SawxBlog

Theo Epstein Was One of Us

_{Theo Epstein helped bring the best of times to the all involved with the Boston Red Sox.}

If there was ever someone in the Boston Red Sox organization that could truly relate with us, the fan, it was Theo Epstein. Theo was one of us. Born and raised in Brookline, Epstein didn't need to to learn about the history, pride, and heartbreak associated with the Boston Red Sox because he was born into it. In 2002 the "Boy Wonder" became the youngest GM in baseball history at 28, I was a few years younger than him at 23, and Theo represented a lot to me. He embodied hope, youth, and change. Epstein didn't play baseball in high school, but with hard work, luck, and smarts - he became the General Manager of the Team he grew up worshipping. Could there be a better story?

Theo didn't run the club like a fan-boy, and was a shrewd and smart businessman. The nega-fans that seem to pervade Boston will be quick to point out the swing and misses Theo had with Free Agents, but there's not one GM in baseball who hits 1.000, and when it's all said and done, I wouldn't have wanted to have anyone else at the helm other than him. Tom Yawkey was a fan as well, but he ran the place like a racist country club, Fenway Park was basically Augusta North. Theo helped usher in a new way of looking at baseball, and with the help of some great minds and talent, he changed the way the Red Sox viewed and played baseball, and in the process became Champions.

There's no way Dustin Pedroia is drafted in the second round of the 2004 draft if it wasn't for Theo and his Crew. They saw the intangibles that Pedroia possessed, and the little runt everyone questioned may end up being the greatest legacy of Theo's tenure, and is on pace to be one of the best Red Sox players of all-time. Epstein didn't do too bad in other drafts either. Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jonathan Papelbon, and Clay Buchholz were all drafted under his watch - and it's safe to say we wouldn't have won the 2007 Championship without any of them. Sure he also brought in the likes of Edgar Renteria, Julio Lugo, Eric Gagme, John Lackey, and Matt Clement - but like I said, you can't name me one GM who hasn't made bad Free Agent signings, it's part of the territory.

As I said in a recent post, I don't blame Theo for leaving at all, and I actually think it's best for both the Red Sox and him. It's obvious that a mutiny occurred this year, and I think having new leadership is needed to help right the ship and start anew. Ben Cherington, Theo's likely successor, is going to have some awfully big shoes to fill - and is going to have quite the challenge on his hands. Not only because the organization is in complete disarray, but also because the bar's been set so incredibly high by Theo. I wish him nothing but luck, and as long as it's not against the Red Sox, I hope he brings a Championship to Chicago and the Cubbies. The Cubs are our National League cousins, and if he had to go anywhere, I'm glad he went there.

It's already one hell of an interesting off-season for the Red Sox and it's not even half way through October. Our ownership is suspected of leaking yesterday's cover story to the Globe, David Ortiz is threatening to play for the Yankees, and our Manager and General Manager are no more. It's a brave new world, but so was 2004. The Red Sox had just lost the most heartbreaking game of my lifetime and had no Manager or GM. Granted, they had a united clubhouse, but sometimes you need to hit the bottom to make it to the top - and there's no denying the Red Sox are at the bottom right now, but that's where we used to always be, Theo helped show us the top, and for that - I tip my cap.

AUDIO: Dustin Pedroia reacts to Boston Globe "Inside the Collapse" Article

_{Terry Francona and Dustin Pedroia were a duo all of Red Sox Nation felt akin to.}

You can hear Dustin Pedroia's interview with the WEEI's "The Big Show" below, and I find it seriously signifigant that Pedroia's the only, or maybe first, player standing up and speaking on on this article. I don't care how much is or isn't true with Beckett, Lester, or Lackey - but sometimes silence is the loudest thing in the room, and their silence is screeching. Also, while you're at it, check out this article by @MikeGiardi on the Red Sox clubhouse. It'll make you feel a lot more for both Crawford and Gonzo, while fanning the flames of dissapoint for the beer swilling Texas Chicken Trio.

