JonEJet Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox_preview/view/2011_0331sox_good_enough_to_expectations_well_deserved/srvc=home&position=0 Sox good enough to be second to none Expectations well deserved ! Perhaps it’s time to recalibrate our expectations for the 2011 Red Sox [team stats]. Many have pegged them to win the AL East, the ALCS and then the World Series. There’s nothing wrong with a little optimism, but come on. Stop selling this team short. Obviously the games need to be played, but at this point we might just be looking at the greatest Red Sox team of all time. Sound crazy? Consider the following. • Under general manager Theo Epstein, the Red Sox have built one of the best farm systems in baseball and overcome 86 years of cursed history to win two World Series. If Epstein isn’t the greatest GM in team history, who is? • Terry Francona already owns the highest winning percentage (.577) among managers with at least four years’ experience in Boston. He has led the team to two World Series sweeps and is the second-longest tenured skipper in team annals. If he wins another title, he’s going to the Hall of Fame. • An offense that just added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez has a chance to be historically good, especially since the core of the team already includes former MVP Dustin Pedroia [stats], Kevin Youkilis [stats], Jacoby Ellsbury [stats], David Ortiz [stats] and J.D. Drew [stats]. If this isn’t the best offense in team history, it certainly has a chance to be the most diverse. • The starting pitchers may have disappointed last year as a group, but consider the potential: returning All-Stars Jon Lester [stats] and Clay Buchholz, former World Series MVP Josh Beckett [stats], World Series winner John Lackey, and two-time World Baseball Classic MVP Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats]. Heck, Tim Wakefield [stats], baseball’s winningest active pitcher, is currently the sixth starter. This may be a big if, but if all five pitch to their capabilities, they would without question be the greatest starting five in team history. • As long as we’re talking about pitchers, how about the bullpen? If closer Jonathan Papelbon [stats] regains his prior form, while being set up by All-Star closer Bobby Jenks and All-Star closer-in-waiting Daniel Bard, not to mention the battle-tested Dan Wheeler, we’d be hard pressed to name a better Red Sox bullpen. Ever. • And finally, let’s not overlook the defense. The Sox feature six Gold Glove winners (Mike Cameron, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Varitek [stats], Kevin Youkilis), one of the best outfields in the game, and an infield that should leave its pitchers confident about putting the ball in play. The Red Sox haven’t historically been known for their leather. This squad might be their best in that regard, too. “I mean, look at what they did,” marveled former Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez. “They got better everywhere. They’re the team to beat.” The Red Sox aren’t about to embrace such talk. Epstein can think of a better club in the last 10 years alone. “I don’t think this is our best team,” he said. “The best was ’04 the last two months of the season and in the playoffs after we changed the roster around. The good thing about baseball is this team has a chance to go prove they are.” Thanks to some creative accounting, the Red Sox will save a good $4 million in luxury tax payments — not to mention roughly $18 million in salary — by waiting to announce Gonzalez’ contract extension. That means they’ll have the financial flexibility to augment their roster should the need arise once the season starts. The powerhouse nature of their squad hasn’t been lost on their biggest rivals. Yankees GM Brian Cashman declared the Red Sox [team stats] the favorites during the offseason, and even if it was just a bit of gamesmanship, the fact that he could make such a claim credibly spoke volumes. “The Red Sox always do a great job,” said Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez. “They got two great players this winter, two very good offensive players. And last year they went through some tough injuries. They’re going to be tough to beat this year.” Added Yankees manager Joe Girardi: “You look at Boston and they improved their club. They improved on paper without the additions they made just because of getting healthy. They were beat up last year and played extremely well down the stretch and made a race of it with a lot of injuries. “You look at Youkilis and Pedroia and it just seemed to go on and on for them. They lost Victor for a while and they lost Varitek for a while. They had to be extremely proud. On paper they improved definitely, even before the additions of Crawford, Gonzalez, Jenks. They made some additions. They’re going to be extremely tough.” They very well may prove to be more than that. There’s an entire season to play, but come Nov. 1, if this squad has played to its potential, we may look back and say, “Nobody did it better.