curiousd

There is a financial reality being overlooked here. There have been MLB teams with such well heeled, kind of "sugar daddy" types of owners, that these owners are willing to take a financial hit for the franchise. The Yawkeys came from a huge pot of money gleaned from timber and iron in the mid west. By the time Duquette was G.M. the RS were past racial discrimination issues enough that Duquette was able to make big offers to Manny Ramirez, Pedro M, etc. Henry never had Yawkey kind of money but in his first RS years at least had his stock market investment company, as well as various sports interests, plus the Globe. But the investment company went down the tubes by the end of 2012. So nowadays Henry has to make most of his dough out of sports management. Cherington will not be allowed to do anything like the Duquette spending (Yawkey money) or even the Theo spending under the money base Henry had when Henry first took over the RS.

Also replying to comment by "example1" above that the manager and Cherington are intelligent ..... 1. O.K. I am getting to be a "conspiracy theory" guy about these developments...... the conspiracy: Ferrell and Cherington are intelligent puppets manipulated by Henry to save as much money as possible whilst maintaining PR. 2. But let us now consider the batting coach issue brought up by jad. I heard John Kruk talk about JBJ extraneous foot motion during JBJ's swing. Maybe there is now an effort by Red Sox to increase the power of JBJ?? He went to an open stance, seemed to improve, then started to regress again. He keeps striking out on outside fastballs now, without trying to drive them to the opposite field. If an emphasis on a power stroke is at work, that could be a mistake. In the 1950s there was a centerfielder, Richie Ashburn, who had a 311 B.A. for his 12 years with the Phillies. He was a brilliant defensive outfielder. Because of his lack of power Ashburn lost out on the first go round of voting into HOF, but was put in years later by the Veteran's Committee. I do not recall that Ashburn had anything like the throwing arm of JBJ. Ashburn averaged only about 2 H.R. a year!

Here we are, playing the Cardinals August 8, and JBJ is striking out pathetically while Mookie has been shipped back to AAA. Any theory from anyone as to what is going on??!!

I think we are going back to something like the pre - Duquette era. Management generally kept enough power bats in the line up to have high scoring, interesting games. But the pitching was seldom good enough to seriously contend. Henry wants to operate on the cheap and woo the fans with smoke and mirrors. Soccer, anyone?

I think we are going to something like the pre - Duquette era...the Sox would be pretty bad year after year but we could enjoy baseball anytime someone beat the Yanks. SOoooo,,,,,,I root for the fruition of the Orioles -Red Sox trade rumors.......If we sell Lester to the O's, even if we don't get equal value back we would be sticking it to the Yankees in 2015. Yeah?! Hoorah??

(1)The RS must trade Lester now, because the Yankees will have Lester next year in any case. (2)PR disaster indeed. My guess is that Henry has told his minions something such as: Spend the least amount as possible while still fielding a winning team. Soccer, anyone?

I was watching the recent Sox win over Tanaka, when one of the announcers talked about interviewing Brian Cashman. Cashman had said in the interview that the Yanks figured on Tanaka as being - not a number one starter - but a number three! The comment was made that this is a lot of money for a number three! So, it must be kept in mind that next year, the Yanks will operate as if there is no luxury tax and outbid everyone if the Yanks do not at least win the division. How does a Yankee rotation of Tanaka, Sherzer, and Price sound? Disastrous for a Sox fan such as I. (The Rays would only trade Price out of the division, but when Price is a free agent the Yankee money will loom...) Sox better grab Lester while they can no matter what.

Regarding the post by Palodius above...Palodius may well be right but the implications of not forking enough money over to sign Lester are dire for Sox. I strengthen my argument on my post of 06 - 2 - 2014. Say someone gets Price from the Rays for young talent plus. Then that team will face bidding for Price in fee agency in 2015 and unless maybe the Dodgers I don't think anyone will outspend the Yanks on this. And Sherzer, ditto. So the Yanks then have three Cy Young award winners in 2015 if Tanaka continues on his present pace. And the Sox will not even have Lester, and quite possibly the Yankees would have Lester instead. Then no matter how much hitting the Sox add they will be shafted for 2015 by the Yanks, IMO.

Question: Any ideas why the Sox don't: 1. Sign Lester. 2. Bring up Mookie Betts to the show and play him in C.F? 3. Start Lester, Lackey, Workman, de la Rosa, throw in Bucholtz after passable last start versus Seattle? I am curious, just asking

After last night's second in a row lop sided loss in Seattle it does look like the suggestion starting this thread will come to pass. Dubront was used in long relief and I cannot imagine them starting Peavy again. IMO the Sox better spend enough to get Lester back for next year as number one priority, and make enough of a serious play for Price to at least drive up cost for Yanks. Question for members of the thread who know more about the trading rules than I: : Can the Rays pry young talent out of whoever gets Price or will it be just draft picks at issue? I am now pretty much giving up on this year and hoping Sox move to salvage next year as best they can.

But.....I have the following queasy feeling about de-emphasizing Sox pitching. Yanks now forgo luxury tax considerations, so consider possible Yankee rotation next year: (1) Tanaka, probably this year's Cy Young and Rookie of Year(2) Sherzer, 2013 Cy Young (3) David Price, 2012 Cy Young and...(4) Salt in wound....Lester if Sox continue to dilly dally. Would welcome any reasons this disaster might not happen.

Hello, New here from Eastern Connecticut, which is Red Sox country. Southwestern Connecticut pretty much aligns with the Dark Forces.