Well, with the 2008 season over, there's no sense in wasting any time in looking towards the future. So what do we do? Some issues..

• Do we trust Lowell to make it through an entire season?
• What do we do about the bench?
• Is Papi's decline due to injury or is he just getting old?
• Does Varitek return?
• Do we trust Buchholz, or do we make a play for another starter via FA or trade?
• Does Wakefield return?
• Does the bullpen need any upgrading?
• Does Lugo return as a starter? As a supersub? Do they deal him?

Getting healthy is the big key. If Beckett doesn't need surgery then their pitching should be really good.

Lowell I'm not sure you really have to trust if you can move Youkilis to third if need be (or Lowrie).

Ortiz is a big question mark, but one you can't answer until next year. You can't bring in a backup DH, so not much you can do.

Varitek I hope is gone. If they resign him at anything more than a backup role the Red Sox will have gone against what made them able to turn the 2004 team into the current team so well.

Buchholz you give another shot, with Bowden as a backup plan I think. Otherwise you have to trade him. You can't have him pitching in AAA when he can dominate hitters without improving his fastball.

If Wakefield wants back I think you tell him he's the 5th starter, but he's not assured of the spot.

The bullpen needs upgrading if you don't leave Masterson there. If he's your 8th inning guy you're fine, and can just replace Timlin.

Lugo should be a supersub, the question is does he accept it.

Really the Red Sox don't need to do that much. Priority 1 is to get healthy. Priority 2 is to find a catcher. Realistically, if they were healthy I think we're discussing the WS rotation and not offseason moves.

I don't think they have to do a ton; I'd look to get Saltalamacchia for Buchholz or Bowden. I'd make sure they have an offensive 1B who can give the team a good 350 AB's or so, in case Lowell gets hurt or isn't effective. I'd dabble the waters regarding a big time offensive SS, although I'm not sure who that is. I'm just not totally sold on Lowrie yet. I'd say goodbye to Timlin, Varitek, Casey, Kotsay, and Cora.

I think the first and foremost thing would be to make a full court press to sign Teixeira. If that means 10/$200 and forced into signing Varitek to something like 1/$2 then so be it. The first base position was a black hole during this post season and Mike Lowell is a huge question mark entering 2009, so keeping Youkilis at 3rd base may be a necessity.

Also, and I know I am going to take a big beating for this but I think the FO should at least LOOK at making a trade for David Ortiz. Now who knows if his decline in the 2nd half and playoffs was because of his wrist, or because of age or because of Manny not being there to protect him and he may rebound in 2009 just fine. However if you can find an AL team willing to deal a #2 or #3 starter and some solid prospects for him, providing you can sign Teixeira then it's something that you'd need to take a serious look at.

As far as bullpen goes, again a trade may be in order here as the free agent market is not looking too stellar outside of Brian Fuentes and two failed former Red Sox pitchers who have gone onto success elsewhere but struggled in 2008 (Bob Howry & Brandon Lyon). However a 8th inning righthanded pitcher to compliment Okajima is a must.

Lastly I think either Lugo returns as a starter at SS or not at all. It's going to be hard to find a suitable trade partner though as outside of the White Sox, no team is really looking for a SS.

i've got to agree with this--major help is needed behind the plate. i'm not totally sold on lowrie either.

there's a pretty good 1B available, trouble is he's going to want premium dollars for his services.

they're going to need to spend some money to get back on top. i'm not at all surprised we aren't making WS viewing plans today.

I think that the team is in a pretty tight spot this offseason. Unfortunately, they won't know if they need to make a move for a power bat until next season begins and they see how Papi, Lowell and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Drew bounce back from subpar/injury riddled seasons. However, from my view, a power bat is the most glaring need. Teixeira would be the best solution in terms of batting lineup construction, however there is not an open spot for him in the field. I think that it's pretty unrealistic to think that they'll sign Tex when they have Lowell signed up for 2 more years (in hindsight, the re-signing of Lowell is not looking like it was the right move right now not only b/c of this season but b/c of him blocking a position where a power upgrade could be accomplished). So, my guess is that the FO will make some kind of moves/decisions in terms of catcher, bench and relief pitching, but not much more. Unfortunately, I think that next season will have a lot more questions marks going into it than 2007 and 2008.

That being said, Beckett needs to come into 2009 camp not only healthy but also in shape. IMO, his health battles this year had much to do with him not being in the best of shape coming into training camp. A healthy Beckett circa 2007 would have gone a long way towards the Sox winning the division and going to the WS this season.

