Ted's Army: The Voice of Red Sox fans

Crawford: "They love it when you're miserable"

Carl Crawford, the $142-million bust with the Red Sox, has a fresh start with the LA Dodgers in 2014. However, he's still addressing his dismal, brief tenure in Boston.

CBSSports.com

"At the end of the day, it just wasn't the place for me."

He takes responsibility for his poor on-field performance during his Red Sox career, which ended abruptly, first with the Tommy John surgery that is still slowing him this spring, then with the trade to the Dodgers that finally sent him to Southern California.

He should already have been there, should have been anywhere but Boston. But he took the money and went to Boston, into the hands of the media he now blames for making him miserable.

"That smile turned upside down quick," Crawford said. "I think they want to see that in Boston. They love it when you're miserable.

"Burying people in the media, they think that makes a person play better. That media was the worst thing I've ever experienced in my life."

Wow. This will certainly be making the rounds at local Dunkie's and bars.  Hell, I'm actually considering running out now to grab a PBR just to get a first glimpse at the chaos that will ensue from fans.

I understand what Crawford is trying to say...I think. But he phrased it the COMPLETELY wrong way.

I honestly think Crawford is trying to express that the Boston media simply likes to run with negative and controversial stories, thus stirring up the fan base. Right? But how is that different from any other major sports market? I just can't imagine he honestly thinks that, so I'm trying to piece it together.

Obviously, no one in Boston enjoys seeing a player be "miserable". Professional athletes are humans too, and I'm certain that Boston understands that element. 

But if Crawford seriously believes what he says, he's flat out delusion. We don't "love it when you're miserable", Carl. We love winners; a trait you lacked playing this city.

Somebody find Carl Crawford a couch and a shrink stat

We all knew that Carl Crawford didn't handle Boston well. Sure, some of his struggles were injury related, but you could see it in his performance and body language that it just wasn't working. Today Carl talked a little more about it to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

One of only a handful of position players to already report to camp, Crawford is slowly rebuilding his psyche, which he said was battered in what he described as a "toxic" environment in Boston.

Reflecting on his two miserable seasons with the Red Sox, Crawford said, "I knew with the struggles I was having, it would never get better for me. I just didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. It puts you in kind of a depression stage. You just don't see a way out."

Eesh.

I feel about as bad as you can for someone who is guaranteed $142 million except for probably being totally useless for the rest of his career. He may have been a major disappointment, but he's not some sort of monster, so it's unfortunate that he felt so bad.

According to Crawford, it wasn't just the money and expectations, it was something specific to Boston:

"It was just everything," he said. "Me not playing well. Me being in an unfamiliar area in an environment that was toxic. Just all those things combined. You start to say, 'Is this ever going to end?'"

Asked if he regretted signing with the Red Sox, Crawford replied, "A lot of times I did. You hear a lot of talk about how I just wanted money. At some point, you just wondered if you made the right decision."

Things have to be pretty bad for someone to imply that they wish they had signed for less money just to not be in a certain place. It's interesting that he said the word "toxic" again. I wonder what he was referring to? He had two different managers, lots of different players...could it just be fan expectations and media?

By the sounds of it, Crawford is just a very sensitive guy. He let the environment around him affect him. His spot in the lineup bothered him. The pressure from the fans. The losing. The poor performance. It all got on him. 

Now we'll see if he can turn it around. Amazingly, he's optimistic he'll be healthy for opening day (I don't remember that being a possibility when he was here; I admit I haven't kept track of his progress since). And now we'll see how much of it is truly Boston. There's still going to be immense pressure in Los Angeles. Sure, the fans don't care as much, but by spending the money they spent, they are just asking for intense media interest. They'll be on SportsCenter a lot. And if Crawford struggles, his contract will once again be a talking point, but this time for a different team.

Your Morning Dump...where management has turned a corner

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Personally, I think the Red Sox would have traded Gonzo, Beckett and Crawford for a used set of Vin Scully's headphones and been totally fired up. Thankfully, GM Ben Cherington (ironically, a Theo protégé) fought for a much better haul. You can't say enough about this trade from Boston's perspective: In the span of 24 hours, we went from "How the hell are we ever going to be good again?" to "Wait, there's a chance we're going to be good again!" Even better, Boston's front office might put some actual thought into 2013 instead of settling on being Yankees Farther East and just making it rain for the sake of making it rain.

