Boston Red Sox Thread

[MattA75]

Eckersley's always been a dick

[numbers]

I like Eckersely because he's the only one on the pre-game show that isnt completely in the tank for the front office.

[numbers]

There's also the time Kevin Kennedy asked to have Albert Belle's bat checked.

[Norah]

I agree, but it's pretty easy to stand out next to those clowns.

[numbers]

Gammons is BRUTAL, I've basically lost all respect for him since he started working at NESN. Rice isnt so much in the tank as he's just incoherent so it's no better. Wakefield doesnt want to say anything to rock the boat either, so all you've got is the Eck. I will say though, a couple years ago when they were spinning down the drain in September, Rice was the only one on there telling it like it was(Eck was never on during that time.) TC and Gammons would be going on about how "it's ok, because the Rays lost too" and Rice said something like "what are you guys talking about, the Red Sox need to win a game at some point here."

[elliseamos]

Closer by committee part II

[MattA75]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

[elliseamos]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

[MattA75]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

[elliseamos]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

the team's 10 games over .500, i'll take that everyday.

[MattA75]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

the team's 10 games over .500, i'll take that everyday.

way to avoid the question...

[elliseamos]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

the team's 10 games over .500, i'll take that everyday.

way to avoid the question...

the point is the sox are rid of crawford (your second complaint) and can afford two good pitchers for the price of your binky (papelbon, your first complaint). therefore, they're a better team than they were and are proving it in the standings (for now).

boom roasted.

[philpritchard]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

Bailey and Hanrahan might not be worth the money they're making (although Bailey has been outstanding so far this year), but that doesn't mean the only alternative is to pay $13 million for Papelbon. Jason Grilli would be an upgrade over Papelbon right now, and he just signed for something like $3.5 million in the offseason. When you sign an experienced closer like Papelbon, you're usually paying a premium for the name on the back of the jersey on top of what he brings to the mound.

[philpritchard]

boom roasted.

[elliseamos]

boom roasted.

i think it provides the proper punctuation to my reply.

[numbers]

I've thought since last year that Tazawa would make a good closer, so, I guess we'll find out if I was right.

[numbers]

Also, has there ever been a more obvious case of a guy faking an injury in a baseball game than Hanrahan last night?

[elliseamos]

Also, has there ever been a more obvious case of a guy faking an injury in a baseball game than Hanrahan last night?

i'm sure there is, but that'll make any top 10 list.

[MattA75]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

the team's 10 games over .500, i'll take that everyday.

way to avoid the question...

the point is the sox are rid of crawford (your second complaint) and can afford two good pitchers for the price of your binky (papelbon, your first complaint). therefore, they're a better team than they were and are proving it in the standings (for now).

boom roasted.

They signed a guy who is always injured (Bailey) who, SHOCKER, is injured again, after spending most of last year on the DL.

They then traded for a guy with no AL experience to close out games in one of the two biggest markets there is, who has sucked all year and now he's hurt too.

Sounds like the old Harry Sinden "well, two $3 million players are better than one $6 million player" theory...and it's working out about as well for them as it did for ole Harry

[MattA75]

So glad we decided Papelbon wasn't worth 12-13 million a year, but thought John Lackey was worth 18, and Carl Crawford was worth 22...

Me too, bc a closer isn't worth that much.

but paying Bailey and Hanrahan 11.1 million combined makes some sort of sense?

Bailey and Hanrahan might not be worth the money they're making (although Bailey has been outstanding so far this year), but that doesn't mean the only alternative is to pay $13 million for Papelbon. Jason Grilli would be an upgrade over Papelbon right now, and he just signed for something like $3.5 million in the offseason. When you sign an experienced closer like Papelbon, you're usually paying a premium for the name on the back of the jersey on top of what he brings to the mound.

With Papelbon, I'd be paying for a guy who I not only know can handle the pressure cooker that is the closer's job in Boston, but I'm paying for a guy who EMBRACED it, who proved himself to be durable, and who wasn't one of the many clubhouse cancers from the past few years...those are the reasons they should've signed Papelbon...Papelbon was a classic case of them undervaluing their own guys and falling in love with some other guy from some other team ...and it's not just Papelbon, it's the fact you gave up Reddick to get Bailey...and no, I never foresaw Reddick hitting 30 homers, but considering the injury problems the outfield of 2011/2012 had (Ellsbury and Crawford in particular), it was shortsighted to give him up...