I just don't see how chemistry made the entire pitching staff implode in the month of September. Chemistry didn't keep the team from being the best in baseball for four months. If Buchholz didn't get hurt or Lackey didn't suck or if Beckett, Lester and Bard pitched like Beckett, Lester and Bard the last two weeks of the season, the Sox would have won 95 games and would be playing the Rangers right now. And no one would be talking about chemistry.
Steve O On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:53 PM, Ray Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: > I learned a lot about baseball from this season and its collapse. > I had adopted a Strat-o-matic/Moneyball approach to baseball. You get a > bunch of players with a given level of skill. You roll them out there 162 > times, and the law of large numbers does the rest. Sure, some guys some > guys get Crash Davis's 25 extra hits and some guys don't, but the whole > thing evens out. You add it all up to runs for and runs against, do > pythagorus and you get your winning percentage and that tells you if you > make the playoffs. It's all perfectly predictable. > I have to say that my attitude about baseball had taken away some of the > interest in the season. While I love individual games, I saw all this > bullshit about hustle, and drive, and chemistry, as just ways of explaining > random effects. > This all changed for me with the Theo/Tito press conference. I was amazed > at how much time they spent on the idea of whether players were watching > each other's backs. I was surprised that chemistry was such a big issue. > And I can't deny that it was because there was nothing in the talent level > of the players that could predict how horribly they'd do in September. You > don't go from a 96% chance of making the payoffs to missing them with a > random roll of the dice. Something else had to make the difference. > The other thing that struck me was the fact that you guys didn't like this > team. That you didn't see the kind of spirit that you had seen in previous > teams. Frankly, I thought that was just projection, but it looks like you > were seeing something that Theo and Tito were seeing as well, and that > something sunk us. > It was a hell of a year. Kind of blew my mind and opened it up. > > > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 12:45 PM, Matt & Olga McSorley > <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> And why did so many pitchers pitch poorly in September? Maybe some guys >> were drinking/partying too much. Maybe they weren't focused. I don't know. I >> wasn't there. But a guy drinking in the clubhouse during a game would worry >> me. What -- hotel bars don't serve beer after midnight? >> >> At the major league level, the talent level is so high that a partially >> focused or unfocused player won't succeed no matter how good he is. This >> isn't Strat-o-matic. Personal characteristics like focus, discipline and >> attitude matter -- even if it only makes 1 or 2 percent difference in player >> performance. If the Sox had won 1.2 percent more of their 2011 schedule, >> they'd be playing today. >> >> -- Matt >> From: Steve Ouellette <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 12:31 PM >> Subject: Re: Tito Out >> >> Still not sure how any of this pertains to EVERY pitcher on the staff >> throwing like crap for the final four weeks of the season. That's why >> they're out of the playoffs; not because Ellsbury doesn't like Youk, >> or Josh Beckett drinks beer. >> >> Steve O >> >> On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 12:28 PM, Matt & Olga McSorley >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> > SI did a story last week on the heels of the "Moneyball" movie that >> > details >> > how Theo works. Carmine is the computer program they relay on heavily to >> > evaluate players. >> > >> > The story did shed some light: Theo likes to let free agents go because >> > of >> > the draft picks he gets in return. That probably explains why he lets >> > guys >> > who have succeeded in Boston go. >> > >> > I just don't understand this from a management perspective. You know >> > that >> > Francona can win when he has guys who take their professionalism >> > seriously. >> > Some guys apparently start acting up and underperforming, and the >> > solution >> > is to get rid of the manager? >> > >> > -- Matt >> > From: Tom Salemi <[email protected]> >> > To: [email protected] >> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 12:09 PM >> > Subject: Re: Tito Out >> > >> > Unfortunately, his job is to get these knuckleheads to play. If he can't >> > do >> > it - even if it's not his fault - then he's not effective. >> > He's a good man, though. Seems that way at least. >> > I'm missing the Carmine jokes. Is that a computer thing? >> > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Matt & Olga McSorley >> > <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > Or maybe they should fire that bastard Carmine. :) >> > From: Matt & Olga McSorley <[email protected]> >> > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:43 AM >> > Subject: Re: Tito Out >> > >> > Starting to read rumblings that players were a bit too entitled and not >> > focused on their jobs (e.g. pitchers drinking beer during games they >> > weren't >> > pitching -- sounds like Lackey/Beckett to me); complaints about team >> > buses & >> > stuff that had nothing to do with winning games). Based on my >> > observations >> > of the team, which I grant are pretty fallible and uninformed -- I'm >> > just >> > telling you what I perceive -- it wouldn't surprise me in the least. >> > Something about this