Yes, it is November. Yes, the Celtics season just started and the Patriots are coming off a bye, looking to generate momentum as they push towards another playoff run. And yes, I will spend the next week or so focusing on the Red Sox.
It's always baseball season in Boston.
And despite last years catastrophe of a season and a playoff drought of sorts, (three whole seasons!) the 2013 baseball season brings great hope to Red Sox nation. Well, kind of great hope. Maybe some hope. Hope?
One of the strangest things about the Red Sox is that now more than ever, this a team fans simply have a difficult time identifying with. For the first time in at least 10 years, the majority of this team is a question mark. It does not have a strength to fall back on, a leader to guide them, or an energized fan base.
From a business perspective, the team also does not have as many reasons for fans to come out to the ballpark. Outside of the incumbents, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, fans have a hard time finding that player to get behind. Jon Lester? Coming off his worst season in the major leagues, Lester not only has to win fans over by his game, but he has to continue to distance himself from the chicken and beer fiasco that was the 2011 season.
Behind Lester, the only other Red Sox pitcher you'd enjoy recognizing on the street (sorry John Lackey) is Clay Buchholz. Unfortunately, I don't think the reserved Clay Buchholz excites people. Fans used to Shipping up to Boston and the quirky bullpen band are now subject to watching Andrew Bailey attempt to close out games and Junichi Tazawa in the 8th inning, hardly a back-end duo fans can relate too.
For as much as the Red Sox lack in the pitching department, they also lack faces on the field. There isn't a Kevin Millar walking through that door to Cowboy up the clubhouse. There's no Nomar Garciappara or Kevin Youkilis to win over the hearts of Red Sox nation. Heck, I'd even take Manny Ramirez taking another inopportune leak behind the Green Monster over the boring bunch in place now.
As of now, if asked, could you even pick Jose Iglesias out of a crowd? The team doesn't have corner outfielders at the moment, (BRING BACK CODY ROSS. JUST DO IT.) they don't have a first basemen, and their lineup is the weakest it's been in years. Heck, Pedro Ciriaco is the closest thing to a fan favorite on this team as of now. Pedro Ciriaco. Seriously.
Many of you will ask about Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Sure, fans love them. They're about the only guys left on this team fans CAN love. For all the minor flaws that have revealed themselves about both players in the last two seasons, you cannot ignore Pedroia's daily effort on the field or Big Papi's endearment to Red Sox Nation through clutch heroics.
But here's the thing. Bostonians love grit, they love the underdog, and most of all, they love winners. This team as a whole is not a winning ballclub, which makes David Ortiz's clutch heroics non-existent and devalues Dustin Pedroia's willingness to play hard for a team destined for 90 wins.
Moving forward, words cannot do this off-season justice. This is an absolutely pivotal off-season for Boston not only because they simply cannot afford to repeat another 90 win season, but this team needs an identity. And you know what, it probably won't be found in 2013. You're asking a lot out of Ben Cherington to turn a 90+ loss team into an 85-90 win team with one off-season and an open payroll.
I actually saw today than an unnamed GM considered the Red Sox contenders in 2013. I think that's surprising, but I wouldn't rule it out. Because of that, over the next few installment of Mark's Thoughts (I need a better name), I'll focus on what I believe the Red Sox should do to improve this team for 2013 and beyond. I'll focus on each position group for each post, and would enjoy any opposing opinions.
After all, who doesn't like pretending they're the GM?
No comments:
Post a Comment