I think the Sox should focus on a long-term answer at catcher.  But, I think we should keep Tek around to play about 1/2 the games and mentor the new guy, etc..  Perhaps we should trade Buchholz to Texas for Saltamacchia (sp?).

Then, I think the best thing to do would be convert Masterson to the 4th starter and sign a few setup relievers via FA.  Also, we need an inexpensive 5th starter.

Our 5th starter could be Wakefield, Bowden, FA.

That's about it.

If we were to put a package together that included 2 or 3 of the following I wonder if we could pry a power hitting outfielder away from a team or a Justin Morneau away from Minnesota:

Bay
Coco
Delcarmen
Buchholz

I think we will once again pay someone to take a failed SS free agent, Lugo, off our hands. And I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sox go after Matt Holliday. I hold out hope that they go after Sabathia for real but think they will only show interest to drive up the price for another team or to block his coming to the AL East.

With Masterson's maturation a Bay/Buchholz for Holliday would make sense to me though I am not crazy about his away from Coors Filed production. The only other way they add offense is at the catcher(Morneau??, I know, just dreaming, highly unlikely) and shortstop. So if a power hitting player isn't attained at either LF, SS, or C look for a major run at Sabathia and pitching.

I'm with you(triboy) on Dusty Brown. He's really evolved as a hitter in the Sox org (look at his craptastic '06-05 numbers with Portland and Wilmington), and will be turning 27 next year. I'd like to see the Sox try and resign Tek for 1-2 years and bring up Brown as the backup/successor until a better option comes along.

Sabathia is the big fish this offseason. Of all the FA's, he's the one I'd like to see signed the most, but I doubt it'll happen. Word is he wants to go out West, but I'm guessing ultimately that the Yankees will make him an offer he can't refuse.

I really disagree on moving Masterson back into the rotation. IMO, he really doesn't make enough of an impact on the rotation to make it worth taking him out of the pen. These playoffs are the exception, where he'd arguably be our third starter; but with Beckett hopefully coming back strong in '09 and the re-emergence of Buchholz, I don't see Masterson really being needed in the rotation. As a reliever he's arguably our #2 guy (depending on how you feel about Oki and MDC heading into next season). He really only has two pitches, and facing an entire lineup a few times around he tends to get exposed. That could change as he's only 23, but I just see him being more valuable in the pen going forward.

On Teixeira, not only is there the Youk/Lowell cluster to consider, but Lars Anderson is not too far off from being a fixture in the 'Sox lineup. It may take until 2010, but the 'Sox haven't been afraid to "take a step back" for a year to benefit the team long term.

It will be a very interesting winter.  I agree with a lot of you that the Sox need to try to address the Catcher issue.  I personally think they will try to bring back Varitek (something like 2 years, $18 million...I know it seems like a lot, but catchers come at a MAJOR premium right now), but they need to find a backup who they can both groom for the future, but who can give Tek more time off right away.  As most of you have realized there really isn't much out there on the FA market (Josh Bard could be interesting to bring back though...), so they likely will be looking at trades.  I don't have a good enough handle on the young Catchers around the league, but I do know Texas supposedly has several of them, and they would be a likely trade partner (although not for Saltalamacchia, who is a pretty terrible defensive catcher).

After the Catcher position, it gets a little tougher.  I agree that they will likely try to find a team to take on a (paid for) Lugo.  If they can get a B prospect for him, they will likely be happy.  I don't see them getting rid of Lowry though, unless they need to include him in a bigger trade (which is not out of the question).  There just don't seem to be any major upgrades that are available at the moment.

I think the outfield is pretty set.  I see that some of you want to get Holliday, but I don't think he is any better than Bay.  Considering the fact that we already know that Bay can play well in Boston, I think it makes much more sense to keep him.  The only kind of guy I would get rid of him for would be someone like Pujols or Cabrera (and Holliday is not that kind of hitter). 

Crisp is certainly tradable, but I think it will be the same as it was last year...you need to wait for the right price, because he can be incredibly valuable to your team.  I think they will start any trade proposal with him, but will not trade him just to trade him.

The pitching staff I think is pretty close to set.  I expect them to flirt with some of the big names, but at most I expect them to bring in a solid 4-5 starter (bringing back Byrd is not a bad option at all).  I think that they also will have an open competition between Bucholtz, Bowden, and Masterson to be in the rotation in the spring and early season.  I expect Masterson to eventually be moved to the bullpen though, because of his effectiveness there, and his lack of a 3rd pitch.

And finally, I think they really need to try to bring in another back of the bullpen arm.  They need one more guy back there to solidify things.

