a700hitter

Papelbon was the best closer in Red Sox history who had done the job since 2006. There's nothing wrong with getting Madson, but for a few million more and a year longer, a lot of us would have preferred to keep Papelbon. No one is saying anytjhing of the sort. From observing the few moves that have been made on his watch, I.e. The loss of Papelbon, the inexplicable arbitration offer to Ortiz and the managerial hiring process, many fans are not feeling very confident. Couple that with hias inaction at the Winter meetings and his barely coherent statements to the press during those meetings and people are getting concerned. No one wants him to publisht the team's strategy, but we'd like to see some positive signs. Are you seeing anything positive so far? IMO, we need a right handed bat in the OF. Four lefties in the OF on a team where 2 of the 3 sluggeres are also left handed is not a very balanced team. I'm not sure what you are talking about with this "ammunition" reference. I don't think the FO is not making FA moves to avoid criticism on TalkSox, and I am equally sure that all of the fans on TalkSox, except the Yankee fans, would want the FO moves to work out.

Start printing the playoff tickets.

If Valentine likes Darvish and the Sox go after him, I would have to think he has what it takes to be really successful. Valentine never thought much of Dice K and he was right.

We have 2 left handed hitters with about 1 combined season of ABs to share RF. I think most people think we need a right handed stick in the OF.

A move like that could really put the Marlins over the top in 2012.

I think everyone realizes that the Sox can be a good team if they fill a few holes, i.e. the entire bullpen. Right now we ain't seeing anything and people are worrying. Offering arb to Ortiz and talking about staying under the LT cap doesn't inspire a lot of confidence or hope right now.

Saito signed with DBacks. Another reliever comes off the board.

Both the Rays and the Yanks made the playoffs last year. Not only have the Sox not added anyone, but they lost a big guy. The Sox are the team that needs to get better to catch the Yanks and Rays. So far, they have gotten worse. BTW: The Yanks did re-sign Freddie Garcia-- not a big move, but he should be in their rotation this season again. The Rays just signed Matt Moore for the next 8 years-- he's got a great looking young arm. They also signed Jose Molina.

At the top of Benny Boy's agenda today was to select the throwback uniforms for the Turn Back the Clock 100 year anniversary of Fenway. No player moves today. Tomorrow he has scheduled meetings with his staff to summarize their meetings at the Winter Meetings. No player moves are on the agenda for tomorrow. On Wednesday, he plans on presenting Ortiz's agent with a formal 2 year offer for a total of $16 million which Ortiz's agent will immediately throw in the garbage. There will be no other player moves on Wednesday. After all that hard work, Benny will probably take a 4 day weekend rest.

We are coming up on the middle of December. When are the Sox going to do something?

and Epstein has a SS in Castro so he has no need for him in Chicago.

If they are thinking of getting through this season on the basis of a year long celebration of Fenway's 100th birthday, that will not go over well with the fans if they don't build a team to win in 2012.

When I was a little kid, my Dad would call be a chowder head. I should sue Legal Seafoods.

Fred, I agree with almost everything in your post. A lot of things need to go right for the Sox this year to be a strong playoff team. We have both been around long enough to know that when you enter a season with lots of "ifs" it almost always turns out bad. The only disagreement I have is with the suggestion to dumpster dive for a 5th starter. That has a low probability of working out. That's why it is not "low risk high reward" like Theo used to like to call it. They are long shots which by their nature are high risk, no matter how little you spend on them. Theo either had a fundamental misunderstanding of investments or he was just deliberately misleading the fan base when he used that completely ignorant term.

The drunk was shown the door. He's in Chicago now.

From Cafardo's article today:

When did he have his TJ surgery?

I am not crazy about the bottom of this batting order-- 6,7,8,9. Ortiz will not see anything to hit with this behind him. Even if Lavarnway can be a real big league hitter, I don't think he'll get enough ABs, because he will probably only be Salty's backup. Replace Lavarnway with Salty in that lineup and I like it even less. If you could add Beltran to this mix and put Reddick on the bench, the lineup would rock.

It takes energy to hate. I have no time for it, but I will never stop hating the Yankees.

In the end, it is just more fun to like me than to hate me.

I am old and experienced enough to know that I wouldn't waste my time arguing for positions that are wrong.

You can put whatever spin you want on it. The fact is that you seized upon the "cleaned our clock" language in my post which was not really the point. Let's call it hyperbole. The point of what I was saying is that there is no reason for the Rays beating the Sox that excuses the Sox. As I said in that post, the Rays, had to rebuild their entire bullpen from scratch in 2011 and they still "beat the Sox" (replacing the hyperbole "cleaned our clocks"). Let's hope Benny Boy can do the same with our bullpen. Theo never did.