So does it mean that even that kind of money still needs a better starting ground, spent with quite a bit of sense, better personnel in some key areas and a bit of time for things to click? Oh god, oh no, oh how come.
Chelsea are just too wild these days. I’m not saying Poch deserves blind faith in the short term, if they’re outside the top 10. But they’ll end up going in circles if there’s not a clearer idea from the top.
They’ve managed to spend a lot of money, but went very young with the profile of players. They’re the youngest first team squad in the league.
If they thought that pure amount of money would guarantee at least getting back in the CL immediately, well…
I do think people underestimate how destabilizing the sanctions were on them. The players they lost due to contracts they were prevented from negotiating, the inability to plan for replacements, the loss of the backroom staff who might have had some continuity of planning to help manage that sort of loss of playing personnel. Add in that they then got only about 3 games from the 80 million they spent on Fofana and I think it’s understandable why the struggled last year.
This year though just looks like an example of finding yourself in a problem and doing EVERYTHING wrong in response.
just for some context on Todd Boehly, the Dodgers signed a 29-year old pitcher/DH to a 10-year $700,000,000 contract. Shohei Ohtani is currently on the injured list for surgery on his pitching arm, they don’t even know if he will be able to pitch again (though, he likely will)
He is the best baseball player of all time and is likely to be able to pitch again next season. 29 isn’t particularly old for a baseball player either.
I don’t know enough to say if the deal is good or not but just saying “a 29-year old pitcher/DH” doesn’t really capture how special of a player he is.
I’m a ball player. I’ve been a Red Sox Fan almost as long as I’ve been a LFC fan, and I have been a Dodger fan since the late 80’s (AL/NL)
If you think Ohtani is the best baseball player of all time, you need to re-evaluate. He’s a bit of a unicorn in that he can hit and pitch, but the only records he holds are very specific to his position. 30 HRs and 10 wins in same season, and only player to hit 30hr and throw 100 strikeouts.
He doesn’t touch what Nolan Ryan did. And he doesn’t touch what guys like Ruth, Rose, Williams, Gehrig, Bonds, Ripkin did.
He’s already had one TJ surgery in 2019. Only time will tell if he can actually pitch again like he did before the injury. If not, he’ll be an incredibly expensive DH.
Everyone has their opinions - general consensus is that Ohtani is the best player in the history of the game. At worst he’s very close to the top of that list.
I’m with @Semmy on this one. I’m an Angels fan and have been my whole life, but Barry Bonds, steroids or not, is the best player I’ve seen in my life. Ohtani is truly special and probably the “most valuable” player we will ever see in our life time. But, No one would walk a player intentionally 120 times in a season like they did bonds in 04. Truly terrifying what that man could do with a bat
he’s one of the best power hitters I’ve ever seen, but not the best player I’ve ever seen. there’s guys who fade into the background of memory because they aren’t 21st century social media celebrities. Roberto Alomar, Ozzie Smith, etc. I believe in one game, Ripken Jr played all 9 positions on the field
Did you see this? Speaking of great players…Roberto Clemente!
Bobby C! Greatest all around player I’ve ever seen. Yeah, I’m old rough to have watched him for a few years.
As a lifelong Pirates fan, I can say Bonds was immense, but couldn’t hold a candle to Clemente on the defensive side. (See super slow Sid Bream scoring off a hit to Bonds that 19 of 20 left fielders throw out with ease.)
