The Official 2012 Major League Baseball Thread

[lgna69xxx]

Ellsbury CF will he ever be the same guy as last year?

Pedroia 2b not a Pedroia type year, should bounce back

Middlebrooks 3b can he stay healthy for 162?

Ortiz DH A year older, will the PED's abuse years ago continue to send him to the DL more ofton. Also is a free agent and will command a raise, is it worth it to give an old big papi more than he is making this season?

Swisher 1b Is this the same Swisher whom Rump4skin chirped was not a everyday player? (no way Cashman lets the heart and soul of the Yanks go, give your head a shake man)

Ross RF who?

Lavarnway C who?

LF TBD who?, hey, Brad Hawpe is available

Iglesias SS Enrique's baby brother plays baseball :noidea: maybe you can be his "Hero, baby"


Why no Josh Hamilton, Rumple4skins? Oh, and about R.A. Dickey, sorry Charlie but the Mets have a cheap 5mil club option that they will exercise no doubt. Hey, Freddie G is a free agent after this season and if the Yanks dont re sign him for long relief/spot starter in case of injuries, it would not shock me if he is a red sox starter come april, likely your #2 or 3.

With not that great of a free agent crop this coming offseason, after clubs pick up their optioned players contracts, sox fans will have to humble themselves for another few seasons unless that great "depth" that you have in the minors can help. :lol:

Here is a more realistic look at next years red sox lineup:

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Inge 3B (after Middlebrooks hits the DL)
Damon DH
Jason Giambi 1B
Tori Hunter RF (you heard it here first)
Matt Treanor C so Misty-mae can play in the BBVL (boston beach volleyball league) all summer
LF still TBD night before opening day, my money is on Hawpe!
Omar Vizquel SS the ageless wonder will live out a boyhood dream of being a red sox and bat .323 over 145 games played and win aother gold glove

Starting 5:

Buckholz
Lester
Garcia
Felix D
Derek Lowe

record, 62-100...... look at it this way, you may get the #1 overall pick in 2014. Enjoy the next couple years boyz.

So here's how I see the Sox lineup next year...one that will have no trouble scoring runs.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2b
Middlebrooks 3b
Ortiz DH
Swisher 1b
Ross RF
Lavarnway C
LF to be determined
Iglesias SS

 

[Joe.t]

Beav, the Sox have some pretty good pitching at the top. You start with Buchholz and Lester. Remember, when he was healthy, John Lackey was a pretty good pitcher. Doubront is a 24 y/o lefty and maturing quite nicely. Connecticut Matt Barnes is a top prospect. The Sox also have about $80 M they can spend this winter and still stay under the luxury threshold.

Absolutely fucking hilarious!!!, you just made me forget about my bad date rumples, thank you so much pal of mine, please keep posting, I have a Doctor's note asking that you keep posting in the baseball thread(good for my health), I can show it to you if you want.:smile:

 

[lgna69xxx]

And he says I dont know what i'm talking about , geessshhh (LOL) First me, then Doc and now you spilled your guts after reading about the r-soxs having good pitching and lackey was pretty good lol..... I would take a bet that even Merlot and Sk would agree with us on THIS one. Oy Vey Rumpleforeskin........

 

[lgna69xxx]

The Great Alfredo Aceves Suspended

Multiple sources inside Fenway Park told WEEI.com that Alfredo Aceves tore off his jersey while making his way from the bullpen back to the clubhouse in the moments after Boston's 4-3 win over the Royals Friday night. The game was saved by Andrew Bailey one night after Aceves allowed six hits and five runs and blew his third save in five chances.

After Aceves dressed in the clubhouse, he stormed into the office of manager Bobby Valentine and slammed the door behind him.

Another source told WEEI.com that he requested a meeting with Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington and was denied at a time when Cherington was working to finalize the blockbuster trade sending Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to the Dodgers.

On Saturday, Aceves was suspended for "conduct detrimental to the team" and was unavailable on a night the Red Sox were forced to use all seven relievers in the bullpen and lost, 10-9, to the Royals at Fenway Park.