I'd also like to see whether or not DiceK can make the jump to being a true frontline starter. I think that we saw flashes of it this season, especially Game 1 of the LCS. He seemed to improved from 2007 to 2008, and it'll be interesting to see whether he can make another step forward in 2009.

1. Find a catcher who can do a good job with the pitchers but hits much better than Varitek. It will be expensive, but necessary. The FA market for catchers is terrible so Theo has to get creative.

2. Upgrade the bench. The reason Varitek's rotting corpse was hitting in key situations last night was because there wasn't a RH power bat on the bench. Get rid of Cora and sign another utility infielder.

3. Make a major effort to sign Mark Teixeria. If they get him on a long-term deal, I love the potential that a Pedroia-Teixeria-Ortiz-Youkilis 2-5 brings. Also, it frees up Lars Anderson to move to DH if he makes the jump in the next couple of years.

4. I think signing Derek Lowe would be a good idea. He is durable, knows the atmosphere that Boston brings, and wants to come. Having him as the #4/#5 starter would make the staff that much deeper.

5. Let Buchholz work out his problems in AFL and into the spring. Put no pressure on him and see if that is the right direction to take.

6. Let Wakefield go. Honor him properly at the start of the season for the long years of service.

I don't think we have much of a choice. Youks can still cover 3B, but there aren't any other options besides Teixeira, and I think there are other teams with just as much $ and a more pressing need.



Cora should be glue and Cash and Casey should not be back. The bench needs to be younger and able to actually hit. The big question is who is next seasons RHH OFer who can also kind of play CF?



He's not going anywhere, so you may as well hope for a rebound after surgery.



Best case scenario in my mind is that he finds the Sox offer insulting and turns down arbitration. Get a young C in trade or go with a Brown/ Kottaras platoon.



The biggest thing I see is people equating Buchholz and Bowden, and I just don't think that's the case. Their talent levels are worlds apart. I would only give up Buchholz for elite talent; Bowden is probably gone



$4M is cheap for a pitcher of his caliber. I think we've learned our lesson about "enough pitching." He should be introduced to Brown early in the offseason, though.



It can't hurt, but I don't see the point. The FA options are pretty weak or overpriced, and a starting 3 of Paps, Oki, and MDC isn't bad. I'd keep Masterson in the 'pen if he isn't traded, giving us a pretty good back 4. Fill out the rest of the spots with flyers or guys out of the farm system.



I think he get's traded either for someone else's bad contract (D-Train or Andruw Jones) or someone looking for a cheap SS/2Bman (with the Sox paying most of his deal). I could see the Sox looking hard at Furcal, but I'm more inclined to let Lowrie play.

You're basically saying that the Sox need to get one of the best catchers in the league, but none are available; don't worry, though, because Theo can just "get creative"! Uhhh, that doesn't make a lot of sense.

I would prefer to let Varitek go and start with a platoon of Kotteras/Ross, see if someone seizes the job.

Lowrie and Lugo should be handled like Ellsbury and Crisp were this year.

Given those, you kind of have to accept the fact that the Sox will have average or subpar offensive production at C, SS, and CF. The 2008 Red Sox put up good overall offensive numbers, but I think the playoffs clearly showed that their offensive depth 1-9 is lacking. The real key in 2009 is going to be Lowell. I didn't like his resigning at the time, and now I think his presence is hurting their ability to upgrade the offense. If he can't get back to form, the dangerous part of the lineup is pretty short. I would try to dump him and make a run at Teix, but I think the Sox made a big enough committment to Lowell that they will not seriously consider that.

I don't want to get rid of Wakefield, but I would prefer if they had enough SP depth that he started out the season as the long bullpen man/6th starter
My realistic dream team

C - Kotteras
1B - Teixeira
2B - Pedroia
3B - Youkilis
SS - Lowrie
LF - Bay
CF - Ellsbury
RF - Drew
DH - Ortiz

bench: Ross, Crisp, Lugo,

SP - Beckett
SP - Lester
SP - Matsuzaka
SP - D. Lowe
SP - Buchholz

CL - Papelbon
RP - Masterson
RP - Okajima
RP - Delcarmen

I'd spend some bucks on either Teix or a SP. Youk can play anywhere on the field when Lowell comes back.

Coco gained some value in the postseason - time to sell.

I'd bite the bullet and start a catcher next year not named Varitek. It'll be a hole in the lineup, just accept it.

Put Ortiz on an offseason regimen. He did not look right all year.

