Ben does it again!

[60'sfan]

I continue to be underwhelmed by Ben Cherington's moves. He has just signed Scott Posednik to a minor league contract in Pawtucket. Scott is 36 years old and hasn't played in the majors since 2010 and he was hitting .203 for Lehigh Valley. Podsednik, Jason Repko, Marlon Byrd, Nick Punto, Kelly Shoppach and Darnell McDonald? Ben Cherington is the Statue of Liberty for replacement level players, welcoming all huddled masses. Did Ben used to run a fast-food restaurant?

 

[mauconnfan]

I continue to be underwhelmed by Ben Cherington's moves. He has just signed Scott Posednik to a minor league contract in Pawtucket. Scott is 36 years old and hasn't played in the majors since 2010 and he was hitting .203 for Lehigh Valley. Podsednik, Jason Repko, Marlon Byrd, Nick Punto, Kelly Shoppach and Darnell McDonald? Ben Cherington is the Statue of Liberty for replacement level players, welcoming all huddled masses. Did Ben used to run a fast-food restaurant?

Juicer, one of the so many obvious ones!!! Had his day............

 

[dsturdy5]

What do you want him to do? With the entire, projected starting outfield (Crawford, Elsbury, Kalish) hurt within days of the season starting, he has to look places to find bodies. Sweeney and Ross are 4th OF types, McDonald is a good "team" guy who can do a lot of things but none of these guys are every day outfielders. He has had to go out and get warm bodies to at least hold the fort until someone gets healthy.

I'm not crazy about this Red Sox team, but the OF is a muddled mess in large part due to the injury situation. If the position were healthy and Ross and Sweeney were your back ups out there, he wouldn't have to go out and get the Podsednik's of the world, which, by the way, is simply a depth/hope and a prayer type of signing. It costs the organization almost nothing to give him a look.

 

[60'sfan]

What do you want him to do? With the entire, projected starting outfield (Crawford, Elsbury, Kalish) hurt within days of the season starting, he has to look places to find bodies. Sweeney and Ross are 4th OF types, McDonald is a good "team" guy who can do a lot of things but none of these guys are every day outfielders. He has had to go out and get warm bodies to at least hold the fort until someone gets healthy.

I'm not crazy about this Red Sox team, but the OF is a muddled mess in large part due to the injury situation. If the position were healthy and Ross and Sweeney were your back ups out there, he wouldn't have to go out and get the Podsednik's of the world, which, by the way, is simply a depth/hope and a prayer type of signing. It costs the organization almost nothing to give him a look.

I'll agree that Ellsbury was a surprise but the Kalish injury was known long before the start of the season and no one really knew when Crawford would be available or what we could expect if he were. I would rather see some of the outfielders from Pawtucket filling in rather than Repko, Byrd or possibly Posednik. I would prefer that they take a look at Lin and I am happy that they finally brought Daniel Nava up.
Things that frustrate me even more was that no attempt was made to talk to Papelbon perhaps the best closer in baseball with Moe on the DL. And knowing that Lackey and Dice K were not going to be available for all or part of the season, he brought in a bunch of has-beens. I have the feeling that the front office wrote off 2012.

 

[Waquoit]

I have the feeling that the front office wrote off 2012.

Could be right. It would explain the Bobby V. hiring. If the season went south they could hang it on him.

 

[60'sfan]

Could be right. It would explain the Bobby V. hiring. If the season went south they could hang it on him.

I don't see too much that Bobby has done wrong so far. His comment on Youkilis was accurate although he probably should have avoided sharing it with the press. They will blame this year's failure on injuries. They always do.

 

[NHUConnfan]

Bobby V's had a few mishaps, but I don't think he's been a "bad" manager per se. Cherington's moves are a little underwhelming thus far, but Theo only ever signed huge busts. The difference between Cherington and Theo will be felt during the trading deadline. Theo was a master of getting trades done (especially great trades!) Cherington can deal Youkilis. Teams will want him if he's batting. We've got other trading pieces too (Shoppach/Salty, OFs when the others get healthy). Sox have holes but certainly can fill them without signing someone big.

This season isn't lost yet...still a lot of games to be played.

