Entries Tagged 'Ellsbury' ↓

This is going to be a painful off-season unless something takes shape soon.

You see, it’s not just about getting the right parts secured early because you want to be best prepared for your season, it’s also about the players who will move / sign / get traded that should be afforded the courtesy of getting adjusted to their new digs.

My list for what I’d like to see in 2009 will fall on completely deaf ears down on Yawkee Way, but here goes:

Catcher
2008: Jason Varitek, 2009: Jason Varitek for 2 year deal, bring up George Kottaras if he can stay defensively stable during Spring Training.

‘Tek brings a lot to the table. He’s just fine defensively and he’ll be the best thing for the pitching staff. At 11 Million a year (or 12 if they splurge), ‘Tek is still a bargain for a seasoned and defensive catcher who is beloved by his pitchers.

Kottaras should at least get his last shot before they kill his career. This kid has potential, but they may not see him as a viable option… ever. If that’s the case, cut him or trade him. He could definitely go somewhere and get a major league deal, even if it means one more year in the minors. Kelly Shoppach, anyone?

Fourth Outfielder
2008: Coco Crisp (traded to KC), 2009: Mark Kotsay

With Coco out of the mix, the Sox had better hope that the chick-magnet Ellsbury can get his stick together. Otherwise, he’ll be mid-year trade bait. Mark Kotsay is a great defensive player who can still stroke a couple doubles and he’ll even take 1st if something were to happen with Youk.

Another option: Rocco Baldelli  - I’m less intrigued by him since his announcement of mitochondrial disorder came out. He’s not as durable and he might not even be ABLE to play 75-100 times. Too much risk.

Short Stop
2008: Julio Lugo / Jed Lowrie, 2009: Jed Lowrie

Look, the offensive force of Papi and Manny is gone and the best we’re going to do without the likes of a Texeira or Mauer is hit a lot of doubles and steal some bases. Lowrie should be able to take a few bags and Lugo is probably still going to become a super-sub with about 30 Million in guaranteed money coming to him (unless they can get a sucker team to take him).

Lowrie had his moments of brilliance last year and I actually think that with a full year under his belt he’d be more consistent and have fewer gaffes. He’s not any worse (no, really, not ANY worse) than Lugo would be.

Third Base?
2008: Mike Lowell / Kevin Youkili / Jed Lowrie, 2009: Lowell / Lowrie?

Here’s a weird issue: The Sox don’t actually know that Mike Lowell will come to Spring Training 100% ready for the season. If he doesn’t, I’m sure Lowrie will start off there with Lugo filling in (at least temporarily) at Short.

I’m not convinced that Lowell will be 100%. I actually believe he’ll be 80% and try to get through the season without killing himself. What this means, of course, is that we shouldn’t count on his bat for a hell of a lot of production until we SEE a hell of a lot of production. He can sing-song all day long about how great he feels and that he’s just a little rusty, but if the pop is gone, this could get ugly. His expectation from management is a good, solid 25 homers. We’ll see…

Season Expectations

I’m not the first person who has said this about the Sox for ‘09, but I don’t see them getting higher than 3rd in the AL East unless they can get some offensive help. Of course, they’ve pretty much killed a lot of hope by the fans with the overpaid Texeira going to NY, but can they milk Joe Mauer out of the Twin Cities for a couple hot players? Masterson and Buchholz? Masterson, Lugo and some money?

Right now, the AL East projects to be:

1. NY
2. Tampa
3. Boston
4. Toronto
5. Baltimore

Let’s see how this works… I’m sure once Spring Training is over I’ll feel different. Especially if they’re actually out there making moves.

Only 8 weeks until pitchers and catchers report. Who will report in the latter category?

Ladies and gentlemen, Spring Training is not even officially one month old and Mr. Crisp has begun the campaign to be jettisoned from the Land of the Red Sox.

He’s been vocal about the fact that he’s had to compete. I see it this way:

Last year, Coco had a few injuries to endure throughout the regular season and, even though he played through them, his body just couldn’t take much more punishment while being able to focus on the offensive side of his game. The Sox, actually, were incredibly lucky to have someone like Ellsbury ready to go. Had he not been as well-prepared, the Sox would have had a slightly harder time winning seven straight games.

This year, Coco is in the fight for his life to save (or get back, really) his job and keep his value at a high level.

I’m still a big fan of both potential center fielders.  I believe Coco is a brilliant defender who will be able to play at his level of defense for the next five years before he’s so incredibly banged up as to render him almost useless in any hard activity.

I believe Ellsbury is a potential superstar who could use his good looks and his super agent to rise to the levels only enjoyed by less than 1%.

I also believe there is no guarantee with either option. You see, even though Coco is a great defensive player with a few years under his cap, he came into the organization with the great hope of the replacement for a goofy, sometimes admittedly idiotic leadoff hitter.

There will be a great amount of discussion in the next few weeks. Red Sox Nation seems to wish this were easier, but also seem to want nothing less than this whole mess to disappear and Ellsbury to take over.

Regardless, this will be an interesting test.

• Buchholz had a really rough outing yesterday giving up hits to the first five batters he faced (he came in the game in the third). He’s competing with a rejuvenated Colon who threw a bullpen session yesterday and had “good movement and a fastball that reached 90 a few times”. This could get really interesting, folks.
• Terry Francona has decided that Pedroia is a moron and told the Boston Globe they could print it. The comment came after watching Pedroia “Dance With the Stars” for Mike Lowell’s charity.
• Curt’s going to have surgery. Just a gut feeling. This year is probably toast for him.
• Big Papi wants to ride it out in Boston for the next big contract. I don’t know how they’ll avoid paying him a ridiculous amount of money unless he gets hurt or has a crap year.
• Varitek will get a three year, $36 Million dollar deal. Just my guess. We’ll see if I’m right. Also, the Sox don’t seem to do this (publicly anyway), but they should give ‘Tek a Personal Services contract.
• Next stop on the rumor mill? Nowhere. It’s been unrealistically quiet this year (no problem there). Good feelings will occur when real games begin.
• Theo is the next one up for a big administrative contract. He’s rumored to currently pull in $1.8 Million/year. I think he’ll get a sizable bump; how can they not?
• Not too much noise on the center field competition, is there? Must be something happening with Crisp that we don’t know about…

Coco showed up with a bit of a chip on his shoulder this week and made sure that everyone heard that he’d rather be traded than sit on the bench. I don’t blame him. While I am certainly one of those people who thought he didn’t live up to any sort of offensive prowess, Coco Crisp is one of the most exciting and electrifying defensive players I’ve had the pleasure to watch in the past 20 years.

When healthy, right?

When the team is doing well, right?

Nope.

Coco is not the best center fielder in the league. He’s just damned good and damned entertaining.

Watching him play the last two years has been a great form of entertainment. And, to that end, I hope he can stick with the team and show his skills this year as well.

I just don’t want him holding back Ellsbury, who is, without question, a starting major league center fielder.

How lucky are the Sox to have this problem?

Theo and the Trio will hand over Ellsbury if they can get a deal with the Twins for Santana.

Right now, it looks like Theo will deal Ellsbury OR Buchholz, but not both. And, of course, that would leave Coco in Boston. I can’t for the life of me figure out if the Monday deadline by the Yankees to the Twins is serious or not. So far, based on what ESPN and SI.cnn have said, all of this could come to a conclusion tomorrow.