Here's the irony: More often than not, big-market teams make the fatal mistake of thinking, We have to do something to get our fans excited! That's what led the Dodgers down the road they just traveled. That's what led the Red Sox to Crawford, the Knicks to Amar'e Stoudemire, the Redskins to Albert Haynesworth, the Angels to Pujols, the Hawks to Joe Johnson … really, it's an endless list, and when you think of the success/failure rate of these nine-figure splurges, it's amazing they keep happening.

But you know what's more amazing? That these teams haven't realized how smart WE are. In 2012, fans are embarrassingly sophisticated about their favorite teams. We learn about sports constantly, day after day after day, whether it's from all-sports radio stations, the mainstream sports sites, hundreds of hyper-specific sports blogs and team blogs, hundreds of columnists, beat writers and talking heads, all the big TV channels, message boards … for God's sake, we are inundated with information and opinions at this point. Just look at what happened to the NBA's annual July free-agency period, something that's covered these days with the zeal of a political campaign. (You could click on the 25th-best NBA blog and probably read an educated, smartly considered take on the Knicks' decision to allow Jeremy Lin to leave.) For any big-market team to think, We have to do something to get our fans excited! in 2012 is legitimately, categorically insane.

Grantland | Red Sox nation hits the reset button

Simmons nails it in his column on the trade -- it represents a change in philosophy.

The Red Sox really had become just another version of the Yankees, except without as much consistent success. They were throwing around money, signing whoever they felt like signing, and putting together a team that didn't really make sense.

There were plenty of illogical moves made, but the king of them was the Carl Crawford signing. He was so similar to Jacoby Ellsbury, but older and diminishing. With Dustin Pedroia as an ideal no. 2 hitter, there was no clear spot in the lineup for him. It just didn't make sense.

But we had the money (#buyabrick) so we did it.

This trade acknowledges that that philosophy didn't make sense, and I'm excited to see Ben Cherington carry out some semblance of a plan in the offseason.

Of course, it's still possible that ownership trumps him in a panic. Maybe they say "Hey, we got it wrong on those guys, but this Josh Hamilton guy is really good" and force Ben to throw $200 million at the constantly rehabbing outfielder. And if that -- or an obscene deal for the mentally questionable Zack Greinke -- is the case, they really haven't learned anything. But if they make prudent, measured moves to build a cohesive team, we may look at this deal as the time when management turned the corner back toward a sensible approach.

On page 2, Steve Buckley argues against signing David Ortiz.

Your Morning Dump... Where the winds of change are blowing

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Whether or not the deal goes down, we now have beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt proof that Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington is prepared to make like Michael Corleone taking out the heads of the other four families in his own clubhouse.

Forget about tinkering under the hood or making a couple of surgical strikes to purge the likes of Beckett or John Lackey.

This is wiring Fenway with enough TNT to sink the Poseidon.

Let the healing begin, because the Red Sox have taken their first significant step toward erasing the stench of the last calendar year. And if they’re thinking this big now, there’s every reason to expect even more in the coming months.

It already feels like a new day, which is exactly what the franchise needs. The focus of this deal from a PR standpoint should be Beckett, because removing him from the equation immediately makes the club about 25 percent more likable.

Herald - Sox poised to blow it all up, start anew

The more I thought about this trade last night, the sicker I felt.  It may be the right move, but I don't like it.  When you boil it down to its core, we're being robbed of Adrian Gonzalez due to Josh Beckett's surliness and Carl Crawford's elbow. 

And, in the process, the Red Sox are freeing up salary figures that are equivalent to the GDP of several small nations, as well as getting some top-tier prospects in return.  I guess the plan now is to sit back and hope that the Sox spend that $270 million more wisely than before?  I'd argue that Gonzalez's 7 year $154 million contract was pretty shrewd, especially when compared with Prince Fielder's 9 year $214 million deal.  So, I guess we'll try to use that money to get more players like Gonzalez and good contracts, like the one we gave Gonzalez? 

I know, I know... I need to get past losing Adrian.  I just never got a chance to say goodbye.

Emotions aside, I love the balls that Henry and Lucchino told Cherington to display in this move.  This Sox squad needed an overhaul.  The organization needed a change in direction.  And this move clearly shows that we're getting both.  The key cog in this transition will be what the Sox do with Ellsbury.  If they flip him this offseason, we know that we're in full-blown rebuilding.  If they try to throw half of the money they saved in this deal at his feet, well, then what was the point? 

