Ben Cherington

[iortiz]

Ben Cherington quick hits

 

By Gordon Edes | Dec 5, 2012 7:17 PM

NASHVILLE -- Some quick hits after meeting Wednesday afternoon with Red Sox GM Ben Cherington:

 

• He all but ruled out trading Jacoby Ellsbury. "That's not our intent. We're expecting Jacoby to have a really good year and he's a huge part of what we're doing. ... Our expectations are that Jacoby will be here and be our center fielder."

 

Cherington would not say how many teams inquired about Ellsbury.

 

"We had a number of guys that were really wanted by teams. We're not looking to move guys off our roster. We're looking to add guys on to our roster. But you have to listen and learn and have communication."

 

• Even though Shane Victorino tweeted out a picture of himself in a Red Sox cap, Cherington still did not confirm the deal, as he's awaiting the physical that makes it official. "I'm glad he feels that way," Cherington said.

 

He said he has not talked with either Cody Ross or his agent since news of the Victorino agreement hit Tuesday, but insisted Ross remained an option.

 

"Any time you potentially add a player with a significant contract and dollars," he said, alluding to Victorino, "it becomes a little tougher to add more. But I don't want to rule anything out."

 

• Cherington admitted he met with a player this week, as ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald reported Monday, and while he did not acknowledge that it was Josh Hamilton, there is little doubt it was with the free-agent outfielder.

 

• Cherington would not say whether the Red Sox were looking to add an every-day shortstop or a backup to Jose Iglesias.

 

"We're just trying to be opportunistic on that," he said. "We feel Jose is ready to compete for the job. We're not ready to give it to him."

 

• Cherington said he was unsure whether the Sox would make any more moves before he leaves here Thursday. Asked whether he thought the Sox were more likely to add pitching through free agency or a trade, he said: "We're not close enough to anything to handicap. But we're definitely talking both."

[jung]

It appears safe to say that BC has been active during these meetings. Of course it is possible that he was able to strike quickly because the brass was available to give the nod. I still think that LL really ends up with a box that he has to check for a deal to go through and if it is a really big money deal, JH has a box to check as well. But just based on the amount of actual activity you would have to say the BC must have been working the phones pretty hard.

[VA Sox Fan]

Confused about the Victorino signing. I guess Ells is gone.

 

Get some starting pitching Ben....love ya...mean it...

[seabeachfred]

It appears safe to say that BC has been active during these meetings. Of course it is possible that he was able to strike quickly because the brass was available to give the nod. I still think that LL really ends up with a box that he has to check for a deal to go through and if it is a really big money deal, JH has a box to check as well. But just based on the amount of actual activity you would have to say the BC must have been working the phones pretty hard.

 

Hey Jung, I have been one of Ben's more severest critics but what's fair is fair. He has done a helluva job at the Winter Meetings and I have gained new confidence in the guy and he has earned it. I'm told that Lucchino and Henry aren't in Nashville and while he can get ahold of them by phone it does seem that he has kind of acted independently in the Napoli and Victorino signings. His work is still not over but so far he is getting an A- from me for his work so far. Keep it up Ben.

 

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[onlybereaved]

I think that Ben makes as many decisions on his own as the president of the USA does.

 

The guy is a puppet and I highly doubt that he calls any of his own shots. Could be wrong, just my opinion. I base that opinion on no real facts/evidence but just a hunch.

 

Aside from not being able to acquire Swisher, not getting an awesome starting pitcher, and not dealing Elsbury while we can get something for him, I am happy with the moves made so far to rebuild the team.

 

I was also hoping that we could have dealt salty, too.

[Lucienbel]

I think that Ben makes as many decisions on his own as the president of the USA does.

 

The guy is a puppet and I highly doubt that he calls any of his own shots. Could be wrong, just my opinion. I base that opinion on no real facts/evidence but just a hunch.

 

Aside from not being able to acquire Swisher, not getting an awesome starting pitcher, and not dealing Elsbury while we can get something for him, I am happy with the moves made so far to rebuild the team.

