Breaking news: Red Sox snap up Crawford

I like it. I like it a lot!

Wow! I just watched our local LA news a few hours ago, and they were reporting that Crawford was a lock to be headed to the Angels...Apparently the lock broke?

Boston is being very aggressive this winter and I really like their two pickups. They can probably not worry if they don't get a ton of offense out of the catching position because they ought to score plenty of runs anyway.

They get Gonzalez, my O's get....Mark Reynolds.

They get Crawford, my O's get....J.J. Hardy.


While I like Hardy a lot, and Reynolds will be sweet if he can ever cut down on the K's, the Orioles get hot dogs and the Red Sox buy steak.

A salary cap can't come fast enough to even up the board.

I just hate the Yankees and Red Sox, but there's a good bit of envy in there too...

Oh, I love it!!!

But, it looks like the East is back to a two-team race. Unless Toronto is doing something this off-season too?

Pinch me. Theo got my xmas list, and delivered early!

Come on Bigger Papi, don't ignore the O's-hey, we have Mark Reynolds! (who?????)

Go away Mr. Angelousy and let us have a real owner that really tries to build a true contender...without playing low ball year after year after year....

Maybe it's our penance for ever signing Albert Belle...

You gotta love that Sox lineup BUT, I think their pitching as it stands, is suspect. They can't bank on Beckett or Papelbon to meet expectations AND Tampa still has great pitching and Longoria.

The Fat Lady won't sing for quite sometime yet!

Prime9,

You're reading my mind. I love the Sox lineup as well. Hot Stove 2.0 is coming up as pitching is coming front and center. First the starting pitching and then the bullpen, but nobody is doing anything until Cliff Lee and his class of pitcher is decided upon. You know the Sox are going after at least a couple bullpen guys unless a starter gets traded....

Hopefully he works out better than that the last Ray FA, Julio Lugo....

I do like the line up, even if its a little LH heavy.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Crawford LF
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Drew RF
Scutaro SS
Saltalamacchia C

quote:

Originally posted by Prime9:
Tampa still has great pitching and Longoria.

I read that Garza might be off to Milwaukee. Is he a FA or is that a trade?

Suspect pitching?

From boston.com (Boston Globe)

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein said Monday that he plans to acquire at least two relievers via trade or free agency.

Last updated: 12/09, 3:34 p.m.
Sox may be favorites to get Downs

Last updated: 12/07, 3:51 p.m.
Epstein targeting Fuentes

The Sox have money to spend. Lowell and Lugo came off the books this year. Ortiz, Drew and Wakefield come off the books next year.

RJM is on target focusing on the pen now. Last off season they did not shore up the pen and it cost them. Despite the injuries, if they had had a decent pen they make the playoffs. Right after this season Theo says they have to address the pen as priority 1. Nothing yet, but I'm confident they will add three or four good arms one way or the other.

As for the lineup, the Sox have two leadoff hitters and two natural two hole hitters, so I like the left right balance of this lineup:

Crawford LF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Drew RF
Saltalamacchia/Tek C
Ellsbury CF
Scutaro SS

One other advantage is that if Ellsbury is leading off an inning with this lineup, Crawford is the three hole hitter.

Will be interesting to see how this lineup fares against Sabathia and potentially Cliff Lee (who the Yankees extended an official offer to), IMO the two best LHP in baseball. Its also difficult to top the 3-4-5 punch of Texeira, Rodriguez, Cano, no matter how you feel about each individual player (I'm a Yankee fan who can't stand A-Rod, but still can't deny his talent and capabilitiies).

Wouldn't it be something if the Sox did a back-door agreement with Cliff Lee and snatched him from the jaws of the E.E.?

Y'all aren't paying close enough attention to Francona's L/R alternate hitter style. Also, Crawford has expressed a distaste for the leadoff spot.

"Crawford’s thoughts on batting No. 1 were expressed in this long, goodbye article with Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times. Here’s an excerpt: As for batting leadoff? “I just thought I (stank) at it, to be honest with you,” Crawford says. “Lou (Piniella) put me second. Maybe I could have gotten better at it, but I just wasn’t comfortable. It didn’t have anything to do with stats. I just don’t think I’m a good leadoff hitter.” "

As long as Ellsbury is healthy & hits, expect the hitting lineup against LHP to look like this:


Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Crawford LF
Ortiz DH
Saltalamacchia/Tek C
Drew RF
Scutaro SS


Catching duo & Drew trade spots in order against RHP. But maybe not; as this exposes bottom half of order to specialty LHP relievers.

2011 might replace 2004 as my favorite year.

And now the Bosox are trying to shore up the catching by possibly acquiring Russ Martin of the Dodgers.

All I know is when the Yankees sign Cliff Lee to a huge contract, I don't want to hear any Red Sox fans whining about the "big bad Yankees" and all their money.

quote:

Originally posted by Emanski's Heroes:
All I know is when the Yankees sign Cliff Lee to a huge contract, I don't want to hear any Red Sox fans whining about the "big bad Yankees" and all their money.

