The Red Sox Thread

[Yanksfanintoronto]

He probably regrets not being traded to a contender. And then to sign that long term deal? Does he not have advisers?

Advisers? I highly doubt he even knew that Jed Hoyer previously worked for this non contending team. I wonder if this 'God' dude that he constantly mentioned after the final game had something to do with this fleecing. Either way he's stuck with Fried Chicken/Clam Chowder/Sam Adams

[nnysiny]

classic Boras-pumping by Heyman:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/11/olney-on.html
per Olney:

• To date there have been no talks between the Red Sox and Carlos Beltran. SI's Jon Heyman reported their interest yesterday.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

I see no reason for us to sign Carlos Beltran given his age, injury history, and probable price tag when Josh Willingham is still available and probably for ................ing peanuts. I'm going to be very angry if they don't make a run at Willingham.

[awy]

for a second there i thought you were talking about the yankees

[ieddyi]

I see no reason for us to sign Carlos Beltran given his age, injury history, and probable price tag when Josh Willingham is still available and probably for ................ing peanuts. I'm going to be very angry if they don't make a run at Willingham.

Yanks fans endorse his playing RF ( Beltran that is )

[Bronson'sCornrows]

Yanks fans endorse his playing RF ( Beltran that is )

Well, if the FO is stupid enough to waste valuable resources chasing Beltran instead paying less than half of that on Willingham or Cuddyer, hopefully they new manager will be smart enough to move Crawford to right and play Beltran in left. Honestly, I had always assumed Crawford playing left was only a temporary thing and that he would eventually be moved to right so we could replace Drew with a cheap, good bat/mediocre glove type OF (or possibly even to give us flexibility if we needed/wanted to trade Ellsbury at some point). It just never made any sense to me to waste Carl's range in a 3/4 sized LF and I just had to assume that someone in the FO was thinking along those lines. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

I'm actually pretty excited about how great just a few, relatively low key type moves could completely solidify the core that's already put together. The thing that worries me is that, in lieu of those smarter, shrewder moves, they are simply going to dump a bunch of money in a big, shiny name (i.e. Crawford last year) to a. drum up interest and b. assure fans that the FO is, in fact, stable and trustworthy again.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Well, if the FO is stupid enough to waste valuable resources chasing Beltran instead paying less than half of that on Willingham or Cuddyer, hopefully they new manager will be smart enough to move Crawford to right and play Beltran in left. Honestly, I had always assumed Crawford playing left was only a temporary thing and that he would eventually be moved to right so we could replace Drew with a cheap, good bat/mediocre glove type OF (or possibly even to give us flexibility if we needed/wanted to trade Ellsbury at some point). It just never made any sense to me to waste Carl's range in a 3/4 sized LF and I just had to assume that someone in the FO was thinking along those lines. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

I'm actually pretty excited about how great just a few, relatively low key type moves could completely solidify the core that's already put together. The thing that worries me is that, in lieu of those smarter, shrewder moves, they are simply going to dump a bunch of money in a big, shiny name (i.e. Crawford last year) to a. drum up interest and b. assure fans that the FO is, in fact, stable and trustworthy again.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

This is exactly the direction I'm hoping Lucchino tries to move the team in. The problem is, I'm not sure there's enough money there for him to really get himself in trouble.

[nhyankeefan]

This is exactly the direction I'm hoping Lucchino tries to move the team in. The problem is, I'm not sure there's enough money there for him to really get himself in trouble.

Depends on how serious they are about re-signing Papelbon and Ortiz. If both of them leave they'll have an extra $25M to play with.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Depends on how serious they are about re-signing Papelbon and Ortiz. If both of them leave they'll have an extra $25M to play with.

Yeah, but after Bard's issues last year, it's hard to imagine them either not resigning Papelbon or bringing in another established closer. I'd much prefer they save their money for another Crawford-type contract, but it's hard to see that happening.

