marklmw

If this is true ... (take everything Boras says with a grain of salt). What is the reason that 11 teams are contacting him about Ellsbury ... all of these teams know what it will take to sign him. People say that Ellsbury will not give any concessions to Boston I say ********. I think Ellsbury stays with Boston for 20M per. I think he will stay in Boston for 6 years vs. signing with another club for 7. I think Ellsbury had a lot of fun playing for Boston this season. If he is enjoying his place of work it often means the whole family is happy too. I do not know about his personal life but I am assuming that he is married. Most couples sit down when making big decisions and when you are happy change becomes more uncertain. Ellsbury is coming back 120M / 6. Hanrahan and Bailey cost the Sox 11M+ this season for nothing ... the Sox would have had more wins if the 2 never played a game.

Time out one moment big guy. Were did I say 7 or 8 years for contract terms. I did not. I am saying 5 - 6 years. 3 years playing center and 2-3 years playing left. He is going to hit 20 HR's next year.

This is exactly why Middlebrooks is such a pain in the ass. Who changes a game more ... a hitter or a SP? You can pitch around a hot hitter can you not. Let Middlebrooks play next season in Pawtucket and if he lights it up we can make a trade for a top pitching prospect. We can always trade Drew if we decide to go with Bogaerts / Middlebrooks but I have this feeling that Middlebrooks will never accomplish an acceptable OBP and the Sox ownership are believers in Moneyball principals. I think it will be a mistake to let Drew get away. Much like Beltre. Go to Drew and explain that you want to make a REPEAT run. I think he will take a 30M / 3. He enjoys playing in Boston.

I have had a change of heart considering next years team. Might be because I watched the last 2 innings of WS Game 6 this morning. Sign Nap's ... same deal that he had this year. If he does not sign then make QO or perhaps go after Justin Morneau or Billy Butler. Sign Drew ... 30M/3 ... I do not trust Middlebrooks. If Middlebrooks does well in Pawtucket we can package him in a trade. Sign Ellsbury ... 120M / 6. The guy has been a big part of 2 WS Championships ... how many players can say that. Shoulder injuries usually take 2 years to fully recover. Ells will hit 20 HR next year and if he goes to the Yankees he will hit 28 dingers. That will really hurt to see him in pinstripes. Why the Yankees .... because it makes them better and Boston not as good. Let JBJ develop at Pawtucket and by 2015 JBJ should be major league ready to replace Gomes. Sign Salty ... 14M / 2. If he does not sign maybe make a QO. This will buy two years for the Sox to find replacement ... maybe from within. This is still a very good increase over his present 4.5M Sign Tanaka ... 60M / 6. Boston Management has deep pockets and winning is addictive. Owners can handle posting fee. Deal Dempster and/or Peavy ... pick up a couple prospects and eat part of their contracts. Part with Hanrahan and Bailey. Comments welcome.

The Giants were very fortunate to win the WS the last two times they won it. It will not be so easy going forward based on the competition they now have to face.

Middlebrooks is a royal pain in the ass. I say this because I would like to re-sign Drew to a 30M / 3 contract and let Bogaerts play 3rd for the next 15 or so years. I have this feeling that a Drew / Bogaerts infield will better a Bogaerts / Middlebrooks both offensively and defensively. This is in my gut. Go to Drew and explain that you want to bring the team back to make a repeat run.

This morning I watched the last two innings of WS Game 6 for the 3rd time along with the after game interviews. I agree that spending a boat load on money on long term contracts on Crawford and Gonzalez was a mistake ... Crawford because he was not a need and Gonzalez because he turned out to be bad club-house guy. We were lucky to be able to pass these mistakes on to the Dodgers and the rest is history. However, does this mean that we cannot give a 5-6 year contract to a player who is a need. Yes ... of course I am talking about Ellsbury. At the end of the day professional sports is all about winning championships ... anything less is ... well ... less. Ellsbury was a big part of the 2007 post season and again in 2013. How many players in today's day and age have two championships to his name? I want Ellsbury back and I think that ownership should take a flyer on him. Tell him that he is loved and appreciated, that you want to repeat next season, and that you want him to finish his career in Boston. Offer him 120m / 6. JBJ can begin in the Pawtucket again next season and the Sox will have him to fill in when needed. Hopefully JBJ will be major league ready in 2015 and take the place of Gomes.

UN ... no money to pass go .... just cut him? Sweet.

I do not think that there is a way to deal off Bailey ... what say you?

Nap's hip issue has not gone away to the best of my knowledge. The Sox were willing to walk away from the deal and no other team jumped in. Although he showed no ill effects from this particular health issue that was the case before the signing last year ... again ... nothing has changed with Nap's health issue unless we hear otherwise. It seems that the issue that he has is not reversible. Could you imagine singing Napoli this year to a 3 year guaranteed contract and he goes down early next season and never returns. Talk about over paying for a player. Bo Jackson had hip issues ... ended his career. If you think that some other team will come in an offer Nap's a 3 year deal then I am all for the Sox's making a QO. The Sox will find a way to fill 1B should he walk.

Agree!

Bet you a steak dinner that that is not going to happen. The Sox are not going to give him 3 year guaranteed money.

