Tag Archives: John Henry

October 3, 2012 · 5:53 AM

Fire or Sale?

I have made no secret on my love for the new kid in town (well not so new) 98.5 The Sports Hub. With the new job I’ll be starting soon I should get a decent hour with Toucher and Rich in the morning and at least an hour with Felger and Mazz in the afternoon.

Anyways, I bring these guys up again because Felger had a theory that Valentine would be fired before they went to NY. We see now that he was wrong. I personally was hoping he would have been right. I’ve made my feelings on Valentine very clear, I didn’t think he was the right guy for the job and shouldn’t have been hired in the first place. As you look at Buck Showalter in Baltimore and Davy Johnson in Washington hell even Dusty Baker in Cinci you see that the retread manager can work; if it’s the right one.

We knew before the season that Bobby V wasn’t the right one. As the team is now guaranteed to finish in the basement for the first time since 1992, you have to look to sack the manager.

The only way I say this doesn’t happen is if they’re really looking to sell the team. If they’re looking to sell, they want as many insecurities taken away as possible. Valentine would stay the manager so they’re not selling the team while paying Valentine to sit home.

Personally I want to wake up tomorrow morning and read a headline that says “Lucchino Sacked” since all the problems start with that ass clown but Vampire Henry has made it clear his buddy isn’t going anywhere. So I’ll take a small victory of Valentine being sacked. If he’s not, my suspicions that the team is heading for sale are more and more realistic. That would make me even happier since Lucchino would leave when this jackass ownership group leaves. Then can take their bricks with them.

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September 19, 2012 · 6:52 AM

The Tour Continues

Two years ago I reported back from Camden Yards in Baltimore how great the stadium was and how the needed to get rid of Fenway. I just got back from Miami and Marlins Ballpark and I have to say once again, it’s time for a new ballpark in Boston.

Marlins Ballpark wasn’t that big. In fact at capacity it only holds about 3,000 more people than Fenway but the difference is those people are comfortable in Miami. Opposed to sitting with their knees jammed into someone’s back, staring at the bleachers because your seats face the wrong way, or stuck sitting behind a pole.

I bring all this up because I know I’m in the minority with people that love Fenway. You love Fenway from TV or in the $200 EMC Club seats. You don’t love it when you’re sitting in the grandstands, staring at the center field bleachers with some guys knees in your back, spilling beer on you. God forbid you’re in the middle of the row and have to go the bathroom, then you’re making 32 other people get up that all give you attitude about it.

I bring this up because last week it was rumored that the Sox are exploring selling the team. Well, I made it extremely clear the last time they went up for sale that whoever bought the team would need to build a new ballpark. Said ballpark could have the same dimensions on the field as the existing Fenway but it would need a retractable roof (like Seattle or Miami where I just was).

When John Henry ever said that Uncle Larry isn’t going anywhere, that was it. He’s not going to dump his friend, nope, instead he’ll bring him on whatever journey he does next.

I pray in my heart of hearts that the team goes up for sale soon. I don’t care if it’s $2 billion dollars or whatever they want to sell it for. I hope someone with some balls buys the team. Someone with balls that says, Fenway’s cute and all but we need a bigger stadium that can make so it’s not $20 to sit in the bleachers. Someone like Mark Cuban comes to mind. I’d support him as an owner in a millisecond.

Of course John Henry denies they’ve looked into selling the team. But didn’t they shed a ton of payroll right before he sold the Marlins? Yeah, the same Marlins that just built this brand new stadium after Henry was gone?

Yup. So get on your yacht, sail to England, watch your soccer team, and leave Boston in your wake. We’ll pick up the broken pieces you’ve left behind, and with Uncle Larry out of the picture and possibly a new park, we’ll be in a better place.

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August 17, 2012 · 6:42 AM

Oh, Hello

Occasionally I tweet. You can see my feed over to the right on this page, or become a follower on Twitter @jaylizotte.

Anyways, I bring this up because the other day Jim tweeted me and proposed Werner buying out Henry, taking over the Sox, and of course cleaning house. Interesting. But is that the answer? Would Werner fire his friend Uncle Larry?

Well, low and behold, look who finally showed up last night in Baltimore.

