http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2005/10/roger_that_1.html
Schilling will be an ace next year and Pabelbon will be #2. Wakefield will be a great #5 starter and have another decent Wakefield year, leaving two spots on the rotation open for either Clement, Wells, another minor leaguer, (I like Dinardo) or an acquisition. Also, I found out from Mr. Seddon that there's a good possibility that the Marlins will be looking to trade MIGUEL CABRERA! If we lost Damon and got the 23 year old Cabrera, this team would be unstoppable. Another .300 hitter with great power, and speed, and a pretty good outfielder I think. Oh and I'll say it again, he's 23. Also, have you guys heard about one of our 2005 draft picks Jacoby Ellsbury? He's an outfielder who took I think Oregon to the college world series and then he had a great year in one of the lower leagues in our farm system. From what I've read I think he might be for real. But I'm drooling at the idea of getting Cabrera. Also his name is Cabrera, which from my experience in the last couple years is a good thing.
13 comments:
Hey, we COULD be pitching rich next year. Glad to see Mr. Seddon is up on baseball.
We'd probably have to trade our entire AAA team for Cabrera, unfortunately. At 23, he's already one of the best players in MLB, and figures to be 2nd best overall (behind Pujols) in a few years. As good as he is, I really like our farm system, so I'm not sold.
Ellsbury is intriguing. Also interesting is Edgar "Big Edgah" Martinez, a portly reliever who lit up the farm system and yet is not getting a lot of attention. We could have such a talented young team next year, it's super exciting.
BTW, word on the street is the Yankees are gonna try to move mountains to get Torii Hunter. So no worries, Luke. Also, what do you think of the possibility of Brad Wilkerson at 1B/4th OF?
If it were (was?) my money to spend, I'd spend it in centerfield and the Bull pen. I'd cover 1b/3b with Youks/Petagine/Mueller/Ortiz.
Were it my money, I'd get a young 1B, probably not a big name, but someone with potential. I don't like leaving it to Youk, who I'd like on 3rd, Olerud, who I'd like as a backup PH, or Petagine, who I'm not sold on. But yes, my focus would be CF, and the SPs. I don't know if we'll need more than one new decent RP, if we resign Timlin and/or Foulke comes back into form.
Also, Luke, I'm not comfortable with Paps as a #2. I think that might be overrating him a bit. He has potential to be a #1, but it'll be a couple more years. in the meantime, I think he's a decent #3, just like Wells and Clement will be. And let's face it, Wake is a #3 too.
Wake was #1 on our pitching staff this year but I hope next year that role will be filled by Schilling. On a bad pitching staff like this past year's, Wake is number 1 but he'd be number 5 for the White Sox and that kind of pitching staff has to be the Red Sox goal. Also, I'm sold on Papelbon, he's absolutely awesome. To do what he did this year down the stretch is just incredible. He had an ERA something like 1.17 in September and not much higher than that overall. You're right about Cabrera, I think I was just dreaming when I thought we'd get him. But I wouldn't rule it out we do have some trade bait here and there not just in the minors but in some of the guys who are with the team now. I really don't know anything about Brad Wilkerson but I agree with dad on the infield situation. Between Petagine and Youk we'd have a set 1B and between Mueller and Youk we'd have a more than set 3B. It'd be an extremely inexpensive option and would save a whole lot of money for the outfield and the pitching. Also, if say Youk and Petagine really struggle, Ortiz can play 1st and we can find someone from somewhere to be a solid DH. I have no idea what's gonna happen with Clement Wells and Arroyo. Honestly I don't like any of 'em except Wells who's a gamer. Wells is the kind of guy who could be solid as the third starter. I like Schilling Papelbon Wells and Wakefield and then the 4th starter could be Arroyo Clement or some free agent. I'd prefer Arroyo to Clement because Clement's been a head case for years, while Arroyo has only been around two years and although he struggled this past year at times he's shown incredible promise. BTW Konerko's a free agent, although he'll most likely resign with the other Sox.
BTW Caleb I think you might be a little to set on the idea that a 1st basemen has to be a major hitter. Don't forget that we have by FAR the best offensive catcher in the league and catcher is normally a very weak offensive position. That and a few other guys easily make up for a lack of power from 1st base. Don't forget we led the league in runs scored. Honestly, this year I've become slightly more sold on smallball because as Mike Scioscia(sp?) says, speed doesn't go into a slump. Also the small ball White Sox and Angels beat the Red Sox and Yankees this year. It'd be nice to be able to manufacture some runs in close games rather than have to hope for a homerun or something.
