Who's our closer next year?

[Beckett95]

mlbtraderumors

Peter Gammons, in his blog yesterday morning, mentioned a few options for the Red Sox's closer vacancy:

 

"Would Seattle deal J.J. Putz for Manny? Dubious. Scott Boras would like to get Eric Gagne to Boston; problem is, are the medicals real or off the set of General Hospital? Joe Borowski has been calling now that his medicals were declined in Philly."

 

With Manny and Matsuzaka at the forefront, it's easy to forget that Boston is also in the market for a closer. No sleep for Theo. Perhaps he'll be speaking to Dave Littlefield in hopes of acquiring Matt Capps or Mike Gonzalez?

 

Putz isnt a bad idea, Gagne would be nice if the price is right, i wouldnt mind Borowski on this team but not as a closer. Capps and Gonzalez are intriguing depending on who we'd have to give up.

 

If manny's moved to LAD we better get Broxton back in return. I think he'd be a good fit.

[AirPantapas]

Broxton

[Gom]

It looks like Boston will be very busy at the winter meetings.

[Beckett95]

How about Juan Rincon??

 

Heard that the Rockies and Astros are interested in him.

 

Lowell for Rincon??

[BoSox34]

I'd love to see Putz as our closer next year. The man is absolute money but it seems highly unlikely that they'd deal him. Gagne is an interesting possibility and he could be a low risk-high reward acquisition.

[jacksonianmarch]

How about Juan Rincon??

 

Heard that the Rockies and Astros are interested in him.

 

Lowell for Rincon??

 

Lowell will not nab anything significant.

[Rdsxmbnt]

I like the idea of getting Gagne.

[TheKilo]

Putz was a STUD last year and it'd be interesting if the Sox pursue him.

 

Manny for Putz/Betancourt/????

 

Betancourt is a pretty solid defensive infielder.

[Cocos Disciples]

It looks like Boston will be very busy at the winter meetings.

 

Thanks for the info.

[ThreeIfBaerga]

I def like the idea of Putz, but not for Manny. :thumbdown

 

I don't see Rincon as an option for closing, but I definately like Mike Gonzalez. He's a power lefty and had success closing this year in Pitt. I hear Littlefield is impossible to deal with tho, so I don't know what it would take. You'd have to expect one of our pitching prospects, maybe sending Hasen/Delcarmen +.

[Beckett95]

Putz was a STUD last year and it'd be interesting if the Sox pursue him.

 

Manny for Putz/Betancourt/????

 

Betancourt is a pretty solid defensive infielder.

 

id be very interested in a deal like that

[jacksonianmarch]

id be very interested in a deal like that

 

the sox offense would be so bad that they might as well mail 2007 in.

[BoSox34]

Putz was a STUD last year and it'd be interesting if the Sox pursue him.

 

Manny for Putz/Betancourt/????

 

Betancourt is a pretty solid defensive infielder.

 

I'd be interested in that trade if we could turn around and acquire an Andruw Jones or Vernon Wells type player. If we dealt Manny w/o acquiring a legitimate hitting threat, our lineup would be pretty weak come April. Teams would just avoid pitching to Ortiz.

[TheKilo]

People are saying our offense is going to be real weak if we lose Manny, and that is true, but if we can make up the runs we would lose in other areas (namely pitching and defense) then the loss of Manny would be significantly less.

 

Besides, if we sign Drew and deal Manny, and find someway to acquire Lugo, then the lineup would be:

 

Lugo

Youks

Ortiz

Drew

WMP

Tek

Lowell

Crisp

Pedroia

 

Which is essentially the same lineup everyone is counting on if we trade Manny anyway. We get a decent bench infielder in Betancourt, and Putz would be the closer we need. Maybe they can throw in their Soriano in the pen to sweeten the deal. If we have to part with one of our mid-level prospects to get that deal done, or to throw in some cash, why wouldn't the Sox highly consider it?

[a700hitter]

People are saying our offense is going to be real weak if we lose Manny, and that is true, but if we can make up the runs we would lose in other areas (namely pitching and defense) then the loss of Manny would be significantly less.

 

Besides, if we sign Drew and deal Manny, and find someway to acquire Lugo, then the lineup would be:

 

Lugo

Youks

Ortiz

Drew

WMP

Tek

Lowell

Crisp

Pedroia

 

Which is essentially the same lineup everyone is counting on if we trade Manny anyway. We get a decent bench infielder in Betancourt, and Putz would be the closer we need. Maybe they can throw in their Soriano in the pen to sweeten the deal. If we have to part with one of our mid-level prospects to get that deal done, or to throw in some cash, why wouldn't the Sox highly consider it?

Betancourt would be the starting SS and Lug would play second. Pedroia would be a bench player.

[jacksonianmarch]

Betancourt would be the starting SS and Lug would play second. Pedroia would be a bench player.

 

If pedroia is as he was billed to be, then he'd be ticketed for Pawtucket in the event that both spots are filled.

[Cocos Disciples]

If we get Yuniesky we won't get Lugo.

[a700hitter]

If we get Yuniesky we won't get Lugo.

You are probably right.