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Yup, the asshat ownership group that has been invisible all season.

Why do you think they were there? Fire Bobby V after giving him another vote of confidence that morning? Another closed door players only meeting to allow the underperforming, self entitled primadonnas to bitch?

Who knows.

I can say I saw a shot of Ledter, Beckett, Lackey, and Cook all standing on the top step during the game.

Is that all the team needs? Have ownership at every game? Like when they’d allow parents in elementary school. You’d be on your best behavior and try in class.

The Sox became that elementary class. On their best behavior with the bosses there and hey, they won.

I vote these invisible asshats follow around this team for the rest of the year. At least they’ll behave, right?

Back Monday with some more Pats stuff.

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August 15, 2012 · 6:01 AM

Ready to Explode

Remember when I posted that photo at the trade deadline? Well, it’s getting ready to blow.

Sure Beckett had another crappy start against an opponent ahead of them in the stands. Really at this point do you expect anything else?

John Lackey was spotted double fisting in the clubhouse after another Sox loss. Are you shocked?

Adrian Gonzalez texted ownership requesting a meeting after Bobby Valentine left Jon Lester in a game in July where he ended up giving up 11 runs. Was granted said meeting, attended by 17 players, where he and Dustin Pedroia were calling for Valentine’s job only to have John Henry put his support behind Valentine a few short weeks later.

I’ve never been a Valentine fan (even though he invented baseball, the wrap, can walk on water, and turn said water into wine). But at this point the writing is on the wall that he’s gone after this season. So why not just manage the way you want. If someone sucks, just say as much in the post game press conference. The pitching coach doesn’t talk to you, tell everyone in the media after the starter gets lit up again.

The bottom line is this ownership group is so inept and their finger is so far from the pulse they’ll likely just fire Valentine at the end of the year and keep the same shitty team. It’s their plan from last off-season why would they deviate.

At this point, the true fans are a little happier as they can get good seats, on game day for $5. That’s about all they can celebrate. They can see a team they hate for dirt money. I’d prefer a likable team, but you can get it all.

We can only hope that the ownership group plans to sell at this point because with all the mismanagement going on in the front office, it’s not going to get better with Uncle Larry at the helm. John Henry won’t fire his buddy, so barring a team sale, this hierarchy is in place for the long haul.

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August 8, 2012 · 6:34 AM

Stupid Excuses

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Red Sox management came out and gave Bobby Valentine a vote of confidence Monday.

Sweet.

So Vampire John Henry will fire his soccer coach when his players underperform, but when his baseball has done the same, he’ll give the manager a vote of confidence. In fact he’ll make excuses.

I’ll give you Henry’s entire email because you know he won’t be seen anywhere near Fenway for fear he’ll get beaten up.

Here you go. Just more spin and damage control. It’s disgusting:

To blame Bobby Valentine for the Red Sox being .500 at this point in the season is simply wrong. A lot has been written about injuries to key players this year. The impact of that on the Sox this year should not be discounted.

In baseball, managers often get too much credit and too much blame for what happens on the field. That seems to be a constant. There is often the thought in organizations, “This isn’t working so the manager needs to go.” But an organization is much more than the field manager. We all share responsibility for the success and failure of the Boston Red Sox. We are not making a change in manager.

There has been no lack of effort from our players and we have had a number of them playing hurt. I watch every game and the effort our players put in night after night is very clear to see.

In regard to the notion that we have somehow not empowered Bobby, you should ask him directly about that. We have been nothing but supportive of him inside and outside of the clubhouse. Stories that imply otherwise are due to speculation that is not warranted at all by the facts.

And the notion that we are not present and not attending games is misleading to the public. Tom, Larry and I seldom miss home games. This year is no different. We seldom miss a telecast when on the road if we aren’t there. This is a 365-day-a-year sport for us – as it is for Ben and for Bobby. Even when we are away we discuss issues daily. Just because we aren’t answering all media questions doesn’t mean we aren’t on the job. We are.

Our commitment to winning is unabated. That is our focus. We continue to have the 2nd highest payroll among the 30 clubs. We have been at this for more than 10 years in Boston, and winning is just as much our focus today as it was when we took over.

Back tomorrow with some Pats.

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