Protecting the Shields -- The Nick Cafardo Thread
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For context, Dempster beat Minny, arguably the worst team in baseball, and lost to the White Sox, giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings.
Of course, the other win was a 3-0 win over the Red Sox, where Dempster threw 7 innings, giving up five hits and two walks and striking out three in Chicago.
Of course, the other win was a 3-0 win over the Red Sox, where Dempster threw 7 innings, giving up five hits and two walks and striking out three in Chicago.
Two of hist starts were also in Chicago, so AL teams with no DH doesn't really illustrate pitching in the AL. I get that he's limited trying to get a point across on twitter, but using that small of a sample size to back up his conclusion is embarrassing for a baseball reporter. Even the most casual baseball fan understands thats not enough proof Dempster can pitch well in the AL.
Maybe Cafardo is getting slicker at stirring the shit. In this Sunday's column, he manages to get in an Ellsbury jab and knock two members of the Drew family:
"One of the funniest rumors I've heard was the Red Sox being interested in Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew. All the Sox need is another player who takes forever to return from an injury."
"One of the funniest rumors I've heard was the Red Sox being interested in Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew. All the Sox need is another player who takes forever to return from an injury."
Which makes Nick's original "source" wrong. "The decision to not keep him on the bench was made at the executive level, according to a team source."
Of course they are.
But the context -- BV's BFF being banished to the bullpen -- suggests it was the Sox executives. I would venture that no writer, when writing about a team's coaching change, uses the term "executive level" to mean anything other than the team. Maybe Nick was being sloppy in that he heard 'executive' and assumed it meant team; or sloppy in the sense that he heard 'executive,' assumed it meant league, and further assumed that that's what readers would think; or he was told "league" and was intentionally vague so as to be able to trash the front office, yet claim plauisble deniability later. ("MLB Offices are 'executive level.'").
Anyway it's sliced, it's still a piece o' crap.
Nick probably thinks Seattle is showcasing King Felix for the Sox because he drilled Slappy, Jetes, and the traitorous Itchyroo last night.
Xander, Ells, and Lester should get it done.
Xander, Ells, and Lester should get it done.
I'm not even sure where to begin
Roster needs a different look
Edit: it's almost a full Cafardo pu-pu platter. Only thing missing is a comment from a GM. We have:
- rhetorical questions
- an implied backing of Bobby V
- suggestions to move players but absolutely no specific suggestions
- an Ellsbury slam
- a Jason Bay mention as a poor decision
- characterization of trades as signings (Bay, Victor Martinez - hey Cafardo, why did Jay Payton sign here???)
Roster needs a different look
Edit: it's almost a full Cafardo pu-pu platter. Only thing missing is a comment from a GM. We have:
- rhetorical questions
- an implied backing of Bobby V
- suggestions to move players but absolutely no specific suggestions
- an Ellsbury slam
- a Jason Bay mention as a poor decision
- characterization of trades as signings (Bay, Victor Martinez - hey Cafardo, why did Jay Payton sign here???)
How in the world is not signing Jason Bay a bad thing? Seriously. I want that explained to me right now. In the last three years, Jason Bay has played in 95, 123 and 30 games. He has had a grand total of 23 home runs and 217 hits in those three years and a slash of .244/.328/.383.
How is having the foresight for letting this guy go, bad?
And someone should tell him the circumstances around which they didn't sign Beltre. It's pretty fucking simple.
How is having the foresight for letting this guy go, bad?
And someone should tell him the circumstances around which they didn't sign Beltre. It's pretty fucking simple.
You could reasonably argue that letting Jason Bay walk was one of Theo's greatest decisions.
He's harped on this Jason Bay thing before, too.
https://twitter.com/nickcafardo/statuses/225287759236046848
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2012/01/08/good_starting_point_for_red_sox_is_200_innings/?page=full
Basically, he just carries this guy's water. The same way he does Johnny Damon.
I'm just as guilty as this as anyone but, damn, a man of such little intelligence and insight really doesn't deserve to have his words parsed and analyzed as much as we do.
How he managed to get the gig that he has is astonishing. I mean, really, utterly and truly astonishing.
