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Red Sox Still Talk Of The Town

October 24, 2011 By

The Red Sox remain the biggest topic of conversation around here, but hopefully we’re moving away from the “drinking in the clubhouse” discussions and towards the “what moves should they be making” discussions.

In yesterday’s Globe baseball notes, Nick Cafardo made the case that the Red Sox should try and get John Farrell away from the Blue Jays. Comments from the Toronto GM would seem to indicate that the door might be open for a move, but Rob Bradford looks at Why John Farrell should be the Red Sox’ next manager but won’t be.

Also in the Sunday Globe yesterday was a full-page advertisement from Theo Epstein, thanking Red Sox fans for 10 years of support. Also, in an effort to mess with his reader’s heads, Dan Shaughnessy wrote a glowing column on Epstein and the job he did here. (Maybe Dan and Larry Lucchino are on a break these days?)

Gone, never forgotten - John Tomase reviews Epstein’s reign as Red Sox GM.

Here’s looking at you, Theo - Gordon Edes looks at what is next for Theo and for the Red Sox.

The Patriots return from their time off this week and prepare to face the Steelers next Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Patriots superlatives - Ian Rapoport gives us the superlatives (yearbook-style) for the first half of the season.

Brown’s D.J. Hernandez serves as role model for Pats’ Aaron - Bill Reynolds with a look at the Brown assistant coach, and older brother of the Patriots tight end.

Life on Pats’ practice squad is a wild ride - Glen Farley with a look at the ups and downs that come with being a practice squad player.

Patriots’ Spikes learns game on the fly - Monique Walker has a look at the second-year middle linebacker and the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the defense.

In search of some early risers - Fluto Shinzawa’s notebook has the Bruins desperately needing to finish shots early in games.

An unheralded Kelly leads B’s by example - Steve Conroy looks at the impact Kelly has made on the Bruins since coming over in a trade last February.

 

Filed Under: Morning Links
  • Classless

    Mike Mutnansky sounds so uncool talking about Gronk and his pornstar hookup today.

  • APimpNamedDaveR

    Back when I thought this ownership group had a good clue on how to run a team, I thought that Farrell was the obvious manager-in-waiting, groomed to take over when Francona's health issues got too much for him to continue managing.

    The fact that they allowed him to walk — and to a division rival! — was the first sign for me that they didn't have a good clue. And don't tell me that there's no way they could have retained him when a managerial job was staring him in the face — I'm sure if they had paid him a manager's salary to be a pitching coach and outright promised him the job, he'd have stayed. See, e.g., Dave Duncan, who could be a manager anywhere he wants to, but prefers to stay with LaRussa… so long as the Cards pay him like a manager. Which they do. (As far as I know, it was also the same deal when LaRussa was with the A's.)

    But no… the Jays are actually competently run, so the price for Farrell would START with Jacoby Ellsbury and continue upwards from there. Way upwards. So it ain't gonna happen. So now this ownership group have scapegoated/undermined the best manager for the team out of town, and let the second-best manager go to another AL East competitor without (apparently) making much of an effort to retain him.

    Good job, guys.

    • oldskool138

      Dave, you seem to know a lot about baseball and how to run a successful professional sport organization. Have you sent your resume to 3 Yawkey Way yet? They're looking for a new GM, manager and baseball ops person (to fill Charrington's old spot).

      • APimpNamedDaveR

        Believe me, I would…. but I lack the proper connections. (And an MBA, which is pretty much becoming a necessity for front office jobs.) My only decent connections are with some assorted agencies/agents, all on the west coast, and those wouldn't help very much. My only connection with any front office/ownership group — and it's an enormously tenuous connection — is, unfortunately, with the Yankees. And I just couldn't….

        So until I hit a few powerballs in a row, I'm locked out….

        • oldskool138

          You can still send it your resume. It only costs the price of a stamp and the worst they can say is "No", right?

    • latetodinner

      Not to rain on the John Farrell bandwagon…and Dave I see your point about how management screwed this up…but I can't think of a pitching coach who went on to be a successful GM. I am not saying Farrell won't be the exception…I am saying I am not convinced he would be the best option. I think they need to look outside the organization now that they staying inside with Cherington at GM. I still think Tony Pena makes the most sense…but I am not convinced he is what the Sabremetrics folks would want. It will be interesting to see how this plays out because this is Cherington's first big decision.

      • APimpNamedDaveR

        I think you meant to say that you can't think of a pitching coach who went on to be a successful manager, not GM, correct?