Valentine acknowledged that Aceves' suspension "might have had something to do with" his reaction to being bypassed for the save opportunity in favor of Bailey.

"I'm a little disappointed," Valentine added. "You've just got to know the difference between right and wrong. That's all we ask."

Asked whether the incident might affect Aceves' role with the team going forward, Valentine shrugged, "We're taking it day by day."

http://www.kget.com/sports/mlb/story/Aceves-ticked-off-suspended/rThDHOkZ7EWq2XWE1FBgeA.cspx

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Fenway Chronicles: Red Sox suspend Alfredo Aceves for conduct detrimental to the team

by Mark Townsend

The Boston Red Sox are having quite the weekend (and season), aren't they?

After finalizing their stunning blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon, the Red Sox turned right around and announced that right-handed reliever Alfredo Aceves, who has served as their closer since the beginning of the season, has been suspended three games for "conduct detrimental to the team."

It appears the incident that led to the suspension occurred after the Red Sox 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. With Boston holding that tight one run lead in the ninth, manager Bobby Valentine elected to use the man the team had planned on having at closer this, Andrew Bailey, for a four-out save attempt. Bailey would answer that call to earn his first save of the season.

According to Tim Britton of the Providence Journal, the unannounced plan to give that opportunity to Bailey didn't sit well with Aceves, which led to a scene in the manager's office.

Aceves was visibly angry in the clubhouse after Friday night's win, which was closed out by Andrew Bailey. Aceves slammed the door on his way in and out of manager Bobby Valentine's office after the game.

Having fun yet, Mr. Valentine?

Of course Aceves' outburst is just the latest case of Red Sox players outwardly disagreeing with the managerial stylings of Bobby V. Though I would agree he doesn't owe his players an explanation for every decision he makes, I would think it would have been in his best interests to better communicate to Aceves that a save opportunity wouldn't be coming his way on Friday night. Especially in light of some of those reports. Aceves likely would not have been happy initially, but at least he has some time to cool off and you increase the odds of avoiding a heat of the moment tantrum.

Then again, after Aceves imploded on Thursday, allowing five runs to the Los Angeles Angels in a wild 14-13 loss — Aceves was credited with his seventh blown save and eighth loss as a result — he probably should have been expecting a breather.

But regardless of how you look at it now, it won't change the actions or the consequences. Aceves is out of action through Monday's series finale with the Royals. And I'd say there's at least a decent chance the closer's job won't be waiting for him when he returns.

Stay tuned for that reaction on Tuesday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...ves-three-game-suspension-023613973--mlb.html

 

[lgna69xxx]

Does this trade mark the end of Boston as a destination for big-time free agents?

Viewed in the here and now, this weekend's blockbuster deal between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers is a giant 'get out of jail free' card for the team on the east coast. With the team's 2012 season sunk by poor play and a fractured clubhouse, GM Ben Cherington has a chance to climb out from under the weight of three giant contracts handed out by his predecessor and plan for a "first principles" future that suddenly includes the term "financial flexibility." The only visible cost of the deal at the moment is a couple more years of Adrian Gonzalez's prime — which could indeed be significant — and the $12.5 million they'll be sending the Los Angeles Yankees (sic) to help pay the quarter-billion's worth of contracts that are headed west.

But looking forward, you have to wonder if that financial flexibility will mean anything given the atmosphere that's seeing the trio of Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford (plus Nick Punto, why won't anyone think of poor Nick Punto?) ushered out of town in the most unceremonious way possible. That possibility of Beantown being treated like a no-entry zone crystallized itself on Saturday morning after seeing the cover of the Boston Herald touting all three of the big names as dead weight. "BUMS AWAY," blared the headline and you had to wonder the tab bothered showing any type of restraint by omitting a exclamation point.
There's no arguing that the three players provided some key points of contention to fuel Boston's media and its fanbase: Gonzalez with his willingness to let Kelly Shoppach borrow his smartphone, Crawford by posting a dismal 2011 before turning in an injury-shortened 2012 and Beckett by not conforming to the ideals of how a ballplayer should prepare for a game or preen for the public in front of the press.

