Fenway West - A Boston Red Sox Blog

Victory Parade FAIL

odmatt@gmail.com (Matt O'Donnell) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:03:17 +0000

Some New Yorkers don't know to make confetti so they chose to throw sensitive documents out the window at the Yankees in yesterday's victory parade. Watch below:

Some New Yorkers were smart enough to know what to throw. Look at this photo from NESN:

Do the Red Sox Have any Money to Spend?

odmatt@gmail.com (Matt O'Donnell) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:58:27 +0000

Last season the Red Sox spent more than $20 million less on their payroll than they did in 2007. With the current economic climate the team does not have the income it had two years ago. NESN viewership is down meaning ad revenue is down. In addition John Henry's hedge fund is hemorrhaging money, so much so that he had to lay off a quarter of his staff. He has entered into other areas like Nascar but money is even tighter there. The Mark Teixeira negotiations may not have been a simple outmaneuvering by the Yanks; it is possible that the Red Sox just don't have the money to get the players they want. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday are good players but they are not league MVP's. If the Sox overspend on one of them they may be handcuffed in the future. Look at how long Boston tried to get out from under Manny's contract. Going long term on a high priced player carries a huge amount of risk and sometimes options even come back to haunt teams (didn't take Manny long to exercise his option with LA did it?).

The Yankees and Mets will be in on Bay and Holliday driving up the price. How high will the Red Sox be willing to go? Can they afford to land either of them? Can they afford not to? Theo does not have a blank check to spend this offseason so he will have to work some magic.

Who's Gonna Play Short?

odmatt@gmail.com (Matt O'Donnell) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:42:40 +0000

Left field is the biggest hole that the Red Sox need to fill this offseason, but there is still the issue at short. Here are the free agent shortstops from MLB Trade Rumors:

Orlando Cabrera (35) - Type A, can't be offered arbitration
Juan Castro (38)
Alex Cora (34)
Craig Counsell (39)
Bobby Crosby (30)
Adam Everett (33)
Chris Gomez (39)
Alex Gonzalez (32) - $6MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
Khalil Greene (30)
Jerry Hairston Jr. (34) - Type B
John McDonald (35)
Luis Rodriguez (30)
Marco Scutaro (34) - Type A
Miguel Tejada (36) - Type A
Omar Vizquel (43)
Jack Wilson (32) - $8.4MM club option with a $600K buyout

Quite a few familiar names on the list. The easy choice is to just pick up the option on Alex Gonzalez. He has a good glove and showed some improvement at the plate once he re-joined the Sox but I wouldn't do it. The name that jumps out at me is Bobby Crosby. Being out here in the Bay Area I have been able to watch him play many games with the A's. Crosby has struggled the last few seasons but has a ton of upside; he can be signed on the cheap and can play other positions in the infield. Signing Crosby would allow Lowrie to start at short with Crosby there as a utility infielder. Letting Gonzalez walk will not be popular with the fans but it could free up some more money to sign Bay or Holliday.

Is It about the trade or the production?

billwelcome2000@yahoo.com (Bill Welcome) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:49:35 +0000

Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein has been an iconic hero to Red Sox fans all over this great land. For me it started when he visited Curt Schilling at his Arizona home back on Thanksgiving of 2003 and refused to leave until Schilling agreed to be part of the ole town team. With two World Series titles under his belt i still have to wonder if Theo is more interested in getting a diamond in the rough in a deal then the production of his baseball club. Now reading that last sentence most will say "what?" and rightfully so when it comes to acquiring players around the trading deadline. However Epstein seems to really enjoy looking at young talent and seeing the "upside" in a trade. The Willie Mo Pena for Bronson Arroyo deal was the first time I noticed this. He saw the raw power of Pena attached that to the green monster at Fenway Park and had to do the deal. Well as we know now and kind of knew then, Willie Mo was more like Pedro Cerrano in the film Major League then a prospect with an upside. That brings me to the Jeremy Hermida deal. The lefty outfielder has that same great upside and is a nice prospect but really can't stay healthy. He hasn't played more than 142 ball games in the past three years. Well when an all-star like Jason Bay maybe heading to greener ($$$) pastures, I am hoping the front office on Yawkey Way has a back up plan besides Hermida. Fans reading this will react with "come on Bill, have a little faith". Well, this trade takes Garrett Anderson off the table, Bobby Abreu just signed a two year deal with the Angels. Do we really want to roll the dice on Matt Holliday and whether or not his power numbers were aided by the Colorado air? It's clear the free agent options are limited. Hermida is a good 4th outfielder option, but with J.D. Drew and his high maintenance health I don't think Red Sox nation wants another health issue in the outfield. Here's to hoping Jason Bay takes what the Red Sox offer him because the 2010 team has all the issues ready to happen like 2005 and 2006 did.