[TedWilliams101]

Im sorry, but that lineup is not essential the same without Ramirez. Drew hitting in the 4 spot is a joke. Hes a #5 hitter, not clean up. Ortiz would not get any protection and Drew will probably miss 1/3-1/4 of the season given his history of injury, so who would then hit in the 4 spot for all those games? Its not even close to the same lineup. Having Manny is the difference between a decent lineup and a great lineup. We wont survive in the AL East with just a decent line up. You need a great pitching staff PLUS a great lineup.

[AirPantapas]

Why would we get lugo if we get YB ?

[CrespoBlows]

Manny for Putz/Betancourt?

 

Awful.

[TheKilo]

Im sorry' date=' but that lineup is not essential the same without Ramirez. Drew hitting in the 4 spot is a joke. Hes a #5 hitter, not clean up. Ortiz would not get any protection and Drew will probably miss 1/3-1/4 of the season given his history of injury, so who would then hit in the 4 spot for all those games? Its not even close to the same lineup. Having Manny is the difference between a decent lineup and a great lineup. We wont survive in the AL East with just a decent line up. You need a great pitching staff PLUS a great lineup.[/quote']

 

 

For the 800th time, the reason Drew has missed significant time the last few years is because he got hit by a pitch.

 

And the offense won't be as good without Manny? You don't say. Taking out a person who consistently puts up HoF numbers makes an offense weaker? Wow.

 

Sarcasm aside, as good as manny is in the lineup, he is atrocious in the field. You can make up the run differential between Manny and Drew (and yes, I know Drew is replacing Trot, not Manny, but apparently everyone thinks Drew is replacing Manny) in other areas, mainly improving defense and pitching (in particular the bullpen, and possibly trading for a starter and a solid reliever).

 

The Yankees won the AL East last year with a great lineup, but a fairly mediocre pitching staff. Manny leaving will certainly make the lineup take a hit, but it has the potential to make the Red Sox a more balanced team offensively, defensively, and with their pitching staff. You could argue that the Red Sox were not a balanced team at all last year. Manny and ortiz were the only ones who consistently produced. Beckett and the pitching staff was a disappointment. Anyone other than Papelbon sucked in the pen.

 

If you can trade Manny and improve more areas across the board, you can justify trading Manny.

 

 

....Though I still think the Sox would be better if he played for them in 2007.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Manny for Putz/Betancourt?

 

Awful.

 

couldnt agree more, we'd be selling ourselves way short on that one.

[Ray10]

I dunno what it is but for some reason I have a feeling that the Sox are going to get Gagne. I dunno why though maybe it's because Gagne would prolly come at a cheap price considering his injuries and such. Mind you I'd much rather they didn't pick him up.

[TheKilo]

couldnt agree more' date=' we'd be selling ourselves way short on that one.[/quote']

 

 

Seattle would obviously throw more pieces into that deal.

[jacksonianmarch]

They are talking about Adam Jones as well, a guy who is supposed to be a 5 tool player but looked real bad after his first stint in the bigs. He is only 20 though, so he looks to have a bright future.

[TedWilliams101]

Costs money, but I really think the best solution for the sox right now is to

1. Sign Drew

2. Hold on to Manny

3. Sign Lugo

4. Sign Gagne

5. Look for bullpen help

6. and obviously sign matzusaka

 

It would cost the sox money, but that would certainly put us in a good position this season.

[BSN07]

You all are forgeting a very importsnt detail, Manny will never play in Seattle! He has a list of like 12 teams and i'm sure the awful f@%*$ing Mariners aren't one of the teams. Our offense will not be the same, but with Drew and Lugo( if both are signed) it will be a decent line up. I just heard something about a LA trade that would send Penny, and 2 of the following, either Kemp, Loney, and LaRoche. Our pitching staff would be lights out. Yes we won't have a top ranked offense, but I'll take a dominate pitching staff over that anyday anyways.

 

About the line up, if Manny is traded and Drew is signed, why not put Drew in the 3rd spot and have Papi hit 4th. Seemingly you would be offering Drew the best protection he has ever had and his stats would more then likely go up. Since theres now no one to protect Papi( unless a big trade happens which is not likley maybe until trade deadline), you might as well use him in away that makes other players in your lineup better.

 

As far as closer..... Gagne is an option, he says he feels great so maybe a incentive one year deal with maybe an option on the 2nd if he reaches so many appearances, innings yada yada yada, all beat it I don't think they will be able to pull another Papelbon out of the hat this year. But i'm sure come opening day we will have what we will believe to be a legitiment closer in the bullpen.

[Gom]

I think that the Red Sox will simply go into spring training and hold an audition for the closer role. It worked out pretty well for you last year.

[rician blast]

I think that the Red Sox will simply go into spring training and hold an audition for the closer role. It worked out pretty well for you last year.

 

It also worked in 2003...sort of. After 4-5 months of "closer by committe", the Sox eventually settled on Williamson as closer, Timlin/Embree as the late inning right/lefty combo and into the playoffs it worked like a dream.

 

Of course there was one guy who apparently didn't notice how effective they were and decided to leave Petey in during Game 7.

 

The audition approach can work...but there is some risk that you never find the right guy and it costs the team in the long-run.