Boston Red Sox consultant Bill James Jeff Keppinger Jersey , best known for his work with baseball analytics leading to the Moneyball era, said MLB players are no more vital to the sport than beer vendors. downplaying the importance of individual players, saying they could all be replaced if necessary, per ESPN.com."If the players all retired tomorrow, we would replace them http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey ," he wrote. "The game would go on; in three years it would make no difference whatsoever. The players are NOT the game, any more than the beer vendors are."The Red Sox released a statement about the comments:Boston Red Sox RedSoxThe #RedSox Statement Regarding Bill James鈥?Recent Remarks: JffB08HqadMajor League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark called the remarks "reckless and insulting":#MLBPA MLB_PLAYERSExecutive Director Tony Clark鈥檚 regarding Bill James鈥?comments... UHa4j1LSqDHouston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander was among the stars to speak out against James' point of view, referencing the recent World Series triumph by the Red Sox in aTwitterpost."Wonder if the Red Sox win the World Series with a replacement player for Mookie Betts or J.D. Martinez or Davis Price or Xander Bogaerts or Jackie Bradley Jr. or Chris Sale or Rick Porcello or Andrew Benintendi or Rafael Devers or Craig Kimbrel or ........," he wrote.James has made a career of creating ways to identify hidden value. His initial foray into advanced stats has undeniably changed the way the game is consumed with websites likeFanGraphsproviding a seemingly endless amount of metrics for evaluating players.So the 69-year-old Kansas native should know better than most that the likes of Betts, Mike Trout, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer can't simply be replaced, especially in a three-year span.If Trout James Shields Jersey , who has two years left on hiscontract, leaves the Los Angeles Angels after 2020 it could take a generation before the franchise finds another player on that All-World level.To think every baseball player could suddenly retire and the Angels would find another five-tool outfielder walking around the streets of L.A. is a mind-boggling opinion. Even if the game would go on, as he said, the product and competition would suffer.As a result, it's no surprise James' comments have received so much kick back in a short period of time. Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesBaltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado could be traded before he gets a chance to return to his team after the All-Star break, which could make Tuesday's All-Star Game the last time he represents the organization.The 26-year-old had nothing but kind words to say about the only major league team he has known during a midgame interview."It was a tremendous honor to wear this uniform," Machado told Ken Rosenthal of Fox (via Luke Jones of WNST.net). "They gave me the opportunity to come upplay in the big leagues. ... If this is the last time http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey , hopefully I treated them welldid everything I can for the organization."Rosenthal reported Tuesday that a deal sending Machado to the Los Angeles Dodgers is "happening."The Orioles drafted the four-time All-Star in 2010, and he quickly moved through the organization, debuting in the majors by 2012 while helping the team reach the playoffs that year.He has only gotten better over the next few years, finishing in the top 10 of MVP voting in three different seasons. He also earned two Gold Gloves during this stretch.Now in the final year of team control before hitting free agency, Machado is putting up the best numbers of his career. In 96 games, the young player has 24 home runs, 65 RBI and a .315 batting average. His .963 OPS would also be a personal best.However Yolmer Sanchez Jersey , Baltimore's struggles (28-69) made him an ideal trade candidate heading into the deadline.While he has been a perfect ambassador for the Orioles throughout his career, the purposed trade could allow Machado to join a contender and potentially get to the World Series for the first time in his career.