25 replies to this topic

[mabrowndog]

This publication is scheduled to hit newsstands today, and can also be ordered online.

 

It also represents a happy landing of sorts for Maple Street Press. The absence of any 2012 annuals from MSP last spring left many posters wondering what happened. While I don't know all the details or logistics, MSP is now under the Lindy's banner. This year's annual is produced by many of the same editors and contributors who assembled the previous MSP Red Sox Annuals, including MSP founder Jim Walsh (aka SoSHer Zach Crouch). So this endeavor still has SoSH's fingerprints all over it, which is great news.

 

 

 

My article is a look at the rapidly increasing player salaries throughout MLB, the forces driving them up, and where the Red Sox fit in -- particularly this year's signings, many of which were roundly ridiculed as overpays despite their shorter contract commitments.

 

Hopefully other contributors will chime in with a synopsis of their work so you'll have an idea of what to expect. There are also In The Dugout annuals for the Yankees and Phillies this year, and Lindy's still has back issues of its 2004 Red Sox World Series Collectors Edition available.

 

As a writer I can say this year's submission process was just as seamless and enjoyable as the previous half-decade of working with Jim and his group, so I'm confident the finished product will reflect the same approach. If you have any questions about the annual, post them here as I'm sure he'll be checking in from time to time.

Edited by mabrowndog, 19 February 2013 - 11:55 AM.

[jsinger121]

I also have a minor league piece in it as well so hopefully everyone will enjoy this magazine for the start of a fresh new season.

[absintheofmalaise]

I moved this here so it would get more traffic. I'm looking forward to reading mine.

[shoebox91]

Just ordered mine. Thanks for posting here. I missed the MSP one last year. Maybe they knew what a trainwreck the season was going to be...

[mabrowndog]

Stop & Shop has them in stand-alone cardboard kiosks in the magazine aisle. However, you might confuse them with the Lindy's MLB Preview, which S&S had displayed on the shelves. They vary the cover by market for that one, and in Sox country it's Pedroia -- same as the "In The Dugout" annual. For the MLB Preview he's batting in road grays and there's a black cover border (see below), whereas the "In The Dugout" annual has him fielding in home whites (with shades) and there's a blue stripe up top.

 

Edited by mabrowndog, 20 February 2013 - 10:15 PM.

[ShaneTrot]

I just ordered it. I missed it last year, glad its back!

[Frisbetarian]

I wrote the "John Farrell's Up Tempo Style" article listed on the cover. To be honest, I thought it was a bad idea for an article when it was suggested to me. Unsurprisingly, I was wrong. I learned a ton researching and writing this piece, and got the chance to talk to John Farrell about the upcoming season and his style of managing, as well. Below is a quote which was not used in the article that you cabrones may find interesting. I asked John about his communication with the Sox stat department, which seemed relevant, especially after Bobby V., at last summer's Sabermetrics, Scouting and the Science of Baseball conference said, "I haven't been given one suggestion based on sabermetrics since I've been in Boston. Maybe Tom (Tippett, the Red Sox Director of Baseball Information Services) will say he gave me one. I don't see that.”

 

Farrell told me he has had, “several conversations with Tom Tippett” since his hiring in October 2012, with subjects ranging from, “batting order and maximizing positions in a line-up, to the type of player we may want to acquire.” I expect Farrell to utilize this excellent team resource much more than it was in 2012.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Yawkeywaystore.com (Twins Souvenirs) is advertising this via e-mail.  Don't recall getting that when it was MSP.  Should be great for sales.

[David Laurila]

No sign of this yet at the newsstands in Harvard Square, or nearby drugstores, but I just grabbed a copy at Stop & Shop. First thing I read was Mark Brown's article, which is excellent [I'll give Mark the benefit of a doubt and assume an assistant editor is at fault for misspelling Larry Andersen's name]. Definitely looking forward to digging into the rest, as this looks the equivalent of the stellar MSP annuals.

[Trautwein's Degree]

No sign of this yet at the newsstands in Harvard Square, or nearby drugstores, but I just grabbed a copy at Stop & Shop. First thing I read was Mark Brown's article, which is excellent [I'll give Mark the benefit of a doubt and assume an assistant editor is at fault for misspelling Larry Andersen's name]. Definitely looking forward to digging into the rest, as this looks the equivalent of the stellar MSP annuals.

It's so kind of you to give Mark the benefit of the doubt. Dick.

[mabrowndog]

No sign of this yet at the newsstands in Harvard Square, or nearby drugstores, but I just grabbed a copy at Stop & Shop. First thing I read was Mark Brown's article, which is excellent [I'll give Mark the benefit of a doubt and assume an assistant editor is at fault for misspelling Larry Andersen's name]. Definitely looking forward to digging into the rest, as this looks the equivalent of the stellar MSP annuals.

 

I wish I could blame someone else for it, but that's 100% on me. [Insert hang-head-with-shame emoticon here]

 

Otherwise, thanks for the kind words and right back atcha on your Hanrahan interview. Interesting stuff about his pitch arsenal and last year's walk rate. Between this and the TV interviews I've seen, he strikes me as someone who shoots straight without the cliches or bullshit. Haven't gotten to the Bogaerts piece yet, but it's in the queue.

[David Laurila]

Dick.