I think this is unrealistic. Youk can not, in fact, play anywhere in the field. Otherwise, the Sox would sign Tex and play Youks at SS when Lowell gets back. There's no place for him in the outfield either. Unfortunately, Lowell's health and limbo status will hurt not only the 2008 season (as it has) but also this offseason.

Re-sign Manny

HEH

Get Teix as a power replacement, and/or insurance for Lowell.

Maybe Salty can be gotten and groomed, but there seems to be no studs ready to take Tek's place.

Seeing that Schilling and Manny are off the payroll, keep MFY honest in their pursuit of a FA stud starters, maybe something there is pursued.

I don't know if this should be broken out into a separate topic, but given the relative performance of Coco and Ellsbury the past two seasons, how does the CF job shake out? Do the Sox keep both or trade one? Who has more value? If both stay, who starts? Do they platoon? To me, this is going to be a key position to make a decision on for shaping the team for 2009.

FWIW, possibly very little given the source, Joel Sherman in the NYPost yesterday:


If there's any truth to this at all, it'd be just what the doctor ordered.

is it possible to calculate how much Angels 1Bman whose name I can't spell is worth, factoring in some kind of WARP based analysis, offsetting for the effect of inflation on long term deals and including the net effect of NOT having him play for the Yankees. I will never understand why the Yankees didn't pick up Manny off waivers a few years ago, slightly overpaid or not, they had a lot of money and surely the effect of having him and the Red Sox NOT having him made that a steal for NYY.

Isn't someone like Teixeira worth overpaying for, if you're optimising your $$$ elsewhere, then it's OK to pay a bit too much for a star isn't it, especially an every day player. I don't know whether Lowell could be a backup at his salary, but Youks at 3B and Teixeira at 1B looks like a pretty decent setup to me

Ignoring the question of whether Ortiz' lack of production was due to affects of the injury or age or "lineup protection". What team in their right mind would trade a #2 or #3 starter, plus prospects, for a player with so many question marks about him? If the Sox are able to acquire Teixeira, wouldn't they just be replacing the production of good Ortiz with the production of Teixeira? They would still need to replace the production of Lowell with another DH. Have anyone in mind?

As far as the catching goes, I think Theo will have a number of conversations with Texas about either Teagarden or Salty. Teagarden looks like a better option if he could get his strikeout numbers down.

I think you let Tek hit the open market, and if he doesn't find anything to his liking, bring him back as a back up and let him show the young guy how to prepare/run the staff. Not sure tek would be up for that, but my guess is that his price took a huge hit this season due to his offensive decline.

-Make a run at another SP (Peavy??). I think CC and Burnett are going to be too expensive.

-Get a better version of Mark Kotsay as your "1st guy off the bench

-Build up the bullpen. I only trust Okie and Paps. Everyone else could be upgraded (depending on what's out there). I always feel like the Sox need to do more here.

-Go after Holliday (Ellsbury and a pitcher)

I think they allow Lowell to retake 3B, and if he doesn't make it through the season, Youk goes to third and the Lars Anderson era begins.

Unless a really appealing trade is available (Clay for Teagarden?) I like this option best. Dave Ross is a passable hitter and a solid defensive catcher. Why pay in trade to acquire someone who may or may not outproduce someone we have in-house and have not yet given a chance?

Here's where I go slightly controversial:

Is anyone else not convinced that Ellsbury is a good starting CF? Looking at his career and ML stats, isn't it possible we're looking at Vince Coleman's bat, minus, oh, about 40 steals a year? We all know he isn't as good as he was at the end of last year, but based on this season's evidence, he might not even be a legit starter. I wouldn't go trading Coco just yet.

edit: added links

It should be.

I don't see how any of these are reasonable. How is Peavy inexpensive when he is do some 80 million and will cost 3 prime time prospects? Kotsay was payed $8 million this year and was a decent starter for Atlanta.... better versions of him are starting and being payed 10+ million. Building a pen is almost all luck and circumstance, Pap and Oki make you ahead of the game, there is going to be more projects brought in and we will pray on Jones/Bard/ect/. Halladay, come on. I'm SURE they would be all over Ellsbury with Snyder/Wells and Rios in their outfield.....

It surprises me how many people seem to be willing to pay mark Angels 1Bman whose name I can't spell $20m/yr through his age-39 season. Isn't this exactly the kind of post-ALCS-loss insanity that now has the Yankees' 40-man roster looking like a retirement home? The guy is great, but he's literally in his prime right now. He turns 29 April 11. You want to commit $200 million to him at his zenith? (It's worth adding that we'd be lucky to get his for $20m, since the Sox getting into this bidding war with what is sure to be at least New York and one other big-market team means Boras would have had a Perfect Storm.)

