Jim Donaldson at the Projo Sox Blog sticks it to the Red Sox general manager:

WIth a payroll upwards of $160 million, how is it possible that the best the Sox can do, in the midst of a suddenly hotly-contested wild-card race in mid-September, is send two guys to the mound with ERAs of 7.58 and 6.19?

Nice job, Theo.

Things certainly changed from March, where pundits were in complete agreement on the Red Sox winning the AL East. ESPN had 45 experts pick the division winners, and all of the chose the Red Sox. NBC had five experts pick the division winners, and five picked the Red Sox. The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated had the Red Sox as their consensus pick. At least there was one pundit who didn’t buy the hype. 🙂

There was a huge build-up for the Red Sox in the spring. There’s a WEEI announcer in Boston who promised 103 wins. As all of that comes crashing down, the once vaunted Red Sox front office is taking criticism. It would a shame to see Theo turn into Haywood Sullivan.

(By the way, I don’t think Theo is to blame here. The hype machine comes from higher up in the Red Sox organization. Epstein knows that any number of things beyond his control can cause a season to go awry.)

Update: Jeff Passan also has harsh words for Epstein:

Theo Epstein is facing criticism – all of it justified – for leaving his franchise shorthanded in the throes of a playoff race.

It is very simple: No team with the ability to spend $170 million on its payroll should be starting Kyle Weiland(notes) in September. Period. Weiland is the rookie starting the first game Monday against Baltimore. He has allowed 34 baserunners in 19 innings while striking out six. He may be good someday. He may see the criticism descending on him now and throw a gem. Just like good teams can lose, bad pitchers can win.

Weiland simply represents a systematic failure in what to this point has been a peerlessly managed team. Epstein has run the Red Sox with efficiency and intelligence during his nine seasons as general manager. Which makes this all the more distressing for diehards and pink-hats alike.

By the way, my daughter wears a pink hat but is a die-hard fan. She even scores games she attends! I wish these reporters wouldn’t stereotype people so much.