team didn't look right to the naked eye. >> > >> > And if that's the case, I'm even more with Francona. Seems to me >> > Francona >> > didn't see his job as having to tell players to act professionally. >> > They're >> > paid a lot of money and you'd figure the need to act professionally >> > would be >> > impressed upon them at contract time. >> > >> > Maybe Francona doesn't want to stay. But if I were running the club and >> > that's what I was facing, I'd clear out the problem players and keep a >> > manager who has demonstrated he knows what it takes to win. >> > >> > -- Matt >> > From: Tom Salemi <[email protected]> >> > To: [email protected] >> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 10:16 AM >> > Subject: Re: Tito Out >> > >> > Folks, we we just bypass the predictable media bashing. This is the way >> > the >> > business works. You had the manager and general manager on a stage >> > SAYING >> > that here were problems in the locker room. The reporters run out, make >> > calls to players and try to get as many specifics as we can. >> > And NO ONE in ANY business is giving to give information that can come >> > back >> > and bite them (except for Kevin Millar who welcomed A-rod with open arms >> > before the trade was made. He had to apologize to Nomar.) They also >> > might >> > not want to identify a teammate because they've got some sense of >> > loyalty or >> > fear. >> > As for the Captain, that stuff is largely ceremonial. I mean it works >> > for a >> > while if the entire locker room buys into it. But if they don't, what >> > the >> > hell is Tek going to do. Even if he tried to hit them with a bat he'd >> > probably miss. >> > >> > >> > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 9:54 AM, Dan DiBiase <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > I wish for once, that someone would publish names. All of this hinting >> > about >> > this stuff is bs. Who was 'lawless'? Who put their >> > own interests before the teams? Why didn't the captain do anything about >> > this? Isn't Tek culpable here too? Otherwise, why do >> > you even have a captain? >> > >> > Dan D >> > Central NJ USA >> > >> > From: Tom Salemi <[email protected]> >> > To: [email protected] >> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 9:36 AM >> > Subject: Re: Tito Out >> > >> > From the Herald... >> > Discipline was clearly a problem, which is one of the perils of managing >> > a >> > high-priced team when some stars share a sense of entitlement. The Red >> > Sox >> > seemed content to ride their considerable talent out of the gates and >> > ended >> > up getting smacked in the face with a 2-10 start. >> > A month later they were just 17-20 when Epstein traveled to New York and >> > met >> > privately with Francona and his coaches, a meeting Francona later >> > described >> > as “respectful,” to reinforce the need for the team to play passionate, >> > fundamentally sound ball. >> > The Sox rolled for the next four months, but their win totals often >> > masked >> > some fundamental flaws, flaws which became fatal in September when the >> > clubhouse veered toward lawlessness and a number of players put their >> > own >> > interests ahead of those of Francona and the team. >> > Francona admitted yesterday taking the incredible step of calling a team >> > meeting on Sept. 7, one day after the Sox had pounded the Jays 14-0. >> > “This team I think became challenging at the end,” Francona said. “There >> > were some things I was worried about. We were spending too much energy >> > on >> > things that weren’t putting our best foot forward toward winning. >> > “We spent a few minutes in the clubhouse that day talking about that. >> > There >> > were some things that did concern me. Normally as the season progresses, >> > there are events that make you care about each other, and this club, it >> > didn’t always happen as much as I wanted it to. And I was frustrated by >> > that.” >> > According to multiple sources with knowledge of the meeting, Francona >> > was in >> > part annoyed over complaints about the buses to the ballpark and wanted >> > players to focus their energy more positively. >> > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 9:30 AM, Tom Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > I do hope Theo stays. Not because of any man-love thing, I just like his >> > approach (poor free agent record notwithstanding.) >> > >> > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 9:22 AM, Tom Salemi <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > Yeah, that's the talk around here on the morning shows. >> > If I had to choose, I'd take him over the entire club house. But that >> > isn't >> > how it works. >> > The wheels are definitely coming off the wagon. My antipathy for this >> > team >> > grows. >> > >> > On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 9:16 AM, Dan DiBiase <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > Fox Sports reporting that he won' be back. >> > >> > Dan D >> > Central NJ USA >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups >> > "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> > >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Red Sox Citizens" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. > > > > -- > Author of Confessions of a Good Mother: The story of an assassin and mom who > struggles with life balance issues. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Red Sox Citizens" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/redsoxcitizens?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Red Sox Citizens" group. 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