From: tedward@cs.cornell.edu (Edward [Ted] Fischer)
Subject: Re: Reardon to Braves
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY 14853
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 21:07:39 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.153526.2139@merrimack.edu> desmondw@merrimack.edu writes:
>     I suppose you've all heard about Jeff Reardon going to the Braves
>for 2 players to be named later. This deal was terrible for the Sox.
>They probably weren't going to sign Jeff anyway but they don't even
>care who they get obviously. They should have gotten at least one starter.

*** FLAME ON ***
Are we going to have the same slew of stupid posts that came after the
Cone trade?  "They should have gotten at least one starter."  Yeah,
right.  No GM in his right mind would give a front-line player in
return for a soon-to-be-free-agent!  I don't care *how* good the
soon-to-be-free-agent is.  There's only so much that a player can
contribute in the one month before he leaves via free agency.

Or do you think that trading for a player in September somehow
obligates him to stay for the next year?  Yeah, right.  Even money
says that David Cone is back in New York in 1993.  And I'll give you
even better odds that he doesn't stay in Toronto.  Toronto would sure
look stupid then if they had traded away a front-line player for him!

>And who is gonna take over the duty as the closer? Harris? Yuk! Look for
>the Sox to be in the celler next year too now. You can't win without a
>closer.

I could answer this question, but I doubt you are really interested.
You obviously don't follow the Sox, or you would realize that Harris
has been ten times as effective as Reardon this year (which isn't
saying much).

>Also look for Clemens to rack up the complete games. Do you think
>he's ganna trust one of the bums to save his wins? 

He didn't trust Reardon to save his wins, either.  Not after the first
three times Reardon blew a Clemens save this season!

The Sox were not going to contend next year with the talent they had
this year.  They need to sign a big bopper.  But they have one of the
highest payrolls in the majors.  To get the money to sign that big
bopper, they first need to cut some of their current players to free
up the salary.

I hear lots of idiots complaining that Reardon "may not be great, but
he's the best they have", and Brunansky "may not be great, but he's
the best they have", and Boggs "may not be great, but he's the best
they have".  Add to that Hatcher "may not be great, but he's helped
the team".  I bet they'll complain when Greenwell goes too.

The combined 1993 salaries of these five players will be over $15
million!  Assuming that the Red Sox are willing to spend the money to
field a competitive team (which from everything I've heard, they are),
I would *much* rather see this $15 million spent on Maddux and
McGwire.  (Or two other TOP players...  Or even *three* other top
players, depending on how far you can stretch the $$$.)

Would you trade Reardon, Brunansky, Boggs, Hatcher, and Greenwell for
Maddux and McGwire?  *I* sure as hell would!  So why are people
complaining?  *SO* far, Lou is doing the right thing.  Now you *will*
hear me complain if he wastes this money on dogshit players like Matt
Young, Jeff Reardon, and Jack Clark.  And you will hear me complain if
Harrington pockets the money.  But until that happens, give them the
benefit of the doubt.

People complained when Boddicker left, but Darwin has contributed more
for less money (and right now is throwing *far* better than Boddicker
is).  People complained about the loss of Hurst, but Viola is doing
just as well.  (Though I *would* have tried harder to keep Hurst.  He
was and is a top pitcher.)

What?  Do you think the Sox would have signed Darwin and Viola if
Boddicker and Hurst *hadn't* left?  Where would the money have come
from?  Do you think it grows in the Fenway lawn?

You have a choice.  You can see Clark, Boggs, Pena, Reardon, Hatcher,
and Brunansky again next year.  And the Sox will again lose.  Or you
can cut the overpriced crap, sign *real* stars, and have a chance to
contend.

No wonder this country has a budget deficit!  Nobody understands the
meaning of "limited resources".

-Valentine
-- 
Clemens may not win his 4th CY, but he still rules!	tedward@cs.cornell.edu