And say he does sign. And say Mike Lowell gets healthy. Then what?

And remember, we have a really effing good 20 year-old 1B prospect who just put up a .962 OPS in his first 133 AA AB.

The Red Sox' payroll was $133m+ this year. It's never been higher than $143m. Even with Manny and Tek and Schilling coming off the books, they have other fish to fry and many other options, and I just don't see them giving 12-15% of their payroll to Angels 1Bman whose name I can't spell annually until 2018. I think this off-season is about catchers and a stop-gap 1B until Lars Anderson shows up.

What we can do in the short term before free agency [as that is a whole different story]:

Jason Varitek gone
Bartolo Colon gone
Paul Byrd gone
Curt Schilling gone
Mike Timlin gone
Alex Cora gone
Sean Casey gone
Mark Kotsay gone

-- That part is easy as long as there are plenty of tissues for Francona when all his binkies go bye-bye.

-- See if we can get Bay to sign a 3-year extension, bringing him through his age 33 season.

-- Pay a ransom of pitching for Marson, or be selective for a Texas catcher. Other wise, leave the market alone and bring on Kottaras and Brown.

-- Investigate Lugo trades, maybe Dontrelle, I'm sure Theo would be interested in that project. Maybe pay his salary and hope for a mid-level prospect back.

-- Make a decision on Wake. I want a whole new catching situation and I am sick of all the 'stuff' that comes with having a knuckleballer, I'd move on. We have other options that could be league average at #5.

It seems like the smartest route for the Sox this offseason is to prepare for the contingency that Ortiz and/or Lowell aren't going to be healthy for the start of next season (and maybe not at all) and bring in a guy who can play 1B/3B, but isn't in a position where he would have to play everyday. I'm thinking of someone on a Hank Blalock/Casey Blake level. A decent bat who can play 3B/1B, but who, in an ideal situation, is your first bat off the bench.

I think there's almost no doubt that we'll see Ellsbury and Lowrie in the starting lineup next year. You have to hope that one or both of them can improve their production 30%. I'd take a .280/.350/.400 line from both of them in a heartbeat.

Meeting Boras' price is not the ideal situation, but adding a power bat to this lineup really is the biggest fish that needs frying. To that end, finding a CF, C, or SS who can hit 30 HRs is a lot harder than finding a 1B who can. And with Lowell and Ortiz aging rapidly and both being very familiar with the DL, there should be plenty of at-bats to go around.

I don't care if they get it done with Boras and his boy, or if they find another option, but I think the Sox will be targeting a power-hitting 1B this offseason.

If Theo decides to wait for Anderson instead, and patches this lineup together with a minor upgrade at C, Lowrie at SS, and Ellsbury/Coco back in center, while concurrently praying for prime seasons from Lowell and Ortiz, the Sox are going to be the preseason picks to finish third. With Beckett, Dice-K, and Lester in their primes, I don't see why you would want to settle for that. The window won't stay open forever with this staff, and that is the hardest part of a team to put together. Ask the Yankees.

Lowell is aging, but he hasn't been an injury-prone player. If his surgery goes well and there's no evidence of deterioration in his hip, I think you plan on Lowell playing 100 games (assuming not ready until May, plus regular days off thereafter). So the team needs a 1B who can provide decent production for 200-300 PAs. I don't think Jeff Bailey is that guy (and I don't think the FO thinks so either), so we'll be in the market for a veteran 1B. Ben Broussard and Kevin Millar are probably the best options among guys who might accept a reserve role.


Imo, Dusty Brown will never be more than a backup catcher in The Show, so we might as well start using him in that capacity. Lugo is untradable, so he'll be our utility IF next year-- Tito will have to manage any resulting friction (he's handled worse). With Manny gone and a full season under Ellsbury's belt, we probably can't give Coco enough PAs to keep him happy. The market for backup OFs is grim; we could do much worse than re-signing Kotsay. With OF depth on the farm, I don't think we need to carry 5 OFs-- Youk could play LF for a game or two in a pinch. That leaves a bench spot open, perhaps for a third catcher (so Tek doesn't bat in late-and-close situations).

Probably a little of both.


Yes, if he'll take a one-year deal. I'm not sold on George Kottaras (110 Ks in 107 games at Pawtucket), and Brown is no more than a solid backup. The FA market is grim.