Well, you guys are much more up on the rest of the league and what's available than I am. I suppose as long as the defense in CF is good, then the offense could be in the 1B position. But I think we could cover the infield pretty well with what we have if we sign Mueller for a year or two.
We really were one good pitcher away from going all the way this year. We scored more runs than any other team, right? Clement, Wells, Arroyo, and Wakefield aren't likely to be much different next year than this. But, Schilling and Papelbon have the potential to be loads better than this year. That's six startin pitchers right there, without considering Miller and all the young promising arms. Timlin, Bradford, Myers aren't likely to be much different next year. Any help for the Bullpen has to come from the young arms, trades, or FAs. Strengthen the bullpen. Get a top quality center fielder, the second most important defnsive position, after SS, and we are stuck with ER. Let's hope he improves.
Maybe Rocco Baldelli isn't as good as I think he is. But I love the name. He could be friends with Andy Robustelli.
Mr. Seddon is letting me borrow his copy of Moneyball to read btw. But yeah if Schilling is Schilling and Foulke is Foulke we'd be in the ALCS right now and would probably win another World Series. That being said we won't need to make major changes for next year. If Damon leaves, however, we would have to do something kind of big to replace him. It's also important that next year we're better prepared for those kind of injuries because they are inevitable.
THAT kind of injury or
Those kindS of injuries
I forgot about Foulke. I don't like Foulke. We should get him going again and then trade him to an awful team.
Oh, no. Now I have to explain when to use "were" and when to use "was"? Sorry, I can't do it! Too much kvetching from the peanut gallery. Just take my word for it -- in that sentence, it's "were."
It is were?
1st Base:
Paul Konerko
Euribiel Durazo
Kevin Millar
Daryle Ward
Travis Lee
Jeff Conine
J.T. Snow
2nd Base:
Craig Biggio
Mark Grudzielanek
Tony Graffanino
Miguel Cairo
Damion Easley
Fernando Vina
Shortstop:
Nomar Garciaparra
Rafael Furcal
Alex Gonzalez
Neifi Perez
Jose Vizcaino
Rich Aurilia
Royce Clayton
3rd Base:
Bill Mueller
Joe Randa
Jose Valentin
Jeff Cirillo
Outfield:
Johnny Damon
Hideki Matsui
Brian Giles
Matt Lawton
Preston Wilson
Jacque Jones
Reggie Sanders
Juan Encarnacion
Kenny Lofton
Richard Hidalgo
Jose Cruz Jr
BJ Surhoff
Brian Jordan
Starting Pitchers:
Roger Clemens
AJ Burnett
Matt Morris
Kevin Millwood
Jarrod Washburn
Jeff Weaver
Paul Byrd
Esteban Loiaza
Kenny Rogers
Jamie Moyer
Tony Armas Jr
Brett Tomko
Jason Johnson
Scott Elarton
Relief Pitchers:
BJ Ryan
Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner
Kyle Farnsworth
Ugueth Urbina
Mike Timlin
Octavio Dotel
Scott Eyre
Ricardo Rincon
Al Reyes
Julian Tavarez
Tim Worrell
Rudy Seanez
Chris Hammond
Jay Witasick
I'm assuming those are free agents. But boy what a crappy free agent market. If you look at each position, for almost all them other than pitchers the best one available is a RED SOX. That says to me we should resign them if we can. Except Damon of course. I did not know that Matsui is a free agent, that's interesting. I do like some of the pitchers. AJ Burnett
Matt Morris
Kevin Millwood
Jarrod Washburn
Paul Byrd
Esteban Loiaza
and relievers:
BJ Ryan
Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner
Kyle Farnsworth
Ugueth Urbina
Octavio Dotel
Caleb, looking at the list of 1st basemen, next year's 1B has to come from within the Sox. There's no one on that list i'm interested in EXCEPT Konerko who is incredible but will probably resign with the white sox. BTW I'm reading Moneyball and Billy Beane says "Power is something that can be acquired. Good hitters develop power. Power hitters don't become good hitters." I read that and I think YOUKILIS! Hasn't hit a lot of homeruns for us over the last couple years but with that almost .400 OBP and .300 avg he's definitely a good hitter. And according to Beane, power can be developed. Petagine was consistently extremely good in AAA last year, I think he can be trusted to be a good major league hitter. But for some reason it seems really unlikely to me that Theo would try this.
Post a Comment