Take them out of the Beer Game

The World Series starts tomorrow night and talk throughout these parts are still centered on September and beer. Only in New England.

The "Days of our Sox" Saga continues today with a story from the Boston Globe where Jon Lester attempts to dial down the drinking in the clubhouse issue to, "a ninth-inning rally beer." Lester also goes on to say, "Nobody played video games."

There is a saying: If you're in a hole, stop digging. the antics of Lester (15-9, 3.47), Josh Beckett (13-7, 2.89), and John Lackey (12-12, 6.41) have taken on a news cycle that everyone from clubhouse to front office wishes would just go away. The Red Sox failed to win a third of their games in the final month of the season and led to an awkward exit of a manager who failed to win 90 games just once during the eight seasons he was in charge.

Offseasons are difficult enough for team executives without the drama of an epic collapse. This isn't just a shot of whiskey before an elimination game at Yankee Stadium. These are three players making over $38 million combined during the 2011 season. While the rest of the team was fighting for their playoff lives, the Chicken Men were in the clubhouse as if they were college students on a Friday Night.

On top of this, your general manager has taken off for a job in Chicago.

John Henry has had a fairly easy tenure as owner of the Boston Red Sox. He has two World Series Championships and has been to three League Championship Series. It has been fairly smooth sailing at Yawkey Way for the Red Sox ownership and the players. It is time, however to see the mettle of Henry and his lieutenants. There was more chaos and drama than needed in 2011. The Red Sox have a great chance to corral their personnel with the right manager and general manager in 2012. If Henry, Tom Werner, Larry Lucchino can run their business, they can weed out the problem players and get a team made up of players who are more concerned about winning than fast food tabs. If that means fans don't deserve the opportunity to see Tim Wakefield chase a record, I think the fans can live with that.