The *&^% Hits the Fans

Fiscal irresponsibility has its price. Box seats in the Bronx go up a mere 40 bucks next year. Thank the baseball gods for the benevolent Sox, who never raise prices, while bringing us great VALUE every year. How does the saying go, "price is what you pay, value is what you get."

I'm sure that the Sox have some kind of trending value statistic, such as the projected win shares/dollar based on a three year moving average or some such statistical mumbo jumbo. We certainly don't believe that it's just reach into the free agent hat and pick a guy.

A few visitors come and project the starting lineup, or at least recommend what they feel 'should' be the starting lineup. There's no harm in being wrong, right?

C - Varitek (should rebound from last season's underproduction) 8 win shares last season was a disaster.
1B - Youkilis a dollars/win share bargain
2B - Pedroia - can the guy cut down on his swing and improve his defense going to the right...I'll go out on the limb and say there's a problem here...although I want to be wrong
SS - Lugo - it's not the player that's the problem, it's the price
LF - Crisp - Crisp was hurt last season. Accept it. I would like the opportunity to train for a week and see if my 52 year-old arm is better than Crisp's...or I could ask either of my 18 year-old twin girls to throw against him.
CF - Pena - CF was his best position. Why can't the Sox accept that? Give him the job...if he stays healthy I say he hits 30 homers and puts up 24 win shares...on the cheap
RF - Drew - is he destined to be the fans' whipping boy or will it be Theo?
DH - Ortiz - simply eye-popping numbers

P - Matsuzaka - the real deal
P - Schilling - can he do it one more time?
P - Papelbon - fire...
P - Beckett - here's hoping
P - Peavy - fatal attraction?
P - Wakefield - say again?

Is it enough? For once in this town, could we address player accountability, not just the ownership, GM, manager, or third base coach? Let's hope that health and performance mean reversion can be enough.