Question: What do you think of Joe Torre’s tell-all The Yankee Years? Will you read it?
Answer: What do I think of Torre’s tell-all? I don’t think of Torre’s tell-all, really. I don’t have anything against the idea of a current manager putting together a book of experiences from a previous team, but isn’t this just the sports version of People magazine? Tom Verducci is a great writer (Torre’s “co-author,” a euphemism for “Joe talked about some stuff and Verducci wrote the thing”) and there will be fantastic research that he’s done to uncover really interesting quotations and comments from current and former players. But so what? What in the world could be in that book that is of any sports value or would tell us anything we didn’t know? What that guys did steroids? David Wells was a jackass? Shocker!
Here’s my guess? The biggest news in the book is that Torre isn’t the super duper nice, calm guy that he always played when managing the Yankees. There’s a great anecdote about two rival football coaches who screamed about each other before a big game and then called each other out in angry terms in interviews after the game. The feud was huge news. Of course, the coaches were then spotted by a reporter at the bar later that night, drinking beers together. When the sports writer looked at them, surprised, they both laughed. “It’s only a movie,” one of them is reported to have said.
That’s my analogy for what I figure will really come from this book – all that we saw and heard, all the denials and feigned ignorance of Cool Joe Torre circa 1996-2008 – it was all just a movie. And now he’s pissed and he’s not above exacting some revenge. Just because it’s reality TV doesn’t mean it isn’t still just TV. And so Torre’s pulling back some of the curtain for any gawkers who want a peek. Me, I don’t have a moral opposition to reading the juicy details or anything, I just have other important things I have to do.
Question: So the Red Sox traded Coco to KC for a reliever, possibly a setup man. What team benefits more from this trade and from the Sox’s perspective do you think this was a wise trade?
If the Red Sox benefit even a little from the trade, you’d always have to give them the edge in terms of benefiting more than the Royals because the Royals rearrange pieces on a losing chess board. Until they overhaul their entire operation, one would be wasting time to spend even two sentences
evaluating minor improvements to their team, which – crap! – I just did.
Anyway, I would think about the answer to the question of benefit from the Sox perspective in two ways – how much does the exchange of talent impact the construction and performance of the pitching staff and how does the exchange of talent impact the construction and performance of the outfield. As an optimist, here’s how I see it: If Ramirez comes in and fills the role of tandem setup man with Okajima effectively, that maintains a strength in the bullpen that every team needs and the Red Sox possessed only during the final month of the season with Masterson in the pen. That’s helpful for depth, but where it could turn really positive is if that allows the Sox to comfortably move Masterson back into the rotation, enhancing an already impressive batch of young starters. Young arms are the backbone of a long-term contending team.
As for the outfield, the optimistic assessment is that the removal of Crisp, while decreasing the caliber of defensive play somewhat, frees up Jacoby Ellsbury to stop looking over his shoulder as Crisp tries to take his playing time and simply focus all of his emotional energy on being the best leadoff hitter and center fielder he can be. And in that Crisp was a fantastic defender, but a middling .270 hitter with no power, the loss of him as a fourth outfielder isn’t too much of a loss. It opens up the
opportunity for the Sox to go out and find a fourth outfielder that offers some of the skills missing from the Sox bench.
If I’m right about some or all of that, it’s a strategic move that, in itself isn’t all that fascinating, but as it moves the pieces on the roster, the Crisp-Ramirez trade has the possibility of being a catalyst for some genuine improvement.
Answer: I am thankful for Thanksgiving. I love this time of year, getting a few days off, and having a built-in excuse to stuff my face. I’m also thankful after Thanksgiving. So, here on Saturday, I offer an optimistic speech not worth giving on Thursday afternoon…
I am thankful that my wife and I have our one year old son in our life. I am thankful that we are healthy enough to care for him and are fortunate enough to be able to provide for him. I am thankful for growth and change and learning. I am thankful for new perspectives. I am thankful for a home that is a place of warm, relaxed energy. I am thankful for a low-key and gentle marriage. I am thankful for contrasts.
I am thankful that my other family members – mother, father, brother, sister-in-law, and their three daughters – are nearby and healthy. I am thankful to get to see them for a few hours, a few times each year. I am thankful that our toddler son is rarely exposed to difficult children or adults that boss him around. I am thankful that my wife and I don’t have eating habits or traditions that cause stress for family gatherings. I am thankful that I have learned to be more giving and considerate of others, far more than I used to be, and willing to think of more than just my own needs. I am thankful for awareness over myopia, support over frustration, sharing over withholding, and – most of all – positivity over negativity.
I am thankful for the holidays and I am thankful for their brevity.
Question: Who is the team to beat in Major League Baseball next season? Any chance we see Tampa Bay and/or the Phillies back in the playoffs?
