So Red Sox Fans, what happens now with your team?
KatsCards
Posts: 559
in Sports Talk
How much of this years team will be back next year?
Discuss.
Discuss.
0
Comments
Need another reliable starter
Any more Texeiras or CCs out there?
<< <i>How much of this years team will be back next year?
. >>
Pretty much all of it. I can only see 2 or 3 adjustments.
Great team to follow and root for.
"If I ever decided to do a book, I've already got the title-The Bases Were Loaded and So Was I"-Jim Fregosi
shoot varitek *(time to put that old horse out to pasture)
see whats ailing papelbomb. he is NOT the same pitcher this year
tweak the lineup.
sign vmart to a deal.
Thankfully, Lowell will be playing his last year for the Sox in 2010. Ortiz may be too, unless he has a monster year.
Varitek isn't going anywhere....I'm pretty sure he has a mutual option (club option for $5m, player option for $3m)....no way he's getting $3m anywhere else, so he'll be back as the backup catcher.
Sign AGon for 2-years (unless they can trade for Hanley Ramirez) -- Jed Lousy will never be anything more than a utility backup.
Sign a decent backup catcher and encourage 'Tek to retire and become a coach in the organization.
Anyway, look for them to pursue Lackey as a starter. Look for them to negotiate with Beckett to extend his contract another 3 years (Beckett will want five). I don't expect Bay to be back. The Sox may look to a mid-price left fielder who can benefit by playing in Fenway. Gonzalez will get his six million dollar option, but no more. The Sox have mental difficulties when it comes to finding and keeping a good SS. They will be searching again in 2010. If the Sox can move Lowell, they will. I wouldn't mind seeing Figgins at 3B. Lowell's contract and limited playing time will cause the Sox to keep him or trade him and pay 75% of his salary elsewhere.
The Sox brass believes in Papelblown, unfortunately. I don't, never have. He throws one pitch, 94 MPH, for strikes. As much as most of RSN wants him gone, I don't think it will happen.
So basically, they will field a team that will beat up the Orioles and Jays and lose regularly to good teams, just like this year. Injuries will continue to be a major problem.
<< <i>I think Ortiz, Varitek and Bay are gone. Bay will want a lot of money, perhaps more than Theo is willing to offer. I would not be surprised to see Drew gone as well, at $14m per season, they shouldh've gotten a lot more from him. >>
no way. The Sox are on the hook for $12 million for Ortiz, so he's not going anywhere. Varitek stays if he wants (player option). Drew at $14 million is way too expensive for anyone to take when compared to what he "produces." Bay gone, yeah, I think so.
Offseason Agenda
By DAVID WALDSTEIN
BOSTON — In the cold, unforgiving aftermath of the Boston Red Sox’ sudden demise, General Manager Theo Epstein is taking a hard look at what lies ahead for his team. Rarely sentimental or swayed by personal allegiances, he will have to chart a course that may include some painful choices.
Epstein spoke Monday of a transition to the younger core of players that he hoped would be as seamless as the changes between 2004 and 2007. Several of the key veterans of those past championships, he said, may have only a year left to win a World Series, if that.
“It might be one more chance with this group to go out and win the whole thing,” he said less than 24 hours after the Red Sox were eliminated from the playoffs with a stunning 7-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in Game 3 of their American League division series. “If we are able to make changes, maybe that transition will happen earlier than expected.”
David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek, all beloved in Boston, will be in the final years of their contracts in 2010 and could be gone even sooner. Josh Beckett is also going into the final year of his contract.
Epstein, after all, is the man who traded Nomar Garciaparra, let the Boston heroes Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon walk in free agency, and sent Manny Ramirez packing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in midseason last year. Speaking to reporters at Fenway Park, Epstein spoke bluntly about key areas that needed to be addressed and hinted he would like to make important changes soon, though he may not be able to.
“Sometimes, you end up with more status quo than you want,” he said. “If that’s the case, if we look back three, four months from now and say, ‘Wow, there weren’t major changes,’ then I think next year will be perhaps the last year of this main group of players.”
Epstein said Ortiz, who had a dreadful start to the season and ended it with a 1-for-12 showing in the division series, must regain his old form in the middle of the lineup for the Red Sox to succeed.
“If he’s going to be the D.H. on this team, we need him to be a force,” Epstein said.
Ortiz will turn 34 next month, and Epstein may have already calculated that he is beyond a renaissance. Perhaps he was dropping a hint that Ortiz was no longer guaranteed to be the designated hitter. Ortiz hit .238 this season with 28 home runs and 99 runs batted in; he hit 27 of his home runs and had 81 of his R.B.I. after June 1.
