SoxFanForsyth

Gammons doesn't just spew s*** usually. I thought when he was talking about the "disconnect" between Theo and Francona, he was spewing a load of s***. Now look at what's happened. When it comes to the Red Sox, Gammons is very well connected, so if the Sox get Brett Jackson, I wouldn't be at all surprised. And lets not forget, the Cubs are getting an elite GM that is just as important to an organization as an elite player.

Well, I was more referring to trading for a SP rather than signing one in FA. Someone like Haren or Felix. It all depends on who we receive back for Theo. Gammons thinks we will get Brett Jackson, an OF which Baseball America ranked as the #38 overall prospect. Last year, in 115 games between AA and AAA, he hit .274/.379/.490 with 20 HR and 21 SB. In his stint in AAA, he hit .297/.388/.551 in 47 games with 10 HR. He's only 22 years old, and Gammons noted that he could come in and be the everyday RF for the Red Sox next year. He's a RH bat with power, and a potential 20/20 guy. That would allow us to trade Ellsbury for an elite SP and then put Kalish in CF, or sign a guy like DeJesus or Crisp if Kalish needs some more development. Plain and simple, this team is very fixable right now, just as long as the right moves are made.

I don't think this is really even much of a discussion. The postseason is theirs to lose again next season. Just because it didn't work out because of a historically bad collapse in September doesn't mean this is a 90 win team. This team is still a 95-100 win team, as constructed. All this team needs is some SP depth (i.e. Brandon Webb, Dontrelle Willis, Chris Young, etc.). Bring in some low-risk, high-reward guys to be your #6, #7, and #8 starters. Hell, go out and sign Mark Buehrle as your #5 man, add Bard to the rotation, and make Lackey your #6 starter. His contract is a sunk cost. The bills are paid. Just because more money is allocated to him doesn't mean he's the better option. If this team wants to win, Lackey will be in the bullpen serving mop-up duty with a rotation of: Lester Buchholz Beerckett (if he's not traded) Buehrle Bard Depth: Lackey Webb Young Tazawa Weiland Miller It's not hard at all to put this team right back in a position to win. They're in a position to win right now. Add some SP depth and they will be favorites, once again.

Not to be nitpicky, but he's not a FA until 2014. Regardless, though, the FO would be smart to exploit this aberration of a season and sell high on him. Trade him to the Angels (where I expect him to end up) for someone like Dan Haren. Trade him to the Braves in a 3-team deal for Felix. I absolutely agree with you that Ells will be gone the minute he hits free agency. I wouldn't want to play for a team where guys like Youkilis are bitching at me for rehabbing somewhere else (by the way, nice Home/Away splits this year, Youk. Maybe you should be the one that doesn't travel with the team). Anyway - sell high on him. If you have to go sign a guy like Coco Crisp for a year or two to, dare I say, "bridge" the gap between now and the time guys like Brandon Jacobs and Bryce Brentz are ready, so be it. This team has an absolute abundance of offense. Put Crawford in CF where we can exploit his defense and keep him away from the short porch in LF. Hell, go trade for Carlos Quentin and stick him in LF and put Kalish in RF. There are a ton of options that we have to replace Ellsbury, and he's not going to be around for the long term, so sell high on him now and bring in someone who will be around long term, like Felix or Haren.

Agree, Agree, Agree. Theo is an elite GM, and will be very much missed, if you ask me.

Wakefield got 8.55 runs of support per start in 2011 ( 5th most in MLB ).

Oh. My. God. 8 people said Yes?!? Opponents had an .843 OPS against Wakefield in the 2nd half. He had a 5.55 ERA. He averaged 5.2 IP per outing. He had 3 QS in his 12 starts after the ASB. He's going to try to demand starts if our rotation, heaven forbid, stays healthy for a couple of months. No way, absolutely not. I would much rather see a healthy and in-shape Doubront as our #6 man. With the FA market including guys like Brandon Webb, Chris Young, Dontrelle Willis, Chien-Ming Wang, Erik Bedard, Kyle Davies, Zach Duke, and an abundance of guys who aren't that good, and we can sign to cheap, minor league deals, there is absolutely no reason to keep Wakefield. None.

See: Yankees and Mets. It's virtually the exact same situation. If the Braves and Red Sox were both AL teams, it may be different, but a lot of people have a favorite AL team and a favorite NL team, so I don't think it would do too much damage.

Cashman is too smart to sign Ortiz while he's paying A-Rod and Jeter a combined $45mm to split time between 3B/SS and DH. The contracts that the Yankees have on Jeter and ARod doesn't allow them to have a designated DH. They have to use the rotation. The Angels would be a big player, IMO. With Haren and Weaver, they've got the pitching, but they need a big bat.

Come on guys. I've been saying this since before the series started. The Tigers are going to win the ALCS. It's more than obvious. The Sox open up the 2012 season with the Tigers. Look at history. 2008 ALCS Winner: Rays. 2009 Opening Day Opponent for Sox: Rays 2009 ALCS Winner: Yanks. 2010 Opening Day Opponent for Sox: Yanks 2010 ALCS Winner: Rangers. 2011 Opening Day Opponent for Sox: Rangers 2011 ALCS Winner: Tigers or Rangers. 2012 Opening Day Opponent for Sox: Tigers Its going to be the Tigers. It's gotta be.

Red Sox vs Phillies. Fort Myers Country Club. 4 man scramble.

Just wow.

This entire post season has been one for the ages.

Dude. Yadier Molina is one of the best catchers in the MLB. 49% CS% last year That's retarded good.

Well. At least NESN isn't the only station with atrocious camera work on fly balls to the warning track... I thought that ball was 15 rows deep based on the angle that TBS used.

I'm watching it. So far I've gotten all 3 of my predictions correct (Brewers, Rangers, Tigers). I picked Phillies here, but am absolutely fine with a Cardinals upset. By the way, this is one of the absolute best post seasons in recent memory, beginning on Sept 28th, game 162.

Like 7 times. He just kept screaming it into the crowd. Seirously, Nyjer?? Dudes like 1 for October in his career and he's all of a sudden Reggie Jacson in his own mind.

It's always "sources" and names are never revealed. That doesn't withdraw the validity of the information by any means. And Gordon Edes isn't the type of reporter who would risk his job by spewing a ******** story, or by printing something that he heard from a less-than-credible source.

Well, for everyone who was crying about us not getting anymore pitching, take a look at this from ESPN Boston Theo made the absolute right move in not pulling the trigger on this. Kalish is a future 20/20 guy. I'm not saying that Theo did a good job this season, because he didn't. But it sounds like the Mariners were trying to trade rape Theo on the Fister deal. And yes. That's the last time I'll ever use "rape" and "fister" in the same sentence.

I don't think Abe is overstepping at all. I think putting them in front of the media is a great idea, to see how they deal with a ton of pressure. Hell, I wish we could do that with our free agents, but it would give away the secrecy. Regardless, I don't think it's a bad idea at all.

I agree it was very, very telling. Here are the actual quotes: Couple of conflicting ideas, somewhat at least. At first, he almost insinuates that Theo's "shelf life" is coming to an end. But then, he says that he thinks Theo will be "the guy". Should be very interesting.

Pot, meet Kettle.

Nobody on this team pitched like an ace this year, period. But that doesn't mean that Lester isn't an ace pitcher. It just means that he had a down year. No pitcher on this team threw more than 195 innings. That's freaking pathetic. Actually, I take it back. We did have an ace. Alfredo Aceves. And that's not a pun on his nickname. He was the absolute ace of this pitching staff, plain and simple, MVP of the Red Sox pitching. No doubt in my mind.