• http://audio.weei.com/a/46985481/dustin-pedroia-responds-to-the-boston-globe-article-about-the-issues-with-the-red-sox.htm

The Joke's On the Red Sox Fan: The Players, The Media, The Manager, The GM, and The Owners All Let Us Down

_{The Texas Trio: Beckett, Lackey, and Lester failed the Red Sox fans huge in 2011. Disgusting.}

“While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; / When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; / And when Rome falls - the World.” -Lord Byron

It's been 14 days, exactly two weeks, since the 2011 Red Sox season came to a crashing halt on September 28th. In those short two weeks the fall-out has been surprising, a shock, and swift. Terry Francona is no longer the Red Sox Manager, Ron Johnson is no longer their First Base Coach, and now it looks like Theo will no longer be their GM. Two Weeks - that's all it's been. Oh how quickly the mighty have fallen.

Now the Boston Globe is running a large front page expose that goes "Inside the collapse of the Red Sox". I have to again call bullshit on their timing here, because all of this is only being reported well after the fact and not during it. Where was the Globe's all-access crack staff of reporters while this was actually happening? Does the fact that their parent company, The New York Times, owns a portion of the Sox despite partially selling some for a nice profit this past July, affect how they report in real time? Is there a conflict of interest when you're reporting on yourself? Is it even reporting? Or are they just a high priced Marketing Department? The reporter who's breaking the story now, Bob Hohler, is not even a Sports Journalist, he's an investigative reporter for the Globe, which is pathetic. Either the beats were too afraid to offend the selfish Sox players who quit on the fans, or they're to inept to do any actual journalism. The following is from the article:

"Most requested anonymity out of concern for their jobs or potential damage to their relationships in the organization."

You know what that tells me? Next time things are going sour they're still going to be too chicken shit to do their job and report on it. My faith in them is lost. Hate all you want on Dan Shaughnessy, at least the dude calls it like he sees it, and not how he's told to see it. It makes me furious that these fools with all the access and sources in the world turned their eyes blind as Rome crumbled beneath their feet - and just like the steroid era, it wasn't reported on until it was safe for them. Rats feeding on the garbage is all they are.

Still though, the article is telling - and despite the preface that surrounds it, I applaud Hohler for his work, he doesn't care about burning bridges, just the truth. Some highlights from the article are below:

• John Lackey is already dead to the Red Sox fan, both the casual and die-hard - but it looks like this mouth breathing dragon clown is also bringing down the two relegated aces on the staff as well. Josh Becket and Jon Lester are going to have a lot to answer for come Spring, and how I'm going to bring myself around to root for these two again is going to be hard, if not impossible. They are selfish brats and should be booed the first time they touch the mound.
• Francona deserved to get fired to not have his contract extensions picked up. It's his job to control the Clubhouse, and he lost it big time, and by him not trying, he set the tone that reverberated throughout September. He quit on them, so they quit on both him and us.
• Wakefield should never pitch for the Red Sox again. Despite all the good he's done over the years, especially in the community, he killed our bullpen going for #200, and helped add fuel to the selfishness that purveyed the Team. And if he, the eldest statesman on the Team is setting that example, good is sure not to follow.
• The same goes for Jason Varitek. These millionaires playing a game forgot that they aren't entitled to anything, none of us are - but they acted like spoiled brats and rested on the larels of their past, while bitching about what they get paid very well to do.
• Dustin Pedroia is who we thought he is - a dedicated ballplayer, lover of the game, and no excuse guy. He couldn't lead this Team by himself though, especially when veterans like Beckett, Wakefield, and V-Tek could undermine him. I think we should ditch the ridiculous hockey 'C' on the jersey, Tek soiled that idea, but if we don't Petey is the only one deserving of it.

I could write more, but I'm honestly too angry right now. This is the curse of the fan. No one truly gives a shit except for us. The reporters, the players, the Managers - all of them are free agents working the highest paycheck. We're rooting for the love of a game and Team, we'll have a 'B' on our hat for life, and that's why the jokes on us.

Hold tight wait till the party's over
Hold tight We're in for nasty weather
There has got to be a way
Burning down the house
-David Byrne, Talking Heads - "Burning Down the House"

Cost of Beer and Hot Dogs at Baseball Parks in MLB

Yesterday I was contacted by Mike from webstaurantstore.com with the below info-graphic about the cost of beer and hot dogs at baseball parks across the country. Not only is it well put together, but it's also very interesting to look over. A larger version of the info-graphic can be found here, and a few points of interest as they pertain to the Red Sox fan are below:

• While beer at Fenway Park is expensive, it's not tops in the league, with four Teams charging more including the Marlins of all Teams, which is pretty mind boggling. I guess they assume that since nobody goes to the actual games they might as well fleece the rare Florida baseball fan as much as they can.
• If you bought an average ticket, beer, and hot dog Boston would be the most expensive ballpark in baseball. This isn't news to Sox fans, and what ends up pushing the Red Sox over the top is the price of the ticket. The silver lining? The good ol' Fenway Frank is actually one of the more affordable dogs in the game. So there's that...
• The most expensive baseball ticket at face value ever went for $9,999 for a Yankee World Series game in 2009. Wow.

