seabeachfred

I like some of you who play up Ryan Kalish over Josh Reddick. To me Ryan is clearly the better player. He has more power, more speed, and much better plate discipline. He is also a very hard nosed player. It's too bad he suffered such a downer this year with his injuries but if anyone can come back strong it is him. On the other board I post on, they almost got tired of hearing me play this young guy up two years ago but I loved what I saw in him. If we do trade Ellsbury and I wish to God we could keep him for the rest of his career, it has to be for a top quality pitcher, in other words, an ace or near ace. Is it really a certainty that he will not resign with the Red Sox after 2013? If the answer is yes, then we have to look into the possibility to move him, but not for a No. 3 or 4 starter. It must be for a No. 1 or 2, and at the same time move Ryan to center and get a RH hitter to play right field.

Cherington seems to be a little on the procrastinating side; he should be acting more quickly to get a manager selected so he can get down to the business at hand of retooling the team. This idea of having a manager who is controllable by the GM or front office is ludicrous on the face of it. We just went through a disastrous season with inept and errand boy Francona dancing to the tune of his equally inept and talent judgment challenged Esptein. Bobby Valentine was my first choice from Day One but I kept being told that no way the Red Sox hire that guy, and since so many people told me that I quickly went to Dave Martinez. Cherington's choice of manager is going to tell all of us a lot about the direction the team is going to be heading and for all our sakes it better not be more of the same. Losing Epstein and Francona was like a breath of clean fresh air to me and the direction the team now takes must go in a different direction from the route they took us.

And you proved your mettle with your reply Sox Fan For Life. This past season we had a real clusterf@@k with the bungling FrancoMa unable to settle on a lineup even after a month of Spring Training. Fortunately fumbling Francona is gone and I think any new manager should be an improvement in the dugout, but this talk about making Bard a starter just seems to zoom over my head. I just can't understand it. This guy seems to hit the wall after about 80 or so innings, so how the hell can we expect him to make such a switch effectively. Please tell if you know. It is almost like trying to take from Peter to pay Paul. We have Aceves and Bard as pretty good relievers in a bullpen where they are needed. Unless we sign two good firemen to augment our bullpen we cannot afford to even let Aceves start, let along Bard. Since we've been batting this around for the past few weeks, I have to believe these same thoughts have been buzzing around the Red Sox front office. All I hope is that we get that solid starting pitcher we need and the two bullpen helpers so if we decide to make Alfredo a starter we have cover in the bullpen. And, yes, resign Papelbon or be damn sure we sign a good closer and not a questionable one like Rodney or Broxton.

Man, oh man, stay away from this board for only most of one day and your head spins trying to keep up with what's being dispensed around here. Here are a few of my thoughts to amplify what's already been said. There is a small possibility that Ellsbury could stay with us. Remember, it was Epstein who made that dumb decision to move him to left field to "SAVE HIS LEGS". Needless to say it was one of the dumbest things I ever heard a GM say and it was a disastrous decision as subsequent events proved. From what some people from Boston have told me, Ells hated Epstein with a passion and had lost a lot of respect for Francona. Now these are friends of mine but they can be guilty of some BS like many of us are but there has been other things mentioned visa vi about Ells's feelings about the former GM. As for retooling the team, Epstein put an awful lot of drafting with left hand hitting outfielders and now we have a boatload of them. We need a RH hitter very badly now because we are overloaded with lefties. We have to pray to the heavens that finally Beckett, Lester and Buchholz can all give us a solid and complete season, that Aceves and Bard pitch solid relief and that we resign Papelbon. How much money can we now spend? That no one knows, so let's say the large allocation of funds will be shut off this winter. Then what? We need to sign or trade for a solid starting pitcher, that is a must from where I sit and we need to sign two good relievers and this time be lucky with those people after some pretty lousy selections the past two seasons. A starting pitcher, a solid RH hitting outfielder, two relievers, and an extra catcher not named Varitek. And, yes, resign Papelbon. It is possible we can do these things without breaking the bank but they will have to be done. Now can these things be done and will that mean that we can succeed next year where we failed this season? How the hell do I know, but I am willing to feign optimism and some tough talk since we have months before the real cannonading begins. Is what I'm suggesting even possible?

