Welcome To The Machine

September 26, 2008 · Filed Under MLB, RED SOX · 3 Comments 

-Today we have the much anticipated debut post of Tiny Danza. He brings it hard as expected, coming right out of the gates with a fuck you to the Yankees and the Pink Hats of Sox Nation. Nice work Tiny.

- by Tiny Danza… Earnest Hemingway once wrote in The Old Man and the Sea - “…Son never lose faith in the Yankees.” Well fuck Hemingway! He ended up in Cuba anyway didn’t he? And fuck The Yankees! Their season, dynasty and crummy little “house” have all crumbled before our very eyes. And while the love fest at B.S.P is going down I’m comin’ with a lovin’ spoonful for my main man Theo “Boy Genius” Epstein. While many of us were crying in our Yaz painter’s caps because Billy “Moneyball” Beane spurned the Sox and their lucrative offer in ‘02 to take over baseball operations. The Sox subsequently hired a young nobody and Luchino protege named Theo Epstein. Upon being hired Theo outlined 4 prominent organizational goals which are outlined and dissected in the proceeding paragraphs:

1. Re-build the moribund minor league system by making it a “…player development machine” -Check

The Yankee dynasty of yesteryear was not solely the by-product of the Steinbrenner Cabbage farm, but came to fruition in spite of it. Contrary to popular belief those Championship Yankee teams were built upon the backs of: Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettite, Williams, Soriano and Mendoza (yes there WAS a time he was very effective) all drafted and developed in their system to form a rock solid nucleus. Homegrown cheap talent filling spots at: S.S., CL, C, SP, C.F, 2nd, RP encompassing the most important positions in middle of the field.

Possessing upwards $200 million didn’t hurt either, well at least not at first. You see having that much Cabbage allows teams/G.M.’S to be more aggressive but also allows/exaggerates their mistakes e.g., Pavano, Irabu, Giambi, etc. etc.. And like the call of the siren, the allure of pricey free-agents and sexy trades at the expense of young/cheap talent will leave your franchise stranded on the rocks for YEARS. Just LOOK at the Yankees pitching staff for next year as proof. $200 mill and you’ve got: Rivera, Joba, and well…. SHITE! Hughes and Kennedy have been less productive than Irabu the infamous “Fat Toad” in the popular Yankee fable. Mussina and Pettite both faced Honus Wagner as rookies while Pavano will be retiring giving his body to medical research. A confluence of events that’s left the once proud Yankee farm system as potent as a Giuliani seamen sample and the roster just as useless. All the while BOY WONDER has stockpiled: Beckett (TRD), Dice (FA), Lester, Delcarmen and Papelbon in their collective prime, with Bucholz, Masterson, Bowden, and Bard on the horizon. Not to mention: Youk, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lowrie in the everyday line-up with Lars Anderson, and Argenis “I’ll win 8 gold gloves” Diaz on their way. The indisputable fact remains that in 4 years the Sox farm system has gone from laughing stock to “player development machine”. Welcome to the machine my friends welcome.

2. Reach the Post-season every year - *5 out of 6

Technically *4 of 5 as Theo’s contract dispute kept him Read more

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Makin’ Moves (Calling Out The Wonder Boy)

July 30, 2008 · Filed Under MLB, RED SOX · 4 Comments 

theo epsteinby the goat… The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim sent Casey Kotchman to Atlanta for Mark Teixeira yesterday. Quite the aggressive move when you consider that Kotchman was leading the Angels in both batting average and RBI. When you then throw in the fact that he is under contract until 2011 while Teixeira is a free agent next year, you realize that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California of the United States of North America of the Western Hemisphere of Planet Earth are dead set on winning this year. Almost as much as they are dead set on expanding their fan base by incorporating as many geographical locations into their name as possible.

So The Skanks addressed two of their needs with Xavier Nady and lefty specialist (a.k.a. Papi specialist) Damaso Marte and now the Angels are making moves to upgrade already strong positions. Even Milwaukee is being aggressive before the deadline (Sabathia).

You have to start wondering at this point if the Red Sox are as hell bent on repeating as once thought. All this action and all they can talk about is moving their most productive bat of the last seven years? Look, since what took place last week I am done with defending Manny’s character (I still have man love for him though), but let’s be objective for a minute. Value? Impossible. Pat Burrell you say? He is in the midst of a career year sure, but his overall career numbers (.260 AVG… yikes) tell the story, and remember he did that on the senior circuit. Just leave Manny where he is, pick up his option (so he can’t go to the Skankees) and trade him in the off-season.

The Sox need a shortsop and some middle relief to win now. If they don’t address either of those needs, but trade Manny, then I will have no choice but to conclude that they are not 100% dedicated to this season. Call me a cynic, but between this lack of moves, the refusal to pinch hit for Varitek late in games and Tito’s unusually snippy attitude in press conferences I am just not feeling it right now.

Oh Yeah the Sox are 1-7 since the All Star Break against teams that aren’t the horrendously bad Seattle Mariners. So that doesn’t help either.

In conclusion, Theo, I am calling you out Wonder Boy! Let’s see some of that 2004 Orlando Cabrera, Dave Roberts magic! I know you have it in you.

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