The Last Straw...I'm Moving Out of Red Sox Nation

The hits keep coming, part 527.

We cannot even keep a sideline reporter around.  Heidi Watney is leaving for SoCal.  Which is all good and well considering that is her home base.

But we lost her to the Lakers?  She's going to do Laker broadcasts?  So, Heidi would rather sit out a season with the NBA then back to Red Sox Nation.

Ugh...what's next?  Wally the Green Monster signs on with the Mariners for a better quality of life?

Dissed by Dale Sveum?

We are now reaching down into John Harrington management level issues here.

Dale Sveum blows off the Sox for the Cubs?

Now "ownership" is taking a look at Bobby Valentine.  Ben Cherington's legs are already cut out from under him and his credibility as the leader of the Sox has to be in question.

The Hits Just Keep Coming...So Long Jonathan Papelbon

Maybe four years and $50 million was too much for good Ole Pap, but at least we knew he liked and could handle the a pressure of pitching in Boston.  He may have lost a little zip on his heater, but he was rounding into an even better pitcher. 

He should have sustained success in Philly and we know he can handle the media and fan scrutiny. 

Wonder if they have or need a copy of Dropkick Murphy's Greatest Hits or will they have to hit the studio to reconfigure Pap's theme to Shipping Out of Boston?

Finally, Some Good News for the Boston Red Sox for 2012

Good luck to Ben Cherington as he takes over for old pal, Theo Epstein. 

I have to admit, his tenure started off on the right foot when he announced the first good news we have heard from some time out of Fenway. 

John Lackey will not pitch in 2012.

That frees up a spot in the rotation for a non-stiff to throw on the fifth day.

Is Ownership out of Touch?

Red Sox want you to own a piece of misery

I like to think I am more of the thinking man's Red Sox fan. But this guy has it right about the organization when it comes to knowing its true (non-pink hatted) fan base.

Lack of Leadership and no Lack of Lackey

From the top down, it seems that the 2011 Boston Red Sox were somewhat rudderless.  That is amazing considering the management talent that was apparent within the organization. 

Are the Sox now fat and happy?  As Bob Ryan points out in today's Boston Globe, ownership, management, players, all knew that they had some problem children in the clubhouse, but since things were going well, they let it slide.

Let that be a lesson, the best time to come down on multi-millionaire players are when things are going good.  As my wife calls it, come in with the compliment sandwich. 

It goes something like this:  "Hey Josh...you looked great out there today.  Had the curveball under control all night.  Great job.  Oh, by the way, you may need to work on your sobriety in-between starts.  But really, I thought that third inning, you did a wonderful job of shaking off those errors by Scutaro and Crawford, buckling down and getting that double-play to get us out of the inning with just a single run on the board."

For whatever reasons, the GM, the Manager, the Captain, the de-facto Captain (Dustin Pedroia), could not or would not step up and get in the players faces and call them out.

God Hates the Red Sox

That is why the free fall in September.  Thanks, Adrian.  I thought it was the lack of focus, commitment, determination and a unsober pitching staff.