In Search of a Cure for My Raging Case of Lackey Optimism

I can pinpoint exactly when it all began. It started with Joe Reilly’s January 5th column right here on Fire Brand. Soon enough, I started to show symptoms of a developing case of Lackey Optimism. The more I thought about the possibilities, the more I started to see...

Coming to the Defense of Shane Victorino: Part Two

Part One of Shane Victorino’s Defense can be found here. As I am sure all of you know; a position player’s overall value is not simply tied to offense (with the exception of the David Ortiz’s and Miguel Cabrera‘s of the world). In the world of the Bill...

An Open Letter to Josh Beckett

Dear Josh Beckett, You were one of my favorite Red Sox players. You were one of my least favorite Red Sox players. It all started out so well. My first memory of you was when you helped reduce the awful sting of 2003 ALCS by a small percentage when by kicking the...

Matt Barnes: Not An Ace, And That’s Ok

Matt Barnes is the best pitching prospect in the Red Sox system. He was a steal as the 19th overall pick in the 2011 draft, and as a UConn product and New England native, he’s easy to root for as a Red Sox fan. He began 2011 as the minor league’s most dominant pitcher...

The Highs & Lows of 2012 (Part 2)

Last week we took at look at the Bottom 5 Moments from 2012, if you missed that you can check it out here. This week, thankfully, we’re back with a (somewhat) more positive look at the previous 12 months. Even in a season that saw the Sox manage only 69 wins to their...

Top 5 Overplayed Storylines of 2013

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’ve never been a fan of narratives in sports. I know a good story is fun to follow, but too often, the media takes a story and beats it to death with terrifying efficiency. Just ask your friendly neighborhood...

Lies, Damn Lies and General Managers

I’ve been lied to a lot in my life. But what Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington pulled off this week may be a set up for one of the bigger lies I’ve ever heard. At a sports management conference at UMass-Amherst this week, Cherington said that despite...