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SoxProspects Forum: In search of new Members. Please join!
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Post by Mike Andrews on May 12, 2017 13:40:38 GMT -5
Good afternoon everyone, happy Friday!
I’m posting in the hopes of bringing on a new wave of members to post to the Forum and to encourage the existing members to post more. We’re really striving to set an environment where visitors shouldn’t be afraid to post here for fear that their opinions aren’t in line with conventional wisdom, or that their prospect knowledge isn’t yet up to par with readers that have been following the site for a dozen years. Please join the forum and post away! Don’t be shy! (Side note: we’ll continue to aim to make sure that the board doesn’t devolve into an un-moderated disaster). I’d like to set two goals. First, I hope we can sign up 100 new members between now and the draft (June 12). Second, I hope to see 5,000 member posts between May 13 and the draft.
For some background, we are at roughly 2,100 members, but only about 450 have posted this calendar year. Over the last 30 days, there have been about 3,820 posts. These numbers are down from previous years, which we somewhat expected due to some prospect graduations and trades. That said, there are still a lot of exciting topics to talk about, so feel free to start a new thread on any relevant topic. Many of the top 20 prospects don’t have their own threads yet.
Also, if you feel that there are ways that we can improve the Forum, please feel free to post in this thread or PM me, Chris Hatfield, or one of the moderators directly. We are always looking for ways to improve, albeit with somewhat limited resources.
Thanks for reading!
Mike
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Post by Mike Andrews on May 12, 2017 14:02:57 GMT -5
Also, to whoever is interested -- current members and new members -- feel free to introduce yourself to any extent you're comfortable with. First name, where you live, occupation, how long you've been a Sox fan or SoxProspects reader, favorite prospect of all time, etc.
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Post by soxfansince67 on May 12, 2017 15:42:09 GMT -5
I joined for a bit last year - it was (sort of) fun most of the time - by the end of the season, some of the long timers' tendencies to be condescending or insulting drove me away. I realize that in discussion boards, things can get heated. But for this to be a welcoming place to post, it should not select just for stats addicts or "my opinion or the highway" types - just my two cents worth.
Since I send a lot of time here reading the board, stats, etc - I will jump back in (cautiously).
Just a bit of FYI - as my user name states, I became a fan in 67 watching games with my grandfathers (I am 61). Lived and died with the Sox ever since - currently in North Carolina. Garden writing and workshops are my "claim to fame" (author of 2 books, more on the way, main area of interest heirloom tomatoes)
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Post by joemayosparty on May 12, 2017 16:02:39 GMT -5
As a long time lurker I appreciate the invitation to post more. This is second site I go to each day, right after checking the obits to make sure I'm not there. I love the insights the regular posters provide even tho I find some of the material intimidating. (I barely know the difference between the NRA and an ERA.) But I do enjoy following the progress of the Sox prospects.
Growing up in New England I've been a fan of the Sox since I can remember - late 40's early 50's. My favorite players as a kid were Billy Goodman (anyone remember him?) and of course, Teddy Ballgame. A lot of prospects have come and gone since then. I'm a retired federal servant living in the Milwaukee area. Didn't appreciate the Sox losing 2 of 3 to the Brewers
To all who make this site so valuable, my thanks. I'll try to get better informed about BABIP, OBP, OPS, UPS, whatever.
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Post by gordo014 on May 12, 2017 16:18:18 GMT -5
Another long time lurker here. Biggest reason I haven't gotten around to posting frequently is just that a lot of discussions seem to be driven by "My opinions are facts" type of posts -- moreso than other places.
Anyways, favorite prospect is Devers, without a doubt, mainly because I remember stumbling across this site while goofing off in class in high school and being stunned that a kid my own age was playing pro baseball. He's basically what made me start following prospects in general. Now, as a college student studying bio, I seriously can't wait until we see Devers reach the Show. Gonna be a weird feeling for me.
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Post by sox040713 on May 12, 2017 17:08:32 GMT -5
Good Afternoon. Long time lurker and have always enjoyed reading your comments. Good to have a site with so many awesome Sox fans.
I'm Will from the State of Washington. Been a Sox fan my whole life. My dad's from Boston so we had to follow the Sox. I've seen hundreds of live Red Sox games nationwide and I'm excited to pass it on to my son now. He also enjoys going to games with me.
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Post by ramireja on May 12, 2017 17:25:05 GMT -5
Hey folks! Welcome new posters!
I had to look at the rankings history to figure this out, but I've been a big fan of the site since about 2007 (just before the Lars Anderson era). Wow, I wouldn't have guessed its been ten years. Anyways, this is hands down one of my favorite websites and favorite places for conversation/discussion so I certainly welcome more of that.
A little about me, I'm a Maine native and have been a Red Sox fan since the late 80's. I currently live in Seattle where I'm an acting research prof at the University of Washington. Favorite all-time players are obvious....Pedro, Papi, Manny (I'm a fellow Ramirez), and Pedroia. Current favorite prospects would probably be Devers, Ockimey, Lakins, and Chavis, but of course, I root for them all to do well.
One other thing to note: Seems to be an early theme that some posting styles here can be a bit intimidating and aggressive, and may discourage posting from non-regulars. We could all probably use a reminder that a diversity of opinions are welcome and one need not be a statistician to post here.
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Post by greatscottcooper on May 12, 2017 18:08:32 GMT -5
The names Hugh, I own a commercial print shop in northwest Connecticut and reside a little further south in Bethel CT. More of a lurker but I'll post a few times a day when I'm having a slow week. I wasn't always a Sox fan, my first obsession was the Kansas City Royals. I believe I was ten and saw they were in first place so I decided they were my team. My whole family are Sox fans and they eventually set me straight. I've been bleeding red since about 1993, and my favorite player back then was Scott Cooper. I use to have my friends hit the baseball far enough so I'd have to dive for it and we'd call it a "Cooper play"
Now that I'm all grown up (relatively speaking) I treat myself to a few games a year and always catch a couple playoff games too. My all time favorite games I'm proud to have attended was Jon Lesters no hitter and game 1 of the 2007 ALCS. Funny story was I sold my tickets to Clays no hitter a year earlier and thought I'd never see one after that. Jons game was the next one I went to and all I talked about the entire car ride up was about how cool it would be if we saw a no hitter. Being a sarcastic dick after the first inning I said "only 24 more to go" I stopped the countdown and started shitting myself by the 5th inning.
I pride myself in being an obnoxious Sox and Patriots fan. I really started following the minor leaguers around 2010
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Post by johnsilver52 on May 12, 2017 20:25:13 GMT -5
Boards can be such hostile places sometimes (not saying this one is) and think some might prefer using social media sites over blogs past several years. Also? those same devices and on the go use has led to some of the "testy" users now around on sites.
I'll keep sending in any pictures of GCL players you might want whenever make one of our multiple yearly trips and post anything see from the games wife and I take in. Don't think 1st trip (probably mid July) will have many of the draft picks, but hopefully will have some good kids to watch over 3-5 days we stay.
Mark
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 12, 2017 21:37:48 GMT -5
I see we have a user with a similar name. Those were great years! That's why I picked a similar username. My real name is Marc and I live in CT. My job isn't well defined. I'm the stat guy at work. I work with spreadsheets all day and I like to program excel.
I've been a Red Sox fan since the midpoint of the 1980 season. I suffered thru 1986 and was convinced the Sox would never win a Series in my lifetime either. 2003 kind of reinforced that, but those 8 games in October 2004 made me a changed man. 2004 was all about actually living to see it, while 2007 was all about not having to wait 86 more years, while 2013 was about seeing the Red Sox win it all at Fenway. The next one, God willing, is hopefully about me enjoying it with my son, who is a little young for baseball although he does know who Big Papi is.
I have been posting on this board for a few years. I like the knowledgeable people I've dealt with, but I don't exactly "fit in". I grew up reading and enjoying Bill James, but I don't care to crunch numbers (even though that's what I do for a living) as much as I enjoy baseball history. That (and the human element) interests me a lot more than looking at what Fangraphs computed for WAR or DERA or whatever they have.