The Red Sox, who rode the power of Ortiz and Ramirez to two World Series titles in the past five years, need more thunder in the middle of the lineup, but Epstein noted that the problem was not likely to be addressed without a trade. “It’s not the world’s greatest free-agent market,” he said. “There’s not a tremendous amount of impact talent out there, but there are opportunities.”
Most pressing is the decision on left fielder Jason Bay, who can become a free agent next month. The sides have been negotiating amicably for nine months.
Varitek, the 37-year-old captain and a virtual on-field pitching coach, hit only .209 with 14 home runs and 51 R.B.I. He did not play in the three-game series against the Angels as Victor Martinez, whom Boston acquired in July, took over. The Red Sox hold a $5 million option on Varitek’s contract for next year, and if they decline it, Varitek holds a $3 million option. Epstein said he had not spoken to Varitek about next year, but he made it clear that Varitek’s diminished playing time was not an anomaly.
“We made a trade that should address that for the most part next year,” he said. “Victor is as good as you’re going to get. We’re really happy with him on and off the field, his leadership, his offensive ability, his desire to work with the pitching staff.”
Epstein also spoke bluntly about starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose season-long battle with shoulder problems and his stubborn attitude toward the Red Sox’ plan for his rehabilitation angered the team. Epstein said Matsuzaka would have to follow a strict conditioning regimen that would be monitored.
“There will be follow-up, and our strong expectation is that he show up in fantastic shape on Day 1 of spring training next year,” he said. “I see it as a necessity, not really an option.”
Finally, Epstein lauded closer Jonathan Papelbon, whose blown save on Sunday all but ended hope for a comeback in the series, for his high standard of success over the years.
But he also pointed out that Papelbon, who had 38 saves in 41 save opportunities this season, did not have as dominating a year as in the past.
“But I know Jonathan’s going to go home and focus on getting better because he can be better than what he was this year,” Epstein said, “even though that was really, really good.”
90 plus wins and making the PO is more then most teams can say.
Steve
maybe you would still be playing instead of the Angels...<shaking head>
Instead Theo tells us what we knew last year? Did he not watch in September and October
last year? Varitek was horrible last year? You wanted an on field pitching coach? Ortiz
was non existent once Ramirez was gone. What made you think that was going to change going into this year?
Did you think he would have learned how to hit to leftfield.
ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
<< <i>Sucholz is at maximum value -- trade him and Boudin for Halladay, then trade Papelblown for a power hitter. Teach Bard a cutter, and then we have Mariano Jr. for a closer.
I think Buchholz has potential, so he's the #4 next year. Michael Bowden, trade him today for sure. Papelblown should definitely find another team.
<< <i>Sucholz is at maximum value -- trade him and Boudin for Halladay, then trade Papelblown for a power hitter. Teach Bard a cutter, and then we have Mariano Jr. for a closer.
How many saves did Pimpleblown BLOW this year?
Out here in halo land our Closer Fuentes blew 7 saves, out of 55 chances. he's a nail biter and he'll blow a save before the post season is done.
"If I ever decided to do a book, I've already got the title-The Bases Were Loaded and So Was I"-Jim Fregosi
<< <i>
<< <i>Sucholz is at maximum value -- trade him and Boudin for Halladay, then trade Papelblown for a power hitter. Teach Bard a cutter, and then we have Mariano Jr. for a closer.
How many saves did Pimpleblown BLOW this year?
Out here in halo land our Closer Fuentes blew 7 saves, out of 55 chances. he's a nail biter and he'll blow a save before the post season is done. >>
the stats show he blew fewer than Fuentes. What the stats don't say is how many times he came in with a three run lead and got the save after giving up a run or two or the many times (for a month it seemed like every time) he loaded the bases or put two guys into scoring position. He lived a charmed existence for quite a while this year. A few lucky swings would have made him look Gagne-esque.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>Sucholz is at maximum value -- trade him and Boudin for Halladay, then trade Papelblown for a power hitter. Teach Bard a cutter, and then we have Mariano Jr. for a closer.
How many saves did Pimpleblown BLOW this year?
Out here in halo land our Closer Fuentes blew 7 saves, out of 55 chances. he's a nail biter and he'll blow a save before the post season is done. >>
the stats show he blew fewer than Fuentes. What the stats don't say is how many times he came in with a three run lead and got the save after giving up a run or two or the many times (for a month it seemed like every time) he loaded the bases or put two guys into scoring position. He lived a charmed existence for quite a while this year. A few lucky swings would have made him look Gagne-esque. >>
Fuentes did the same. Always giving up a hit(s), walk(s) or runs. Countless times he came in with a 2-3 run lead and would give up a run or two. 24 runs in 55 innings is not good for a closer.
