2012 Red Sox Season Thread

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  • 9&10
    Registered User
    • Dec 2008
    • 1017

    Congrats on the baby, Mike! I tend to agree with you regarding your interest in this team. I used to be fanatical about score-checking (live in Denver and only watch games when they're on nationally), but that's pretty much gone by the wayside. Just so frustrating to see this team getting on a roll and then losing the last four.

    I think they can be a very good team, but so far they've shown little to indicate this.

    Comment

    • Mike D.
      Registered User
      • Feb 2006
      • 5436

      Originally posted by 9&10 View Post
      Congrats on the baby, Mike! I tend to agree with you regarding your interest in this team. I used to be fanatical about score-checking (live in Denver and only watch games when they're on nationally), but that's pretty much gone by the wayside. Just so frustrating to see this team getting on a roll and then losing the last four.

      I think they can be a very good team, but so far they've shown little to indicate this.
      Thanks...he's almost 4 1/2 months, and already has a bunch of Red Sox swag! Oh, and "the kid's" name is Teddy! :cap:

      I used to watch the games almost every weeknight on NESN. We dropped cable (just don't watch enough) and the Sox games are the one thing I can honestly say I miss. That being said, the way they're playing this year, I might have tuned out already even if I still had cable.

      I agree that this team COULD be very good....and with all those guys on the DL, they are playing at about 2/3 capacity right now, but they've been very frustrating. On days they hit, they don't pitch. On days they get good starts, the bullpen sucks. On days they score a bunch of runs, the starter get shelled. They're inconsistent in a very frustrating way, and you sometimes get the impression that we care far more than the players, manager, and ownership/front office.
      Visit my card site at Mike D's Baseball Card Page.

      Comment

      • Mike D.
        Registered User
        • Feb 2006
        • 5436

        On Valentine: I just don't feel like he's "all in". He seems far more interested in being on the radio in NY, being in the papers and TV in Boston, and basically never shutting his big yap no matter how stupid or counterproductive the stuff gushing out of it is than he does in getting this team to gel or figuring out how to manage bullpen usage.

        I mean, the Sox ownership obviously signed off on him having a radio show in NY. That's absurd. What good could ever come of that?

        There's a reason this guy hasn't managed in the big leagues in a decade!
        Visit my card site at Mike D's Baseball Card Page.

        Comment

        • Dogdaze
          2004, 2007 & 2013
          • Oct 2006
          • 1593

          Congratulations on your new baby Mike. Is Teddy your first child?

          Comment

          • Dogdaze
            2004, 2007 & 2013
            • Oct 2006
            • 1593

            I’m not defending Bobby V but I’m not advocating firing him either as yet. He’s made some mistakes, but what manager doesn’t? For me the jury is still out on his management.

            I do agree with Schilling in that a manager is more about managing people more so then field managing such as when to bunt or change pitchers etc. In other words the manager needs to motivate his players and they need to trust their manager else some players may not play as well for that manager if they don’t like him. And not having inside clubhouse information, I’m not sure how the players currently feel about BV.

            IMO the primary reason this team is losing so much is poor pitching and lately a slumping offense. But there’s also injuries to key players that hurt our chances of winning as well which is not BV’s fault.

            So far our pitching has improved in May but our offense in May has been markedly down.

            In April we hit; BA .281 OBP .336 SLG .474 OPS .811 WOBA .349

            In May so far we’ve hit; BA .209 OBP .283 SLG .311 OPS .594 WOBA .264

            In April our pitching was ERA 5.54 WHIP 1.51 FIP 4.83 xFIP 4.20 BABIP 3.09

            In May our pitching is ERA 4.95 WHIP 1.28 FIP 3.11 xFIP 3.40 BABIP 3.08

            I believe that if we had all our players healthy and they played to their there capabilities we’d be one of the better teams. And I still believe it’s early enough in the season that they can turn things around but they need to start winning soon.
            Last edited by Dogdaze; 05-06-2012, 08:33 AM.

            Comment

            • Mike D.
              Registered User
              • Feb 2006
              • 5436

              Originally posted by Dogdaze View Post
              Congratulations on your new baby Mike. Is Teddy your first child?
              Yes, he's our first. He actually had his very first solid (solid being a relative term) food today...green beans.

              My wife wouldn't let me put Fenway Franks and beer in the blender for him! :cap:
              Visit my card site at Mike D's Baseball Card Page.

              Comment

              • Dogdaze
                2004, 2007 & 2013
                • Oct 2006
                • 1593

                Originally posted by Mike D. View Post
                Yes, he's our first. He actually had his very first solid (solid being a relative term) food today...green beans.
                Green beans, yum!!!

                My wife wouldn't let me put Fenway Franks and beer in the blender for him!
                LOL!

