Hitch

Mark, don't you think it is better to produce a team that competes against the whole MLB rather than just the Yankees? Building a team that competes against everyone, builds a team that competes against the Yankees by association if nothing else. Also, I think you can look too singular at next season when you're a fan(of any club in any sport). Like I mentioned the other day, the Sox will likely be a bit weaker in CF next year by giving the spot to JBJ with the exit of Jacoby, but from 2015 onwards, after a years experience for JBJ theres every chance they will be looking very strong in that postion for years to come. I'm sure 1st base is being looked at in depth and they will make a move when they get what they want. What does it matter if it is today or next Thursday? Patience my man.

Haha So let them react to the Sox. My point is, you go about your own business. If the Sox and the Yankees are both after the same player, and both orgnaisations feel it would be hugely improtant to get that person, then sure, you're in direct competition. But if the Yankees want to overspend to get players(even FA Sox players) then so be it. You don't go trying to beat that bid, just to stop the player going there. That's reacting to the Yankees and they finished many wins behind the Sox last year. There are holes that the Red Sox need filling at the moment. No question. So they will go about filling them, in a way that works best for Boston. Not for what is best in blocking a Yankess signing. I understand I'm not entrenched in the Red Sox - Yankees rivalry, but being a Liverpool fan, I have an un-rational hatred of all things Manchester United(they also have far bigger spending power than us). But even so, I don't see them looking at a player and think - 'We have to get him to stop them signing him'. For me that logic is absolutely mental. Sign the players that are best and work out better for your team, and the rest will take care of itself. Just like it did last year.

No offence fred but I think Farrell feigned shock for fans like you. I've been watching and following Basbeall for less than a year, and I wasn't shocked by Ellsbury going to the Yankees. Dissapointed - sure, but not shocked. You seem overly obsessed with the Yankees. I understand they are the Red Sox biggest rivals, but why are you constantly talking about "not underestimating the Yankees" and that "the fans and FO office are being blindsided by them." Nobody should give a s*** about what they are doing. You don't put together a strategy for winning, by watching what the Yankees are doing and trying to block it. You concentrate by taking care of matters at your own club. The Red Sox just won a WS. Do you think they sat in the FO last year and said "Right lets see what the Yankees are doing here, because it's imperitive to us that we keep an eye on them to win this WS" - Of course they didn't. They signed the players they thought would give them the best chance. Why would they do it any other way? Ellsbury got too expensive for the Sox so they walked away. If Yankees want to come in and saddle themselves with the contract they did, so be it. What would you have had the Sox do? Match or better the offer just to stop New York getting him? That would be absolute lunacy. I have to be honest, as an outsider just new to this sport, I am stunned by how many of you are seemingly not happy. You've just won the WS, you have the best farm system in the Major Leagues, and you have a very good base already in place with extra signings to come. Who cares what the Yankees do? Only care what Boston do. And for my eyes, they seem to be making some very smart plays, something I don't see, when I look at the Yankees.

Great stuff thanks.

Thanks for the welcome all I really am excited to see what moves the team makes over the coming months. The trading/free agent system in Baseball, is like chalk and cheese compared to the transfer system in soccer. It fascinates me. Is the consensus that they might try to make a trade for a left fielder to add some power to the line up? I wouldn't be surprised to see them go with what they have now in the outfield, and just leave JBJ learn the ropes for a full year. I definitely don't see them signing any of the FA outfielders. Also, are there any good journalists/writers I can follow on twitter or on websites, so that I can keep up with any insider gossip/possible moves with the Red Sox. Up until now I just get my news from this board.

Hello all, first time poster from UK. I have been following this board for a little while now, but have held off posting, and just enjoyed reading the comments and opinions instead. I fell in love with Baseball this past season and I have pretty much spent the last year trying to watch every game I could; spend time reading up about the sport, and basically just tried to absorb as much information as I can. I am a Liverpool fan, so naturally latched onto Boston as a team to follow and loved every minute of this season just past. Today feels like a great time to get involved though, what with the off season signings starting to crank up. Bear with me if I get things wrong as I'm still very much learning about the game. From looking at this Ellsbury trade(and this off season as a whole), it feels like some fans are a little impaitent and maybe letting rivalries with teams cloud their thinking. Baseball looks a very cyclic sport to me. It seems a sport that is very dfficult/impossible to win/compete for, the WS year in year out. The Red Sox seem like they are in a brilliant position at the moment. Sure they have just lost Ellsbury which was expected, but they have a ready made relacement in Jackie Bradley Junior likely to step in. They have two highly rated catchers not far away from being ready(especially Vasquez it would seem). Bogearts and Middlebrooks are two young talented players covering the left side. And they have some very good platoon/bench options at the club. The aquisition of AJ makes perfect sense to me. It ties them over till Vasquez is ready to step up next year. Sure they look likely to lose something replacing Ellsbury with JBJ next season but then what after that? I would guess the Red Sox would be in a very strong positon with JBJ playing CF from 2015 onwards, after a full year playing at MLB level. As I say, I think the game is cyclic, and with a hugely strong farm system and with young, highly rated, players about to come in and replace exspensive outgoing players on the way down from their peak, for me at least, I would say while next year might not be a WS win(although it's certainly not out of the question), the following years after that, will see the Red Sox be in a position to challenge year in year out. While teams like the Yankees, will be overloaded with aging players on huge contracts and no real farm depth. I think you can get too caught up in what your rivals are doing. You need only concentrate on what you do at your own club and I think the future of the Red Sox looks very, very, bright. Anyway, sorry for the long rabmling thesis lengthed post. Just wanted to share my thoughts. Looking forward to seeing what moves happen over the next month or two. Really enjoy reading this board.