The Red Sox Thread

[goin for 27]

Boston is pretty much a lock to miss the playoffs next year. Ellsbury's 2011 was fairly flukey; he isn't nearly as bad as he was this year, but the chances of him repeating 2011 are slim. The lineup is headlined by Pedroia, which is pretty bad (he's pretty damn good, but there's about 25-30 other guys I'd take ahead of him). The pitching is probably just as awful.

I have no idea how they will do, but the lineup is still headlined by Ortiz, IMO. If he did not get injured, he was tracking for a monstrous year, and over the last three seasons, he has dominated that lineup.

[teknetic]

I have no idea how they will do, but the lineup is still headlined by Ortiz, IMO. If he did not get injured, he was tracking for a monstrous year, and over the last three seasons, he has dominated that lineup.

I actually forgot about the guy. But yea, him too, I guess.

[ArodEra]

Ortiz addressing and denying Valentine's claim that he shut it down.

Now, really, who's going to believe a known liar and cheat like Ortiz?

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/...obby-valentine

[1970cs]

Ortiz addressing and denying Valentine's claim that he shut it down.

Now, really, who's going to believe a known liar and cheat like Ortiz?

http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/...obby-valentine

It's this Ortiz quote that will heal a lot of wounds from a terrible season

“No. 3, after he went on national TV to say what he said, he sent me a text message trying to tell me that it was the media trying to change things. I did not respond to the message and I said to myself, this guy must have some mental issues or needs medicine or something? I said, I am dealing with someone crazy and I am not going to drive myself crazy, so it is better if I leave it alone.”

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...u5O/story.html

[b-ball-lunachick]

It's this Ortiz quote that will heal a lot of wounds from a terrible season


http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...u5O/story.html

that was a great quote. bobby being bobby means "the media misconstrued what i said"..i think he does have a mental issue AND he's a DB..bad combo...

then there was this quote:

I am a player that has the game in his blood," he said. "In the 10 years that I have (been) in Boston, I have been the soul of the organization and there has never been a second where David Ortiz being able to go on the field and do what he does has decided to stay seated."

pretty forward to call yourself the "soul of the organization"..added to the speaking in the third person and this quote is a classic too. i didn't have a problem with Ortiz not playing even if he could but he's still a DB too just for different reasons.

[yanksphan]

Interesting that Ortiz' first instinct (for Valentine's shortcomings) is to take drugs....I'd expect nothing less.


I may have missed it, but did he find the guy who gave him those bunk milkshakes?

[35Knucklecurve]

that was a great quote. bobby being bobby means "the media misconstrued what i said"..i think he does have a mental issue AND he's a DB..bad combo...

then there was this quote:



pretty forward to call yourself the "soul of the organization"..added to the speaking in the third person and this quote is a classic too. i didn't have a problem with Ortiz not playing even if he could but he's still a DB too just for different reasons.

Yeah, for a big guy he's pretty flexible to be able to pat himself on the back. It's a pretty sad commentary when you have to chose between a guy who constantly says giddyup to his mouth before the horse's been saddled and a guy who thinks we're supposed to believe that Dairy Queen spiked his Blizzard.

[TommyK8]

On Rebuilding the Red Sox: Here is my plan, which would put a competitive team on the field in 2013, without hamstringing the organization for years to come. This is not wish list thinking and it is a completely realistic scenario.

Left field: Sign Melky Cabrera and Jason Bay. Cabrera can probably be had on a one-year contract to re-establish himself after the PED suspension from last year. Bay is probably a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
Right field: Sign Torii Hunter, 2 years, $19 million, plus incentives.
First Base: Sign Kevin Youkilis to a 1 year, $8 million contract plus incentives (I know, but he's the best option in the free agent market).
Starting pitching staff: Sign Dan Haren to a reasonable contract.

Lineup:

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Middlebrooks 3B
Hunter RF
Youkilis 1B
Saltalamacchia C
Cabrera LF
Iglesias SS

Lester SP
Buccholz SP
Haren SP
Lackey SP
Doubront SP

No, I don't think it's a great team, but it puts an improved team out there without compromising payroll flexibility long term, while allowing the prospects more time in development. I also think the AL East is the weakest it's been since the early 1990's.

[Yankee Tripper]

I also think the AL East is the weakest it's been since the early 1990's.

Just because the Red Sox sucked last year doesn't mean the East is weak.

They had 3 teams win 90 games. And while toronto fell off the cliff after their rotaion was decimated by injuries and their 2 best bats missed considerable time, they should be improved next year.

In addition the Red Sox will spend at least some coin to be respectable.

So all in all I don't think the east is that weak.

[Mr Coffee]

I think Tommy is just back to tout his fuel mileage.

[Mark19]

Two problems with your proposal - Dan Haren is now a free agent, he has publicly expressed an interest to pitch on the west coast. Don't see him going 3,000 miles out of his comfort zone to pitch where he likely won't rebuild his value or experience postseason baseball.

Also, Hunter, while he can't rule anyone out because it will hurt his bargaining power, I think it is safe to say that money being equal, he'd rather not play there.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_r...-fenway-taunts

The only way Boston brings in premium free agents is through dramatic overpay.

