SoxSport

What made the Phillies was getting Halladay and Lee to go with Hamels as a top 3 in the rotation. It didn't matter much who they put on the field when those three guys were cookin'. Last year, Halladay went down and Lee struggled. The result was an off-year for the team.If Halladay and Lee come back, they'll be right back in it this year.

That's a perception. They are loaded with prospects right now thanks to the Dodger deal.

Their moves right now look more like positioning to sell the team than emphasis on youth. They just spent a ton of money on a bunch of old guys in decline. And they have prospects that should be ready well within 3 years--possibly even this year. Why wait?

They wouldn't trade Andrus for Upton. so why should they do it for Ellsbury, who hasn't proved yet he is back from his shoulder mashing. The Red Sox are paying over $2 million to Iglesias this year, so they better see what the kid can do.

Last year, there was no correlation between payroll and team wins. Pure scatter if you plot the points. Money doesn't guarantee success. And there are other ways: the farm system, the draft, clever GMs who know how to create chemistry, etc. The common failure route is to sign a bunch of high ticket stars and have the media annoint you the winner pre-season. Seems more the kiss of death.

Too bad LL didn't make a splash this time. He could have easily with Hamilton, as a lot of people expected, but they were never serious about him. I think there's a "for sale" sign on the team. The short contracts are a setup. Not short enough for youth emphasis, but long enough for a sale.

They have other options--Kalish, Sands, Brentz...Gomez and Sands at 1B. You have to leave room for the kids to get a chance. That's one of their big problems the last few years. Spending too much on FAs and tying up roster spots. Look at TB. They just got this kid Myers and are starting him in RF. The kid has had one good partial season in AAA. That's it. With the Red Sox, he stays in AAA. And TB is plugging two kids in the rotation to replace Shields and Davis. The Sox would prefer to go out and get an aging pitcher like Dempster, and keep their prospects in AAA. And they now have a few good ones. That's why TB has good young players. They play them. Bring the kids up through the bullpen and to the rotation if they look good. They are smart not buying expensive FAs to "eat innings.":rolleyes: You wonder why the Red Sox are up to $150 million in spending right now? Well, there's the major reason.

It's about the years. They are rigid about no more than 3 years. If everybody had known that first, it would have been easy to predict what they would do. Besides, Sanchez isn't that great. A middling pitcher. Better than Dempster, but not worth a Beckett size contract.

what's next? They may be through if they can settle the Napoli deal. Unless they trade Salty or Ells. Salty might be traded first, but where are the takers? The Sox are up to $150 million, and they don't look that good, unless a lot of players step up and have good seasons. And no injuries.

The two LA teams are loaded with stars, but their pitching isn't great after the no. 1 and 2 starters. It's always the pitching that's the difference, but it's hard to tell right now who will have the best pitching. It depends on injuries and who is having the best season. For example, if the big 3 come back in Philly, they will be tough. Halladay will have to return to form. The Sox aren't bad with Lester and Buchholz if they return to form and somebody else shines. SF always does it with pitching, but Lincecum is a big question. Toronto could be good, but Johnson and Buerhle have to be strong. The top 3 starters are so important, especially in the playoffs. The team with the best top 3 is usually the team to beat.

They could. After all, they pissed away the season last year after the Dodger deal--just about quit. And they were about .500 up to that point half playing for Valentine with a lot of dysfunction in the coaching. Plus Ellsbury going down. The thing that killed them was the dumb move to make Bard a starter, and then keeping him there--stubbornly, you could say--when Bailey went down early. Cherington got on my shitlist for that, and I've been after him ever since. He may have wrecked that kid's career. They knew he was a head case in the minors about starting. Aside from Bard, they had a lot of underachievers and injuries last year, and the tables are due to turn. I'm not saying they can reverse their record, but they could get to 85-90 wins if everything works out.

Berkman might fit at 1B part-time. Depends on his health and the kind of shape he is in.

Toronto looks like the only team that has substantially improved in the off-season. And their Energizer Bunny GM still isn't through yet, apparently, going after Dickey. The other teams are treading water, or maybe have declined--at least short term. I'm thinking TB losing two starters to get a young hitter who may spend next year in AAA. I'm also thinking the Yankees who don't look improved, and Baltimore which may come down to earth some. That leaves the Red Sox. They had a grand opportunity with all their cap space to make a much bigger splash--but so far have settled for the middle road. I don't think the division is as strong as some think. There are better teams in other divisions. Can the Red Sox climb out of the cellar? I guess its possible if a lot of things go their way.