I find myself smack dab in the middle of the two cultures; the stat geeks and the dinosaurs. Some dinosaurs make fun of the statistical oriented fans while spouting their own antiquated ignorance while some of the stat geeks look down on the dinosaurs or less well educated and some of them think that WAR ends all discussion and opinions as if the stats were absolute.
I find myself in the middle. I like learning some of the stats but I don't want to be slave to them and don't find them infallible although I like the effort of trying to understand the game better which some of the dinosaurs don't care to do. To be honest I'd rather reminisce about the Red Sox teams or players of my past or learn about players and teams from before my time.
And being into history I also concern myself with the future and that's why SoxProspects is such an awesome site. I had never really concerned myself with the farm system when I was a kid. The draft was something with little meaning to me. Not anymore. I was dismayed when the Sox picked Trey Ball over Austin Meadows and thrilled when I heard Benintendi's name called and over the moon when Groome's name was called last season. The farm system is (was?) the foundation of the team and I enjoy it.
My favorite prospect as a kid was the young man I saw pitching at New Britain in 1983 - us fans couldn't decide whether to call him Rog or Clem. Rocket wasn't in our minds at that point, but we knew that kid could pitch! And I'm happy to say I got his autograph when I was a kid. And he was the best Red Sox pitcher ever - or so I thought until I witnessed the power of Pedro.
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Post by Don Caballero on May 12, 2017 22:25:42 GMT -5
I think I've been posting here for over 10 years now, I just flat out love this community. The work everyone does with scouting and the daily gamethreads and the sheer content here is unbelievable, but more than anything I absolutely adore the regulars here. This place and the people in it helped me deal with depression and the worst feeling of hopelessness I ever felt so I owe so much to everyone here, finding a corner of the internet like that is so rare that I must encourage new members to stick around. Find a good prospect to be your binky and just follow the journey. It's awesome.
My name is Marcelo, I'm brazilian and I like all kinds of sports. I also like videogames. And heavy metal/prog rock. Oh and obviously action movies, I mean why even watch any other kind of movie?
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gerry
Veteran
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Posts: 1,660
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Post by gerry on May 13, 2017 10:13:45 GMT -5
One of my favorite websites. It's about baseball, so even the most astute observations and conversations about players, prospects, and their floors and ceilings, injuries and attitudes, successes and lack therof are as randomly accurate as anything in the universe.
The beauty of Soxprospects is the blend of experts and newbies making those observations in conversations that are generally supportive and insightful, despite the occasional bouts of negativity and nitpicking common to any human endeavor. In short, this is a wonderful place to talk about and learn more about the ever so familiar yet unpredictable game of baseball, America's game for about 9 months a year.
My name is Gerry, originally from Boston, a 3rd generation Sox fan (emphasize fan, as in supporter) with kids and grandkids who are 4th and 5th generation fans, who are Californians, which is why I retired here. I enjoy the relaxing pace of the game as much as winning, and the pure joy of chasing down fly balls and line drives in the outfield ranks among my favorite and most vivid memories as a kid and young man; a life with baseball is good.
Having been around the block a few times, I know that stats like UZR and WAR are useful, but also that numbers can lie and are often misleading. Having played and coached a bit, I know ballplayers are frail human beings subject to the same adrenaline, fears, hurts and hangovers as you and I, and that good scouts understand this better than most, and numbers don't. On this site, both dinosaurs and stat geeks usually manage to meet in the middle somewhere with consistently good analysis of how prospects work their way to the Majors. Even players read this site. Joining this community was good for me and should be good for you. So, I hope you join.
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Post by Mike Andrews on May 13, 2017 14:47:17 GMT -5
Great responses! The dude abides. Live in Needham (MA). My real job is working for The Boston Beer Company. A couple years ago I became a Certified Cicerone (beer expert), so I'm pretty into beer in addition to baseball. I started following the Sox in the mid 80s. Loved the 1986 team, then started getting into prospects in the Mike Greenwell, Ellis Burks, Todd Benzinger, Sam Horn, Jody Reed, and Kevin Romine era.
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Post by rafael on May 13, 2017 14:57:15 GMT -5
Welcome new posters!
My name is Rafael and like Don, I'm Brazilian. I study Chemical Engineering and I'm an intern in a pharmaceutical company.