The AL Least and the September Collapse

_{The post-season ended swiftly for both the Rays and Yankees in 2011. (SawxBlog Illustration)}

Last night the Detroit Tigers defeated the NY Yankees to advance to the ALCS. No matter the year, it's always nice for Sox fans to see the Yanks bounced from the playoffs, and this year was no exception. The Red Sox and their epic September collapse left me numb for a couple days, and as I stated the morning after, it's always sad when the baseball season's over - but honestly, the Red Sox were put out of their misery. Even if they went 8-19 in September to make the playoffs, there's no way they were going deep into October. And honestly, although the timing of that ESPN the Magazine issue was terrible, it's impossible not to recognize how lucky we've been as Boston sports fans this past decade. It's really hard to complain about anything without feeling spoiled.

As the Yankees season was coming to a close in the Bronx the Bruins were raising their Stanley Cup banner in Boston, helping further heal the wound of the disappointing Red Sox year. There is no off-season for the fan, and while the Red Sox have a lot to do this winter, seeing both the Rays and Yankees bounced early was nothing short of pleasant, and helped dampen the repercussions of September. A lot of fans outside of Boston took lustful pleasure in seeing the Red Sox collapse, but in the end it all meant nothing for any of the Teams in the AL East, no one remembers a Team that's ousted in the first round.

The one thing I have to "thank" the Red Sox for is that they're never boring. I heard from numerous people during September how they were kind of glad that the Red Sox were getting back to their "old ways" - and while I disagreed with the sentiment, I understood their vantage. The anxiety felt during September brought an urgency to each and every game, and the shared angst amongst the die-hards, while not welcome, was familiar. I'm hoping it serves as a brush fire for the Sox to start anew, they still have the talent, maybe now they'll have the urgency. Regardless, the playoffs will be a lot more fun to watch now, and we have the Rangers and Tigers to thank for that.

Terry Francona Speaks to the Media

_{Terry Francona took some time to speak to the Boston Media yesterday.}

I gave everything I had, I really did. I hope that, whether it was right, wrong or in-between, I always tried to do the best I could for the Team. I always tried to put the Team and the Organization always ahead of my own personal stuff. And I hope that was apparent. -Terry  Francona

Terry Francona spoke more frankly about what's happened over the past month with both The Big Show on WEEI 93.7 FM and Dan Roche at WBZ yesterday. You can listen to the interviews at the above links, and some of the highlights from the WEEI interview are below. In short, Tito was who he's always been, a stand-up guy who took full responsibility for his job and the Team's shortcomings. As you can see on the right - thanks to Toucher and Rich, his choice of shirt for the WBZ interview was...well, interesting - but those are lines I'm not going to read between, pretty funny though.

It's going to be fun listening to him announce the ALCS on FOX, all fans can agree that anyone is a severe upgrade over Tim McCarver, so the bars set low for him there. This felt like a final chapter on Tito and the Red Sox though, and I think I speak for all Red Sox fans when I wish Tito nothing but good luck and successs in the future.

Highlights from Terry Francona Interview on The Big Show on WEEI 93.7 FM - Link to Audio

