dupree

I think the team is set pretty much what they are going with. I do think we missed out on some key free agents but thats all in the past now so thats over. I dont think Salty will be traded atleast not until the trade deadline, they just signed him to a deal worth 4.5million so unless a good middle of the rotation arm is dangled on the trade block i say he is here until midseason. I thought a trade for Homer Bailey or Gavin Floyd would be fine with me or one of the young guys from the Athletics but none will prolly go anywhere. Floyd is prolly the most likely to move. Spring Training will give us more insight to how the team stands, also another 1;B/OF lhh bat would not be such a bad idea either but even tho a lot of us would love to see Garrett Jones i think they inquired in on him with the Hanrahan trade and found it would be a bit too much.

Fred i could be wrong but it would be 34 million total if the deal was for the orginal 3 year term but its just a one year deal. With 5 million garunteed and 8 million worth of incentives. So basiclly they saved 8 million not 34 million going toward the luxury cap. But the incentives in the contract if napoli fulfills all of them or whatever incentives he does make goes against the luxury cap. So unless the sox think nap in no way shape or form will take some of that 8 million incentive money and use on someone else. The Sox currently have around 10million to play with unless they dig into some of the incentive money for napoli which could put them over the limit with napoli being the napoli of old and spending money on another area of need. I think they are gonna try to stay under the cap no matter what if they wasnt why have they been so frugal this offseason with how they spend.

Jurrjens would be a nice option on a minors deal if he would take one. I think he has the potential to bounce back and at his age it could happen with a better chance than a Smoltz or Penny or Cook. With the around 10million left under the cap i dont see the red sox doing much. I dont think a Lohse or Marcum will be used for that money. Lohse has a draft pick along with him so hes out plus he will want over 10million per and i would rather have a prospect come up and be giving the chance to see what hes got rather than blocking his path with someone like Marcum. I could see a trade for a pitcher using one of our cathers or bullpen depth. But who i dont know or who the trade will be for but i think one could be made and prolly needs to be made and the 10million be used during the season to add more pieces.

Micheal Morse has been traded to the Mariners in a 3team deal with the A's being part of it with the Nationals. I would rather seen Morse playing LF in Fenway next year and it looks like it didnt take a big haul to get him either i expected the price would of been higher. I think the red sox missed out on him he would made more sense than a Gomes/Kalish platoon but thats just my $ .02

I really like a one year on Napoli. I dont think it would be too bad with a mutual option on a second year either. If he bashes this year and they want him back id like to have that option.

Aaron Cook signs a minor league deal with the Phillies Shew thats a relief he was horrible in Boston. Im glad he wont be back.

Thats true once this is done i dont know what the topic is gonna be. But this Tito book is gonna stir a lot of people up.

Agreed 100% I just dont know how AGon's shoulder was not wrote into his contractual language and was not made into a bid deal like this Napoli deal. The medical department really slipped up on that one or maybe it was pushed to get done by the FO to lock him up no matter what. But as in this Napoli deal you would think a leak of contract language would have been known of AGon's health so for the red sox to kinda use it as leverage to get the contract signed on their terms by trying to make it seem the player is damaged goods. And that exactly what i think has happened to this point in the napoli saga but it very well be needed.

Expected next week that will be nice. Has any terms to the deal leaked out yet? And who reported it?

Please oh please mike napoli sign the contract with whatever language is in it. Im soo done with everyone under the sun being mentioned to play there and everyone going back and forth telling each other their opinions of who they want to play first or who they would expect to play there is getting ridiculous because everyone is getting pissed when someone's opinion is not the same as theirs. I just hope this gets resolved and soon for all of our sakes. The red sox and napoli's camp is still in talks from the last i seen so lets hope the contract protects us and that the language involved of the contract never has to be used and that napoli has a great career as a red sox.

I dont think Francona writes this book if he was still in Boston and finished his managerial career here. Its a shame that when people are let go from jobs they go back and slam their previous employers. Im not saying that the owners are perfect and that they didnt do things wrong here and there and that their love for the game is not in the right place, what im saying is i just held Terry Francona into a higher place and class and i just hope this book doesnt blackball his name. Some like when secrets come out and cant get enough of scandals while others just want the stuff behind the scenes stay behind the scenes, i am one of those people, i wont be purchasing this book i believe what goes on behind the scenes is their business and all i care about is if the team wins and is exciting to watch and has the potential to win World Series Championships. I hope those who purchase and read really enjoy the book. And i hope the book does well and flys off the shelves. Im a big Tito fan and just hope this doesnt tarnish his character

I hope we get him on a minor league deal too. Marcum has been discussed as coming in from some of the posters on here and i think he would be a nice piece to protect Lackey if his return from TJ has went slower thaan normal. I just dont want someone like Marcum to block a prospect from a spot in the rotation on spot starts. If in ST any of the kids show promise let them pitch, if we are indeed in a bridge year let them log some innings and see what they got.

Agree. They went and spent like crazy and now it has come back to bit us. We went one year of signing Mike Cameron and John Lackey and then backed it up with a trade for agon and a signing of carl crawford( a singing i never understand) but maybe a clubhouse full of good clubhouse guys will prove us to be the oakland a's of the east but our pitching is gonna hinder us unless farrell can bring the rotation back to the form of old.. we can hope but i would rather have guys with numbers and be s***** people off the field. Who win us games than good hearted guys with good values and lose 80+ games. It is a definite wait and see for this year and i hope im wrong and everything works out but as in like the daniel bard situation to getting back to a awesome relief should pitcher im not holding my breath.

Ok thank ya. I just hope a resolution for the 1B postition gets resolved soon.