WB and Jung---I hate to say it but I think you are right about Ellsbury. Unless the Red Sox hit him with a humongous contract he is gone after 2013. And this is all Epstein's fault for his lying to him as well as disrespecting him. One of the most ridiculous things I ever heard from any baseball executive was uttered by the Boy Blunder before the 2010 season when he muttered that he was moving Ellsbury to left field "TO SAVE HIS LEGS". What pure lying crap that was. He was moved to left to cover for Epstein's disastrous signing of Mike Cameron who was signed to replace Jason Bay, who had hit 36 homers and driven in 119 runs but wasn't resigned because of Epstein's equally ridiculous assertion that Bay's knees couldn't hold up and he would need a major operation on them......IN 2014!!!!!! Then Ells was ordered to deal only with the Red Sox medical staff who misdiagnosed his rib injury and cost him his 2010 season. Finally he said to hell with it and would seek his own medical help. That miserable medical staff who also misdiagnosed Buchholz' injury this season, Pedroia's in the middle of the 2010 season and Youk's in June of 2009, they are still with us. Why, I don't have a clue. So yes, I'm afraid Ellsbury will be gone after two more seasons. In my opinion Epstein will not be missed and most likely won't do much in Chicago either.

I'm reading sort of a CATCH 22 here. We need two starters and maybe we make Bard and Aceves starters, right? Well, then, what happens to our bullpen where we would be very very thin? OK, we keep Bard and Aceves in the bullpen and, walla, our bullpen is stronger as it would have to be if we lose Papelbon. Either way we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. I think that is what's going through Cherington's mind right not. As I see it we need three more pitchers, a starter and two relievers, or two starters and a reliever......and hopefully Papelbon too. As I suggested earlier in another post, three pitchers of either of aforementioned variety and a RH hitting outfielder. Cherington has to decide along with the others in the front office and manager, whoever he turns out to be, which of our current pitchers Bard and Aceves start or relieve. A healthy Bedard would be ideal for us, but such a thing seems to be an oxymoron the past few years. OK, I'll take a flier at this. We resign Papelbon, Bard and Aceves stay in the bullpen. We trade for a starter and sign two relievers. If they work out well in ST, we make Aceves a starter. Right now that's as far as my thinking takes me on this subject. That and a RH hitting outfielder.

700 Hitter---Earlier you said Cuddyer would be a very expensive player to get. At least I think it was you. From the looks of things, though, you seem to be in favor of going out and getting him. I really think that is the best way to go. I do share your concern about RF; it's the toughest RF in baseball, but his bat and run production could go a long way in overcoming any such deficiencies and we could also have a fourth or fifth outfielder who could be used as a defensive replacement in the later innings if necessary. I just don't like the idea of adding another lefthand hitter. We are too overloaded with them as it is and another one like Sizemore who can't hit southpaws anyway and can't stay healthy is a luxury I don't think the Red Sox can afford.

:thumbsup::thumbsup: You could say that again EX. If we could get Youk and Crawford back to their normal hitting prowess we could have the best fivesome in baseball. That is why I think our hitting should be fine next year if we could just get a RH hitting outfielder like Mike Cuddyer. I feel Lavarnway could fit into the DH role fine. The guy can flat out hit and he get better the higher he goes in classification, a rarity except for the very best prospects. But no matter how we slice it we need another qualithy starter and two more solid relievers. Those four types are out there either FA or the trade market and Cherington has to see to it that we are ready to compete from the first game on, not the 13th. Great news, though, about Pedroia, Ellsbury and Gonzales, and I love to hear good Red Sox news.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Dojji, good question and maybe better than my answer. I just believe this year the Red Sox will be very circumspect with handing out large amounts of cash for FA. Besides, word is out that many teams are very interested in Mike Cuddyer. A lot depends on whether the Red Sox make big moves to resign Papelbon and Ortiz. Well, it is only my opoinion and we all know opinions won't even buy you a cup of coffee. We'll just have to wait and see. WHAT DO YOU THINK DOJJI??????????

Interesting suggestions I'm reading about concerning the Red Sox retooling for next year with one glaring exception-----those calling for signing or trading for another left handed hitter. Friends, we need another RH hitter, in fact, we could use two. Ellsbury, Crawford, Gonzales, and Satalamacchia hit from the left side and though Salty is a switch hitter he is much much better from the left side. Mike Cuddyer would be ideal, and, frankly, I would let Ortiz walk and put Lavarnway at DH. I think offensively he is ready, and with him at DH we could actually have three people who could catch if we add a second catcher not named Varitek. We all know how it works. RH hitters hit RH pitchers much better than LH hitters hit LH pitchers. It does surprise me, though, just how inept so many lefties are against southpaws. And then, of course, we need to concentrate on job No. 1----Pitching, both starters and relievers. Well, it should get interesting from here on in.