So we're about to embark on what is shaping up to be an absolute wild offseason for the Red Sox.  And amidst all this change, don't be shocked to see Papi take his talent to somewhere like New York this offseason.  He's already unhappy with this franchise, and he's certainly not going to want to hang around while the Sox rebuild for the next 2-3 years.  Sadly, I doubt the Sox are going to be putting up much of a fight to keep him.  I hope I'm wrong.

But we're not talking about funerals anymore, are we?  Well played, Henry.  Well played indeed.  Other than, you know, taking Adrian away from us.

On Page 2, the players react

Sox-Dodgers trade appears to be done

 

It's being reported both Adrian Gonzalez and the Dodger's James Loney are being held out of their respective lineups tonight.  That's certainly not a coincidence.

Expect reports of this deal being completed to be rolling in shortly.

ESPN has some details:

The Dodgers and Red Sox are closing in on a deal that would send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles, though a few hurdles remain before it's official, multiple baseball sources said Friday.

Pitcher Rubby De La Rosa will be headed back to Boston as the centerpiece of the deal, sources say. De La Rosa made his first major league appearance of the season Wednesday, having had Tommy John surgery about 13 months ago. Also included are first baseman James Loney and prospects Ivan De Jesus (infielder) and Jerry Sands (outfielder), according to sources, plus another top prospect that is still unknown.

The Dodgers optioned De La Rosa to Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday afternoon. Gonzalez was scratched prior to Friday's game and summoned to the clubhouse, along with Punto. Loney was a scratch as well, and was called to manager Don Mattingly's office.

I'm suffering a bit of shell-shock, so I'll refrain from commenting on this for right now... other than to say what the rest of you have been thinking all afternoon.  Is it worth losing Gonzalez just to be able to dump Beckett and Crawford?

That question won't be answered for some time, but we all wanted a major overhaul of this team.... be careful what you wish for.

Your Morning Dump...where we need to tell Crawford it's OK to have surgery.

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Crawford is self-conscious. Always has been. And neither four All-Star Game appearances nor the security of a seven-year, $142 million contract from the Red Sox [team stats] has changed him.

Crawford cared what Baseball America thought of him in 2001, and he cares what you think of him now. Maybe a little too much.

That’s why, even with the pain worsening from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, Crawford was reluctant to request permission from the Red Sox to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, which he has long maintained that noted orthopedic surgeon James Andrews told him in April that he eventually would require.

Already labeled a disappointment — or worse, a bust — after admittedly underperforming last season in the first year of that mega-contract, the last thing the left fielder wanted was to be perceived as having quit on the Red Sox while they still had even the faintest pulse in the wild card race, according to multiple sources close to Crawford.

“Knowing Carl, man, I could see him sitting up numerous nights before he even made that decision,” Los Angeles Angels right fielder Torii Hunter said before last night’s game at Fenway Park. “He sat up for a while just trying to make that decision because he’s such a competitor, and not to be on the field for the next year or so, it’s definitely upsetting to him.”

Crawford, who hasn’t given interviews since Friday, will have surgery tomorrow, with Andrews performing the procedure, but only after a Monday meeting in which the Red Sox were careful to point out that the final decision was made by head athletic trainer Rick Jameyson and team orthopedist Peter Asnis.

Herald: Crawford a sensitive subject

You can't blame Crawford for caring what people think about him. I know if I was a baseball player, I would be doing Google searches daily seeing what people say about me. That's why it's so surprising how people like Josh Beckett can completely ignore all of the hate that is thrown his way. 

Crawford has been disappointing but he's also been mismanaged by managers & the medical staff. If he had gone under the knife for Tommy John surgery before coming back to the majors, everyone would be disappointed again but surely can understand. It's not like he has back spasms, he's missing a UCL.

It shows a lot about who Crawford is as a player to suck it up and try and give it his all. He was given a chance to hit in the #2 spot and we've seen glimpses of greatness with him & Jacoby Ellsbury on the top of the order. But despite his effort, the team continues to spiral out of contention and if the plan was to get surgery in the offseason, why not take care of it now and prepare for 2013?

So we've seen the potential of what Crawford can bring to the table but he just needs to get healthy. With the way this season is going, it's doubtful that people are screaming that Crawford should just postpone it. Thanks for the effort Carl but you made the right decision. Hopefully we'll see you ready for Spring Training.

