Red Sox Offseason - Sum-up and opinions

[Americal Man]

i think it all depends on what shape he shows up in for ST. He has been injured two years in a row but still continues to play hard which is what we like about him - he'll have one more shot to get it done before they give up on him.

[Americal Man]

Just a few huh A-Man? Imagine how weird the team will look Opening Day. 2 1/2 weeks until Pitchers/Catchers report.

 

I'm ready VA. They will have some very good pitching this year and I hope they keep what they have. adding crisp was a key and now they just have to solve the ss position. the pen looks good - the only question is which foulke will walk through the door.

[VA Sox Fan]

I'm ready VA. They will have some very good pitching this year and I hope they keep what they have. adding crisp was a key and now they just have to solve the ss position. the pen looks good - the only question is which foulke will walk through the door.

 

I'm really happy about the Crisp deal being final. I read in the Globe they are still trying to aquire Alex Gonzalez for ss from the Marlins.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed w/ regard to Foulke. It would be great if he is the 2004 Foulke! Feeling pretty optimistic and sooooo ready for baseball.

[Americal Man]

i think the hold up on Gonzalez is he is looking for a 2-3 year contract. he knows that his stay with the sox will be a short one and he will be replaced w/i a year. But, if no one else picks him up he probably sign up for two years. i believe someone else said the cubs were interested in him but I can't imaging why - they just got Furcal.

 

Foulke could be the key but they have some options.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but don't the Sox see Dustin Pedroia as a future second baseman? I always thought getting a 1 year stopgap like Mark Loretta was a perfect solution. Start Dustin in AAA and bring him up midseason as a bench guy, and get him enough experience to be able to hand him the starting second baseman's job in 2007.

 

I've said this before but I think Alex Gonzalez would be a perfect fit here. He's a gold glove shortstop with offensive potential. I think Cora is ideal as a bench guy (utility infielder) and would like to see him fill that role.

 

Graffanino and Wells (IMO) have got to be traded before opening day. Unless of course Cora's the starting shortstop, then Graffanino is the utility infielder.

 

I think that is the case with Pedroia. One reason they haven't moved him back to SS is because Jed Lowrie has looked real sharp at SS. Mark Loretta could be the player for this year at 2B then next year is Pedroia's season. He could obviously contribute this year. If they signed Alex Gonzalez he would be here for 2 years giving an ETA of 2008 for Jed Lowrie. He could contribute in 2007 at times then take over in 2008. Makes sense to me.

 

Alex Gonzalez reminds me of Juan Uribe in Chicago. Not real flashy but gets the job done. Also bats from the #9 spot and could kill you from time to time.

[ORS]

i think the hold up on Gonzalez is he is looking for a 2-3 year contract. he knows that his stay with the sox will be a short one and he will be replaced w/i a year. But, if no one else picks him up he probably sign up for two years. i believe someone else said the cubs were interested in him but I can't imaging why - they just got Furcal.

 

Foulke could be the key but they have some options.

The Dodgers just got Furcal. The Cubs were interested, but he went west with Billy Baseball.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

i believe someone else said the cubs were interested in him but I can't imaging why - they just got Furcal.

 

huh?? Did the Dodgers trade him already haha??

[Americal Man]

huh?? Did the Dodgers trade him already haha??

 

My bad, I misread someone else's post.

 

Guess we'll know in a few days what is going to happen with Gonzalez - maybe he will go to the cubbies. Pedroia is not on the 40 man roster that is posted on the red sox site which surprised me.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Just a few huh A-Man? Imagine how weird the team will look Opening Day. 2 1/2 weeks until Pitchers/Catchers report.

How does that go, " You can't tell a lplayer without a program folks ".

[Beckett95]

5 Reasons why the Sox should sign Gonzalez...

 

1. Cora's Stats on the Road last year--.230 avg--.248 obp--.348 slg--.596 ops (his home stats wernt much better either, but coming to Boston helped him)

A. Gonzalez's total Stats last year--.264 avg--.319 obp--.368 slg--.686 ops (had very similar stats at home as he did away)

 

2. In 2004 Gonzalez hit 23 HR in one of the most pitcher friendly stadiums in baseball.

3. At age 28, he has much more upside than Cora with the bat, and papa jack could really help him.

4. Considered to be one of the top 3 defensive SS in baseball.

5. Total games at SS from 2003-2005= Cora--50 games, Gonzalez--432 games.

 

Sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal, which should be enough time to get Jed Lowrie ready for MLB. Loretta (34 years old) should and will most likely only be here for 1 year, which means Pedroia will be the starting 2nd baseman next year. I would still give Pedroia some playing time at SS in AAA in case Gonzalez and Cora both suck.

[Beckett95]

offseason's not don yet. Id guess atleast one more pitcher gets moved

 

from mlbtraderumors

 

The Red Sox have six starters (seven if you think Papelbon is rotation-ready), but they shouldn't be so eager to send one packing. Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling are highly unlikely to make all of their starts. Epstein might send Arroyo over to Tampa Bay for Julio Lugo. More likely, of course, is a signing of Alex Gonzalez and a trade of David Wells for a spare part or prospect.

[Americal Man]

I hope they keep arroyo because he is good for long relief, is a proven starter and has no history of injuries. plus, he is not a problem child - except for his dorm chasing that is......

[KeepTheFaith1229]

I'd rather trade Clement.

