Red Sox 2014 Season Thread

[truth18]

So, yeah, haven't been on this board since we won but I figured I'd make this thread since there is none.

Nice win against the Braves last night, but overall, we appear to be in that championship slump.

Honestly, baseball is my least followed sport by far, so maybe someone with actual knowledge want to chime in?

Go Sox! Hope we improve soon.

[Geoffrey P]

I also think another problem was that they didn't really have any big signings. They lost Salty, Ellsbury, but added Sizemore, Pierzynski, Badenhop, Mujica. It doesn't help when you have Victorino, Doubront, Middlebrooks, Napoli, Wright, and Bucholz on the DL either. The pitching has sucked and Bucholz has been a joke, again. He needs to get it straight or they need to get rid of him. The guy's a mess.

[Geoffrey P]

Price hits Ortiz and Carp, causes the benches to come out, and still isn't tossed. Wow. And that's just in two innings.

Workman gets thrown out when the pitch is behind the batter. Buncha horsehockey that Price didn't the second time given how these teams have been

[Geoffrey P]

What a great signing Sizemore was, eh?

[truth18]

Would love to win these next three games.

[Geoffrey P]

At this rate they'll be lucky to score three runs, let alone win three games. Homers twice in a row.

[truth18]

We won 2/3. Just happy to beat the Yankees.

[Geoffrey P]

43-52. Last in AL East. Third worst in the AL. Time to let the kids play

[thesack12]

I Am not a Ben Cherington fan. In my eyes he is not a good GM.

Last year's ship was won on the backs of the core that Epstein already had in place. Uehara and Napoli were the only significant contributors that Cherington brought in.

Bailey: Terrible trade
Hanrahan: Terrible trade (Getting Holt as a throw in on the trade is lessening the blow)
Melancon: Terrible trade for a god awful player
Herrera: Not good, traded a decent pitcher for this guy
Dempster: LOL is my only comment on him
Victorino: Solid in the rare event he plays (except for a poor postseason). Has been predictably very brittle
Gomes: Good locker room guy, but not a very productive player
Napoli: One of only three good moves he's made. Really tho he isn't that great, just a solid player.
Uehara: #2 of the few good acquisitions. But he's damn near 40 so their isn't much staying power here
Drew: Absolutely horrific offensive player. Yet, Cherington felt the need to sign him a second time
Mujica: Terrible
Sizemore: Was worth a shot, but Cherington erroneously thought he was going to be a full time player. DFA'ed
Ross: Decent backup C, but dreadful at the plate
Pierzynski: Bad fit, and unproductive. DFA'ed after half a season
Capuano: DFA'ed after half a season
Badenhop: Been ok...I guess.
De La Rosa: Has a chance, the only piece of the mega salary dump trade that has brought any value
Peavy: Hasn't been as bad as it looks on the surface, but he has been quite underwhelming
Carp: The last of the 3 solid good acquisitions. Very solid, utility/bench guy acquired for only cash

Getting Farrell was a quality move. But I can't praise Ben too much, since he had to replace his terrible coach that lasted only one season prior to Farrell.

I can't even express in words how ridiculously horrible re-signing Stephen Drew was. He is definitively a 1 way player. His offense is unfathomably bad, and his defense isn't really all that stellar. That midseason signing absolutely reaked of a panic move. Not only that but it clearly had an effect on Bogaerts. Xander started the season pretty well, But when rumors of Drew being re-added started to float around, he took a turn for the worse. He's been in an extended deep slump ever since. We can only hope it hasn't ruined the kid.

Hows that borderline insulting offer to Lester looking about now? Smooth move Ben

To conclude, its no surprise to me that this team is as bad as it is right now. Ellsbury and Salty, two important core pieces have been subtracted and the rest of the main long term core are having down years. None of those crap ass pieces Cherington has brought in are nearly good enough individually or as a whole to make up the difference.

Sell, Sell, Sell. Dump any of those crappy vets for anything you can get before the deadline. The ones that are left (and there will be some because not many of those guys are desirable) need to regularly ride the pine. Keep JBJ, Bogaerts, Holt, Middlebrooks, De La Rosa in the lineup. The season is in the tank, and its not like those guys could do much worse anyways.

[Geoffrey P]

That list is horrendous. The one I hate the most is Drew. You're giving away $10 million for a guy that couldn't hit the ball off a freaking T-Ball tee. Is he defense alone worth that much? Yea, I don't think so.

Seven of those guys aren't even here anymore (Bailey, Hanrahan, Melancon, Sizemore, Pierzynski, Capuano) and you might as well just add Dempster and Peavy to that list too.

Now what did they get when these guys left?
Bailey: Nothing
Hanrahan: Nothing, although they did get Holt when they signed him
Melancon: Holt and Hanrahan
Sizemore: Nothing
Pierzynski: Nothing
Capuano: Nothing

That's a whole lot of nothing.

[truth18]

Don't worry, we'll win the ws next year

[Geoffrey P]

Hopefully

What do you guys think of the Lester for Kemp possibility?

[truth18]

I'm down at this point. Maybe Kemp brings Rhianna with him.

[truth18]

Welp. That was unexpected

[Geoffrey P]

That arm...

Lackey is supposed to be traded for Kelly/Craig in St. Louis.
Unexpected from a team that just won the WS

[truth18]

What a season.