[ieddyi]

Well, if the FO is stupid enough to waste valuable resources chasing Beltran instead paying less than half of that on Willingham or Cuddyer, hopefully they new manager will be smart enough to move Crawford to right and play Beltran in left. Honestly, I had always assumed Crawford playing left was only a temporary thing and that he would eventually be moved to right so we could replace Drew with a cheap, good bat/mediocre glove type OF (or possibly even to give us flexibility if we needed/wanted to trade Ellsbury at some point). It just never made any sense to me to waste Carl's range in a 3/4 sized LF and I just had to assume that someone in the FO was thinking along those lines. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

I'm actually pretty excited about how great just a few, relatively low key type moves could completely solidify the core that's already put together. The thing that worries me is that, in lieu of those smarter, shrewder moves, they are simply going to dump a bunch of money in a big, shiny name (i.e. Crawford last year) to a. drum up interest and b. assure fans that the FO is, in fact, stable and trustworthy again.

I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Does Crawford really have the arm to play RF in Fenway. My recollection is that he has an Ellsbury/Damon type arm and with all that room in RF there'll be a lot more 1st to 3rd happening. As easy as LF is, RF is correspondingly hard

[Bronson'sCornrows]

Depends on how serious they are about re-signing Papelbon and Ortiz. If both of them leave they'll have an extra $25M to play with.

This. If they don't pick either up, they'll have around $35M to play with this offseason. That's definitely enough money to get into trouble.

Personally, I'd rather they try to re-sign Ortiz as the market for DHs isn't likely to be very good and he'll probably be relatively cheap as a result. If not, I'd like to see them make a run at Aramis and DH Youk (which has it's own benefits).

Bard's trouble's this year weren't any worse than those typically experienced by closers (including Papelbon), so despite the fact that they came at a really, really, bad time, I'm comfortable handing him the reigns as long as we can pick up a little insurance. There are some real good bullpen arms out there right now, too.

Does Crawford really have the arm to play RF in Fenway. My recollection is that he has an Ellsbury/Damon type arm and with all that room in RF there'll be a lot more 1st to 3rd happening. As easy as LF is, RF is correspondingly hard

Crawford has a much better arm than Ellsbury/Damon, but it's still probably a little below average for right. I still think moving him to right is the way to go, though.

[pleasepassthesoup]

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/...ing-pain-today
From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today

Before Jerry Sandusky -- before he allegedly used the Penn State football complex to commit sex crimes with young boys and before the university spent more than a decade covering up his sins and before the grand-jury report revealed the appalling details of his abuse and before the campus rioted over legendary coach Joe Paterno losing his job amid it all -- there was Donald Fitzpatrick, the longtime Red Sox clubhouse manager who lured Ogletree and at least a dozen other young, African-American boys into two decades of systemic sexual abuse.

Not only has a serial child molester infiltrated sports before, he did so with one of baseball's most storied franchises. Should the allegations against Sandusky prove true, the two cases are strikingly similar. Both men seduced their victims with the lure of big-time athletics. Both bribed them with equipment and other swag. Both enjoyed watching boys shower. Both fondled their victims and engaged in oral sex. Both committed crimes in plain view and, despite getting caught, were swaddled by a power structure that buried the truth to protect those highest up in the organization. Both used threats and mind games to silence their prey for decades. And both ended up being exposed as predators far too late, after they had laid waste to innocent lives.

...

One victim, according to a complaint filed by his lawyer two decades later, told Red Sox home clubhouse manager Vince Orlando that Fitzpatrick had abused him for the previous three seasons. Orlando fired the boy. Two sources, who asked not to be identified, said a Red Sox player caught Fitzpatrick sodomizing a boy in the shower, much like then-Penn State graduate assistant Mike McQueary did Sandusky. The player reported the incident to the team but not police. Fitzpatrick kept his job anyway.

And so the monster who tormented boys as young as 4 continued to parade them to his locations of choice: the private room at Chain of Lakes, the Holiday Inn, his Boston-area condo, even Fenway.

[Jersey Yankee]

Who closes in 2012?

[SatchelPaigeYankee]

From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today

.sigh

[ArodEra]

Who closes in 2012?