[yankeessuck013]

Just for fun since we are basically 2 months from Opening day

 

Red Sox Projected Batting Order

 

1. C. Crisp

2. M. Loretta

3. D. Ortiz

4. M. Ramirez

5. M. Lowell

6. J. Varitek

7. T. Nixon

8. K. Youkilis

9. A. Gonzalez (Most Likely)

 

Starting Rotation

 

1.Schilling

2.Beckett

3.Wakefield

4.Clement

5.Papelbon/Arroyo (whoever wins it in ST, and I think Paps will)

 

Bullen

 

Long Reliever Dinardo/Arroyo

6th- Riske

7th- Taveras/ Seanez

8th- Timlin

9th- Foulke

 

My thoughts:

 

- What can i say about this lineup? works pitches well and will be atop the majors yet again.

 

-As far as defense is concerned, we will be better than we were last year, the left side of our inifield is GG caliber if we sign gonzalez.

 

-I think our rotation will be very good. obviously, there are question marks but look for it to be a strength of this team.

 

-I really like the BP this year, if Foulke returns to form, it could be one of the best in the majors. Taveras is proven, seanez had a great year, and you always know what you are gonna get from timlin. look for lester to come up the same way that papelbon did.

 

Yankees Projected Batting Order

 

1.J. Damon

2.D. Jeter

3.A-Rod

4.Sheffield

5.Matsui

6.Giambi

7.Posada

8.B.Williams

9.R.Cano

 

Starting Rotation

 

1.R.Johnson

2.Mussina

3.Pavano

4.Wang

5.Chacon

 

Bullen

 

Long Reliever Small/Wright

 

7th-Myers/Villone(until Dotel is healthy)

8th-Farnsworth

9th-Rivera

 

My thoughts:

 

-I think the batting order up there is going to be the opening day line up. You have bassically 2 lead off men at the top of the lineup. It will lead to alot of RBI oppertunities for the middle of the lineup.

 

-As far as defense is concerned, they will be no better than they were last year

 

- IMO their rotation really hinges on Pavano. If he doesnt produce more than he did last year and around what he did 2 years ago, then this team is going to be in big trouble.

 

-I dont like the BP outside of Rivera. Farnsworth is a gas thrower who is probably going to get lit in the AL east. Myers and Villone are avg. at best. Who knows about Dotel? If he can get back to where he was 2 years ago he and Mo can be a good 1 2 punch but I dont expect that to happen

[nueva]

My projected lineup for start of the season...

 

LINEUP

1. Coco Crisp—CF—S

2. Mark Loretta—2B—R

3. David Ortiz—DH—L

4. Manny Ramirez—LF—R

5. Trot Nixon—RF—L

6. Mike Lowell—3B—R

7. Jason Varitek—C—S

8. Kevin Youkilis—1B—R

9. Alex Gonzalez—SS—R (will hit 20+ HR’s this year if signed by the Sox and is a much better option at SS than Cora. He is one of the top 3 SS in the league defensively.)

 

BENCH

John Flaherty—C—R

Dustin Mohr—OF—R

Alex Cora—IF—L

J.T. Snow—1B—L

Willie Harris—UTIL—L

 

BULLPEN

LRP—Bronson Arroyo—R

MRP—David Riske—R

MRP—Rudy Seanez—R

SU—Mike Timlin—R

SU—Julian Tavarez—R

CL—Keith Foulke—R

 

ROTATION

1. Curt Schilling—R

2. Josh Beckett—R

3. Tim Wakefield—R

4. Matt Clement—R

5. Jon Papelbon—R

 

Wow! Thinks for typing that. That is my exact same order. Except i think Gonzalez has 15-20 on his belt not a 20 right of the bat. But yeah he is one of the top SS in theleague for sure!

[CrespoBlows]

Wow! Thinks for typing that. That is my exact same order. Except i think Gonzalez has 15-20 on his belt not a 20 right of the bat. But yeah he is one of the top SS in theleague for sure!

 

Carlos Lee

 

This guy is our RF in 2007. Go 4 years 40 million. This guy would rake at Fenway.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

This is very unrealistic but...

 

Imagine if we signed Lee and Lee next year. (Carlos and Derrek)

 

The free agent pool is so much deeper next year.

[yankeessuck013]

is Torii Hunter a FA next year?

 

if so sign him, move coco to RF.

[jsinger121]

carlos lee is a better investment than torri hunter who is an overrated player. hunter is overpaid and does not do much with the bat.

[KeepTheFaith1229]

is Torii Hunter a FA next year?

 

if so sign him, move coco to RF.

 

 

He has a team option.

[CrespoBlows]

is Torii Hunter a FA next year?

 

if so sign him, move coco to RF.

 

Crisp doesn't have the arm to play right field. Hunter's defense has slipped since he was the human highlight film of 2002. I'd rather wait a year, and sign Andruw Jones, but I think Crisp in center, and Lee in right would give us the premier offense/defense combo.

[jimmycarter05]

Carlos Lee and Derek Lee? Wow, but I don't think we'll get both of them, I'd much rather get Derek Lee to play 1b, switch Youk back to 3rd, trade Clement in the off-season for pitching and sign Doug Davis to fill his void.

[jsinger121]

with lowell signed for 2 more years youk will not be moving back to third in 2007 unless lowell is really bad something i don't see happening.

[jimmycarter05]

Lowell is a FA at the end of this year, isn't he?

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Lowell is a FA at the end of this year, isn't he?

 

 

Lowell is a free agent after 2007.

[jsinger121]

no after 2007.....hence the 2 yrs and 18 remaining that the marlins wanted to dump on the sox and they did.

[jimmycarter05]

Dammit! Now we're screwed if Lowell has a bad year! ARRRRGH!

[schillingouttheks]

Stop freaking out, we're screwed IF anyone has a bad year. Lowell had one bad year, and he's moving to a hitter's ball park. He'll be fine.

[jsinger121]

hes a dead pull hitter coming to fenway park. that should translate into success.

[schillingouttheks]

Exactly. Like I've said before...

 

Mr. Lowell, meet the Green Monster.