Comments on: Fine. I was wrong. I’ll admit it. (Sweet, sweet, yummy crow.)

By: Ogie Oglethorpe

Ogie Oglethorpe — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:32:14 +0000

Good to see people looking at this situation from all angles. I said before and still believe that if Lester and Hansen were traded for Beckett they could be a 15 game winner and a closer respectively. There is a saying that goes, “Figures lie and liars figure”. This situation is a perfect example until you dig deeper and represent the numbers accurately. The thing that frustrates me is that the local “experts” are aware of this situation but choose to misrepresent the facts and figures in order to stir the pot.

By: soxaholic

soxaholic — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 16:27:04 +0000

Have to comment on the post above. I, for one, was outraged when Meredith and Bard were shipped to San Diego for Mirabelli.

We gave up a young pitcher and a good young backup catcher who could hit for an over-the-hill designated catcher. As it turned out, the designated catcher didn’t do any better with the knuckler than the promising young player who you deride as “Iron Hands.”

This was a panic move, pure and simple. And it’s the kind of move that Theo tries to convince us that he doesn’t make … except when he makes them. And when Tek went down this year, the Sox were stuck.

By: HFXBOB

HFXBOB — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:38:46 +0000

Interesting comparison provided by Seth. There’s no denying the fact that all the impressive numbers being posted by ex-Sox are being posted in the NL (of course that’s where most of them are). And no denying the fact that the NL got killed in interleague play this year. But to me the level of disparity is getting a little baffling. Has the NL really fallen this far this fast? They did win the World Series in 2001 and 2003. Then again the teams that won were dismantled, weren’t they?

I agree that not many people expect the NL to win the Series this year and for good reason. Though there could be a surprise here. If it ended up with the Mets against the Yankees I think the Mets would have a shot. They went 3 and 3 against the Yankees this year and in one of the losses they blew a 4-run lead in the ninth. I saw some of those games and it seemed like the Mets matched up fairly well.

By: Retire_Number_14

Retire_Number_14 — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:24:50 +0000

I think it’s fair to say that the two leagues are not “in the same league.” AL teams routed the NL this year, and teams like Boston and Minnesota absolutely feasted on the senior circuit. There is a clear disparity, just look at the Wild Card chase, where the AL leaders are about 20 games over .500 and NL leaders are barely above the mendoza line. Nobody expects the eventual NL pennant winner to win the World Series, whoever it may be.

When players like Beckett switch leagues, you almost have to expect them to struggle, as Renteria did last year. Also, when young, recently traded prospects hit the majors and fail or succeed, one must carefully look at the level of competition they are facing. The NL is weaker not only because the pitcher has to hit. Most of the mashers in baseball swing bats in AL parks, plain and simple.

The Red Sox’s moves and non-moves are magnified now in the face of a season in which the team misses the playoffs. Justified? Yes and no. It’s always easy to rip a trade apart (i.e. the Mirabelli deal) months after the fact, but was anybody really upset at the time we let Iron Hands Bard and Cla Meredith go? Tell the truth, no you weren’t. When we dealt Hanley et al for Beckett? You had to admit, it sounded like a good move and even Lowell paid off. Just about everyone liked the Coco deal too, when it happened. Give these moves more time. In fact, give all the moves more time. Injuries and a devastating two weeks of baseball in mid-August are why this team will be setting up tee times in four weeks and not playing on FOX. It’s not because of defections in the front office.