Ideas for Theo Epstein

[yeszir]

Since Theo is clearly an avid reader of Talksox, I say we provide him some ideas to improve the team.

 

Example mentioned this in the Ortiz thread and I think it warrants its own thread:

 

... Theo will be motivated to make the moves he needs to make sooner than later. Overall I think it is inevitable that they're coming' date=' so why wait under the auspices that this team can still win 90 games?[/quote']

 

While it's probably still too early to blow everything up, Theo has to be sweating a little (ok, a lot) looking at this team. He has to have a list of his options, and once things reach a certain point he's going to have to act.

[yeszir]

I read a blog post the other day that mentioned Andruw Jones. He probably wouldn't cost too much and he's be a righty OF bat to fill in until Cameron comes back (which will probably be later rather than sooner...). He's had a terrible May but he could potentially help the team.

[Dipre]

Cameron is currently rehabbing the injury with Triple-A Pawtucket, and is expected to return to the Red Sox lineup for Monday's game in New York against the Yankees. "I'd think so," Cameron said. "Every single person I've talked to who's had this had surgery [needs it]. Every single one."

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3331

[yeszir]

He'll come back, the injury will flare up, and he'll be ineffective. I mean, the guy thinks he's going to need offseason surgery. No way he'll play at 100%, and we'll all be fed up with it by June.

[Dipre]

This team's more pressing need, IMO, is BP help.

 

Go to SD, and ask about Luke Gregerson or Mike Adams.

[a700hitter]

He'll come back' date=' the injury will flare up, and he'll be ineffective. I mean, the guy thinks he's going to need offseason surgery. No way he'll play at 100%, and we'll all be fed up with it by June.[/quote']I hated this signing from day one. Not getting the surgery is completely illogical. This signing will b e a bigger bust than Lugo. He will not play anywhere close to a full productive season for the Sox this season or next.

[Keeper]

This team's more pressing need, IMO, is BP help.

 

Go to SD, and ask about Luke Gregerson or Mike Adams.

 

As long as SD is contending, they're not going anywhere.

[Dipre]

As long as SD is contending' date=' they're not going anywhere.[/quote']

 

One of them is expendable with Bell being lights-out.

 

It really depends on what can you give to SD in return.

[example1]

I'd say no to Andruw Jones. They don't need new space fillers, they need to set up the team so they are prepared to get the impact players they need.

 

In terms of making the immediate club better now and in the longterm, I agree with Dipre about the bullpen. It needs help.

 

Mostly I just want people to realize this probably isn't going to be the year for them and to see some positives from that. Among other things, those positives should include opportunities for guys who might not get them otherwise (Lars? Nava? Kalish? Any of the many catchers they have, etc.,) and the opportunity to build around the longterm needs of this team rather than shortterm, "win now" desperation moves.

 

I'm not conceeding this season altogether. However, in the past few years I've been able to see when this team isn't what it needs to be to win it all. In 2008 and 2009 it was clear to me that this was a good team but they weren't WS caliber. This season looks more like 2006 than anything to me and I think some major moves are in order to have a better 2011.

[yeszir]

Who's the most tradeable player on the team? Youk?

[Dipre]

Who's the most tradeable player on the team? Youk?

 

Bucholz probably.

[Plumpamania]

Buch or Lester (locked up in a nice contract), but as are DPeddy and Youk.

 

Ideally if we are going to deal someone at this point its probably going to be Anthony Rizzo or Lars Andersen.

[example1]

Im not sure what "most tradeable" means. Who can bring back the most in returns? Probably Lester or Pedroia. Who is the most realistic to part with and still have a competitive club? Probably Buchholz or Ellsbury.

 

I can't really imagine who trading Youk would bring back. In my longterm vision of the team they will be best off if they have Youk playing for them.

 

The most obvious answer for this club would be getting Albert Pujols when he becomes available. Of course, he'll probably want $31m and they will stop the bidding at $29.5.

 

Barring that then Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder seem like the most obvious choices. But given how good the Yankees and Rays are I'm not sure I would trade a whole lot to get them for a season or less. If they are patient (which Theo usually is) then they should aim to get the most while giving up the least.

 

Address SS: Iglesias in 2011

Address C: Resign Victor Martinez to reasonable deal, bring in highest upside prospect who can at least be average defensively (Exposito? Wagner?)

Acquire mid-order bat without giving up much (i.e., thru FA) (Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez, Fielder)

 

Supplement bullpen with the next version of Oki, Bard. (replicate what they did in 2009).

 

I would rather that they expend prospects to get someone who isn't available through FA. Say, lots of prospects to WAS to get Zimmerman, then lots of $$ to get power-bat by 2012. Probably unrealistic, but possible. I'm sure WAS would be interested in Casey Kelly, Josh Reddick and Lars Anderson or some combination of prospects for a guy with Zims injuries.

 

Just random thoughts unsubstantiated by much. I think 3B would be a good spot for this team to build around if they could find an elite player in that position.

[Dipre]

I think it's unrealistic to expect WAS to trade Zimmerman.

[Palodios]

I can't think of any reason why they'd want to deal any of their young talent at this point. Buchholz has been too good this season, and they know he'll only get better since he's still 25. Lester/Youk/Pedroia/Ells are the future of the team, and all pretty cheap. Unless they get a great package, there is no reason to trade any of them.

 

They will probably look into trading players they might not get back next year. My money is on trading Vmart. Other teams know that his struggles are probably not going to last, he's a FA next year, the sox need better defense at C, and Varitek is doing everything he should be. Replacing him with a defensive catcher to platoon with tek makes the most sense to me. At this point, the Sox won't be losing much by trading him, but other teams could gain quite a bit.