I have similar thoughts about Peter King but at least he spent years developing a wide network of sources. Like him or not, he really does have the ear and attention of a huge chunk of the NFL world. And he's unique. Insufferable, but plugged in and unique.
Cafardo talks to a few cronies and friends, and otherwise just spits out repetitive, senseless drivel. And he does it in a featured role in the the Boston Globe sports section, the part of the media that informed many of my childhood views about sports and essentially tought me to read and write (along with Sports Illustrated).
How did this happen?
How he managed to get the gig that he has is astonishing. I mean, really, utterly and truly astonishing.
I have similar thoughts about Peter King but at least he spent years developing a wide network of sources. Like him or not, he really does have the ear and attention of a huge chunk of the NFL world. And he's unique. Insufferable, but plugged in and unique.
Cafardo talks to a few cronies and friends, and otherwise just spits out repetitive, senseless drivel. And he does it in a featured role in the the Boston Globe sports section, the part of the media that informed many of my childhood views about sports and essentially tought me to read and write (along with Sports Illustrated).
How did this happen?
These are easy to answer, actually.
Cafardo was actually a really good Red Sox beat writer when he was at the Patriot Ledger in the 1980's. He deserved the call up to the big leagues at The Globe at the time.
However, to answer the second question, just like a lot of people when they get old and comfortable at something, they mail it in.
Nick's been mailing it in for many years now. It's more than fair to call him out on that in this thread. In fact, it would be shitty if we gave him a pass on his years and years of failure. Even more so when you consider who came before him and the former greatness of the very section that is now a shambles due in large part to his own incompetence and laziness.
Has he been saying the poor decision was on Bay's decision to leave Fenway for Citifield, or it was a bad idea for the Red Sox to not match the Mets' offer? I'd imagine it's the former.
For all the harping on the decision, the choice to not sign Bay was because they were instead targeting Lackey with that money, and went a cheaper route with Cameron. Then they filled that LF hole with Crawford the following offseason.
Nick's an idiot, but I'm not sure who's the biggest idiot in this whole situation.
Hey, Nick, why not write a moderately sized column about the whys and wherefores of rehab assignments instead of whining each week about how long they are?
You might be right about them, then again, you might learn something.
That is, of course, if you can get up the effort to write such an article.
You might be right about them, then again, you might learn something.
That is, of course, if you can get up the effort to write such an article.
Cafardo's tweets are always a joy to read.
[twitter]nickcafardo[/twitter]
[twitter]nickcafardo[/twitter]
What an insightful piece of analysis he just provided for us!
Does Nick really believe this crap:
If thats what other GMs think -- that Beckett "doesn't care" -- we know he'd say so, Nick not being shy about quoting his anonymous rolodex. He doesn't, so it must be that Nick Cafardo really doesn't think Josh Beckett cares. That's flat Earth territory, IMO.
(If Beckett gets suspended, will Cafardo be first in line to call him "selfish?")
If thats what other GMs think -- that Beckett "doesn't care" -- we know he'd say so, Nick not being shy about quoting his anonymous rolodex. He doesn't, so it must be that Nick Cafardo really doesn't think Josh Beckett cares. That's flat Earth territory, IMO.
(If Beckett gets suspended, will Cafardo be first in line to call him "selfish?")
I missed that the first time around. Normal rules of construction would suggest that where the "jerk" graf follows the Shoppach discussion and is followed by a complete change of direction, that the jerk is indeed Shoppach. But this is Cafardo-land, where "normal rules" don't always apply. He might have just had another column inch or two to fill and just hit his "toughness/jerk" macro to fill the space with an inscrutable random musing.
I also get amused by the stated idea that one good/bad outing so heavily influences a team's evaluation of an opposing player. "Cook got lit up, so team X lost interest." More likely, is that Team X, like anyone else, was pretty sure that Cook couldn't keep it up while missing zero bats, and getting lit up just confirmed it.
https://twitter.com/nickcafardo/status/230297503529066496
I mean, he's getting paid for this.
Worth noting that Nick was the first one in on Albers/Pods for Breslow. Dude may be a loser of a reporter, but the Sox (Bobby?) seem to like him.
