Random Baseball Musings

[Sammy Sofa]

Glorious.

[MWV]

Terry Francona and (shudder) Dan Shaughnessy are writing a book.

Theo Epstein traded for Adrian Gonzalez and signed Carl Crawford following pressure from Boston Red Sox owners to build a "sexy team," according to a book co-authored by former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

"They told us we didn't have any marketable players, that we needed some sizzle," Epstein is quoted as saying. "We need some sexy guys. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This is like an absurdist comedy. We'd become too big. It was the farthest thing removed from what we set out to be."

[Cubswin11]

Terry Francona and (shudder) Dan Shaughnessy are writing a book.

Theo Epstein traded for Adrian Gonzalez and signed Carl Crawford following pressure from Boston Red Sox owners to build a "sexy team," according to a book co-authored by former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona.

"They told us we didn't have any marketable players, that we needed some sizzle," Epstein is quoted as saying. "We need some sexy guys. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This is like an absurdist comedy. We'd become too big. It was the farthest thing removed from what we set out to be."

Kind of sounds what the Trib/Zell told Hendry to do when they were trying to sell them team, worth noting it has been speculated for a while they are trying to sell the Red Sox as the owner (forget which one) is more interested in the soccer team in Europe he owns/doesn't have the money for both.

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh, God, no, don't trade for Adrian Gonzalez, what a horrible fate, totally terrible move, style over substance, what was anyone thinking, Jesus, [expletive], no, etc..

[jersey cubs fan]

"They told us we didn't have any marketable players, that we needed some sizzle," Epstein is quoted as saying. "We need some sexy guys. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This is like an absurdist comedy. We'd become too big. It was the farthest thing removed from what we set out to be."

 

Epstein really gave that quote for a book?

[Guest]

"They told us we didn't have any marketable players, that we needed some sizzle," Epstein is quoted as saying. "We need some sexy guys. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This is like an absurdist comedy. We'd become too big. It was the farthest thing removed from what we set out to be."

 

Epstein really gave that quote for a book?

Yea, given how close Theo plays things to the vest, I have a hard time believing he'd let that statement wind up in a book.

[CubsWin]

Oh, God, no, don't trade for Adrian Gonzalez, what a horrible fate, totally terrible move, style over substance, what was anyone thinking, Jesus, [expletive], no, etc..

I took that as referring to the Crawford signing. Though they did give up a lot to get Gonzalez...

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh, God, no, don't trade for Adrian Gonzalez, what a horrible fate, totally terrible move, style over substance, what was anyone thinking, Jesus, [expletive], no, etc..

I took that as referring to the Crawford signing. Though they did give up a lot to get Gonzalez...

 

It was speaking more the general tendency to lump together both moves as if they were indicative of the Red Sox being out of control, and the Gonzalez trade wasn't that (and especially not the good deal they then signed him for).

[Clem Fandango]

I don't understand why you need to add "sexy players" to market to a fan base that has sold out every home game since 2003 when you already have Ortiz, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Beckett, Youkilis...

[Sammy Sofa]

Probably because two of those guys were on the wrong side of 30 when they went after Crawford and Gonzalez?

[Cubswin11]

Also the Red Sox selling out every game since 2003 is one of the biggest farces in sports.

[Clem Fandango]

Probably because two of those guys were on the wrong side of 30 when they went after Crawford and Gonzalez?

 

Except they apparently weren't concerned with productiveness, they wanted players they could market. They had a slew of fan favorites still on the team. I get wanting to improve the team from a production stand point, I just don't understand Red Sox ownership trying to force sex appeal and marketability into the equation when they already had a very popular core of "hometown heroes"

[Sammy Sofa]

Probably because two of those guys were on the wrong side of 30 when they went after Crawford and Gonzalez?

 

Except they apparently weren't concerned with productiveness, they wanted players they could market. They had a slew of fan favorites still on the team. I get wanting to improve the team from a production stand point, I just don't understand Red Sox ownership trying to force sex appeal and marketability into the equation when they already had a very popular core of "hometown heroes"

 

What? They didn't go out and desperately pull a Soriano to try and pump up the visibility of the team like the Cubs did; they went and traded for Adrian Gonzalez and signed someone in Crawford who was under 30 and had been about a 34 WAR player in the previous 7 seasons. This whole "they were just trying to sexify the team" is nonsense trying to create a narrative for the book that's trying to paint two perfectly reasonable moves for a huge market team like the Red Sox as disasters from day one. And again, the "hometown heroes" stuff is moot because the guys they were going after were ostensibly to replace two of those "heroes" who were on the downturn of their careers. Just because you have a group like that in place doesn't mean you just let them ride out their careers without planning for the future.

