DirtDog

I think Bradley is going to be fine player on his own right. But if fans think he's going to equal Ellsbury's production they will be extremely disapointed.

Think like a fan? Lester, Buchholz and Lackey would be going nowhere if Cherington is thinking like a fan. In a perfect world you want to retain everyone. Being a GM is looking 5 years ahead. A good GM has to make tough decisions and evaluate all players while not being enamored by past performance while recognizing future cheap gains. If they want a 35 y/o Jon Lester making 20-22 million per then that's their decision. I can't go ahead and say it will be right one way or the other, but history has proven these types of contracts are disasters for starting pitchers. As for Buchholz he has put in one healthy productive season in his major league career. Even in that one he only pitched 178 innings, his career high. That's a huge red flag. His option years aren't exactly cheap in 2016 and 2017 at roughly 13 million. You can't pay a guy that much money when he pitches 100 innings a year.

I don't think there is any reason to trade Middlebrooks. He had a sophomore slump. I expect some progress next year. Say that they decide to retain Drew for some reason. Worst case he's a good power bat off the bench. Drew isn't exactly a lock to stay healthy either. Rule of thumb - you don't trade players at their lowest value.

I think the real interesting area is what the Sox do in terms of starting pitching. Right now you have veterans clogging up rotation spots with massive amounts of promising arms in the upper minors ready to make an impact. Ranaudo, Webster, Workman, Barnes & the best of them all (imo) Henry Owens may even get a look in 2014. That's 5 B or better rated prospects that deserve a shot. The problem is we have: 1 Lester (2014) 2 Buchholz (2015) with team options for 2016 and 2017 3 Lackey (2014 - crazy there is a team option for 2015 for the minimum salary because he missed time due to injury. this is a crazy valuable option) 4 Peavy (2014) 5 Doubront (earliest free agent 2018) 6 Dempster (2014) That right there is six rotation spots taken by veterans. Moving Dempster to the bullpen would be weird cause is an insanely overpaid at 13 million. I see Drake Britton and De La Rosa as bullpen arms at this point. Not a negative, i think they can be pretty solid. I'd like to see Tazawa close with Uehara being more of a setup/put out a fire guy. But the bullpen is a whole other issue. I really think they need to trade Buchholz and/or Lackey right now while their value is really good. The consistency with both makes me feel better about it, cause there is a chance both coudl end up missing time due to injuries in 2014 regardless. Might as well cash in on both of them while you can. I like both and will be sad to see them go. I, like everyone else, always hated Lackey but the performance he had this year will never be forgotten. He proved the doubters wrong and then some. Will always respect him for that. We need to make a decision on Lester - I think we may need to let him go after next year. He's been great for us but I'm not sure it's worth throwing CC Sabathia money at him, which is what I think it might take on the open market.

Could see him getting a 3 or 4 year deal maybe something like 10 per, in which case he wouldn't take a QO - could result in draft pick compensation for us.

Guilty or not, you can't deny MLB did some shady s*** with Tony Bosch.

His BABIP is out of this world, which kind of made his season look a little skewed/lucky. I bet he might crack the big leagues, but I doubt it here with all the outfield depth we have even if ellsbury leaves. (ex nava, jbj, gomes, carp, victorino, brentz even)

I'm adopting Mookie Betts. Thanks.

This. Bogaerts wasn't pinch hitting for Drew against lefties and wasn't starting against lefties down the stretch. Drew has been pretty bad against lefties. Aer we just going to wait for ALDS Game 2 and throw this kind into the fire against Price? This is my one negative here. Why is the kid on the postseason roster if he's not going to play? Might as well have put McDonald on as a defensive infield replacement, because as of right now Middlebrooks is out backup 2B.

I have not heard Bryce Brentz's name all year. I know he literally shot himself in the foot this past offseason but I'm barely seeing him on any prospect lists anymore. His stats are ok I suyppose, would like the OBP higher, but any other year where there are signficant injuries (see 2010, 2012) he'd probably be up here. His power outfield bat would also surely be up here if Nava and Carp weren't both hitting .300 (!!!!!!!). Next year is his year 25 so it's kind of do or die for him. If sox don't resign Ellsbury I could see this guy having a shot to be left fielder with Bradley/Victorino in right/Center. But then again Carp and Nava have been great and are under team control. This guy is also battling Alex Hassan, but I like Brentz's chances a bit more. If you look at Hassan's numbers the thing that jumps out at you is the ridiculously high BABIP - .418 are you kidding me? This leads me to believe this average is a fluke. He's already 25, but just seems like more of a AAAA player who will never get a shot here. I bet both start out 2014 in AAA and will probably battle one another for a spot on the MLB bench.

They need to call this kid up. It's a major league need and Holt/ Snyder aren't cutting it. Middlebrooks hasn't put it back together yet either.

A swivel chair would play better defense than Mauro Gomez.

whoa

Yeah, and the won they lost he hit a grand slam, it's not like it was an RBI groundout.

sox aren't signing ellsbury. no way. they have too much resources tied up with other players. AND the sell out streak is ending soon. paid 5 dollars to get in the park yesterday. pretty soon the ticket market will dry up when fans sniff out this ownership's ********

Here goes... Aceves becomes a reliable starter. Buchholz pitches 200 innings. Ryan Sweeney surprises in a platoon role offensively and defensively and becomes a fan favorite. Bard eventually winds up back in the bullpen. Youk gets hurt again. Plays no more than 115 games. Adrian Gonzalez causes a stir when he refuses to play OF in inter-league play. Ortiz backs him up by going out and playing shortstop to keep him happy at 1B. Red Sox win 95 games. Will it be good enough?

Does his contract get voided?

Valentine's job is to manage the Boston Red Sox. Not check up on his players like a daddy checking in on his daughter when she's over at her friends house for a slumber party. The two will eventually see each other in spring training and iron things out. It's not standard procedure for a manager to have long conversations with players in the offseason. New managers may be a different story, but still Carl could be overseas, could be dealing with personal crap, re-evaluating, rededicating himself. Maybe he's angry at himself and thinks this whole situation is his fault. Who knows? Certain people have ways of dealing with their own s***, maybe he needs to time away from baseball. More power to him.

It completely boggles my mind that any intelligent fan thinks Cherington is doing a bad job. Since when does a successful offseason mean going and paying $XX,000,000 on the best player available. Look what that got us the last 3 years.

FU crawford

one positive here: it's impossible for crawford to look any worse than he did in his last at bat

That may be a homer at any other ballpark

hey agon hit a homer so i can go to bed thx ttyl

Red Sox probably won't appoint another captain. But if they do it will undoubtedly be Pedroia.

Kid just broke a Red Sox record today for longest consecutive appearance streak without giving up a run (21). On the season he has a 1.94 ERA with a 0.82 WHIP and leading the AL in Holds. Why he wasn't an all-star I have no clue.