This summer, Boston Red Sox supporters have been flocking to the team from all over the league. The ownership’s reluctance to spend and the front office’s lack of creativity have led to a less than ideal offseason that is very different from what Red Sox Nation was promised.
Several well-known baseball enthusiasts, including previous advisers for the team, have poked fun at the Red Sox.
Bill James is a sabermetrics pioneer, author, baseball historian, and a longtime counselor to the front office of the Boston Red Sox. Many believe James had some involvement in the Sox’s acquisition of David Ortiz, despite his repeated silence over his involvement in the activities in Boston’s front office.
James also holds onto some contentious baseball beliefs. Even James feels that there is room for improvement on Boston’s roster, even if he doesn’t think any team’s players are what make baseball great.
James, let them know how you truly feel.
Whatever the context of his remarks, James raised an important point regarding the condition of Boston’s squad: even if they weren’t predicted to finish last in the AL East, it would be difficult to have much optimism for the team given the lack of star power on the roster.
The Red Sox roster looks pretty well set going into spring training. They just need to find the right people to fill in the last 17 or 18 roster spots.
— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) February 16, 2024
After James’ time with the club, the team he was formerly a part of has undergone major transformation. From 2003 to 2019, James was employed by the Red Sox front office. The Red Sox were competitive during those years, having won four World Series and often adding elite players to their roster.
Bill James tears into Red Sox roster with hilarious tweet
Now, Boston’s roster could be described as “Raffy Devers, Triston Casas and the rest.” It’s a far cry from the big-market Red Sox club that James was used to working with, and maybe he left his role with the team because he saw the Red Sox’s current fate coming, even back in 2019. John Henry and the rest of ownership’s spending philosophy seemed to change the following year with the Mookie Betts trade. Maybe James knew something Red Sox Nation didn’t at the time.
Sox fans in James’ comments have been making more jokes about his sarcastic quip. If Boston fans are anything, they’re cynical, and if ownership is going to punt on the coming season, so are they. A lot of die-hard Sox fans probably feel like jokes are all they have left.
Henry hired James to work alongside him soon after he purchased the Red Sox organization, which is a clear indication that he respects James’ opinions. Maybe James is the fan who can get through to Henry and ownership — maybe something good could come out of a former advisor roasting the club on social media.