None of the three, however, were the heavy anchors that the newspaper page makes them out to be. One is a pitcher who played a large role in winning the 2007 World Series, one is a first baseman still capable of winning an MVP in a push for another title and one is an All-Star outfield who ran into the common pressure of playing up to a big contract in a big market and was never given the time (nor the health) to work his way back. It's hard to imagine that any future free agent will look at the way these three were treated and want to sign a long deal to play in Boston. Not with new TV riches making Boston and New York far from the only markets to fatten one's wallet and not with an ownership group that paid no attention to the wishes of its players when it answered the dysfunctional end to the 2011 season by bringing in the most divisive manager to solve things. Three players are being scapegoated for Boston's awful season when the list of responsible parties in much longer. Don't think the rest of the league doesn't notice.

Money, of course, will ultimately speak loudest in the end. It did when Crawford passed up a lot of money to play in his preferred destination with the Los Angeles Angels to sign for even more cash in Boston. But after seeing how this whole thing went down, it's worth wondering whether free agents will demand an even higher premium to submit themselves to a leading role in Boston's summer soap opera. Sure, the Red Sox may be saving a lot of money now, but it could cost them a lot more — both in payroll and lost seasons — in the end.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-b...ston-destination-big-time-140039964--mlb.html

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Ross RF who?

Lavarnway C who?

Perfect. Absolutely, perfect. Perfect proof that you draw your baseball knowledge directly from your sphincter and not from any reputable source.

Ross was MVP of the NLCS just two years ago, as he led the Giants to a World Championship and Lavarnway is one of the top 50 prospects in all of baseball. And you've never heard of either one. And now, once again, you've chosen to reveal your ignorance.

BTW, you know how many Yankees have a higher OPS than Ross this year? The answer is Robinson Cano. And, no, I'm not going to tell you what OPS is. Look it up.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Adrian Gonzalez gets a jump on expectations

LOS ANGELES -- Don Mattingly was sitting in the Los Angeles Dodgers' dugout before the game talking about Adrian Gonzalez.

If it had been 20 years earlier, it might have been some manager talking about a certain left-handed hitting New York Yankees first baseman, a Gold Glover with line-drive power and the ability to earn MVP votes year after year.

That guy no longer wears cleats, he has streaks of gray in his sideburns and he manages the Dodgers.

“He’s just legit. He just has that great stroke,” Mattingly said. “He hits lefties as well as righties. He’s really good at first, got a great feel for it. He’s just one of those guys, the stroke and the swing, it’s just smooth.”

Mattingly didn’t say it, but you could add “quiet superstar” and “franchise icon” to the traits Gonzalez possesses, or could one day. The Dodgers think they’ve not only found the missing bat at first base they’ve been so desperate for, but the easy-going, fan-friendly personality that could help take them into a happier era.

The first few minutes couldn’t have been more electric.

Gonzalez swung at an 0-and-1 fastball from Josh Johnson and sent it soaring toward the right-field foul pole. He jogged sheepishly after it, wondering if it would hook foul. When it wrapped around the pole, nestling into the seats for a three-run home run, Gonzalez had his 16th home run of 2012, but his first taste of L.A.

There were 40,284 fans in Dodger Stadium -- the owners hope Gonzalez helps them boost those numbers in the coming years -- and they rained down an ovation on Gonzalez. Heck, they gave him an ovation the first time he sprinted out of the dugout to get loose in the outfield.

“I was telling the guys it was just all adrenaline,” Gonzalez said. “I saw the ball halfway on a trajectory and it was a great feeling.”

Gonzalez is the the guy who will -- along with Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Clayton Kershaw -- try to help this team get back to being what it expects to be, the preeminent baseball brand west of the Rockies.

