The Official 2012 Boston Red Sox Thread

No clue but I'd have to think a lot of the weight had to be with the fan voting. Much of it doesn't make sense otherwise.

 

Not for nothing but you keep saying FinYank is a closet Red Sox fan but you spend a lot of time talking about them too, even posting their All Fenway team. Hmmm.....

 

According to Jim Duquette, former GM of the Mets & I believe Orioles and brother of current O's GM Dan, he was on WEEI yesterday and says he heard from a source that John Farrell told the Blue Jays that he wouldn't sign a contract extension if one was offered to him and that he would like to go back to Boston.

I do think Farrell is going to end up being the next manager, but the next week or so should be interesting.

Also with a Marlins win and Sox loss tonight, the Sox would have the #6 pick in the draft, if not the Sox would pick 7.

 

I don't think Toronto is a dead end, they were picked by a lot of people to be a sleeper team this year with a short to sneak into the playoffs. But like the Red Sox, injuries were the main reason for their poor season. They lost what 3 or 4 SPers to TJ surgery in the span of 2 weeks, I believe, their best player, Bautista, was hurt for a good part of the year and some of their more high profile players had poor seasons and their ace pitcher was horrible all year.

I think when you say injuries were a reason for failure people think that's making an excuse, but that's not always the case.

 

I'm definitely the monkey in that picture. Sorry FinYank, you're the bird.

I'm actually not sensitive at all, being a Sox fan all my life I learned to have thick skin. I just don't tell well to nonsense, that's all.

 

Signs you know the season went terribly wrong, when you're making poop jokes.

 

What a bunch of whiners. I mean really. It's not like the Sox are trying to lose these games on purpose. Funny you didn't hear any of this stuff from the Yankees clubhouse over the weekend when the Sox had Aaron Cook and Zach Stewart pitch in Baltimore. Nor did you hear the Orioles complaining about it either.

Maybe the O's should have just beaten the Rays on Monday and they wouldn't have been a game out. Geez, you make the playoffs once....

 

Goodbye Daisuke, nice knowing you. Enjoy pitching in San Diego or Pittsburgh and winning 15 to 18 games a year.

 

He has one more year left in his deal.

As far as compensation goes what did the Marlins give up for Ozzie Guillen? A utility INFer and a RPer I believe. None were big time type A prospects. Before that when Lou Pinella went to TB, they traded Randy Winn and a minor leaguer. So Farrell would probably net the Jays a couple of B or C level prospects, nothing major. Maybe a Kyle Weiland type player for example that could be a semi-useful MLer.

The Jays aren't getting a Matt Barnes or Jackie Bradley type and if that's what they want the Sox won't go after Farrell. One name I could maybe see dealt would be Bard for Farrell.

 

Yeah, see if the Jays REALLY wanted to keep Farrell all they have to do is say he's a contract extension, sign it. If he doesn't want to or if they are unsure about him or they don't want him back why keep him around? Just let him go and choose someone else while picking up a player in return.

It really doesn't make a lot of sense to keep him on, simply so he doesn't manage the Red Sox in 2013.

 

Gammons was on WFAN yesterday and mention that he thinks the Sox might make a run at either Morneau or Mauer in the offseason. He mentioned that because the Sox have payroll flexibility now they can take on all of Mauer's 138 million left on his deal (6 years at 23 million) and make him their everyday 1B so he can stay healthy that way. Only negative is he will be 30 next year so you're paying 23 million until he's 36 but keeping him off the plate could prolong his career and keep him healthier. Morneau is signed for only 1 more year at 14 million so again the Sox can take on payroll in a shorter term deal without giving up much to get him since it would be salary relief for the Twins.

While I'd LOVE to get Mauer, I think it's too much money for him even if the guy is still a great hitter and would probably be unreal at Fenway. I'd stick to shorter term deals for now unless the perfect player becomes available.

 

But in Morneau's case it would be a 1 year stopgap hoping he regains his past form, if he does great if not he just lasts the year and you move on. One of the biggest issues with the Red Sox in the past was signing guys to long term deals (Crawford, Lackey, Matsuzaka, Drew, Gonzalez, Renteria, Lugo), the ones they seemed to work was getting the undervalued guys on shorter term deals (Mueller, Ortiz, Beltre).

Pricetag meaning what it would take to get him or how much you'd have to pay him?

The Jays knew the Sox wanted him last year too, it's not a surprise or secret. But if the Jays don't think Farrell is part of their future why hold on to him just to hold on to him for 1 more year. It makes zero sense and basically sets the franchise up. If you're the Jays and you know you don't want him back just get rid of him but try to get the best player available for him. If the Jays are still unsure if he's part of their future or not, that's a whole different story.

 

Yes! YES! YES! YES! YES!

 

Yes you did. I and maybe it's being a Red Sox fan gave them the benefit of doubt that perhaps a new voice was needed and it's possible it WAS true. But that voice shouldn't have been Valentine. Just a huge mistake from the first day of ST. That one is on you Larry. But thankfully the Sox realized the mistake and got rid of it quickly.

Again I don't think Valentine was THE problem, but he was A problem.

 

Really good article on the 3 main incidents that led to Valentine's downfall:

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/b...three-key-moments-bobby-valentine-hit-acceler

Reading the article, it's pretty clear Valentine was simply out of touch with the players and probably a big reason was because he was out of the US MLB game for so long. It's also interesting that apparently Ortiz, Gonzalez and Pedroia were actually trying to help Valentine out in ST but Valentine took it as them challenging him.

Anyway just glad he's gone, the next few days should be interesting to see if the Sox will reach out to Farrell and/or who they plan on interviewing.

 

Again makes sense. If the Jays don't see Farrell as part of their future might as well get rid of him now and try to get someone back in return.