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quote:
Originally posted by RJM:
The big thing Red Sox management failed to calculate when putting the current team together is chemistry. Gonzalez may be a good hitter. But he's mentally weak. He blamed losing on God! Give me a freak'n break! How fitting he was a Padre. Crawford only excels in front of crowds of 15,000 or less. He'll be the biggest waste of money in baseball history this side of Lackey. Lackey is the biggest excuse maker on the planet. As a human being he's a pig. He had his wife served divorce papers while she's recovering from cancer surgery. He was detested by the fans before he walked on his wife. He can't show his face in public in Boston. His face belongs on a milk carton. I know someone who played with Lackey. He warned me Lackey won't be liked by the fans or his teammates. And thank God JD "sprained finger nail" Drew's contract is up. Red Sox fans don't want excuses. We don't want weenies like Crawford taking out full page apologies in newspapers. We want results!

It's officially football season now. We can start the pool on when Chad Choke-O-Cinco is waived by the Patriots. He was the biggest midget in the room on the Bengals, not a star. He's showing is true colors with the Patriots .... dropped passes, weak patterns, too dumb to learn the playbook.

Go Bruins!


Well, and then they went and added the enigma that is Eric Bedard at the deadline. Team-building skills at their finest! How's Theo the fantasy baseball boy wonder looking now?
quote:
Originally posted by Texas1836:
Take a look at the video of Andino's game-winning hit. Jennings would have made that catch. Not an easy play but certainly catchable with the right jump and desire. Maybe Carl just wanted to go home.
Crawford used to (last year) make that catch.
I don't understand why he didn't come up firing hard. He picked it up right away. From short left with an average runner rounding 3rd, it wasn't totally out of the question to throw the guy out at the plate. He seemed to just lob it in.
I'm with others here though... what an amazing night if you're a baseball fan. (sorry, except Sox and Bravo faithful)
Last edited by cabbagedad
quote:
Originally posted by Texas1836:
Take a look at the video of Andino's game-winning hit. Jennings would have made that catch. Not an easy play but certainly catchable with the right jump and desire. Maybe Carl just wanted to go home.


Most of the former Red Sox LF's would have made that catch. Crawford is brutal choker. He was a huge choke from opening day until yesterday. He is a little game and little team player. Worst free agent signing since Edgar Rentaria. Dice K is a better signing. I'd like to think a season does not a careeer make. In this case, I see no redeeming qualities. Fenway's left field is tiny. There is no room for Crawford's speed out there. He obviously underestimated his ability to play up to his ability in a big market. He actually has a contract clause preventing his trade to the Yankees from the Red Sox, and in all subsequent trades for the life of the contract, if that says anything.

I wish he was the only choke on the team, but he was just the worst and most consistant choke.
Last edited by Dad04
I don't feel sorry for Redsox Nation! I agree with the Lack of Chemistry take, but at least Boston ownership put their money where their mouth is and went after Crawford and Gonzalez. I could be wrong...but IMO losing Youkilis was a huge loss, not having him in the lineup grinding everyday may have brought down some of that chemistry?

Yup, I don't feel sorry for you......I have to deal with the McCourt (Isn't he from Boston? Smile) debacle in Los Angeles. The Dodgers had two players this year with outstanding MVP/Cy Young numbers. Matt Kemp was 3rd in .BA, and led the NL in HR's, RBI's, and Runs to go along with 40 steals...not bad for a kid that didn't have much protection in the lineup. Clayton Kershaw led the National League in Wins, ERA, and Strikeouts...the Pitching Triple Crown for a team that was barely over .500. Their chances of taking home any hardware is rather meager due to where the team finished in the standings.

A couple months ago the Detroit Tigers were in town, and my son and I had the opportunity to watch them take BP on the Dodgers infield. Jim Leyland strolled over to talk for a few minutes, and Cabrera took a couple pictures with my son and his buddy. A good friend of mine went to HS with one of the trainers for Detroit, so that's how we obtained the field passes....I guess you can say I'll be pulling for the Tigers to come out of the American League.
quote:
Originally posted by bsbl247:
I don't feel sorry for Redsox Nation! I agree with the Lack of Chemistry take, but at least Boston ownership put their money where their mouth is and went after Crawford and Gonzalez. I could be wrong...but IMO losing Youkilis was a huge loss, not having him in the lineup grinding everyday may have brought down some of that chemistry?