In Brazil, baseball is not a popular sport so it was very rarely shown on TV when I was growing up. Because of that, the first baseball game I ever watched on TV was game 6 of the 2006 ALDS with the Tigers eliminating the Yankees. At the time, I was 12 years old. At first I was a Mets fan (disgusting, I know), because a friend of my father who was a Mets fan gave me a Carlos Beltran bobblehead. During the 2008 ALCS, I caught myself rooting badly for the Sox, as they were the team that never quit, having completed great comebacks in 2004 and 2007 and were trying to complete another one. It broke my heart when they lost in game 7 of that series and I've been a big fan ever since.
Last year, I made the trip to Boston for the first time to watch the Sox and it was a blast. I used to watch games on TV and dream about going to Fenway, but when I got there it was better than I could ever have imagined. I plan to comeback many times in the future, if I have enough money for that.
This is the second website I visit every morning, just after I check my soccer team news and it's the only website I go to read Red Sox news and discussion. The quantity and the quality of the work done by the SoxProspects' staff is amazing, in my opinion better than anything else in the internet regarding the Sox farm system. Since I found out about SoxProspects.com, my knowledge about Red Sox history, farm system and baseball in general has grown exponentially and I'd like to thank all of you, fellow forum members and staff for that.
I have posted a lot less this season than I did previously, mostly because I have not had the time since my internship started. I'll try to post more than I have so far, but even if I don't, I'm still going to be lurking here daily.
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Post by gregblossersbelly on May 14, 2017 12:25:41 GMT -5
I joined for a bit last year - it was (sort of) fun most of the time - by the end of the season, some of the long timers' tendencies to be condescending or insulting drove me away. I realize that in discussion boards, things can get heated. But for this to be a welcoming place to post, it should not select just for stats addicts or "my opinion or the highway" types - just my two cents worth. Since I send a lot of time here reading the board, stats, etc - I will jump back in (cautiously). Just a bit of FYI - as my user name states, I became a fan in 67 watching games with my grandfathers (I am 61). Lived and died with the Sox ever since - currently in North Carolina. Garden writing and workshops are my "claim to fame" (author of 2 books, more on the way, main area of interest heirloom tomatoes) I hope this doesn't degenerate into an age issue. I'm 55 so a bit younger than you. I don't mind the stats at all. I used to buy the Elias Analyst in late 80's. However, too much emphasis on advanced stats limits discussion. IMO I'm guessing it's a little bit of an age issue with the younger guys really into them. Just so you don't think I'm a crazy old coot. Here's one reason I don't totally go by them. If you throw a false number into a formula. It makes the outcome bogus. I think the UZR numbers floating around are bogus. Who determines whether a play should be made? Some geezer like me in the pressbox? Or, youngster playing games on his IPhone? I'd love to see individual teams UZR compared to the data out there. Really makes me question WAR. I'm contents with OPS+ and my eyes for defense/baserunning. Been following Sox since Mid 70's. I still try to make it up to Boston one weekend per summer even though I live in Pa. Originally from Connecticut.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 14, 2017 12:46:33 GMT -5
I joined for a bit last year - it was (sort of) fun most of the time - by the end of the season, some of the long timers' tendencies to be condescending or insulting drove me away. I realize that in discussion boards, things can get heated. But for this to be a welcoming place to post, it should not select just for stats addicts or "my opinion or the highway" types - just my two cents worth. Since I send a lot of time here reading the board, stats, etc - I will jump back in (cautiously). Just a bit of FYI - as my user name states, I became a fan in 67 watching games with my grandfathers (I am 61). Lived and died with the Sox ever since - currently in North Carolina. Garden writing and workshops are my "claim to fame" (author of 2 books, more on the way, main area of interest heirloom tomatoes) I hope this doesn't degenerate into an age issue. I'm 55 so a bit younger than you. I don't mind the stats at all. I used to buy the Elias Analyst in late 80's. However, too much emphasis on advanced stats limits discussion. IMO I'm guessing it's a little bit of an age issue with the younger guys really into them. Just so you don't think I'm a crazy old coot. Here's one reason I don't totally go by them. If you throw a false number into a formula. It makes the outcome bogus. I think the UZR numbers floating around are bogus. Who determines