1. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/13/2012 11:02 PM EST

    In response to AL34's comment:

    In response to bigdog1's comment:

    I agree with both Al and Flattie on this.  First AL you maybe correct in saying that some of these recent signings are a joke, I am scratching my head on Dempster,  but Flattie is correct in saying this team will play hard.



    I think they will play hard but emotion only carries you so far, talent carries you the rest of the way. We are way short on talent if you think this team is going to get into the playoffs. Way short on talent in 2013.  Management is banking profit this year. Young Ben was read the riot act before he took the job about going low budget in the future and that Larry Luchinno was going to be calling the shots in the future. I said this a long time ago and then it came out about the Dodgers calling Luchinno, not Ben about the salary dump last mid August.



    I'd rather us just not sign anyone this year, trade all our 2014 FAs to be and maybe most of those in 2015 as well. Stockpile the prospects and only make deals for players with 3+ years of team control all within normal prime range.

    Next year's class may be even more expensive, but they look to be better.

    I am really a bit surprised that we have spent about $50M a year so far and are still not even close to being serious contenders unless almost everything clicks all at once.

     

  2. You have chosen to ignore posts from baddad. Show baddad's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/13/2012 11:48 PM EST

    why is anybody who disagrees with the fo or speaks of the teams lack of talent a troll......i remember seeing dick raditz at fenway as a little kid,,,,,,i listened  to the sox game on the radio when tony c was hit by hamiltons pitch in california,,,,also as a little kid.......i am not a troll and i agree wth al.......we wasted most of the money we saved by unloading agon ...crawford etc..we gave away scuturo....youkalis etc ........ maybe if enuff of us spoke up ....somebody who mattered ..and was worried about winning......cuz thats what sells tickets would listen.....with the money saved from la deal we could easily have signed sanchez and hamilton....instead we spent big money on good guys,,,,with limited talent.......to defend cherington and henry is to be their puppetsv and tools......let them spend the money...tell them to spend the money on talent...our tickets and our interest gives henry his revenue....we make him his money....we buy ihe product....demand quality.......i dont want another 86 year drought...wake up people

     

  3. You have chosen to ignore posts from mthomas43. Show mthomas43's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 12:01 AM EST

    I agree this has been a brutal off season.  When Ross was your best and most intelligent signing, you have big problems.

     

  4. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 12:03 AM EST

    The last candle of hope has flickered out.

     

  5. You have chosen to ignore posts from southpaw777. Show southpaw777's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 1:14 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    The last candle of hope has flickered out.




    A bit dramatic, dont you think Moon?

     

  6. You have chosen to ignore posts from hill55. Show hill55's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 1:29 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    The last candle of hope has flickered out.

    Seattle fans are upset that the Mariners have not spent money while Boston fans are upset that the Red Sox have not spent their money wisely. It just shows that fans of last-place teams can have high hopes and aspirations.

    There are no easy solutions, even for big-budget teams such as the Dodgers, Angels and Yankees. When the Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on December 8 last year, many anointed the Halos the favorites ti win the 2012 World Series.

    As I've written before, after the blockbuster trade in August the Red Sox had more money and less talent. With inflation fueled by new television revenues, the collective contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett might not look so bad in a year or two.

    Every baseball season brings new surprises ... perhaps our teams will surprise in 2013.

     

  7. You have chosen to ignore posts from Schumpeters-Ghost. Show Schumpeters-Ghost's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 1:36 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:


    I'd rather us just not sign anyone this year, trade all our 2014 FAs to be and maybe most of those in 2015 as well. Stockpile the prospects and only make deals for players with 3+ years of team control all within normal prime range.

    Next year's class may be even more expensive, but they look to be better.

    I am really a bit surprised that we have spent about $50M a year so far and are still not even close to being serious contenders unless almost everything clicks all at once.




     

    Again I agree with you!

    If the team is going to hope for a miraculous season - they may as well do that by playing rookies rather than signing over paid mediocrities.

    Napoli, Gomes, and Victorino - none of these guys will have a great year.  Ryan Dumpter?  Not a chance he will be good.

    why waste the money.  Just play all the kids - hope for miracles and hang in until 2014.

    But the reason they signed these slobs?  Because it fools gullible (paying) fans.

     

     

  8. You have chosen to ignore posts from 808soxfan. Show 808soxfan's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 5:03 AM EST

    Sounds simple, but the lineup has to stay healthy for us to have a chance. If it does, then we stand a good chance of competing. I still think that we have Morales, Tazawa, and de la Rosa as back-up pitching options. And we have plenty of catchers!

    A healthy Ellsbury playing for a new contract will make a big difference. It will be fun to watch Ellsbury and Victorino swiping bases. Napoli and WMB could be forces in the middle of the lineup that give Papi some protection.