[TommyK8]

I think Tommy is just back to tout his fuel mileage.

It's pretty good fuel economy, Mr. Coffee, but the reason I put that in my signature is because I am a bleeding heart liberal, eager to reduce American dependence on foreign oil while making the planet healthier.

[TommyK8]

Two problems with your proposal - Dan Haren is now a free agent, he has publicly expressed an interest to pitch on the west coast. Don't see him going 3,000 miles out of his comfort zone to pitch where he likely won't rebuild his value or experience postseason baseball.

Also, Hunter, while he can't rule anyone out because it will hurt his bargaining power, I think it is safe to say that money being equal, he'd rather not play there.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_r...-fenway-taunts

The only way Boston brings in premium free agents is through dramatic overpay.

Ortiz already told the media that he thinks he can deliver Torii Hunter if the Red Sox want to bring him in. Who knows?

The reason I say the AL East is the weakest it's been since the early 90's is frankly, I don't see the Yankees getting better next year, the Red Sox are not great, I don't think the Orioles are going to repeat all the magic they had, I don't see Tampa or Toronto getting better.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Two problems with your proposal - Dan Haren is now a free agent, he has publicly expressed an interest to pitch on the west coast. Don't see him going 3,000 miles out of his comfort zone to pitch where he likely won't rebuild his value or experience postseason baseball.

Also, Hunter, while he can't rule anyone out because it will hurt his bargaining power, I think it is safe to say that money being equal, he'd rather not play there.

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_r...-fenway-taunts

The only way Boston brings in premium free agents is through dramatic overpay.

I also see the chance of Youkilis returning hovering around 0%

[Mr Coffee]

It's pretty good fuel economy, Mr. Coffee, but the reason I put that in my signature is because I am a bleeding heart liberal, eager to reduce American dependence on foreign oil while making the planet healthier.

That's a pretty good answer, Tommy, but the reason I put that post in the thread is because I am a wise ass, eager to make a joke while hoping to make the thread marginally amusing.

[Mr Coffee]

Ortiz already told the media that he thinks he can deliver Torii Hunter if the Red Sox want to bring him in.

Ortiz says a lot of things.

[ieddyi]

"Red Sox owner John Henry’s investment firm to shut down
Matthew Pouliot Nov 9, 2012, 6:09 PM EST
16 Comments

AP
The asset management firm that helped one of the Red Sox’s principal owners to amass his fortune is no more. John W. Henry & Company will shut down at year’s end, the company announced Friday.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Henry’s company managed more than $2.5 billion in 2006, but today oversees less than $100 million. Not all that money was necessarily lost, but it seems safe to suggest that Henry hadn’t been attracting new investors since taking a big hit in the market downturn.

The news figures to touch off a new round of “will the Red Sox be sold” stories, but the fact is that Henry’s company has been weak for four or five years now and shuttering it probably won’t affect his fortunes much."

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...-to-shut-down/

Wonder what Bobby V thinks about this???

[ieddyi]

Ortiz already told the media that he thinks he can deliver Torii Hunter if the Red Sox want to bring him in. Who knows?

The reason I say the AL East is the weakest it's been since the early 90's is frankly, I don't see the Yankees getting better next year, the Red Sox are not great, I don't think the Orioles are going to repeat all the magic they had, I don't see Tampa or Toronto getting better.

Timmy,

How does " not getting any better " translate to "weakest it's been since the early 90's " ?

Was the division weak last year? No. While the O's might lose the magic they had this year, I think they won't be the doormat they've been for so long ( a role the sawx took over last year ) The Jays will improve just in the fact that they probably won't have the same number of injuries. Tampa will continue to challenge w/ the pitching they have- they'll always remain competitive.

Maintaining strength does not equal getting weaker

[Mark19]

So Boston signs David Ross to a 2-year deal. Means they must be giving up on Lavarnaway or trading Salty.

[eaganmafia]

So Boston signs David Ross to a 2-year deal. Means they must be giving up on Lavarnaway or trading Salty.

Platoon Salty and Ross...stash Lavarnaway at AAA.

[Mark19]

Platoon Salty and Ross...stash Lavarnaway at AAA.

Let him stagnate until he is 28? My bet is he goes for an arm.

[eaganmafia]

Let him stagnate until he is 28? My bet is he goes for an arm.

Well it's not like he's shown anything at the MLB level to deserve a spot on the 25. And I don't really see his value high enough to bring back anything special. He's better off being injury insurance at AAA.

[NerfBall55]

I also see the chance of Youkilis returning hovering around 0%

There was a reason they dumped him while they were still in their faux contention stage.

[WaltKowalski]

There was a reason they dumped him while they were still in their faux contention stage.

there were three reasons actually

1B Gonzalez
3B Middlebrooks
DH Ortiz

they weren't going to start Gonzalez in RF for 100 games.

[False1]

there were three reasons actually

1B Gonzalez
3B Middlebrooks
DH Ortiz

they weren't going to start Gonzalez in RF for 100 games.

True, but when Middlebrooks was called up Youkilis was hitting .219 / .292 / .344 and was having public spats with his manager (not that the latter was his fault necessarily). If he was still a 150 OPS+ guy, Middlebrooks is the guy they'd be looking to find ABs for.