 

I was also hoping that we could have dealt salty, too.

 

Still a lot of time left for some of these things. Not sure if he's a puppet or what....it seems that he may have been the puppet last year, but this year might be different. The deals he did sign kind of make me think that ownership has stepped back some. Overall, not a terrible Winter Meeting for him. Maybe a bit much money on Victorino, but even that isn't a horrible move.

[mvp 78]

I don't care if he's a puppet as long as the Sox are building towards a title someday.

[Bellhorn04]

I don't care if he's a puppet as long as the Sox are building towards a title someday.

 

Exactly. I don't care if he's a cyborg, if he gets the job done.

[onlybereaved]

lol, yeah really

[SoxSport]

Let's just see what happens if Texas passes on Hamilton.

[SCM33]

Good or bad, since he made the trade of Beckett, Gonzalez and Crawford to LA, this team has a significantly different look/clubhouse.

 

Today at least gives us some hope that BC is invested in changing the culture.

 

With some of the rumors floating around, this team may have a chance at being a little more than just competitive.

 

I told (some of) you guys, give him a chance.

 

Ahhhh, this feels nice to reflect back to.

 

Can't say enough about the job he has done from "the trade" on.....

[mvp 78]

Hopefully this is the beginning of a good assembled 2013 team.

 

Figured it was time to reflect on Ben's offseason moves.

 

Napoli - well worth the lower contract (fewer years)

Dempster - has outperformed most people's expectations

Victorino - has been great whenever his back isn't flaring up

Uehara - great pickup

Hanrahan - DL, out for the year

Gomez - underwhelming, but has had some big moments and is a second half player

Carp - greatly exceeded expectations for the 25th guy on the roster

Drew - injury took away ST and he's been ok for the most part, but should be providing more (streaky stick, solid d)

Ross - showed a little pop, caught well, maybe done due to concussions

 

All in all, seems like Ben did pretty well this offseason.

[Bellhorn04]

I think you also have to include Ortiz. There were a lot of complaints about his deal.

[User Name]

I think you also have to include Ortiz. There were a lot of complaints about his deal.

 

Haha no one's complaining about him being a "diva" anymore with the way he's hitting

[VA Sox Fan]

Chering-puke sucks!

[a700hitter]

Figured it was time to reflect on Ben's offseason moves.

 

Napoli - well worth the reduced contract

Dempster - has outperformed most people's expectations

Victorino - has been great whenever his back isn't flaring up

Uehara - great pickup

Hanrahan - DL, out for the year

Gomez - underwhelming, but has had some big moments and is a second half player

Carp - greatly exceeded expectations for the 25th guy on the roster

Drew - injury took away ST and he's been ok for the most part, but should be providing more (streaky stick, solid d)

Ross - showed a little pop, caught well, maybe done due to concussions

 

All in all, seems like Ben did pretty well this offseason.

Unless Napoli gets injured, he'll get paid $13 million. There's no reduction.

[Standing Room]

Figured it was time to reflect on Ben's offseason moves.

 

Napoli - well worth the reduced contract

Dempster - has outperformed most people's expectations

Victorino - has been great whenever his back isn't flaring up

Uehara - great pickup

Hanrahan - DL, out for the year

Gomez - underwhelming, but has had some big moments and is a second half player

Carp - greatly exceeded expectations for the 25th guy on the roster

Drew - injury took away ST and he's been ok for the most part, but should be providing more (streaky stick, solid d)

Ross - showed a little pop, caught well, maybe done due to concussions

 

All in all, seems like Ben did pretty well this offseason.

 

He got lucky. Fire the boob!

[mvp 78]

Unless Napoli gets injured, he'll get paid $13 million. There's no reduction.

 

Updated it for you Mr Poopypants.

[mvp 78]

I think you also have to include Ortiz. There were a lot of complaints about his deal.

 

Two years? He won't have the incentive to produce!

