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So you have no data to back up your claim? Okay, I see, you were just making stuff up. Sorry, I got confused.

I'm just going to say it. This is a bridge year. It is supposed to be a bridge year. The Sox FO might be counting heavily on Lester and Buchholz to come back strong, etc., but to some degree it doesn't really matter. In 2010 Theo was absolutely slammed for saying it was going to be a bridge year, while trying to remain competitive. The reality is he was right. It should have been a bridge year then and now we are getting one. The media (and many fans) recoil at the idea of a bridge year, but they are, like forest fires in nature, necessary to replenish and retool a franchise. I think the FO has realized it is time to stop letting the media spur them to action. The fans will be back in 2014 and will still pay attention in 2013. It's not taking the fans for granted to try to restock. It is putting the resources where they need to go in order to put the best product on the field from 2014-forward.

The evidence? What does interest correlate with? There's a whole bunch of moving variables, but attendance, income, TV ratings, etc., might all be decent measures. Given that we appear to be in an era where the Sox are remarkably popular and where sports generally are very popular (especially in the Boston area) they might be relatively lower than they have been in the past 15 years or so, but I have a hard time believing that this is the lowest fan interest since 1966.

Do you really think it is at a 50 year low? That seems like a statement that warrants some evidence.

I hope it is Swisher. I like the cut of his jib. Is that the saying? One would expect leaks soon if Swisher is going off the market. That stuff doesn't stay quiet for long.

No, he mentioned a physical being completed. No specifics of trade or FA but he said something like "it wouldn't be a splash in the way some if those names you mentioned before would" (Hamilton and Napoli had been mentioned. He also said the initials were not CR. I suppose there's a small chance it is Wil Myers or Justin Upton, but a much bigger chance its the making official of Jonny Gomes. Pppffffttttt.....

I don't know how good a fit he would be. His numbers were good for a catcher, not great for 1B and certainly not great coming off injury and with so much money owed him. I like the creative thinking, but I'm not convinced he would be a net gain. For that money couldn't they get LaRoche?

Why do you defend this type of sideswipe constantly? Multiple people have taken offense to comments like this and you tell them it isn't personal. Perhaps you don't interpret it that way, but others do and that's all that matters. It would be nice to be able to have people come here and express their concerns without being told that their perception is skewed, which is in and of itself insulting. Now back to baseball. LL was just on WEEI and alluded to an impending COF acquisition. Unfortunately I think he meant Gomes. How long does it take to sign these guys? Geez, I thought that was done last week! Merry XMas at Fenway a700

This is silly. You are justified in baselessly interpreting Cherington because he doesn't post here and you can't read his actual thoughts. Meanwhile, others are completely out of line for interpreting your thoughts--despite your constant posting of them in a public forum. I would say if you don't want people to interpret what you think, stop posting your thoughts so often. It inclines others to think they know your actual thoughts. Or, maybe people interpret your thoughts in a way that you find unflattering because they interpret you as rude, dismissive, abrupt or overly self-confident. Who knows? Of course, I wouldn't want to interpret the motives of others so I'm not saying that is true... I like you and appreciate your posts. I don't appreciate your constant attempts to limit the ability of others to interpret and respond to your thinking.

C'mon a700, don't take things so personally! Seriously, though, you guys offer interpretations about what "Cherries" is going to do all the time, invluding presumptions of action/inaction that only a psychic would know. He's right, you reserve the right to criticize a move in retrospect, even if it is a move you once advocated. There's nothing wrong with it, but what it means is that virtually ANY move that doesn't work well you will be vocally critical of. It is predictable, but not necessarily bad. It's how you choose to roll.

The A's do it all the time don't they? Hudson, Mulder, Harden and Haren were all traded prior to it being necessary, I think, and at least two of them had better seasons ahead. Greinke has been trade twice prior to being a FA at a young age. Cliff Lee was in a pretty good spot when Cleveland traded him to Seattle, with one year (rather than the two that Lester has) remaining on his contract. I think it is fair to say that the Sox wouldn't be talking about this trade if it wasn't Wil Myers. The guy has the potential to be an Evan Longoria type bat and you just on't find those guys very often. They might realize it would cost them a huge amount in the pitching department but they would get a lot back. They could turn around and offer Myers to other teams for one of their young pitchers, if pitching is really what they are seeking here.

Yep, that team that absolutely sucked in the ALCS and looked like they didn't belong there. A year older, a year more expensive. That's who I'm talking about. They just weren't that good.

Trading Lester in a situation like this would not be selling low, which would be awesome. I would be pretty comfortable with them making this move, because adding Myers to this club would solidify the foundation. The club has the money and resources to add premier pitching and if it didn't cost them prospects it could be a fine deal. It would likely mean that 2013 would be a punt season, but for a possibl all-star caliber prospect it wouldn't be a terrible move. I'm not sure that Lester and his relatively short contract (until after 2014 I believe) would be what KC is looking for though.

Yippee! Bring back all the members of the failed 2012 team as far as I'm concerned.

V-Mart was one of the better hitters in the league for a few years there. His overall value was far superior to Napoli's in his peak seasons. Napoli has tremendous power and would be a good addition nonetheless. I just hope the Sox don't pay Napoli as if he's a 3/4 time switch hitting catcher. 4 years, 40-45m maybe.

I just disagree with the need to make a splash. I think if any lesson comes out of the last 6 years, the only one is "don't do things just to make a splash." They should make splashes as they help build a winner. My question would just be "or what?" What if they don't make a splash this offseason? What's the worst that happens?

