ESPN praised AJ excessively during Sunday night game. He's hitting over .300 and is doing what AJ does.

Hahn or whomever who decided Flowers can play the game of baseball pretty much gets an F for that decision.

Considering we are in last place with major holes in our lineup, I'd say the decision to not pony up and sign AJ was one of the KEY reasons our team is an everyday embarrassment, a last-place AL Central team.

 

Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but these guys get paid big bucks to make decisions in the front office and the decision to let AJ go was PAINFUL. And don't say he could have signed. They didn't want him and everybody knows it. It was Flowers time and Flowers looks AWFUL (to this point).

 

AJ is actually just what this lineup needs. Our front office frustrates me.

Edited June 24, 201312 yr by greg775

If the Sox had kept AJ, they might be about 8 games out of first instead of 10½ games out. That would have been well worth the extra $7.5M to have a team that doesn't quite suck as much as the one we actually have.

ESPN praised AJ excessively during Sunday night game. He's hitting over .300 and is doing what AJ does.

Hahn or whomever who decided Flowers can play the game of baseball pretty much gets an F for that decision.

Considering we are in last place with major holes in our lineup, I'd say the decision to not pony up and sign AJ was one of the KEY reasons our team is an everyday embarrassment, a last-place AL Central team.

 

Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but these guys get paid big bucks to make decisions in the front office and the decision to let AJ go was PAINFUL. And don't say he could have signed. They didn't want him and everybody knows it. It was Flowers time and Flowers looks AWFUL (to this point).

 

AJ is actually just what this lineup needs. Our front office frustrates me.

 

There's no way that anyone who has watched this team play this year truly feels like they're a solid hitting catcher away from contending.

What Flowers had going for him that people thought would really separate him from AJ was his defense. His hitting since coming over from Atlanta has been garbage.

 

Good news is he is written off and we can move on to someone else shortly.

Edited June 24, 201312 yr by Baron

There's no way that anyone who has watched this team play this year truly feels like they're a solid hitting catcher away from contending.

 

ding

This thread should be fun.

They would have been better if they kept him, but how much is the question. Obviously, offensively he is an upgrade and he is nowhere near the defensive downgrade he was advertised. The Sox wouldn't be in first, but they probbly wouldn't be in last. AJ did have an effect on other players. He used to ride Ramirez hard. Mybe AJs absence is at least a small reason for Anorexei's struggles in the field

Yes, we should have kept him so we could trade him at the deadline.

 

Him being here would have changed nothing. He can't play all positions and be our only hitter.

If the Sox had kept AJ, they might be about 8 games out of first instead of 10½ games out. That would have been well worth the extra $7.5M to have a team that doesn't quite suck as much as the one we actually have.

Exactly. Letting AJ go was absolutely the right move.

There's no way that anyone who has watched this team play this year truly feels like they're a solid hitting catcher away from contending.

 

I'm saying it NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN to this point. We'd be four or five over .500 and in the fricking race. Our pitching is outstanding. AJ brought some intangibles, too, you know. Plus yes his bat would have been nice to have in this godforsaken lineup.

I very much disagree. Putting together a team and everyday lineup is a puzzle. And the AJ piece has NOT been replaced. NOT CLOSE.

Edited June 24, 201312 yr by greg775

yea i'm going to have to agree with everyone else. Sox would still suck this year. This was one of the first times in a long time I knew the Sox would be terrible before the season started

They would have been better if they kept him, but how much is the question. Obviously, offensively he is an upgrade and he is nowhere near the defensive downgrade he was advertised. The Sox wouldn't be in first, but they probbly wouldn't be in last. AJ did have an effect on other players. He used to ride Ramirez hard. Mybe AJs absence is at least a small reason for Anorexei's struggles in the field

 

I don't doubt for a second that the AJ brought some added toughness to the Sox. With that said, you can't fault the organization for wanting to try and give Flowers a chance. If the Sox thought they were legit contenders this year, I'm sure they would have brought AJ back.

I'm saying it NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN to this point.

We'd be four or five over .500 and in the fricking race. Our pitching is outstanding. AJ brought some intangibles, too, you know.

Plus yes his bat would have been nice to have in this godforsaken lineup.

