Off-Season Thread

[Celtics_Champs]

Crawford anyone?

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... _crawford/

[sunshinekids99]

He's the guy that I sure would be going after hard. I'd also try and make a trade for a Prince Fielder type. Then go get some pen help because you need more than Paps and Bard out there.

[Dirty Water]

Call me crazy but I'd rather have Werth than Crawford. But whatever helps us not let the Yankees improve I guess.

[Celts09]

The Yankees are not expected to pursue Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, as the team is satisfied with its outfield trio of Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner.



Read more: http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z14M3khgft

[sunshinekids99]

Would make it much easier to get Crawford if the Yankees didn't want him, but I doubt it. I just don't want to have to settle anymore if you want Crawford go and get him. No more Texeira like **** ups with this team.

As for Werth I like him, but I would pass. He's older than Crawford and I just don't think he's worth the money he'll be asking for.

[greenbeans]

I'd also try and make a trade for a Prince Fielder type.

That'd be nice. The Brewers need starters, so I think we'd match up well with them. If we were to trade say Dice-K and whatever prospects, that would free up even more money this offseason, enabling us to then sign Cliff Lee. Lee, Lester, Bucholz, Beckett & Lackey. And like that, we're in the world series. Make it happen Theo.

[sunshinekids99]

Problem is that it is doubtful that Dice agrees to a trade to the Brewers.

[Celtics_Champs]

IDK about brewers, but what about Cubs?

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/ ... e-k-trade/

[sunshinekids99]

I think the issue trading Dice is that it can only be to a few major league league teams. M y guess is your looking at the Mariners, Dodgers, Angels, Giants, and Padres as really the only options for Dice. As for Fukudome he's pretty awful and I sure wouldn't trade Dice for him.

My pipe dream is sign Carl Crawford. Then trade Ellsbury and prospects to Milwaukee, Dice-K to who knows where for prospects then send it to the Brewers for Fielder or Padres for Gonzalez. Or if Dice-K is not an option I wouldn't be against trying to move Papelbon somewhere with the prospects helping the Sox land a big bat. Then go out and get a right handed bench bat and then load up on pen help. Also they have to figure out what they are going to do at catcher. I'd bring back Tek and then try and get one more vet catcher that handles the staff well. You also have the chance to see if Salty Dog can win the job. You don't need a big time hitting catcher if you have a Crawford and a big firstbase man.

[Celtics_Champs]

I wouldn't mind seeing Saltalamacchia play more.

Sox get Andrew Miller
http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... m_marlins/

Who knows. This could be one of those Theoesque moves everyone forgets about because he'll do bigger things, but ends up being a good move.

[sunshinekids99]

Miller is a good move for the Sox. Huge guy that was a very big prospect. It's worth a shot to give the staff a chance with him.

[Dirty Water]

Miller is one of those lottery ticket type guys. There was a reason he was drafted so high, doesn't hurt to give up a middle of the road prospect to take a chance on him.

Here's what I'd like the Red Sox to do this offseason:

1. Resign Victor
I understand he wants years in his contract that management doesn't want to allocate to catchers but honestly I'd rather not start the season with Saltamachia #1. Victor has proven he is an excellent hitter with solid power that can hit for average. He may not be that great defensively, but it's a price to pay.

2. Let Beltre Go
Beltre has literally had 2 great seasons in 9 years. Happened to be in contract years. I don't like that. He's getting older and the 3rd basement market is shallow so the price will be driven up. Last I heard a lot of teams may go after him. Not worth it. As for lineups, Youk can accasionally shift to 3rd, Victor can fill in at 1st, and Lowrie can fill in at 3rd. I know, I know seeing Lowrie there may not thrill you, but he's finally going into the season healthy and did show signs last year of possibly turning the corner. Although I don't think we will resign Bill Hall, I think we really could keep him around to fill the void too.

3. Sign Carl Crawford at all costs
I understand we won't have the most power in the outfield, but we gotta go after this guy. I've changed my mind on Werth, I don't think I realized how old he was. I'm sure there will be time this year to see if Kalish is the real deal. Kalish can be fourth outfielder and maybe start in 2012 when JD Drew walks (thank goodness the contract will finally be up)

4. Shore up the bullpen
Take a fly on a bunch of nobodies from all over. Sometimes you find diamonds in the rough. Remember how far out of left field Okajima came from? This is not an area you can really spend money on and is hard to improve, but maybe the can also find someone within the organization.

5. Get Healthy
This is the big one. I think we were fine last year, just the amount of injuries prevented us from ever really making a run.

Probable everyday 2011 lineup and rotation

CF Ellsbury
LF Crawford
2B Pedroia
1B Youkilis
DH Ortiz
C Martinez
RF Drew
3B Lowrie
SS Scutaro (Maybe Iglesias can come up midseason and find some reps)

Bench
Bill Hall
Jarod Saltamachia
Ryan Kalish
FA TBD

Rotation
Lester
Buchholz
Becket
Lackey
Dice-K

Bullpen
?, ?, Doubront, Okajima, Bard, Papelbon,

[Celtics_Champs]

Fox Sports has us interested in Justin Upton.

Good to see we're looking at options if Crawford goes elsewhere.

[Dirty Water]

Welcome to Boston Taylor Buchholz!

Turns out he is related to Clay after all (distant cousins). Maybe they can get to know each other a bit better now. Seemed like he was pitching pretty good in Colorado before the injury. If he's healthy, it's a great pickup. If this was 1999 I'd be worried, but Tommy John surgery has improved so much over the last decade and some of these guys who come back from the surgery are just as good as their former selves.

[sunshinekids99]

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


LF- Carl Crawford
2B- Dustin Pedroia
1B- Adrian Gonzalez
3B- Kevin Youkilis
DH- David Ortiz
RF- JD Drew
CF- Ryan Kahlish/Mike Cameron
C- Jarrod Saltalamacchia
SS- Marco Scutaro

Bench
C- Jason Varitek
IF- Jed Lowrie
OF- Kahlish/Cameron
OF- Darnell McDonald

Starters
Jon Lester
Clay Buccholz
John Lackey
Josh Beckett
Diasuke Matsuzaka

Pen
Jonathan Papelbon
Daniel Bard
Jon Rauch
Hideki Okajima
Andrew Miller
Scott Atchinson
Tim Wakefield

[Dirty Water]

I'd only make that trade if Gonzalez were willing to sign an extension

[sunshinekids99]

Oh I agree. If the Sox can get Gonzalez he has to agree to sign long term.

[Celtics_Champs]

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/r ... se_to.html

Victor signs with the tigers.

F**K!

I didn't make many thoughts on what I wanted or thought the sox would do, mainly because I'm always wrong. But I really wanted them to re-sign victor. Ya have to sign beltre now, or get moving fast, if we lose both of them, that's gonna suck big time.

It's your time to shine, Salty.

[greenbeans]

This is a joke. Theo better have some magical rabbit ready to pull out of somewhere

[Dirty Water]

Victor is a type A free agent, meaning we get the Tigers first round draft pick PLUS the sandwich pick. Kinda like that... but does this mean Salty/Tek '11? Eh...

If Theo doesn't go out and get a bat this team will be a joke. At this point might as well let Beltre go, move Youk to third and go out and sign Crawford and trade for Gonzalez. Anything less than that is an offseason failure.