Sorry for chnaging the subject here. now lets get back to the original question
"If I ever decided to do a book, I've already got the title-The Bases Were Loaded and So Was I"-Jim Fregosi
my boy PAPEL! say it aint so! a blown save to lose a series! aggggggggggggggghhhhh
<< <i>I think Buchholz has potential, so he's the #4 next year. Michael Bowden, trade him today for sure. Papelblown should definitely find another team. >>
I do too, but there is still the risk that Sucholz could re-appear as well. If Theo can dupe Toronto into a trade for Halladay, that risk is eliminated. Halladay-Beckett-Lester would be quite the trio!
<< <i>time may prove me wrong, but I think Halladay won't be in a Boston uniform. He turns 33 next May and generally, pitchers start going downhill around there, right? So Boston is not likely to fork over the $20 million a year that he will likely demand during what should be the last contract of his career. The Sox are more likely to go for an extension on Beckett (turns 30 next season) to try to keep him until he's about 34-35 years old. Buchholz has potential and is cheap, Theo won't toss that away for a one-year sensational starting team of Doc-Lester-Beckett. >>
I tend to agree with this. I don't think we'll ever see another pitcher get 5+ years while Theo is the GM of the Red Sox. I think the Sox are more likely to go after someone young . . . a guy like Josh Johson. I'm not saying he's the target because I don't know what his contract status is but I think if Theo sells the farm it will be for a young pitcher of this caliber. It seems like Theo would much rather put up money for a pitcher that hasn't peaked yet and, as much as I love Halladay, I think we've either seen his best stuff already or we'll see it in 2010. Why pay for past performance through 2014 (or whatever) if you don't think he can sustain this level of success?
My hope is that the Sox work something out with Beckett for another 3 years with options for a 4th and 5th. If that happens, then I think the Sox have a reasonable expectation of having a solid staff with Lester, Beckett, Dice, Buchholz/Suchholz, and Wakefield. Throw in another random pitcher or two every year to compensate for injuries and the team has a realistic shot at 90+ wins and a playoff appearance every year.
The real need is a consistent threat from DH, a 3B that can play every day, a LF stud, and a SS that can help the team defensively and not hurt the team offensively.
Suddenly, everyone is Papelbon haters because he blew one game. Yes, he had a subpar season (by his standards), but he is still one Top 5 closers in the game, if not Top 3. There are 5 or 6 teams that would KILL to have him. Personally, I don't think Bard is quite ready yet, so I'd like to see the Sox keep Papelbon (for probable cost of $8m), and further groom Bard for the closer's role.
When Theo took the GM role, his feeling on the job is that you try to put together a team that makes the playoffs 4 out of every 5 years, and you hope to win the World Series in one of those playoff trips. I think 2010 is the one year out of 5 that the Sox miss the playoffs as they stand pat with this year's team, and don't make any major moves...which will set themselves up for the next run of 4 years of playoff berths starting in 2011, when Varitek, Ortiz, and Lowell are gone.
We should have a good feel for if the team will make the 2010 playoffs based on what happens with personnel in the offseason
Someone has to explain the Papelbon hate to me, because I don't understand.
I'll throw one last stat out there - Both Papelbon and Rivera each had 66 appearances this year. Papelbon had 22 clean appearances (no hits, no walks), Rivera had 24. I guess the Papelbon haters wouldn't want Rivera either?
The bottom line is securing the win, and Papelbon does it at a higher rate than almost every closer in the game. Period.
<< <i>I don't care about his personality. I guess with all those good looking statistics, he should be adored by all Sox fans. The only explanation is that to be a Sox fan and actually watch Papelblown pitch every time he goes out there, you learn that statistics don't tell the whole story. I know fans who will leave the room or change the channel when he takes the mound. It's a roller coaster ride whenever he is in there. Somehow, without harming his season stats, he will load the bases, let up just enough runs not to get the game tied, and pick up a save. He's magical like that. He throws one pitch for strikes, that's his straight fastball at 95 down the middle. His splitter is a joke. He's headed down the same path as Keith Foulke, who at least had two pitches (fastball and a changeup that was four MPH slower) >>
As a fan who probably watched as many games as Barndog did, I concur with most of his sentiments. However, I don't mind Pap's personality (he's the type that irritates other teams but your love him when he is on your team). The problem I have with him is that this year he really has been a "one trick pony". That will work only if you have precise control, which he had in 07 and 08, but not in 09 (much more "mistakes" than in the past). That being said, his control was "good enough" to have a successful year. Another thing that does not work into his stats is the number of inherited runners scoring -- it seems like he let in a LOT of those in 2009. If he continues his 2009 ways in 2010, hitters are just going to sit fastball and light him up like the Angels did in the ALDS. He needs to develop an effective breaking pitch -- he used to have an OK splitter and slider, but seemed to totally abandon those pitches in 2009. Being a "one trick pony" only works when you have a cutter like Mariano's.