caulfield12

http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/31/opinions/why...aria/index.html Four reasons why Trump won, simple but extremely logical article with implications for both "sides"

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 11:49 AM) This is the one truth in here. The rest of it is irrelevant. What the team was purchased for in 1980 has zero do do with how the business is run today. To me it is obvious that they worry about the fan base, as they have spent pretty much a decade trying to add to teams to quickly put results on the field as they are obviously fearful that the fan base will dessert them in droves... and they regularly have, not just in down times, but even in years where they are in first place all season long and in playoff years. They pretty much suck at analyzing the fanbase...with prime evidence being 2017 attendance actually rising despite being one of the two worst teams in baseball. (And just 1000ish behind the Indians, best team in AL, better stadium and huge winning streak going.) They were never able to think counterintuitively, which is doing the opposite of what isn't working, until they had no choice. KW and Hahn should have pushed back harder.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 11:49 AM) This is the one truth in here. The rest of it is irrelevant. What the team was purchased for in 1980 has zero do do with how the business is run today. To me it is obvious that they worry about the fan base, as they have spent pretty much a decade trying to add to teams to quickly put results on the field as they are obviously fearful that the fan base will dessert them in droves... and they regularly have, not just in down times, but even in years where they are in first place all season long and in playoff years. And why can't that be attributed to JR's age and impatience to thread the needle of competing while still being profitable or at least breaking even? One of my best friends' parents is a huge Sox fan, watches nearly every game. 72 years old. He kept on repeating (these last two weeks) that it's quite likely he won't even be around the next time the Sox make the playoffs. Or did all that desire to win go out the window sometime around 2010-12 when it became obvious the 2005 core was never going to win another?

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 11:40 AM) A businessman would operate a business to run well & make money. A businessman would not be surprised if a s***ty product/service stopped making money and would do things to fix it or sell the company. The leaked financials a couple years back from the "we're so poor though!!" owners showed that they still print money regardless. This team was purchased for 19 million and is worth over 600 million now and has countless sweetheart tax deals, they have no business crying poor. You can't have it both ways. You can't shrug your shoulders and say that your fans don't support the team so you can't do anything to fix it while still taking in millions of dollars in profit. Either: own up and say profits are the only thing that matters & screw the team/fans we don't care OR try to fix your product and bring the fans back in. I will never side with a billionaire ownership complaining about fan support while he makes millions in profits, screws taxpayers, & puts out a s***ty product. Closer to $2 billion...going by Marlins' sale. How many businesses are in the bottom 10-15% for a decade in performance, yet their valuation still goes up like Amazon post 2008/09? I can't think of a single one...and they might be worth even more now with all the vets off the payroll except Abreu.

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 11:30 AM) I think that things like "you can't rebuild in a big market" and "this community won't support a winner" and "JR won't rebuild because he's old" are a lot of made-up media food that fans use to rationalize behavior they don't agree with. There's no evidence of any of this, because we haven't seen any other condition than hail-mary-all-in plays over the last decade. When we see what a rebuild looks like, or what the fans do if we make the playoffs for a few years, etc, THEN we can start drawing conclusions. Until then, let's stop making s*** up. I think most Sox fans would gladly take the Cubs' front office/minor league-development staff/scouting system and 60-65% of their free agent payroll in exchange for completely forgetting about a new stadium until 2035-2040. Winning is 90% of the issue. Which AL team lost the highest percentage season ticket holders from last year? The Royals, after just one hiccup...like the Sox went though in 2006-07 after the World Series. Except they have no light at the end of the tunnel after this year. But back to the bottom 3. The Mariners got a new broadcast deal, Cano and Cruz...the other team out of the playoffs for more than a decade, the Padres, are spending hundreds of millions in Latin America, at least they were. Of course, they didn't have our assets to turn it around. Myers was probably their best player, and he's worth about Jose Abreu in trade.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 11:19 AM) There are people quite actively b****ing about something that happened 20 years ago. When that is your fan base, alienation is a major and legitimate concern for ownership to worry about. How were the Indians, Royals and Twins all able to overcome this? The A's have the worst stadium in sports, 8 playoff appearances since 2000, for example. The Rays have more, too.

The attendance fear, at least this year, was severely overrated. The real key will be weathering the next two seasons...presumably with the Cubs in postseason play each of those years.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Jul 31, 2017 -> 09:45 AM) I think Delmonico can be at DH. It can actually be an open competition between him, Gillaspie and Hayes. Willy Garcia probably figures in there as well...Engel/Tilson for that last outfield spot off the bench. If Leury repeats this year, he probably gets traded. How many years of control again on him? Bullpen's a total crapshoot.