The Red Sox do a reasonable job of competing financially with the Yankees. However, the Yankees still spend 30% more. This year and next the Sox have a lot of money coming off the books. They're reinvesting. There were more seats added to Fenway in the final phase of refurbishment. Plus they signed Youkilis and Pedroia to contacts in the last couple of years that now look like huge discounts. Their four best pitchers (Lester, Buckholtz, Papelbon and Bard) aren't free agency eligible yet.

So they're spending lots of money on players, signing their already established players to bigger contracts, and remodeling their stadium. Sounds just like the "big bad Yankees"...

Papelbon one of their best pitchers? If I were the Sox I'd have him for another year or two and then haul his overrated arm and stupid glare out to a team that wants him. IMO, Bard will be outstanding out of the back of the pen and that's where the Sox future will be.

EH - whining about the Empire's moneytree farm is a birthright to all of us in the Nation! Seriously, you knew the Red Sox were going on a shopping spree this year, because of the multiple expired contracts. Warning, the Sox have 3 more large contracts expiring next year. Whether or not the Yankees sign Cliff Lee, they will still have the highest payroll in MLB by 10-15%....I'll bet you a dozen newly baked Krispy Kremes doughnuts off Broad St! That is just the way they Yankees do things. If they stopped doing it this then I would be concerned. When your GM is named Cashman, what more can you expect?

quote:

Papelbon one of their best pitchers? If I were the Sox I'd have him for another year or two and then haul his overrated arm and stupid glare out to a team that wants him.

I'm not going to degrade Papelbon. He has the track record. Remove five appearances from last year and his numbers are as good as ever. But, the Sox do not believe in long term contracts for relievers so chances are Papelbon is gone unless he's converted to a starter. Another issue promoting his ultimate removal from the team is management isn't pleased with some of the less than intelligent comments he's made along the way. If the Sox get the right offer they will trade Papelbon. But nothing says "kiss and make up" like a great season.

Lugo's contract coming off the books is the first time I've heard his name mentioned in a positive tone in quite a while. I wish I could find the song, "Me and Julio Down By the Ballpark." It was funny. It was done by the morning guys on WROR.

"Come on Julio. Hit the ball!" - Manny

fenwaysouth- I am completely aware that the Yankees spend substantially more than every other team in the league but I can't grasp the fact that this is unfair. Whether or not you love the Yankees or hate them, they play by the rules. There is a quite large luxury tax that they pay for spending the amount that they do. Until the MLB comes up with a salary cap, I see no issue with the Yankees spending the money they have. They are #1 in attendance, #1 in ticket prices, #1 in television ratings, etc. They have a brand new billion+ dollar stadium, their own television station and more merchandise sales than any other team. To penalize them for taking advantage of their surroundings and exploiting the fact that they have more money than other teams is wrong in my mind. If I had a million dollars and my friend had $500,000, it wouldn't be right for someone to dictate that I could only buy the same size house as he can because it would "level off" the playing field.

So as I said, I don't argue that the Yankees spend an inordinate amount of money on their players. I believe ALL players are grossly overpaid. But for people to bash them for spending money they have, in my mind, comes off as a bit of jealousy.

And for the record, as a Yankee fan, I think that the Crawford and Gonzalez signings are excellent pickups and if the Yankees aren't able to secure Cliff Lee and hopefully a serious outfielder (still playing Monday morning quarterback and wondering why we gave up Austin Jackson for an overpaid .247 hitter), the Yankees will have a big problem keeping up with the Red Sox in 2011.

Originally posted by RJM:

quote:

I'm not going to degrade Papelbon. He has the track record. Remove five appearances from last year and his numbers are as good as ever. But, the Sox do not believe in long term contracts for relievers so chances are Papelbon is gone unless he's converted to a starter. Another issue promoting his ultimate removal from the team is management isn't pleased with some of the less than intelligent comments he's made along the way. If the Sox get the right offer they will trade Papelbon. But nothing says "kiss and make up" like a great season.

Agree 100%

quote:

fenwaysouth- I am completely aware that the Yankees spend substantially more than every other team in the league but I can't grasp the fact that this is unfair. Whether or not you love the Yankees or hate them, they play by the rules. There is a quite large luxury tax that they pay for spending the amount that they do. Until the MLB comes up with a salary cap, I see no issue with the Yankees spending the money they have. They are #1 in attendance, #1 in ticket prices, #1 in television ratings, etc. They have a brand new billion+ dollar stadium, their own television station and more merchandise sales than any other team. To penalize them for taking advantage of their surroundings and exploiting the fact that they have more money than other teams is wrong in my mind. If I had a million dollars and my friend had $500,000, it wouldn't be right for someone to dictate that I could only buy the same size house as he can because it would "level off" the playing field.

