Swinging for the Fences

Brought to you by the same folks that gave you the Monster Seats, Red Sox Nation Membership Cards, and 8 dollar hot dogs; In 2011 we will be graced with the presence of Bullpen Seats!!!! *Crickets* The Sox are bringing the fences in Right Field. According to them it is a pure comfortability move for the relievers, because they are too cramped when warming up. The League recommends 29 feet wide Fenway's pens are 21. So you're looking at a cool 10 foot shallower fence in the once spacious right field.

Ya know what, do what you want with your money but don't play it off like you're doing it for the players when come to find out there may be a new quirk to this expansion. Gary Thorne (Orioles Broadcaster) has ties in the Sox organization and seems to think there will be seats in front of the bullpen. Cue the Duckboats, here's the latest attraction to charge 200 dollars per seat.

But instantly my mind starts trying to figure out why else do this other than revenue (as if that isn't their only thought, 24/7). Power. Looking at your lineup right now you're losing a 3, 5, and 6 hitter from a healthy Boston lineup. That means you need some thunder. However there is no premier slugger on the market. Here's my thought: You need a 3 hitter to bat after Dustin and before Youkilis. Crawford would seem to be a great fit in anyone's lineup nevertheless he isn't a power hitter and to hit 3^rd in Boston you're going to need to hit 20 HRs a year minimum. So what do you do if a player can't hit for more power? Bring the fences in. Let's say the Sox get outbid for Crawford and need a secondary option, Jayson Werth has a right-center power stroke and moving the fences in here would be almost reminiscent of the confines in Philadelphia as far as distance. So by moving the fences in for THIS free agent class we'll call it, in a word, Insta-Thump.

How else does this affect the Red Sox lineup? Well Pedroia and Youkilis smoke line drives to right-center all the time and they are short hopping the wall or getting ground rule doubles this will allow our righties to hit for more pop as well. As for the lefties, JD Drew and David Ortiz (if option is picked up, or deal is reached) are not getting any younger and would most likely regress in their power stroke. This will enable them to continue to be productive even when the ball isn't completely scorched to put a few more runs than expected up on the board.

The Red Sox despite what they say monitor everything the Yankees do and they have seen how the launching pad in the Bronx has made their team almost unbeatable at home. Well since The Steroid Era is complete and this team is no longer a perfect fit at Fenway, the front office needs to adapt. Everyone says this lineup needs more thump and when thump isn't available via trade or free agency this is the next best thing.

Stay Tuned

Norton

The Rebuilding Effort and WS Picks

It's been a hella long time. I haven't talked to you in a while but I figured I'd let you know what I would do with next years' Sox team in order to bring back our beloved Beantown back to the postseason.

In terms of the 3 big free agents we have:

You re-sign Victor Martinez to a 3-4 year deal at 13 million…BUT you make sure the provision that he is not setting foot behind the plate He spends 75% of the time as the primary DH and spot starts at 1B and C when your catcher needs a day. You would be overpaying him as a DH but because of his versatility you are covered with injuries therefore I wouldn't view it as overpaying.

Being that Victor is the DH that means I don't think you re-sign Ortiz. We've seen what big bodied aging sluggers look like (see Mo Vaughn, Cecil Fielder and other players of that ilk), take the draft picks.

Beltre is a HUGE question mark to me. I LOVED HIM all year but there is something to him being healthy in contract years and performing….I'd love to sign him but no more than 15 mil per season and no more than 4 seasons…Someone will probably go 16 for 4 or a 5^th year…if that's the case I don't want him. If you can't sign him you could look into trading for a Chone Figgins or (maybe even David Wright, I've seen many reports about a re-build for the Mets) Here's the big issue though…after this year there is a triumvirate of 1B's to hit free agency (Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez) if you think you can sign any one of those guys you don't make the deal for a 3B.

On a related side note, I do NOT move Kevin Youkilis (A Gold Glove First basemen) unless you get one of the 3 first basemen mentioned in the previous paragraph. Just because he is able to play 3B does not mean he should be playing there. He's a top 15 player in the Majors offensively when healthy and he gets less wear and tear at First Base.