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn306 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox_preview/view/2011_0331sox_good_enough_to_expectations_well_deserved/srvc=home&position=0 Sox good enough to be second to none Expectations well deserved John Tomase By John Tomase Thursday, March 31, 2011 - Updated 6 hours ago + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio Boston Herald Sports Writer Patriots beat writer John Tomase joined the Herald in 2005 after six years covering the Red Sox. EmailE-mail PrintablePrint Comments(41) Comments LargerSmallerText size Bookmark and Share Share Buzz up! Perhaps it’s time to recalibrate our expectations for the 2011 Red Sox [team stats]. Many have pegged them to win the AL East, the ALCS and then the World Series. There’s nothing wrong with a little optimism, but come on. Stop selling this team short. Obviously the games need to be played, but at this point we might just be looking at the greatest Red Sox team of all time. Sound crazy? Consider the following. • Under general manager Theo Epstein, the Red Sox have built one of the best farm systems in baseball and overcome 86 years of cursed history to win two World Series. If Epstein isn’t the greatest GM in team history, who is? • Terry Francona already owns the highest winning percentage (.577) among managers with at least four years’ experience in Boston. He has led the team to two World Series sweeps and is the second-longest tenured skipper in team annals. If he wins another title, he’s going to the Hall of Fame. • An offense that just added Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez has a chance to be historically good, especially since the core of the team already includes former MVP Dustin Pedroia [stats], Kevin Youkilis [stats], Jacoby Ellsbury [stats], David Ortiz [stats] and J.D. Drew [stats]. If this isn’t the best offense in team history, it certainly has a chance to be the most diverse. • The starting pitchers may have disappointed last year as a group, but consider the potential: returning All-Stars Jon Lester [stats] and Clay Buchholz, former World Series MVP Josh Beckett [stats], World Series winner John Lackey, and two-time World Baseball Classic MVP Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats]. Heck, Tim Wakefield [stats], baseball’s winningest active pitcher, is currently the sixth starter. This may be a big if, but if all five pitch to their capabilities, they would without question be the greatest starting five in team history. • As long as we’re talking about pitchers, how about the bullpen? If closer Jonathan Papelbon [stats] regains his prior form, while being set up by All-Star closer Bobby Jenks and All-Star closer-in-waiting Daniel Bard, not to mention the battle-tested Dan Wheeler, we’d be hard pressed to name a better Red Sox bullpen. Ever. • And finally, let’s not overlook the defense. The Sox feature six Gold Glove winners (Mike Cameron, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Varitek [stats], Kevin Youkilis), one of the best outfields in the game, and an infield that should leave its pitchers confident about putting the ball in play. The Red Sox haven’t historically been known for their leather. This squad might be their best in that regard, too. “I mean, look at what they did,” marveled former Red Sox catcher Victor Martinez. “They got better everywhere. They’re the team to beat.” The Red Sox aren’t about to embrace such talk. Epstein can think of a better club in the last 10 years alone. “I don’t think this is our best team,” he said. “The best was ’04 the last two months of the season and in the playoffs after we changed the roster around. The good thing about baseball is this team has a chance to go prove they are.” Thanks to some creative accounting, the Red Sox will save a good $4 million in luxury tax payments — not to mention roughly $18 million in salary — by waiting to announce Gonzalez’ contract extension. That means they’ll have the financial flexibility to augment their roster should the need arise once the season starts. The powerhouse nature of their squad hasn’t been lost on their biggest rivals. Yankees GM Brian Cashman declared the Red Sox [team stats] the favorites during the offseason, and even if it was just a bit of gamesmanship, the fact that he could make such a claim credibly spoke volumes. “The Red Sox always do a great job,” said Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez. “They got two great players this winter, two very good offensive players. And last year they went through some tough injuries. They’re going to be tough to beat this year.” Added Yankees manager Joe Girardi: “You look at Boston and they improved their club. They improved on paper without the additions they made just because of getting healthy. They were beat up last year and played extremely well down the stretch and made a race of it with a lot of injuries. “You look at Youkilis and Pedroia and it just seemed to go on and on for them. They lost Victor for a while and they lost Varitek for a while. They had to be extremely proud. On paper they improved definitely, even before the additions of Crawford, Gonzalez, Jenks. They made some additions. They’re going to be extremely tough.” They very well may prove to be more than that. There’s an entire season to play, but come Nov. 1, if this squad has played to its potential, we may look back and say, “Nobody did it better.” Well I guess I will cancel my day off then. It has been said.... 2011 BOSTON RED SOX = GREATEST OF ALL TIME Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEJet Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 SHawn That inferior sh1thole to the north that has lost fans and viewership over the years is really trying to build up some sort of sh1tstorm about these Sawx. It's all well and good when they do it, when Rex goes out on a limb....HOW DARE HE I F-ing hate those PUKES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCarl40 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 SHawn That inferior sh1thole to the north that has lost fans and viewership over the years is really trying to build up some sort of sh1tstorm about these Sawx. It's all well and good when they do it, when Rex goes out on a limb....HOW DARE HE I F-ing hate those PUKES Who in the Red Sox organization is actually predicting anything? Go ahead and dig up some quotes about any Red Sox player predicting or guaranteeing anything. I'll be waiting. Unlike CC... http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/yankeesblog/sabathia_believes_yankees_can_win_m5QvF9HOGryGHr9Mkht17N NEW YORK PICKS NEW YORK!!! http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2011/03/31/2011-03-31_new_york_yankees_with_healthy_arod_and_mvp_candidate_robinson_cano_primed_for_al.html?page=1 