The only big-name FA pitcher I can see the Sox making a play for is Ben Sheets, but last I heard his status for next year was uncertain. Regardless of whether we trust Buchholz, however, we need another SP-- Dice-K is the only starter who I'm reasonably confident will pitch 200 innings next year. If we can't get an SP for Coco and a couple pieces (Lopez, mid-level prospects, etc.), I'd sign someone like Jason Jennings (or bring back Paul Byrd). If everyone's healthy (a big if), Clay would start in Pawtucket. But to answer the question, yes, we'll be counting on Clay to take a couple steps forward next year.


Yes.


Not really. Paps/Masterson/Oki/MDC is a solid core. I'd trade the overrated Javier Lopez (perhaps as part of a Crisp deal) and give the #2 LHP spot to Hunter Jones. The rest of the 'pen can be filled with internal options and/or spring training invitees.

Here's the way I'm looking at it - I'm afraid the Rays are only going to improve next season by adding Price to the rotation, who as we all saw has what it takes to be a shut-down starter immediately.

That leaves them with a rotation of

Price
Shields
Kazmir
Garza
Sonnanstine/Jackson

Top that off with their lineup which may also improve as Longoria and Upton potentially progress and Crawford begins the 2009 season in full health, and the Red Sox need to add a piece or two to keep up, even if everyone is fully healthy (which is a leap of faith in itself).

The Red Sox don't necessarily need a starter or another power bat to remain competitive next year, but they may very well need both of those if they hope to keep up with the Rays, who clearly look to be the most stacked team in baseball heading into 2009.

I think the Sox should go in offering a 5 year deal (thus, a 4 year extension) at 14-16M per season. Offering a Drew contract, or slightly higher, should be enticing to Bay, especially since he is due 7.5M next year and would instantly receive a ~7M raise.

If those reports on Russell Martin are true, I'd heavily investigate that idea. Martin is not in the Mauer-McCann upper echelon as far as catchers are concerned, but he's young as hell, extremely durable, solid defensively, and has a decent bat. He'd probably be expensive as all hell - I'm thinking Buchholz and Lars expensive - in which case, you'd have to walk. But if the priority was finding someone who could step in from day one and be your catcher, he'd be your guy.

Another name for depth and flexibility that I find really intriguing is Pablo Sandoval. 1B, 3B, and can catch. I'm sure the Giants have big plans for him, but he's someone who's very high on my wish list.

You lower the price for Martin by talking most of Andruuw Jones' contract back. Trade one of the Crisp/Ellsbury pair and give Jones a 2-month tryout in his contract year. If he's still a corpse or headcase, cut him loose.

I agree with the general point that you are making which is that the Rays and I'll add the Yankees will improve. The shut-down starter immediately thing is a bit over the top. How many guys come into the league and dominate immediately? The list is short. It's far more likely that Price experiences his share of ups and downs in 2009.

I would be surprised if they signed either Teixeira or Sabathia. A more realistic, high price free agent would be AJ Burnett.

What I think will happen is that we'll see a trade out of nowhere (think Ramirez-Beckett) that improves the team on offense. Most likely positions to improve would be catcher or corner infielder.

Mostly what I expect them to do is to try and improve their bench. This team got really thin in terms of depth (i.e. Kotsay at first) towards the end of the season.

I think he's right up there with those guys, especially when he's not overworked like was this year by Torre. He's more than capable of putting up around an 850 OPS while providing solid defense as he enters his prime. Also, he's a good baserunner who should steal around 20 bags over the season, obviously both rare and valuable from a catcher. I would think the price would be absolutely astronomical however... and I can't understand why the Dodgers would be looking to move him. I just don't think he's a realistic option.

Whether the Sox won the World Series or lost in the ALDS, I have a feeling the FO is going to treat this team like the '04 team. They were one of the best teams in baseball this year, but are showing some age and have some holes to fill. I don't think Theo is the type that thinks "We had a good team this year, let's keep it the same for next year and maybe the breaks will go more our way." Instead, the FO will probably be very proactive and we might see 2 new position players next year and 1 or 2 new arms in the rotation.