JH - as I stated earlier, there would be something wrong if the Yankees didn't do what they always do. Truly I say this ALL in jest. YOu and I know that the Red Sox complaining about the Yankees payroll is like Larry Ellison bitching and moaning about Bill Gates wealth. It is all relative.

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with it if you are playing by the rules.

The advantage the Yankees have is the size of their media market. Their broadcast revenues are bigger than the next seven teams combined. But they still have to manage the money and product properly along with fending off the Mets attempting to steal market share. Without the population of metro New York the Mets would be the Pirates with their ineffective management.

AL East Back To Normal

From boston.com (Boston Globe):

Last updated: 12/10, 1:55 p.m.
Red Sox reportedly 'top choice' for Martin

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News tweets that the Red Sox appear to be the top choice of free agent catcher Russell Martin, who has offers from the Yankees and Blue Jays in addition to Boston. Martin started only 89 games last season because of a hip injury.

am I the only one who would start Cameron over Ellsbury in CF? I am not impressed with Ellsbury's arm at all.

three bagger chime in here....

quote:

am I the only one who would start Cameron over Ellsbury in CF? I am not impressed with Ellsbury's arm at all.

The Sox don't need Cameron's power versus Ellsbury's power. Ellsbury will get on base more and provide more speed. Defensively Ellsbury is on the rise while Cameron is on the decline even if you believe Cameron is better right now.

Also, you don't ruin the psyche of a young player on the rise to play a player leaving in a year (if not sooner in trade) when there isn't a net difference between them in one given year. Ellsbury is the future. Cameron isn't.

quote:

am I the only one who would start Cameron over Ellsbury in CF? I am not impressed with Ellsbury's arm at all.

If I was Francona, I would platoon Cameron with lefty pitchers and rotate the OFs when they need some rest. 4 OFs is a gotta have. All three projected Red Sox OFs are left handed hitters. Carl Crawford LF, Jacoby Ellsbury CF and the often injured Nancy JD Drew in RF. I can see Cameron adding alot of value to CF and RF when needed.

I know there are people who get so tired of the Bosox-Yankee rivalry---But let me tell you, I'M NOT ONE OF THEM! This baseball superpower struggle never fails to fascinate me to no end.

As far as the Ellsbury/Cameron issue, my feelings are that Ellsbury has to get substantial playing time for a couple of reasons.
1. He needs to have his potential trade value reestablished after missing practically the whole year in 2010. He is a chip that can be used most easily in a trade later on after he puts some numbers on the board.
2. If the Bosox decide to keep him, he needs to play steadily to keep growing as a player since he is still young and also because he has the most potential as a true leadoff hitter since Crawford does not want to leadoff.
3. With three of the four outfielders (Ellsbury, Cameron, and Drew) all either being injury-prone or coming off an injury filled year, all four may get substantial playing time.

The Red Sox definitely have some bargaining chips for trades with Ellsbury, Lars Anderson and a young backup outfielder or two. I have loved their offseason but Beckett, Papelbon and Daiseki are going to have to step back up. I have afeeling Wakefield might be at the end but we'll see.

As far as the Yankees spending a gazillion more dollars than anyone else, I don't have a real problem with it as it's always good for baseball when the Yankees have a solid contending team. They are following the rules and the cards they were dealt and besides doesn't every good story need the evil bad guy?

The best thing to come out of the presser is that Carl Crawford says he no longer has a problem with leading off. Bill James has already run his lineup projections and I'm sure he'll be advising Tito to bat Crawford at leadoff. In the Sox 2011 lineup he is not a three hitter. Crawford should lead off, Jacoby should hit near the bottom of the order.

Theo also mentioned again that they have work to do on the pen.

quote:

Originally posted by 3rdgenerationnation:
The best thing to come out of the presser is that Carl Crawford says he no longer has a problem with leading off. Bill James has already run his lineup projections and I'm sure he'll be advising Tito to bat Crawford at leadoff. In the Sox 2011 lineup he is not a three hitter. Crawford should lead off, Jacoby should hit near the bottom of the order.

Theo also mentioned again that they have work to do on the pen.

I have to agree. I would not pencil Crawford into the three spot in that order based on who else they have in the lineup either. I see him as more of a Bobby Bonds type leadoff although he hasn't shown an ability to walk as much as Bobby did in the day.

If Crawford will bat leadoff, I would bat him there, otherwise it's going to be a little complicated. Pedroia could probably bat leadoff although Ellsbury and Crawford are much faster. You might bat Ellsbury ninth but I wouldn't bat Pedroia at the end of the lineup. Ellsbury, then Crawford would put them in that situation and Pedroia is too good a hitter to bat that far down. Gee, nice problems to have trying to sort out this lineup.

another side of this issue of batting Crawford 3 is that it most likely puts the Greek God of Walks in the 5 hole. I dont know how you can put his OBP that far down.

Mike Cameron could get forty starts as a righthanded DH. Ortiz has had trouble with lefties the past couple of years.