True that! I have a feeling that Nava is going to have a break out year next year. I am thinking 20 HR kind of season.

I agree with you about Ellsbury, Salty but not Napoli. Tell me what has changed with Napoli's health now that the season is over. Oh, I forget .... it got worse with the foot issue. Napoli gave the Sox pretty much what they expected ... maybe not as many K's but all in all he delivered what his career stats says he delivers. Napoli is not going to get $45M / 3 guaranteed money from Boston. Another poster suggested Butler from KC as an option to Napoli. I could be all wet on this and often I am but I am not seeing this logic.

Sign Tanaka to improve the team. We talk a lot about positional players but hardly discuss our most pressing need which is upgrading our starting rotation regardless of who is signed for next season. Of course the Sox need to build a club for the long drawn-out regular season but then what ... you also need to have a club that can compete in the post season. It is no coincidence that Detroit and St. Louis went deep into the playoffs with very good SP. Buchholz gave an honest effort in the play-offs ... Lester A+ and Lackey B+ gave great performances ... Hoji and others in the bullpen were superb. What if Buchholz did not return this season? Boston was over matched by the SP's of the other teams. If it were not for career best performances by Lester and Lackey along with some timely hitting we would not have won the WS. We did I know but take away the Ortiz Slam and maybe we are out of it. Face it our players were getting humongous hits after having no success in the 10 to 15 previous AB's. Sign Tanaka!

Buch is an awesome pitcher ... he knows how to change speeds and keep hitters off balance. Do not give up on the lad.

I would like Butler for sure. of course it all depends on what the Sox need to give up to get him. I rather doubt that Sox will win a draft pick by offering Naps a QO but if they did and then sign Butler it would be a big win.

In all due respect ... no way are the Sox going to commit $45m / 3years to Napoli. Napoli gave Boston what they had projected he would give them and not much more. If management was not willing to pay him $39/ 3 due to his health condition (and other clubs were not knocking on his door either) what exactly has changed about his health besides the fact that he is one year older. Sometimes it appears that players are paid for their past accomplishments (A WS Title) but in Napoli's case his numbers and his health condition do not support such a contract you speak of. It is not inconceivable that the Sox off a similar contract to this years contract but on a multi-year basis. $5M base per with incentives to earn $13M per.

Sometimes as a fan I chime in about roster changes as though it was my own money being spent. Beltran is a nice player but at what cost and do the Sox really need him? There is need and there is desire ... and there are an unlimited number of players for management to desire. I would rather over spend by 3-4M on Ellsbury and go the platoon route in left ... Gomes can be moved if the perception among the baseball exec's is that you get to the playoffs with him on your team (even though is actual numbers do little to support this claim). JBJ, Nava, Carp can then share the duties in left. I hate to part with Ellsbury a premier lead-off guy who can patrol center field for at least another 2-3 years. JBJ can be brought along more slowly and also be useful in all 3 outfield spots. I like the idea of having the core of this team back .... Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester and Papi for near future. There are so many combinations of what management can do this off season. Each piece moved on the board will affect what piece is moved next and where it is moved to. Although I really do enjoy talking about the Sox my knowledge is severely limited in comparison to that of management. Keeping Drew, Napoli and Ellsbury while inserting Bogaerts and Lavarnway will be fun to watch next season when a repeat is on everyone's mind.

The Rays would not do that. Meyers had some ups and downs but he has a bright future. The Rays are very good at buying low and selling high and they tend to develop their pitching from the farm. They know when to get rid of players like Lugo, Upton and Crawford

Again, much of WMB will depend on what happens with Drew because clearly they will go with Bogaerts over WMB. If Drew accepts QO then I feel that the Sox will try to extend to 3 years with him. A lot can happen in 3 years.

Have to love the big guy!

Gulp ... but still very happy for Lackey ... he turned his life around and for that he deserves mega credit.

Counting on Middlebrooks might be a lot like counting on President Obama ... No hope and nothing changing. The Sox still may get some value in return for Middlebrooks ... just make sure you cut a deal with a NL Team.

For a while now it has been my gut feeling that the Sox will not offer Drew a QO but my mind has been changed based on some valid discussions on this board. The Sox do offer Drew a QO. If Drew accepts the Sox and Drew come to terms on a 3 year deal and the Sox put Middlebrooks on the block. They project Bogaerts to become a 3B so why not go ahead and do it now. I would imagine that a healthy Drew and a healthy Bogaerts will put up significantly betters numbers than what the aggregate at SS and 3rd provided for the 2013 season. If Drew walks on the QO then we pick up a top draft pick. If the Sox can acquire 3 of these compensation picks ... Ellsbury ... Drew ... Salty along with their own 1st rounder they can come away from the draft with the highest ranked draft class after winning the World Championship. Any one of these top picks can turn out to be another Wacha. There was a time when throwing 95mph was a big deal but now all the prospects do it and they also work on the change up as well. ANo matter what management decides to do one thing for sure is that the Sox are in a great position for the short and long term. The Sox lost out on Abreu who could turn out to be a huge signing for the ChiSox and would have fit in nicely to Boston's long term plans but it is what it is.