                Comment

                • penncentralpete
                  Abe Stark suits me fine
                  • Jan 2006
                  • 1971

                  Jonathan Schwartz has just predicted a Bosox' last place finish and a Bobby V firing this season.
                  you can take the Dodgers out of Brooklyn, but you can't take the Brooklyn out of the DODGERS
                  http://brooklyndodgermemories.freeforums.org/

                  Comment

                  • Boston Boxer
                    US Air Force Retired
                    • Jun 2003
                    • 1990

                    Originally posted by Therwil Flyer View Post
                    But that is exactly what Terry Francona was blamed and then fired for! That he couldn't reach these overpaid players anymore and take away that sense of entitlement and form a unity where everybody supports everybody instead of drinking beer in the clubhouse. In was brought the genius mind of Bobby Valentine to change the clubhouse culture and make the team forget about September. Let's look at what he's done so far:

                    - Despite his many, many words about how he reinvented spring training, the Sox have begun the Season as poorly as in the last couple of years.
                    - Despite his infallibility, he already created a (potential) rift between himself and the team (or at least some of the players) by publicly discrediting and of the hardest working and most respected players in the organization.
                    - Despite his fantastic people's skills, he thought an appropriate reaction to the Fenway crowd booing him would be a tip of the hat.
                    - He obviously cares so deeply, he almost handed in the wrong lineup because he had no clue whether the opposing pitcher was a LHP or a RHP. He had to be corrected last minute by Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
                    - His lineup and in-game management - supposedly the one talent of Valentine that is so superb that it should make us forget about his other character flaws - has been, well to be honest, less than impressive. A lot less.
                    - The Red Sox are 11-15, dead last in the AL East, and 7 games behind the Rays!
                    - The Sox couldn't win crucial home series against the O's (again) and the Oakland A's!

                    It isn't so much a single thing that he screwed up, as it is his incapability of turning the team from "last September"-Red Sox into "last May to August"-Red Sox.
                    That being said, it is of course not his fault that Crawford, Ellsbury, Baily, Kalish, Jenks, Lackey and Matsuzaka are on the DL (nor is that anybody else's fault really). But I challenge you and anybody else to name a single decision or event or anything that Valentine has made that suggests he deserves to be the manager of our beloved Boston Red Sox!

                    Look, I've never been shy about disliking Valentine and I honestly don't know if I'd be calling for the manager's head at this point if Lamont or Sveum had been named manager. I stated at the beginning of the season that Valentine is now a part of our favorite team and thus should be given a chance. As far as I am concerned he has had his chance and is very close to have blown it! He was brought in the stir things up, bring in a new management style (not that one was needed) and change things. 26 games into the season he has miserably failed at that! Let's talk again after another 14 games (after a quarter of the season has passed), but up to now these Red Sox are as painful to watch as they were in September last year!

                    And as a final point, I don't think that the group of players assembled is that bad - in fact, I think that they are quite good (and yes I can back up that statement with numbers!). So the fact that they perform this badly as a team, I can't but blame on either bad luck or bad management (or to be fair some combination). There is absolutely nothing you can do about bad luck (except for praying maybe). But there is something you can do about bad management.
                    great post! So, you want to fire the manager a month into the season? No one in their right mind would do that. I just think your obvious dislike for the manager is clouding your judgement. I am fine with firing him after 1 year, but never after the first month.

                    Comment

                    • SDL
                      Who the hell is Stan Papi
                      • Sep 2006
                      • 3650

                      Originally posted by penncentralpete View Post
                      Jonathan Schwartz has just predicted a Bosox' last place finish and a Bobby V firing this season.
                      He may not be that far off...
                      sigpicMan, do I *HATE* the Yankees!!!!!!

                      Comment

                      • SDL
                        Who the hell is Stan Papi
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 3650

                        Originally posted by Boston Boxer View Post
                        great post! So, you want to fire the manager a month into the season? No one in their right mind would do that. I just think your obvious dislike for the manager is clouding your judgement. I am fine with firing him after 1 year, but never after the first month.
                        Reds did that with Tony Perez and Ray Knight.

                        Cardinals canned Vern Rapp very early in the '78 season and he didn't even last half a season in his only shot at the Reds' helm in '84.

                        It's safe to say that Valentine will earn the last year of his contract someplace other than the Sox dugout.
                        sigpicMan, do I *HATE* the Yankees!!!!!!

