BoSox Nation View From the Cheap Seats

On Thursday December 1st the Red Sox introduced their new manager Bobby Valentine. Over Valentine’s career he has a .510 winning percentage and has one National League pennant. I know that in many cases you cannot judge a manager by their past record but this normally applies with young managers that have had to work their way up through some bad teams before the get a shot to manage a team with talent. Valentine has managed some very talented Rangers and Mets teams and only made one World Series appearance. I believe that the Red Sox should have hired an up and coming manager that could bring some new energy to the team. The Red Sox do not need a veteran presence in the clubhouse because that is exactly what they had last season in Terry Francona. Francona even had a more impressive track record as a manager with two World Series victories compared to Bobby Valentines one World Series appearance.

There was a manager that would have been a good fit for the Red Sox that did not have a much success last season. That man would be Buck Showalter. Unlike Valentine and Francona, Showalter is not a players coach. Showalter calls it like it is and he holds his players to a higher standard. That is what the Red Sox need; a change in the team mentality. Hopefully the Sox can prove me wrong and have a successful season.       

Another key piece of the Red Sox has to be replaced this off-season. Papelbon recently left as a free agent and signed with the Phillies. This loss is not a significant a some of the others but during his time with the Red Sox Papelbon had 219 saves with a 2.33 ERA. Papelbon helped bring Boston the world Series title in 2007. But now it is time for the closer in waiting, Daniel Bard, to step up. He definitely has the potential to be a lights outs closer with a 100mph fastball and almost an unhittable slider. After the all-star break last season Bard struggled though. His fastball was up in the zone and he couldn’t throw his slider for a strike. No matter how hard a pitcher throws if a pitch is left over the middle of the plate Major League hitters are going to turn on it.This upcoming season there will be even more pressure on Bard to perform well with the increased work load he will be getting compared to his setup role of last season. He might not have to pitch as many innings but pressure in the 9th inning will be insurmountable. It is Daniel Bard’s show now. It is his time to prove that he is one of the elite pitchers in the league or if he is just another pitcher with electric stuff tat didn’t pan out.     

stats from mlb.com

For the first time since after the 2003 ALCS it has been hard to identify myself as a Red Sox fan. Every time I put on my Sox hat or shirts I have to get prepared for all of the “How ‘bout them Sox?” from every Yankee fan I see.

The organization has left a bad taste in many Sox fans mouths following the collapse. Just how the Francona situation was handled was a little unsettling. All of the information about Francona’s personal life was only released after Francona was let go. It was like the organization was kicking Francona while he was down and making excuses for why they had fired him after the whole situation was over.

With Epstein leaving for the Cubs the Red Sox have a lot of off season work to do. Most of the players from last season will be returning but the new management will need a little time to mesh with the old guard. The talent on this team has the potential to make a run at the AL East and the World Series. They just have to play like they have in the past (Carl Crawford) and everything will work out like it should. Like every off-season I can’t wait for the spring when Red Sox will take the field again.  

red sox hat from: sportsblink.com 

With the departure of Terry Francona the Red Sox begin trying to replace him with a capable manager for next season. I believe that the Red Sox do not need a big name coach for next season. The Sox just need some new blood to provide some energy to the clubhouse. From personal experience I believe that managing is a little overrated. Sure I have been on teams that a managers decision has won us a game or two but as players we still had to execute. I have also been on teams that have won despite the manager. We simply went out there and out-hit, out-pitched, and out-hustled our competition.   

Even though I do not believe that last seasons collapse was entirely Terry Francona’s fault the organization had to blame someone. The manager can only do so much. Once the players are on the field it is up to them to play the game and give the effort. The players simply did not perform in September. Francona mixed up the line-up, gave players a rest when necessary, and put the best line-up he could on every single night to give his team the best chance to win. But none of it worked. The Red Sox bats went cold and the pitching couldn’t hold the few leads that the offense gave them. The people that support the firing of Francona point out the drinking and fast food eating of the starting pitchers during games and say that he had lost control of his players. But starting pitchers are on their own when they are not pitching. Francona shouldn’t be focusing on what the resting pitchers are doing. He should be managing the team that is on the field.       

