Wel after a very disappointing ending to the 2009 play-offs the Red Sox have some questions that may or may not be answered. Who to keep and who to let go?
Jason Bay? Red Sox should keep him but it appears they are going to let him walk. Alex Gonzalez - Really should keep him and stop this revolving door at shortstop Jonathan Papelbon - Will he be used as trade Bait? Mike Lowell - Is he healthy enough?
Who to get?
Matt Holliday - If no Bay - Should they try for him? Adrian Gonzalez - First Base is going to be huge because Mike Lowell is not totally healthy Hanley Ramirez - Yes the sox would have to ship out the farm and Jon Lester, Daniel Bard, etc but would they try for him?
I forsee the Red Sox trading away Jaon Bay, Mike Lowell and possibly Alex Gonzalez. One: Bay is goos and the sox might not keep him for some unknown reason. Two: Lowell, is he healthy enough anymore? Could he get something back in return? Three: Gonzo - just because the Sox love to have us Red Sox fans pissed about not knowing who will or won't play shortstop.
I want Bay Back. No way Mike Lowell would get Roy Halladay. John Lackey is going to be a FA? The Red Sox will never make Jason Varitek retire. Wouldn't "doing whatever it takes" to get Gonzalez mean Bard, Lester and others?
Whatever they do . . they should go all in and make sure they have the capital or the chips to get whatever they want accomplished done. How much time and energy was wasted on Mark Teixeira and Roy Halladay and only to come up empty? Going after Joe Mauer is probably a waste of time as he's a Minnesota homeboy and they are moving to a new ballpark next season. Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez intrigue me . . both have reasonable deals I think but its going to take half the farm system to get either. Although if you believe the rumours, they offered half the farm system for Roy Halladay and failed. if they get Gonzalez, Lowell is tradeable but i'm not sure who would want him.
Way to much time. I said it from the beginning watch the Yankees come in and get Teixiera. I was right. The Blue Jays kind of screwed Halladay and other teams with the, he will be on the market, now he isn't, now he is til the 30th, now he is not again...
The Red Sox will re-sign Jason Bay. Bay likes Boston and the fans love Bay. It's a no brainer to sign him. The only person comparable to Jason Bay that will be a free agent is Matt Holiday. I don't believe Holiday will be in Beantown next year.
Kevin Youkilis needs to move to 3rd base full-time. Not because of poor performance, because they need to make room for Victor Martinez at 1st base. Victor should still catch a few games next season, however, the Red Sox need to go after a strong defensive catcher that has a more than adequate bat. The Red Sox continued to allow runners to reach second base as the season went on as well as during the three games in the playoffs. Both Jason Varitek and Victor Martinez are liabilities behind the dish.
I think the Red Sox should sign Tek to a minor league contract and perhaps he can develop some young catchers within the system. That is if Tek is willing to consider this as an option. He is a 40 to 50 game catcher at best. He has been a staple in Beantown, however, his days are numbered.
Who catches next season? As I mentioned above it should not be Martinez or Varitek. Are the Molina's done having children? If not, the Red Sox will take one!
Papelbon did exactly what I thought he would do in the Postseason. He has scared me to death all season allowing runners on base and getting knocked around. All this while getting 30+ saves this season. Truly, if you watched him pitch all season long, he was setting us up for the two-out collapse in the 9th yesterday. Should he stay or should he go? More than likely stay. That's the most he has been knocked around since he was called up by the Sox. But this may be the beginning of his collapse from baseball. The Red Sox should still consider some other options as the closer. Billy Wagner could easily do the job and probably could mentor Daniel Bard in the process. The way Daniel Bard pitched yesterday, he may have the guts and mental toughness to do the job. He truly had nerves of steel yesterday and maybe, just maybe, he could have closed us out in the 9th. We'll never know.
Who's our shortstop? Alex Gonzalez did an excellent job finishing the season at short. I think the Red Sox feel Jed Lowrie is our shortstop, but they still need to convince a lot of people. Obviously, injuries have plagued the young man for the past two seasons, however, he just doesn't look like he'll be able to get the job done over there. We will either need to re-sign Gonzalez or maybe Orlando Cabrera may be available again?