The cliché is that this is Hollywood, or at least it’s just a few congested miles from Hollywood, and these kinds of fairy tales are supposed to happen here. But the movie industry also churns out plenty of tear-jerkers and horror flicks. Life as a Dodgers fan under former owner Frank McCourt hadn’t exactly been full of popcorn and candy.

The Dodgers' owners said they would spend money and they’ve spent plenty of it -- more than $300 million so far and counting. When you hitch your franchise’s course to a single player, you’ve got to be pretty confident you’re picking the right guy. The Dodgers had zeroed in on Gonzalez months ago and not just because he has a lifetime .880 OPS.

“Everything I’ve ever seen about Adrian is quality,” Mattingly said.

He’s probably the best Mexican-American position player of all time and that allows the Dodgers to complete the circle that started with Mexican pitching star Fernando Valenzuela 30 years ago. He’ll be a huge draw for this fan base, which has taken to droning, “Cruuuuz!” every time Luis Cruz, a former journeyman minor-leaguer from Northern Mexico, bats.

It’s not just about ethnicity, it’s about personality. After Saturday’s game, well after 9 p.m., with the emotions of a whirlwind day just beginning to settle in his stomach, Gonzalez spent about 10 minutes outside the Dodgers' clubhouse visiting with Ben Kessen, the young man who had retrieved his home-run ball.

Gonzalez chatted, posed for pictures and, as things were wrapping up, quietly said, “Can you give me your address so I can get you a bat? I appreciate it.”

If things keep going like this, the feeling will be mutual.

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...2002/an-early-appreciation-of-adrian-gonzalez

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

from Fangraphs.com:

It’s a good day to be a fan of the Boston Red Sox.

The rumored trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers will save the east coast club more than $200 million but it will also infuses the organization with some young, cost-controlled, high-ceiling talent. Key names that are likely headed to Boston from the west coast include pitchers Rubby de la Rosa and Allen Webster, infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr., and outfielder Jerry Sands.

The Red Sox club is also said to be receiving veteran first baseman James Loney but he’s currently on a one-year contract and will be a free agent at the end of the season. It’s unlikely that he’d be re-signed given that he’s been at or below replacement level for the past five seasons (although a move away from Los Angeles should help his offensive numbers to a degree).

The key to the deal is de la Rosa. A hard-throwing native of the Dominican Republic, just 23 years old, he has the ceiling of a No. 2 starter. Only his lack of consistent command and control keep the No. 1 label from being adhered to de la Rosa. There are also some concerns over the durability of the hurler who underwent Tommy John surgery during the 2011 season. He doesn’t have the largest frame and puts a lot of strain on his body by reaching triple-digits with his fastball. His secondary pitches – a changeup and slider – both showed a lot of potential pre-surgery but he’s made just five official appearances since returning from the disable list.

Our very own in-house scout Mike Newman had these glowing words to say about the right-hander after seeing him pitch live:

“…De La Rosa’s fastball was in a different league than any I’d seen previously… the one 98 MPH fastball he located belt high on the inner half is seared into my scouting mind as it bored down and in on a right handed hitter to devastating effect. It was the single most dominant pitch I’ve seen live…”

Allen Webster, 22, would give Boston a second hard-throwing, right-handed prospect. Prior to 2012, I ranked the North Carolina native as the Dodgers’ fourth best prospect behind fellow pitching prospects Zach Lee, Nate Eovaldi, and Chris Reed. Webster throws in the low-to-mid-90s with his heater and complements it with three secondary pitches: a curveball, slider, and changeup.

Interviewer extraordinaire David Laurila interviewed the Dodgers director of amateur scouting Logan White back in February and the well-respected had this to say about Webster, a late-round draft pick:

“With Webster, it’s kind of like you’re shopping for paintings and you go to an art dealer and find one that costs you $150,000. Then you go to a garage sale and get lucky. You find something for a lot less and later discover that it’s really valuable. People simply didn’t realize what it was. To me, that’s kind of Webster’s story… He’s been a gem. We went to a garage sale and found a Mona Lisa of sorts.”