After the Red Sox now infamous collapse the bad news for the Sox seems to just keep piling on. Francona is gone. Accusation about starting pitchers drinking and eating fast food during games have surfaced. And to top it off the GM that brought two World Series to Boston has decided to leave Beantown for the windy city. Yep thats right Theo Epstein has decided to go to the Cubs to attempt to break another long standing baseball curse. The man that drafted Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon, Clay Buchholz, and Daniel Bard will be leaving. Still most Sox fans are going to bitter and I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t. Just the timing of the move leaves a bad taste in your mouth. If Epstein had left after a successful season then it would be understandable but now it seems that Epstein is jumping ship in the face of adversity. I will always have respect for what he did for the Red Sox organization but this move definitely alters my view of him.     

Picture from businessinsider.com

It is going to be a long off-season for the Sox. Key figures have to be replaced. Players will be let go. The beauty of it all is that in the spring everyone gets a clean slate and it doesn’t take much for the fans to forget last season. All the Sox have to do is win.  

With Jonathan Papelbon’s contract expiring and Daniel Bard becoming eligible for arbitration the Red Sox have some crucial decisions in front of the this off-season. Papelbon had a stellar season…until September rolled around. Daniel Bard as off the charts stuff with an easy 100mph fastball and unhittable slider but struggled after the All-Star break.

At the age of 30 Papelbon is no longer a young fireballer. Baseball rule of thumb says that when pitchers get older their arms slow down. So the logical move by the Red Sox is to trade Papelbon while he still has value and to turn the 9th inning over to the young gun with electric stuff. But I believe the Red Sox should be patient. I think that the Sox should resign Papelbon if he is willing to negotiate as well as Bard. Then I would wait until the trade deadline to decide the fate of the these two pitchers. If Bard regains his dominant form and Papelbon pitches well the Sox should deal Papelbon for his maximum value from a desperate team at the deadline. And if Bard continues to struggle the Sox should try and deal him to try and get something out of him before his stock completely plummets. 

It is going to be an interesting off-season for the Red Sox with all of the contracts expiring and key players eligible for arbitration. Hopefully the Sox avoid making any huge mistakes and try to make some key acquisitions to improve the starting rotation. 

After one of the biggest collapses in Major League history someone had to be blamed. That one person just happened to be Terry Francona. He is considered to one of the best managers in the game. He will always have a special place in the hearts of the Red Sox faithful by bringing Boston it’s first World Series in 86 years in ‘04. Terry further cemented his place in Red Sox lore with another Series win in ‘07.

Terry’s career record with the Sox was 744-552 (.574) including 8-0 in World Series games. 

But that is was all lost when the Red Sox management asked Francona to step down. In today’s sports culture it is a “What have you done for me lately?” mindset that determines the tenure of coaches. Terry Francona will be sorely missed by a loyal fan base for all of the good that he has brought to the city of Boston. And all we are left with is the ugly image of Red Sox management pushing Terry out the backdoor.

Stats from mlb.com 

The wild card in the American League all comes down to the last day. With odds stacked against the Red Sox with the Yankees most likely resting their starters against Tampa Bay the Sox post season hope rest on Jon Lester’s shoulders. He will be pitching on 3 days rest tonight against the Oriole’s Alfredo Simon. Luckily in Lester’s last outing he only threw 55 pitches so he should be physical ready. On the other hand during Lester’s last 3 outings he has a 10.54 ERA and is winless in those starts. If there ever was a time for a turn around it would be tonight.

All the Red Sox have to do is find a way to get into the post season and they will have the opportunity for new life. In the post season its not the team that had the best record during the regular season that matters its the team that plays the best in October. But if the Sox fall short another terrible memory will be added to this franchise’s already forgettable past in the form of one of the worst collapses in the history of Major League Baseball.     

(Stats from mlb.com)

Of course with Red Sox fans dominating most of New England sports culture as well as legions of fans spread out through out most of country it was not too hard to find other blogs on this topic. With such a vast fan base of course the other post are going to differ in style. From rantings to praise about the Red Sox as well as in-depth analysis and updates.

My personal favorite blog about the Red Sox blog in on the ESPN Boston site. There are great statistics and updates on players. There is also a lot of humor that relates to the Sox. This blog is very well written and entertaining for a fan trying to reassure themselves that they are not the only nut jobs out there that actually care about this stuff. Included in various blog entries are pictures and videos of Red Sox game footage as well as interviews.

The blogs on this site even discuss the marketing of the Red Sox and the best rivalry in sports (Yanks vs. BoSox…of course).