Rest of the Links: Globe:Cook struggles in loss | Niemann takes over for McClure | Sox honor Pesky | Herald: Niemann era off to familiar start as Sox lose | 2012 Sox go against all Pesky stood for | Valentine explains firing | Crawford a sensitive subject | Cook out of sink in loss | CSNNE: Moving on | Cook struggles with Red Sox while Matsuzaka rolls in Pawtucket | Holy smokes; Angels beat Sox, 5-3 | WEEI: History repeating? | Niemann on rotation: 'We're better than that' | As Doubront, Matsuzaka near return, Aaron Cook may lose spot | 

Your Morning Dump...Where Bob McClure is the first to go

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

The slumping Boston Red Sox will have a new pitching coach for the remainder of their tumultuous first season under manager Bobby Valentine.

Bob McClure was fired Monday and replaced by Randy Niemann with the Red Sox on the fringe of the playoff race following another rough stretch.

"We felt like we needed to make a change to put our pitchers in the best position to do what they needed to do," general manager Ben Cherington said. "The next six weeks are important to create a foundation going into the offseason. We felt like this change was needed to give ourselves the best chance to do that."

The Red Sox have lost 12 of 18 games this month to fall off the pace in the competitive AL East. Boston's 4.30 team ERA was 11th in the American League heading into Monday's games.

"This is a performance-based decision," Cherington said. "As I said yesterday, there's been a real good effort on the part of the staff to work together and iron out any communication issues that may have existed previously. This decision had nothing to do with that."

Globe: Red Sox fire pitching coach Bob McClure

Yet another pitching coach lasting one season or less with the Red Sox. Some may see it as a positive,  Peter Abraham explains.

The firing of Bob McClure as pitching coach can be interpreted as a show of support for Bobby Valentine by the Red Sox.

General manager Ben Cherington said the decision was based on performance. That Red Sox starting pitchers have a 4.82 earned run average, the fourth-worst in the American League, certainly provided ample cause.

But McClure also tangled with Valentine throughout the season, to the point where they rarely spoke. Their communication improved in recent weeks, but the relationship never a productive one.

Cherington said “no” when asked if any other changes were planned to the coaching staff. Bench coach Tim Bogar and bullpen coach Gary Tuck have had their differences with Valentine as well.

“This decision didn’t have anything to do with that. We felt like we needed to make a chance to put our pitchers in the best position to do what they needed to do in the next six weeks,” Cherington said. “The next six weeks are important no matter what our record ends up.”

Globe: McClure's ouster a positive for Valentine

If there are multiple coaches that have had their differences with Valentine, wouldn't firing Valentine be the logical thing to do. You COULD fire the entire coaching staff and try to get rid of some players just to make a statement that you stand by Valentine. Or, you could just get rid of Valentine and bring in a someone that is not a camera loving, big mouth manager.

There are some players that need to go no matter what they do with Bobby, but he has to go sooner than later.

Related: CSNNE: Red Sox fire pitching coach Bob McClure | Does McClure's firing bode well for Valentine return? | ESPN Boston: McClure out as pitching coach | Herald: Red Sox fire pitching coach Bob McClure

On Page 2, Carl Crawford's surgery is set for Thursday.

Carl Crawford will opt for surgery

It has been known for some time that Carl Crawford needs Tommy John surgery, but we haven't known if it would be definite. Now we know Carl is going to follow doctor's orders and has opted for the surgery.

“Carl intends to follow the course recommended by the medical professionals who have been treating him, in whom he has full confidence,” agent Brian Peters wrote. “Whether and when he has surgery will be determined by them. The Red Sox have been and remain 100 percent supportive of Carl throughout this process.”

Earlier yesterday, an unnamed source told the Boston Globe that Crawford intends to request permission next week to have Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, ending his season and likely keeping him sidelined for part of 2013.

The earlier the better for Carl. I think we can all agree that the season is lost and the less time lost next season is the better option. If you disagree, you can agree that if the club turns it around, Carl Crawford would not be the deciding factor in that comeback.

If Carl waits until the end of the season, we could have another situation where we won't see him until after the All-Star break and beyond.

The Sox have stated that they would be supportive if Crawford decides to shut it down. Of course they would be supportive so they can get the most out of him in the future rather lose another season to injury.

Your Morning Dump...where Valentine let something slip

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Valentine tried to temper the situation by saying the wrist is not a big issue and that Crawford was taken out for precautionary reasons so the “minor issue” would not become a major issue.

Crawford seemed annoyed that his manager volunteered the news to the media. “He did?’’ said Crawford. “What did he say?”

When told what Valentine said, Crawford acknowledged, “Yes, it was a little sore today.”

Asked whether it was a concern, Crawford said, “Maybe it’s a concern to him since he brought it up to you guys.”

Crawford had wrist surgery last winter and a setback in spring training, but had pretty much recovered and may have come close to starting the season on time before elbow problems flared up. He wasn’t activated until July 16.

“You know, it is what it is. I’ve been playing with pain [mostly in the elbow] the whole time,’’ said Crawford. “It’s one of those things where [the wrist] was a little more sore than other days today. Yeah, today was the first day I had wrist issues.’’

Globe: Bittersweet news on Crawford

Jeez, neither Crawford nor Valentine can catch a break. Crawford just wants to play baseball and is willing to go through living with constant pain in his elbow  just to do that. It's bad enough that he has to do this four game routine and coming out of games early. Now his wrist is bugging him again. I'm sure he didn't want people to know just so people don't have to freak out even more.

Which brings us to Bobby V. He realized bringing up Crawford's wrist soreness was a bad idea immediately and tried to downplay the comments almost right away. Whether it was a true slip of the tongue or that he couldn't help himself and let the media know is moot at this point. Everyone will be focused in on Crawford's health even more and with a majority of group willing to throw in the towel on this season, more and more people will be asking to shut down Crawford to have him ready for 2013. 

Now that the info is out, hopefully it really is just some soreness. If Crawford does miss some games because of the wrist, it's just another cruel twist to this season. Having three of the most likeable guys in Crawford, Ortiz, & Middlebrooks? Brutal.

Rest of the Links: Globe: Easy win brings relief  |  Middlebrooks likely out for year | Herald: Lester throws a curve | Sox batter Indians | Ortiz rides out pain | CSNNE: That's the right result | Crawford swinging hot stick despite pain | Ortiz: "Achilles hasn't been healing like we we're expecting' | WEEI: A much needed laugher | Middlebrooks not expected back in 2012

Recap: Twins beat Boston again

A picture from Jamey Carroll's first major league game, as he attempts to tag out Honus Wagner. 
(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

There's two things you need to know about Twins infielder Jamey Carroll: He looks really old, and he kicked the holy bajeezus out of the Red Sox tonight, as Minnesota took down Boston 6-5 in the 10th.  Both Carroll and Morneau went 4-4 tonight for the Twins, with Morneau driving in 2 runs to Carroll's 1.  But the one Carroll drove in, on an RBI single off of Padilla, was the decider. 

I turned on the game after Doubront had already exited the game, so I can't speak to how well he pitched.  I can tell you that he gave up 5 runs over 5 innings, so if he did pitch well it was in the Lackeyesque sense where he pitched amazing, the other team just got loads of hits and runs off of him.  8 hits, to be exact, coupled with 4 walks.  Lackey would be proud. 

The rest of the Sox pitchers, however, truly did pitch well.  Tazawa, Breslow, Melancon, and Miller combined for 3 2/3 of 3 hit ball.  Melancon left the game after giving up a 2 out single to the aforementioned Jamey Carroll on a ball that ricocheted off of Melancon.  I'm not sure if he was injured, or pulled as a precaution or what, but it's worth following up on (because he's such a vital part of this winning organization).  Miller was looking really good until he walked Willingham and then plunked Mauer to put two men on in the 9th.  But Padilla bailed him out.  Unfortunately, there was no one to bail Padilla out in the 10th.  He only gave up two hits in the inning, but they were all the Twins needed to secure the victory.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Sox batters started off hot -- before I got to watch.  Perhaps I'm the bad luck guy? -- highlighted by a 3-run home run by Carl Crawford of all people.  In fact, Crawford was a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-5 with 2 runs scored.  Of course, he did strike out in the bottom of the 10th, so Carl Crawford is still Carl Crawford. 

Boston did have a chance to take the game in the bottom of the 8th.  They had the bases loaded with 1 out, but Ellsbury struck out after a good battle with Twins reliever Robertson, followed by a Pedroia fly out to center.  Overall, the Sox ended the game with 14 hits, but they couldn't come through when it mattered. 

I'd like to call that a pattern, but after 107 games I think the correct term would be "epidemic".  Clay Buchholz, the only man the Sox can depend on, takes the mound tomorrow.  So at least there's that!?