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Bobby Valentine to Boston

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by KYSportsWriter, Nov 29, 2011.

  1. hondo

    hondo Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I've got to agree ... with 25 guys, 25 cabs and the turmoil in that locker room, who thinks hiring this loose cannon is a good idea?
     
  2. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    First, they didn't go after a celebrity manager, he was the only celebrity candidate they interviewed, what are they supposed to do if he ends up being the best guy for the job? How does that imply them being out of ideas?

    Also, going into next season, whose rotation looks better than theirs? Certainly not the Yankees which is where they always look first.
     
  3. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    They interviewed a whole bunch of candidates and THEN Valentine entered the picture at the direct behest/order of Lucchino. That indicates a midstream policy shift to me. Guy, to me the difference between the Yankee and Red Sox rotations is that Boston is locked into Beckett, Lester and Buchholz for the foreseeable future. They sink or swim with 'em. New York still has the capacity to make changes, which offer at the least the chance of improvement. Also, lest we forget, the Yanks aren't the only team in the division Boston is looking up at right now.
     
  4. Gehrig

    Gehrig Active Member

    I imagine you mean in the AL? Possibly the Angels starting rotation, especially if they can sign CJ Wilson.
     
  5. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    Not saying they're the best, but the three they have are way above average.

    And Michael, you say that like it's a bad thing. At least for the next 2-3 years, the Yankees would kill to have such problems.
     
  6. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    Buchholz, who I believe to be the best of the three, may be healthy. If so, fine. Beckett and Lester were the two players most responsible for the September collapse, and have become public villians to boot. Not saying they're not good pitchers, but they are coming off years where they failed/choked in such a way that it could have left scars. And IMO, Beckett is exactly the kind of hard-throwing knucklehead who could see his gopher balls and ERA shoot up dramatically as he ages.
     
  7. Guy_Incognito

    Guy_Incognito Well-Known Member

    I would be concerned about Beckett - at this point he's high risk high reward, just a few steps above a Santana. I have a lot of confidence in Lester to bounce back. One month doesn't undo a track record like his.
     
  8. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    That's a fair assessment. I'd be surprised if Lester totally declined. But he does have that odd thing with control, or rather, with its occasional disappearance. This is in play even when he's pitching well.
     
  9. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    And unnamed Red Sox players already are upset. Awesome.
     
  10. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    Beckett's only 31 (32 in May) with a series of bumps and bruises but no major, Santana-esque surgeries. People (justifiably) forget he had a career-low ERA this year. IF he gets his shit together and IF he comes to camp looking like something other than The Fat Bastard, I could see him deciding everyone is against him, a la fellow fat Texan Roger Clemens, and having a Clemens-esque run in his 30s. Well, not THAT good, but a series of 16- or 18-win seasons with an ERA in the 3 range.

    Lester actually worries me a bit more. You'd think someone who went thru what he went thru would be more mature than to follow knuckleheads like Beckett and Lackey. Plus, as Michael Gee points out, the control is always an issue and may prevent him from ever becoming the ace everyone envisioned in 2009.
     
  11. steveu

    steveu Well-Known Member

    Can you blame them? This is going to be a hoot. Pass the popcorn... and if this doesn't work out, Sawx fans should storm the front offices and take Larry Lucchino out forcefully.

    On a somewhat related note, I do believe Francona has already been approached to take Valentine's place on Baseball Tonight and the related ESPN broadcasts. Can someone verify?
     
  12. derwood

    derwood Active Member

    No more fried chicken and beer. Tough shit.
     
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