In Papelbon, the Sox had an elite closer who proved he can handle closing games in Boston, in the AL East, against rivals like the Yanks and all the other pressures that go with it............and succeed.

It's not going to be so easy replacing him, regardless of what the next closer's lifetime numbers might look like.

[teknetic]

Any way Cherrington/Theo/Lapdog can brainstorm and put together a deal that involves the Sox getting Marmol?

[ArodEra]

Any way Cherrington/Theo/Lapdog can brainstorm and put together a deal that involves the Sox getting Marmol?

Hoyer is, and forever will be on the Sox payroll, so why the hell not?

[Yankeeah]

Any way Cherrington/Theo/Lapdog can brainstorm and put together a deal that involves the Sox getting Marmol?

Watching Marmol melt in the AL East would be just awesome/. He is way too inconsistent.

[BeantownYankee]

I wouldn't be surprised if they sign Street to a two year cheap money contract and use him and Bard as closers (back to Bullpen by Committee)...

[Yankees1962]

I wouldn't be surprised if they sign Street to a two year cheap money contract and use him and Bard as closers (back to Bullpen by Committee)...

Street is under contract to the Rockies.

[b-ball-lunachick]

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/...ing-pain-today
From Another Era And Another Sport, A Sex Abuse Scandal Still Inflicting Pain Today

I didn't know about this scandal. there are definitely some parallels to the Penn State nightmare. I think the lawsuit being filed the day after 9/11 helped to divert some attention from the story. Sickening on the part of the former Red Sox ownership and everyone else who covered this up.

Any leaks on what player saw the abuse and reported it to the team but not the police?

[GeraldGarcia]

Another possible closer: Joel Hanrahan of the Pirates. WEEI is saying that the Pirates will entertain offers.

The Sox have bigger pen problems than who the closer is going to be, though.

Last year, the only good relievers were Papelbon, Aceves, Bard and at times Albers and Morales.

There's talk of making Aceves a starter and Paps is of course gone. So who's left in that pen? Bard, Morales, maybe Wake....who else?

I have no problem with Cherington letting Papelbon go for that coin and years. He's somewhat of an injury risk and that's just a lot of years. And while he was one of the best closers in the game last season, he did blow the last game, and it wasn't exactly a shock to see that happen. Think Game 3 versus the Angels, for example.

And I have no problem with Paps. He took the money and, ahem, he wants to pitch for a contender. (Yeah, Jon, the money had NOTHING to do with it!) All the power to him.

But the Sox need some good pen arms now.

Your move, Ben.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Another possible closer: Joel Hanrahan of the Pirates. WEEI is saying that the Pirates will entertain offers.

The Sox have bigger pen problems than who the closer is going to be, though.

Last year, the only good relievers were Papelbon, Aceves, Bard and at times Albers and Morales.

There's talk of making Aceves a starter and Paps is of course gone. So who's left in that pen? Bard, Morales, maybe Wake....who else?

I have no problem with Cherington letting Papelbon go for that coin and years. He's somewhat of an injury risk and that's just a lot of years. And while he was one of the best closers in the game last season, he did blow the last game, and it wasn't exactly a shock to see that happen. Think Game 3 versus the Angels, for example.

And I have no problem with Paps. He took the money and, ahem, he wants to pitch for a contender. (Yeah, Jon, the money had NOTHING to do with it!) All the power to him.

But the Sox need some good pen arms now.

Your move, Ben.

You still have Bobby Jenks for another year at $6 million

[GeraldGarcia]

You still have Bobby Jenks for another year at $6 million

That assumes he's healthy or the Sox don't just eat the contract and DFA him at some point.

In any event, I don't see Jenks as the solution to the Sox BP needs of any kind.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

That assumes he's healthy or the Sox don't just eat the contract and DFA him at some point.

In any event, I don't see Jenks as the solution to the Sox BP needs of any kind.

I doubt they DFA him unless he pitches and isn't effective. That said, I really was just responding to your question about who else is around. I do appreciate that contract, though, whether he pitches or not.