Opinion: Red Sox new ad campaign might be necessary but it’s also pathetic
Sure, we live in a “kick-em-when-they’re-down” society, but enough is enough with the Red Sox bashing I had thought.
I mean, this is an organization that hasn’t been able to catch a break in 494 days. We’re about to be able to say that the collapse of 2011 was two seasons ago and at some point between then and now the towel was most definitely thrown in.
But there is no mercy kill coming for the Red Sox and its management. Baseball in Boston isn’t going anywhere and as we’ve found out in this town’s past, the ugliness on Yawkey Way can stick around for years, if not decades.
The Sox front office isn’t doing itself any favors these days. Yes, they act like they’ve heard the cries:
“You’re too corporate.”
“You’re making Fenway Park Disney World North.”
“You care more about selling bricks than winning baseball games.”
“All your players are selfish.”
And despite the front office’s recent silence regarding Terry Francona’s revenge tour (silence was the absolute right move by Henry, Werner and Lucchino by the way), you get the sense that the group has already hit rock bottom and is ready to start the long climb back to at least the halfway point of the mountain.
In actuality, we might be jumping the gun with that proclamation. If you look around the city this week, you’ll see billboards and hear commercials talking about “effort” and “chances” and “faith” and “restoration.”
At the centerpiece of this campaign is new manager John Farrell, who the Red Sox will lead us to believe is more bad ass than Colin Farrell on his most bad ass day, on the radio talking about things like “effort.”
Effort?
We’re not to expect effort? … What are we doing here?
Maybe David Ortiz will run out a few more ground balls because he’s intimidated by Farrell’s jawline and maybe John Lackey will go 19-9 like he did with the Angels in 2007 because he doesn’t want to let Farrell down. But was the overall effort of the team the reason why the Red Sox went 69-93 last season? It sure seemed like Pedro Ciriaco and Mauro Gomez and Jose Iglesias were giving it their all. I’m sure the reason why the Sox lost so many games had nothing to do with the fact that Pedro Ciriaco and Mauro Gomez and Jose Iglesias were actually on the field.
The fact here is that the Red Sox now look as weak on the surface as they actually are. Franchises like the Royals and Padres and Mariners and Marlins preach things like effort.
Unfortunately, effort is something that rings hollow when you talk about it beforehand. It’s just one of those things that you have to see to believe. It happens organically.
The Red Sox are still in the fabrication business.
