A new Slugger?

[User Name]

Well, forgive me and delete this if this is too closely related to the Manny thread, but does anyone want someone to be brought in this offseason that can just straight up hit? I mean, maybe I'm being a bit premature here and I will willingly acknowledge that, but I can't help it having to watch so many games with such inconsistent hitting. I know even the best hitting will be inconsistent, but this seems a bit extreme.

 

Does anyone have any preferences as to who they'd love to see in a Red Sox uniform?

 

I like Bay, and he's gotten off to a decent start, but obviously he's no Manny. I see him as obviously someone who is a far more well rounded player than Manny Ramirez was, but likewise, he hits less for power. With this we have one major power hitter in Big Papi, but otherwise nothing but average to above-average hitters power-wise.

 

This is probably 99% bias since I am a HUGE fan of his (before the HR derby, mind you), but I'd love to see Josh Hamilton, but I know, it will never happen, and he's not a proven hitter quite yet.

 

Like I said, maybe this is just me because I have never been one to be called an optimist, but I think we could always use some help.

[TheKilo]

Teixeira, for $20 million.

 

Holliday, via trade.

 

Dunn. Burrell.

 

Can't think of many more.

[Rdsxmbnt]

Not that it'd ever happen but I'd kill to have Russell Martin

[User Name]

Holliday was a name I thought of as well. He will be on the market soon presumably, but he will also likely be the most contested. Maybe Gom or someone can clear this up a little, but I suspect the Yankees will be in there and in need of someone like him.

 

I'd like Dunn, but his K rate kind of bothers me.

 

Anyone else agree on Hamilton or is that just because of the bias I mentioned?

[Dojji]

Teixeira, for $20 million.

 

Holliday, via trade.

 

Dunn. Burrell.

 

Can't think of many more.

 

All of these stand out for their primary positions being ones occupied by the Sox better players -- LF (Bay) and 1B (Youk). You can replace these players with your desired newcomer but understand that the value of the addition is the gross value minus the value of the incumbent if any. In other words, bringing in an elite player over a competent incumbent doesn't give you as much of a gain as you'd think

 

I'm just stating the obvious here but I think my point is clear: to actually upgrade the lineup we need to upgrade positions we're actually weak at. Unfortunately for us those are the positions that are probably the hardest to upgrade -- SS, CF, and C. That means that the only one of that group that even makes sense is Hamilton, and we all know how prohibitively expensive he'd be.

 

If we filled in our biggest offensive holes I think that would be a better use of our time and resources than getting involved in an arms race in the elite power positions.

[User Name]

Well, I love Lowell, but you can also consider that Youk CAN also play 3B. Whether or not we would really want him there is up in the air.

[Dojji]

That goes back to what I was talking about with improving over the incumbent. All moving Lowell in Youk's favor does is change it so you have to calculate for the loss of Lowell from the lineup instead of Youk. Especially you have to calculate for the loss of Lowell's glove, which Youk can't quite match. I know Lowell's had some health trouble this year but he's still a fine polayer on both sides of the ball. And he's one of the few guys I trust with runners in scoring position in this lineup.

[User Name]

Oh absolutely, but I was going to say that his age was a factor, but then again it really isn't quite yet. Christ, he looks old.

[Dojji]

Oh absolutely' date=' but I was going to say that his age was a factor, but then again it really isn't quite yet. Christ, he looks old.[/quote']

 

 

Mike Lowell was born old. Just to illustrate my point here's his rookie card at age 24 -- he already looks like the 10-year veteran of the league that he is today. (forgive the gratuitous Lowell-as-a-Yankee reference)

 

http://www.homeruncards.com/imagesrc/lowellbow.jpg

 

The man's 34, just on the far side of his peak. He's not exactly Methuselah.

[Thumper]

Personally I think the bigger focus should be middle relief. We can really use a tune up in the bullpen.

[Dojji]

Personally I think the bigger focus should be middle relief. We can really use a tune up in the bullpen.

