Even if Boston misses the playoffs I think it's been a pretty successful year for them. They've established two top level starters and still have a fairly young core of hitters going forward. They've also got some money coming off the books for next year and can go for one of the big first basemen out there in the offseason.
I don't think they'll do that though. Even though they haven't gotten sentimental when it comes to letting guys go in the recent past I think they'll do it with Ortiz, whether it's picking up his option or signing him to something else. I think they'll probably end up keeping V-mart, signing Beltre again to play third, rather than moving Youkilis there and next year's team will look a lot like this one was planned too. Really the only money I see coming off the books is Mike Lowell.
Yeah, I'll think they'll probably retain Ortiz. I was thinking they'd let Lowell and possibly Beltre go and then go after Gonzalez. Plus Papelbon will be gone, right?
Lowell already said he's going to retire so that saves 12 million. I really don't think they want to move Youk to 3rd base any more for the long haul unless they're getting a game changer back and I don't see them ponying up the prospects for Gonzalez unless San Diego would take Ellsbury as the center piece to a deal. Papelbon still has 1 year of arbitration left so he'll still be there and should make ~12 mil.
In the end I think next year's team will look very similar the rotation is all signed so is the entire OF and 3/4 of the infield. The middle relief guys will be swapped out and some of the backups will change but that's about it imo.
I was thinking they'd deal Papelbon away and give Bard the job. What you're saying makes sense though.
Earlier I was hoping this would be the course they'd take but I'd actually like to see them keep Papelbon in the closer role and keep Bard for all the important 7th/8th inning situations. He's really comfortable in all the high leverage situations he's been in and even though Papelbon isn't what he once was I think there better off in this scenario. Not to mention I don't think they'd get much on the trade market for an expensive hot-headed reliever on a 1 year deal looking to cash out the next winter.
Not sure I'd mess with the Sox bullpen at all. If anything, the rotationd could use a little tweak (find someone to pitch in Beckett's place until the postseason) and with a healthy Ellsbury and Pedroia...it's a solid team. Just an unlucky season, imo.
The Red Sox bullpen is extremely weak outside of Bard and Papelbon. The whole thing needs re-done, Okajima is cooked and Delcarmen is worthless.
eh I was just kind of speaking of Papelbon and Bard, my bad. As even the Pirates have demonstrated, a bullpen can be revamped within an offseason, especially with Paps and Bard already there. I wouldn't worry too much about the pen, if I was a Sox fan. If you trust Epstein, that is. They have a very solid team, if they avoid the injury bug next season.
The Red Sox bullpen is extremely weak outside of Bard and Papelbon. The whole thing needs re-done, Okajima is cooked and Delcarmen is worthless.
eh I was just kind of speaking of Papelbon and Bard, my bad. As even the Pirates have demonstrated, a bullpen can be revamped within an offseason, especially with Paps and Bard already there. I wouldn't worry too much about the pen, if I was a Sox fan. If you trust Epstein, that is. They have a very solid team, if they avoid the injury bug next season.
Yeah, it's certainly passable but could get better in the 6th/7th inning areas.
I can't really complain too much about it this year even though they have blown a handful of incredibly winnable games, they aren't going anywhere because of all the injuries.
Is it just me or has the umpiring been especially awful this year? I mean I usually pass that off as "People always think its worse than the year before", but this year there have been an alarming number of horrible, horrible calls.
Wonder how far through the ranks Manny will fall on waivers, NL clubs have the first crack at him. I wonder if a team like San Diego takes a crack to try and get a big bat for the playoffs or some other close team tries to take him on. If he makes it to the AL I'd imagine the Chisox claim him as a last ditch effort. I'd imagine Boston throws a claim in solely to prevent him from making it to the Rays or Yankees should it get to that point.
Actually, pitchers generally recover well from this. It's just a long process. But some can throw harder than before the surgery.
I don't know, each person is different so time will tell. That being said, I'm a firm believer in karma, and I won't say a joke about this because of the pitchers the Pirates just drafted.
Buster Olney was saying this morning that this looked like a real possibility because of the tests the Nationals ordered for him.
I wouldn't worry too much about it, shoulder issues are much worse than elbow problems for pitchers. Prior suffered more from shoulder problems than elbow issues.
The main problem is all the development time he misses. Now by the time he comes back he could've had nearly 2 years of MLB experience had he remained healthy. I think his velocity and stuff should be just fine when he's able to return.