whether a play should be made? Some geezer like me in the pressbox? Or, youngster playing games on his IPhone? I'd love to see individual teams UZR compared to the data out there. Really makes me question WAR. I'm contents with OPS+ and my eyes for defense/baserunning. Been following Sox since Mid 70's. I still try to make it up to Boston one weekend per summer even though I live in Pa. Originally from Connecticut. I see it as kind of a generational thing, but even that's not absolute. I think of Dan Shaughnessy and his misguided contempt for stat guys as basement dwelling geeks ruining the game (the same sentiment that younger idiot like Michael Felger espouses). Then there's Peter Gammons who shows two things to be very clear: his love of the game and his willingness at his age to try to find new ways to understand the game. And I think that's what the stat movement should be about - new ways to understand the game because I think the longer you watch baseball the less you feel you really know. I think Bill James said it best when he said something to the affect of people using stats the way a drunk uses a lamppost, for support rather than illumination. And I think, that this board works best when we try to seek that illumination and if you love baseball and seek the illumination of learning, even if it's not something you necessarily agree with, it can be quite an enjoyable board. Look forward to reading new perspective along with the veterans' of the board. The draft ahead should be quite an interesting topic of conversation, one I know so little about, but enjoy reading opinions of others! Great learning experience.
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Post by HenryOwensPancakeHouseFan on May 14, 2017 12:49:31 GMT -5
Longtime lurker as well.. Huge fan of the site overall.
My name's James & I live a happily retired life in Salem, VA.
I catch basically every Salem Red Sox batting practice & game that I possibly can. And enjoy all the "perks" of being a season ticket holder. Which basically means.. I get to watch some awesome young players. lol
Nice to finally post something and nice to meet everyone.
(Sidenote: My name.. lol When he was in Salem, Henry Owens and my family got along great. There's a tiny diner in town called the Pancake House, and Henry absolutely LOVED that place. We would run into him there all the time. So.. There's the explanation in case anyone even cared. lol)
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Post by dawnbringr on May 14, 2017 13:30:16 GMT -5
Good Afternoon...
I'm Ron and live in New Mexico.... been a Red Sox fan for all of my 59 years - having grown up in Connecticut. Don't have much time to post, although I do visit the site daily...
Have had a few great Sox memories, and a few not-so-good ones... I was at fenway for Mo Vaughn's first game,,, quite a few opening days back in the 80's... and was in attendance back in 1990 when Dwight Evans hit a walk off against the Orioles (when the sun came out on a cloudy day just before the hit, and went back behind the clouds after he circled the bases)...
Anybody remember that one ??
This is my "go-to" site for Sox news and opinion, kind of like one-stop shopping...
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Post by iakovos11 on May 14, 2017 13:43:03 GMT -5
Longtime lurker as well.. Huge fan of the site overall. My name's James & I live a happily retired life in Salem, VA. I catch basically every Salem Red Sox batting practice & game that I possibly can. And enjoy all the "perks" of being a season ticket holder. Which basically means.. I get to watch some awesome young players. lol Nice to finally post something and nice to meet everyone. (Sidenote: My name.. lol When he was in Salem, Henry Owens and my family got along great. There's a tiny diner in town called the Pancake House, and Henry absolutely LOVED that place. We would run into him there all the time. So.. There's the explanation in case anyone even cared. lol) Would love to hear more of your observations from the Salem games you gt to see.
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Scott
New Member
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Post by Scott on May 14, 2017 13:48:22 GMT -5
Hello! I am new to posting here, but have been lurking like many others for a long time. I have learned a lot about the prospects here and love watching the progress. I live in Braintree, MA now after retiring from the military after 22 years, but am from western NY originally and watched the Orioles AAA team growing up, although I was always a Sox fan. A few of my favorite live memories in Fenway are Mike Napoli's walk-off hit on Patriot's Day, and Bryce Florie's first game back after getting hit in the face by a batted ball. I don't know how much I have to offer as far as new insights here since my knowledge level isn't nearly the same as most of you, but I will do what I can!
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Post by redsox04071318champs on May 14, 2017 13:51:42 GMT -5
Good Afternoon...