        If that's the case — I know there have been some. Bud Black, for one. Roger Craig was a pretty decent manager. Going back further, Bob Lemon. But in general, you're correct, and I think there's a reason for that. Pitching coaches are, most of the time, former pitchers. I think there aren't a lot of pitchers who are well-rounded students of the game as a whole (pitching, defense, hitting). Logically, therefore, there wouldn't be a lot of pitching coaches who are well-rounded students of the game. For the most part, they know a lot about pitching, and very little about hitting or offensive strategy.

        I think the number of pitching coaches who would make good field managers is on the rise. Chuck Nagy should make a good manager someday, for example.

        • latetodinner

          Sorry…I was typing fast before a conference call…not paying attention like I should…I meant manager not GM. I was really not looking to argue whether a pitching could some day make a good bench manager…rather I was simply suggesting that I don't see how John Farrell should be on the top of Boston's list. They need outside blood and I don't see a lot of pitching coaches being successful managers…therefore I don't think the Red Sox…with the issues they have now…should be looking at blazing a new trail.

        • Winning_

          Which is why traditionally catchers have made the best managers. They have the general knowledge of how to hit, though they often lack the body type or athleticism to be truly dynamic. The understand situational baseball as they are responsible for fields shifts due to opposing batters tendencies. Not to mention that fact that good catchers have a strong pitching sense. I know this subject is laughable but see Varitek on this one or see Posada on how not to do it. It's not a large surprise that Scoscia, Torre, Pinella made for pretty successful managers. Pinella was a catcher right?

        • latetodinner

          WHich is why I think Tony Pena makes a lot of sense. I completely agree with you. And Pinella was a LF…the rest you are right on with.

        • whitey bulger

          I would like to see some data that support this idea that catchers have made the best managers. As I look down the list of the winning managers, it seems pretty evenly distributed among all position players, except 1B.

          FWIW, Torre played 1300 games as a 3B or 1B.

          (Pinella was an outfielder. Don't you remember a Yankee making that ridiculous blind catch to game the Bucky Dent game?)

    • whitey bulger

      Just a weird way of looking at things. Baseball teams have traditionally let staff leave for promotions, so the Red Sox were supposed to NOT let Farrell go? If that's a John Henry problem, then every team in baseball is similarly mismanaged.

      And there is no sense I get that Dave Duncan wants to be a manager. Drinking with T fun, plus he always has a ride home.

  • http://twitter.com/theaisleseatcom @theaisleseatcom

    I can't see saddling some young guy with no managerial experience with a veteran team of bad apples (or, more than a few bad apples). That doesn't seem to be a combination that makes a lot of sense. Of course, who the new manager is might depend on how much of this roster is back in place (or vice versa perhaps).

  • Winning_

    So I started off a Monday listening to Gresh and Zo, and then the next thing I knew it was 3 hours spent on Gronk/PornStar. I couldn't have been more bored. I decided to tune in to my midday nap aka Mutt and Merloni.

    I've said it once and I'll say it again, I miss D&H.

    Anyone up for Occupy EEI in protest of the midday move?

    • EvilStaceyJames

      I had heard somewhere that Merloni's wife used to dance the ballet in Mashpee so he should have had some insight on bibi jones being en flagrante with Gronkowski.

  • Winning_

    Not sure if anyone is listening to the garbage/man love over the Jets on TSH right now. so the Jets win ugly and they get Felger and by association, Mazz, very moist. If the Pats won a game like the Jets just did, then they would be getting killed for sloppy play. F&M would be saying, they won but….

    Today could be the worst day in radio ever: Gronk Porn and Jets Love, weeeee

  • Mike

    I can't take M Holley's discussion on this anymore. I just can't Is he acting like this because he believes it or is it his turn to be the dissenter?
    The more I listen to him, especially since he paired with Ordway, the less I think he knows.

    • bostonsportsmediafan

      Mike,

      Didn't listen, but if you can summarize the context, that does help with folks who might want to add to the discussion with an agree or disagree.

  • Mike

    I can't take M Holley's discussion on this anymore. I just can't Is he acting like this because he believes it or is it his turn to be the dissenter?

  • Doc Michaels

    Holley has been exposed since leaving Dale's side. I realize most think that Ordway is the big issue, but honestly I don't think Holley brings much if anything to the table either. The "Big Show" is much worse since they dumped the round-table format.

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