[Banedon]

@BleacherReport

 

Excited to announce Will Carroll is joining the Lead Writer ranks at B/R! Follow @injuryexpert for the latest sports injury news & analysis

[Clem Fandango]

This whole "they were just trying to sexify the team" is nonsense trying to create a narrative for the book that's trying to paint two perfectly reasonable moves for a huge market team like the Red Sox as disasters from day one.

 

Which is why I said I don't understand the need to "sexify" the team. I was saying that it made no sense to justify those moves as an attempt to pull in ratings as opposed to winning ball games. I guess I wasn't clear enough... what I'm trying to say is I think Francona is embellishing so he can sell copies of his book, because what these excerpts are saying make no sense.

[Sammy Sofa]

This whole "they were just trying to sexify the team" is nonsense trying to create a narrative for the book that's trying to paint two perfectly reasonable moves for a huge market team like the Red Sox as disasters from day one.

 

Which is why I said I don't understand the need to "sexify" the team. I was saying that it made no sense to justify those moves as an attempt to pull in ratings as opposed to winning ball games. I guess I wasn't clear enough... what I'm trying to say is I think Francona is embellishing so he can sell copies of his book, because what these excerpts are saying make no sense.

 

Agreed. Sure, I'll bet the owners and the FO wanted big names to keep the brand going, but Francona's comments are just ridiculous.

[Guest]

mojo gets furious if you imply a big contract might not be good

[Sammy Sofa]

More just annoyed when people talk about the Crawford contract like it was a given he was going to topple off of a cliff at 29. There's a pretty huge difference between "huge market team with a lot of money overpays for a guy but will likely get 4-5 years of great to good production" and the complete bust that Crawford has turned out to be under his current deal.

[jersey cubs fan]

Theo Epstein, who was Red Sox general manager for nine seasons before departing to become president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs in the aftermath of Boston’s September 2011 collapse, on Wednesday addressed criticism of Red Sox ownership in a new book co-authored by former Sox manager Terry Francona.

 

In an excerpt from the book "Francona: The Red Sox Years" that appears in this week’s Sports Illustrated, co-authors Francona and Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy asserted that ownership was obsessed with declining TV ratings and followed the recommendations of market research consultants urging the team to add more stars and “sex symbols."

 

Epstein attended that meeting with consultants in November 2010, and was quoted in the book as being highly critical.

 

"They told us we didn't have any marketable players, that we needed some sizzle," he is quoted in the excerpt as saying. "We need some sexy guys. Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This is like an absurdist comedy. We'd become too big. It was the farthest thing removed from what we set out to be."

 

Epstein said that quote should not be construed as a criticism of the Sox owners, as many have done.

 

“My quote about how 'they told us... we needed sizzle' was in response to a question about the meeting to discuss the consultants' study on NESN ratings," Epstein said. “It was specifically about the consultants' meeting; it was not about ownership."

 

Epstein took exception to the assertion made in the book that after that meeting, he was responding "to the pressure from his bosses and the sagging ratings" when he traded for Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, signing the pair for a combined total of 14 years and $296 million.

 

“There is no direct link between that meeting and the Red Sox moves that winter," he said Wednesday. “I take full responsibility for those moves. It was my job to handle the pressure of a big market and make good decisions."

[jersey cubs fan]

http://deadspin.com/5977021/breaking-down-the-craziest-half-inning-in-television-history

 

this is a fun waste of time breakdown of a baseball scene on Elementary

[ConstableRabbit]

http://deadspin.com/5977021/breaking-down-the-craziest-half-inning-in-television-history

 

this is a fun waste of time breakdown of a baseball scene on Elementary

Haha that was awesome

[OleMissCub]

Was screwing around on BR tonight and came across something interesting (at least to me) and this may be common knowledge, but seems like 1996 can be considered the first "juicer" year.

 

In 1995 only one player in all of baseball had more than 40 HR: Albert Belle with 50 (F.Thomas, Buehner, and Bichette each had 40)

In 1996 I count at least 15 players with more than 40 HR

[Sammy Sofa]

Seems faulty.

[SouthSideRyan]

@BleacherReport

 

Excited to announce Will Carroll is joining the Lead Writer ranks at B/R! Follow @injuryexpert for the latest sports injury news & analysis

 

Sounds like a good fit

[SouthSideRyan]

Seems faulty.

 

Because he's looking solely at home runs or because he's comparing a 144 game season to a 162 game one?