Answer: The team to beat in Major League Baseball is, at this moment, the Philadelphia Phillies. But, the good news for those of us outside Pennsylvania is that the label applies to the World Series champion only during the time between the final out of the Series and first major player acquisition of the winter hot stove season. It’s like the title “Most Powerful Man in the World.” It only applies to the President of the United States while in office. After that, all bets are off.
And here’s the real story – We’ll get a real and true “team to beat” for 2009 over the next 6 weeks. By the time the ball drops on Times Square, most trades and signings of significance will be done and we’ll have a sense of which rosters got better, which got worse, and which don’t matter at all.
But, if I could look into my crystal ball, I’d say that by spring training we’ll be talking about the New York Yankees having completely restocked their big league roster with trades and signings. Going into their new stadium, they’ll spare no expense. So, just like every year since the mid-1990’s, experts will predict the Yankees to return to form and claim the AL East – and trendy followers will believe the Rays will duplicate their magical 2008 and either take the East or get the Wild Card.
Realistically, as the season actually gets played, we’ll also be talking about the Red Sox, Angels, and Cubs. In short – the “teams to beat” will really be the same ones we always think are the teams to beat. Those teams will have the most impressive rosters on paper and the most experience navigating the treacherous attrition of the 162 game season. Them and one or two shocking teams that made a big signing or two (Kansas City Royals in ‘09!!!).
And when it all shakes out, the Rays will be a big disappointment, the Red Sox and Angels will irritate everyone by continuing to win, and the Mets will lose their final 25 games in a row and finish one game out of the Wild Card, with newly signed outfielder Manny Ramirez tripping on his shoelace in the 9th inning, allowing both the tying and winning runs to score.
Answer: Yes. And I’ll go one further – they should pay what it takes to get him signed. Of course, please note that I say, pay what it “takes,” not pay what slimeball Scott Boras “asks.” Most of the fans despise Boras and are sick of his politician-like lies and half-truths and ridiculous expectations. And worse, that he often gets what he asks for (and then rolls around gleefully in his money while we spit at our computer screens). But, that’s not the central point in this case. The point with Jason Varitek is pretty simple: There’s no one out there that can do a better job in 2009 or 2010 catching for the Boston Red Sox.
So, will it require giving him a much higher salary than he might otherwise be offered (like $10 million a year instead of $4 million)? Yes. Will it require giving him a third year, when we don’t know if he’ll be hitting over .200 or playing in more than 80 games by then? Probably. But, while we all fall victim to the emotion of saying, “just forget it, I’m sick of dealing with all this drama for a guy who can’t hit anymore,” all the yahoos who call sports radio can’t answer the most obvious follow-up question: Then, who catches?
There are several free agents that will cost a few bucks less and produce at somewhat comparable offensive levels to Varitek’s ‘08 season, and may even do a better job throwing out runners. But, is that really worth all the uncertainty? Varitek is battle-tested playing in Boston, penetratingly knowledgeable both of all the Sox pitchers and nearly every single American League hitter, a fiercely loved leader in the clubhouse, and tough as nails. For whatever you might save in the near term to get someone new – and let’s remember, it doesn’t matter what his salary is, ticket prices have no connection whatsoever to the team’s payroll – it will cost you far more in unanticipated consequences.
Sign Varitek, and realize that it is truly A Wonderful Life. You just don’t realize how grim the alternative is in a world without Tek
It has been since 1975, when Fred Lynn and Jim Rice arrived on the scene, that a Red Sox team has gotten the kind of contributions from rookies that they have in 2007. And anyone who knows any Red Sox history knows that 1975 was a very special season, with the team (thanks to the legendary Fisk homer) coming within inches of a World Championship. Among recent contending major league teams, only the Atlanta Braves of 2006 stand out as having more impact from rookies than this year’s Red Sox, using 18 in a single season while managing to stay contention into the fall.
Towards the end, even their streak of consecutive division titles, dating back to 1991, couldn’t save them from a 3rd place finish in the NL East. Here in Boston, with 5 playoff appearances since 1998 (all as a Wild Card entry, finishing behind New York in the AL East, which is about to change in 2007,) none of those five teams were marked by significant rookie contributions. Trades and free-agent signings were key, most notably Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz. But, other than some late season bullpen help from Jonathan Papelbon in 2005, it has been a veteran-led decade. That has begun to change here in 2007.
