James is not the answer. He’s an entertainer, albeit an incredibly geeky one.
Agreed, his paralysis-by-analysis is interesting, thought-provoking and has visionary qualities. He has player breakdowns for every baseball happenstance imaginable.
But his incredible library of information always seems to leave out one important factor about the game of baseball — it is played by human beings.
James can show me — and he did, through former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein — 10 different ways that J.D. Drew was not only a “great player” before he got to Boston, but he remarkably has data to “prove” his career was worth every cent of the $70 million he received.
We, who lived through the 606 games, know better. Drew’s problem was a simple one. He didn’t love baseball as much as the people who watched him did and they let him know it. Basically, he was a Hall-of-Fame talent with the passion of a long reliever.
But I don’t blame Drew for coming here. I blame Henry for falling for James’ statistical recommendations.
...I get it. James adores walks, runs and defensive zone coverage. He isn’t so fond of closers (saves, he says, are way overrated), RBI, bunts and stolen bases.
I disagree with him in most of those areas, but I wouldn’t hedge my bet solely on those stats.
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1. RepozMore Bill James. We’re told that Larry Lucchino runs the Red Sox. We’re told that Cherington is going to be allowed to actually be a general manager. We’re told that Bobby Valentine gets to manage for the rest of the year even though he’s morphing into Charlie Sheen. And now we’re told that we need more Bill James.
Great. Let’s get some data to find out how the Sox can solve their problems. All those losses certainly must have something to do with UZR and Wins Above Replacement.
Who needs human interaction or eye contact? More Bill James is guaranteed to make the Sox right.
Why would we want to use DATA before deciding anything? We'd rsther be like US auto industry of the last generation, making choices based on how we smart guys just "know" what to do, not like those Japanese number-crunchers.
You "blame" people for bringing in Drew to help win the 07 season and trophy? For driving in 19 runs in 28 postseason games? For being the only Red Sox hitter to actualy show up for the pathetic 09 loss to Anaheim? Yeah, because the royal "we" knew he didn't love baseball, so forget if he actually heled the team win.
And his notion that James discounts human behavior is abusrd.
Not enough of them, apparently.
Stupid number-crunchers. As if runs will help you win ballgames!
But if they had passion they'd use PED's or something to get better. They clearly don't care. They're happy to get the per diem and Dustin Pedroia's Baseball Annie rejects and that is just sad, not for the players, but for the fans who pay to watch them.
So you don't even know what kind of entertainer he is? I fear for your safety.
On behalf of all long relivers...
After reading this article, I'd guess that Bill Burt has to pay out of his pocket if he wants to get any passion.
Guillermo Mota says hey.
Ugueth Urbina is available.
The word is that Urbina has been "sharp" in the Venezuelan Penal League and is cutting through opposing hitters like a machete through butter.
Only a Bill James sycophant would defend Drew's contract.
What the Red Sox should do with James is what Soderbergh wanted to do - a floating animated Great Gazoo-ish cartoon explaining the nuances of whateveritis.
I hear he's setting the league on fire.
I think in a sense that may be what is happening here. It's not so much that it's James but a change to the way they are making their decisions which has failed all too often in the last 24 months.
The most fascinating thing about Drew is how many big moments he had in the post-season for the Sox. The $14 million grand slam, game winning homer in game two of the 2008 ALDS, walk off double in Game Five of the 2008 ALCS, he came through in a big way in big spots. Despite that he's viewed as "unclutch" and "not caring."
I think the writer here has correctly identified the same flaw in the Red Sox and Bill James. If Bill James can't hit 1.000 on his recommendations, how is he going to help the Sox find 1.000 hitters and starters who can go 34-0 every year? The short and obvious answer is he can't, so his advice cannot be trusted.
Only a Bill James sycophant would defend Drew's contract.
