The enigma of the 2011 Red Sox

MCMLVTopps

Now that the shock has worn off and reality is firmly in place, I wonder what is to come of the team. The 2012 season opens in Detroit on April 6th...somehow I'm already anticipating that day, pondering who will be there and who won't. We all know that #47 is gone, and in all the readings I've done, it seems that it's the right move, although at first I was a little on the bitter side. Rumors and conjecture abound, things that all point to a group of 25 guys who just didn't have the drive and burning desire to excel, a team that would play cohesively and all pull on the same end of the rope to benefit all.

The stats are all there, the long-term, highly-paid and grossly underperforming players can have fingers pointed at them...after all, they are indeed paid to perform. Their salaries are beyond obscene for what they do, but carping will not turn back the clock and finger pointing will solve nothing.

No doubt Red Sox management has their plates full to resolve all issues. No doubt Theo and his metrics will pour over all the numbers, perhaps meetings beyond ad nauseum will be held to solve this Rubik's cube. Decisions must be made, but still unless they can instill a cohesiveness in whatever team is left come April, a 2-10 start could rear it's ugly head again. Most of us can remember those one-run games, blown saves, disgusting numbers of runners left on base...but we always kinda thought "we got a lotta games left"...no, we didn't.

I think Terry Francona was a gem of a man and an excellent manager, clearly, he will be sorely missed. Pedroia will be personally impacted at the loss of his cribbage partner, but Red Sox Nation has lost a great guy IMO. He did what he could with the ingredients he was given to mix the brew...they just came up short.

The new manager (IMO) has to be a mix of a Joe Torre, Mike Scosia, Jim Leyland, and a dash of Earl Weaver. Nobody knows who the new manager will be, but clearly, he has some serious work ahead. We of Red Sox Nation can only hope things turn around...we just witnessed the worst collapse for the Red Sox since 1952. We should easily have been at least playing today, but the Fat Lady sang and we gotta live with that.

One wonders what it takes to turn the ship around. Young guys with so much talent almost mailing it in. Hard to figure guys making phenominal salaries yet seem so unfazed by what often appeared to be lackluster performance. Indeed the new guy will have his hands full.

Does John Henry have enough coin and does Theo Epstein have enough convincing to pull Joe Torre out of retirement? One can only hope, I think he would be ACES.

I'll be seeing the Red Sox here in Atlanta during the weekend of June 22nd...I hope that however the dust settles, we are a more competitive team than the one that left Baltimore.

WeekendHacker

I am a lifelong Red Sox Fan, although I have never lived in MA. I visited there every year as a youngster and between Salisbury Beach and the other places we went, the Sox were born in my blood as my mother grew up there and we all went back there for a few weeks every July. The Sox were always on the radio, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, Lynn, Tiant, Evans, Remy, Carbo all became my childhood hero’s. And to listen to my Uncles & Cousins talk of the Red Sox, I felt part of it and didn't want to be left in the dust - so as a young naive boy, I absorbed the Sox as "My Team." Of course, they wound up breaking my still young heart in 86 - and a few more times in the 90's. Let's not even talk about 2003......................But in 2004, I like most Sox Fans celebrated in a way of exuberation that I never knew existed. 2007 was awesome, but nothing would or will ever replace 2004. But I know they are still the Red Sox. They discover new, bigger and more unique ways to loose better than the Europeans discovered countries from 800 years ago. So having said that - here's my take on the 2011 Sox.....

Theo did his Job. He paid for the numbers that were expected from the FA’s he signed – Crawford/Lackey/Wheeler and the like. Tito certainly did his job. Outside of knowing what happened in the clubhouse, I believe he more than fulfilled his job as the manager. The players on the other hand, well, where should I start? Let’s start with the obvious – injuries….IMO, Bucholz going down for the last 2 months was the biggest injury the Sox had. Youk killed us in the last 6 weeks by not offering the right handed protection to Ortiz & Gonzo. Carl Crawford, Carl Crawford, Carl Crawford – who are you, where are you, where did you go, are you going to return? How appropriate was it that this gold glover missed the catch that once TB won it put them in the playoffs? Carl Crawford, I hope (for the Sox sake and for your sake) you show up next year.

For the good stuff….Gonzo lived up to expectations – I think he gets better. Ortiz (hope you’re clean) returned to form – (personally I wouldn’t offer him more than a 2 yr deal) – Pedroia was bi-polar with his stick although more hot than cold – I’d still feel comfortable with him hitting in the clutch – no problem here. And then there is Jacoby (who saw this coming) Ellsbury? WOW!!! You provided the protection for the boo’s that Crawford should have got. Has the Sox made the playoffs, he was the AL MVP – period. But now it goes to a friggin yankee named granderson or cano. But I’d love it if verlander put his name in the middle and won it!

For the future, I don’t trust Bard to close for a full season, so I’d actually consider (don’t shoot me for this) resigning Pap for no more than 3 yrs. Outside of the last game against the O’s, he did his job all season. But at the same time, I wouldn’t worry too much if he went elsewhere. But then who would close? I don’t have an answer for that. Lackey better get in shape and get his personal life straightened out – which I believe is impacting his professional life. As far as the MGR goes, I have no clue who to hire that can handle the team, front office and maybe (but unfortunately – maybe most importantly) the relentless/unrelenting Boston media.

TheVon

Some very good thoughts here guys.

I'll just add that I in 2012 I think they need to focus on a couple things . . . I don't want to call it a "bridge year" but some of these guys are getting older and I don't see the farm system being overly loaded with talent right now - especially not pitching talent.

So, I think the left side of the infield needs to be addressed. Obviously at this point it looks like Youkilis will be the starting 3B again. But he's now played in 8 major league seasons and he's never played in 150 games. He has averaged just 119 games over the past 3 seasons. And then at SS you've got Scutaro and Lowrie right now (not sure what the contract status is for either) and Iglesias waiting in the wings. I think both Scutaro and Lowrie are fine guys to have on the team but health seems to be an issue for them too. Can the Red Sox carry 4 guys (including Iglesias) for the left side of the infield? Or is it time to give Iglesias a chance to play full time and just keep Lowrie as a backup/

Clearly pitching depth, especially starting pitching, is a primary concern. I don't think they ever intended Wakefield to be a regular starter. He was supposed to be insurance - the kind of guy that can pitch part of a double header or do mop up duty in blowouts. Beckett, Lester, and Buchholz should be solid (knock on wood) but if Lackey just put together back-to-back terrible seasons and is headed in the wrong direction. He can't be used as a starter if he's going to continue to give up runs at a 6.41/9IP pace . . . not in what appears to be an era of strong pitching! The way I see it, the Red Sox need to find at least two starting pitchers: Aceves and Bedard, perhaps?

Finally, catcher . . . Varitek is another year older and I respect the hell out of the guy but he can't play indefinitely. I'm not convinced that Salty is a long term answer either although for next year I think he's fine. Is Lavarnway a possibility? Is catcher just one of those positions that major league teams don't really expect much from except good defense?