    The off-season did not go as I thought it would, but I think this team will have the same character as the Idiots in 2004. That, in itself, should be fun to watch. Without Bobby V, the clubhouse will only be that much stronger.

    I wouldn't mind seeing one of the kids take an outfield spot some time after the All-Star break.

     

  9. You have chosen to ignore posts from Beantowne. Show Beantowne's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 5:51 AM EST

    In response to hill55's comment:

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    The last candle of hope has flickered out.

     

    Seattle fans are upset that the Mariners have not spent money while Boston fans are upset that the Red Sox have not spent their money wisely. It just shows that fans of last-place teams can have high hopes and aspirations.

    There are no easy solutions, even for big-budget teams such as the Dodgers, Angels and Yankees. When the Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on December 8 last year, many anointed the Halos the favorites ti win the 2012 World Series.

    As I've written before, after the blockbuster trade in August the Red Sox had more money and less talent. With inflation fueled by new television revenues, the collective contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett might not look so bad in a year or two.

    Every baseball season brings new surprises ... perhaps our teams will surprise in 2013.



    I'm not as discouraged as many of those on this site are with the Sox chances to compete next year. To me the key is Lester's return to form and with Farrel back in the fold I'm predicting a CY quality performance.

    Looking at the lanscape that is the AL East...I don't see any team being a prohibitive favorite on paper, the most improved team is the Blue Jay's. To date the Yanks haven't done anything of significance to improve thier roster. Nor have the Rays, in fact one could argue they got worse..The Yank's not resigning Russel, Swisher or Soriano then Arod going down and the Rays trading away Shields and Davis two proven vet's. The Orioles will be challenged to repeat last years results but are a legit .500 club...

    End of the day the mightly AL East is not the pre-eminent division in the AL any longer, one could argue that the axis has tilted to the west (Angels, A's, Rangers & Tigers). This could be the year that all it will take is 90 wins to come in first and with a greater premium on finishing first should be interesting season of baseball...

     

  10. You have chosen to ignore posts from Flapjack07. Show Flapjack07's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 7:37 AM EST

    In response to mthomas43's comment:

    I agree this has been a brutal off season.  When Ross was your best and most intelligent signing, you have big problems.




    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...he's been one of the best backup C's in baseball by all accounts and has some serious pop, and it's not like he cost an arm and a leg. I like Uehara as well.

    The Napoli and Victorino signings I could take or leave, but they may turn out to be solid, useful contributors (even if overpaid). Not sure I see the point in Gomes. Dempster was the only addition I truly hated, but I think resignation has set in there now...lol. I am pleased that they didn't make a big mistake by giving Zach Greinke the biggest contract ever for a righthander, or trading away the farm in a desperation move. These signings, underwhelming as they may be, are easier to accept than that would have been. Guys like Dempster and Victorino are fill-ins until the next crop of prospects is ready for primetime in another year or two...no one can say whether these prospects are the next group of Youks, Papelbons, Pedroias, and Lesters, or the next group of Lars Andersons, Jed Lowries, Michael Bowdens, etc. Let's hope for something more like the former.

    Ultimately, the biggest keys to improvement in 2013 will be the guys already on the roster - can Lester and Buchholz bounce back? Can Ellsbury stay healthy and put up big numbers again? Can Lackey be a contributor? Can Middlebrooks and Doubront build on what they did last season? etc. I think 2013 was always going to be a "bridge year" no matter what, but if everything breaks the right way we could certainly contend. No one can say in December what this team (or any) will do, that's for sure...and no matter who the Sox signed or didn't sign I'll still be as eager as ever for baseball come February and March. 

     

  11. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 8:52 AM EST

    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...

    Maybe, because we are paying about $50M a year, and he and Uehara are basically th best bang for the buck players we got.

    That isn't an eye-opener to you?

     

    (He's not "reviled" around here, except for a certain clown.)

     

  12. You have chosen to ignore posts from Flapjack07. Show Flapjack07's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:08 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...

    Maybe, because we are paying about $50M a year, and he and Uehara are basically th best bang for the buck players we got.

    That isn't an eye-opener to you?


    Not sure what you're getting at here...I asked why people were down on the Ross signing, and you basically said "Because we overpaid for other players."

    (He's not "reviled" around here, except for a certain clown.)

    "Reviled" may have been a strong word, but the Ross deal did set off a chorus of whining (not just from Softy), and certain posters continue to bring it up as if it was a mistake that belongs in the same category as Victorino, Dempster, etc. I like him and think he'll be a good addition. That was my only point.