Youkilis is a "bad body athlete. He's no thoroughbred, physically and pushes himself past his limits. Losing him was very huge, along with Buckholtz

Yup, I don't feel sorry for you......I have to deal with the McCourt (Isn't he from Boston? Smile) debacle in Los Angeles. The Dodgers had two players this year with outstanding MVP/Cy Young numbers. Matt Kemp was 3rd in .BA, and led the NL in HR's, RBI's, and Runs to go along with 40 steals...not bad for a kid that didn't have much protection in the lineup. Clayton Kershaw led the National League in Wins, ERA, and Strikeouts...the Pitching Triple Crown for a team that was barely over .500. Their chances of taking home any hardware is rather meager due to where the team finished in the standings.

Frank McCourt tried to by the Red Sox when the Yawkey Family put it up for auction. He submitted an offer above the one accepted. Know I know why his offer was not accepted.

A couple months ago the Detroit Tigers were in town, and my son and I had the opportunity to watch them take BP on the Dodgers infield. Jim Leyland strolled over to talk for a few minutes, and Cabrera took a couple pictures with my son and his buddy. A good friend of mine went to HS with one of the trainers for Detroit, so that's how we obtained the field passes....I guess you can say I'll be pulling for the Tigers to come out of the American League.

Leyland is a classy guy.
Last edited by Dad04
Francona stated in an interview that there were some things that concerned him that he tried to address, he noticed that the players didn't seem to care about each other.
I don't think that one can build a winning team on that premise.
It's a shame that there's more press on the AL WC losers than the winners (Rays). I hope that ****es them off for a good run down the home stretch.
The team woefully underachieved. Chemistry was obviously lacking, as is the case in these situations. I just watched the Francona-Epstein presser. That was a 30 minute awkward moment. Theo admitted conditioning issues, while Francona admitted "clubhouse" issues.

When your $100 million free agent starts choking in spring training and chokes away game 162, that's a problem for the entire team.
Last edited by Dad04
TPM-- You're absolutely right. The Rays genuinely like each other. They play like a team because they are a team, and it starts from the top. Maddon is crazy like a fox, and Andrew Friedman is brilliant. "You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need." Obviously they can't afford their want list, but they sure do seem to get what they need. I would say because each member of that team has bought in. They believe.
quote:
Originally posted by smalltownmom:
TPM-- You're absolutely right. The Rays genuinely like each other. They play like a team because they are a team, and it starts from the top. Maddon is crazy like a fox, and Andrew Friedman is brilliant. "You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need." Obviously they can't afford their want list, but they sure do seem to get what they need. I would say because each member of that team has bought in. They believe.


The buy in is mighty important. So is the chemistry. Maddon is a good manager for the Rays, some managers are a bit more conservative, it's whatever works for your team. I would imagine going from the Rays to Boston didn't help Crawford.

Here's some great stuff for all true baseball fans.

http://joeposnanski.si.com/201...ll-night-in-america/
Last edited by TPM
Againn I agree, But I believe one thing that sets Maddon apart from many is his ability to adjust and read his players. This style wouldn't work with the Yankees, RedSox or veteran teams, yet I seriously believe he could quickly adjust his style in such a way that he could be a success in one of those venues. He just manages people because he figures them out, and has confidence in his men. I don't want him to though, so we need to work on keeping him, Friedman, and the team in the Tampa Bay area.

I enjoyed the read. Definitely all those games leading up to last night set the table.
quote:
Originally posted by smalltownmom:
Againn I agree, But I believe one thing that sets Maddon apart from many is his ability to adjust and read his players. This style wouldn't work with the Yankees, RedSox or veteran teams, yet I seriously believe he could quickly adjust his style in such a way that he could be a success in one of those venues. He just manages people because he figures them out, and has confidence in his men. I don't want him to though, so we need to work on keeping him, Friedman, and the team in the Tampa Bay area.