                        Comment

                        • SwissRedSoxFan
                          Registered User
                          • Jan 2006
                          • 1462

                          Originally posted by Therwil Flyer View Post
                          But that is exactly what Terry Francona was blamed and then fired for! That he couldn't reach these overpaid players anymore and take away that sense of entitlement and form a unity where everybody supports everybody instead of drinking beer in the clubhouse. In was brought the genius mind of Bobby Valentine to change the clubhouse culture and make the team forget about September. Let's look at what he's done so far:

                          - Despite his many, many words about how he reinvented spring training, the Sox have begun the Season as poorly as in the last couple of years.
                          - Despite his infallibility, he already created a (potential) rift between himself and the team (or at least some of the players) by publicly discrediting and of the hardest working and most respected players in the organization.
                          - Despite his fantastic people's skills, he thought an appropriate reaction to the Fenway crowd booing him would be a tip of the hat.
                          - He obviously cares so deeply, he almost handed in the wrong lineup because he had no clue whether the opposing pitcher was a LHP or a RHP. He had to be corrected last minute by Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
                          - His lineup and in-game management - supposedly the one talent of Valentine that is so superb that it should make us forget about his other character flaws - has been, well to be honest, less than impressive. A lot less.
                          - The Red Sox are 11-15, dead last in the AL East, and 7 games behind the Rays!
                          - The Sox couldn't win crucial home series against the O's (again) and the Oakland A's!

                          It isn't so much a single thing that he screwed up, as it is his incapability of turning the team from "last September"-Red Sox into "last May to August"-Red Sox.
                          That being said, it is of course not his fault that Crawford, Ellsbury, Baily, Kalish, Jenks, Lackey and Matsuzaka are on the DL (nor is that anybody else's fault really). But I challenge you and anybody else to name a single decision or event or anything that Valentine has made that suggests he deserves to be the manager of our beloved Boston Red Sox!

                          Look, I've never been shy about disliking Valentine and I honestly don't know if I'd be calling for the manager's head at this point if Lamont or Sveum had been named manager. I stated at the beginning of the season that Valentine is now a part of our favorite team and thus should be given a chance. As far as I am concerned he has had his chance and is very close to have blown it! He was brought in the stir things up, bring in a new management style (not that one was needed) and change things. 26 games into the season he has miserably failed at that! Let's talk again after another 14 games (after a quarter of the season has passed), but up to now these Red Sox are as painful to watch as they were in September last year!

                          And as a final point, I don't think that the group of players assembled is that bad - in fact, I think that they are quite good (and yes I can back up that statement with numbers!). So the fact that they perform this badly as a team, I can't but blame on either bad luck or bad management (or to be fair some combination). There is absolutely nothing you can do about bad luck (except for praying maybe). But there is something you can do about bad management.
                          Signed.

                          But I wouldnt fire him right now. A chance is longer than nearly 20 games imo. I think the Red Sox will be fine. Fine is at least 90 wins. The hitting is good the pitching is not. We are going through a tough stretch right now, Bucholz has to be put onto the DL for anxiety disorder or something...
                          I know you're watching, Si. Bu.

                          Comment

                          • Blue387
                            Ya gotta believe
                            • Jul 2010
                            • 10406

                            In other news, Aaron Cook is hurt.
                            The Mets have the best, smartest fans in baseball.

                            Comment

                            • Therwil Flyer
                              #firedavedombrowski
                              • Oct 2010
                              • 1612

                              Originally posted by Boston Boxer View Post
                              great post! So, you want to fire the manager a month into the season? No one in their right mind would do that. I just think your obvious dislike for the manager is clouding your judgement. I am fine with firing him after 1 year, but never after the first month.
                              Obviously he won't be fired now and if he ever will be, it would probably be at the end of the season. I am aware of that and it is, in general, probably a good thing. I openly admit I never liked the signing. But I am honestly trying to give him a shot to convince me that I am wrong. It is just that so far there has been absolutely nothing that would make me change my mind. I am not saying that everything he's done is bad nor do I blame everything on him. When he put Aviles in the leadoff spot, I thought he'd gone insane, but it worked off great so far. Obviously, the injuries and the terrible performance of the pitchers (both starters and relievers) can't really or fully be blamed on him. But I have yet to see anything that makes me believe he is a good manager worthy of the uniform he wears.
                              Last edited by Therwil Flyer; 05-06-2012, 01:32 PM.
                              Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)

                              Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)

                              Comment

                              • Therwil Flyer
                                #firedavedombrowski
                                • Oct 2010
                                • 1612

                                Originally posted by Blue387 View Post
                                In other news, Aaron Cook is hurt.
                                11 stitches. That cut looked nasty.
                                Watching Derek Jeter make 40 defensive plays and then watching Adam Everett make 40 defensive plays at the same position is sort of like watching video of Barbara Bush dancing at the White House, and then watching Demi Moore dancing in Striptease. (Bill James)

                                Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power. If he can continue to hit .260 or so, he'll be useful, and he probably has a future as a backup infielder. (Keith Law)

                                Comment

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