SoxSport

I heard somebody making the point on TV that the Yankees problem next year is age on the field--and what they are doing with their pitching right now isn't going to right that. They can buy any players they want--sure--but they have some aging starters under contract like Jeter and ARod they have to be concerned about. They sent ARod to Germany to get the same treatment as Kobe Bryant, who is playing right now like he was 10 years younger. Next year, they'll just go out and try to buy the best pitcher or two out there. They got sidetracked last year when Lee didn't want to play for them. But they'll go after Hamels et al next year while Henry decides to keep Papi around still another year and fusses about the luxury tax. My advice to Henry: If you can't take the heat, get out of the oven.

I've read that's the consensus. And it looked that way last year for Youks, with the kind of sports hernia problems he had. The usual switch with age is 3B to 1B--which is what Youks did in the first place.

The problem with Youks is he lost his position at 1b , and there are doubts now of him holding up physically at 3B, after a year of injuries. That decreases his market value. He has to regain his form to have any real trade value, and I'm not sure he can do that playing 3B at 33. This was another one of those misjudgements by Epstein--thinking players could be moved around like a fantasy team. He did the same thing with Ellsbury. The Red Sox have a potential problem with Youks that isn't discussed much. He is really DH/1B material at this point, but those positions are blocked in Boston. If they trade him, they are losing the one RHd power bat they have outside of Pedey, and he won't bring much coming off an injury at his age. He pretty much has to hold up at 3B, or they will be in trouble. That's another reason why extending Ortiz was unwise. Youks could have filled the DH role, and Aviles or Middlebrook played 3B. They are probably figuring on that scenario next year. I think they were also concerned the Yankees would grab Ortiz this year if the Sox didn't, though I couldn't see even NY paying him the kind of money he'll get in arbitration.

They have to move payroll if they they don't want to go over the cap. There's a difference. They didn't seem to be concerned about going over the cap giving Ortiz arbitration, when pitching was clearly more important. It boils down to priorities. Moneywise, pitching has not been the priority pre-season, probably because they have so much money tied up in Dice-K and Lackey. But that's where the weakness is--pitching.

They just signed Padilla-- another minor league contract. They have to pay him only if he makes the major league roster. They are bottom fishing like the Yankees did last year. But the Yankees just changed their tune and upped the ante. They are one step ahead of the Red Sox. Yahoo says the Yankees are the power now since they got Pineda. But yesterday they said the traded Montero was the next coming of Babe Ruth. Which is it? Maybe neither.

Bard is a good option to try out as a starter in ST. If he pans out, he could be a good #4--somebody who could move up the rotation in case of injury to the top 3--which seems almost inevitable from past experience. If he doesn't, he goes to the BP. But they are playing with fire if they expect any of this other mud they are signing will stick. They pretty much have to sign a guy like Oswalt for protection against what happened last year. The only caveat is Oswalt's back--he's a risk. But the others are too, and he was OK the last part of the year. Oswalt is an excellent competitor and still good enough if his back is OK. The other option is Jackson, but Boras wants way more than the guy has shown in his career. Everybody knows that. Better not to get stuck with him long term when the pickings will be better next year. They have to pull the plug on Oswalt--before Texas has a chance to get him. An MRI should settle any back issues.

Carpe Diem, Benny.

It could be a question of what is the break even point for the Red Sox. They are in luxury tax trouble from their expensive signings the last couple years and don't have a fantasy budget like the Yankees. Henry just may get tired of trying to compete with the Yankees in the same division--in a ballpark that is pretty much maxed out in revenues and a smaller TV market. If another investment toy in baseball becomes available, he probably would look at it. Though the Red Sox have to be one of the better ones. It's really all about market size for the TV revenues.

I thought that was an amazing terminal statement Valentine made. He said he "can't imagine" either being in ST. My guess is he was the appointed carrier of the message--through the media.

hey, you're the one that used the word nonsense first. It's well established in baseball that there isn't much advantage finishing first in the playoffs. Go look it up. You'd know that if you knew what happened in the playoffs last year. Nobody's crying about anything. Don't be an idiot.

If Darvish signs on Wed with Texas, maybe Oswalt will drop his price.

Yeah, they do play for at least a wild card, in the sense they try to get the team in shape so it's peaking going into the playoffs. They are more concerned with the state of the team than whether they finish first in their division. The reason is they know there isn't much advantage to being first the way the playoffs are structured. The advantage goes to the hot team. So they shoot for at least the wild card. They won as a wild card team in 04, by the way.

Nonsensical response. Explain yourself. We want to hear.

Only the Yankees could afford to keep Rivera in the bullpen. Does that answer the question?

Cafardo has some good stuff on Lavarnway in todays Globe: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2012/01/15/red_sox_catching_prospect_ryan_lavarnway_could_hit_it_big/?page=1 L. made a good impression last year, and is highly thought of around baseball. I hope they don't keep him embedded in AAA too long--as they are apt to do with the kids. Tuck is working with him, and hopefully he gets a good look in ST. Cafardo, by the way, is the guy to read these days at the Globe. He often echoes the views of the Red Sox FO--do I hear you, LL/Bobby V.? Can't get a fix on whether Oswalt is now on their radar, though C. implies the heat is up.

I think their strategy for some time now has been wild card--period. True they've played the moneyball game with the Yankees for the last few years, but it has gotten them nowhere. They are satisfied with the wild card--for good reason. It's the teams that finish strongest that have the best chance to get to the World Series, not necessarily the division winners. The Yankees didn't finish strong last year,either, by the way. The playoff format must greatly frustrate Steinbrenner.

"Can't imagine it" for both sounds like closure, for sure. That's the message to them.

Epstein left the team with bad chemistry. If you ask me, I think Henry suckered the Cubs.

They need to get bold for a change and put CC in RF. The guy looks like a caged animal in LF at Fenway--totally miscast out there. His speed in RF will counter his supposed weak throwing arm. That frees them up to sign Manny to play LF again. Just kidding--I think. He has a 50 game suspension, anyways.

The Steinbrenners made their money building ships. George's father or grandfather. His father, by the way, was an All American track star at MIT. Maybe an Olympian. There's a Steinbrenner stadium at MIT paid for by George.

Now that we've given Henry a good idea about buying the As, maybe he'll cut us in on the ownership.:thumbsup: