Irish Boy wrote:
I don't care how many games back they were in July. It was obvious this was a mediocre team then. I don't think that the no-trade clause would have been that hard to overcome, and unless I see a quote saying something like "yeah, I wasn't ready to be traded until now", I just don't buy that he couldn't have done it. And he would have gotten more in return for two months of Thome than one.
Also: I said the Cubs should have done the same thing back in July. I didn't think they were really "in it", regardless of the standings. If you thought this team was anything more than decent, you were deluding yourself as well.
There was just as good of a chance that the Cubs or the Sox would have been in first place or within a game or two right now. You worry about making the playoffs and then you see what happens. World Series have been won by teams that looked mediocre in July.
Irish Boy wrote:
I don't care. It's your job as GM to do the right thing and ignore the unwashed masses. It's not a defense to doing the wrong thing that it would have been unpopular.
It's your job to try and win this year if you can. There are no guarantees that whatever move he made would have won next year.
Irish Boy wrote:
OK. Keeping a potentially valuable piece in pursuit of the elusive AL Central crown was clearly a dominant strategy to getting something potentially decent in return for the years when you actually expect to be good, rather than merely not bad. How could I have missed that?
Making the playoffs gives you a chance to win the World Series every year. Take a look at the last championship the Cardinals won.
It's real easy to say what you are saying now but the Cubs and Sox both were playoff contenders at that point and you can't give up on that no matter how you project your teams ability level.