• On Larry Luccino being puzzled about his comment on ownership needing to be all-in - "The ownership group here is probably second to none, and they do a fantastic job here." Tito went on to say he was talking more about himself there.
• "Regardless of how ownership feels, or regardless of how Theo feels, or how you feel, or the fans feel - I had a responsibility to get something done and it didn't get done, so I need to wear that. And I do. And again, maybe it was just time. It certainly hurts."
• Players drinking in the clubhouse - He wasn't aware of player's drinking in the clubhouse. In general things were happening around the club he was uncomfortable with. He saw guys spending energy on things they couldn't control which took away from the focus of the Team. He didn't feel taking away beer was nessesary as they're grown men.
• John Lackey and his attitude - "I don't think it's done with intent to embarrass his teammates." Without getting into specifics, he did say there were discussions with Lackey and his attitude.
• Speking with Theo about Staying - "Theo and I had this conversation too, about, you know, am I  the right person going forward. Because obviously there needs to be some changes made here. And I don't think I was."
• On his and Theo's Relationship - "I think the fact that Theo and I made it through 8 years together in this environment, I think shows in itself how strong our relationship was. I think there were days when he wanted to wring my neck, I don't blame him. You're together that much and you're in a situation where you have to give your opinion."
• Further referance to his relationship with Theo - "When things were rough I knew where to go, and I did that to the end."
• When asked if he could work with Theo again - "I don't want to speak for Theo, that's not fair man - he's got his things to take care of this week I know…"
• On if he was Fired - "I think it was kinda mutual."
• On the Team Meeting after a 14-0 Win - He wanted them to realize that he wasn't reacting to a bad game. "I wish it would have had more impact. There's a certain segment of players that are going to do everything in their power everytime. Then there's other players I just wasn't getting to, and that's my responsibility."
• On the Media's lack of reporting on Clubhouse Conflict - "Because we were 7-20 at the end." Went on to say personal goals were outweighing the Team goals.
• On closeness to Dustin Pedroia - "Most special kid I've seen in my life. Petey's one of the best leaders I've seen in my life."
• Would he like to manage in 2012 - "I don't know." Doesn't want to manage in the wrong situation. Not leaving the game.
• Manny Ramirez - Mentioned that Manny was one of the players who left him a message in the past week wishing him luck, and he apprecaited that.
• On Teams who win - "The great Teams, the players police themselves."

Is Theo Epstein Chicago Bound?

_{Could Theo Epstein and Terry Francona be reunited in Chicago?}

Last night via Twitter Pete Abraham learned through Dan Shaughnessy that the Chicago Cubs have asked the Red Sox for permission to speak to Theo Epstein about their vacant General Manager position. Now this wasn't necessarily an unexpected move, as it seemed like only a matter of time before the whispers became something louder. Earlier in the day I was contacted by FOX Business Network who provided a video of Cubs owner Tom Ricketts briefly speaking on Theo's candidacy, and although the Theo portion was fairly brief and vague, it became apparent that the "Theo to Chicago" engine was gaining steam, which was only further validated later in the night by Abraham's tweet.

From Theo's perspective becoming the GM of the Cubs has to be an avenue he'd want to consider. He's already been to the top of the mountain twice with the Red Sox, and If Epstein could duplicate his success with the Cubs, he'd no longer be the Boy Wonder, he'd just be wonderful. If Theo left I wouldn't blame him one bit - he'd not only be the GM in Chicago but also their President, which is a signifigant promotion for him. I know it's become in vogue to blame Theo for September collapse and some of the Free Agent busts the Sox have signed over the years, but there's no GM in the game who bats 1.000 - and I think when looking at the big picture Epstein has been one of the best, if not the best, in the game.

I'll save my full review of Epstein's tenure if and when he decides to leave, but it's safe to say that if he's not with the Sox next year it'll have much great reverberations than Francona leaving, and that's no slight to Tito - it's just Theo's been a principal architect to what the Red Sox have built over the past decade, both the good and the bad - and come Spring I hope he's still in Boston, but it's not looking that way right now for change is in the air, and it's blowing hard.

Where Was the Red Sox Media?

_{It appears the Media was just as fat and lazy as the players were. (SawxBlog Illustration)}

"...sportswriters are a kind of rude brainless subculture of fascist drunks whose only real function is to publicize & sell whatever the sports editor sends them out to cover...." -Hunter S. Thompson, Epitaph for Fear & Loathing on the Campaign Trail - 1972

There's a new game in Red Sox Nation, and I'm sure the wizards over at NESN are already producing a pilot on it. It'll be hosted by some clown with an over the top fake Boston accent and called "The Blame Game". The format will be loosely based around a classic debate structure, and the contestants will pontificate on a myriad of choices for why the 2011 Boston Red Sox Collapsed. If I were lucky enough to be selected I'd go for the unique view of blaming the media.