I wished we still had Rizzo but to get the AGon deal done he had to be involved in that trade. Hindsight is 20/20 but it would been nice to have him now and then this 1B controvers would not being going on. I thought AGon would been here for a decade just like alot of posters on here. I wondering how his shoulder issue did not have the hang ups in the contractual languge like the JD Drew and Mike Napoli deals have lingered on on and on. The medical doctors in my observation would had to think AGon's shoulder might caused a lack of power which ultimately happened. I know. They were looking at a salary dump but still you would of thought they had a plan to aquire a big bat to fill in at firstbase. I also remember that we had Lars Anderson i dont know much bout him how did he get away from our farm system i cant remember want happened to cause him to leave the red sox.

With the reports this morning of Napoli still in talkss to sign and every analyst saying that this deal will happen, are there any reports saying that the red sox on in talkss with anyone else to play first. I did look at the minor league splits on Gomez and Cherry sends to think he has upside but i would like another option to come in that could play some outfield and firstbase. Garret Jones or Micheal Morse are two that i like alot and hope thats some talks are being worked on to say the least. Gomes and Kalish worry me a lil i would like to give Kalish the majority of the playing time over Gomes because he may have more potential than Gomes considering his age and potentail upside. Also another player who could play first would make us all rest a lil easier, plus banking that napoli who i think if signed will put up big numbers in Fenway IF healthy and that seems to be more and more of an IF the longer this deal last on with no signing. So has anyone heard anything about any talks involving other candidates to serve as protection? Ortiz will play 1B in interleague and im fine with that we need his bat in the lineup but a platoon of Salty and Gomez if the deal falls through and players like Morse and Jones out there will surely be the end of Cherry.

Just wondering but did anyone else see on MLB Tonight that Justin Upton had Boston as one of the four no trade teams in his clause? Wow that suprises me but oh well let him stay in Arizona and i hope he never returns to MVP type numbers even if he is traded i hope he stays on the DL the rest of his career. Justin who??? He should beg to come to Boston if he dont want us to hell with him!!!

Who is the most notable names on next years FA class?

I hope Bard bounces back to his form of old. But im not holding my breath.

I would like Morse as our everyday LF. I know they spent money on Gomes but i think Morse would be a better fit and a higher upside than a platoon of gomes/kalish. and morse could be protection for napoli if he goes down with a hip injury. I wouldnt give up Bradley Jr in a trade for morse. But a trade along the lines of the Hanrahan trade would be a nice option. Trade Miller and a couple mid tier propects and get the deal done. Have gomes and kalish as the 4th and 5th OF and if the nats want nava let them have him. With Morse in the fold nava would be the odd man out. Morse could be a 30+hr and 90-100100rbi rbi guy for us. I think cherry needs to make this move and quick before another team rushes in and i believe if Morse is dangled out on the market he will have many suitors. I know some posters think he would be a better option than napoli but as long as this contract has played out i cant see the deal falling thru he is gonna be a red sox, but having morse would definitely make alot of us sleep better at night for insurance.

Another day and no word on Napoli. I still think the deal gets done, but with looking at the Rangers signing Berkman and slotting him in at DH and at 10million not baring injury hes in the lineup everyday, Mike Olt is the odd man out of Texas and with Moreland at 1B and Beltre at 3rd unless he can play OF is prolly back to AAA or riding the pine in the show. My question is can Olt play 1B or a move of WMB to 1B and Olt to 3rd. Reading some of the tweets related to Napoli's hip i get more and more scared he is 1 diving play away from being on the DL more than being healthy i just dont want him to handicap us like ARod has handicapped the Yankees. The thought just came to mind and i havent really thought what the trade chips would be but other than Morse who i think has a lot of upside who also could be the odd man out in Washington, Olt could play 1B or 3B and WMB the other it would save money to pass on Napoli make a trade and have young talent maning the corners. I think it would easier to teach one or the other to play 1B than have to use Gomez who showed nothing last nite while napoli is laid up on the DL. The red sox need to get this 1B situation done quickly so if the front contract falls through the sox have options.

I wished they would get the Napoli deal done. If not all of our mock lineups are all wrong. Im not sold at all with Gomez holding down 1st. I think the deal does get done at some point but when that will be may be today, tomorrow, or maybe ST who knows. I agree that Ortiz deserves the cleanup spot if hes bashing but im just not a big fan of two back to back LHH in the middle of the order. But still with the current lineup no matter how it is placed i think the defense will be ok and save some runs the Sp iss the big question mark no matter how people view the lineup. As the lineup stands it still is a very dangerous one if players just perform to career averages. The bullpen with be a strength or atleast it better be. The SP has to go back to the staff of old not hope they do they have to, if not come July everyone will be waiting on football, i think if Kalish and Gomes can hit 20-25hrs and 80-90RBIs combined it could be a nice fit. Id like to see a trade for Stanton or Upton. But im willing to give Kalish a chance but if one of those players were truley available id go in at all cost especially for Stanton

I figured the lineup would look more like this Victorino - S Pedoria - R Ellsbury - L Napoli - R Ortiz - L Middlebrooks - R Salty/Ross Gomes/Kalish Drew - L I think it is more balanced with Nap hitting cleanup and Ortiz hitting 5th Vic at the top will just have to be a wait and see

You think Ortiz will hit cleanup instead of napoli?

Agreed. Also i thought the trade for Hanrahan would have brought in a 1B/SP prospect but neither happened they got another projected utilty infielder. Didnt make much sense to me. Ive read where Jon Heyman keeps say the Sox are interested in Lohse how can they sign him with the cap they are done around the $170million mark plus a draft pick would have to be given to the Cardinals. So much this offseason that no one understands.