Should the Sox pick up 'Tek's option?

dm522@juno.com (Sonoma Dave) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:48:55 +0000

I read that the Sox will not pick it up for 2010. I say they should pick it up. 'Tek has been with the Sox for his entire career, since '97, and has been the Captain since 2004. If 'Tek is not ready for retirement, then the Sox should do the right thing and keep him for one more year. The $2 million difference between the Sox option and 'Tek's option is pocket change. In 'Dirty Water', 'Tek had a prominent role in the opening chapters, while the book mentioned 'honoring the brand.' Having 'Tek finish his career in a Sox uni is the right thing to do, if 'Tek is still wanting to play. (Remember when 'Tek blew out his knee the day after the trading deadline? The team fell apart starting that day.) Not picking it is kin to the low-ball offer that the Steinbrenner's offered Torre. 'Tek's value to this team over the years is most definitely worth the $2m, whether he is the starter or the back-up. Martinez has proven that he can handle Wake's knuckleball.

Theo- do the right thing, honor the brand.

RI Yankee fan gets a Red Sox goat

dm522@juno.com (Sonoma Dave) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:24:55 +0000

This falls into the 'Ever wonder what goes on in your old hometown?' department.

A Bristol, RI Yankee fan received an anonymous gift of a goat wearing a Red Sox hat tied to a tree in his front yard, according to an article in the Bristol Phoenix. It has been determined that the unnamed Yankee fan is not my father.

Did I hear something about the yankees?

dm522@juno.com (Sonoma Dave) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:34:35 +0000

Did I hear that the yankees won the World Series in some godawful high number like 6 games? Meh. Come back and talk to me the next time they win 8 straight World Series games. Come back and talk to me the next time they break an 86 year, or 88 year, (or even more years if you're a Cubs fan) World Series title drought.

Red Sox Trade for Jeremy Hermida

odmatt@gmail.com (Matt O'Donnell) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:04:33 +0000

The Boston Red Sox have traded pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez to the Florida Marlins for outfielder Jeremy Hermida. More from the press release:

Hermida, 25, hit .259 (111-for-429) with 13 home runs and 47 RBI over 129 games with the Marlins in 2009 and set a career high with 56 walks. The left-handed hitter appeared in 81 games (73 starts) in right field and 51 (40 starts) in left. He made just one error in 205 total chances for a .995 fielding percentage, sixth among qualifying National League outfielders. He appeared in just three games after August 31 due to an intercostal strain on his right side.

Red Sox and Yankees to Battle it Out in the Hot Stove League

odmatt@gmail.com (Matt O'Donnell) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:54:02 +0000

Last offseason it did not look like the Yankees and Red Sox were fighting over the same players, (until the Yankees made that little deal for Mark Teixeira) this offseason things will be different. Both teams have to make a decision about left field. The Yankees may let Damon or Matsui go, or both and go after Bay or Holliday. The Red Sox have 15 days left of exclusive negotiating rights with Bay, but it is unlikely he will sign without getting some other teams involved to drive up his price. This sets the stage for lots of posturing by Cashman and Theo and a log jam of teams (Mets, Yankees, Angels, Red Sox, Giants and Cardinals) waiting for one of the chips to fall. It is going to be a wild ride that could leave teams looking very familiar (if the Yankees keep Matsui and Damon and the Sox re-sign Bay) or very different with some big names changing sides. The '09 season may be over but the Hot Stove is just beginning. Stay tuned.

Can see the Future. I think NOT!

shelley1005@gmail.com (shelley) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:32:05 +0000

So, yeah...we had some people predicting the outcome of the World Series. And well, they were wrong.

Let's take Jimmy Rollins. He predicted what? Oh yeah...he predicted that the Phillies were going to win the World Series in 5 games, 6 if they were NICE to the Yankees. Sighs. Not so much.

I saw this ecard today over at someecards.com and if it wasn't so depressing, it would be hilarious. OK. It's still funny even through my bitterness. I might have sent it to a co-worker who is a Yankees fan. I figure, if I can't enjoy the funny...I'll send it on to someone who can.

And then there is our own center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury who stated his prediction for the World Series on Sportscenter. He said 2 things. 1) That whoever won the first game would win the series. WRONG. 2) The game would go 7 games. WRONG AGAIN.

Nostradamus they aren't. I wish they were, but sadly...JRoll and Ell's ability to predict the future is seriously lacking. Boo!

When is truck day again? When do pitchers and catchers report? When are they going to announce they have resigned Jason Bay?

See ya Yankees fans...opening day...at the Fens. Until then, enjoy it.