     

     

  13. You have chosen to ignore posts from EnchiladaT. Show EnchiladaT's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:10 AM EST

    I love the idea of the Napoli signing falling apart.... each time I mention he has only played in 114 games once it is being too easy. The simple fact is he has played in less than 114 games 5 out of 7 years in the Majors!

     

    Drewski the positve fan looking more foolish by the hour.

     

  14. You have chosen to ignore posts from Joebreidey. Show Joebreidey's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:16 AM EST

    In response to pumpsie-green's comment:

    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way

    Nope. Probably not 93 losses. Valentine is gone and that will get us a few more wins. I would think that 88-90 losses is realistic as the team is currently constructed.



    ROTFLMAO!

    If you think this team is going 74-88, I will cover every nickel and dime you'd care to wager on that.

     

  15. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:20 AM EST

    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...

    Maybe, because we are paying about $50M a year, and he and Uehara are basically th best bang for the buck players we got.

    That isn't an eye-opener to you?

    [/QUOTE]
    Not sure what you're getting at here...I asked why people were down on the Ross signing, and you basically said "Because we overpaid for other players."

    The guy basically said if the Ross signing was the best we have to show for this winter, we are in trouble, to me, is not bashing Ross.

    (I do admit many bashed the Ross contract, but only softy bashed him as a player.)

     

  16. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:21 AM EST

    In response to Joebreidey's comment:

    In response to pumpsie-green's comment:

    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way

    Nope. Probably not 93 losses. Valentine is gone and that will get us a few more wins. I would think that 88-90 losses is realistic as the team is currently constructed.



    ROTFLMAO!

    If you think this team is going 74-88, I will cover every nickel and dime you'd care to wager on that.



    That they will do better than 74 wins?

     

    If we make no more moves, I'll give you 2:1 odds we don't top 80 wins.

     

  17. You have chosen to ignore posts from Flapjack07. Show Flapjack07's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:29 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...

    Maybe, because we are paying about $50M a year, and he and Uehara are basically th best bang for the buck players we got.

    That isn't an eye-opener to you?


    Not sure what you're getting at here...I asked why people were down on the Ross signing, and you basically said "Because we overpaid for other players."

    The guy basically said if the Ross signing was the best we have to show for this winter, we are in trouble, to me, is not bashing Ross.

    (I do admit many bashed the Ross contract, but only softy bashed him as a player.)

    [/QUOTE]

    OK, I get you. I wasn't accusing him of bashing the Ross signing, but rather saying I'm not sure why some people do.

     

  18. You have chosen to ignore posts from moonslav59. Show moonslav59's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:32 AM EST

    In response to Flapjack07's comment:

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    I don't know why the Ross signing is so reviled by many around here...

    Maybe, because we are paying about $50M a year, and he and Uehara are basically th best bang for the buck players we got.

    That isn't an eye-opener to you?


    Not sure what you're getting at here...I asked why people were down on the Ross signing, and you basically said "Because we overpaid for other players."

    The guy basically said if the Ross signing was the best we have to show for this winter, we are in trouble, to me, is not bashing Ross.

    (I do admit many bashed the Ross contract, but only softy bashed him as a player.)



    OK, I get you. I wasn't accusing him of bashing the Ross signing, but rather saying I'm not sure why some people do.

    [/QUOTE]

    OK, got it. Sorry for the confusion.

     

  19. You have chosen to ignore posts from Flapjack07. Show Flapjack07's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:36 AM EST

    No worries.

     

  20. You have chosen to ignore posts from Hingham Hammer. Show Hingham Hammer's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 9:43 AM EST

    In response to AL34's comment:

    I was wrong about Hamilton going to the Yankees, but I was hoping the Red Sox would go after him which they did not. I guess the theme this year is to have a low payroll and take the profits from Fenway this year. I believe they are going to sell this team and make it attractive with a low payroll base. You cannot tell me that with the guys Ben signed in Ross, Napoli, Victorino, and now Dempster that this is a good team. How does Ben figure the pitching staff got better with Dempster and are Lester and Bucholtz are going to get better as well. Lackey is coming back from elbow surgery, I mean come on here. We have an outfield of Gomes in Left, Ellsbury in center, and Victorino in right. Gomes is terrible defensive  outfielder, and Victorino is a 255 hitter in the National League. Ellsbury is coming back from an injury as well.

    This team is a complete cluster $uck with two idiots running it. So the fans in Boston are suppose to pay top dollar at Fenway to watch this. They should match the payroll and cut ticket prices. This is going to be a long year or Bridge Year as the call it to oblivion.



            There was very little if any chance of Hamilton going to NY. For that to happen the Yankees needed to clear alot of payroll which isn't easy. Look at the contract they gave Mo. What surprised me is they gave Youk more money. Makes no sense to me. IMO the Yankees should not have signed Youk and for 4 months go with Nunez. He showed me something in the postseason last year. That said Youk should help them.