Right, except that Holliday never missed years as an addict in his early years. Also, Hollidays numbers have simply been more consistent. You are right about everything you said, it's just that the consistency can't be discounted when looking at 20m players. The injuries are right there too. I just think when people really look at the numbers Hamilton loses his luster a little bit. I'd be happy if they signed him, but his star status makes him able to ask for more than hes worth, even relative to the rest of the FA market.

The Sox would really need to evaluate how Hamilton is doing with his soberity prior to signing him. It's not true of every player, but for a #1 overall pick who almost derailed his promising career due to drugs and alcohol it is essential. Poor guy has his demons and teams need to take them seriously.

Hamilton would be a fine acquisition. He's not such an elite bat or player to warrant breaking the bank for though. He has had wildly variable seasons the past few years, ranging from 1.000+ to .800 OPS. Also, at his age I suspect he will be seeking years and dollars, less than agreeable to short term higher dollars. So we should ask how we would feel with a 6 year deal or so. I'm not sure how I feel about it. He reminds me of Matt Holliday production wise. More upside, less consistency. Many of us wanted Holliday a few years back and I can't imagine the sox feeling differently. This might be their chance to go back and do that again. Just don't go to the extreme price the Cards did. In the intervening years it became clear that a player like Holliday (and Hamilton) are much easier to build around than other types of players (Crawford) and they would still have many options to improve around him. I don't think Hamilton is a great OF but plopping him in LF and having him make that spot his own would be fun to watch. He's got a decent arm too, which would help. Hamilton, Ellsbury and Kalish, or Hamilton, Ellsbury and Swisher would be a nice OF.

Doesn't seem like too big a stretch to me. He's not saying that Daryl Strawberry or Tom Brunansky were the most dangerous of all time. Pujols is tied for 9th in career adjusted OPS+. The only player above during the era in question was Barry Bonds. Not sure he counts.

I think you are right. What I think that probably portends is the Sox waiting until toward the end of the offseason and being aggressive with the pitchers who are left over. That's not the exciting type of splash move that most people would want, but I'm afraid its about as good as it gets. So players like Lohse, maybe Edwin Jackson, maybe Francisco Liriano, maybe even Dan Haren could all fall into the category of players who are willing to take a good salary for a one year shot. I suspect the Sox will essentially punt on the SP until they can get a guy who is a rotation mainstay and go for him. Perhaps Greinke is that guy (haven't heard much about him)... his numbers would certainly warrant a good look. I just think many of us are in agreement when we feel like there isn't an obvious candidate worth spending a ton of money on for multiple years. I like Anibel Sanchez as a pitcher, but would like him a lot more if this team had a bonafide ace (even an expensive one) and 2-3 other pitchers who were nicely slotted 2-5 somehow. If Sanchez could be acquired as a pseudo-#2 or #3 for a team on the verge of being great, 15m and his years would make sense. The Sox simply aren't there yet, so it isn't worth doing, IMO.

Oh I don't disagree. I guess my thinking is that sometimes teams should prioritize prudence over satisfying the fans at every turn. Would you rather have a decent team from 2013-2016 or a bad team in 2013 and a great team from 2014-2017? I completely realize that's a bit of a false dichotomy, but it is indicative of the types of choices the FO needs to make. Spending 15m on Sanchez and 17 on Haren, say, would make them decent next year, but if a better choice comes along in the next year and a half they may have tied their hands for the sake of raising the team from 69 to 88 wins. Please take those scenarios with the best intentions behind them. I state them under the heading of strike while the iron is hot, and the iron--in this case, the curren team, asking price for available FAs, and talent level of current FAs and trade options--might not be hot yet. If they have something close to this payroll flexibility while also having some key spots filled by internal options like Bogaerts, Barnes and Bradley, they could really push the envelope and get premium players to set the team up for years. My main point is that I assume a) the FO wants to win another WS and is doing everything in thei power to make that happen. It doesn't necessarily follow that bad contracts from a place of desperation is the way to go. That's what s***** teams do. Perhaps the FO can exercise patience and do it right, regardless of the success for 2013, with the assumption that the fans will be there in 2014 and beyond and will appreciate the highest quality product possible. If they build it, they will come... or something like that.

Farrell mentioned in a recent interview that the league is running more than ever now that PEDs are leaving the game. Ross can help with that for sure.

I would too Fred. I'm doubtful that swisher would love to depart NY for Boston of all places but with enough money I'm sure he could be convinced. You're right though, in the playoffs the guy absolutely wilts. I'm not sure what's up with that, but its a big sample size and his numbers are putrid. Of course, the Yankees have shay the bed in general in the playoffs so maybe the whole team was pressing the past two seasons. I just hope that people remember the Sox have payroll flexibility now, but they won't if they go get marquee FAs at all positions. With a Sanchez here and a Napoli there and a dash of Swish they will be again pushing their cap. I understand the desire to max out the cap again but unless the deals are team friendly they will quickly be back to a position of minimal flexibility. They should leave 20m or so for short term acquisitions and mid season upgrades of guys with short contracts, and never be at the place again where 5m is too much to spend on a veteran player like they were last year.

Yeah I don't think Ortiz will be platooning with anyone. At some point I will try to put together a reasonable 24 man roster that includes Napoli and Swisher, just for fun. The question would be whether there is potential for too many platoon needs, thus hurting the flexibility of the roster overall. Will need to wait until I'm on a computer, not phone.