One player reportedly on the trade market that I'd like to see the Sox target is J.J. Hardy. Hardy put up a .283/.343/.478 line for the Brew Crew this year, good for a 112 OPS+. John Dewan also has him as +24 at shortstop from 2005-2007. While I like Lowrie, Hardy would present a significant upgrade on both sides of the ball and is just coming into his prime years. His on-base skills are nothing special but he adds a significant amount of power to an up the middle position. Acquiring Hardy would also allow Lowrie to slide into the utility infield role, adding depth to a bench that has been widely accepted as a weakness for the '08 Sox. Perhaps I'm selling Lowrie somewhat short but I don't think he's the kind of player that should prevent the Sox from looking to upgrade at shortstop.

The Brewers will likely be looking for pitching as they are poised to lose both Sabathia and Sheets to free agency so you'd have to think the Sox could put together an appealing package based around Bowden and other prospects. I don't think the Sox should part with Masterson or Buchholz to acquire Hardy but I certainly hope they kick the tires.

According to the Box, we should sign every awesome player in the world.
Some highlights:

1. Tex (free agent 6 years plus 2 club options)
3. Salty for MDC
2. Peavy (Buchholz and Bowden and the player from the Lowell trade)
4. Sign another two really good relievers, fuentes (set up) and cruz from AZ.
5. SIgn CC/ Burnett


I mean, cmon. Seriously? You get one of these guys to sign, thats a great off season.

To me the glaring weakness coming in was the fourth starter in the playoffs. Regardless of whether we played Tampa (Sonnenstine) or LAA (Weaver), were were going to be decided underdogs in the game, a huge problem in a 7 game series. That needs to be rectified. I think Burnett is the guy. It seems like he is a guy who would actually be better here. He seems to lose his concentration against the mediocre teams early in the season so his stats aren't as good as they should be, but on the other hand he has pitched well against the good teams, the mfy and Sox in particular. The intensity of playing here would help him reach his full potential and, not that it matters, JWH is on record as loving him. If you can get him in the 4 year $60m range I'd pull the trigger.

I'd like to see Masterson stay in the pen. Aside from this series MDC continued to improve and with those two and HO in front of Papelbon, I don't think the Sox should expend much capital on the fools gold that are free agent middle relievers.

fuck my formating.

Basic jist is Lowrie will field and hit better than JJ, and nearly hit as good as jeter, sans Hrs.

Before anyone else says the Sox should sign Sabathia or Teixeira, I'd heavily suggest reading this.

I don't get what you are trying to say. The Red Sox and the Yankees may both be interested in two players, in which case the Yankees would pay the most for the two players, but you are not definitely sure this is the case...?

Another 2009 change that has nothing to do with free agency, ect:

.266/.329/.384
.256/.322/.344

Those are our leadoff hitter's numbers the last two seasons. I think it is time for a commitment to a change in our lineup construction.

Pedroia/Drew/Youkilis/Ortiz/Bay would probably most interest me right now.

Drew/Pedroia/Ortiz/Youkilis/Bay would leave most unchanged and would probably be accepted by Francona the easiest.

Ellsbury could bat in front of Dusty Brown (or whoever) and would have a permanent green light on the base paths without worrying about running into an out with a core hitter at the plate.

The Red Sox are just as capable of outbidding the Yankees as the Yankees are of outbidding the Red Sox. I don't doubt that both GMs will attempt to raise the price on any free agent signings by the other. Or, both GMs could be in the same ballpark and the player will make a decision based on where they would rather play. Keep in mind, the Red Sox seem to be lined up to have more long-term success than the Yankees, at this point.

I'm in the camp that wants to see the Sox use the farm to bring in a new catcher. Someone younger who has the potential to be a solid starter, even if they need to be part of a platoon in 2009. Mark Wieters is probably out of reach but maybe Seattle would be willing to part with Jeff Clement? It would be costly, but worth it IMO. They could also kick the tires on JR House (HOU), Koyie Hill (CHC), Lou Marson (PHI), Angel Solome (MIL), Jake Fox (CHC), Gaby Sanchez (FLA), Adam Moore (SEA) and Kala Ka'aihue (ATL). Each of those guys might be ready to platoon at the major league level.

I'd also like to see the FO make a move on AJ Burnett. I think Sabathia will be the prime target of people willing to spend money and there will likely be a bidding war for him. If Peavy is on the market and the Yankees are actually interested in him, Theo might be able to slip in and nab Burnett quickly without breaking the bank. But either way, I'd like to see them add another high impact starter to the rotation because the Rays rotation might actually be better next year than it was this year. (Implied here is that I'm also ready to see Wakefield go)

Obviously a little bullpen help should be one of Theo's priorities this off season. Timlin needs to go. Don't offer him arbitration. Just let him go. We have Papelbon, Okajima, MDC and Masterson back for next year, so you're not looking for a dominant reliever, but middle relief was a problem all year. You can take a shot at Fuentes, but he's probably not signing with a team that won't use him as a closer. Unfortunately, none of the FA relievers I'm looking at jump out at me... which is why piecing together a bullpen tends to be a bit of a crapshoot. Might be time to look at bringing up another farm hand or two. Maybe Bard, who had a strong season finishing with 31 games at AA?

