reYoukilis

I was pro Drew at the time too. If I recall it was either Drew or WMB. If you sign Drew you move XB over to third. I still think that was the right move.

I see what you're saying but pitching for contact you should be sound defensively everywhere. True we needed more offense and true Ramirez is better than he has shown but even considering all that, to take LF so lightly with the type of pitching we got, even if Ramirez hit up to par it was a bad move. Reason being is that I believe good defense relaxes the pitcher and gives him confidence, but the defense needs to be airtight, somewhat.

Yes, acquiring contact friendly pitching and then getting Hanley Ramirez to play LF, a position he never played no less, are two strategies that dont fit together. This is why I wonder if it was Cheringtons doing, unless he was so deep into the stats that he didn't see the obvious big picture

Betts is fast. I think that's why he leads off. He does need a better OBP but its not because he doesn't walk enough, he does, its because he doesn't hit for average enough, unlike XB. XB seems ideal for batting 2nd because he has such good average and can move the leadoff guy from first to third, unlike a BB would which XB isn't that great at. XB's OBP is not that much higher than his avg.

So you didn't believe it was a good plan either? Well you were right and the so called experts were wrong and frankly I agreed with you. How could anybody not? We were in last place last year and we "improved" by getting rid of our very best pitcher (Lester) and kept a guy who, at the time was getting hurt and was underperforming (Buchholz). Yes we acquired some other pitchers but were they supposed to bring us from worst to first again? And Robbie Ross was the only new bullpen acquisition and living in Texas, I wasn't that impressed with him then, unlike Uehara, another Ranger, who I was very impressed with before he pitched an inning for Boston. So that leads us to Hanley and Sandoval being the saviors. They weren't nearly good enough to overcome a pitching staff that was a downgrade, on paper, than a last place team the year before.

Not to be repetitive but I wonder how many of Cheringtons moves will turn out good. Even some of the pitching has done better. Unfortunately Cherington didn't have patience either, for his own picks. Using the farm is the best way to build a team.

Wow, we suck. All that and you didn't even bring up keeping Bucholz but getting rid of Lester, which I think was the beginning of the downfall. BC was too analytical I think and ignored stuff like injury history, which boggles the mind, team chemistry and getting guys with competitive spirit. Not counting 2013 where he could do no wrong. He may have gotten lucky there. I wonder if getting all those good character guys was a happy accident and he was really looking at their sabre stats because he sure hasn't copied that formula.

Yes and they are the few bright spots we have, not the acquisitions, I hope the Sox realize that and keep that prospect pipeline going. I must say I am wary of Dombrowskis ways from looking at the Tigers and Marlins. He seems like a sell the farm for instant gratification type of person and putting Hanley at first is not changing my mind

I just dont want to trade our future away to do so. If we don't use Hanley or Sandoval that's what we'll end up doing. That or just buying our way to success, which doesn't seem to work any more either. Look at the difference between the ones who try to buy their way to success (Dodgers, Angels, Nationals) and the ones who do it from within (Giants, Royals, Astros, Cardinals).

That's hilarious.

Maybe but not in one off season. We need a much better bullpen too.

They might be doing it so he can play it this year to allow Betts, Castillo and JBJ play everyday. I hope so because if they plan on playing Hanley at first next season, that probably means they plan on keeping Sandoval too seeing that they wouldn't be teaching him a new position if one that he already had experience in was going to open up. Hanley at third would be a good move. Not ideal but would be the best with what we've got. He's obviously good

Ok, I could see trading Betts AND Sandoval or Ramirez.

I hope you are wrong. Keep Sandoval and Hanley but get rid of Betts? I realize why you say that because Betts would get us more but I'm not into getting rid of what works. I think we should get what we can for Ramirez and Sandoval, get pitching depth and in time get an ace. Look at the Royals, they got a great team with great chemistry, THEN they get Johnny Cueto. Right now some of Cheringtons moves are starting to work, I don't want to blow it all up.

Yes, I think Cheringtons biggest blunder was not going all in with the prospects. Of course 2013 naturally made us readjust that plan and I understand trying to repeat that success in 2014 but when it didn't I would've A, signed Lester and B, gone all in with the prospects that I could. When you go in with that intention you lower expectations and the fans can enjoy the rebuild if they can't enjoy the winning, yet. On the other side of the rebuild you have a team built for sustained success. When you go all in you are wasting less time. I mean what was Cherington expecting when he signed both Sandoval and Ramirez yet such a weak rotation and bullpen?Where did he expect us to be at the end of the season? There's split energies going on and we just end up spinning our wheels.

That is not an accurate and realistic post. To bring up Ortiz's home run as some reason 13 was a fluke is ridiculous. Every WS win has those moments, that's how they get won. And it wasn't just that moment that won it either. The writing on the wall started appearing when they went on that west coast swing and were supposed to get beat by the Dodgers but ended up beating them. Not sure if it was a sweep or not. But further than that, the 13 team was built with known quality character guys like Victorino, Gomes. And they also got a great backup catcher in David Ross. I could go on but what Cheribgton got them for, they did. How is that a fluke? I know because he then went and got Hanley and Sandoval, guys that are very un-2013-ish. Guys that dont play fundamentally sound or for each other. Well I chalk that up to the same reason he hired Valentine, because he was pressured to and he caved. I love how people are blaming Cherington for Valentines hiring when he was exactly everyone was clamoring for with chicken and beer incident. People demanded that the red sox needed a less player friendly manager because the clubhouse was out of control, well you got it, it didn't work. But Cherington did make the call and should be blamed for it. I think he's smart but not cut out for Boston. I think he could do better in a small market team where he could implement his sabre metric ways with more leeway.

Wow, the Ramirez move is becoming a bigger and bigger headache what with Shaw, Castillo and JBJ hitting well. It was a bad move then, its worse now. I like De Aza too.

I wonder how many of Cheringtons moves will end up working out and DD getting credit.

Koji was very good before Boston. I saw him as a Ranger here in Texas. Ben also got alot of great role players together that clicked.

I think Cherington was awesome in 2013, made ballsy and intelligent moves. I can forgive him for not following it up in 2014 because it was supposed to be a rebuild but getting rid of Lester was bad and then getting Hanley and Sandoval was bad. Also not getting any semblance of a pitching staff or bullpen was bad. I just hope Dombrowski doesn't just try to buy our way to success.

Ego stroking. It would be an insult to Hanley to bench him if he's healthy. And its not right to do so either. I think we should either trade him asap and eat some money or just ride it out.

Keep him. I've said this a few times but I'll say it again, I want this highly defensive team they've been trying to get together. It was supposed to go WITH good pitching though not instead of. I realize keeping him doesn't give us good pitching but I don't care, stick with a damn game plan.

Unfortunately that was the most probable outcome to this situation. The problem was getting him in the first place. It also interferes with the chemistry and confidence finally developing in the young outfielders.

Well they need to stop getting people like that. Even if his bat was up to par, I thought great defense was supposed to be a part of making our pitching better. This move flies in the face of that, even on paper.

Its a bummer. I was a proponent of him being in the Red Sox, watching him in Texas where I live. That steroid thing made him a bargain.