 

[60'sfan]

Bobby V's had a few mishaps, but I don't think he's been a "bad" manager per se. Cherington's moves are a little underwhelming thus far, but Theo only ever signed huge busts. The difference between Cherington and Theo will be felt during the trading deadline. Theo was a master of getting trades done (especially great trades!) Cherington can deal Youkilis. Teams will want him if he's batting. We've got other trading pieces too (Shoppach/Salty, OFs when the others get healthy). Sox have holes but certainly can fill them without signing someone big.

This season isn't lost yet...still a lot of games to be played.

I'll agree that Theo signed several busts but most were busts in retrospect. He also made some excellent moves. Getting Schilling and Keith Foulke for the 2004 season gave us our first World Series in 86 years. He also obtained David Ortiz, Bill Mueller, and Kevin Millar. Picking up Dave Roberts and Orlando Cabrera were brilliant. I never felt that Edgar Renteria was a bad decision. He had a pretty solid season for the Sox although he did struggle in the field. Dumping him so soon was a bad move. Perhaps his worse move was trading Bronson Arroyo to Cincinnati for Willy Mo Pena. He should have recognized that as a bad deal from the get-go. Some of his other decisions made sense at the time but turned out bad. i.e. Dice K, John Lackey. The real bad ones that even I thought were bad when they did them was Eric Gagne and Bobby Jenks. Theo always had something going. Adrian Gonzalez was a good move but Carl Crawford has not turned out well....so far. Ben has done nothing but minor adjustments. Injuries aside, I think the team has become weaker during his reign.

 

[NHUConnfan]

I'll agree that Theo signed several busts but most were busts in retrospect. He also made some excellent moves. Getting Schilling and Keith Foulke for the 2004 season gave us our first World Series in 86 years. He also obtained David Ortiz, Bill Mueller, and Kevin Millar. Picking up Dave Roberts and Orlando Cabrera were brilliant. I never felt that Edgar Renteria was a bad decision. He had a pretty solid season for the Sox although he did struggle in the field. Dumping him so soon was a bad move. Perhaps his worse move was trading Bronson Arroyo to Cincinnati for Willy Mo Pena. He should have recognized that as a bad deal from the get-go. Some of his other decisions made sense at the time but turned out bad. i.e. Dice K, John Lackey. The real bad ones that even I thought were bad when they did them was Eric Gagne and Bobby Jenks. Theo always had something going. Adrian Gonzalez was a good move but Carl Crawford has not turned out well....so far. Ben has done nothing but minor adjustments. Injuries aside, I think the team has become weaker during his reign.

Lol, maybe you see things differently. First, Ortiz was off waivers. You cannot credit that to FA. How easy it is to forget Error...I mean Edgar Renteria! How many errors did he have at SS? 30! That's right! He also struck out 100 times, batted only .276 (below his career average), and had an OPS of .721 (lowest since 2001). He was underwhelming. He wasn't terrible, but the Sox had many reasons to look elsewhere for SS. The move to get Julio Lugo was probably just as bad.

That Arroyo/Wily Mo Pena trade was awful.

Also, Ben's been on the job for less than a year and he really wasn't put in a position to make a huge move yet. It's ludicrous to think he'd sign a big name outfielder when we're loaded on OFs already (and it's just been unfortunate that they've all been injured.)

 

[Waquoit]

How easy it is to forget Error...I mean Edgar Renteria!

That was the move that pissed me off the most. I knew the guy was an overrated stiff. The only good thing he ever did was make the last out of the 2004 WS. That 30 for 30 about the ALCS made it even worse. Cabrera was the man. (Him and Millar, actually). I still don't know why they got rid of him.

 

[Danzz]

I don't see too much that Bobby has done wrong so far. His comment on Youkilis was accurate although he probably should have avoided sharing it with the press. They will blame this year's failure on injuries. They always do.

The Sox injuries are huge. It is a reason not an excuse.Just look at the Yankees this year and the results from their injuries. The Sox have lost their entire outfield including 2 all stars.Kalish would have been in RF.
Injuries are part of the game and teams are expected to play through them but there is a point when the number gets too high to make the playoffs. The guys the Sox are using to fill in have done fine. The bullpen is one of the best in baseball. It has been their starting pitching that landed them in the cellar.

 

[Danzz]

That was the move that pissed me off the most. I knew the guy was an overrated stiff. The only good thing he ever did was make the last out of the 2004 WS. That 30 for 30 about the ALCS made it even worse. Cabrera was the man. (Him and Millar, actually). I still don't know why they got rid of him.

