iortiz

That's a totally different discussion. If you want to compare a WS winner vs WS winner is tough since their environments were totally different. IMO that kind of comparison turns in the end of the day subjective. Still, you can see another kind of "results" (ex. advanced ultra stats) and emit an opinion, but again, in the end of the day the discussion turns subjective. Facts & Results 04 team succeed in its environment. 11 team failed in its environment.

I'm not sure why we want to compare 04 with 11. Forget the offense, pitching, health, advanced stats, etc, etc. The overall 04 team was a better one since they won the WS, period. That team was balanced, solid and was a one piece engine. I'm not sure why we want to reinvent the warm water. We tend to complicate the things. Did 11-team put better advanced-ultra-stats? who cares? They didn't even made the POs. Make all the analysis you want but 11 team F.A.I.L.E.D., and that is a fact. Results, gentlemen, results.... That's all that counts.

Our farm doesn't look good.

Fixed. If your points 1-3 true, Yes, We can win the AL East, otherwise Pumpsie is right, Next season won't look good. The thing is, I don't like a lot of "ifs", "?" and "good wishes". I assume Pumpsie is what is seeing as well, reason why he is not that confident about this team. Hopefully, BV can put this team in one piece.

This is true. Reason why my concern about our current pitching has been in the top of my mind since last season ended.

As I've been saying, IMO you don't need to have the best offense or the the best pitching in order to win the WS. You need a balanced team. You need a solid team. You need a healthy team. You need depth. You need discipline. You need compromise. You need professionalism. You need hungry. You need team-working. You need leadership. Could sound like a cliche, but those elements gentlement, gives you rings. Today, Do we have those elements? IMO This team needs to work a lot in so many areas if we really want to run as a serious WS contender team.

Yup, it's a 3 player deep and I'm not comfortable either. But again, IMO you would be more "balanced" with another solid SP than with another slugger. History has showed us that SPs somehow get injuries and/or underperform specially in our top 3. If someone can guarantee me that they will stay healthy, I'm with you, but again, you know our injury track record. Notice that all my argument rest on "they won't go over the cap" On the other hand, solid, healthy and young FA SPs like Buerhle, will/are making those amounts of money. Yes, he could cost us more, but IMO, not that more much. Yes, 2013 FA class will be a better one but guess who is comming off the books... Jenks and D-K. You can use that money in order to bring another solid SP and who knows... maybe and just maybe you won't need to do that if Bard fits well this season regardless you only would need a #5 SP, who can share the load with Lackey.

This team was unbalanced, reason why we collapsed. This team has been unbalanced, reason why we haven't won a single PO game in three years. Do you want to repeat the same error again? What about Lavernway as DH? I would've used Ortiz' money in a guy like Buerhle (see the thing year by year, of course). Yes, you surly wouldn't have had the same offensive production but the way I see the thing, Still you would have had a respectable offense and with a guy like Buerhle, you would've had solid rotation as well. Beckett-Lester-Buch-Buerhle (still available Kuroda/Oswalt)-Bard Ells Peddy Gonzo Youk Lav Crawford Kalish Scu Salty how does it sound? Of course, all this is based on "they won't go oven the CAP". Yes Pal, there's still options, but some of the candidates you mentioned will cost you +- Buerhle's money/year regardless I like 100 times more Buerhle than the current available. I've been saying that Buerhle's contract is a fair one. He is healthy, young and have put the numbers. On the other hand If you bring me Kuroda/Garza/Oswalt/Jackson, fine, I'll be very happy, just because we already have Ortiz, but please! do not put the words Saunders and Red Sox in the same sentence. :thumbdown

If we stay short (bring the SP) because Ortiz, Ben is officially the boob. There is no other way to see it. The SP was/is our #1 priority, instead they signed Ortiz +- 15M. As I said, I want to believe they have everything figure it out. For the record, I like Ortiz, but the SP is/was more important.

Bard (#4), Aceves (#5), and Wison as depth? No way. This is not a good idea. Bard or Aceves in the rotation is already a huge risk IMO. Bring the goddamn SP. I hope that the Ortiz thing, is not clogging our payroll in order to bring the SP. I want to believe that they have everything figure it out (which is to bring another SP)

I wonder what is that "price rate"? BTW, How much is left before the threshold LT cap?

This is what I'm talking about, My man here! :thumbsup: Congrats Spud!

Solo faltaba decirlo en espNol. Feliz aNo nuevo y mis mejores deseos para ustedes y sus familias. Este aNo Boston lograrA el campeonato, ya lo verAn.

Adrian Gonzalez visitO el programa NaciOn ESPN, interesante entrevista de Adrian. Les Anexo el link. http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/videohub/video/clipDeportes?id=1436698&cc=5200