....and I'd have to agree w/a couple of the people on the radio this AM (Verducci ?) that the Greinke trade does more for LAA than the Dumpster acquisition does for Texas....I'm of the opinion that Texas ends up in the WC chase and loses out on the division.
With Damon DFA'ed a few days ago, does mean Nick is going to go to bat for him every week again?
"Any contender can use a 38-year-old fifth outfielder who batted .222/.281/.329. Think of all that leadership! I hear Cincinnati is calling as well as the Yankees, who miss his leadership. Should be interesting which teams win the Damon sweepstakes."
"Any contender can use a 38-year-old fifth outfielder who batted .222/.281/.329. Think of all that leadership! I hear Cincinnati is calling as well as the Yankees, who miss his leadership. Should be interesting which teams win the Damon sweepstakes."
Plus he cares more than any of the current OF on the Sox, would help with the toxic clubhouse, and serve as a role model to the youngsters.
Wait until the "Damon for manager" drumbeat begins
Nick Cafardo ‏@nickcafardo
@awoetken Don't think they would pick up Damon. He'd be a great leader but not sure he can play anymore.
Nick Cafardo ‏
Am I the only one who thought his thing today on "MLB Players Who Could Be Put on Waivers" makes little sense? How long has he been on the job? Does he have any understanding of how the waiver process works?
Alfonso Soriano: $42 million contract, so unlikely to be claimed. Could get through waivers and then be traded, with the Cubs assuming some of the contract.
Vernon Wells: Another bad contract and "one that should clear waivers" but "for a team looking for a righthanded bat/outfielder, he could be the man."
Jayson Werth: A good outfielder and "a righthanded bat who could help a contender."
Carl Crawford: His speed and occasional power would certainly fit a lot of lineups.
If a team claims Soriano, Theo isn't going to subsidize the contract or ask for anything in return. He'd let the claiming team have the guy. Same with these other guys.
Alfonso Soriano: $42 million contract, so unlikely to be claimed. Could get through waivers and then be traded, with the Cubs assuming some of the contract.
Vernon Wells: Another bad contract and "one that should clear waivers" but "for a team looking for a righthanded bat/outfielder, he could be the man."
Jayson Werth: A good outfielder and "a righthanded bat who could help a contender."
Carl Crawford: His speed and occasional power would certainly fit a lot of lineups.
If a team claims Soriano, Theo isn't going to subsidize the contract or ask for anything in return. He'd let the claiming team have the guy. Same with these other guys.
I'm not the type to defend Cafardo, but I see it saying he wouldn't get claimed, and could be traded if he gets through waivers. In that case, the Cubs may be willing to eat some contract.
Cafardo also wonders whether Brad Mills will get fired and whether it's going to be "justified". So far Mills has a 168-265 record (.388), this year has a 36-73 record and the Astros are trumpeting next season's league switch as a "new beginning".
I'd say that Mills would be smart not to renew his lease on his Houston apartment.
And while the Astros are terrible, Mills is the manager. It's his job to make them less terrible.
I'd say that Mills would be smart not to renew his lease on his Houston apartment.
And while the Astros are terrible, Mills is the manager. It's his job to make them less terrible.
Something that occurred to me this week: Nick spent a ton of time hinting that Ellsbury was spending too much time recovering from his injury, but has never mentioned Andrew Bailey in similar terms. It really is personal with this guy from some reason.
Upon closer inspection, I am mentally incompetent and misunderstood some of the finer points of the waiver process.
Cafardo tweet:
Johnny Damon hasn't heard if there's any interest in him by a contender, but wants to play. Watching his kids tubing on a lake right now.
http://twitter.com/nickcafardo/status/233642324561891329
Johnny Damon hasn't heard if there's any interest in him by a contender, but wants to play. Watching his kids tubing on a lake right now.
http://twitter.com/nickcafardo/status/233642324561891329
So Cafardo is watching Damon's kids tubing on a lake? :buddy: I knew he was in love with Damon, but now it's downright creepy.
I must follow Cafardo on twitter now to get further updates on what Johnny Damon's children are up to every day.
Saturday: Johnny Damon is looking to join a contending team, after he finishes watching cartoons with his children!
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