Come at you Laser Show? Nah!!!! I just think this is very unrealistic. The Dodgers are a dumb lot but they are not that dumb and stupid. Kershaw is going no place. Boy would I love to have him. I live in Arcadia, about 17 miles from Dodger Stadium and though I wouldn't caught dead there I do watch them and the Angels on TV out here. Kershaw is close to becoming the best pitcher in baseball within two years. With ownership changing, if the new owners have the cash which they better if they want the once naive fans to return, they will not trade either Kershaw or Kemp. Those two have to be resigned. Ethier has had trouble hitting lefties for all his career, though he is better at it than Sizemore. Still we are too left handed as it is. If Papi walks and we get another RH bat at DH we could think about such a deal, but if Papi returns we had better get a guy like Cuddyer who hits from the right side even though our friend 700 Hitter the price for him might be beyond our means.

Run as fast as you can from this and faster if necessary. We don't need another left hand hitting outfielder on this team, especially one who has never hit southpaw pitching worth a damn. We need a RH hitting outfielder and Michael Cuddyer is the one we need in my opinion. Besides being a guy who can give you some decent power and run production he is versatile as hell. He can play a ton of positions if necessary and I take it he hit southpaw pitching, something very important in the heavily southpaw AL East. Hey Cherington take a walk away from this as fast as you can.

Sox Sport, I would be very tempted to take that bet with the hope that I would actually lose it. We certainly need Papelbon now more than ever, but with the plethora of closers available this free agent season the team might decide to take the two draft choices and go the cheaper route on the closer. However, if the money is going to be sent I think the wiser choice would be to let Ortiz walk and resign Paps. Our hitting should be good enough to cushion his loss and it would give Lavarnway the opportunity to get in the lineup. I have a very strong feeling that given the chance Ryan would develop into a solid RH power hitter, something very badly needed when a team plays half its games at Fenway Park. As for the bullpen, you guys tell me. Letting Wheeler go doesn't make much sense to me because in his role he was pretty good from the summer on. Bad enough we have to have thehuman smorgasboard back for another season. That didn't work last year and most likely won't work again. Where is the bullpen coming from?

Please Red Sox, do not bring this guy back. Wakefield was really on the rocks since the second half of the 2009 season. My God, how can the Red Sox move ahead if we keep holding on to the likes of those two relics (Wakefield and Varitek)? It's almost they are treated like sacred cows. Enough of that; we have a lot of work ahead of us to rebuild our team into a solid contender and we have to put the past in the past. Thanks for the memories Tim and Jason but it is time to saddle up and leave town.

Sorry Palodios, but just read this afternoon that the team did not pick up Wheeler's option, and frankly I cannot understand that. I feel he was misused by Francona this past season in that the former manager seemed to favor others in those key situations. A healthy Wheeler could have been a solid wheel for us. Now what? We let Papelbon go? Then, again, what? We need a good bullpen and without those two we have Bard and a lot of baloney. I hope Cherington have some decent relievers in his crosshairs.

For what it's worth I applaud the move as well. We certainly can't blame Marco for the collapse in September because he did his job extremely well. All this talk about Iglesias, however, is very very premature. I'll buy that he is a sensational defensive player but right at this moment he is a shell of a hitter, doesn't hit for average, no power, very poor OBP. I don't really know if he will ever hit up to par to becom a ML shortstop, but one thing is clear and that's he needs more seasoning in the minors learning to hit, work the count and raising his OBP. I also wonder if we could carry such a weak hitter in the lineup should he not improve in that department? If we have a solid lineup one through seven or eight I suppose you could, but there might have to be a pinch hitter available regularly if the game is on the line and it's his turn to bat late in the game. Well that's a worry for another day. I like picking up Marco's option, but please pray that next year Lowrie stays healthy all season so he can spell Marco when he needs a breather.

