Dumb and Dumberer

by Robert57 on Jan 23, 2012 8:54 AM EST

As if this off season hasn't been bad enough,now they trade a spark plug kind of a guy in Marco Scutaro. What they got in return is not worth mentioning. Scutaro was a fine fundamental player that could do the little things. He had a good eye at the plate, and was one of the games better hitting SS. They couldn't have gotten more then that for him?
If they had had enough commom sense, they would have batted Ellsbury further down in the lineup to take advantage of his power and used Scutaro to lead off.. The funny thing is, I knew they would do this. I hoped they wouldn't but knew they would

Scut would be a good leadoff man. They could have picked up any number of pitchers,(Maholm) so they would not have to trade this guy. Now they have 6 million to play with, but Oswalt won't sign for that. Oswalt doesn't resemble the pitcher he once was,and I'm not sure he would worth it pitching every five days, while Scut would have played everyday. On top of which would be the challenge of coming to the AL, and the Eastern Division,and having the DH to face. . Now, they have to take Aviles, who could have platooned with Sweeney, and put him at short,with Punto. Punto and Aviles are bench guys, not starters. What they should try to do now, is pry Hanley Ramarez out of Florida, but that won't happen.His salary would be to high. If not that, they should sign Javier Vasquez. I don't even want to hear about Iglesius...This team is not so good at hitting as to put an automatic out in the line up. They already have two near automatic outs in Saltamachia, and Crawford. The ripple effect will be Sweeney playing every day and hitting .190 against LHders.Unbelivable!

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Aviles and Sweeney are going to have good years

The 2011 Over the Monster Gedman League Fantasy Baseball Champion

I hate free agency

by gizmosandy on Jan 23, 2012 10:03 AM EST reply actions

Hope you're right.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard
OTM | Silver Seven

by Bloggy on Jan 24, 2012 7:51 AM EST up reply actions

Aviles and Sweeney

I’m willing to give these guys a chance. As for Aviles, while I would have preferred Scoot (If y’all recalled in my report card, I mentioned that I felt Scoot was one of the few that didn’t just give up in September) I understand, but don’t agree with, the decision to dump the salary.

What perplexes me is the decision to sign Ross before we signed a SP. I know we needed another OF because we’re going to be without the services of CC at the start of the season, but SP is a more pressing need, IMO (An opinion that I know that I think everyone here can agree on) I REALLY hope that Ross doesn’t prevent us from being able to go out and get an Oswalt or a Floyd.

by Rick Bentsen on Jan 24, 2012 1:36 PM EST up reply actions

well I think the Ross decision had to be made because he wanted to pick a team

So ultimately, I think the fact that they went for him tells us that either they’re not going to let that signing get in the way of a starting pitcher, or that they legitimately think it’s OK for us to go into the year with Silva/Padilla as our fifth starter and the hope of Bard as our 4th. We’ll see which, hopefully freakin soon.

by wolf9309 on Jan 24, 2012 1:49 PM EST up reply actions

I hope you're right.

I can’t see us going into the season with this rotation the way it is and competing…

by Rick Bentsen on Jan 24, 2012 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

There are so many things wrong with this article I don't know where to start

so I won’t.

The 2011 Over the Monster Gedman League Fantasy Baseball Champion

I hate free agency

by gizmosandy on Jan 23, 2012 10:04 AM EST reply actions

They already had about 2-4 million or so to play with

Prior to trading Scutaro….so its probably in the 8-10 million ballpark with is well within the range to sign a pitcher

by BobZupcic on Jan 23, 2012 11:05 AM EST reply actions

Hanley would be a terrible addition to this team

Missed a lot of time with an injury last year, terrible defender, club house disaster, peaked in 08… need I continue?

Not saying we have the answer on the team, but Hanley sure as hell isn’t the solution. Scoot was the solution.

I am Sandy's bitch.

Joseph Vincent Paterno 12/21/26 - 1/22/12 RIP Coach
Penn State Forever

by Rogue Nine on Jan 23, 2012 11:54 AM EST reply actions

Yeah

No thanks on Hanley. His team actually goes out for the first time since he’s been there to spend money and bring in elite talent and he looks out for Hanley himself. I understand his motives of wanting to stay at SS, but you’re a professional. Your team is trying to win in a tough division and got rid of the manager that you fought with.

Headcase.

by The Name is Dalton on Jan 23, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

If they don't go out and sign Oswalt

or make a trade to bring in Floyd or something than the deal does puzzle me. If it is just to move payroll from one position to another (SS to SP) than it’s one thing. If it is just to move it (which I can’t imagine), than it is a puzzling move given the rest of the offseason.