The Indians tore down two perfectly legitimate contending teams....2000-2002, that was more logical. The second one, around 20007/08, really killed that franchise, along with the strike as well. Owner more hated by many many multiples than JR.

QUOTE (Insp @ Jul 29, 2017 -> 08:16 PM) If that was the case, then why didn't someone even so much as try to make a sacrifice? Davidson and Smith...? Other than Leury or maybe Yolmer, not sure who could pull it off.

What happened to Bummer throwing 95-97?

Waiting for Alex to soon call for acquiring David Price's contract in order to "go for it" next year. Apparently, he challenged Eckersley to fight him in the clubhouse. Beltre one hit away from 3000 now... Btw, is there any additional compensation for Bourjos hitting .250 with five homers?

That was predictable enough... Who can we trade for Hader? KW and Bell?

Erwin Santana and Jaime Garcia suddenly on the trade market....doesn't bode well for getting rid of any of our remaining starters. Santiago will probably end up back with the Sox.

Dem Rep Moulton goes after everyone, lol... Mouton had some choice words for President Trump’s approach to the war: “Trump literally has it exactly wrong. He totally doesn’t get the war. I mean, obviously, he’s taken five deferments himself. He’s not someone who was interested in serving. I don’t think he has much respect for veterans. But to the point on Iraq, what Iraq needs right now is diplomacy.” Moulton also weighed in on the state of his party and criticized the Hillary Clinton’s strategy against President Trump. He told Couric, “I think that we’ve lost touch with the American people. And our ideas really aren’t resonating. You know — basically, in the presidential campaign, you had one person saying that real people are suffering. You had another person saying, ‘That guy’s nuts.’ And so you can understand why, at the end of the day, even if Trump’s solutions weren’t realistic, at least he acknowledged people’s problems and people’s struggles.” He said the way forward must include new leadership in the party, especially the voices of those who have served in the military. “I think the American people are hungry for some new, forward-looking leadership. But I think we also have to look ourselves in the mirror as Democrats and say, ‘We’ve lost election after election. What we’re doing isn’t working.’ And that’s why I’m calling for a new generation of leaders in the Democratic Party.” He continued, “A new generation, you know, the people who went to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan — to start leading, as opposed to those who sent us there. The people who understand the new economy and can talk about the future of work, not folks who were just at retirement age. We need to really reinvigorate the party leadership. And that’s what I’m trying to do. https://www.yahoo.com/katiecouric/seth-moul...-141406621.html

449 feet off restaurant glass...112 mph Hader looks much better than our old friend Junior Guerra tonight.

Vegas odds of Sox being tied against Kluber at this point in the game....slim to none

Two great defensive highlights though...just watched. Especially the backhand flip.

Devers 4/14 Moncada 4/33

QUOTE (Quin @ Jul 29, 2017 -> 09:13 AM) This thread. Russian accent: Team is bad, attendance down. I think we actually need to recruit the two Japanese guys from Major League for these comments..."but they're still shi---!"

Buddy Bell, once again....what has he done to distinguish himself since coming on board? Other than pushing KW to give Mark Teahen a contract extension, after pushing hard for him to be acquired from the Royals (where he coached him). Great talent analysis, there. The DBacks are likely to be in the playoffs somehow despite LaRussa and Stewart, someone over there must have done SOMETHING right.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 28, 2017 -> 09:40 PM) Real question, have we ever had this much turmoil 7 months into a presidency? Well, other than the Civil War...not really. War of 1812, maybe? Ooops, Madison began serving in 1809.

Hire Vizquel away from the Tigers for Anderson...Ron Washington, another, he worked really hard with Semien.

Anderson seems like he's almost always in between these days. And he's pulling off almost every outside pitch...he doesn't have a chance to drive the ball to RF. How many groundballs has he hit to 3B and SS in recent weeks?

QUOTE (BrianAnderson @ Jul 29, 2017 -> 08:40 AM) That was a well put together post. I agree with most of it. Very realistic too. I think Tilson will get his shot. I also think Gilaspie will get his shot too. Asche had his. I think they like Willy Garcia a decent amount too. I can see them trying to hit on a few washed up former 1st or 2nd round picks. We have the luxury of tryin got hit gold while we suck, so I see Hahn pursuing that route this summer Unless Tilson can play top 5-10% defense, steal 30-50 bags (see injuries)...there's just no way he's not a 4th/5th outfielder, at best. Basically, he's what you would get if you stuck Saladino out there right now, with less strikeouts and a higher OBP.