He made 17 starts at the double-A level in 2011 and returned to the level in ’12. He’s made another 27 appearances (22 starts) and has pitched more than 120 innings each of the past three seasons displaying outstanding durability. Webster’s biggest challenges to sticking in the starting rotation are his lack of consistency with the command of his secondary stuff and his wavering control.

He has the ceiling of a No. 2 or 3 starter, or could strip down his repertoire to become a dominating high-leverage reliever. I’d slide Webster onto the Red Sox updated Top 15 prospect list at No.3 behind infielder Xander Bogaerts and right-handed starter Matt Barnes.

Infielder DeJesus Jr. came in as the 14th prospect on the Dodgers’ pre-season Top 15 prospect list. He’s a personal favorite of mine even though he hasn’t been quite the same player since suffering a nasty broken leg that cost him most of the 2009 season.

DeJesus has spent the past three seasons playing mostly at triple-A, although he’s also filled in for 40 games at the big league level. His numbers have taken a bit of a hit at triple-A in 2012 mainly due to an increased strikeout rate, and a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered.

At one point I envisioned the 25-year-old Puerto Rico native becoming a solid big league second baseman but his ceiling might now be that of a utility infielder. He has played three infield positions – second base, third base and shortstop – and even dabbled in the outfield for three games at triple-A in ’12. Regular or not, DeJesus will provide some much-needed middle infield depth for the Red Sox.

Sands, soon-to-be-25, has produced some outstanding minor league numbers but he’s struggled to find his footing at the big league level. With the ability to play both corner outfield spots as well as first base, and with plus raw power, the former 25th round draft pick could be a solid right-handed bat off the bench – with an outside shot at developing into a big league regular.

Although Boston will not pry away (arguably) the Dodgers’ top prospect, Zach Lee, the club will apparently still walk away with two power arms and two role players with untapped potential.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Boy that ignore lasted all of 24 hours, lol...... Now now mr. Skin, dont Lib out on us and start your insults in this thread, again. You have the more liberal free for all thread for that my bestest bud.

Sorry, but you are not the only fan with an opinion, and all your graphs, metrics and scales that you bragged about usng as a tool to show how your team was gonna be the greatest evah has shown me and everyone else in here one thing, they dont mean squat! Proof? The boston red sox, nuff Ced'.

Perfect. Absolutely, perfect. Perfect proof that you draw your baseball knowledge directly from your sphincter and not from any reputable source.

Ross was MVP of the NLCS just two years ago, as he led the Giants to a World Championship and Lavarnway is one of the top 50 prospects in all of baseball. And you've never heard of either one. And now, once again, you've chosen to reveal your ignorance.

BTW, you know how many Yankees have a higher OPS than Ross this year? The answer is Robinson Cano. And, no, I'm not going to tell you what OPS is. Look it up.

 

[Doc Holliday]

One year ago on this date, the Boston Red Sox were 31 games over .500 and cruising in first place, looking ahead at the playoffs, and possibly a World Series Championship, since after all, they believed that they were 'the best team evah!'

As we all know, they had the biggest September choke in the history of MLB and got knocked out of the playoffs on the final night of the regular season. This may have been one of the wildest & most interesting baseball nights i have ever encountered!

And today, they're an embarrassment to their great city & their loyal fan base, and have chosen to dismantle half the team & reboot. Will Bobby V be back next season? Maybe. If so, the recent blockbuster trade saved his job. Will Big Pappi return? I doubt it. I think he's had enough of the soap opera. Pedroia? Who knows. Greg Zaun, analyst for the Blue Jays on Rogers Sportsnet, just told the audience that if the Red Sox are truly interested in obtaining John Farrell to manage the team, then the Jays should ask for considerable assets in return, and the players he'd ask for (no ifs, no buts) would be Dustin Pedroia & Daniel Bard. If the Red Sox say no, then they can go fly a kite or keep Bobby V.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Doc, i heard the most objective stance on this tade today and I think it sums it up perfectly. I believe it was Kevin Millar or Howie Rose, or someone from mlb network anyways, but what was said was basically this:

The trade helps both, the Dodgers because they are in WIN NOW mode and if Beckett can perfrom well then they are a legit contenders this year and with a healthy Crawford next year, and seeing he seemed to be back to the crawford of old before being shut down last week, then they could be a force for the nest several years with the players they have now.