As I previously stated, there isn't one reason for this collapse, and it's becoming quiet clear that there are multiple layers of fault to spread around from the ownership to the players. The reason I fault the media most, and specifically the Boston media, is because they didn't report on this until the Manager was gone and the season over. For all the reputation the Boston Media has for being "tough" it's looking like they were just as fat, lazy, and comfortable as the players themselves. They're the only people who have daily access to the clubhouse and the players, and they're lack of actual journalism is disgusting. How are these revelations about pitchers drinking beer during games and Tito having problems with players just coming out now? Are the beat writers too worried about protecting their own asses and not ruffling any feathers that they decided to not do their jobs in order to keep them? I mean, for Christ's Sake, there were four starting pitcher's in a God awful country music video called "I Like Beer" before the season started, I mean, really?

Of course now that they have no acting Manager to upset more stories will be coming out about the Red Sox dysfunction - but I ask, where in the hell were these stories one, two, three months ago? Don't you think if one of these beats did their job and made this public knowledge something maybe could have been done to prevent the collapse? Isn't it the media's responsibility to report on the truth, and not on spin? I can't stress enough how the fault of the Red Sox collapse needs to be spread around to all, but it's an abomination on how the Red Sox media behaved while the ship was sinking. They're no more reporters than they are Public Relations Interns for the Red Sox and they're just as disgusting as the millionaire athletes they cover. This is the same thing that happened during the steroid era, nobody wanted to lose any exclusives or rock the boat so the real story was never written until it was safe to come out of the shadows and feed on the garbage like rats. And Boston Meida, you are all rats for your silence, and nobody likes a rat.

All Things Must Pass, Even Terry Francona

_{Terry Francona should go down as the best Manager in Sox history.}

Now the darkness only stays the nighttime
In the morning it will fade away
Daylight is good at arriving at the right time
It's not always gonna be this grey
All things must pass
All things must pass away
-George Harrison, "All Things Must Pass"

Terry Francona and his 8 year run with the Red Sox is over. It's a sad day for us fans as Tito has been such a staple in our lives, and has been an excellent blend of character, patience, and even temperament. He was the consummate players Manager, never giving up on his troops while always believing in them. If it weren't for Tito who knows if Pedroia would have been allowed the opportunity to blossom into the leader and player he is today. His slump was epic to start his first year, with many calling for him to be benched. Tito stood by Pedroia though, allowing him to not only get out of his slump, but to win the Rookie of the Year.

There's many examples like this throughout Francona's career in Boston - and he was a great bridge between the new school ideology of the front office, and the old school grind of the field. His approval rating has always been high in Boston, a traditionally challenging place to Manage, and he was the man who finally helped bring winning back to Yawkey Way.

Francona was not solely responsible for the Team's success, nor was he solely responsible for their collapse this year. I do believe 8 years is a long time to have this job though, and I think he would have to be super human to not have worn down some. His biggest strength, being an incredible players Manager, may have led to too lax of an environment in the clubhouse over the years. Whatever the reason, they were not a hungry Team this year, and that has to be the Manager's responsibility. He had more talent than most Clubs could dream of, even with down years and injuries, and he failed to inspire. Not once in September did he get thrown out, call players out in the media, or do anything visible to light a spark. He allowed Lackey to punk him all year and generally seemed tired, burnt out, and to be going through the motions.

Again, I blame Tito for nothing, he's not only my all-time favorite Manger of the Red Sox , but of any Boston sports Team in my lifetime. I do believe change was needed though, and this isn't going to be the first or last change that's going to happen. Theo may be in Chicago, Papi and Paps easily could be somewhere else, and who knows what else will happen. This isn't ownership or management blaming Tito for anything, it's just them addressing deep issues. Looking for one reason for the collapse is like looking for one reason for the recession, unfortunately it's not that simple. I will say this though, whoever ends up replacing Francona is going to have some big assed shoes to fill. Do not envy that guys at all, people loved Tito so much it's going to feel like a Step Dad's taking over.

Francona should go out with his head high and chest puffed out, he's the best there ever was in Boston. Harrison may have said is best, while it's dark today, it won't last, and the Red Sox will win again. "After all this my love is up and must be leaving, It's not always gonna be this grey."

When the Baseball Season Ends

 An all too familiar scene for the Sox in September. (AP Photo)

There will be no statistical analysis. There will be no finger pointing. There won't be much of anything from me today - just silent mourning and frozen disappointment. I don't like it when the baseball season ends.