he has done makes for a good story. For me - that's it. I know nothing about him - that would include is philosophical approach to anything as well. He is in the past for me. I'm looking forward to 2017. I like the direction that our current GM looks to be taking our team in.

I figure this - 480 trips to the plate - 16 home runs - 71 rbi's I do not think that it is in any way a stretch for him to get to 20+ and 75+. He gets very little love here. I'm not a huge Shaw fan but he really isn't just some worthless experiment in waiting. He may not be the third baseman long range but unless he is traded, in my opinion one more time to bring in another journeyman that would cost us prospects and money for little to no upgrade would be a foolish thing to do.

I saw Hernandez play and think that trying to make him into a third baseman would be a waste. Shaw is good for 20 home runs and 75 plus RBI's. Hernandez will not give us that. I like my corner infielders to have a little pop. I wish that Ben had taken Rutledge with him when he left. As for Encarnarcion - 3 years at 18 per. Maybe an option - maybe not. His choice from there on in. I would not trade anyone that we have for any of the field position players that you mentioned. If you are trading for pitching that is an entirely separate issue. To try to improve a position such as third, which really isn't weak, by trading young prospects to borrow mediocrity for a year or two ... - nope. Pitching that's it. The deals that DD made brought us pitching. Perhaps they didn't work out the way they hoped they would but I'm going against the grain here - but they really didn't cost us much. Maybe 5 years from now one of the players traded will make an impact maybe not. The franchise is currently being run by an adult!

I didn't mention Hernandez because I don't want to see him at third. Second base and shortstop for him in my mind. I was never a Rutledge fan. I really think that Dubon winds up at either second or short eventually either for us or someone else. I really like Dubon. I think that he has the potential to make us forget all about Guerra being included in "the deal". As a matter of fact, it is conceiveable that his development may affect whether bogaerts gets the contract from the Sox he wants or not. It might even prompt his permanent move to third.

My guess is that they do nothing with respect to third base. No need. That one gets taken care of in house. On the same page as E/Ballgame with respect to Encarnarcion - Red sox will place their own value on him. If he wants to be in Boston, he'll come but he probably will be able to get more $ somewhere else. Shaw/Sandoval/Moncada/Holt/Devers etc. etc. etc. - this group will match the production of any journeyman pro who might cost us something. We also might find something really good amongst this group. it really is worth waiting to see how it plays out. No panic mode needed.

Just a little chain rattle. Good posting!

Come on now - you know that you are hindsight's master. The Red Sox have made a ton of huge deals over the years. Some have worked out, more I guess have not. I'll leave that up to you. I like DD's moves because they have been rational and seem to make sense. Of course we all wish that Kimbrel and Price could have shown the dominance that they have shown but who knew? None of us really wanted to see Smith get injured. DD has not simply thrown crap against the wall in hopes that some would stick as his predecessors have done. Sensible moves in the present tense! We'll see how this off-season works out for him.

To date an excellent job. He made some moves. Micro manage them and hind sight them to death if you will but in no way were they careless in nature and in no way has he jeopardized the future of the franchise. trading Margot and Espinoza seem to be an upset to some. Get that - you are entitled to your opinion. I am a tight old Scotsman and I wouldn't bet one penney on either of those guys making him look bad in the future.

Don't get me wrong here - I am not for signing Bautista but what did he do that makes anyone question his attitude? When Hanley Ramirez was signed, there were concerns expressed about his attitude. Some were made by me. It has proven to be a non-issue.

I am a supporter of SpudWar statistical analysis. Simple and direct. Paralysis through analysis does not happen in this world.

You have mentioned Todd Frazier numerous times before. I don't get it. For what he would cost, i do not think that it makes any sense at all. You can I am sure justify your thoughts through a little statistical hocus pocus but looks like a change for change sake to me. I call it a wash. If Shaw gets replaced, I think that it will definitely come from within. It is a minor problem.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I agree with your line of reasoning. I think I have actually been saying as much. I don't think that trading just to trade makes any sense. If an opportunity arises to get that special pitcher, we really do have to look at it though. The Red Sox should be dealing from strength though.

If third base is a huge hole in the minds of some, then I would say we are in pretty good shape.