Steve (NYC)

Rob, do you think the Sox are putting too many eggs in the UZR basket? They've improved their defense, but from a distance it also looks like they've added mediocre bats to 1/3 of their lineup. Are we really so confident in the relative value of defense to offense that these "WAR" numbers are gospel? I guess we'll find out, but I personally find the Sox a lot less scary than in previous seasons.

Rob Neyer   (12:10 PM)

 

Cameron has been an above-average hitter in each of the last 11 seasons; Beltre has been above average in four of the last six seasons. So, no.

I couldn't have expressed my doubts about the Red Sox off-season any better.  Nor could have Neyer answered him in a way that didn't fit with my personal view of the groupthink surrounding the leading baseball writers on whatever the Red Sox do.