10 replies to this topic

[MichiganGoat]

So Red Sux nation got Bobby V to replace Tito and here is what you get

http://hardballtalk....-into-the-game/

Great work there Stanley, attack one of the beloved grit players of the Red Sux, that will get the team and city behind you. On the radio I heard that Dustin P said something like "That's not how we do thing here" and apparently Kevin's agent called him to let him know what Stanley said. Stay classy Stanley!

But Red Sux nation is missing Tito and Theo now, although I feel a little bad for Ben- he's the puppet that Larry Lou will push the blame onto. Fucking Red Soxs they make the White Sox look good.

[Fishin Phil]

Poor Ben, we puppets are always getting pushed around.

[Brett]

I just don't understand what the point of the statement was.

[MichiganGoat]

I just don't understand what the point of the statement was.

He's a self serving tool that can't stop speaking, watching the Red Sux fail this year is a pleasure I'll enjoy.

[SirCub]

And now Pedroia came to Youk's defense (through the media), and Valentine said (through the media) that Pedroia doesn't know what he's talking about. Sounds like 7th grade schoolgirls.

[hansman1982]

Basically, Valentine is needing to be the center of attention - plain and simple. Once you view every one of his statements through that prism, everything makes sense.

I do feel bad for Cherington. Stuck in a shit-hole of a front office like Boston...he is going to go from a highly sought after asst GM to Jim Hendry in one season.

I do NOT feel bad for the Red Sox fans. They are getting EXACTLY what they deserve and hopefully this will humble them. Also, it needs to be a warning to us, for after we win the 2015-2020 WS titles.

[BlueHorizons]

Valentine certainly doesn't hesitate to criticize! As soon as this story broke, (and also when I'd heard that he'd been hired to manage the Red Sox), it reminded me of last season when Valentine was doing the Cubs game on ESPN, and pointed out Starlin Castro's antics. Unfortunately, he was "dead on" in pointing out what Starlin was doing. (that was the game that Starlin was dressed down on national television, when he was shown not paying attention to the game, at times with his back to the batter, no less) His comments were eye-opening. I'd have felt more sorry for Castro, had he not been making soo many errors and being so deserving of a good "come to Jesus" reprimand.

[FFP]

Valentine is such a bad choice. Someone smarter than me picked him. So, there must be a big picture I'm missing. My guess it is just L.L. asserting his domination within the organization. Or maybe ownership doing this. I can't stand it.

[DocPeterWimsey]

Valentine has the reputation of being a no-nonsense "old-school" guy, and after people decided to blame the collapse on the Sox clubhouse being, well, the Sox clubhouse, this probably looked good. Of course, the Sox clubhouse had beer and chicken in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, etc.: so, it successfully predicts 6 of the Sox's last 1 collapses.

As a Sox fan, I was really disappointed by this hire. I suspect that they'll soon get a more Tito-like manager (old school in the sense of "as long as it's not punishable by the law, go ahead: just win tomorrow," new school in that he doesn't think that a standard deviation is some sort of pervert).


Ultimately, the Sox's real problem might be their recent success. I really worry that all of the long seasons have taken their toll on the arms of Beckett, Lester, Buchholz, etc. They did a better job of keeping one pitching staff intact than most teams, but they might all be fading together.

[FFP]

Hadn't thought of long seasons. How'd I miss that fact?

I think a lot about Francona's tenure, his style; his habit of NEVER calling out his players while managing men who won't govern themselves... I know that's simplification.

Last year, midseason, maybe June or early July, he pulled Lackey, and that bastard did his best to belittle Terry in front of 40,000 people before stepping off the mound. Then Lackey did it again and again, the rest of the year. I think that's when (and partly how) the wheels came off the Tito-era Red Sox.

In the 80s there was a computer company in Massachusetts, Digital Equipment Corporation, DEC. It was a huge player in central Mass' economy. It was managed Tito-like. Hire the best people, give them marching orders, stay out of their way. Treat adults like adults. If someone seemed troubled, manage them (rather than punish or oust). But soon lazy, unscrupulous people started glomming on. "Here's a 'good' job. No pressure!" ...because they would apply no personal pressure, from within themselves. That company was productive for about ten years, too.

Some MBA-type might know the name for this process. I think a good organization (or organizational philosophy?) might have a 'season' then ripen and die.

When Manny was being Manny, Tito enabled him... to be a fearsome hitter (although he was still a dink). When Lackey was being an ass, Tito should have wupped it. But, Tito was still being Tito.

To every time there is season.

[fromthemitten]

I'll always like him because of this: