Monday, October 31, 2005

Theo, we hardly knew yee

Theo Epstein, the man who 12 months ago could have beat Ted Kennedy for a spot in the Senate, is no longer with the Sawx. My initial reaction is dismay. I mean, he brought us a World Series, what more do we need? But, here's the thing, there's a sinking suspicion that he got really, really lucky to do so. Question, where are the Bosmos the last three years without this guy?



Lest we forget, he was an afterthought pickup after the Twinks didn't re-sign him, and for his first few months in Boston, so little was thought of him that he was struggling to supplant the immortal (and, it turns out, 'roided up) Jeremy Giambi. Theo himself never claimed that he saw more then a .280/25/80 guy. So he gets some credit here.

Similarly, he done good with Schilling. When you bring in a guy who says he's here to bankrupt Dan Shaugnessybreak the curse, and the curse is broken after two pantheon level gutty performances, (just ask Curt, he'll tell you all about it...) well I guess you get a gold star.

However, even with Papi and Schill, the Sox needed lightning in a bottle after trading Nomar last year. (Just prior to that deal, the Geeze returned from Seattle disconsolate, describing them as "a bad, Beer-League team".) And of course, the MFY's had to hop on the broad yet shaky shoulders of Slappy McBluelips and blow a 3-0 lead.

So what am I saying? I dunno, but I refuse to be one of those doomsday saying folks who will bemoan the loss of St. Theo (I mean, how hard can it be, I have no problem assembling dominant teams season after season on Baseball Mogul or PureSim. WhatIfSports is a little harder, but I'm competing against other people, not just the computer there...). Plus he allowed the travesty that was Queer Eye For The Red Sox to happen.*

Plus, Paul DePodesta is available, and they're basically the same guy, right...


*It boggles my mind that Kevin Millar was never really brought to the shed over his mincing, loutish performance (could Ted Danson in blackface have been any more offensive to black people the Millar's "I am now GAY" schtick must have been to LGBT's?)

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