It’s stretching the terminology a little to consider both Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima as “rookies” this year, both having played many years professionally in Japan (Okajima is over 30 years old.) But, in terms of MLB definitions, they both count. And for rookies, they have both produced astoundingly well. Granted that Dice-K is being compensated like no rookie in baseball history, but he has been a solid starter for the team with the best record in baseball. And Okajima’s dominance has garnered him quite a bit of attention this summer, carrying an ERA of less than 1.00 for most of the year. He quickly became the primary setup man for closer Papelbon, and with his “no look” pitching motion (he looks down at the ground when he releases the pitch instead of looking at the plate, where he’s throwing), my wife isn’t the only member of Red Sox Nation to fall in love with Okajima.
But, the real and true rookies, the 23 year-old cocky kids, have really added the spark, much of it coming here towards the end of the season, when it’s needed the most. Leading the charge has been Dustin Pedroia. After many of us thought Alex Cora should assume the starting second base job when Pedroia struggled in April (are we all willing to admit how stupid that sounds now?) the brash and scrappy rookie has hit over .350 since May 1st and is hovering around .330 for the season, an average that places him in the top 10 in the American League. He’s the odds on favorite for Rookie of the Year. He’s been great in the clutch, solid on the bases, and has impressed with his defense, which included a miraculous play to preserve last week’s no-hitter.
And that brings us to Clay Buchholz. After a meteoric rise through the minor leagues, including a glamorous match-up against Roger Clemens while the Rog-father slogged his way through the minors on his way back to the Yankees (where he is amassing a mediocre record and getting injured,) Clay has appeared for two spot starts in key situations and has won them both. Most recently, he won last Saturday night against the Orioles to end a four game losing streak. Oh, and that game was a no-hitter, making him the first Red Sox rookie ever to throw one.
Jon Lester has also provided an emotional lift after returning from cancer. Despite some inconsistent performances, he’s taken over the 5th starter role and has yet to lose, at 3-0. And let’s not forget the gigantic boost that Kason Gabbard provided before being traded to the Texas Rangers at the July 31st trading deadline. In 7 starts, he was 4-0 with an ERA under 4.00. In this age, that’s remarkable for any pitcher, let alone a rookie who came to the team with much less fanfare than the other two. Combined, the three rookie starters are 9-0 for the Red Sox in 2007.
This past week, we have also been treated to our second helping of Jacoby Ellsbury, the lightning fast outfield prospect. In his return, he has hit .500, stolen bases, hit two homers and a triple, and made two incredible diving catches. He has simply lit a fire under the entire team. Every time he’s played, he’s had an impact. Terry Francona’s compliment was that Jacoby “shrinks the field,” meaning the base paths seem smaller and the outfield seems smaller with the amount of ground he can cover in so little time.
With all this success from young players, it’s become fashionable to look at the 2007 Red Sox as a prime example of how a big market team can intersperse inexpensive talent up from the minors in with more costly veteran free-agent acquisitions. If Theo Epstein hadn’t very recently made over $100 million in commitments to free-agents who have struggled mightily, in Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew, it might ring true. As it looks now, the team may end up getting better and younger at the same time in 2008, but only if the rookies continue to thrive and a few of the veterans either get sold out of town or live up to their salaries better than they have this season. But, there’s no doubting that the Red Sox are drafting and developing players who can impact the major league team much better than any other time in the recent past.
More Notes from the Cheap Seats
Though he was traded to Texas along with Kason Gabbard on July 31st, you can’t help but continue to root for David Murphy. He was clearly below both Ellsbury and Brandon Moss on the Red Sox minor league outfielder depth chart, and there was never going to be room for him to play. Everyone liked him and believed he would be a solid big leaguer, but not in Boston. Since being traded, he spent 10 days in Oklahoma (Texas AAA team) and was then called up on August 11th. He’s played in just over 20 games and hit .400 for the Rangers.
One new name that ardent fans have gotten to know this summer is Justin Masterson. Though not quite ready for the big leagues, the Sox unwillingness to trade Masterson is reportedly the reason why they couldn’t acquire Jermaine Dye from the White Sox at the trading deadline. The 22 year-old pitcher, who stands 6′6″ tall, has shown flashes of brilliance, but has been inconsistent. He went on an undefeated stretch mid-summer (in time to catch fans’ attention before the trading deadline,) but has fallen back since then. He’s had an ERA of about 4.30 at both Lancaster (Single A) and Portland (Double A), where he is now. Expect him to start next year at Portland and continue to improve.
Another rising star is 23 year-old Jed Lowrie. After a .260 season in 2006, he’s hit .300 at stops in both Portland and Pawtucket (Triple A), and has shown reasonable power, hitting 13 homers in 500 at bats. The scouting report is that his defense still needs work. Right now, there is no place for a shortstop on the roster. But, considering Julio Lugo’s struggles after signing a 4 year, $36 million contract, and the recent merry-go-round at that position in the past few years (Garciaparra, Cabrera, Renteria, Gonzalez, Lugo…), you never know what will happen next.
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