- i detest bill james, but i do not understand why you think JD drew wasn't worth his contract. in what way? compared to other players with his skill set, length of playing time, he looks to me as if he was worth the money and the years
That is some statement right there. How can you possibly think any athlete could reach the pinnacle of their chosen profession without being totally dedicated to it? Do people think Drew was just born an amazing player, never worked hard and stayed in it for the cash? What an inane thing for anyone to write.
I also know that if you're talking about the crappy bit-ticket FA signings by Theo and Friends, Drew's deal is probably the last one you ought to be railing against. Compared to that list, J.D. was a ####### steal.
(I don't have any idea how this applies to Drew.)
The mustachioed middle infielding Jeff K's (not ours) are Exhibits A and B.
Speak for yourself, sir. I, and surely many others here, am a veritable modern-day Croesus.
If they're really insanely dedicated to their craft, why should anyone care whether they "love it" or not?
Why is it impossible to think of rich people as being "just like us"? Or poor people for that matter? When you cut them, do they not bleed? I do my job to make a living, but also because I don't really have anything better to do. There's a limit to how much time I can spend on internet posting. Maybe baseball's all they know how to do really well.
1. Is the $4 mil figure an avg for al players, or only free agents? There's a difference!
2. Postseason should count for something.
All the opinions on the Drew contract had been solidified before 2011. Drew has, in a way, gotten "off the hook" for his terrible 2011 which contributed to them missing the playoffs (even this article doesn't mention his 2011) - maybe everyone figured he had endured enough backlash.
What was the per WAR dollar amount for the contract before last season?
1.000 average? 34-0? Those sound like stats buddy. Get me guys that care.
And is the overall claim that the Sox owners didn't throw anyone under the bus, through the willing media, after the 2011 season? From the Globe: "Team sources also expressed concern that Francona’s performance may have been affected by his use of pain medication". Who needs Drew when you have a druggie to blame things on?
Not sure how true the story was, but I had read that Drew didn't even take up organized baseball until he was in high school because his football coach wanted him to do something during the "offseason."
So it's very possible that Drew was immensely, naturally talented and didn't have the passion for the games that other less talented players had. It doesn't change the fact that he was a pretty good player who just couldn't stay healthy enough.
EDIT: I'm an idiot, can't link correctly. MLB trade rumors has a story about the Sox being interested in Scioscia if Farrell isn't available.
They have read their Machiavelli and don't mind being hated as long as they are feared.
This makes no sense. Crawford played 130 games last year, Drew 81. Crawford's 31 games in 2012 makes Drew look like an ironman, but you wouldn't have known this in 2011.
It's not so much that it's either/or but I think the better question is why does it keep happening in Boston? This has gone on for as long as I can remember (late-70s) with a couple of different ownership groups. At some point I think you pin the blame on the media that has been constant rather than the change regimes. I don't see a big link between Haywood Sullivan, Dan Duqette and Ben Cherington yet Fred Lynn, Mo Vaughn and Adrian Gonzalez all got some grief leaving town.
The Francona piece was pure garbage. The writer used "team sources" pretty vaguely. I have no doubt he talked to someone in the Sox organization but I'm skeptical that it was someone of substance. Maybe it was, I'm not so naive as to dismiss that they really are that evil but "Team sources also expressed concern that Francona’s performance may have been affected by his use of pain medication" is pretty friggen vague. Someone somewhere said something may have happened doesn't rise to valid news story to me without a hell of a lot more concrete sourcing in my mind.
Having said that I'll note that Chad Finn of the Globe who I find very fair insists that the sourcing was more than valid. I just get pissed because I'm a huge Francona fan and I hate seeing the Sox shoot themselves in the foot.
I think Drew escaped scrutiny because people didn't like him so they didn't mind he was gone. It's kind of like Lackey this year, no one is really bothered that he's been hurt all year because they don't like him and because he sucked.
Why does everyone hate the idea of Scioscia? I'd prefer Farrell but Scioscia looks pretty good to me from afar. He has his flaws (if they hire him they should probably trade Lavarnway yesterday) but I don't see him as a bad manager and I don't have any dislike of him.
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