 

Once again -- you run into the question of who you're going to replace. Other than maybe Timlin, that's NOT as easy a question to answer as it sounds like at first glance.

 

Paps is obviously untouchable.

Oki's pitched well lately and his season numbers are far from bad.

MDC has recovered well from his midseason struggles and is on one of his patented hot streaks

Masterson probably belongs in the rotation but as long as he's actually in the pen he's an asset to the pen

Lopez is piching exceedingly well

Aardsma's got great stuff and will be back soon.

 

Timlin could go -- but he'll be gone at the end of next year anyway and in the meantime he hasn't blown up since June 16th so he's also on a hot streak of his own that's lasted about a month and a half. Just like last year, only this year he's not getting as many appearances to work his way out -- largely because Delcarmen is good enough recently that we don't need him

 

This bullpen is NOT as bad as its reputation would let you believe.

 

The real problem is actually inconsiency in the starting rotation, especially Buchholz and Beckett who haven't been "pitching well enough to win" for awhile, and a lack of clutch hitting with men on base, which one hitter more or less is unlikely to solve to any great degree. In a word, we've got a problem with bad execution. We need some guys to get hot and a lot of them are just doing the minimum for one reason or another. With time and good coaching that should get better.

[example1]

Teixeira, for $20 million.

 

Holliday, via trade.

 

Dunn. Burrell.

 

Can't think of many more.

 

Where would the Sox play Teixeira? Move Lowell or Youkilis? I see that as too complicated.

 

I could see the Sox sending Ellsbury + pitching prospect to COL for Holliday's last season and a good shot at signing him longterm. Bay and Drew can play CF, so a corner OF spot can be opened. That would weaken the team defensively, but the lineup would be something like

 

Pedroia

Youkilis

Ortiz

Holliday (LF)

Drew (RF)

Lowell

Bay (CF)

Varitek/FA replacement

Lowrie/Lugo

 

pretty sick top 7. Could happen :dunno:

[Thumper]

Once again -- you run into the question of who you're going to replace. Other than maybe Timlin, that's NOT as easy a question to answer as it sounds like at first glance.

 

Paps is obviously untouchable.

Oki's pitched well lately and his season numbers are far from bad.

MDC has recovered well from his midseason struggles and is on one of his patented hot streaks

Masterson probably belongs in the rotation but as long as he's actually in the pen he's an asset to the pen

Lopez is piching exceedingly well

Aardsma's got great stuff and will be back soon.

 

Timlin could go -- but he'll be gone at the end of next year anyway and in the meantime he hasn't blown up since June 16th so he's also on a hot streak of his own that's lasted about a month and a half. Just like last year, only this year he's not getting as many appearances to work his way out -- largely because Delcarmen is good enough recently that we don't need him

 

This bullpen is NOT as bad as its reputation would let you believe.

 

The real problem is actually inconsiency in the starting rotation, especially Buchholz and Beckett who haven't been "pitching well enough to win" for awhile, and a lack of clutch hitting with men on base, which one hitter more or less is unlikely to solve to any great degree. In a word, we've got a problem with bad execution. We need some guys to get hot and a lot of them are just doing the minimum for one reason or another. With time and good coaching that should get better.

 

Long shot here...

 

What if we signed Timlin to a 1 year deal, and then tried to trade him and Lugo off in 2009 for some bullpen pitching?

 

Like I said, longshot.

[User Name]

Longshot, but there's always a chance. I guess nobody agrees with me on Joshy Hamilton then.

[schillingouttheks]

I would like him but it would never happen.

[msubulldogs21]

Longshot' date=' but there's always a chance. I guess nobody agrees with me on Joshy Hamilton then.[/quote']

 

Hamilton would be great to have, but there is no chance Texas would even consider trading him. He's their franchise player now. They are going to build their team around HIM and now that they're just starting to have a respectable team (5 games over .500 at this point) for a change they wouldn't give up what brought them success. Asking about Hamilton would be like asking for Carlos Quentin from Chicago or Nate McClouth from Pittsburg - it's just not happening.