They said about the red sox: Yes they cut 1/4 billion from their payroll which is it good or bad? They had a mvp guy at first they let go and those guys dont grow on trees, and crawford looked like he was getting back to he allstar Carl C after coming back this season. They went on to say not alot of big name free agents available in the offseason but could field a decent team with whats available and whats left of the current sox, but in the end they summed it up with this "I doubt they will be having any parades anytime soon"

 

[EagerBeaver]

I saw a very bad play by the Blue Jays tonight against the Yankees. A very lazy fly ball was hit to right center field, and it looked like it was center fielder Colby Rasmus's ball all the way. However, Rasmus took two lazy steps towards the ball, and then kind of gave up on it. Right fielder Moises Sierra, figuring the ball was Rasmus's all the way (which it was), and suddenly realizing Rasmus had given up on the ball, had to run and then dive for the ball at the last second, caught it, and almost broke his ribs doing so. Really bad miscommunication to say the least, but laziness is what caused it because Rasmus should have been on that ball.

In old time baseball this kind of play was not tolerated. When Cleon Jones pulled the same shit in 1969, Manager Gil Hodges walked out to left field and walked back to the dugout with Cleon so that he could "rest his feet." When Reggie Jackson pulled the same shit in 1977, Billy Martin pulled him in the middle of the inning - did not wait til there were 3 outs, he sent Paul Blair in as a defensive replacement with the team still in the field, humiliating Reggie in front of a national TV audience.

I just do not understand why modern managers tolerate this kind of play. You have to send a message to the team that you have to give 100% effort at all times. I can now see why Tony La Russa shipped Rasmus's ass out of St. Louis. He doesn't hustle.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney was on “Mike & Mike” Monday morning and talked about the positive reaction he’s heard from around baseball to the Red Sox’s side of this weekend’s huge trade with the Dodgers. Here are some of the highlights (click here to listen to more from Buster or watch the video above):

-- Reached out to a bunch of executives who were not involved and they overwhelming believe that the Red Sox made a “tremendous" trade. Shedding all the money and getting two good prospects back from the Dodgers.

-- One executive emailed Olney and said that Ben Cherington should get consideration for executive of the year for making the trade.

-- Some confusion from rival executives about why the Dodgers would take all the money and give up prospects.

-- The Red Sox still have to follow up and continue with this plan that they have now. The ownership has shown that they’ll go out and react to fan and media criticism and make big moves. It feels good now to have this blueprint going forward, but will ownership follow it.

 

[lgna69xxx]

I agree Beav, but at the same time I am not quite ready to ship Cano's butt out of town for never running hard to first when he assumes he just hit into an out. I know Cano is by far a superior player than Rasmus but it is no excuse and really the only flaw in Cano as a MLB Player.

What do you think Rumpleforeskin?

I just do not understand why modern managers tolerate this kind of play. You have to send a message to the team that you have to give 100% effort at all times. I can now see why Tony La Russa shipped Rasmus's ass out of St. Louis. He doesn't hustle.

 

[lgna69xxx]

If you think this was Ben Cherington's "deal", think again, this has the fingerprints of Larry Lucchino and the Dodgers new ownership all over it, no way would Larry let Ben do this deal alone. Rumour has it Mark Walter and Stan Kasten called Lucchino asking about Adrian G's availability and it went from there. Ben was the YES man.

-- One executive emailed Olney and said that Ben Cherington should get consideration for executive of the year for making the trade.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I spent a good part of the day listening to ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, MLB radio & Mad Dog Radio on Sirius XM radio today and the comments were generally 50/50. I liked what Steve Phillips had to say, among others.

