Believe it or not, Boston is currently the place to be if you are a major league baseball player looking for a new home – at least that’s what I’ll attempt to argue here. After our New York writer’s article yesterday – “Why Would Anyone Want to Join the Red Sox?” – it’s clear that there is plenty of reason to be disenchanted with the Red Sox, as the organization steers its way through the fallout of the team’s September collapse. That said, I think there’s still plenty of reason to jump at the opportunity to join the Red Sox – as bad as things are, how many other teams would you really rather go to?
1) It’s Boston – This may sound dumb, but it’s not. Boston is baseball’s best market – we’ve got the most historic park, a fully committed ownership, and the most passionate fan base in the game. What you do here matters, more than you would ever believe. The stadium is filled, every day. If you play well you’ll be cheered, if you suck it up you’ll be jeered. You’re in the AL East, where the spotlight shines the brightest. The city revolves around this team – who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
2) Committed ownership – There’s no questioning the commitment of the Red Sox ownership. They have increasingly opened their pockets to attract top talent, have developed one of the best farm systems in the game, and are committed to putting the best product on the field that they can. They’re all in, no ifs, ands, or buts.
3) Talent – There’s not much to be said here – the Red Sox have crazy talent. Regardless of who comes back or is traded, this team has crucial pieces locked down for a long time. They’ve got two aces, a dominant closer, and an offense that was the best in baseball. Ellsbury is under contract, as is Pedroia, Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Clay Buchholz. That’s a pretty good group to build around any way you cut it.
4) A fresh slate – You may be a journeyman, or you may be just busting into the league. Regardless, the 2012 Red Sox team will be given a fresh slate. New manager. New general manager. Undoubtedly an influx of new talent and some old baggage shedded (sorry Varitek and Wake). Things will be different, and based on how things ended in 2011, that’s a great thing.
5) Chipped shoulders – The guys that do remain from the 2011 team (and their will be plenty of them) will play next season with a chip on their shoulder. Most of the “problem” guys should land elsewhere. There is no way than anyone involved in this collapse will forget it – you better believe they’ll be playing with some extra fire to avenge what happened. In my eyes, that’s a very dangerous X-factor. You better believe Jonathan Papelbon wants that ball back in his hand if he sticks around – that attitude coupled with talent can be scary.
We’ll see what happens, but let’s be honest – the situation could be far worse.
Quite the assumptions about best market to play for. Little league parks would sell out every game in almost any sports city. If all those players are returning you are saying that there really isn’t anyone leaving, which means there will be the same clubhouse problems. No leadership. I don’t believe they will have a chip on their shoulder cuz it doesn’t seem like anyone gives a shit besides pedroia and ortiz. So you will have a new GM, new manager, and all those same players that don’t give a shit what their manager says, or what their strengthening coach says, or about winning. How can that lead to a chip on their shoulder? Now with ortiz’s comments that is him and your closer who have both said how great it would be to play for the yankees. Doesn’t sound like a great place to play to me.
There will be plenty of departures, and our park’s capacity compared to your park’s capacity is closer than the difference in population between the cities, so the whole little league park argument doesn’t fly. Again, it wasn’t “no one gave a shit.” Plenty of people did, some didn’t.
1. I know you guys love to think that Boston is the end all be all of baseball but look around at the teams in the playoffs. Brewer fans love that team, st louis loves that team. I am not buying come to boston because it is boston
2. The ownership is great, until you leave. then they dirty your name.
3. Alot of talent on paper, yes. that talent could not pull it together at the most important part of the year, and the stories coming out about that “talents” personalities, cry babies, lazy, jealous, bad team mates would atleast cause me to question whether or not I want to bring my talents to bean town
4. A fresh slate can be a plus or minus. on one hand you have what you said but on the other you have no idea what you are getting into.
5. This is my biggest fear, that the pitchers actually get in shape and we see a “f you” season from the entire team.
I am also not sure how things could be far worse. I cant remember a meltdown of this level in baseball.
1. You don’t have to buy it, but it is what it is. Brewers fans are whatever. St. Louis is generally cited as the best baseball city in the country, after Boston.
2. You have 0 proof of that. A big assumption.
3. It will be the new manager’s job to make the talent fly in formation. No one on this team wants to lose. They’ll be out to prove something or they’ll be gone.
4. True, as with any fresh slate. The team needs it.
5. We could have a crap as team with huge contracts, no talent, and no interest in the team from the city. It could be Pittsburgh.
1. Who are these people that you speak of. I am generally cited as the best looking man on the planet.
2. I don’t need proof, that is the general consensus and if we are talking about players or managers coming there that is something they have heard and the red sox will have to defend
3 no one may want to lose, but it seems a good amount did not care about winning.
4. No team had the collapse that the red sox had followed by losing their manager, gm, and then the drama and bs.
1) Sports Illustrated, for example.
2) I don’t by into the general consensus. I live on the edge.
3) And now they look like fools. Watch out.
4) Hence the fresh slate.
When a free agent considers where he wants to play what does he think about?
1. Money
2. Money
3. Perks
4. Manager
5. Buddies on the team
6. Chicks in the area
7. Weather
8. Chance to win
Most of the free agents have more of a Manny Ramirez mindset than a Cliff Lee way of thinking. Offer the money and you’ll get the free agent.
Truth.
Carl Crawford just looked at the money, and he was uncomfortable all year.
You also have to look at ortiz who has stated it might not be worth all the drama to get a players view on where they may want to go.
If you want to get in a bidding war with the yankees go right ahead
Haha I’m not trying to get into a bidding war, the Yankees will win that everytime.
So if a player is choosing between the red sox and yankees what would be your sell? Because the yankees can offer more money, are much more stable, have huge tradition, huge talent, and are roughly 100 percent more stable.
It’s Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader – I’ll be Luke all day every day.
I dunno recently your team has had a pretty big “dark side”
I’d say chicken, beer, and video games is rather light.
i would say it made them heavy.
dragging drug and marriage problems through the mud is very dark
Jimmy is almost 100% right with all of this
1. We aren’t baseballs best city anymore. Have you seen the people who attend the games? its like the staples center at a lakers game. No one is there for baseball they are there for overpriced beers and sweet caroline. Its a disgrace.
2. Ownership is disgusting. They dont care about winning. They care about PR and Money. Now don’t get me wrong – they will spend money – but only because they like money not because they love the Red Sox
3. Talent is indisputable – but who will be left after they presumably clean house
4. Fresh slate should help – because a lot of this team will be gone.
5. I am going to assume this team undergoes huge changes this offseason as it should. Beckett should be gone, Drew will be gone, Ortiz should be gone, Bard moving to the rotation is an intriguing idea.
This team should be built around Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Buchholz and Gonzalez. That means if Youkilis has to go because Ellsbury hates him – send him packing.
1. Having been to more Red Sox games this year than any other year of my life, I very much disagree.
2. Disagree as well. You don’t know what they care about.
3. True.
4. True.
5. I’ll keep Ortiz, Beckett, and Youkilis. They can learn to get along give me a break. They’ve done it before.