 

I apologize if that's how it came out sounding. My intent was more tongue-in-cheek levity -- Mark is a friend -- and in retrospect I probably did a poor job of it. As I mentioned before, superb article. It is the type of informed, non-biased analysis that made the MSP annuals invaluable.

[redsoxstiff]

As one who writes with the focus of adhering (slavishly ? )to the accuracy and erudition of the MLA...I was more than mortified to see Dog commit an egregious error...Nothing is more important than a person's name...

Friend or foe it matters naught...Hang Dog by his scrotum for 24 continuous hours...
In a prominent public place...Say the Bourne Bridge...

[SoxJox]

I've gotta ask before ordering: what is the difference in the editions ("Premier" at Post #1, and what I assume to be "regular" at post #5)?

[SumnerH]

I've gotta ask before ordering: what is the difference in the editions ("Premier" at Post #1, and what I assume to be "regular" at post #5)?

"Premier" as in first issue.

Read Mabrowndog's comment on #5--it's the MLB preview, not the Red Sox "In the Dugout" team preview.

[SoxJox]

"Premier" as in first issue.

Read Mabrowndog's comment on #5--it's the MLB preview, not the Red Sox "In the Dugout" team preview.

 

Thanks.  What the heck...I'll just get both. 

[ShaneTrot]

Received my copy last night. I was surprised about how blunt and raw some of the the comments about players were. I don't know if that was refreshing or an indication of meanness by the writers.

[mabrowndog]

Not sure what you're referring to, but feel free to elaborate. I'm sure the writers who are active on this board would be willing to address them.

[The Allented Mr Ripley]

I think he meant the part where you said that Pedroia can go suck cocks in hell.

[mabrowndog]

Well, in that particular case it was refreshing.

[Dogman2]

Looks great!

Edited by Dogman2, 28 February 2013 - 04:33 PM.

[ShaneTrot]

Not sure what you're referring to, but feel free to elaborate. I'm sure the writers who are active on this board would be willing to address them.

I liked this one in the Lackey bio:

John Lackey enters 2013 with the least love and the shortest leash in baseball.

Lavarnway's bio:

The problem is he did not even look capable of hitting the ball.

In the Kalish bio, you guys called him and Lavarnway, partners in ineptitude.

[mabrowndog]

Received my copy last night. I was surprised about how blunt and raw some of the the comments about players were. I don't know if that was refreshing or an indication of meanness by the writers.

 

I liked this one in the Lackey bio:

John Lackey enters 2013 with the least love and the shortest leash in baseball.

Lavarnway's bio:

The problem is he did not even look capable of hitting the ball.

In the Kalish bio, you guys called him and Lavarnway, partners in ineptitude.

 

I wasn't involved in writing those profiles (maybe Jim can chime in on whether any SoSHers took part), but I'll address them anyway.

 

I don't see how any of what you cite could be reasonably construed as anything other than telling it like it is. Beyond his .157/.211/.248/.459 line in 166 PA, Lavarnway looked completely overmatched against most MLB pitching, and was especially anemic against off-speed pitches. I question the observational and interpretive skills of anyone who thinks he did look capable of hitting the ball last year. 

 

Kalish hit .229/.272/.260/.532 in 103 PA. The profile minimizes the extent to which injuries affected his performance both at the plate and in the field. While I'm not as dismissive, I do believe some use injuries as too much of a crutch to explain away his struggles. He appeared to have serious issues with confidence, approach and execution. However, I also believe there was a major lack of support and guidance for prospects from a disjointed and checked-out MLB coaching staff. But purely from a numbers standpoint, calling Kalish and Lavarnway "partners in ineptitude" isn't inaccurate.

 

As for Lackey, the "least loved and shortest leash" remark is somewhat hyperbolic, as a year spent largely out of the spotlight seems to have tempered many fans' anger towards him to some extent, and there are certainly other major leaguers who are loved less (uhhh... A-Rod?). But it's not all that far from the truth. Lackey's pathetic performance in 2011 coupled with his surly and scowling public demeanor, his condescending stares at teammates following fielding errors, his on-the-mound stand-offs with his manager during pitching changes, his obtuse and seemingly arrogant denials of responsibility in post-game press conferences (how many times did we see him simply shrug and tell reporters "I thought the ball came out of my hand pretty good today" after getting shelled??) made him the chief cook and bottle washer of the chicken-and-beer collapse. The vast majority of Sox fans hated his guts, and many still do. Pointing that out in a brief player profile isn't "meanness". It's honesty.

Edited by mabrowndog, 01 March 2013 - 10:40 AM.

[ShaneTrot]

Dog,

 

I totally agreed with your comments. I am harsh on the veterans but like to take it easy on the young guys as they might not be ready, or they just might not be good enough to play major league baseball.

 

That Alex Speier article is a fantastic piece. It's very well thought out.

[David Laurila]

A box of these were delivered to the jetBlue press box today. Presumably some will make their way into the clubhouse.

[mabrowndog]

A box of these were delivered to the jetBlue press box today. Presumably some will make their way into the clubhouse.

 

I'll be curious to know which Sox scribes scoff at my use of fWAR in the wake of Bob Ryan's rant the other day.

 

EDIT - On second thought, I can probably predict who it'll be.

Edited by mabrowndog, 05 March 2013 - 09:26 PM.