[VA Sox Fan]

Updated it for you Mr Poopypants.

 

:lol: You're on a roll today mvp!

[mvp 78]

:lol: You're on a roll today mvp!

 

The low hanging fruit is easy. Now if I had YOTN's wit, I'd be able to come up with a good "candy ass" joke in reference to the Buchholz post. :dunno:

[a700hitter]

The low hanging fruit is easy. Now if I had YOTN's wit, I'd be able to come up with a good "candy ass" joke in reference to the Buchholz post. :dunno:

It would be nice if you had any wit.

[Dojji]

He does alright.

[Youk Of The Nation]

All of you are about as sharp as a nerf football.

[SoxSport]

Ben had a bundle of money, and just picked the low hanging available fruit. He was lucky Napoli had issues, so he doesn't have to pay him FA money for 3 years. Vic looks like he's become injury prone, and is a poor risk for 3 years at big money. The emergence of Nava and Bradley has changed the OF situation, and made Vic look expendable. You can argue about Dempster, but he isn't a $13 mil pitcher in this division at his age. A 4th or 5th starter. Plus there's a chance he will block a prospect. Gomes is a nice backup, though he's playing a lot less for the salary they paid him. Hanrahan and Bailey look like failures at this point.Hanrahan gone. Bard's career may be over. Once the top setup guy in the league.

Lackey has been an unexpected gift. Probably their top starter right now.

 

The one thing the FO does well is draft. They have exceptional players developing, but the roster is still filled with expensive veterans on the downside soaking up salary. The prospects need more opportunities.

[Bellhorn04]

Ben had a bundle of money, and just picked the low hanging available fruit. He was lucky Napoli had issues, so he doesn't have to pay him FA money for 3 years. Vic looks like he's become injury prone, and is a poor risk for 3 years at big money. The emergence of Nava and Bradley has changed the OF situation, and made Vic look expendable. You can argue about Dempster, but he isn't a $13 mil pitcher in this division at his age. A 4th or 5th starter. Plus there's a chance he will block a prospect. Gomes is a nice backup, though he's playing a lot less for the salary they paid him. Hanrahan and Bailey look like failures at this point.Hanrahan gone. Bard's career may be over. Once the top setup guy in the league.

Lackey has been an unexpected gift. Probably their top starter right now.

 

The one thing the FO does well is draft. They have exceptional players developing, but the roster is still filled with expensive veterans on the downside soaking up salary. The prospects need more opportunities.

 

What you're leaving out of all that is the team's W-L record. Depending on the outcome of tomorrow night's game with the Jays they'll be either on a 94-win pace or a 96-win pace at the halfway point.

[Bellhorn04]

SoxSport, it really is amazing that you can dish out all that criticism to management and somehow glide obliviously past the fact that the team has the best record in the league after winning 69 games last year.

[User Name]

If by amazing you mean "incredibly annoying and ignore-worthy", i'm right there with you.

[a700hitter]

What you're leaving out of all that is the team's W-L record. Depending on the outcome of tomorrow night's game with the Jays they'll be either on a 94-win pace or a 96-win pace at the halfway point.

It only matters where we finish. I am very happy that we have a competitive team with some fight in it. However, I will never be a cheerleader for the FO. If they bring us to the promised land, i will be happy to tip my cap to them, but FO guys (yes guys because the old boys club has no women) is just a bunch of overpaid dunces that can't count without using their fingers. That is true of all teams and all sports. With few exceptions, they are a bunch of dolts that couldn't run a profitable candy store in Brooklyn.

[Bellhorn04]

FO guys (yes guys because the old boys club has no women) is just a bunch of overpaid dunces that can't count without using their fingers. That is true of all teams and all sports. With few exceptions, they are a bunch of dolts that couldn't run a profitable candy store in Brooklyn.

 

I'd like to respond to this, but I know nothing about candy stores in Brooklyn. Can you really sell enough of that s*** to make a nice profit? I think most of the candy stores around where I live are just fronts for dope dealers.