I didn't see a lot of "fire" last year.
Sure, after a walk-off hit, there was celebration, but I sensed a lack of desire.
Also, the mental blunders were a sign of lacking focus, which can, at times, be attributed to not being fully "into it".
I'm not big on the whole leadership bandwagon, but I did not see JF as the type of guy to light a fire under anybody. He was too laid back, and I think that rubbed off on the kids.
There are many fans who have said similar things, or said that last year's team was not very likable. I just don't agree with it.
I found the team very likable and enjoyable to watch.
And I believe that many of the mental blunders can be attributed to the guys trying too hard.
in the long run - yes. But the year's the best team in the league wins are fairly irregular, far more than any other sport.
Really, it's the rotating starting pitchers that does it. There is very rarely a matchup where a team is fielding a better 9 players than another team every single day. It's like goaltendiing in hockey but moreso (since hockey teams can still generate tons of chances).
I can see that - but it was a team which had an incredible knack for winning close games, and a lot of those long extra inning odysseys. It was a team which even got up off the mat against the Astros. The team had toughness.
Indeed - if you read between the lines of the postmortems of Farrell's ouster - it seemed like the exact opposite. He was not laid back enough - just a lot of professional grinding intensity. What Farrell missed was Francona's ability to crack a dirty joke and tell a kid suffering through a slump. "it's nothing that a line drive falling between two fielders can't fix". The kids - if anything - were way way too hard on themselves.
But if they are committing errors by being overly aggressive, isn't that a type of "fire" people say they lacked?
For the most part, this is one of those criticisms I think people throw around when they don't know why the team didn't win it all, like about 90% of all managerial criticisms. The Sox are two-time defending AL East champions. While this off-season has been an atrocity of ennui, they are still a good team.
We have a new coaching staff who may well restore the fire we may have lacked at times. The season is 162 games and it is hard to stay totally focused throughtout, but I look for Cora to have a positive impact.
A second point, Darvish now goes to the Cubs, so perhaps the FA market will begin to crack open.
Bonehead plays, lack of fire and desire, pedroia fracturing the locker room and price verbally berating eckersley. What does it all add up to?
A total lack of leadership in the locker room. No one is demanding accountability from fellow players in that locker room. It is madness to expect this to change in 2018 unless we bring in a guy that can lead these sheep.
I'm not disagreeing, but I think this may be an oversimplification.
Anyways, how are you so sure that "guy that can lead these sheep" isn't Cora?
It's also not that easy knowing what player out there has the leadership skills that match with the needs of this team. It's not like a great leader/player can just walk in the door and get everyone focused and full of fire easily.
"Hating the Yankees like it's a religion since 94'" RIP Mike.
"It's also a simple and indisputable fact that WAR isn't the be-all end-all in valuations, especially in real life. Wanna know why? Because an ace in run-prevention for 120 innings means more often than not, a sub-standard pitcher covering for the rest of the IP that pitcher fails to provide. You can't see value in a vacuum when a player does not provide full-time production."
Three things: 1 - This team definitely has talent. Whether it has enough talent at present to beat the top teams in 2018 in questionable. 2 - They clearly can use a power bat in the middle of the lineup . If not J.D. Martinez , then who. 3 - Cora needs to be a major improvement over Farrell . To underestimate the importance of management and leadership is a mistake. Martinez or no Martinez , it is Cora who can make the difference .