[Dojji]

I don't see enough to lead me to believe this team can/will put itself in position where one big addition can make that much of a difference.

 

If we make moves, they need to be with an eye towards 2011.

[Dipre]

I don't see enough to lead me to believe this team can/will put itself in position where one big addition can make that much of a difference.

 

If we make moves, they need to be with an eye towards 2011.

 

All it needs is guys playing up to their ability and another hitter.

[Palodios]

Also, replacing John Farrell and that garbage third base coach will go a long way.

[RWTP24]

How about Terry Francona gets his head out of his ass and plays some small ball. He pretty much lost the Sox the game yesterday. If Beltre bunts in extras, the Sox probably win that game. I hate to say it, but if Francona doesn't change his ways and fast; it will hurt the team. This is not the same team that is going to power its ways to wins. Also, the team just had a day off. Why did he sit everything today? Not smart.

 

And yes I know Pedroia was hurt.

[TedWilliams101]

Youk is 31, so I wouldn't call him the future of the team and at $9+ million this year and $12+ million the next 3 seasons, I wouldn't call him cheap either. He is, however, part of the "core" of the team and I wouldn't want to trade him unless we can replace his .900+ OPS.

[YeAuldBroade]

I'd tell Theo nothing. If this team can't pull itself up by its own bootstraps one player isn't going to make ANY difference. I've seen too many Sox teams mortgage their future to get one overpriced hack that did nothing except cripple the future. Deal with a season where they won't make the playoffs. In the offseason many of the overpaid, overaged bench-warmers will be history. Use this offseason as a way to re-build around the foundation (Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youkilis, Lester, Buchholz...) that you've already got and plan for 2011 and beyond. NO EFFING KNEEJERK TRADES THAT COST US A FUTURE!!!! NO EFFING MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I watched those kinds of Red Sox teams for 30 years and that's 30 years too many.

 

One year of not making the playoffs isn't going to hurt anyone. Your dicks won't shrink, your hair won't fall out and chicks won't dig you any less (than they do now).

[a700hitter]

Switching the third base and first base coaches costs nothing, doesn't mortgage the future and can help save games. They say that the difference between a good manager and a bad one is maybe 5 games in the standing. A third base coach that costs you two games before the middle of May should not be given the opportunity to blow any more games. Swap the coaches. It's a no brainer.

[Dipre]

Switching the third base and first base coaches costs nothing' date=' doesn't mortgage the future and can help save games. They say that the difference between a good manager and a bad one is maybe 5 games in the standing. A third base coach that costs you two games before the middle of May should not be given the opportunity to blow any more games. Swap the coaches. It's a no brainer.[/quote']

 

Same for bullpen help. Depending on the other team's needs, you can usually get mid-tier bullpen help without giving up too much.

[TheMino007]

How about some bullpen help? I feel like its being an overlooked issue by most people, and could possibly be this teams Achilles heel. Oki has been figured out by the league, its clear he isn't the same guy anymore. Delcarmen was showing signs of life but I still can't trust that guy with the ball in the middle innings. I don't know what the hell happened to Ramon Rameriz.

[YeAuldBroade]

Switching the third base and first base coaches costs nothing' date=' doesn't mortgage the future and can help save games. They say that the difference between a good manager and a bad one is maybe 5 games in the standing. A third base coach that costs you two games before the middle of May should not be given the opportunity to blow any more games. Swap the coaches. It's a no brainer.[/quote']

I don't have a problem with this, we've had 3 thrown out at the plate already and it wasn't even close that's way too many. Only problem is we don't know if the first base coach is any brighter.

[Palodios]

The 1st base coach has more responsibilities than the 3rd base coach, doesn't he? I don't think moving a bad coach would make him any better. Replace him and move on.

[Dojji]

It's too easy to start going after the coaching when the team starts underperforming. DeMarlo Hale is missed, but I don't think 3B coach is that big of a problem yet.

 

that said, anything you can do to improve the team going forward, do it.

[Palodios]

Well, my reactions with Bogart are probably rash, but I have not seen any worthwhile reason to keep Farrell.

 

The entire pitching staff has underperformed all of this season, and most of last season. In 2009, atleast two pitchers were afraid to tell their coaches about injuries, and only one pitcher has thrown above their expectations-- Buchholz-- but for some reason, they have had no problem leaving Buchholz in for 120 pitches in April. Farrell is the common link.

[Dojji]

Spell Tim Bogar's name right, at least.

 

We're about due to turn over the pitching coach, since firing the coach is the first knee-jerk reaction of a team encountering underperformance. He hasn't been able to fix any of the guys he claimed he could fix either (Smoltz, Penny) even though other coaches could turn them around. So I wouldn't weep at this point if Farrell moved along.

 

Frankly, I know it would never happen, but I think Curt Schilling would make one heck of a pitching coach. He pretty much lived on command and a low 90's fastball and was able to stay effective on that basis deep into his decline. He has old-pitcher's skills that some of our young guys could benefit from learning.

[rhet]

Spell Tim Bogar's name right, at least.

 

We're about due to turn over the pitching coach, since firing the coach is the first knee-jerk reaction of a team encountering underperformance. He hasn't been able to fix any of the guys he claimed he could fix either (Smoltz, Penny) even though other coaches could turn them around. So I wouldn't weep at this point if Farrell moved along.

 

Frankly, I know it would never happen, but I think Curt Schilling would make one heck of a pitching coach. He pretty much lived on command and a low 90's fastball and was able to stay effective on that basis deep into his decline. He has old-pitcher's skills that some of our young guys could benefit from learning.

 

Whoever is coaching the Giants, Cardinals or Padres might be a better choice.