Personally, i think it was a good trade for both teams. The Dodgers got one of baseball's top players in Adrian Gonzalez, and he'll be great for the latino community. If he'd be on the free market today, the money they're paying him would look like peanuts. He'll also counter the Angels' signing of fellow latino Albert Pujols. Crawford can be one of baseball's top players once he's healthy. Beckett will be Beckett....inconsistent. Punto is a throw-in.

The Dodgers also are negotiating for a new multi-billion $$ television deal & the addition of those players will only increase the contract, basically meaning that the money being paid for them will look like peanuts as compared to the extra revenue that they'll bring to the team, on top of possibly bring them major $$ in the post-season.....and who knows, maybe a World Series run.

As for the Red Sox, they unloaded Beckett, which is great for them. However, he only has 2 years remaining on his contract, so his contract may not be as bad as it seems. Crawford's huge signing never amounted to much for the Red Sox, but he as injured for the most part of his time with them. As for Gonzalez, he'll be sorely missed. He as their best player by far & they won't be able to replace him in the lineup. However, they had to give something of value in order to get the Dodgers to take on the other contracts.

Many were surprised that the Dodgers actually gave back some prospects in the deal, since the Red Sox should have kneeled down and kissed the earth that another team would take all those big contracts off their hands. However, the players they got in return are prospects and nothing more. None of them are projected to ever become stars and will be useful players at best. One of the pitchers they got in return also had Tommy John surgery a year or so ago.

However, the bottom line is that the Red Sox were going nowhere while trying to outspend other teams such as the Yankees, Rangers & Angels. They got rid of big contracts, but also got rid of their best player in Gonzalez who was worth every penny they were paying him. But he may have not wanted to remain with the Red Sox. He had played previously on the west coast & appears to be custom-made for that part of the country, especially in the southern California area where the amount of mexican-americans is quite high.

Boston now needs to address their pitching staff. The hitting will still be very good, but pitching remains a big question mark. Jon Lester is overweight & it's affecting his pitching. John Lackie is a major head case & will never be a decent pitcher again as long as he's in Boston. Dice-K will be Dice-K. Effective at times, and very inconsistent. Doubront looks decent, and Bucholz will be an effective in the first half of next season, while possibly fading once again in the second half. He has the capability to be a decent #2 or 3 pitching in any pitching rotation, but doesn't have what it takes to be a #1.

With all the money they've saved by trading away the aforementionned players, the Red Sox must spend it on starting pitching. They will get tempted into trying to sign Josh Hamilton, but a fragile player who needs to be babysat on a regular basis has no place playing in a big-league market such as Boston's, and especially NYC. If he ever signs with such a big-league market, it'll likely turn into a nightmare. For him, and the organizations mentionned.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Doc, you make some good points, but I'd say you're post is in the vicinity of 40% dead on, 60% bullshit.

1. Adrian Gonzalez is a great player, but he's no Albert Pujols. Pujols is getting an average of $24 M per year over 10 years. Joey Votto is getting an average of $22.5 per year over 10 years. Adrian Gonzalez is getting an average of $22 M per year over 7 years. The biggest difference in their contracts is that only Gonzalez, who will be 33 when his is up, will be young enough to get another big deal. If Gonzalez hit the open market today, he'd probably get exactly what he is getting, possibly for a bit longer. While Gonzo is a great player, the Sox thought they were getting a clubhouse leader when the picked him up; instead, he turned out to be a whiner.

2. Carl Crawford is a wonderful player, totally miscast in Fenway Park. He'll be fabulous in LA once he's healthy.

3. I also expect Beckett to do well with a change of scenery and in the less competitive NL West.

4. Where you're off is on the guys remaining. "Dice-K will be Dice-K." Maybe, but so what; he'll be a free agent. "Bucholz will be an effective in the first half of next season, while possibly fading once again in the second half." When did he fade in the second half?? He's been great the second half of this year; the first half sucked. He was hurt the second half of last year with a broken rib. He was fabulous the entire of 2010. Lester's an enigma; he tends to have a slump in the middle of each year. He needs a strong-willed catcher to control pitch selection. John Lackey was always a very good pitcher when he was healthy and pitchers often return stronger after TJ than before. I expect Lackey to return to mid-rotation level status next year. He's been with the team all year and working hard. He's a very competitive guy.

