The Nail in The Coffin of The Epstein Regime

As if the clubhouse shenanigans, the general manager resigning, the manager being fired, and a late September collapse weren't enough for the Red Sox organization, another blow has been dealt to the New England based ball club with the news yesterday that John Lackey will miss the entire 2012 season due to mandatory Tommy John surgery.

At this point, fans in Beantown must be sarcastically asking themselves "what next?" This is certainly one of those scenarios which fits the old adage when it rains it pours.

This could not have been remotely close to what newly appointed Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington had in mind for his first official press conference. Tuesday, amid his welcome party, Cherington dealt the news to Red Sox Nation like the angel of death himself in regards to the future of the 2012 season. Lackey, a former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim standout, is currently signed with the Red Sox through 2014, with a club option in 2015. To this point, Lackey's output can not be what Theo Epstein had envision when he signed the big righty to a 6 year, $82 million dollar contract three years ago.

Lackey will be the second high profile Red Sox starter to undergo the heavy rehab-laden surgery, in addition to Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. It is a surgery which often times players return from better than ever, if not at least to the same level of effectiveness.

On a satirical note, maybe if he had a clubhouse attendant pouring the beers for him this would have never happened. Cheers to that.

Information used during this blog post can be found here: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7148697/boston-red-sox-john-lackey-tommy-john-surgery