As for Mark Teixeira, I don't think it's realistic to expect them to move Lowell and you're definitely not moving Youkilis away from first to go to right field. So while I'd love to see him in Boston, I don't see any way to fit him on the 2009 roster. If they can upgrade the catcher spot, the offense should be in pretty good shape. What really worries me is Papi continuing to decline. I'm not sure what you can do about that, though. If Lars Anderson keeps tearing it up in the minors, perhaps he gets a call up some time in the second half of the year and becomes a 1st base/DH backup.

Finally, Alex Cora needs to go. Platoon Lugo and Lowrie (or just start Lowrie outright) and let us never speak of the smartest player in baseball again. He's a wasted roster spot and the fact that he started game 7 last night really bothered me.

The part I'm not definitely sure about, and I have since edited the blog entry to clarify this, is the issue of whether Steinbrenner would allow a player to go to another team as opposed to going to the Red Sox (ex. Vlad, Beltran). He's obviously less likely to accept being outbid if the Red Sox are the highest bidder than if it's another team.


When was the last time you remember the Sox outbidding the Yankees for a free agent both teams wanted when both teams had a spot where the player could get playing time?

I was actually thinking about this during Game 5 innings 3-7 (top). And before anyone tries to kill me, it was documented in the game thread that many of you were as well.

The main difference between 2004 and 2008 is that there were several key free agents on the 2004 team that Theo did not bring back (Pedro went to the Mets for 4 years, Lowe was not offered a contract, Cabrera had issues we'll never know about, etc.). He then made the necessary moves.

In this case, the only spot that is clearly open is SP depth. I think it's imperative that they get one more big arm long term. The biggest question is who. I like Burnett personally, not only because he is good, but he's pitched in the AL East for 3 years. Sabathia will be in pinstripes, I think, Sheets will spend more time in the DL, and Peavy may cost a lot in term of players.

Then there is catcher, all our opinions here may be valid, but at the end of the day, if the answer to the cathcing position is via trade then it's almost out of Theo's hand. Anyone remember the 2005 offseason when teams where fleecing the Sox in the search of a CF?

As for Lowell, he is a huge question mark right now, and only the FO will know how far he is along before making any moves. But I do think that the Sox need a power bat. The lineup lacked that hotter that scared pitchers (like it or not Manny was that hitter).

Get Teagarden even if it costs Ellsbury, a solid pitching prospect and a couple unknowns. He is very young, can catch and can hit. Saltalamachia will end up a 1st baseman/DH because he isn't skilled enough behind the plate. Tex seems tempting--several times this series, I felt like we needed another big new bat next year--but Tex doesn't seem like a Theo acquisition because we already have Youk and Lowell under contract, and provided Lowell and Papi both recover, and we have a catcher on staff who's better offensively, that provides us with far more offense next year than we had this season. Also, Lowrie looks like someone who will grow into his body and his role over the next year or so, and I think they have high hopes for him...or he could be great trade bait to get someone like Tea.

I am biased because I love him, but I think Wake is worth keeping if he is game because he is very cheap relative to the market, better than the average ML pitcher, and Cash catching him proved we didn't need to keep Belli in order to keep Wake on the roster; others can catch the knuckler. I really don't think any of the free agent pitchers will or should work out. I'm very curious to see what happens with Masterson. I thought he was masterful--for a young kid--out of the 'pen down the stretch. What a weapon he could become for our bullpen for the future, but I guess there's no reason to think they don't have him pegged to be a starter instead.

We're in excellent position for a strong 09.

Wait, so the Red Sox should give up Ellsbury and a good pitching prospect and "a couple unknowns" for Teagarden? I like the idea of Teagarden, but that's even more than the Rangers would imagine asking for.

You're right, he's young (not "very young", he's older than Saltalamacchia), he's had the reputation since coming out of college as being an excellent defensive prospect behind the dish, yes. He can hit? The jury is out on this one. Some viewed him as a defense-first type whose bat may come around.