[User Name]

You're all correct, unfortunately.

 

Now here's a scenario. I know the unlikelihood, but that's just what it is, a scenario.

 

Say Hamilton hires a new agent (or his current one turns into an *******, if he isn't already) and starts pulling Manny-esque s*** in Texas. Do we want him? We're a team that can offer big money and big trade bait. What do you think?

[schillingouttheks]

You're all correct, unfortunately.

 

Now here's a scenario. I know the unlikelihood, but that's just what it is, a scenario.

 

Say Hamilton hires a new agent (or his current one turns into an *******, if he isn't already) and starts pulling Manny-esque s*** in Texas. Do we want him? We're a team that can offer big money and big trade bait. What do you think?

 

Depends on the circumstances. If Hamilton would approve playing in Boston, then yeah. Otherwise I'm not trading for a great player who acts like a douche bag if I'm not convinced he changes his tune.

[User Name]

Generally I'd have to agree with that, as long as he approves.

 

Well, we can hope.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Where would the Sox play Teixeira? Move Lowell or Youkilis? I see that as too complicated.

 

I could see the Sox sending Ellsbury + pitching prospect to COL for Holliday's last season and a good shot at signing him longterm. Bay and Drew can play CF, so a corner OF spot can be opened. That would weaken the team defensively, but the lineup would be something like

 

Pedroia

Youkilis

Ortiz

Holliday (LF)

Drew (RF)

Lowell

Bay (CF)

Varitek/FA replacement

Lowrie/Lugo

 

pretty sick top 7. Could happen :dunno:

 

Just add Ellsbury. And eliminate the possibility of Lugo. THEN its a sick lineup.

[User Name]

Agrred. That would be nice if anyone mentioned in this thread was acquired with Lugo included in the deal.

[schillingouttheks]

Just add Ellsbury. And eliminate the possibility of Lugo. THEN its a sick lineup.

 

How can you add Ellsbury?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

By subtracting Drew.

[schillingouttheks]

By subtracting Drew.

 

I'm not sure how that makes the lineup better.

[Thumper]

Exactly what I was thinking. How's dropping drew and adding Ellsbust (yeah, I said it) improving the line up?

 

Also, from what I remember, Paul Lo Duca is on the market.

 

Yay? Nay?

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Ellsbury should be leading off and Pedroia should be hitting second, with Youkilis at 5 or 6. We don't need both Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.

[Thumper]

Ellsbury should be leading off and Pedroia should be hitting second' date=' with Youkilis at 5 or 6. We don't need both Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.[/quote']

 

I highly doubt we're gonna get Holliday.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

well problem solved then. i was just responding to a lineup that had both Holliday and Bay in LF and CF.

[jacksonianmarch]

Where do you put both Holliday and Bay? Neither are true CFers.

 

Face it, the sox have a good lineup with no real feasible options for serious upgrade.

 

LF and RF are locked up. As are 1B, 2B, 3B, and DH. The catcher's position is a possibility. Pudge Rodriguez might be available next yr, do you take that chance? For SS, you have a kid who is hitting well there and you have a SS under contract for 2 more yrs. Where is the upgrade?

[Dojji]

George Kottaras is the only internal option that might be seriously contemplated as a Varitek replacement -- and he's really struggling in Pawtucket and is probably a nonfactor. 20 HR's, and a lot of walks, but even so you have to look at that low batting average and figure that it'd go down, which really hurts his ability to contribute to the team. Probably not an upgrade over 'Tek in the end, especially as that power isn't likely to translate.

 

This organization is not starting Dusty Brown as anything other than a backup until he proves at the major league level that he's going to continue to improve as he has every year for the past few. That means that if we want to "upgrade at catcher" we have to do it from outside the organization -- an exceedingly daunting proposition.

 

For this year no one who clears waivers is likely to help us more than 'Tek, and again, our best minor league option is probably Kottaras, which means we have no minor league options. We're stuck with the Captain. Not so bad a thing if he can start hitting and drawing walks again like he has recently.