win red sox

If the sox can get him for 5 years with maybe a 6th year mutual option, then it's a no brainer. And here's why. 1) Lack of elite bats reaching free agency in there prime. 2) Lack of elite positional players in the minors. 3) How long can Ortiz continue at his current production. 4) Makes Bradley a valuable trade chip. 5) The sox can afford him, next 2-5 years will have an influx of minimal salary players on roster and outside of Pedroia and Buchholz there is no financial commitment outside of 2015.

If you think Ellsbury is going to average 4.5-5.0 War a year for the next 6 years, then he's worth 20 million+ a year. I find it hard to believe the sox aren't going to make serious run at him considering this year he's been their best position player and it's not even close.

Drew is top 10 in fwar for ss in only 86 games, im pretty sure he will be able to snag a 3 year deal. Plus there's the Scott Boras factor.

1) Make a QO to Ellsbury, Drew, and Salty knowing they wouldn't accept. 2) Let go of Napoli 3) Sign Beltran 2/30 and McCann 4/60 with 5th year vesting option based on PA's 4) Try to pry Matt Adams from ST Louis 5) Trade 2 out of Dempster, Lackey, and Lester. RF Victorino 2b Pedroia DH Ortiz LF Betran C McCann SS XB 1b Adams 3b Middlebrooks CF Bradley 1b/Lf/Rf Nava SS/3b/2b Holt Lf Gomes C Ross Buccholz Doubront Peavy Lester/Dempster/Lackey Workman/Webster/Ranaudo Koji Tazawa Miller Britton Breslow RDLR Workman/Wilson

wade davis was coming off a stellar year in relief with a 2.78 fip and over 11k per 9 and plus 3 years of control. Maybe KC thought they could transistion him back to the rotation and those numbers would carry over.

Wade Davis was the other piece that went to KC, I have a feeling Doubront was the 2nd piece they were asking for.

koji has one more arb, won't be a free agent until 2015.

I would imagine next trade deadline or the following offseason is when he most likely be moved, but every year they hold onto him he loses a little value.

Both of them seem like logical land spots for Stanton with Texas having the ability to resign him, but you could argue that Boston has a deeper farm system than both and with it's financial abilities to extend him make Boston a logical landing spot. Boston's OF Depth outside of 1B is the worst in the system, outside of Bradley Jr. no one projects to be an everyday regular. Of's under contract next year are Victorino(hasn't been healthy all year), Gomes(should be a DH), Nava(who is a liability on the basebaths and in the field), and Carp(a 1b by trade). The middle of the lineup will be a concern next year as Ortiz will eventually have to regress, Napoli if resigned has no business batting in the middle of the order. Let's don't forget that it's almost a forgone conclusion that Ellsbury will be gone and while Bradley might be able to replace him defensively I have serious doubts that he will be able to replicate Ellsbury's offensive contribution. With all that said, if you can acquire Stanton without gutting the farm it's a no brainer.

he's taking Miami to arb this offseason.

I can see that argument. But realize this, that premier talent in there prime is not hitting the free agent market anymore, and due to the new cba teams are locking up the talent through there prime. If I was Ben and if I could get Stanton without gutting the farm, I do it and spend the next 3 years trying to extend him.

as I said, you can make the argument. Harper to me would be toss up. Posey is in the conversation if he stays at catcher, and Goldschmidt is having a breakout year but would you really take Goldschmidt over Stanton?

He's only 24, more than likely his contributions go up. I don't see him dhing for awhile as he's been a plus defender the last couple of years. And he's not just a good hitter, he's a premier power bat that still hasn't hit his prime. You can make the argument that outside of Trout, Stanton would be the one player you build your team around.

I was trying make the point that you can acquire him without hurting the team presently and in the future. And your probably right in that the Marlins would probably want more, but each year the wait the price will go down. And just on a side note I have serious doubts that buchholz will ever stay healthy for a full year.

The sox could always get another team involved in a 3 way. Maybe Package Buchholz and Carp to St Louis headlined by 2b Kolten Wong and Matt Adams, both are currently blocked. Then I would imagine you could package Wong, Adams, Ranaudo, Owens, and RDLR. The sox can definitely acquire Stanton without gutting the farm, its just a matter of being creative.

xander crushed another homerun tonight, that's 6 in 97 ab's in pawtucket. last ten games his ops is .951

good throw by salty, pedey's gotta pick that.

wright optioned to pawtucket, bard called up.

I can see were scm is coming from. Ben was crucified by some posters for his offseason moves he made this year by signing victorino (who has a higher fwar than hamilton, bourn, bj upton), signing dempster(there was some posters here who wanted Haren or Mccartney, which both are gettiing hammered). Benny the boob as some posters will call him had his hands tied last offseason with theo's mess and was able to dump 250 million in unproductive salary while grabbing 2 high upside arms and eventually trading for an allstar closer this offseason. Mr Cherrington has done an excellent job in his tenure and this needs to be recognized, Mr Cherrington has a plan and if the red sox make or don't make the playoffs the year, I hope he sticks to it. For the posters who criticized his moves this offseason, its only fair that you get called out on it. Personally I haven't been this excited about a red sox team since 86 when greenwell, burks, and benzinger where the future. I guess I'm a "ballwasher".

worst ab for a red sox player this year.

felix has to be out of shape, I remember last year he was consistently in the mid 90's

per John Farrel "There's a chance David Ortiz could return Friday".

kind of hoping it was webster to get the call as he's pitched extemely well in pawtucket.

give it a break, the stolen base was on clay.

Best case scenario is Aceves pitches well in his 2-3 starts increasing his trade value. Then with Breslow throwing bullpen sessions as of 4/1 and Morales throwing live batting practice 4/3, Ben then could trade Aceves, move Morales into the long mans role and Breslow takes Mortenson's spot. I also can see Webster making some spot starts if a starter needs to skip a couple of starts.