I'm Ron and live in New Mexico.... been a Red Sox fan for all of my 59 years - having grown up in Connecticut. Don't have much time to post, although I do visit the site daily...
Have had a few great Sox memories, and a few not-so-good ones... I was at fenway for Mo Vaughn's first game,,, quite a few opening days back in the 80's... and was in attendance back in 1990 when Dwight Evans hit a walk off against the Orioles (when the sun came out on a cloudy day just before the hit, and went back behind the clouds after he circled the bases)...
Anybody remember that one ??
This is my "go-to" site for Sox news and opinion, kind of like one-stop shopping...
Yup, I remember that HR. It was June 23, 1990, the day after I graduated high school. He homered off of Gregg Olson who hadn't surrendered a HR in a long time.
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Post by natesp4 on May 14, 2017 16:14:26 GMT -5
I'm a longtime lurker at this site. Based on the rankings history it looks like I've been following the site since 2010. I discovered the forums a few years later and I have to say I'm extremely grateful for them. While sometimes people get a little out of hand, overall I've learned an incredible amount about baseball from the posters here at soxprospects.
I fell in love with the Red Sox in 2003 when I was 8 years old - and had them promptly break my heart. I've been an obsessed fan every since and this site helps me feed that obsession. I grew up in western mass but just graduated college and am moving to CT and hope to be able to contribute to discussions in the future!
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gerry
Veteran
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Posts: 1,660
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Post by gerry on May 15, 2017 2:36:17 GMT -5
Very happy that so many are speaking out. I too lurked for a long while before getting the courage to contribute. Had to feel comfortable in discussions with members who had been burrowing so deeply into the information and history for years. Glad I took the risk.
By the way, another wonderful element of this site are the podcasts. If you haven't tuned in yet, its a goldmine of Sox updates and often amusing banter. The only resources available when I was a kid were shoe boxes of baseball cards which we traded and the box scores from the Globe and Record American. TV coverage was just starting and few people had TV's, but listening to games on radio was a community event, as informative as it was entertaining.
What we did have was absolute access to games at Fenway and Braves Field. Even at age 10, on days we weren't playing ourselves (no coaches, just terrific ballplayers who knew the rules) we would take the train from Ashmont, usually to Fenway, by ourselves. We would get in for pennies, and have enough for bug juice and crackerjacks and fare home, a nickel or a dime. We practically lived there, had the run of the place with so many empty seats, and knew the players, most of whom were pretty good with kids, including Williams, Piersall, etc. As kids who played the game with passion and success, we understood the feel of the game, and the players themselves on a given day. It was pretty organic, and random, and still is.
I fully agree that advanced metrics contribute to this process today, but I have also sat in board rooms of well known organizations and observed senior executives use researched stats to lie their butts off for power and job preservation. I also agree that stats and scouting are both indispensible to understanding what is and might be going on. They complement each other. Soxprospects is a good place to explore both elements.
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Post by James Dunne on May 15, 2017 7:43:10 GMT -5
Good Afternoon...
I'm Ron and live in New Mexico.... been a Red Sox fan for all of my 59 years - having grown up in Connecticut. Don't have much time to post, although I do visit the site daily...
Have had a few great Sox memories, and a few not-so-good ones... I was at fenway for Mo Vaughn's first game,,, quite a few opening days back in the 80's... and was in attendance back in 1990 when Dwight Evans hit a walk off against the Orioles (when the sun came out on a cloudy day just before the hit, and went back behind the clouds after he circled the bases)...
Anybody remember that one ??
This is my "go-to" site for Sox news and opinion, kind of like one-stop shopping...
Was that the game when Evans had previously homered to tie the game in the 8th inning? If so, I remember listening on the radio. I was nine, and Evans had been my favorite player since I started following a couple years before that. He wasn't playing very well that season either, so that was a particularly nice moment. Clemens was fantastic that day too if I recall correctly.