There were rumors about Cabrera that never were made public. I don't know what the the rumors were but he was released because of them and not because of his play. It was also a head scratcher for me at the time. Renteria was an all star SS and I was excited about his signing. What a bum. He didn't hit and made more errors than Don Buddin.

 

[NHUConnfan]

The Sox injuries are huge. It is a reason not an excuse.Just look at the Yankees this year and the results from their injuries. The Sox have lost their entire outfield including 2 all stars.Kalish would have been in RF.
Injuries are part of the game and teams are expected to play through them but there is a point when the number gets too high to make the playoffs. The guys the Sox are using to fill in have done fine. The bullpen is one of the best in baseball. It has been their starting pitching that landed them in the cellar.

But you wouldn't know that the Sox are currently the hottest team in baseball...(that's how far behind we were)

 

[Waquoit]

There were rumors about Cabrera that never were made public. I don't know what the the rumors were but he was released because of them and not because of his play. It was also a head scratcher for me at the time. Renteria was an all star SS and I was excited about his signing. What a bum. He didn't hit and made more errors than Don Buddin.

Yeah, those "rumors". I wish the Sox would cut that stuff out.

 

[60'sfan]

That was the move that pissed me off the most. I knew the guy was an overrated stiff. The only good thing he ever did was make the last out of the 2004 WS. That 30 for 30 about the ALCS made it even worse. Cabrera was the man. (Him and Millar, actually). I still don't know why they got rid of him.

As I recall, Cabrera and Renteria were both free agents after the 2004 season. Cabrera let it be known that he did not want to sign until he saw what Renteria would get. Renteria was always a better hitter than Cabrera and in the prior year with St. Louis he made only 11 errors. The 30 he made with the Sox may have been due to a poor infield and a less than great first baseman in Kevin Millar. The following year he made 13. Just so you know, Cabrera made 26 errors in 2009. Also, Renteria hit .338 against the Yankees with 3 home runs and 16 RBI's. That should be worth something??

 

[Waquoit]

Also, Renteria hit .338 against the Yankees with 3 home runs and 16 RBI's. That should be worth something??

Please, after Cabrera's performance against the Yanks in the playoffs? When they eventually won the whole thing? Talk about selective analysis.

 

[Danzz]

As I recall, Cabrera and Renteria were both free agents after the 2004 season. Cabrera let it be known that he did not want to sign until he saw what Renteria would get. Renteria was always a better hitter than Cabrera and in the prior year with St. Louis he made only 11 errors. The 30 he made with the Sox may have been due to a poor infield and a less than great first baseman in Kevin Millar. The following year he made 13. Just so you know, Cabrera made 26 errors in 2009. Also, Renteria hit .338 against the Yankees with 3 home runs and 16 RBI's. That should be worth something??

He was a toatal bust. There is no way to put lipstick on it.

 

[60'sfan]

My point was that I did not think that the signing of Edgar Renteria was a bad move at the time. Theo had every reason to believe that he would have a solid season at the plate and in the field. He had a disappointing season but I cannot buy that he was a total bust. He missed only 9 games, hit .276 with 100 runs scored. Would you prefer Julio Lugo or Nick Green?

 

[Danzz]

My point was that I did not think that the signing of Edgar Renteria was a bad move at the time. Theo had every reason to believe that he would have a solid season at the plate and in the field. He had a disappointing season but I cannot buy that he was a total bust. He missed only 9 games, hit .276 with 100 runs scored. Would you prefer Julio Lugo or Nick Green?

Rentaria looked like a great deal when Theo made it although i couldn't understand at the time not signing Cabrera. Lugo and Green as bad as they are wouldn't have been a huge drop.

 

[60'sfan]

Rentaria looked like a great deal when Theo made it although i couldn't understand at the time not signing Cabrera. Lugo and Green as bad as they are wouldn't have been a huge drop.

As I mentioned above, Cabrera said he wouldn't sign until he saw what Renteria's contract looked like. Theo had a chance to pick up a very good shortstop in Renteria or gamble that he could get Cabrera at a descent price.

For what it is worth, in one of Theo's worse moves he paid Atlanta to take Edgar and got Andy Marte in return. Renteria went on to have two excellent years in Atlanta and Marte was a career .229 hitter and is now out of baseball.