What exactly are you basing your "can hit" assessment on, his 47 AB in the majors this season? He had an excellent showing as a 23 year old in high A ball in 2007, but struggled in AAA this season. Cumulatively, his ml numbers are solid, but I'd like to see him bounce back from a largely disappointing season he had at the plate this year before handing the reins over to him as the everyday catcher. And I certainly wouldn't sacrifice a young CF, SP depth and prospect depth for another prospect.

1) I don't see why you wouldn't trust Lowell. Everyone talks about he he's getting old now and this this injury is indicative of that. Really? How often do we here about aging players tearing the labrum in their hip? This isn't the sort of injury that you see with other old players before nodding your head and saying "told ya so". To me, I don't think that injury is any more indicative of the value he'll provide going forward than Schilling's appendicitis and broken hand were in 2003. And what's this talk about signing Teixeira? We've got a top 3 1B in baseball right and Lars Anderson (whose swing is built for Fenway, BTW) is one of the top 1-2 1B prospects in all of baseball who just mashed in the pitcher friendly EL at the ripe old age of 20. Tex isn't coming here, folks. Sorry to ruin your sweaty fantasies of same.

2) What you do with the bench depends in large part on how the CF, C and SS issues are resolved, so it's kind of silly, if not impossible, to speculate until we know how those issues will sort out. FWIW, I didn't view the bench as a problem this year as long as Casey was healthy.

3) You have to think that most of Papi's decline was due to injury. He clearly didn't look right, as many here have explained in more detail than I care to. My guess is that he will continue to be a relative bargain for the balance of his current contract.

4) Tek will return, but I think he'll end up starting about 80 games, sharing the load with Brown or one of theother names that have been speculated here (Salty, Teagarden, etc..). I see no reason why Varitek and the other C can't share time in a similar manner to Girardi and Posada in the late 90s before they gave Posada the job full time.

5) Buchholz will be in the mix for #5 starter, along with Masterson and Bowden, but it's going to dependon his off-season performance and the Red Sox evaluation of whether he can get his head straight. Regardless, I will be very surprisedif they don't bring in a Paul Byrd type as the incumbent #5 starter going into ST. If one of the kids beats him out, so be it. Regardless, there will be a group of 2-3 guys in the ML bullpen and the Pawsox rotation who the Red Sox will feel comfortable going to when the inevitable injury strikes. The only way they go after a big name starter via FA or, less likely, via trade, is if they jave serious concerns regarding Beckett's health.

6) Of course Wake returns. As others have said, $4MM for 180 IP of a 100-110 ERA+ is a huge bargain in this day and age. No reason he won't return unless he chooses not to. Coming into next year, you're looking at:

Lester
Beckett
Dice-K
Wake
Buchholz, Masterson, Bowden, FA fighting it out for #5

7) The bullpen question depends in large part on whether Masterson makes the rotation or not. If he's in the pen, then the need to upgrade isn't as great, but it will still be there. Timlin is done. Lopez and Aardsma shouldn't be guaranteed jobs. The good news here is that there will be a number of internal candidates to fill any voids, especially mid-season. Hunter Jones will get a look in camp. Bard and Lentz will get a look later on. Either way, just as you can never have too many starters, and you can never have a pen that's too deep.

8) Lugo is gone. I know Lowrie didn't convince everyone here, but I'll be shocked if they don't give him the job like they gave Pedroia the 2B job. They trade Lugo for a B prospect and eat the majority of his salary in what appears to be a thin SS market.

I would like to see the Sox pickup Rocco Baldelli. I think he would be a great 4th OF who could also probably learn how to play 1B in a pinch and could DH against lefties if they don't get Tex. I like Rocco a lot and think he can bring a lot to the table and can come relatively cheap. Considering noone is certain about his condition (although the meds he has taken are getting him over it from what I have heard down here) I think he will most likely sign for 1 year on incentive laden type monies and have that year to prove he is healthy. Guy has speed, an excellent glove, can play all OF positions (as long as he is healthy) and can hit for power.

It is not 100% guaranteed Wake is back.

He has had injury woes two years in a row negating his main point of value

The catching situation is up in the air. It is tough enough to fill a need at that position without worrying about a caddie for Wake. It is not a given that a catcher can be found to work with him.

He may retire

You have to expect at some point th wheels will fall off as they do in many starts.

He has a $6M club option or $4M buyout for 2009, so it's essentially a $2M decision. He almost assuredly will return to the Rays.

Rays already dropped him.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb



There's a semblance of a fit here bringing in a RH bat and a local kid with potential, but the Sox would have to cull the herd a bit in the OF.