Texsox

Failed and fired? Not officially fired and he added a division title while here. It's not like we collect those regularly. Players seemed to like playing for him. Fans were the most upset and that's great for the franchise. He took all the blame and deflected it from the players. JR knows as long as fans like the players the franchise will be fine. Kind of like Ozzie hanging around after quitting the team and getting fired from his next job? Most teams have exes dropping by spring training. It's part of the atmosphere.

Actually 29 other teams didn't hire him. Let's look over the list of managers KCR didn't hire the past few years. Terry Francona, Dusty Baker, Alex Cora, Kevin Cash, A J. Hinch, or Joe Madden. So I'm guessing they aren't the benchmark of great managerial decisions.

Really, injecting sanity into the conversation?!

Sitting down with Tony to understand why some things happened the way they did is a valuable use of time. But that doesn't have to happen during spring training.

For me I want to return to enjoying baseball at all levels. Being a kid again and all of the sights and sounds of a game. Win or lose I just remember really loving baseball. I still mostly* enjoy watching my high school team play. We have a decent stadium to watch MiLB games. I may even pony up the bucks for MLB again but without the expectation of watching the Sox win a division. I'll just look for fun matchups. *Because it reminds me my golf team's season is over short of state if I have time.

As is well documented in several threads. This is a crap franchise. Has been forever. The losers in the 2005 WS went on to build a dynasty (with and without cheating) while the winners went on to be losers. NYY keeps rolling. If anyone here tries to be optimistic they are quickly and easily shot down with the facts. We can't draft. We can't trade. We can't develop players. We can't condition them to stay healthy through a season. We can't hire front office. We have the worst ownership group in sports. One good thing is we currently have a crappy division but as we most recently proved just being in the playoffs doesn't mean we're contenders. There is no championship window. All there is is playing for the 8th place trophy or pretending to "blow it up and start over" . . . and over, and over again. This next season will be another lesson in futility. So what makes it enjoyable for you? What are you looking forward to? ?

Damn good post @Jack Parkman

I'll have some of that Christmas cheer you're drinking. On the surface I agree with you. But deep down we both know that isn't true. So I checked the definition of contender. You are exactly right. According to the denotation of contender then yes, the Sox are contenders. But so too are literally every team in baseball. The connotation of the word contender removes the weak contenders and the highly unlikely contenders, leaving the strong contenders. Currently that just isn't this team. But there are still a few months until opening day.

One of my players has an indoor setup with trackman. I'm guessing it's getting a workout.

Absolutely I believe they are WS contenders. Oops, wrong holiday, I thought it was April Fool's Day. Currently they could win as many as 85 games. They might even win the division. Then they get swept away like old beer cups.

I haven't really followed SpaceX but it seems as if they took a NASA contract, research, and technology and did something that NASA and then Russians have been doing for decades while being lauded as geniuses.

I'm so glad we have an owner that doesn't sign guys to these crazy contracts and has to charge a lot for beer and parking. Keep everything cheap for the fans.

Our plan is to head south Monday. Tuesday is probably better.

Thank you. I'm worried that my wife will be really bored.

Making summer plans during the off season. Full day at Cooperstown? Half day? Other things to do in the area? We're heading to Maine then across Canada to Thunder Bay then back to a Texas.

My wife (born and raised in the south) asked what I'd be doing the last couple days if I still lived here. I said going to work. Business as usual.

I'll be in the minority with this but I believe Grandal will have a slightly better season. My biggest worry is Gio.

Exactly. While any team would like to quietly sign him and fly under the radar it will be national headlines. And the news organizations aren't going to assign their team ass kissing sports reporter to the story, it will be there news reporters who don't care about hurt feelings or access to inside information or locker room access.

X2

The reaction to domestic violence has slowly then rapidly changing over the past fifty years. While the Sox have a proud record on some social issues, they lagged behind in their reaction to Boston. I would hope if the same situation happened today the reaction would be different and more in tune with today's societal values.

Let's also remember he has sued the media that covers baseball. Teams will have to consider that as well.

Shoveling. Yeah that was fun. I'm glad it was light and fluffy.

Years from now someone will Google Michigan City bachelor party and this thread will pop up.

I feel like I just read a sales pitch for a time share in Branson. It really highlights how thin the line is between AAA and MLB.