Maybe Bobby Valentine Should Avoid Using the "C" Word

"We play like this the rest of the season, we're going to win the championship."
-Bobby V

Well, I suppose if the Sox continue on a .769 pace (they've won 10 of 13), that statement will hold true. But it was just a weird thing to say about a team that is in 5th place with a 22-22 record. And one that hasn't won a playoff game since 2008.

Why does he feel the need to say such things? I like confidence and optimism, but why declare it so brashly through the media? Does he truly have no filter?

The rest of the quote confused me almost as much.

"I am so proud of this group of guys. I know it's an overstated line, but those men played 20 days of hard baseball, hard travel, hard competition . . . [there] were weather factors, injury factors."

Okay, the injury thing is fine. And the 20 games in 20 days is only a moderately annoying complaint. But hard travel? The Sox went from Fenway to Kansas City then to Fenway then to Florida then to Philly then to Baltimore. Where is the hard travel?

Those road trips to Kansas City can be brutal. Have you seen how much barbecue Josh Beckett can put away?

And weather factors? I know there were some chilly, drizzly days at Fenway this past month, but this is New England. How difficult will the weather be in September if Valentine thinks it was rough in May?

I don't like quotes like this. They're distracting. They lead to a lack of focus. And now the media has ammunition to ask Sox players about championships.

Championships are won in October. Bobby Valentine should know that. They can't be won in May. And they can't be won with words to the media.

Valentine's words also feed into the cocky, entitled attitude the Sox have had for a few years now. The title is theirs if they want it. Unless, of course, weather factors and hard travel gets in the way.

Whatever happened to coaches saying "we're going to take it one game at a time?"

-The Captain

Liverpool FC Fires Manager, Hires Bobby Valentine

Only one part of that post title is accurate. Although maybe Bobby V will manage Liverpool when they come to Fenway. After all, Bobby V invented bangers and mash.

Liverpool fired manager Kenny Dalglish after finishing 8th (out of 20 teams) in England's Premier League. We're still waiting to see if there have been reports of drug abuse leaked to British newspapers.

Liverpool are struggling. On the field and off it. Liverpool lost about $80 million in 2011. That's net. Most of that was due to costs associated with an abandoned plan to build a new stadium. Not to mention the severance package given to former manager Roy Hodgson, who was hired then fired after 6 months.

When Fenway Sports Group bought the Red Sox in 2002, they only had one New York Yankees to compete with. Liverpool has to compete against several giants in their league. There's Manchester United, the most valuable sports franchise in the world. There's also a team owned by a Russian oil baron (Chelsea FC), the current champions are owned by an Arab sheikh (Manchester City). The spending of these eccentric billionaires make George Steinbrenner look like Jeremy Jacobs. Imagine Mark Cuban with a royal title and billions in oil money.

And there's also Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham, and Newcastle United to compete with. Teams with more "traditional" owners, but are also well funded, well run, and well managed.

To compete with these teams, Liverpool will need to spend money. They need cash to buy better talent (in soccer, players' contracts are bought and sold, they call it transferring. It can be expensive). In Europe, even developing and acquiring young players requires hefty contracts and transfer fees. It's a completely different animal over there and I don't think John Henry or the Fenway Sports Group knew what they were getting into.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, winning is how teams make money. For instance, the top 4 teams in England are invited to play in the Champions League, a tournament among the top teams from across Europe. Participants receive a share of the huge TV revenues, and also receive cash rewards for winning and advancing through the competition.

Liverpool will have to make due with just their basic revenues. Furthermore, the top players in Europe want to compete in the Champions League. Liverpool can't offer them that.

And with the recent success of Manchester City, there's less domestic money and attention for Liverpool to capitalize on. And across the world, sales of Manchester City merchandise is skyrocketing. Finishing 8th place and being an historically powerful team doesn't do much to help your revenue stream abroad.

So far, John Henry's investment in Liverpool hasn't worked out. The team hasn't improved. The balance sheet is still as red as Liverpool's jerseys. Firing the manager is a step, but Daglish wasn't the problem. Liverpool simply didn't have the talent to compete with the stars on Manchester City or Manchester United. Nor were they solid or deep enough to compete with the well-rounded Arsenal or Tottenham.