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Post by jamesmcgillstatue on May 15, 2017 11:18:11 GMT -5
I joined in 2014 and posted intermittently through last season, and I'm guilty of being quiet since. I think it's partly a function of Dombrowski's trading away of farm system assets (although how can I complain about Chris Sale?), the ban on international signings, and a lingering hangover from the mistakes (Sandoval, Craig, Castillo) of the Cherington/Lucchino regime (although how can I complain about Betts, Bogarts, Benintendi, EdRod, etc.?) Another reason is that I haven't felt that I had anything particularly interesting to contribute to the existing discussions.
My dad took me to my first Red Sox game when I was seven on September 28, 1960. I was happy to get out of my second-grade class early (it was a cloudy, crappy Wednesday), my dad picked me up at school and with my brother (in junior high), uncle, and cousin (who was eight) we drove into Boston for the afternoon game. I'd played catch and little soft-toss baseball in the backyard but wasn't in little league (yet) and had no idea who Ted Williams was, except that my father and uncle had said, over the previous weekend, that this would be the last chance they would have -- and for my cousin and me the ONLY chance we would have -- to see him play. (I would learn later, as an adult, that Williams had not formally announced his plans but the press were speculating that he would not go to New York for the final weekend series).
As everyone knows, the park was two-thirds empty. I think we walked up to the ticket window and my dad and uncle bought our tickets then and there, and we ended up in box seats behind home plate, maybe 20 rows from the field. I remember we were not under the overhang. (So I suppose it's possible that my dad and uncle had gotten the tickets from a business associate who had STs. I mean to ponder getting great seats like those as a walk-up sounds absolutely ridiculous to me now.) And, since there was a ceremony for Williams before the game, I guess he had confirmed that this was his last game. (I'm sure I heard him make his one last sarcastic reference to the "knights of the keyboard" but it flew right over my head.)
I was pretty clueless. I remember that I kept asking my brother what the score was, because the left-field scoreboard at Fenway was configured differently than later on, when I went to games in the mid-1960s. The scoreboard then did not have total Runs (or Errors) at the end of the horizontal rows on the board, just total Hits. So you'd have to count the runs by inning and total them up in your head and math was not my strong suit, I guess. (Let's not even get into my confusion about what the yellow numbers meant.) Anyway, I remember my brother being really annoyed at me for not being able to keep track. And I also was confused because all the American League games were listed like that -- all nine innings in a row, inning by inning, with no Total Runs column. I actually asked if the Yankees and Senators (the original ones who became the Twins the next year), who were listed right under the Baltimore-Boston score, were going to play later that day at Fenway Park. (That REALLY annoyed my brother.) (EDIT: I recall now that, because the NYY-WAS game was that evening, the scoreboard spelled out "NITE GAME" instead of having blank slots where the innings go.) So I think I paid more attention to the scoreboard than to Williams or anyone else on the field, early on anyway.
That changed as the game progressed. Maybe my dad, uncle and brother were filling me in on Williams' career. And by the time of his last two at-bats, I could feel the mounting excitement across the park because all the adults knew this was it, and we all stood up for them -- I stood on my seat. In the penultimate AB I remember that Williams got hold of one and hit it to the warning track, and how deflated everyone was that it didn't go out. Then an inning or two later, bottom of the 8th, last at bat ever, he hit that blast into the bullpen and everyone was screaming "We want Ted! We want Ted!" so I joined in. He didn't tip his cap, but I didn't really care. I don't clearly remember the top of the 9th, when they sent in Carroll Hardy to take Williams' place after he had run out to left field so Ted could get another ovation. It's possible my dad and uncle wanted to beat the traffic, and figured the home run in the last at bat was enough in terms of witnessing something historic.
So, that's a special memory for me. But it didn't ignite my passion for the Red Sox (my aunts and uncles were pretty indifferent and some were Braves fans). That ignition took place two years later when I was nine and, on a Saturday when I was sick with the flu, I happened on the Red Sox game on Channel 5. I became consumed with baseball. It was another second-division Red Sox team, although it had some good players: Malzone, Monbouquette, Yaz (a sophomore) and Radatz (a rookie). And even though the team was terrible through 1966, it held my interest and my loyalty. I remember fuming after every loss, and there were a lot of them. I also started closely following the other 19 MLB teams, even though (until 1965) we saw no National League players on TV unless it was the All-Star Game or the World Series. That obsession is one reason that my posts here tend to be long on history. Like this one.
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