I very much disagree.

 

You could put Mike Trout from last year on this team and he wouldn't have a 15 game impact.

You could put Mike Trout from last year on this team and he wouldn't have a 15 game impact.

 

The season went to hell quickly. Loss after loss after loss. AJ may have been a piece to help prevent that crap. Our pitching is GREAT.

 

One other thing. Heaven help us if everytime the Sox have to replace a standout, the decision is made with somebody as bad as Flowers. I'm pointing out a big F for fail in this case. And it was a huge factor IMO in the Sox being an embarrassment this year.

The season went to hell quickly. Loss after loss after loss. AJ may have been a piece to help prevent that crap. Our pitching is GREAT.

 

No, it's really not. 6th in the AL in ERA is good, not great.

ESPN praised AJ excessively during Sunday night game. He's hitting over .300 and is doing what AJ does.

Hahn or whomever who decided Flowers can play the game of baseball pretty much gets an F for that decision.

Considering we are in last place with major holes in our lineup, I'd say the decision to not pony up and sign AJ was one of the KEY reasons our team is an everyday embarrassment, a last-place AL Central team.

 

Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but these guys get paid big bucks to make decisions in the front office and the decision to let AJ go was PAINFUL. And don't say he could have signed. They didn't want him and everybody knows it. It was Flowers time and Flowers looks AWFUL (to this point).

 

AJ is actually just what this lineup needs. Our front office frustrates me.

AJ would not have this team much closer to first place than they are now. Team defense overall way too much to overcome.

Edited June 24, 201312 yr by Soxfest

I don't doubt for a second that the AJ brought some added toughness to the Sox. With that said, you can't fault the organization for wanting to try and give Flowers a chance. If the Sox thought they were legit contenders this year, I'm sure they would have brought AJ back.

 

This is where I disagree. I fault the organization big-time when it makes a decision that backfires so badly. It turned out they replaced AJ with a horrible, horrible player (to date). That doesn't work. All the Sox have to do is hang 4-5 over .500 in this bad division and they can be in the race. Decisions like this are horrible and somebody should be called out for them ... IMO.

Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to deal with the myth of AJ for the rest of my life. Is this what it feels like to be a Bears fan?

Edited June 24, 201312 yr by TaylorStSox

So far this year, according to fangraphs, AJP's WAR is 1.0 and Flowers' is 0.2

I'm saying it NEVER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN to this point. We'd be four or five over .500 and in the fricking race. Our pitching is outstanding. AJ brought some intangibles, too, you know. Plus yes his bat would have been nice to have in this godforsaken lineup.

I very much disagree. Putting together a team and everyday lineup is a puzzle. And the AJ piece has NOT been replaced. NOT CLOSE.

 

You are delusional if you think AJ is worth a 15-16 game swing in the standings

Hey wow am I sick of hearing about this.

 

I will agree that AJ is better than Flowers as long as we never have this thread again and you guys (the vocal AJ jerks) confess that AJ would not put this team anywhere near contention.

I would like to take this time to mention how right I was this offseason. Tyler Flowers is terrible. Just awful. To everyone who argued with me, I was right. You were wrong

There's no way that anyone who has watched this team play this year truly feels like they're a solid hitting catcher away from contending.

 

Agreed- just one of these should do wonders offensively and defensively whilst being economical.

 

Pierzynski was easily one of my favorite Sox of all time, but if he sticks around in 2013 (beyond...?), there's a good chance that this misery the Sox are presently going through is getting put off for no reason at all.

Edited June 25, 201312 yr by Swingandalongonetoleft

Johnny Bench is the only guy who would have helped this team.

 

Cutting AJ loose was the right call.

 

Trusting Flowers to be the everyday catcher was the wrong call.

 

The only thing that matters is finding a full-time catcher for 2014 and beyond.

 

Not sure if Phegley is the guy or not. We won't know until he gets his crack

 

But if he isn't, the Sox front office has some serious, serious work to do.

You are delusional if you think AJ is worth a 15-16 game swing in the standings

 

In Greg's mind the formula is

 

AJ+HAWK+OZZIE+TWTW=WS2013

Edited June 25, 201312 yr by southsideirish71