Then you are missing two prominent power bats from your lineup. My solution is to trade for Andre Ethier. He is a left-handed, Triple Crown threat, and he's Pedroia's best friend to boot. He would play left field and would be cheaper than both Crawford and Werth and doesn't have the injury history. You can't have Crawford and Ellsbury in the same lineup. Ellsbury would bitch even more (than his wipe front to back monologue)if he got moved out of the leadoff hole. Carol Crawford is also not a 3 hitter which should be the perfect blend of power, speed and average he clearly has the speed and average but power is not his MO. The Dodgers need pitching and Daisuke's numbers against the NL are actually quite good. Daisuke, Ellsbury and maybe a Michael Bowden would probably be enough for Ethier.

SS is an issue for me. Scutaro was admirable for playing through what he did but his defense was so bad at the end of the season it was more painful to watch than his shoulder was for him. I'd LOVE to give Lowrie a shot there and make Scutaro the util for the IF. Lowrie when healthy has hit in every level of baseball and although it is a risk to assume health when every time the wind blows he gets scurvy or some variation of a disease that hasn't seen the light of day in a century.

The bullpen needs 3 arms. Okajima is gone, he has to be. I'd pick up Scott Downs, Jason Frasor and one of Kerry Wood, JJ Putz or Kyle Farnsworth. Papelbon is a weird case for me. You can't trade him without getting an arm in return. The White Sox have a stable of arms and I'm wondering if they would want Papelbon since Jenks has been ineffective for a while and maybe we could get Thornton in return and make Bard the closer?

With the proposed trade that would send Daisuke to LA you have an opening in your rotation. I'd LOVE to see Felix Doubront get a shot. He should incredible poise and as far as I'm concerned was very effective in the time he was there. Wakefield is another strange case because all indications are that he's not effective, yet he can still eat innings. His role would still be in the mop up/spot start and he has to accept it. If not then you move on and buy him out for 1.25 mil instead of the 2 that he's owed.

Lineup-

Lowrie/Scuatro-SS

Pedroia-2B

Ethier-LF

Youkilis-1B

Martinez-DH

Beltre/Wright-3B

Drew-RF

Saltalamacchia-C

Kalish-CF

 

Rotation

Lester

Buchholz

Beckett

Lackey

Doubront/offseason pick-up

 

Bullpen

 

Wakefield

Rich Hill

Downs

Frasor

(1 of Putz, Wood, Farnsworth)

Bard

Papelbon or Thornton

 

Theo has already gone on record saying that the bullpen will be re-made, so that is why I expect a HUGE turnover for next year's pen and there should be movement in lineup too. The complimentary pieces (Drew and Ortiz) are both much worse than league average against lefties and April is what cost us being more in the race and we have to play a full 162 to win the division in 2011.

 

There may be something to the whole Beckett in even years (when he is average to utterly attrocious at best) compared to odd years (when he seems to dominate) and in case you aren't observant next year ends in a 1. I should have seen the whole Lackey to the AL East transition year coming; I really should have and would have adjusted my projections accordingly. It happens with everyone that comes from a weaker division and I'm so much better than that.

 

As for the playoffs this fall

I have the series going as such:

Yankees over Twins in 4

Rangers over Rays in 4

Phillies over Reds in 3

Giants over Braves in 4

I don't see any of these series going the 5 game distance and expect the LCS's to be MUCH better.

 

Rangers over Yankees in 6

Phillies over Giants in 7

 

The Rangers pitching staff will stymie the Yankees especially with their two left-handed monster of Lee and Wilson. The Yankees Pitching is in shambles and because CC will throw Game 4 of the ALDS he won't be able to start again till Game 2 or 3 of the Championship series.

If anyone is going to challenge the Phillies in the NL its going to be the Giants. Tim Lincecum in the playoffs I think you're going to see the resurgence in his velocity because of the adrenaline of pitching in the postseason, and he is going to have a postseason to remember. Lincecum vs. Halladay Game 7? Sign me up.

 

Rangers over Phillies in 6

Originally I had the Phillies but I'm switching. Am I the only one that sees the symmetry of Cliff Lee pitching against the Phillies in the WS. This could be EPIC if he gets matched up with Halladay and you could see some of the best pitched games in WS history. But ultimately I think that the 2 lefties that the Phillies will have to face could neutralize Howard and Utley and will make the Rangers the Champs of Baseball.