A century ago (January 16, 1920), this note appeared in the Bridgeport (Conn.) Times:
From this came all kinds of misinformation about the legendary Harry Frazee. Frazee owned the Red Sox in 1918 -- a year they won the World Series -- but when he made a smart business decision a year later, avoiding paying a king's ransom to an outfielder, he was blasted by short-sighted fans. That's why I am so proud of the SoSH consensus regarding another outfielder who is bent on maximizing his value. That's the issue with fans -- they don't take the sober, analytical, numeracy-rich approach to these questions. There's a reason "fan" is short for fanatic.
We really should celebrate the sound financial stewardship of the owners more often. Without their discipline, the players would be running the asylum. I offer an Owner Success Ranking (still needs refining):
(# players traded before big payday * increased ancillary revenue / pink hats (~increased number of blue-collar townies siding with billionaires over millionaires) * (# homers Fisk hit in Comiskey) + (Lester's post-Boston VORP) + number of column-inches in the Boston Globe/Herald/Tribune/Traveler trashing the departed player [aka the Hohler constant]:
Frazee : +1.280
Henry: + 1.101
Sullivan/LeRoux/Jean Yawkey: +1.09
Tom Yawkey: -.860
Lannin: -.990
Taylor: -1.01
Brumder: -2.02
I feel like Henry is getting close to a legend here. What a great offseason to be a Red Sox fan.
From this came all kinds of misinformation about the legendary Harry Frazee. Frazee owned the Red Sox in 1918 -- a year they won the World Series -- but when he made a smart business decision a year later, avoiding paying a king's ransom to an outfielder, he was blasted by short-sighted fans. That's why I am so proud of the SoSH consensus regarding another outfielder who is bent on maximizing his value. That's the issue with fans -- they don't take the sober, analytical, numeracy-rich approach to these questions. There's a reason "fan" is short for fanatic.
We really should celebrate the sound financial stewardship of the owners more often. Without their discipline, the players would be running the asylum. I offer an Owner Success Ranking (still needs refining):
(# players traded before big payday * increased ancillary revenue / pink hats (~increased number of blue-collar townies siding with billionaires over millionaires) * (# homers Fisk hit in Comiskey) + (Lester's post-Boston VORP) + number of column-inches in the Boston Globe/Herald/Tribune/Traveler trashing the departed player [aka the Hohler constant]:
Frazee : +1.280
Henry: + 1.101
Sullivan/LeRoux/Jean Yawkey: +1.09
Tom Yawkey: -.860
Lannin: -.990
Taylor: -1.01
Brumder: -2.02
I feel like Henry is getting close to a legend here. What a great offseason to be a Red Sox fan.