Quote from: Chris on October 19, 2008, 11:17:08 PM

It will be a very interesting winter.  I agree with a lot of you that the Sox need to try to address the Catcher issue.  I personally think they will try to bring back Varitek (something like 2 years, $18 million...I know it seems like a lot, but catchers come at a MAJOR premium right now), but they need to find a backup who they can both groom for the future, but who can give Tek more time off right away.  As most of you have realized there really isn't much out there on the FA market (Josh Bard could be interesting to bring back though...), so they likely will be looking at trades.  I don't have a good enough handle on the young Catchers around the league, but I do know Texas supposedly has several of them, and they would be a likely trade partner (although not for Saltalamacchia, who is a pretty terrible defensive catcher).

After the Catcher position, it gets a little tougher.  I agree that they will likely try to find a team to take on a (paid for) Lugo.  If they can get a B prospect for him, they will likely be happy.  I don't see them getting rid of Lowry though, unless they need to include him in a bigger trade (which is not out of the question).  There just don't seem to be any major upgrades that are available at the moment.

I think the outfield is pretty set.  I see that some of you want to get Holliday, but I don't think he is any better than Bay.  Considering the fact that we already know that Bay can play well in Boston, I think it makes much more sense to keep him.  The only kind of guy I would get rid of him for would be someone like Pujols or Cabrera (and Holliday is not that kind of hitter). 

Crisp is certainly tradable, but I think it will be the same as it was last year...you need to wait for the right price, because he can be incredibly valuable to your team.  I think they will start any trade proposal with him, but will not trade him just to trade him.

The pitching staff I think is pretty close to set.  I expect them to flirt with some of the big names, but at most I expect them to bring in a solid 4-5 starter (bringing back Byrd is not a bad option at all).  I think that they also will have an open competition between Bucholtz, Bowden, and Masterson to be in the rotation in the spring and early season.  I expect Masterson to eventually be moved to the bullpen though, because of his effectiveness there, and his lack of a 3rd pitch.

And finally, I think they really need to try to bring in another back of the bullpen arm.  They need one more guy back there to solidify things.

agree 90%, i think that they should look for more relief so that they can put masterson back on his path to being the 4th starter. thats one hell of a rotation with him in there.

also im super excited about the amount of money we have to throw around. manny is off the books, schilling off the books, and edgar rentaria will be off the books. thats over 30 mil. right there to jump into the free agent market with.

there are also a few quality starters in FA if you wanna keep masterson in the bullpen. wouldn't mind D-Lo coming back after his successful season with the dodgers. thats a nasty starting 4.

I just am not convinced that Masterson is more than a 4th or 5th quality starter unless he is able to get a third pitch to be able to consistently get lefty's out.  When you contrast that with the fact that he could be one of the best set up men in the league next year, and both Bowden and Bucholtz have the potential to be top of the rotation starters if they are mentally ready, and I just have a feeling that is the direction the team will go.

I think the Sox should focus on a long-term answer at catcher.  But, I think we should keep Tek around to play about 1/2 the games and mentor the new guy, etc..  Perhaps we should trade Buchholz to Texas for Saltamacchia (sp?).

right team, wrong player.  go after teagarden, or even ramirez.  both are superior to salty.  if there's one thing we've learned it's how important a "real" catcher is to a pitching staff.

"I agree with a lot of you that the Sox need to try to address the Catcher issue.  I personally think they will try to bring back Varitek (something like 2 years, $18 million"

I know they are in premium right now but 9 million for a guy who can't hit?? Mauer deserves 9 million and more not tek.

I would give tek 2 year 10 million dollar deal (his previous deal 4 year 40 million dollars so we can say that , that was 10 mill per year 6 for catching and 4 for hitting) but if we resign him he will be pretty much good for the catching and thats it.


I really think a guy like dusty brown could be good. He is young, hit 290 with 20 dingers last year season for triple a and is considered a strong defensive catcher. (at least groom him into a starting role)

some notes

-Tampa bay pretty much got the better deal of the garza and young trade. Garza reminds me of josh beckett of last year. He has electric fastball and a nasty breaking ball plus control. (i wonder how he went 11-9 in the regular season. Alot of peavy rumors out now but i don't think its a good idea with the tyope of money he is owed,he is coming back from previous injury and the type of potential we would have to give up.


-Here are the players the redsox could trade, lugo(i hope so), bay, bowden, bucholz, ellsbury. If you package lugo and  ellsbury for example there is no doubt in my mind we could get all star pitching talent back. Same goes for bay, bucholz, bowden we could get a premium pitcher and outfielder. Sox need more power (homers and rbi) and a legit 4th starter since wake and byrd won't resign.