             The Sox were lucky the Dodgers got then out from under those crazy contracts. Like I posted last September "Ray's Formula Works", we can't expect the Sox to turn their fortunes around overnight. Ben will field a team in April that can compete for a WC spot and going forward a team that can compete for a WS. 

             To date Ben has improved the club that finished the season w/o giving up any of the talent on the farm and w/o losing any draft picks. That and he still has a large wad of dollars left to spend.

     

  21. You have chosen to ignore posts from Joebreidey. Show Joebreidey's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 10:21 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    In response to Joebreidey's comment:

    In response to pumpsie-green's comment:

    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way

    Nope. Probably not 93 losses. Valentine is gone and that will get us a few more wins. I would think that 88-90 losses is realistic as the team is currently constructed.



    ROTFLMAO!

    If you think this team is going 74-88, I will cover every nickel and dime you'd care to wager on that.



    That they will do better than 74 wins?

     

    If we make no more moves, I'll give you 2:1 odds we don't top 80 wins.



    Don't even bother with the odds.  Even money tag bet we win at least 80.  Loser acknowledges the winner as the superior BB mind.  80 wins and I win.

     

  22. You have chosen to ignore posts from bgomez. Show bgomez's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 10:26 AM EST

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

    In response to Joebreidey's comment:

    In response to pumpsie-green's comment:

    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way

    Nope. Probably not 93 losses. Valentine is gone and that will get us a few more wins. I would think that 88-90 losses is realistic as the team is currently constructed.



    ROTFLMAO!

    If you think this team is going 74-88, I will cover every nickel and dime you'd care to wager on that.



    That they will do better than 74 wins?

     

    If we make no more moves, I'll give you 2:1 odds we don't top 80 wins.




    Bold prediction: We're not even halfway done.

     

  23. You have chosen to ignore posts from Alibiike. Show Alibiike's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 10:31 AM EST

    In response to mef429's comment:

    In response to bgomez's comment:

    In response to AL34's comment:

    In response to louisthelipp's comment:

    Either a chronic complainer or else a concern troll. Definitely a poster who NEVER acts like a fan.



    Hey Louie think this is a competive championship team. This team will be lucky to climb out of last place. Now management is telling us that we are going to wait and build, but are they reducing ticket prices to the level ofbtalent on the field? This was a good franchise untilnthey stopped signing and going after top pitchers.



    How do you know that?!?! Remember the Nats last year? They came out of NOWHERE to be a contender! What about the Angels? Everybody thought they were a "dream team" with Pujols (It's ironic that I'm posting this on the day they signed Hamilton), but they didn't even make the playoffs! What a team looks like on paper doesn't matter. How they produce during the season matters, because right now, we're tied for first place in the AL East!! We need some optimism in the room, jeez!




    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way



    Brilliant! So now the goal is to have less than 93 losses?

     

  24. You have chosen to ignore posts from BosoxJoe5. Show BosoxJoe5's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 10:35 AM EST

    In response to pumpsie-green's comment:

    EXACTLY. any team can go the way of the 2012 sox and get ravaged by injuries. we will be a good team next year, WS? probably not. but 93 losses? no way

    Nope. Probably not 93 losses. Valentine is gone and that will get us a few more wins. I would think that 88-90 losses is realistic as the team is currently constructed.



    No realistic person can think this wont atleast be a winning team next year. It would be foulish to think elsewise.

     

  25. You have chosen to ignore posts from BosoxJoe5. Show BosoxJoe5's posts

    Re: Writing on the Wall

    posted at 12/14/2012 10:41 AM EST

    In response to hill55's comment:

    In response to moonslav59's comment:

     

    The last candle of hope has flickered out.

     

    Seattle fans are upset that the Mariners have not spent money while Boston fans are upset that the Red Sox have not spent their money wisely. It just shows that fans of last-place teams can have high hopes and aspirations.

    There are no easy solutions, even for big-budget teams such as the Dodgers, Angels and Yankees. When the Angels signed Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on December 8 last year, many anointed the Halos the favorites ti win the 2012 World Series.

    As I've written before, after the blockbuster trade in August the Red Sox had more money and less talent. With inflation fueled by new television revenues, the collective contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett might not look so bad in a year or two.

    Every baseball season brings new surprises ... perhaps our teams will surprise in 2013.



    Here is the difference the Mariners having a losing franchise. they are like the Jets they don't expect to really ever win. They have a nice year every once and a while but don't expect them to make it to the ALCS. Most Mariners fans are fine with that. The Red Sox have 7 WSC and numerous ALC the fans expect more than 69 wins. That is the difference.