Time To Pine

I have come across some interesting stats in the last couple of hours and as usual it got me thinking. The Red Sox are one of the handfuls of teams that for the most part have deep pockets when it comes to baseball operations. Take a look at the payroll over the last few years:

year payroll

2001 110,035,883
2002 108,366,060
2003 99,946,500
2004 127,298,500
2005 123,505,125
2006 120,099,824
2007 143,026,214
2008 133,390,035
2009 121,745,999

As you probably know baseball is a sport of streaks, peaks, and valleys. I may run the risk of being "Captain Obvious" when I now tell you that the years immediately before their pennant and World Series winning runs that their payroll declined. I could be completely off-base but the every 3^rd year skyrocket in payroll doesn't look like a coincidence. The REAL question is however, what will they do knowing that this free-agent market is less than stellar? I've got some suggestions (Duh).

1^st order of business-SIGN MATT HOLLIDAY

I'm not sure that Matt Holliday's brief stint in Oakland is a detractor that Theo would weigh heavily upon when given the decision to go after Matt Holliday. That ballpark is an abysmal place for a hitter. It's disgustingly huge, the ball doesn't carry, and he was hitting in a lineup with No protection (Sorry Jason Giambi). He is a career .318 hitter, the power numbers could have been skewed up in the Rocky Mountain Air, but you can't skew putting the bat on the ball. He doesn't strike out as much, statistically is a MUCH better all around hitter AND outfielder (crotch shot jokes aside). He's going to look for 6 years but if we can get him for 5 at around 18 mil per year I say do it to it! Jason Bay has been an admirable addition to the Red Sox, but the prospect of seeing him patrol the outfield when he's 35 is about as scary as watching Susan Boyle undress. He strikes out too much and although he may hit a few more home runs Holliday is THE most complete player in this year's market, despite what Bay's agent tells you.

2^nd order of business- Trade for Roy Halladay

After publicly lambasting one of my devoted readers (Yes this one's for you Bradley) I really think that Halladay is the pitcher we need to obtain in the offseason. The new GM has said that he will grant an extension window if the pot is sweetened a bit, and to me that's money in the bank. This is the ONLY way that you deal Buchholz, is if you get pitching in return. Halladay is a bona fide stud and if Lincecum and Hernandez weren't in the league he'd be the best right handed pitcher in the Bigs' as well. Hernandez would be GREAT but he is going to command too much right now. He'll hit the market in a few years and we'll broach that subject at a later date. The other reason you NEED to trade for Roy Halladay is because if the OTHER team (Bronx Bomba's) no one will beat them for the next 5 years, unless everyone breaks their femur or has to suffer through Hope Floats. He gives us the pitching edge, unless the Yankees can trade for Greinke or Hernandez, and he historically pitches VERY well (9-2, 2.51ERA since 2007) against them as well.

3^rd order of business-Dump/Trade Mike Lowell

Theo has said that he wants to get better on defense and his road/home splits, and the Tin Man (Poor attempt at a squeaky Mike Lowell joke) is most likely the main proponent of that statement. You WILL eat some salary, unless he goes as part of a trade as a thrown in, and even then you'll still have to pony up some dough. At the time his new contract looked sort of like a discount, but do you want to pay a broken down 3^rd baseman that count get to a ball more than 3 feet to either side of him 12.5 mil? Didn't think so. Mike Lowell cannot be part of the 2010 Red Sox if you want to go deep into the playoffs, unless you are of the mind that he and Ortiz can platoon at DH (Picture me laughing and pointing at you, about to ridicule you mercilessly).

4^th order of business- Find a 3-bagger

Whether it is Adrian Beltre (sans testicle) or Chone Figgins, you need to have an upgrade from the aforementioned Mike Lowell. Both have UZR ratings above 14 and are dynamic in their own right at the plate. Beltre is OBVIOUSLY the "bigger" bat being that he will pop a few more homers out of the park, and Chone Figgins is the more patient, speedy, "run .300" type of hitter. I'm leaning towards Beltre partly because if we signed Figgins there is no place to put him in the lineup with Ellsbury at the top, Pedroia pigeonholed in the 2-spot, and seemingly Alex Gonzalez inhabiting the 9-slot(more to come). Beltre would hit EXACTLY where Lowell was in the lineup and be the younger and most likely more powerful version of Mike Lowell that we desperately need.

5^th order of business- Re-sign Alex Gonzalez to a 1 year deal for 3 mil

You sign him as ONE MORE stop gap in the shortstop barrage that we have seen over the years. You won't get much from him at the plate (lifetime .294 OBP, *dies a little inside*) but what you're looking for is defense. Defense and pitching win championships and that's what you're looking to go after. There are 0 free agents that will give you the defense that Gonzalez gives you since Jack Wilson just re-signed with the Mariners. But in the 2011 shortstop free Agent class, there are the likes of Jimmy Rollins, Jose Reyes, and Johnny Peralta just to name a few. You've waited 6 years since we had a reliable SS (Nomar still counts) and what's one more if we can get a marquis player next year.

After these things are done if you want to burn Manny DelCarmen or find some way to get a couple more arms in the 'pen that's fine with me but the pressing issues in that order, are what need to be taken into not just consideration but action.

Stay Tuned

Ryan