Off-Season Thread

[Dirty Water]

I'd rather not waste money on Russell Martin. As weird as it sounds I'm ok with going into the season with Saltamacchia. He's still young and theres potential for him to improve. I think the cost vs reward of signing Martin doesn't necessarily improve the position enough to warrant spending money on a guy whose been injury plagued. Save the money, or improve the bullpen. Or, bring Bill Hall back.

[sunshinekids99]

It's time to focus on the pen right now. I'm fine with Salty and Tek as the catchers. Maybe try and bring in a Bengie Molina type for spring training to make sure Salty is ready.

Looks like the Sox have an offer out there for Matt Guerrier from the Twins. He's a good pitcher and I'd sure like to have him on the Sox.

Here are a couple other righties I hope they look at:

Juan Cruz
Jon Rauch
Alfredo Aceves

And of course the team needs a lefty and there are a few good ones:
J.P. Howell
J.C. Romero
Ron Mahay
Will Ohman

If they can bring in two of those righties and one lefty I'll be a real happy Sox fan.

[Celtics_Champs]

Not a scott downs fan? EDIT: just saw the angels signed him

Carl Crawford is being introduced right now. That room is packed.

[sunshinekids99]

That was a pretty big contract for Downs.

[Dirty Water]

I dunno why people are making such a big deal about the bullpen. It's been proven in baseball that it's a crap shoot year to year. Red Sox pretty much rolled out the same bullpen that was so great for them in 2009 for 2010 and people were saying how we went cheap and overlooked it. It's been proven you don't need to spend money to get a great bullpen. It's a lot of luck.

[sunshinekids99]

It was a suprise that Delcarmen and Ramirez both crapped out last season. But I thought they should have added an arm last year. I do agree the pen is a crap shoot but right now all the Sox have is Papelbon, Bard, Wakefield, Atchinson. That's a problem.

From WEEI looks like the Sox right now are looking at Matt Gurrier, Jesse Crain, and Brian Fuentes. I hate Fuentes, but would be happy with the other two.

[Dirty Water]

What happened with Taylor Buccholz? Didn't we acquire him?

[sunshinekids99]

What happened with Taylor Buccholz? Didn't we acquire him?

They renounced his rights as well as Andrew Miller. Both of which still confuse me.

[Dirty Water]

Yankees lose out on Cliff Lee as he signs for WAY less money to go to the Rang----- I mean PHILLIES. WOW. Talk about a dark horse.

Their rotation right now is nuts! Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Oswalt, Blanton. Seems like they have locked down the National League in December barring any injuries.

As for the Yankees, you watch your archirival sign the best free agent position player on the market, and trade for the best free agent position player from next year's market, put all your eggs in the Cliff Lee basket, watch him sign for more than 40 million less with a stacked Phillies team. All this meanwhile able to successfully piss off your very own legend and captain Derek Jeter.

[Celtics_Champs]

I assume they're going after grienke now.

Good news though on Lee. Phillies have a nasty rotation.

[Dirty Water]

If I'm Grienke I hold them hostage with my no-trade clause

[Dirty Water]

Good God I hope this isn't true.

[Celtics_Champs]

Edes says it isnt. Good.

But Heyman wouldn't make that up, they probably were talking to each other about dealing blanton to the sox, which really doesn't make sense.

[Dirty Water]

If the Phillies would eat a lot of his salary maybe Blanton would be a good bullpen arm?

[Celtics_Champs]

Yanks signed Russel Martin.

They probably upped their offer after losing lee. I'm not that upset. I wanted to see what salty had in him anyway.

[sunshinekids99]

So Matt Albers and Lenny DeNirado is not really what I was hoping for for bullpen help. Both were given minor league deals, so I'm thinking they are just depth that can be called up if somebody gets hurt. But with now Gurrier and Crain off the market, the pitchers are starting to thin out. Looks like the Sox are now in talks with Dan Wheeler.

[Celtics_Champs]

Good ole lenny dinardo.

I don't know why they're losing out on these relievers, who wouldn't want to play here? If it's a money issue, I'd rather overpay now then trade for one at the deadline.

[greenbeans]

Jenks signed 2yrs/12mil.
Seems like a lot for a guy who couldn't keep his job last year, but he has some of the best stuff out of the relievers still out there. Hopefully he converts to setup better than most closers do.

If Jenks, Bard and Pap are healthy going into October... muh gawd.

[Dirty Water]

I don't mind Jenks, it's.... whatever. don't really like the guy but I guess I'll live with it.

You posted this in November

Here is my off season plan.

I'm letting Victor and Beltre walk. I just don't think they are worth the years that they will get in the market.

I'm then going to sign Carl Crawford.

Then I'm trading Jacoby Ellsbury, Casey Kelly, and one other good prospect some like Rizzo for Adrian Gonzalez.

Resign Jason Varitek.

Sign Jon Rauch

Highlighting in red the only thing you've been wrong about so far. And the order in which everything happened. lol/

[Celtics_Champs]

lol, nice. almost spot on.

I'm happy with Jenks.