Wakefield did an excellent job for the Sox in the first half and made decent starts considering his injury. The Red Sox will need to evaluate how his off-season surgery progresses and see if he is worth signing again. He has been a solid competitor for many years in a Sox uniform.
Lester, Beckett, Bucholz, Matzusaka? Could that be our starting rotation next Season? It really can't get much better than that. Wakefield as our possible 5th starter. Could we be lucky and get Roy Halladay? Maybe John Lackey? That potentially could be a killer starting five if we were able to sign either Lackey or Halladay.
If we are able to maintain the arms currently in the pen, we should have another solid bullpen next year.
What about David Ortiz? Big Papi put up good numbers from June to September, but it is still hard to overlook the .230 batting average. He drove in the runs and had enough home runs to make his season respectable, but we still need a higher average out of our Designated Hitter than that. The title is "Designated Hitter" because they can hit. You have to be able to count on your DH more than 23 times out of 100.
All in all, the season went exactly how I thought it would. This team appeared way too much like the 2005 team, they made me sick all year. 95 wins is a very respectable year. Before the 2004 & 2007 you expected this from the Red Sox. This year I fully expected it as well. Only this time, I didn't have the high hopes that usually goes with it.
Who would the Red Sox goo after for catcher Auge? Not many catcher out there who are available OR offensively/defensively worthy.
I do not think Tim Wakefield will be pitching in 2010. I think his health is too much of a factor right now. Sad to say but I do not think he should be in the starting rotation for the sox.
I think the Red Sox feel Jed Lowrie is our shortstop, but they still need to convince a lot of people. Obviously, injuries have plagued the young man for the past two seasons, however, he just doesn't look like he'll be able to get the job done over there. We will either need to re-sign Gonzalez or maybe Orlando Cabrera may be available again?
Yeah, it is pretty clear that at least either Tito or Theo is high on Lowrie saying that he will be there shortstop. But Alex Gonzalez should remain the sox ss. I do not think they will go back after Cabrera either. I don't see them getting him after they had already just shipped him off.
It's possible Yorvit Torrealba could be in a Red Sox uniform next year. He had respectable numbers at the plate and is solid on defense. We'll see how his mutual option with Rockies goes this off-season.
BOSTON -- After cleaning out his locker on Monday, Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay was filmed by several television cameras as he walked out of the clubhouse for the final time in 2009.
The question is whether Bay will walk back in that same door for Opening Day of next season. The star run producer is eligible for free agency, and with the Red Sox now out of the postseason, Bay will start mulling his future.
Boston general manager Theo Epstein made it clear on Monday that the team would like to have Bay patrolling left field and occupying a high-impact spot in the middle of the batting order for next season and beyond.
"We've had a lot of discussion with this representative through the course of the last nine months, and most of it has been under the radar screen and underreported even after the fact, so we'll just continue that and try our best to work something out confidentially," Epstein said. "He's a pro and we have a lot of respect for him and what's he's done since we acquired him. You couldn't have asked more from him since the day he put on a Red Sox uniform, and that's a good thing too, since we traded a pretty good player for him. We want the relationship to continue, so we'll see if it does."
"I think ultimately it just boils down to the fact that I've gotten to this point and I'd be doing myself a disservice if I didn't look around," said Bay. "But at the same time, I've said it all along -- I'm a pretty level-headed guy. If something comes along that makes sense [with the Red Sox], I'd have a tough time saying no."
The Red Sox have exclusive negotiating rights with Bay until 15 days after the World Series. However, it is rare for a free agent not to at least explore the market
It's possible Yorvit Torrealba could be in a Red Sox uniform next year. He had respectable numbers at the plate and is solid on defense. We'll see how his mutual option with Rockies goes this off-season.
BoSox pitching OK? Who else is out there to get? Johan Santana has not exactly been happy in Metland... Who is coming up in the Boston farm teams? That is how the Twins build their team - without the big P/R. Papi is getting older ... keeping Bay s/b a priority.