Liverpool must spend or die.

The Fenway Sports Group would never directly take profits from the Red Sox and use the money to improve Liverpool. Conglomerates don't do that.

However, Liverpool will receive direct investment from Fenway Sports Group. The Sox won't. The Sox will have to make do with what they can make on their own, minus what John Henry withdraws and places in his crocodile skin wallet. Fenway Sports Group doesn't care about improving the Sox anymore. They're all set with the Sox. They want to improve Liverpool. They want to play Barcelona in the Champions League Final one day.

Fine. Whatever.

Maybe the Sox needed to go on a leaner spending diet. Look what Felix Doubront is doing compared to John Lackey. Or Cody Ross compared to Carl Crawford.

It's not the overall money spent that irritates me, it's what the lack of spending signifies. It demonstrates a lack of interest in winning. The Sox didn't even try to keep Papelbon. They didn't go after a frontline starting pitcher. This was a 3rd place team for back-to-back seasons that hasn't won a playoff game since George W. Bush was President. But the Sox did next to nothing to improve themselves. They fired their manager, lost a closer, put John Lackey under the knife, and had a 100th anniversary celebration.

And despite whatever fake sellout streak the Sox try to convince us they have going, there are less people at the ballpark, and there's less money being spent by fans on this team. As a business, the Sox are currently in great shape. Today. But the future is uncertain. If they finish 3rd this year, what happens to the Sox' valuation? What happens if it stops becoming trendy to go to Fenway?

That's the thing about building the coolest bar in town. If people go there because it's cool, it has to remain cool.

If Liverpool continues to struggle, I'll hate the Sox owners for investing in failure. If Liverpool does well, I'll hate the Sox owners for siphoning success from Boston to Liverpool.

But if the Sox do well, I can't hate the owners for anything, regardless of what Liverpool does. And by "do well" I mean compete for divisional titles, make the playoffs, make the LCS. That's doing well.

-The Captain

"Resting" Beckett Still Able to Golf

Last Wednesday, Josh Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday so he could rest a sore shoulder and lat muscle. According to 98.5, he was golfing with Clay Buchholz on Thursday. So why is the supposedly resting Beckett out swinging golf clubs with his teammate?

Because he's Josh Beckett. And these are the Red Sox. And no matter who the Manager is, this is Josh Beckett's clubhouse.

The whole series of events seems odd. Beckett claims that before his start last Sunday, he felt "a little thing going on" in his back and shoulder. Then Bobby Valentine kept Beckett on the mound for 126 pitches. Which seemingly aggravated that "little thing going on," so Valentine shut him down for Saturday's start. Beckett claims he was surprised to be shut down.

But what's Valentine thinking? He goes from throwing caution to the wind on Sunday and letting Beckett throw 126 pitches, to being extremely cautious and scratching him from a start.

And what about Beckett? He complains about soreness and stiffness, but still manages to golf on Thursday? Golf isn't an exhausting pursuit, but it does involve the back and shoulder, and does so in a very weird, start-and-stop kind of way.

If it were another pitcher, it wouldn't be a story. But Beckett has a reputation for soft injuries, and a reputation for having a careless attitude, doing what he wants, and not taking care of himself.

He doesn't care.

Aaron Cook cares. Aaron Cook pitched with his legs half-amputated. Beckett cried about his shoulder, then still made his tee-time with Buchholz.

I'm tired of this type of crap. Maybe I'm overreacting because it's Beckett, but Beckett's track record merits a reaction. This is a guy who has been inconsistent on the mound, and has been a major headache off it. And he's not good enough on the mound to make these character flaws worth it. He's not reliable. He's won some big games in the past, and lost some big ones. He's only occasionally there when his team needs him.

If things for this team don't turn around, it might be time to consider trading Beckett. For anything. Like Nomar in 2004 only worse. I know he's a 10-5 guy and would have to agree to being traded, but just find a team that allows beer in the clubhouse and he might consent.

-The Captain

Red Sox 6, Twins 5

Daniel Bard wants to be a starter. And I can't blame him. But by doing such a good job as a reliever last night, he might have eliminated himself from the rotation.

