Can Red Sox get any better?

[dman]

Originally posted by: Legendary
Getting better = winning a ring.
So yes, there is room for improvement.

I think the team is very solid this year, so, I expect/predict a few serious injuries to happen. Considering Pedro was rather healthy last year, he's due for a few weeks of injured list... probably around all-star break time. When the Yankee's will creep into 1st place after aquiring a few more playas.

But I'll be rooting for the Sox regardless. It's no fun otherwise.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Sorry, Boston will do well...but they will not win the WS. This may go on for 1-2 years until management realizes that their free-spending ways caught up to them and then they will begin to cut payroll...big time.

Seriously, why can't more teams learn from the A's? Sure, they haven't done that hot in the playoffs but they have made the playoffs the last four years with a $50 million dollar payroll.

 

[isasir]

Oh, I thought you were gonna say that they signed ARod....

Has there been any follow up? Is Nomar demanding a trade since they were so eager to get rid of him in the first place?

 

[Psorak]

Ha ha this is funny.

Pitiable actually since the Sox aren't going anywhere again this year.

 

[SludgeFactory]

Burks is a decent addition if he can stay healthy. If not, oh well, he cost $750,000. He probably will be DH'ing quite a bit, which is how the Giants would have loved to use him if only they could have.

I do wonder if the offense will be as good as it was last year. A number of new guys came in and had the best years of their career offensively, better than their previous big leagues seasons. Was that an effect of playing in Fenway Park or in that lineup, or did several guys have career years that they will not be able to duplicate?

I'll probably end up following Boston more closely this year, it's not looking good for my team, the Cardinals :brokenheart:

 

[Lager]

Hey Red Dawn, stop being a closet Red Sox fan. I know who you were rooting for against Yanks versus Red Sox.

 

[SludgeFactory]

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet
Sorry, Boston will do well...but they will not win the WS. This may go on for 1-2 years until management realizes that their free-spending ways caught up to them and then they will begin to cut payroll...big time.

Seriously, why can't more teams learn from the A's? Sure, they haven't done that hot in the playoffs but they have made the playoffs the last four years with a $50 million dollar payroll.

Theo is a new-school, Billy-Beane-style GM, expect he has $$$$ to play with. The Red Sox tried to hire Billy Beane away from the A's, he initially accepted then changed his mind. So they hired a similar-minded guy, Theo Epstein, and brought in Bill James (major influence on Beane's style and personnel decisions) for good measure.

Look at the offensive players the Red Sox are signing, they're focused on on-base percentage just like the A's. Beane hates managers who play hunches and don't go straight by the numbers -- look what Boston did to their manager who liked to play hunches. Boston is running their franchise like Oakland East, the major difference is that they have money to acquire established players rather than having to rely more heavily on the farm system.

"Moneyball" can give some insight into the A's. If you can stand the 300 pages of worshipping Billy Beane (which gets VERY annoying), there are some interesting things in that book.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: coldcut
Hey Red Dawn, stop being a closet Red Sox fan. I know who you were rooting for against Yanks versus Red Sox.

No I wasn't but after the classless actions of the Red Sux when they eliminated the A's it didn't break my heart to see them lose again. Plus it's real difficult to root for a team with punks like "Petey" and Rameriz.

 

[Led Zeppelin]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: coldcut
Hey Red Dawn, stop being a closet Red Sox fan. I know who you were rooting for against Yanks versus Red Sox.

No I wasn't but after the classless actions of the Red Sux when they eliminated the A's it didn't break my heart to see them lose again. Plus it's real difficult to root for a team with punks like "Petey" and Rameriz.

What classless actions?