1. RecuperarA la forma Carl Crawford? Si Crawford logra "renacer," su impacto serIa mAs importante que cualquier movimiento que Cherington pudiera hacer en esta temporada baja. Los Medias Rojas quedaron impresionados con la manera en que Crawford se comportO en medio de sus problemas ofensivos la temporada pasada y lo que mAs desean es que vuelva a ser el jugador que fue con los Rays. 2. PodrA Kevin Youkilis mantenerse saludable? Cuando Youkilis estA sano, es capaz de hacer sudar a los lanzadores contrarios. Pero en las Ultimas dos campaNas, el infielder ha sufrido lesiones que le han impedido aportar en la recta final. En ambos casos, los Medias Rojas no pudieron recuperarse y se quedaron cortos de la postemporada. Youkilis tendrA 33 aNos de edad cuando comience la temporada del 2012, por lo tanto buscarA demostrar que no va en descenso. De lo que no hay duda es de que, sin El, Boston es un equipo muy distinto. 3. Se recuperarA del todo Buchholz? La Inica baja que les doliO mAs a los Medias Rojas que la de Youkilis la campaNa pasada fue la ausencia de cuatro meses de Buchholz, quien padeciO dolores en la espalda toda la temporada. Buchholz estA siguiendo el mismo programa de acondicionamiento que acostumbra y se espera que regrese al 100 por ciento en el 2012. Debido a la forma en que estA estructurado el roster de Boston, Buchholz es una pieza clave en las aspiraciones del conjunto. 4. TriunfarA Daniel Bard como abridor? Para cualquiera que haya seguido de cerca a los Medias Rojas durante las Ultimas tres temporadas, el impacto de Bard en el bullpen de Boston es obvio. Dejando a un lado sus fallas en septiembre, fue un preparador de mesa espectacular. Pero en los entrenamientos se dedicarA a demostrar que estA listo para un rol mAs importante - el de abridor. Bard fue abridor en la universidad y al principio de su carrera de liga menor. Ahora tendrA que demostrar que es capaz de manejar los rigores de ser abridor en la Gran Carpa en cuanto a la resistencia y a su repertorio de lanzamientos se refieren. 5. MontarA Ellsbury otro espectAculo de poder? Aunque Ellsbury no vuelva a conectar 30 jonrones en una temporada, los Medias Rojas estarAn satisfechos mientras se siga embasando y luciEndose con el guante en el jardIn central. El aNo pasado, Ellsbury fue un jugador Elite - uno de pocos peloteros que combinan velocidad, poder y defensa. Mientras los demAs aspectos no tienen por quE cambiar, no se puede asegurar que su poder perdure hasta no que no lo vuelva a hacer. 6. COmo serA recibido Valentine? Valentine tendrA personalidad y carisma, pero hace casi 10 aNos que no dirige en Grandes Ligas, lo cual genera dudas de cOmo le irA en su regreso. Todo luce indicar que estA en posiciOn de triunfar, pero para lograrlo, necesitarA que los jugadores colaboren. Lo que sI es seguro es que Valentine no defraudarA en torno a su energIa y Etica de trabajo. El timonel estA ansioso por silenciar a sus detractores, quienes seNalan que jam?s ha terminado en el primer lugar de su divisiOn como manager. 7. QuiEn se adueNarA del jardIn derecho? J.D. Drew no estarA de regreso con los Medias Rojas. Eso se sabe. Lo que no estA claro es quiEn serA su sucesor. Ryan Kalish podrIa ser el guardabosque titular del futuro, pero se perdiO casi toda la temporada del 2011 debido a lesiones y se perderA las primeras semanas de la campaNa del 2012. Se espera que Cherington agregue un bate derecho, pero no se sabe si se tratarA de alguien que pueda jugar con regularidad. 8. MejorarA el ambiente en el clubhouse? QuizAs se exagerO un poco con respecto a las cosas que supuestamente sucedieron en el clubhouse de Boston la temporada pasada. Pero lo que quedO claro es que el nivel de profesionalismo disminuyO. Los Medias Rojas no quieren ver a sus abridores bebiendo alcohol en el clubhouse mientras sus compaNeros estAn tratando de ganar un partido. SerA interesante ver si Valentine establece reglas en torno al consumo de bebidas alcohOlicas en el clubhouse. Los cambios al cuerpo mEdico y los preparadores fIsicos tambiEn indican que los Medias Rojas quieren que sus jugadores se acaten a un estAndar de acondicionamiento fIsico mAs estricto. 9. CuAles prospectos se establecerOn? Entre los demAs problemas que tuvieron los Medias Rojas en el 2011, una fue un "aNo seco" en ligas menores. En temporadas anteriores, el equipo grande se habIa reforzado con prospectos a mediados y finales de la temporada. SerIa bueno para Boston si eso sucediera en el 2012. El tercera base Will Middlebrooks y el campocorto cubano JosE Iglesias son dos jugadores que deben permanecer en la mira. Hasta ahora Iglesias, quien brilla a la defensa, ha decepcionado con el madero.

I'm in that wagon too, and it goes for any player or coach that doesn't perform as they supposed to.

Impresive. You are an entire baseball encyclopedia my friend. Whether this went to the media or not, I don't really care. What I care is that Crawford is not making team-working. He is not making V's job easier. This is unaceptable from any employee and mostly from one who is making tons of money, regardless he just had a terrible season. Crawford's attitude is wrong.

Mr. Carl Crawford had a horrible 2011 season. He is making tons of money. He should at least cooperate with his team and specially with his new bosses. If all this drama is true (no returning the calls, etc.) Carl Crawford is not in a good position to act like a diva.

We better bring Ross

I was about to open the champagne... Maybe few days later.

My choice would depend on what I would give up. Since Garza is "the man you build your rotation around" I would see at least Kalish and Middlebrooks and if you rush me Lavarnway in Cubland; I don't like that my friend. If you don't give up Kalish, make the deal. On the other hand you have Kuroda and Oswalt. IMO they will cost you +-12 M/year. Yes, they will cost you go over the LT, but at least you keep your top prospects, regardless our farm is not that abundant of these kind of guys (Kal, Lav, Mid).

That's why I would like a guy like Ross as well in order to make the trade. Regardless Sweeney is prone to injuries, isn't he?. Anyway, it is a matter of opinion.