He inherited a tough situation: a runner on third with 1 out in a 5-5 game. And he worked out of it. Cody Ross homered in the next half inning, and Bard got the win.

I was a little puzzled with Valentine's decision to take Bard out and put Aceves in to pitch the 9th. I know Aceves is the temporary closer, but Bard only threw 11 pitches in the 8th (4 were part of an intentional walk), and he's clearly the best option to pitch the 9th. Taking Bard out and putting Aceves in was tempting fate.

With the Sox struggling, Cody Ross has been somewhat overlooked. He hit homeruns number 4 and 5 of the year. And knocked in 3 runs, giving him a total of 13 RBI. He leads the Sox in both categories. He's also hitting .283. I don't know if this production will last, but the Sox desperately need it at the moment.

Jon Lester looked off, especially going through the Twins' lineup a second time. He allowed 5 runs in 7 innings. And if not for the 3 double plays the Twins grounded into, things might have gotten really messy. I'm not worried, though. He had bad Aprils in 2009 and 2010. And a bad May last year. Give him a few starts to warm up and he'll revert to his usual self.

The Sox needed the win. But there's still lots to work on. Morales looks awful. Aceves is unnerving. The Sox still make inexcusable little mistakes like screwing up a relay from right-field.

Those problems seem more manageable after a win, though.

Beckett faces Nick Blackburn tonight, who struggled in his first start, did well in his second, but hasn't pitched since the 14th.

-The Captain

How Bad Are the Red Sox?

The Red Sox grounds' crew didn't even put a tarp down yesterday afternoon. There was a 90% chance of rain, but a 100% chance that the Sox were not going to play on Sunday. And who could blame them.

The 3 inning, 14 run collapse of the bullpen on Saturday was almost humorous. The ways this team finds to lose ballgames seems too surreal to be true. To be up 9-1 in the 7th inning and still lose. How is that possible?

With this team, though, it's expected.

This team finished 3rd place last year, and what did the Front Office do in an effort to improve? Lose a closer, lose a short-stop, fire a manager, lose a GM. Should we be surprised that this team is struggling?

It's not Bobby Valentine's fault. He inherited a circus. And even if you change ring leaders in a circus, clowns are still clowns. But I don't think that Character is the problem with the Sox. At least not the biggest problem.

There simply isn't enough talent. Vicente Padilla was on the scrap heap for a reason. The Red Sox haven't acquired a sought-after reliever since Keith Foulke. They sign a bunch of question marks to fill in their bullpen depth chart and hope one or two work out. Then they move their 2nd best reliever to the rotation.

This team is a mess. On the field, off the field, everywhere. They don't score runs consistently. They've already lost twice when scoring 9+ runs. Their bullpen is horrific. The rotation is still questionable.

This team sucks. Only the Royals have a worse record in the AL.

They're in Minnesota tonight. Bard has been skipped and Lester will be starting. He'll oppose Jason Marquis. I think the Sox are desperate for a win, and putting Lester on the mound gives them a good chance of getting one.

-The Captain

OK, Now Time To Get Pissed!

I have been watching this Red Sox team and realized something. I don't like a lot of people on the team.... like at all. It's bad enough that we are 4-8 but it's even worse that the only people I can slightly tolerate on this team are Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Vicente Padilla, Felix Doubront and I guess Mike Aviles and Alfredo Aceves.

Let's go down the line up;

Even though the injury isn't his fault and I don't know much about him there is something about Jacoby Ellsbury I can't stand. It may be his face or it could be the way the media got to me and now I believe he's a prima donna and a wuss.

Kevin Youkilis is an asshole. It's pathetic how he has behaved, I expected him to take the Pedroia roll and be a true leader of this team, but more recently it seems he wallows to the Big Bad Bobby Valentine than accept the challenge. As a player he is no longer the OBP machine he once was and all he does is look goofy when he comes up to plate with that ridiculous stance. Also, I'm sick of the Yoouuuukkkkking at the ball games they really should be booooooooos at this point.

Cody Ross/ Ryan Sweeney are on the team. I know there is nothing I should hate these 2 players, but I'm pissed that they are on the roster in a major roll. Cody Ross has been a pleasant surprise thus far, but he shouldn't be part of a major markets team. Maybe a bench player but not a starting player. Ryan Sweeney's mom called him unimpressive. Also he should be a bench player.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia/ Kelly Shoppach both are awful. Where is Ryan Lavarnway? I don't care what he is doing in the minors or how he is struggling defensively, I just want a guy that isn't an automatic out in the bottom of the order.

Josh Beckett; he's pitched will recently, he's still a dick. Ever since our unpleasantness I can't ever support him again..... ever.

Jon Lester isn't an Ace, and the fact that he needed to bitch at a newspaper to so he is, is pathetic. Jon Lester has reached his ceiling, he is a 2 starter, The Captain was right all along.

Clay Buchholz is done. He had 1 good yea, we should trade him and salvage any remaining value. He will never be the guy he was a couple years ago, he's fragile and when he's healthy he's not good. I don't know why us as Sox fans sit around waiting for Buchholz to return, guess what? It's not happening.

Bobby Valentine; I wanted to defend him, I did. I want his head on a stake outside Fenway next to Francona's. I'm for the most part fine with making all the players uncomfortable, I just wished he didn't backtrack from all of them. I hate what he is doing on the field, leaving Bard out there in the 6th was inexcusable and cost us a game. Trusting Mark Melancon more than twice was also a big no no, and his overall management of the bullpen is awful. He has actually cost us a lot of games.

The Ownership; Larry Luchino and John Henry are both snakes and don't give a shit about Boston or the Red Sox. I honestly believe they are only in this for the money and if there were a more profitable opportunity they would jump at it in a second. They act like they care about this city so much.... they don't. What they did this offseason was downright embarrassing and pathetic. The way they didn't spend money, the way they handle themselves when people leave and just their overall demeanor is fucking lame. I loath them both.

Captain's Thoughts: Bobby Valentine, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia

I know I'm a little late with my opinion here, but since this will be an ongoing story throughout the season, I felt compelled to write a post about it.

Bobby Valentine said this about Kevin Youkilis:

"I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason."

Then Youkilis said this in response:

"That's not what I see. I go out every day and play as hard as I can. I take every ground ball in the morning, take every at-bat like it's my last. I don't think my game has changed at all. I still get upset with myself and still get mad. That's just not how I go about my game of baseball. Never have, never will."

Then Dustin Pedroia added:

"I know that Youk plays as hard as anybody I've ever seen in my life. I have his back, and his teammates have his back. We know how hard he plays. I don't really understand what Bobby's trying to do. But that's really not the way we go about our stuff here. I'm sure he'll figure that out soon.

"Maybe in Japan or something... Over here in the U.S., we're on a three-game winning streak, we want to feel good and keep it rolling. We feel we have a good team and we've just got to get each other's backs and play together. Because if you don't do that, I don't care what sport you're playing, you're not going to win."

What really bugs me is that three guys who work together, practice together, travel together, and stay in the same hotel on the road together are now using the media to communicate. That's just weird. It's like two people talking to each other through a third mutual friend. Tell Bobby I said this. Tell Dustin I said this.

Actually, it's more like people who use their Facebook status as a way to publicly vent to all the world about one specific person.

That's what Valentine brings, though. He thinks he's the Master Media Manipulator, and that he can use the sports media as a managerial tool. He thinks he can motivate slackers with comments like this.

Good luck with that. It never works as well as you think it will. As this current incident is thoroughly demonstrating. And it's never panned out for Bobby in the past. But Bobby probably blames somebody else for that. Or maybe now he thinks he's learned how to do it right.

However, using the media as a tool does seem to fit in with the Red Sox organization and how they conduct business. Just ask Terry Francona. Pedro Martinez. Johnny Damon. Nomar Garciaparra. Et cetera.

I think the way Bill Belichick treats the media is the wisest way to do it. Give them nothing, then they have nothing to use against your interests. The media is like a rabid chimpanzee. It's dangerous. Valentine thinks he can tame it and use it as a weapon. But it's smarter to just stay away. Because it will turn on you in a heartbeat.

There is no advantage gained by trying to do anything through the media. And I know baseball isn't football, but Francona didn't give the media anything either. Everything was kept "in house." And I think that's the best place to keep things.