Disagree with you, Robert, on Oswalt though. He isn’t EXACTLY the pitcher he was 5 years ago but he was also a top notch pitcher 5 years ago. His back issues are a concern but even with them a good #4 starter is worth the drop-off from Scutaro to Aviles/Punto.

The best alternative free agent wise would probably be Jackson, who would probably cost a little more and 2-3 additional years. And we have to remember that he didn’t exactly light it up against the AL East when he was with Tampa. Closer to the opposite.

by The Name is Dalton on Jan 23, 2012 12:51 PM EST reply actions

Although Jackson at that point in his career was different from Jackson now

but yeah, Oswalt makes a million times more sense.

by wolf9309 on Jan 23, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

Great point

I should also add that when I look at pitcher’s records against certain teams, I try not to go back more than 3-4 years because the line-ups change every year. In 2008 or whatever when he was in the AL East the division did not have Teixeira, Bautista, Granderson, Reynolds, Hardy, Swisher, etc.

So yeah, I wouldn’t say I am pointing out his failures in 2008 and earlier as an indication of future failures. That piece of my comment would be targeted at those who say Roy Oswalt is a worse bet because he has only pitched in the NL. It is valid that Oswalt may have troubles, but I don’t think it is more likely than Jackson having trouble adapting.

by The Name is Dalton on Jan 23, 2012 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

I expected to see "Sent from my iPhone" at the bottom of this post.

by Jake_W on Jan 23, 2012 1:48 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

bahahahaha

Everything Must Go.

by Sean O on Jan 23, 2012 9:04 PM EST up reply actions

Good point on line up

At this point the Sox look to start 3 offensively challenged players, Salty, Aviles/Punto, and Sweeney/McDonald. I don’t care who the other 6 players are, if you have 3 easy outs in the lineup every day, that hurts.

by Scoop1981 on Jan 23, 2012 2:08 PM EST reply actions

3 of those guys are not automatic outs...

Punto and McDonald maybe…

Check out my blog at http://conor-soxrox.blogspot.com

by Conor Duffy on Jan 23, 2012 6:50 PM EST up reply actions

wouldn't call them automatic outs

if Salty starts becoming an automatic out, then Lavarnway will be up. Aviles can crush lefties and Sweeney hits righties very well

by BobZupcic on Jan 23, 2012 7:56 PM EST up reply actions

Unless you consider a 0.352 OBP vs. Righties

an automatic out (Sweeney’s career mark)

by BobZupcic on Jan 23, 2012 7:59 PM EST up reply actions

Sweeney won't be batting .190 off lefties

Cause he won’t be batting against them at all.

Check out my blog at http://conor-soxrox.blogspot.com

by Conor Duffy on Jan 23, 2012 6:47 PM EST reply actions

Not sure we can count on straight platoons yet...

… but if Bobby V uses McDonald/Sweeney and Punto/Aviles in true platoons, it could make for an interesting offense and defense out there. Could be a big success… we can hope.

If this move gets us Oswalt, all the better.

And I can’t believe I opened a Robert57 post… I swear I made my joke in the other thread about moving Scutaro so we could go after Hanley before I saw that Robert57 actually wanted us to go get Hanley.

Oh, so many things wrong with this post.

I thought we’d never win it all. And then we went down 0-3 to the Yankees in 2004, and I thought it was the end of the world.

Wait ’til THIS year!

by AlohaSox on Jan 23, 2012 8:04 PM EST up reply actions

Plus, they're looking at Ross

So we might not see McDonald at all :D

Check out my blog at http://conor-soxrox.blogspot.com

by Conor Duffy on Jan 23, 2012 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

It's weird

You start off with a concept that I can get behind. We traded a reliable player in Scutaro and did not receive anything nearly as reliable in return (either in the trade itself or as it pertains to the pieces we will use to plug his hole) (ha ha).

But then…you just keep typing and I facepalm. Sometimes, I want to support you just so I can feel fair. That I’m not taking sides. You make that difficult.

Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.

@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard
OTM | Silver Seven

by Bloggy on Jan 24, 2012 7:56 AM EST reply actions

This is it.

Initial concept isn’t bad, but by the time he gets to making a run at Hanley Ramirez (or arguing that we should sign Madson, after the trade for Bailey, rather than another SP because we need a better bullpen…), I’ve just lost any ability to support the initial concept.

I thought we’d never win it all. And then we went down 0-3 to the Yankees in 2004, and I thought it was the end of the world.

Wait ’til THIS year!

by AlohaSox on Jan 24, 2012 12:25 PM EST up reply actions