Boston Red Sox - 2006

[Stu]

Quote: Originally Posted by Misfit

Looks like a deal is in place, but it still hasn't gone through so I wouldn't hold my breath: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2301457 Signing Gonzalez doesn't excite me as I feel he is the same player as Cora, though probably a bit better defensively. It basically just guarantees that we'll be trading Graffanino at some point. And if the Crisp trade goes through then we're pretty much set at the major league level with the only thing really needed being a left-handed reliever. That tells me that we're likely to only seek prospects with a guy like Wells.

Even if we get Crisp, I still think we need a solid right handed 4th OF. Nixon has been injury prone and doesn't hit lefties well.

[Stu]

Quote: Originally Posted by CWood2

Good post. Two things I disagree with though... First, we don't need to get rid of starters due to a surplus, especially when packaged with our top prospect.

In theory I agree with you but realistically, we don't have enough spots for all the pitchers we have now. Our staff includes:

Schilling
Beckett
Clement
Wells
Wakefield
Papelbon
Arroyo

Mota
Seanez
Timlin
Foulke
Dinardo
Tavarez
Vermilyea (Rule 5)

along with guys like Hansen, Delcarmen and Van Buren who could get callups. I like having excess pitching, but we simply don't have enough space on our active or 40 man roster to keep all these guys.

[CWood2]

Quote: Originally Posted by camulos

In theory I agree with you but realistically, we don't have enough spots for all the pitchers we have now.

It is a bit theoretical, but my main point is that with the deals that Burnett, Millwood, Washburn (???) and soon Weaver got this offseason, Clement and Arroyo should not be overlooked as valuable commodities even if we have needs. You're right about the bullpen, we've got tons of power arms and moving Mota is something I advocated earlier. If he goes with Marte for Crisp and prospects, at least we can wait for a fair deal to unload one or more of Clement/Arroyo/Wells...and that is an advantage of the deal I hadn't thought of.

[Misfit]

That is true (about the 4th outfielder). I like Stern, but not as a fourth outfielder. And we definitly need a right-handed outfielder to either start for Trot against lefties or just for some depth on the bench. I would think one of our starters could get us at least that much (I'm not sure who they would target though). It would be nice if they could "replace," to some extent, Marte with one of their other starters in a trade for prospects.

[Stu]

Assuming this reported trade goes through, the Red Sox will be looking at this lineup for 2006:

Lineup:
Crisp - CF
Loretta - 2B
Ortiz - DH
Ramirez - LF
Nixon - RF
Varitek - C
Lowell - 3B
Youkilis - 1B
Cora/Pedroia - SS (maybe gonzalez)

Bench:
Stern
Flaherty/Bard
Snow
Graffanino

On paper this lineup doesn't have the same explosiveness as last years but I think it's significantly better from top to bottom. We took a downgrade at CF and SS but will probably take a slight upgrade at 3B and 2B and a big upgrade at 1B. Our biggest problem from August on last year was that if Manny and Ortiz didn't provide the offense, we didn't score. I think this lineup has the potential to score over 900 runs again which I think would make them one of the only teams in history to do so 4 years in a row.

As far as defense, we've improved at every position in the infield, although Youkilis is still an unknown. The OF defense could be a problem with Manny, a declining Nixon and Crisp who has only played 10 games in CF. It's worth noting however that Damon only had 1 year as a full time CF before he came here.

[Misfit]

I think Crisp as the potential to match Damon's numbers of a year ago and possibly excede them, except for perhaps the OBP part. I bet the coaching staff will start trying to get him ready for the lead-off position during spring training because right now he isn't a true lead-off hitter but he's the best on the roster. Lowell may not hit as well as Mueller did average-wise, but he should make up for it with a little more pop. Mueller had almost zero extra base power last year and it will be nice to have a double/homer threat towards the bottom of the order. Nixon is a questionmark as he never got it going last year and hopefully he can have a healthy season and get his slugging numbers up. Whoever plays shortstop will undoubtedly play better defense than Renteria did a year ago, though they probably will hit around .250. We still need a right-handed outfielder, does Graffanino have any experience out there?

[CWood2]

I would love to package Nixon and a pitcher for somebody solid, but there's just no one out there right now. I have a feeling that this could be the year that the trading deadline really brings us a big bat or arm simply because of the low supply in the offseason and the positions that we seemingly have stockpiled right now.

[Misfit]

I agree. I love Trot but he's had a hard time realizing his potential and consistency is a problem. He's also become an injury prone player and his defense is already starting to decline. He's not yet a liability out in right because of his fearlessness and knowlege of the nooks and crannies out there, but he may soon become one. The only guys available though are Dave Roberts and Steve Finley and neither is an upgrade over Nixon. Who could become available July 31st? Griffey is always out there but I can't think of an incumbent outfielder who could make a difference.