EX1--Personally I do NOT know if Dave Martinez would make a great or even a good manager, but bear with me for a minute. Why I like him is that he was a bench coach and right hand man of one of the better managers in baseball. He knows the Rays very well and he would certainly know about the Red Sox since he opposed them for many years. It is also safe to say he is fully versed on he AL East, which I still believe is the toughest division in baseball. He brings a familiarity with what the Sox need to know to compete successfully in the division. If he is a chip off the block of Madden it also stands to reason that he would bring a different type of game to the dugout, more variety, certainly more daring, and I think he would be able to handle the clubhouse and end the the turmoil that developed this past season. Learning at the hand of Joe Madden is a good learning tool for anybody. BTW, it wasn't me who first mentioned Martinez as manager but their arguments were con-vincing to me and I just expanded why I think the guy is right for the Red Sox. Anyway, it is all a guessing game, isn't it???

As MVP said, "who gives a s***?". This is Talk Sox. However, since you called me a clown and also insulted four of my good friends, maybe a word or two could end this clamor once and for all. First of all, this is your second post here. Where were you before? Were you on that board? Were you one of those who left it to form another board where dullness and echo chambers are the order of the day. Those men you mentioned are a lot like MVP 78, Palodios, 700 hitter and Chin Music who let it all ride and aren't afraid to upset the apple cart if they have to. Maybe you ought to identify yourself so we can find out if you have an ax to grind. Better still, post things that concern us and leave the rest of that kind of crap for the STFUnited board where I think you came from.:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

To me it's getting to be more of a no-brainer every day. David Martinez in my opinion is the best man. He has been John Madden's bench coach for the past few years, knows the AL East and the Rays backward and frontwards, knows what ails the Red Sox, would bring a new type of play to the team totally unlike the dull, staid and predictable game that Francona dealt. No matter what, the team has to be purged of its old relics like Wakefield and Varitek, leadership turned over to its young veterans like Pedroia, Ellsbury and others, and the sacred cow class structure torn down to shreds. Only then can the business at hand building back the team can take place and the team tries to sign or trade for a solid starting pitcher, pick two solid relief men after a few years of picking lemons in that area, and become a little more right handed in the lineup. Above all, though, we need a manager who will crack the whip when it's necessary.

Thanks for that observation 70 because that's exactly how I remember Piazza in the games I saw him play out here before he was traded away. The pitchers enjoyed pitching to him and they had no complaints that I ever heard in the rumor mill. Throwing was a problem but he loved to catch and worked the best he could at it. Now we come to Lavarnway. They will have to find a place for this guy because he is most likely to become a solid RH power hitter for the Red Sox. He, like Piazza, is learning this position but unlike Mike we know he can throw and that he has a strong throwing arm. The rest will come with experience as it should with Satalamacchia. If he regresses next season the boo birds will be out in force to tell everyone "we told you so", but let's give him a chance to develop further. Getting back to Ryan, the sooner he gets in the Red Sox lineup the better it will be for the team because they were too lefthanded this past season and playing half their games at Fenway Park that is trying to beat cancer with a cough drop.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Epstein's gone. I think his last few years with the Red Sox were too miserable to contemplate anymore. However, allowing him to go to ChiTown without getting the needed compensation in return has pretty much allowed us to give away the game without even getting our last at-bats. To have to depend on Selig to settle the hash is like trying to eat soup with a fork. The guy has as much backbone as a chocolate eclair and will try to soft-peddle the whole process with some kind soothing words that John Henry will just lap up like a dog. Here is where Lucchino should finally show the balls I once knew he had and demand proper compensation for a man he allowed to leave and become the chief of baseball operations for another club. Of course, five will get you ten that we are all whistling past the graveyard on this. We most likely will wind up with a golf bag and some used balls.

I'm glad to finally see a couple of my colleagues here what I have been saying for years, namely that Francona was a very poor field manager. You sometimes have to take chances like trying to steal, hit and run, squeeze when the occasion demands it. What's worse and much more debilitating is to see a rally being killed by a double play, a miserable statistic we seem always to lead the league in or a very close second. A new Red Sox manager needs to keep the opposition guessing ALL THE TIME. Put as much pressure on the pitcher and defense to be alert for just about anything. It is foolhardy to simply tell the opposition that you're going station-to-station so they can just get ready in double play position. That is why the new manager must the the complete opposite of Francona in the dugout and must not have contraints put on him as Epstein continuously did with Francona. If Lucchino and Co. learned anything from this year's debacle that's one of the things that should be embedded in their brains.