Jason Bay - resign How about signing Holliday too - move Youk to 3rd, see if one of your OF can play some 1st (its not a hard position to learn (Drew maybe?) start platooning Dh for Papi he is sadly on the decline Trade Lowell for whatever will miss him but the guy but he is hurting sign Agon let him and Lowrie battle for SS Let Rocco go (no help) Vmart catches, tek can stay as backup unless they can find good arm for Defensive purposes Wakefield should retire Trade Delcarmen Sign Wagner to short term maybe 2 year deal, need the lefty to help Oki Paps need to work on mixing his pitches up, guys are looking for fastball right away and swinging 1st pitch
You're wasting your time thinking about either Hanley Ramirez or Joe Mauer as both Franchises are moving into new stadiums next season and want their franchise players around for that. Adrian Gonzalez and Prince Fielder are possibilites but that's about it as far as power hitting first baseman, and Holliday is going to stay in the National League after that debacle in Oakland. The Yankees will not be making a run at Holliday either for that exact reason. Roy Halladay is a possibilty again for the Sox, but only if they sell the farm and I don't see them going that route at this point. That is not why they lost against the Angels.
The Papelbon question is intriguing, but I also think much like many of you have said, closers... true one's anyway, do not grow on tree's. Why fix what ain't broke? He blew one game....one BIG game, but one game none the less. The only way they would move him in my opinion is if they feel like they have to in order to get a big time starter or big time power bat. Being that Milwaukee has just resigned Trevor Hoffman I don't see them being intrigued by the offer for another closer, which makes you believe that maybe a deal involving Papelbon going to San Diego and someone like Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell coming back is possible, San Diego would then move Papelbon immediately to Atlanta/St. Louis/Chicago Cubs for youngsters. Just my opinion. I am a Yankee fan, but I can't turn down the opportunity to talk baseball speculation!
The Red Sox would love to keep Jason Bay but Jason's home is on the West Coast. The Giants are looking to sign him and we all know for sure Bay will be testing the market for the best price and situation. I'd say if he wants a championship ring he'll either sign with Boston or head to the Dodgers. I really don't see the Dodgers re-signing Manny Rameriz.
Billy Wagner made it perfectly clear he is not looking for any extension with the red Sox and may even retire.
Jonathan Papelbon wants to stay with the Red Sox and I'm sure they will keep him.
I'd rather see the Red Sox go after Joe Maurer and give it up then. The Twins seem to have a good repore with the Sox when it comes to trades.
Speaking of catchers, I don't see the Sox going after Jason Varitek. Tek has a one year $3 million option he can use if he wants to stay another year. If there was an interest for re-signing, I'm sure you would have seen him in the Angels series.
Victor Martinez proved to be a strong asset to the Sox. I expect they will re-sign him and I feel he wants to stay in Boston.
David Ortiz, and Mike Lowell still have one year left on their contracts and I'm sure the Sox will not trade away Ortiz because of the numbers he put up after June. From a personal note; I'd like to see him go.
Jeb Lowrie, needs to go. I don't know what his contract commitment is.
Alex Gonzalez will be gone. He can play defense but can't hit.
If Boston wants the players it's either free agent signing (which they do not like to do) or major trades. Epstein has come up on top on most trades, but one things for sure they need middle relieve pitchers badly.
I do not see the Red Sox getting rid of Jed Lowrie. Theo seems (or someone in the sox organization) likes him. I am not sure the Red Sox will think Daniel Bard being expendable either. They might be grooming him to take over for Jonathan Papelbon. I also think Hideki Okajima will stay and Taskashi Saito and Ramon Ramirez might be traded.
I only see Tim Wakefield staying around do to the "Thank you for all you have done for the team" factor.
Jason Bay- I think he stays. Like others have said Holliday is not going to come back to the AL, and Carl Crawford are the two best guys on the market, but I also don't see us getting Crawford. Overall Bay likes it in Boston, and Boston loves him, so he stays. Alex Gonzalez- He stays too. He was great for the team this year, and we need insurence if we start Lowrie next season. Johnathen Papelpon- He won't be traded. I wouldn't be surprised if he got an extension, but his future will depend on how Bard looks next year, and how he looks. Mike Lowell- He won't return. He is just to injury prone to depend on Jason Varitex- He will retire. I don't think the Red Sox offer him a contract, and he will end up retiring as a result.
I believe that we pick up one of three guys for next season, Lackey, Fielder, or Gonzalez. Out of that group, I believe that we will trade for Gonzalez. He gives us that power bat that is also a decent hitter, and if he puts up big numbers in Petco, he can defenitly do that in Fenway.
