a700hitter

I just checked the remaining FA list. If Werth and Crawford come off the board and we don't get one of them, we are looking at a s*** 2011 season. There also ain't a whole lot at first base and third base. Forget about catcher. What do people think about Miguel Tejada for 3B for one year?

The stats that have been cited in this thread don't tell the whole story. There are other stats and facts to be considered. Crawford has been a very consistent player for much longer than Werth. In fact, he has almost twice as many career ABs as Werth and he is 3 years younger than Werth. In fact Werth has only had 3 seasons worth discussing. Until 2008, he was a part time 4th OFer type. Since 2008, he has been blending into the background on the best offensive team in the NL. They have Utley, Howard, Rollins, and Burrell (in 2008). In 2008, the all-time great, Pat Burrell had a better season. I am sure he is available at a much cheaper price than either Crawford or Werth. Werth's power stats have been inflated by playing on the best NL offensive team that plays in a bandbox. Managers do not go into a Philly series saying that they don't want to let Werth beat them. Managers in the AL know that the way to beat Tampa is to keep Crawford off the bases. That's the game plan, and it has been the game plan since Crawford has been in the league starting in 2002. At age 28 with twice as many career plate appearances as Werth, it can be argued that Crawford is just entering his prime. I'd much rather offer a 6 year contract to Crawford than a 4 year contract to Werth. In short, Crawford is a superstar with superstar skills. The choice isn't even close IMO. His speed and base stealing ability alone is a lethal weapon that few in the game possess. IMO if Crawford's agent doesn't get him 50% more than Werth, he is a quack. This debate really does remind me of the 1977 choice between Joe Rudi and Reggie Jackson (although Jackson and Crawford are very different types of players). One went on to the Hall of Fame and the other is largely forgotten. That's how I view Crawford and Werth ending up.

Daily Reminder to the FO: Get Carl Crawford BTW: You also need a right handed corner IF with pop and a competent cacher. You have a lot of work to do. Get moving. We're bored to tears and we only have two-third of a starting lineup to discuss.

It will be easier for all of us when the FO starts to implement its off season plan. I expect that something will happen in the next week before 2011 tickets go on sale.

1961-1970 Yaz was different than latter day Yaz. Late 60's Yaz was the best player in the game. He played in a pitching dominated era, and those who played with him who had also played in the NL like Ray Culp said that Yaz was as good as any of the NL stars of the 60's.

I do engage in spying on the enemy. It's one of the advantages of being behind enemy lines.

That's me. s***! I've been exposed.

He worries me too. I hope that the Sox aren't making Werth a priority because we need a right handed bat. When it comes to superstars, lefty or righty doesn't matter. Crawford is a game changer. Werth is not. I don't know if any of you saw the ESPN mini-series The Bronx is Burning about the 1977 Yankees. There is a scene where Billy Martin is discussing with Gabe Paul the possible acquisition Reggie Jackson. Martin vigorously points out that they don't need Reggie, because they already have too many left handed hitters. He wants to get Joe Rudi because he is right handed and he's a better fielder. Paul tells Martin that Reggie is a star and Steinbrenner thinks NY should have stars. It worked out pretty good for the Yankees. Rudi became a 4th OFer type. Fast forward to 2010. Crawford is a star. Werth isn't. Get the star.

Sometimes you need to pay through the nose.

Theo fine-tuned the 2004 team as opposed to building it. The core of the team was put in place by Duquette, and had it not been for a bumbling idiot manager (who was not hired by Duquette), they should have won in 2003. In 2007, some key Duquette pieces were still around, and Theo was not responsible for acquiring the big key piece, Beckett. In fact, he was against it. All remnants of Duquette are now gone, and Beckett is now a Theo acquisition, since he gave him the contract extension. From here on out, no one other than Theo can take credit, and no one else will bear the responsibility.

Okay. I'm going to say this once a day until he signs. Memo to Front Office: Sign Carl Crawford.

Do you have an agreement that you can break the rules of this forum with impunity, because you break them all the time?

What if the +1 is Kalish?

I am hoping this situation will have the same type of outcome.

Bengie Molina is a free agent. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101123&content_id=16189264&vkey=news_bos&c_id=bos

I'm not writing off Salty, but I'm not willing to give the keys to a $175 million team to an unproven commodity. I'd rather have another full-time option and give Salty the opportunity to win the job. I am not convinced that he can hold down even the backup job, although it would be hard to be worse than Kevin Cash. Salty hasn't shown anything at the major league level, so I am skeptical.

They need to get Crawford. Period.

He could platoon with Salty. He's better than Tek at this point. Plus, if Salty goes down in flames, which I expect that he will, AJ can handle the full time job.

What about signing A.J. Pierzynski?

and you handle it so well. You can take the final word, because nothing could stop you. I'm done contributing to the clutter on this thread by continuing this argument.