I enjoyed the read. Definitely all those games leading up to last night set the table.


There's a big difference managing in Tampa than NY or Boston. Tampa lives on small payroll and relies on young players and draft picks that they'll let go once you have to play them so you have to have a manager that will come across to his players without scaring them half to death. Otherwise they'll play so tight, they'll squeeze the sawdust off the bats.

NY & Boston need managers to navigate thru big egos and huge pressure from those cities. Girardi is learning to do that..Francona...Well, he did win two titles but hear he's on the outs so who knows what's going on up there besides smarting from that collapse of major proportions. I always thought Francona was a god manager for them but that may be changing up there.
quote:
Originally posted by zombywoof:
quote:
Originally posted by smalltownmom:
Againn I agree, But I believe one thing that sets Maddon apart from many is his ability to adjust and read his players. This style wouldn't work with the Yankees, RedSox or veteran teams, yet I seriously believe he could quickly adjust his style in such a way that he could be a success in one of those venues. He just manages people because he figures them out, and has confidence in his men. I don't want him to though, so we need to work on keeping him, Friedman, and the team in the Tampa Bay area.

I enjoyed the read. Definitely all those games leading up to last night set the table.


There's a big difference managing in Tampa than NY or Boston. Tampa lives on small payroll and relies on young players and draft picks that they'll let go once you have to play them so you have to have a manager that will come across to his players without scaring them half to death. Otherwise they'll play so tight, they'll squeeze the sawdust off the bats.

NY & Boston need managers to navigate thru big egos and huge pressure from those cities. Girardi is learning to do that..Francona...Well, he did win two titles but hear he's on the outs so who knows what's going on up there besides smarting from that collapse of major proportions. I always thought Francona was a god manager for them but that may be changing up there.


I heard an interview with Maddon that he had to learn how to deal with the young players. And you are correct that he doesn't have that pressure so he can remain loose. Although Girardi was very much liked here, he had trouble with handling the young Marlin players, which should be right up Ozzie's alley. As much as I am not a fan, looking forward to seeing him up in Jupiter at spring training.

Bobby Valentine made some good points about Francona, he most likely lost trust in his players, not management and it was time to move on.
The past few days I listened to sports talk radio, which I rarely do. I read all the sports page articles, which I rarely do. The concensus is Francona lost the team. His strength is managing personalities. Too many players were tuning him out. It's easier to fire the manager than trade all the whiners. The word is the whiners were Varitek, Youkilis, Crawford, Drew, Ortiz, Lester, Beckett, Lackey and Wakefield. What this team needed was a Kevin Millar. Millar would pull guys aside who needed a "talking to."

Someone mentioned Youkilis in a previous post. It's time to move him to DH or trade him while he's still worth something. As mentioned he has a bad body. He's 32 this season. He's missed at least 25 games each of the last three seasons.

Varitek and Wakefield were unhappy with their roles. Release them. It's not going to get better.

Epstein will have a lot of 'splaining to do before he's allowed to spend big money on a free agent again. Two (Crawford and Lackey) were flops. Drew was questionable. Gonzalez's heart is now in question.

Sometimes players come from soft media and fan markets can't handle the pressure of the big market. Nothing more needs to be said about Lackey and Crawford. Gonzalez had 1 rbi the last week of the season. He has 14 in September. Of course it was better than the 13 he had in August. He's earned the Dave Winfield Award, formerly known as Mr. May.

The Patriots appreciated the Sox drama. Hardly anyone talked about their 21-0 collapse to the Bills all week. Even this morning the sports talk show that wasn't the Patriots network is still talking about the Sox.
Last edited by RJM
quote:
Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
I agree with any of the Red Sox fans who are questioning Crawford. He played that ball terribly... he didn't need to slide, he bends at the waist and keeps running hard he catches that ball at his shins.

Hey RJM, tell Theo and Francona I said hi the next time they are over for dinner; you guys are obviously best buds!!! Smile
I respect both of them. But Francona lost the team. Epstein made some bad major signings. The team needs more Pedroias and less Crawfords.

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