Don't act like the Yankees are holier than thou Jon-E-Joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garb Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 John Tomasse is the most reviled scribe in Boston. Hated even more than Dan Shaughnessy, which is hard to beleive, I know. I have no doubt that Larry Lyin' Lucchino has lined this ugly a@@holes pockets in order to build hype for his drying out cash cow Sox. Oh no! TV viewership is down! Oh no! The Pats are more popular! Oh no! Look at the Celtics ratings surge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEJet Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 Don't act like the Yankees are holier than thou Jon-E-Joke. It's on SPIN CYCLE.....The Beantown ballwasher is in mid-season form Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCarl40 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 It's on SPIN CYCLE.....The Beantown ballwasher is in mid-season form I wish, just for once, you'd actually have some facts or quotes or something for your opinions. Just once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Who in the Red Sox organization is actually predicting anything? Go ahead and dig up some quotes about any Red Sox player predicting or guaranteeing anything. I'll be waiting. Unlike CC... http://www.nypost.co...OGryGHr9Mkht17N NEW YORK PICKS NEW YORK!!! http://www.nydailyne..._al.html?page=1 Don't act like the Yankees are holier than thou Jon-E-Joke. The Yankees aren't holier than thou. They just win so much that God does them on speed dial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmikeisback Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I LOVE that everyone is picking Boston. That always blows up in their faces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Well I guess I will cancel my day off then. It has been said.... 2011 BOSTON RED SOX = GREATEST OF ALL TIME Why play the season? Give them the trophy today and let the Chowds begin the celebration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Well I guess I will cancel my day off then. It has been said.... 2011 BOSTON RED SOX = GREATEST OF ALL TIME Yep. That article is 150% correct. The 2011 Red Sox are not only the greatest Red Sox team of all-time, they are the greatest baseball team ever assembled. They are so insanely awesome they make the 1927 Yankees look like a bad A-ball team. If the Red Sox don't win at least 120 games and sweep their way through the postseason it will be a major disappointment, just a HUGE, MONUMENTAL, HISTORICALLY MASSIVE FAILURE. I mean for this team not to win they better have something devastating hit them like a cholera epidemic sweeping through their clubhouse in Fenway. The thought of them not winning it all is unimaginable. They are that good. Expectations are at an all-time high in Boston - this is gonna be a blast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 " The starting pitchers may have disappointed last year as a group, but consider the potential: returning All-Stars Jon Lester [stats] and Clay Buchholz, former World Series MVP Josh Beckett [stats], World Series winner John Lackey, and two-time World Baseball Classic MVP Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats]. Heck, Tim Wakefield [stats], baseball’s winningest active pitcher, is currently the sixth starter." 6 20 game winners, easily.Possibly 7. Dice K should be given the Cy Young by acclimation right now. John Lackey has a World Series ring, just like Randy Niemann(Mets '86). Therefore Lackey is great, and figures to beget a MLB starter son sometime soon. Feel free to extend this lofty and brilliant comparison-i.e., possession of a World Series ring in the past by itself by itself necessarily means greatness in the future. God has decreed that Tim Wakefield is now 26. The greatest staff ever assembled when you add in that rock solid closer Papelbon. The Old Town Team will win 140 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garb Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I have no doubt that Lucchino either paid him cash, or paid someone to perform a sexual act on that scumbag Tomasse in order to get him to write this article. The article serves two purposes: 1)boost hype (sales), and 2)to piss off Theo Epstein. If Lucchino is getting squeezed out little by little - he's going out guns a blazin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanDoug Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 " The starting pitchers may have disappointed last year as a group, but consider the potential: returning All-Stars Jon Lester [stats] and Clay Buchholz, former World Series MVP Josh Beckett [stats], World Series winner John Lackey, and two-time World Baseball Classic MVP Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats]. Heck, Tim Wakefield [stats], baseball’s winningest active pitcher, is currently the sixth starter." 6 20 game winners, easily.Possibly 7. Dice K should be given the Cy Young by acclimation right now. John Lackey has a World Series ring, just like Randy Niemann(Mets '86). Therefore Lackey is great, and figures to beget a MLB starter son sometime soon. Feel free to extend this lofty and brilliant comparison-i.e., possession of a World Series ring in the past by itself by itself necessarily means greatness in the future. God has decreed that Tim Wakefield is now 26. The greatest staff ever assembled when you add in that rock solid closer Papelbon. The Old Town Team will win 140 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Boston is stacked....I don't see anyone beating the Phils though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybroome Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Boston is stacked....I don't see anyone beating the Phils though. It's a very long season. Nobody stays on top forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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