Off-Season Thread

[sunshinekids99]

I'm fine with losing Martinez and Beltre if you can bring in guys like Crawford and Fielder/Gonzalez. Then they won't have an issue of the catchers are Salty and Tek. Now if they are bringing in more Mike Cameron types then yeah this team will be screwed.

[Celtics_Champs]

Very interested in upton per wiretap.

Eh, I like him too, but if the price is as high as it's been rumored, it's time to start moving on Carl Crawford.

[Celtics_Champs]

Sox meet with Crawford.
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/ne ... id=5872129

Woo, go get em, Theo.

[sunshinekids99]

He's the guy they really need. Theo needs to go out and get him.

[Dirty Water]

Even if we sign Crawford I'm not sure it's the right move. He's a dynamic player don't get me wrong. He wants a lot of years and money and the guy hasn't slugged over .500 or hit 20 homers once in his career. Jason Werth has JD Drew written all over him.

I just have to get something off my chest. I have a bad feeling about the future of this team. There just seems to be no soul anymore. I don't know how to describe it. Every move is a stop-gap reactionary move. There's no loyalty. Seems like new players come in, then they leave. But hey, we get draft picks. DRAFT PICKS?! WHO CARES ABOUT DRAFT PICKS? Theo and ownership have this system but I literally do not understand it. They're supposed to be smarter than me. I'm not a big advanced metrics kind of guy, but I get it. No one can tell me at this point we are being smart and savy with our money... I understand some guys needed to go. Nomar, Manny, Pedro. But John Lackey, JD Drew and Dasiuke Matsuzaka over Jason Bay, Victor Martinez and Johnny Damon. Are you kidding me? Theo's track record with this stuff is pitiful.

The players all seem to be stiffs, theres no personality anymore outside maybe Pedey. It's like watching a bunch of hired mercenaries. There should be no names on the jerseys anymore just "Right Fielder" or "Shortstop." Attending Fenway is more of a social event now rather than a baseball game. The whole organization is so over commercialized. Red Sox Nation. Sign up today. This is not the same team I grew up with. I feel like an a$$ for complaining because we've won 2 championships, something that is beyond any of our wildest dreams. I commend ownership for getting us there, but I feel like the whole goal of the operation was just adding bullet points to John Henry's portfolio. I see no passion. I will be a Red Sox fan till I die, but maybe Bill Simmons was right that this team is boring. Maybe this is just a third place overreaction post. Or maybe something bigger needs to change.

[sunshinekids99]

Well Tek is back in the fold with a 1 year 2 million dollar contract. IT's a great move if he's the backup catcher. If Tek is forced to play more than that the team is going to be in trouble.

Now to Carl Crawford. He's the guy to get and he had a monster year last year. 19 homeruns with 13 triples and 30 doubles....yes please. I want Crawford as a lead off hitter not a three hitter. This guy is a really good player and for 6 years I'd be happy to offer him a huge contract. Now the team also needs a big bat at either first or third. Crawford also adds some of that excitement that was lacking from last years team. If the team was to keep Ellsbury as well the speed on the team would be insane. The defensive outfield would be the best in baseball as well.

[Dirty Water]

Don't get me wrong I would love to have Crawford. Just not completely convinced it's the absolute RIGHT player for this team. Dunn just signed with the ChiSox. Any chance we could try to grab Paul Konerko? Rumor is they might resign him to and switch the guys off at 1B/DH. What is Konerko commanding in the open market? If not I could see us maybe going after Derek Lee he seems to be in the mold of the type of guys we bring in.

EDIT:

As for the speed thing, I'm with you on here I like it. I don't know why its overrated by so many advanced metrics experts. It gets a bad rap as a "meaningless fantasy stat." I understand you don't get as many RBIs by getting a single then stealing second. IMO it helps other guys pick up RBIs in your place. If you're on a team without any big bats I can see it being a problem, but on a team like the Red Sox who always have decent bats in the middle of the lineup I don't see it as big of an issue. Speed produces runs. A big bopper who hits a leadoff double, is unable to tag up on a fly ball and get to third with one out also severely hurts his teams opporunities for a possible sac fly or RBI groundout.