But Valentine overestimates his own abilities. He thinks he is the most important man in a Red Sox uniform. He isn't. No baseball manager is. He thinks he can harness the rabid chimpanzee.

In some weird way, I kind of admire Bobby's desire to fix every little problem the Sox are having. He wanted to see Youkilis start hitting. So he did something about it. But I have serious reservations with how he went about attempting to "motivate" him. And the fact is, Kevin Youkilis is the best person to get Kevin Youkilis back to his old form. Valentine doesn't know his limitations. He doesn't even recognize that he has any.

Even though Valentine apologized, expect more stories with similar tone to this one. Bobby cannot resist. He's addicted to himself. He cannot turn down an opportunity to be responsible for something. He invented the wrap. He'll take responsibility for Sox losses, he'll also take credit for wins. I'm sure he'll even take credit for the nice weather we had today.

-The Captain

Rays 1, Red Sox 0

This team seems to either score 0 to 3 runs, or 10+ runs. It's feast or famine, deluge or drought. And yesterday was definitely drought.

There's no shame in being shut down by James Shields. The Sox managed only 4 hits, all of them singles. With the way Shields was dealing there was no way the Sox would win this game, unless it was 0-0 and went deep into extra innings and they managed to beat Tampa's bullpen.

Bard was the hard luck loser. He did well. And could have been spared walking in the winning run had Valentine pulled him. I think the 4 pitch walk to Pena just before was a red flag that should have caught Bobby V's attention. He was probably too busy trying to remove his foot from his mouth.

Or maybe he was wrapping pita bread around his foot and calling it a Toe Wrap. He is, after all, very inventive.

This was a disappointing loss, but not an overly painful one. Shields vs. Bard is a significant mismatch. And Bard did very well for himself. Which is promising.

The Sox welcome Texas to town tonight. The Rangers are 8-2. Jon Lester faces Colby Lewis tonight. Lewis has only allowed 2 runs in his 2 starts.

-The Captain

Bobby V Calls Out Youk

"I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason," Valentine said in an interview for WHDH-TV's Sports Xtra. "But [Saturday] it seemed, you know, he's seeing the ball well, got those two walks, got his on-base percentage up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he'll move on from there."

I have defended Bobby V at basically every turn since he has become manager. I think he deserves a chance, and I actually went as far as to say his loud mouth ways was good for the team, because it made him the story instead of the players, but I can't defend this. It just make sense on any level. We ripped ownership for saying they didn't want Crawford, and that really isn't all that different from this. Why are you calling out a guy this early in the season? Does anyone really believe Youk cares less then he used to? I don't think Youk is a guy who would do that. He might be a shell of himself, but I would put that on his injuries from the past and the fact he is getting older. Yes, Youk is hitting .200 this year, but he also has 4 hits in his last 3 games with 3 RBIs, so the timing is odd.

Here is Youk's reponse...

"That's not what I see. I go out every day and play as hard as I can. I take every ground ball in the morning, take every at-bat like it's my last. I don't think my game has changed at all. I still get upset with myself and still get mad. That's just not how I go about my game of baseball. Never have, never will."

"I'm more confused than anything, because I think everyone knows I go out and play the game as hard as I can. That's just my style of play. I never was blessed with the raw tools … so I've always had to use playing the game as hard and with full effort my whole life. I don't know any better, so that's just the way I play."

Pedroia's were even more interesting...

"I know that Youk plays as hard as anybody I've ever seen in my life,"Pedroia said. "I have his back, and his teammates have his back. We know how hard he plays. I don't really understand what Bobby's trying to do. But that's really not the way we go about our stuff here. I'm sure he'll figure that out soon."

"Maybe in Japan or something," he said, referring to Valentine's stint as a manager there. "Over here in the U.S., we're on a three-game winning streak, we want to feel good and keep it rolling. We feel we have a good team and we've just got to get each other's backs and play together. Because if you don't do that, I don't care what sport you're playing, you're not going to win."

Pedroia is right. They are riding a 3 game winning streak against a very good team, and you decide to blast your starting 3rd baseman. It is very odd. Youk isn't in the lineup either (groin injury).