5. The prospects. "However, the players they got in return are prospects and nothing more. None of them are projected to ever become stars and will be useful players at best." Utter bullhooey, Doc. Webster was rated the #48 prospect in all of baseball this year by BA and has had a fabulous year. Both he and de la Rosa are projected as mid-to-top of the rotation starters. That said, they are prospects and we know about prospects. Remember the Killer Bs that a few Yankee fans were raving about a couple of years ago? I wonder if anyone even remembers they're names. One is out of baseball. One is back in AA with a 6.50 ERA. And the other spent the year on the DL. As for de la Rosa, who had TJ last year, he's throwing 97-98 again, though he's been shut down for the year; as the PTBNL, the Dodgers have to be careful with him.

6. "Boston now needs to address their pitching staff. The hitting will still be very good, but pitching remains a big question mark." I don't agree with this, Doc. I think the biggest need right now is a bat in the middle of the lineup. With Ellsbury and Pedroia at the top, a middle of Ross, Ortiz, and Swisher would look pretty fabulous.

I'm not positive that they need to sign a front end starter. With Lester, Buchholz, Lackey, Doubront, and de la Rosa, they might be set. They do need a left fielder, though I don't think they'll go after Hamilton. They need a first baseman and I sense they'll go after Swisher. They will have about $90 M committed for next year once they sign the ARB eligible guys, Ortiz and Ross. They'll have as much as $70 M to spend next year, though I don't think they'll need to spend more than half of that to field a competitive team.

There really are no top-of-the-rotation guys on the open market this year; if they want one, he'll have to come in trade. Those who actually read things know that this was Cherington's deal. His first move was a bold and brilliant one. While it was initiated on the LA end, I suspect it was his negotiating that got the Sox the prospects. I'm still blown away that he was able to get prospects in the deal, along with getting rid of the Buchholz and Crawford contracts. Sad to see Gonzalez go? Absolutely, but you don't get something for nothing.

I live in an area with a lot of both Yankee and Sox fans. The Yankee fans I've spoken with are stunned.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

I saw a very bad play by the Blue Jays tonight against the Yankees.

I turned the game on late and missed that play, but I did see a very good play by Colby Rasmus.

Looks like Teixeira's headed to the DL. There's a lot of traffic in the rear view mirror.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Doc, you make some good points, but I'd say you're post is in the vicinity of 40% dead on, 60% bullshit.

We're all entitled to our opinions. However, my post was non-biased. You, on the other hand, can't find anything wrong with your crappy organization. Nothing wrong with that. It simply proves that you have the Red Sox emblem tatooed on your heart. However, if you weren't a Red Sox fan, you'd be best buddies with Iggy and would mock the Red Sox a lot worse than even he or anyone else does. That's a fact.

However, as i stated, we're all entitled to our opinions and you're entitled to yours, biased or not.

p.s. I agree that they need a big bat in the middle of the lineup. The had that big bat in Gonzo, but now he's gone and it'll be hard to replace that big bat unless they can find a way to get Texeira from the Yankees. Could Adam Lind of the Jays fit the bill?

Ortiz will not be back with the Red Sox. He's sick n' tired of all the drama constantly going on over there. The entire organization has become a joke reminscent of the George Steinbrenner years in the Bronx.

Jon Lester's stock as sunk as quickly as the Titanic. I don't see a future for him in Boston. As for Lackie, i'm amazed that you still believe in this prick. Not only is he a prick, but he's useless as a pitcher.

And finally, there's no way that Swish is leaving NY. They love that guy over there and will do everything in their power to keep him there. Plus, he loves NY and wouldn't want to play anywhere else, especially not in Boston, of all places!