[sunshinekids99]

A couple moves made by the Sox last night. Two moves make me scratch my head the other you had to see coming. The first is Hideki Okajima he is now a FA, no surprise there. I don't see him coming back. The team also made Andrew Miller and Taylor Buchholz free agents, that is something that I didn't see coming. Unless they have contracts in place it makes zero sense to me. Miller has a chance to be a very useful pitcher out of the pen. Miller is only 25, I'd like to see what the Sox coaches can do with him before just letting him go. Buchholz also confuses me in that he was a useful bullpen arm before he got hurt. This pen needs to be changed and I thougth both those guys could help.

And in other good news it looks like the Yankees are in on Carl Crawford as well. I'm going to be one pissed of Sox fan if they get Crawford and we get Werth.

As for Paul Konerko he scares the hell out of me. He's going to be 35 next season and I just don't think it's a good investment for the Sox. Derrek Lee is another guy that I'd stay away from as well. Another guy who will be 35 next season and really hasn't had that many big years to begin with. Really the only guy that makes any sense is Beltre coming back. The next best option on FA is Adam LaRoche and he sure doesn't excite me that much. If the Sox want a big bat at the corners other than Beltre they are going to need to trade for it.

[Dirty Water]

Is that the same LaRoche we had at one point? He did well for us in the 2 weeks we had him. LOL. Wouldn't mind seeing him back.

[Celtics_Champs]

I'm cool with the tek signing. Had to happen after victor left.

And in other good news it looks like the Yankees are in on Carl Crawford as well. I'm going to be one pissed of Sox fan if they get Crawford and we get Werth.

That'd be **** terrible.

Not high on konerko or lee as one year fixes.

[Dirty Water]

Yanks are probably just trying to drive up the price.

[sunshinekids99]

It wouldn't shock me if the Yankees got Crawford and Lee. That would really really be awful, but after the CC and Tex offseason who knows anymore.

[Celtics_Champs]

Adrian Gonzales chatter is starting to heat up.

They also made a offer to Rivera, but he re-signed with the yanks. I bet in the next few days you'll get an article about pap feeling upset and not wanted.

[sunshinekids99]

I think the Sox badly want to get rid of Papelbon this offseason. They don't want to end up paying him 12 million a year for next season. You can get 3 or 4 very good pen arms with that money and still have a dominate closer with Bard.

As for Rivera I have no problem with the Sox atleast making an offer for him.

[Celtics_Champs]

ESPN reporting sox set to acquire Adrian Gonzalez
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/ne ... id=5882356

woooooooo

[Celtics_Champs]

Please don't stop us from signing crawford. IMO, we add him and we're a lock for WS contention.

[Dirty Water]

Ok, now I have no worries with signing Crawford. theres enough production behind him. This trade probably signals the end of Adrian Beltre. Have fun in Oakland. 2011 Probably Red Sox lineup (assuming we can get CC)

Carl Crawford LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
David Ortiz DH
JD Drew RF
Jarrod Salamacchia C
Marco Scutaro SS
Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Still trying to figure out where Ellsbury and Crawford would bat in the lineup. Would we think of ever moving Pedroia down in the lineup? I think theres a good possibility that Tito would move Ellsbury back down to the #9 where he's put him before.

[sunshinekids99]

Yeah I'm not so sure Ellsbury makes it to next season with the Red Sox. A lot depends on if they get Crawford or Werth. If they get Crawford I could easily see them moving Ellsbury. If they get Werth then I could see Ellsbury staying.

Not that having Ellsbury be the 9th hitter is a bad thing. I do wonder if they would consider moving using Crawford in the three hole then moving everybody down one.

Doesn't matter I'm so happy that Adrian Gonzalez is going to be a Boston Red Sox it doesn't matter that much to me anywhere else.

[Celtics_Champs]

Not 100% sure on what we gave up, but if it's the rumored prospects, and only them...

@ Theo.

[Dirty Water]

Theo is a little like Danny Ainge. His drafting and trades are top notch, but his FA signings are busts.