Ells will be traded. It's a question of when. Looks like they will shoot for max value, which means by mid season next year.

My only conclusion after observing what the Red Sox are doing so far is Henry is going to sell the team within 2-3 years. They aren't going the extra mile to win, despite having the salary space. Coupled with the rumors in the business community out there about the Red Sox, it looks like they are putting the Sox in a very good financial position to be sold.

Hamilton is a much better all-around player than Manny was. Or Ted Williams, for that matter. He's a 5 tool player. He has the same impact bat as Manny did in the lineup--a bat which affects how other players are pitched, as well. A lot of the posters I've seen have focussed more on his personal problems than his abilities. Manny had his personal problems, too. But Hamilton never missed a game with the Rangers due to his addiction problems. The Angels clearly viewed them as a non-factor.

On the subject of "FO Ball washers" (LOL), you get a lot of that in the poster groups--including some of the others. But try checking out the tweets and comment pages. It's a different picture.

Napoli looks like he has a lot of physical problems. The hip is something new, and could be a deal killer if it's serious. But they are mindful of negative PR, and will try to put their best face on it. Fact is, the guy may be broken down. They are just in love with his Fenway bat, and are blind to most other things. Swisher is a much better gamble, but he will take at least 4 years which they aren't giving to anyone. And will cost a draft pick which they aren't doing, either.

Nobody mentions the Red Sox in all these trade and FA discussions. They are out of the media loop. Not considered serious players.

As I said in another thread, Swisher will go elsewhere same as Hamilton because the Red Sox won't give anyone more than 3 years. They have boxed themselves in with their own stupidity.And they actually had the salary room to compete with the LA teams. But maybe Henry has selling the team and no long term commitments on his mind. I doubt winning is a priority, as long as the team remains respectable.

They won't sign Swisher--same reason as Hamilton. He can get more than 3 years elsewhere, and they won't give him more than 3 years. Life is simple.

People don't hate Ells. They hate Boras.

The subject is worthy of its own thread. The Red Sox management has gone sour. That was clear with all the dysfunction last year which filtered down to the players. The next step was the LA selloff. Call it a bail-out. Now followed by a very conservative approach to replenishing the team--no long term contracts, mediocre players with some flaw or another. Temporary spending. A prelude to selling the team? Very possibly. What Henry seems to be buying is short term competitiveness and fiscal soundness--a .500 team. In two years, he will be down to a guaranteed payroll of about $40 million. In a great position to sell. But what about the prospects? Aren't they just buying time for the prospects? The answer is some of those prospects will be ready long before 3 years. And what then? Instead of filling their holes with prospects now and allowing them to grow on the job, they have bought a bunch of mediocrities with untradeable salaries who will be blocking same prospects in a year or so. But the prospects aren't ready right now. Says who? And which ones? We've been hearing that BS line for years. The fact is this team has sucked since Manny Ramirez left. Manny was the guy that lineup turned on.They haven't been the same since. They just missed an opportunity to bring Manny back--with Hamilton. And they didn't even realize it. No clue.

Vic was a fine player in Philly, and he probably hasn't lost much, despite a bad half year in LA, in which he reportedly was playing with a bad hand. The only signing that pisses me off is Dempster. The guy is an ageing mediocre pitcher who will deprive one of the several prospects they have from getting a fair shot at upgrading the pitching next year. Instead, they will help the PawSox win another championship and the Red Sox will stay in the cellar in the AL east. Dempster is not a pitching upgrade, and is way overpriced.

3 years is a long timeline for the prospects they now have in AAA. They have a habit of tying up their roster with not the best FAs--which it looks like they've done this year. In the process, blocking prospects with higher upside who might have a chance to stick this year. The result is a mediocre, non-contending team. They can't win with the current team unless their pitching improves dramatically. I don't think Dempster can do that. Maybe DeLaRosa can--if given the chance.Doubt he or Wright or the other Dodger pitcher will be given a chance this year.