soxfaninfl

I will renew. It’s baseball and where else am I supposed to go?

Or the Ozzie rumors are true.

Jose not starting kinda tells me the decision on him is still pending. Kinda tells me he will be back too. Otherwise, they would give him a last hurrah.

No Jose. No Eloy. Signs of 2023? God help the new manager.

His was not the only ego. Please, I don't want Ozzie. For one, I know he and KW cannot coexist peacefully. That's just not happening.

My Lord, why did I invoke the name of Ozzie? If there is a lightning strike in the sky, it has Ozzie's name on it. I am not in the Ozzie camp, just pointing out a lot of his qualities as a manager is what this team needs. As for Ozzie only caring about Ozzie (or any similar manager), who cares as long as the team wins? Any manager worth his salt these days has to have an ego and this team requires one. How else are you going to tell a bunch of players who make more money than you ever dreamt to do what needs to be done? Who is going to tell Yoan, for example, you have all the talent in the world but where is your head??? This team needs a jolt. If that puts me in the Ozzie camp, so be it. I still like others better.

Ah, I get it. I am not advocating Ozzie for the job necessarily. Just too much hand-wringing about the next manager. I figure the FO will give this young core another year, maybe two, to get their act together. After that, who knows? Depends on results, I guess, but I also think it is likely we burn through another manager anyway. My way of saying the FO is the problem. Kenny and Hahn need to go before any meaningful change happens.

I am sure there are a lot of 'no Ozzie's' out there and probably in the FO, but I don't think he would be the worst hire. Not the best either. From the top, I will say I prefer Alomar first, Bochy second for a few reasons. I feel this may be a hard hire and sell. For one, it will be a high profile hire but there is pressure here and probably little patience. Tough job for a new manager. No 3-year rebuilding plan here. Win now or... I also hear a lot of comments about the manager changing the operating culture. That is not going to happen, not with these egos in the FO. To me, the foremost attribute a new manager must bring is a winning attitude and building a winning culture with this current team. Work hard, play hard so our talent does overwhelm the rest of the division. We spent the entire year acting as if talent alone will win out in the end. It didn't. Just play the game right. TLR's biggest mistake was letting injuries dictate how players were going to play. A lot of over-sized personalities on this team too. Need a manager with one too. A little swagger doesn't hurt. Butts in the seats. The absolute Achilles heel of this organization. JR is a lot of things but he is a businessman and I do believe he understands this need. Outside of the Abreu decision, this may be the biggest offseason acquisition that may create a buzz around the team. Maybe they can pull off an amazing trade? Doesn't really matter. After two years of TLR and 'fire Tony' chants, the Sox are a tough environment for any manager. Sox' managing history does not help either. The Renteria fire is only two years ago and I don't think the Sox have really ever valued the manager position. Just look at the hires... This is win now. I cannot emphasize that enough. From TV contracts to stadium leases to the disappointing 2022 campaign, this team has little wiggle room. Win now or go home. What manager is going to live up to that requirement? Honestly, I am not sure there is one.

Semien was traded in the off-season between 2014 and 2015. Paulie’s 2014 contract really had nothing to do with the trade. But while we are talking about Koneko, OPS+ of 130 at age 36 (2012). He declined in 2013 but that was the final year of a contract. And, as it is already been pointed out, Abreu’s career actually eclipses Konerko’s during the same age years.

No need to pander. I am just a not buying he can replace Jose.

Just not buying that yet.

I agree your scenario is as likely as any but my point was not to elevate Gavin. My response was to a question about the hole an Abreu departure would leave and the overvaluing of AV. Andrew can and will probably be a very productive hitter but he is also not your prototypical 1B. Also, his own WAR is not lighting up the league (0 this year), perhaps a product of playing the OF but 1B is also a power position.

Because I was thinking one thing and decided to go a different route. Just showing last 500+ ABs for the first two and competing thoughts intervened. Just feel we are overvaluing Andrew right now and just saying he should have 1B, to me, is still a big question mark.

Sheets 370 ab 15 hr, .708 OPS (2022); 530 ab, 26 hr, .745 OPS (career) Vaughn 506 ab, 17 hr, .756 OPS (2022); 923 ab, 32 hr, .733 OPS (career) Abreu 598 ab, 15 hr, .823 OPS (2022) Eloy 289 ab, 16 hr, .854 OPS (2022) if you are contending in 2023 or 2024, who should be the odd man out?

If he is available and willing, this has to be Alomar’s job.

This record should give all Sox fans hope going into next season. Bad teams just don’t have winning road records. Biggest question this off-season is why the Sox were so gawd awful at home. It just doesn’t compute…

I see stats like this and I assume you are suggesting Moncada has been unlucky. I would say maybe a little but there is also a lot of soft contact there too. However, I might be interested in seeing Yoan hit without the shift next year.

TA, Robert, and Eloy - keep. This has to be the core to build around come hell or high water. What choice does this team really have? Abreu is tough. I understand the argument on both sides but also think we are overvaluing AV right now and I think other teams will look at him the same way. He’s a 6’ tall 1B that is a liability elsewhere except DH. Tough sell unless you package him in a trade. Pitchers - keep Cease, Kopech, and maybe Lopez. I would like to see Hendricks back because he brings something severely lacking in this team, namely passion and excitement (sometimes too exciting but, oh well). The rest? Some will have to come back but I would view all expendable. Doubt we see many takers. As for injuries? Heard the same argument about Rodon last year and, well, yeah…

TA is fine. Just keep him healthy. Look elsewhere to improve this team.

Quite frankly, KW lost me after 2005 with how he treated Frank. I was actually happy when he gave up GM duties. I doubt we will ever really know who makes roster decisions for this team. I was in on the rebuild because it was a nice departure to the fantasy league style GM we had been employing since 2005. Old habits die hard. It’s still been plug and play since they traded Q and Sale.

I don’t think I have ever seen a team just play out the string like this.

You are probably right but I have had these thoughts all season. I mean if the Sox are hellbent on keeping him, why are they waiting until after the season to sign him? Because he showed loyalty before? One thing that’s seems apparent about Jose is he is a man of genuine pride. TLR did no favors. I get that. And, yeah, I am sure he lost a lot of players. I still feel something else is off and it would not surprise me that the same thing that bit Rodon, bit Jose. Didn’t want to make an offer because they were afraid he would sign.

But wouldn’t it be expected that Abreu would seek an extension before the season? Maybe the answer was ‘let’s see how the season goes.’ Would make sense of his preseason quotes and some of the things Vaughn said praising him (which seemed odd to me at the time). I mean, this is a guy who brought an MVP in ‘20, a division title in ‘21, wouldn’t you expect any answer like that to be a insult to him? You know the ‘either the Sox sign me or I will sign myself’ guy? Something has been off about this team all year and maybe I am grasping at straws but something is not as it seems. TLR was here in ‘21 too. Maybe he wore thin with the players (definitely did with me and the fans) but the struggle started early.

There is something wrong in the Sox clubhouse, either between players themselves or between the players and management. This last week has simply been, well, embarrassing… but this needs to be addressed. I have a theory but unsure because this past week has just blown away many thoughts. I didn’t mind losing the first game of the Cleveland series as much as seeing this team now just going through the motions. Anyway, what’s the chance something was said to Abreu before the season about next year/contract and it has caused a rift in the dugout? Something is way off.

I am not suggesting Cleveland doesn't have good players. Yes, Gimenez is a stud but to me, but this Guardian team is a lot like what the Sox tried to do around Frank for years. And I still say, you take Ramirez out of that lineup, it just isn't that dangerous or scary. However, did we try to build this team to compete against just the Guardians? Isn't the aim a little higher? Or do you think this Cleveland team is really a threat to the powers in MLB? Sure, Cleveland has done a great and wonderful job with the limitations they face as a small market team. As I said, I tip my hat. I still, however, remain steadfast in my belief the Sox have the better and deeper core. Better managing, better player choices to build around the core, and, yes, better health and we shouldn't have to worry about the Guardians. A lot more worry about what the Twins and Tigers might do this offseason.